The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

 GameCube
User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 1644 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,460 out of 1644
  2. Mixed: 110 out of 1644
  3. Negative: 74 out of 1644
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  1. Dr.dream
    Jul 28, 2004
    7
    Disapointing.
  2. Puffy
    Nov 10, 2005
    7
    Here's the deal........... nintendo tryed to put the graphics based on a child look cause he is a child thru this adventure.. ii for one dont like the look ..... the game is ok ...... one down fall i found was this game has some ruff camra angles ......there is times ur really fightin the camera to stay in the riht postion .........i can name countless times were the camra woudl beHere's the deal........... nintendo tryed to put the graphics based on a child look cause he is a child thru this adventure.. ii for one dont like the look ..... the game is ok ...... one down fall i found was this game has some ruff camra angles ......there is times ur really fightin the camera to stay in the riht postion .........i can name countless times were the camra woudl be like way opssite of were i need it n the l targting not even no were near helpin....... for that fact not even goin in to postin were u need it ..it coudl use a lil more fine tunning....... one thing for sure about this game its not oot.....its a ok adventure its got good iideas ...... like havin to use a big sword to break the wood or thrown the fire thru the wood or jumpin down pots........its got its bad pints n has its good .....i ve played worse games .....if u can look past the look u may ienjoy parts of it........ this is one them games were its not for evreryone .... i suggest rentin it or playin at a frinends or borrowin it ...its not the worst game ever made.... in all honstey u have to give nintendo credit for tryin somethin new ..i think i would have gave this game a 8 if i weent for the camra angles at tiimes… Expand
  3. I.Lynch
    Mar 25, 2006
    7
    I wanted desperatly to reall like this game, but it just doesnt feel right. But nintendo did pull of the cell shading perfectly.
  4. StefanieF.
    Sep 2, 2006
    7
    this game was quite a disappointment. after i went to the two temples, i was like ok now when do i start getting te triforce whatever in the dungeons (assuming it was liek oot) and then all i had to do was sail around? what the hell! seriously, the graphics are cute, the enemies and sounds are even cute, but the dungeons? why werent there more than two dungeons? who decided to make it this game was quite a disappointment. after i went to the two temples, i was like ok now when do i start getting te triforce whatever in the dungeons (assuming it was liek oot) and then all i had to do was sail around? what the hell! seriously, the graphics are cute, the enemies and sounds are even cute, but the dungeons? why werent there more than two dungeons? who decided to make it this small? i do like how you can start aq second quest but that isnt the point. if you are looking for a zelda classic that you can beat in a week or so, then look here.… Expand
  5. WingWong
    Apr 11, 2003
    7
    I think this game is pretty good, but I don't think it should have been a Zelda game. The story's plot is a little disconnected with Zelda herself. The feel of the controls, especially the L targeting and the shielding is awkward (I keep on crawling whenever I try to shield against a guy!) Overall, this game didn't really have the "Zelda" feel to it that I had been hoping I think this game is pretty good, but I don't think it should have been a Zelda game. The story's plot is a little disconnected with Zelda herself. The feel of the controls, especially the L targeting and the shielding is awkward (I keep on crawling whenever I try to shield against a guy!) Overall, this game didn't really have the "Zelda" feel to it that I had been hoping for. Though it was not a Zelda material, it would have been a superior game if it was its own series.… Expand
  6. YourasA.
    Jul 3, 2003
    7
    Oke game.
  7. RobR.
    Apr 20, 2005
    7
    Gorgeous graphics, big cohesive world. But where's the beef? Too much time wasted on the empty ocean and changing wind direciton, not enough game inbetween. There are lots of sidequests to do (a'la Majora's Mask, which is a good thing), but getting anywhere in this game is such a chore, and you frankly don't need the heart pieces anyway. OOT and Majora's Mask were Gorgeous graphics, big cohesive world. But where's the beef? Too much time wasted on the empty ocean and changing wind direciton, not enough game inbetween. There are lots of sidequests to do (a'la Majora's Mask, which is a good thing), but getting anywhere in this game is such a chore, and you frankly don't need the heart pieces anyway. OOT and Majora's Mask were really far bigger games, despite the N64's limitations. They really needed to spend another year adding more dungeons and making some of the islands bigger. The game has hints of brilliance but fell quite a bit short of what it should have, given the capacity of the GameCube.… Expand
  8. Carl
    May 6, 2006
    7
    Its well put together, and the graphics are fantastic, but the game is just too easy and the whole thing feels rushed. There arn't enough dungeons, theres not enough land, and the music is terrible. It lacks the 'magic' of previous Zeldas and comes across as kind of shallow and forgetable. It's more of a throwaway game, something Zelda has never been before.
  9. Mike
    Mar 11, 2004
    7
    If you're a real zelda fan the graphics won't matter to you. but there's a little too much sillyness with the looks of the poeple. all in all it pretty much followed the zelda story except with the botan and talking boat.
  10. CodyK.
    Aug 27, 2005
    7
    This is a very cool game. The graphics and animation are great and the story is not that bad, but the major downfall of this game is the pacing. The game lurches in story because of one of the most annoying and time consuming features that the game prides itself on
  11. DaveB.
    Nov 18, 2003
    7
    It's fun, it's a quality game, but it's not just a tad too childish, it's way too childish! I hope that the sequel is similar, but aimed at a broader audience.
  12. Tokyochuchu
    Apr 7, 2012
    7
    Wind Waker is a pretty much a perfect game that suddenly and unexpectedly shoots itself in the foot. The graphical style is a love-it-or-hate-it type of affair. I really fell on the former side of that argument. I think the visuals are super-cute, colorful and expressive. The general gameplay and dungeons are superb, bringing out all the best traits of the Zelda franchise: Tight controls,Wind Waker is a pretty much a perfect game that suddenly and unexpectedly shoots itself in the foot. The graphical style is a love-it-or-hate-it type of affair. I really fell on the former side of that argument. I think the visuals are super-cute, colorful and expressive. The general gameplay and dungeons are superb, bringing out all the best traits of the Zelda franchise: Tight controls, imaginative puzzle, spectacular bosses... Just perfect! Then... BANG!! You're sent off on a seemingly endless fetch-quest across the ocean, finding shards of the tri-force that have been hidden around the world. No more dungeons or bosses. Just you, your boat and a map. I know that actually sounds like fun, but it's really not. It's just busy work you have to suffer through to reach the finale. BUT ... When you finally do emerge from all that crap, you'll find that the end sequences and final boss of the game are truly unforgettable. So, just about worth holding out for.… Expand
  13. DrEggman
    Nov 16, 2011
    7
    The wind waker has a great storyline and fairly good character development. The sword fighting aspect is better than in any zelda so far and the new parry attack is a welcome addition to links move set. What is a let-down with this game is that part of the game was rushed to get it out for the fans. Instead of having two extra dungeons a tedious fetch quest which lasts for several hoursThe wind waker has a great storyline and fairly good character development. The sword fighting aspect is better than in any zelda so far and the new parry attack is a welcome addition to links move set. What is a let-down with this game is that part of the game was rushed to get it out for the fans. Instead of having two extra dungeons a tedious fetch quest which lasts for several hours was implemented, and quite frankly along with the tedious sailing around it spoiled the game. I had no fun playing it and it is the part I dread when I go to relay the game. The final boss was also a joke, he was far too easy and after being built up to be an uber powerful villain he ended up being a pushover. I also find that this game is not for a mainstream audience. The childish cartoony look is not only lacking detail (at some points the villains abnormally large nose is invisible) but does not appeal to the masses and I find it to be the least visually appealing in any 3d console zelda title. I will say that the dungeon music is bland, but the rest of the soundtrack is very good even if it is Midi. All in all worth a buy if you are a fan of Zelda, just not what I would say best represents the series.… Expand
  14. RangerGxi
    May 21, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great character development, Very enjoyable but standard plot and Excellent soundtrack The quirky and silly nature of link is enjoyable but the boat rides were simply boring. Maybe I'm blinded by Nostalgia but the Ocarina of Time horse rides didn't feel this boring. My guess is the lack of naval combat in the game. The "Temples" were fun for the most part and employed classic's like the hookshot but also added new mechanics like the flying leaf. It's a must buy for young children who enjoy puzzle games, which I would think is a niche market.… Expand
  15. hawaiianhappy
    Nov 15, 2012
    7
    To be fair, I played through the game multiple times and finished the game twice. There are no flaws with the game that include gameplay, glitches, or anything bad. But there is one thing that has completely killed the mood of the game. It is the reason why my friends who borrow the game from me never finished it. The problem is the part where you are collecting the Triforce Shards.To be fair, I played through the game multiple times and finished the game twice. There are no flaws with the game that include gameplay, glitches, or anything bad. But there is one thing that has completely killed the mood of the game. It is the reason why my friends who borrow the game from me never finished it. The problem is the part where you are collecting the Triforce Shards. The task requires collecting about 3200 ruppies, 21 joy pendants, and collecting the triforce charts, decoding them with said ruppies, and then going out and fetching them. It took me forever to find out how to get into the Oasis for the last triforce chart. I can't believe I am saying this but at least in OOT Navi would give you a hint on where to go, sure she yells HEY way too much but at least she probably could have told me to go to outset island to start. This whole sequence with the shards ruin the experience and slows the game down, and it's very unfortunate because before this you were in 3 dungeons that reveal a lot and get you immersed in the game, but then this whole triforce shard part shows up and it's a complete buzzkill.… Expand
  16. Shigeru
    Sep 7, 2013
    7
    It brought an easy to control camera, fluent animation and a feeling of continuity to the franchise. The game feels rushed during the second half of the plot, though, and spending so much time just getting from one island to another gets tedious pretty soon.
  17. Shireke
    Dec 9, 2015
    7
    A great game for its time, maybe even the best game of that decade. Ocarina of the Time set a "before" and an "after" for 3d videogames, and its gameplay has remained in every adventure game after it.

    But right now, it is only the oldest 3D Zelda game out there, and it shows. The gameplay gets clunky and the story and characters can't compete with newer games on the saga.
  18. Steeldude
    Oct 13, 2014
    7
    Easy bosses, very few dungeons and an unimaginative world with islands that serve little purpose. My least favorite 3D Zelda game. If all islands were expanded upon and contained interesting and unique locations, the score would be much higher.
  19. PersianReviewer
    Mar 30, 2015
    7
    Wind Waker is another favorable entry into the Zelda franchise. For me, I wasn't a big fan of the graphics. Looks like this type of graphics were you like it, or you don't. This was only part of the problem I had with this particular game. The story for me was too short, and it lacked that vast open world exploring which I expected so much from Wind Waker. The temples weren't thatWind Waker is another favorable entry into the Zelda franchise. For me, I wasn't a big fan of the graphics. Looks like this type of graphics were you like it, or you don't. This was only part of the problem I had with this particular game. The story for me was too short, and it lacked that vast open world exploring which I expected so much from Wind Waker. The temples weren't that challenging, and some, like the Forbidden Forest and Wind Temple, were very boring and not compelling. The final boss fight with Ganon however was incredible. Having the doomed Hyrule wash away while the Hero of Time fought against evil itself is what made this boss fight one of the best in the franchise. So overall, good game, but not alot of action until the very end. Otherwise, worth the money.… Expand
  20. Otisnemes
    Jun 29, 2018
    7
    The Legend of Zelda: The Wait Waker. Seriously. Everything has an animation or you have to read text everytime you pick an "important" object (even tho you have read it dozens of times).
    Talking about dungeons, there are not that many, and they're not that great either (two of them, where you have company, are very tedious). Bosses, are meh.
    Now talking about the good stuff, I love the    The Legend of Zelda: The Wait Waker. Seriously. Everything has an animation or you have to read text everytime you pick an "important" object (even tho you have read it dozens of times).
    Talking about dungeons, there are not that many, and they're not that great either (two of them, where you have company, are very tedious). Bosses, are meh.

    Now talking about the good stuff, I love the graphics, and music, they fit the game very very well.
    The ocean is kinda cool too, I get it, sometimes you are just sailing a lot of time, but the ocean is a loading zone after all. There are a lot of things to do too, almost every island has it's own puzzle or secondary quest (that you got to remember, no diary or questlog, which is nice).

    Overall, I liked the game, but I was rushing the end just because I was soo bored with it.    … Expand
  21. DJKrimson
    Mar 2, 2021
    7
    I've played pretty much all Zelda games and I gotta say that WW (and PH) isn't that high on my list and I'd say it's just a decent game. The sailing is annoying because it takes so much time to change the wind direction, the exploring isn't rewarding enough and there are too few dungeons.
  22. Cafe_8bits
    Nov 14, 2019
    7
    During my high school years, Wind Waker was my favorite game ever. Sadly, as i play other good adventure games, Wind Waker falls more and more in my personal ranking. Its not a perefect game. Its quite repetitive, and sometimes its level design got annoying... But its still one of the most creative and best Zeldas ive ever played.
    Wind Waker will always have a place in my heart.
  23. GameDemon
    Aug 6, 2003
    6
    game is pretty good overall, but falls short in nearly every area (story, gameplay, etc.)
  24. DanW.
    Apr 1, 2003
    6
    As I peruse the "reviews" penned by the "critics" listed here on Metacritic, I get the impression more of a Miyamoto-san back-patting contest than of anything resembling objectivity. Indeed more shocking, however, are the reviews that touch on Wind Wakers significant flaws, and then proceed to give it a perfect score anyway. Yes, the game is gorgeous. The music and sound are passable, As I peruse the "reviews" penned by the "critics" listed here on Metacritic, I get the impression more of a Miyamoto-san back-patting contest than of anything resembling objectivity. Indeed more shocking, however, are the reviews that touch on Wind Wakers significant flaws, and then proceed to give it a perfect score anyway. Yes, the game is gorgeous. The music and sound are passable, though nothing extraordinary, usually just treading old ground again. The gameplay is a mixed bag. On the one hand, it's brilliant nearly all the time. On the other hand, the lock-on system varies from awkward to useless, and the camera is maddening, often positioning itself in the place most opposed to usefulness. In all, it's a great game with serious problems, like a supermodel with a club foot. It's certainly not a 10, or a 9. In fact, I give it a 6.… Expand
  25. JackintheBox
    May 11, 2003
    6
    Very disappointing compared to Ocarina of Time. It feels more like a step back for the franchise than a leap forward. I don't like the looks, the animation is glitchy (guards sticking *through* the barrel Link is hiding in, etc.) and it feels as a very empty, sterile world. Fortunately it came with a bonusdisc, and I'm actually playing through Masterquest and enjoying it a whole Very disappointing compared to Ocarina of Time. It feels more like a step back for the franchise than a leap forward. I don't like the looks, the animation is glitchy (guards sticking *through* the barrel Link is hiding in, etc.) and it feels as a very empty, sterile world. Fortunately it came with a bonusdisc, and I'm actually playing through Masterquest and enjoying it a whole lot more than Wind Waker.… Expand
  26. DuncanS.
    Jul 25, 2003
    6
    This is so pathetic compared to the Ocarina of Time!!! I was waiting to be amazed by realistic graphics like i was when Ocarina came out. WHY GO CARTOONY?!?! They used the name to their advantage hoping that it would bring them success. Well what do you know? If this game had been named "The path of Dean: Wind Waker" or something that didnt have the zelda name attached, people wouldnt This is so pathetic compared to the Ocarina of Time!!! I was waiting to be amazed by realistic graphics like i was when Ocarina came out. WHY GO CARTOONY?!?! They used the name to their advantage hoping that it would bring them success. Well what do you know? If this game had been named "The path of Dean: Wind Waker" or something that didnt have the zelda name attached, people wouldnt have liked it as much. As for the plot, the story line is so predictable, that a 6 year old would know how the whole thing goes after 5 min of game time. Game play is the only strong aspect of this game. I like all the cool weapons that you recieve. The sailing annoys me to the point that i want to fast forward my life half an hour to get to the next island!… Expand
  27. SpotR
    Nov 8, 2009
    6
    The game is not that good. It starts out fun and exciting but gets boring really fast. Sailing is a major pain. Changing the wind whenever you want to go a different direction gets old really fast. Also, you cant enjoy the dungeons because for half of them, you have to control another character as well as yourself.
  28. Lev
    Aug 23, 2009
    6
    At first, the new graphical style looked very lively and refreshing, but it gets dull very soon. There aren't much new gameplay elements compared to OoT, and as many others stated before me, the sailing part is very boring, the using the windwaker is boring, the dungeons are that great and well...I think Nintendo should just just stop raping Zelda. OoT was very good for it's own At first, the new graphical style looked very lively and refreshing, but it gets dull very soon. There aren't much new gameplay elements compared to OoT, and as many others stated before me, the sailing part is very boring, the using the windwaker is boring, the dungeons are that great and well...I think Nintendo should just just stop raping Zelda. OoT was very good for it's own time and is still a decent game. But it was enough once. I have to say that I really liked the intro though. The lino-cut ,(or maybe fake lino-cut) stilized images were great.… Expand
  29. ChrisCamp
    Jul 31, 2003
    6
    It's got gorgeous graphics, good controls and good sound. And the new battle features are great too. But I was put off by the fact that the dungeons are so easy to crack. In Ocarina of Time, you would find a new item (such as the hookshot) and return to an old dungeon that you'd already beat and find more treasure using the hookshot. In this one, you can get every treasure in It's got gorgeous graphics, good controls and good sound. And the new battle features are great too. But I was put off by the fact that the dungeons are so easy to crack. In Ocarina of Time, you would find a new item (such as the hookshot) and return to an old dungeon that you'd already beat and find more treasure using the hookshot. In this one, you can get every treasure in the dungeon the first time through. It's a good game but nowhere near as deep and addictive as OOT… Expand
  30. DemonicAngel
    Sep 25, 2004
    6
    As much as I wanted to buy into the hype and love this game, it just failed to pique my interest and ultimately got consigned to the "preowned" section at my local consumer electronics store. The graphics (including art and design) and sound are top-notch. The gameplay was fun for a while, but soon lost its appeal. Controls are about average, and the camera, while not as detestable as As much as I wanted to buy into the hype and love this game, it just failed to pique my interest and ultimately got consigned to the "preowned" section at my local consumer electronics store. The graphics (including art and design) and sound are top-notch. The gameplay was fun for a while, but soon lost its appeal. Controls are about average, and the camera, while not as detestable as that in Super Mario Sunshine, really does not help matters. A rent-first. (And, I might add - Nintendo could do with getting its act together, sharpish. Of the big N's main 3 franchises, only Metroid Prime was any good, and it was third-party developed. Both SMS and Zelda, developed in-house by Nintendo, were seriously underwhelming. Miyamoto-san, take note.)… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best GameCube Game of 2003
1
#1 Most Discussed GameCube Game of 2003
4
#4 Most Shared GameCube Game of 2003

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
96

Universal acclaim - based on 80 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 80 out of 80
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 80
  3. Negative: 0 out of 80
  1. Weekly Famitsu
    100
    10 / 10 / 10/ 10 - 40 platinum
  2. NTSC-uk
    100
    When one picks up the controller, the ability to step into that time and place (never more hauntingly beautiful than in this latest instalment) never loses its allure. Even the most hardened of cynics would have to admit that this title is something else entirely. It's the stuff of dreams. [JPN Import]
    Read full review
  3. Eurogamer
    100
    Simply a stunning, magical game.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »