One thing Nintendo is never shy about doing is raiding the old back catalogue. When the 3DS was struggling in its first few months, a remake of one of the big N's most beloved titles, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, provided a timely sales boost and managed (just) to tide the Nintendo faithful over until Mariokart 7 and Super Mario 3D Land were ready for release. Perhaps hoping that lightning can indeed strike twice, and with the Wii U in a similar predicament to the 3DS in 2011, the Mario masterminds are once again scrubbing up an old Zelda game and hoping it will keep players going until the other exciting stuff we saw at E3 starts to drop.
Luckily, the Zelda game in question is the sublime The Wind Waker, which saw a Japanese release way back in 2002 (2003 in Europe and the US). Widely regarded as one of the best games ever made (let alone one of the best Zelda games), it's certainly a good choice for a remake. The Wind Waker managed to successfully put a nautical spin on the traditional Zelda template of dungeon exploring, item trading and princess rescuing, and it did so with some incredibly expressive and beautiful graphics. Link, Zelda and series baddie Ganon are joined by a new cast of supporting characters including a motley pirate crew, and they're all superbly animated in a cartoon style. It's a tribute to the original game's visuals that although the remake naturally looks sharper, the art style has withstood the test of time in a way that most games could only hope to achieve. From what we've seen so far, the transition to full 1080p HD has worked well for The Wind Waker, and it's a treat to see such a classic brought right up to date.
A high def lick of paint has done wonders for Windfall Island.
Of course the upgraded graphics aren't the only difference, and there are a few new features to round out the package. Nintendo has cleverly included integration with Miiverse, the Wii U's very own social network. In keeping with the game's nautical theme, you will be able to use a new item provided by Tingle, the 35 year old spandex-clad fairy obsessive (yes, really): the Tingle Bottle. This handy container allows you to post messages to Miiverse in- game by typing out a note, popping it in the bottle and flinging it into the ocean. You'll be able to attach pictures taken with the in-game camera, the Picto Box, to your notes too so this may inspire players to seek out the game's hidden treasures and show off to their friends with a screenshot. It's a nice addition, and a clever way of adding Miiverse functionality without spoiling the atmosphere of the game.
Somewhat sadly though, the Tingle Bottle replaces the Tingle Tuner item from the original Wind Waker. This came in to play when a Game Boy Advance handheld was connected to the Gamecube, allowing a second player to use the small screen to help find hidden figurines or provide advice and hints. When The Wind Waker HD was announced for Wii U, most assumed that either the GamePad or even the 3DS would take on the Tingle Tuner role but it appears that this is not the case. While the Tingle Tuner was a fun addition to the experience, it wasn't really relevant to the plot and it's still possible Nintendo has cooked up an alternative way to access this extra content.
While the original game is pretty much universally loved, there were a couple of niggles which look to have been ironed out for this re-release. While sailing the seas looked gorgeous, and provided a real sense of adventure and discovery at first, it also took ages to actually get anywhere with only a few enemy skirmishes to break up the slightly monotonous sailing. Thankfully a new fast sailing option has been added, so the voyage from one side of the (huge) map to the other will be a little more user friendly this time around. Secondly, it's long been known to Zelda fans that some dungeons (where the real puzzle solving meat of any Zelda game is to be found) were cut from The Wind Waker in order to meet deadlines. The result was a slightly unbalanced game which felt a little rushed after the half way mark. While these dungeons have not been added to the remake, having been repurposed for subsequent Zelda games already (although producer Eiji Aonuma won't say which), Nintendo is promising tweaks to the gameplay to improve the game's balance. The 'Triforce Quest' treasure hunt towards the end of the game, which felt an awful lot like padding to make up for those missing dungeons, has been streamlined for instance which is sure to please those who are replaying the adventure.
Thankfully Link can now put his foot down.
As one of two Zelda titles scheduled to arrive this year, The Wind Waker HD is shaping up to be a real treat for veterans and newcomers alike. While long time Zelda fans will be able to experience a classic in the series with contemporary graphics and a few modifications to some of the more irksome aspects, players who have yet to see what all the fuss is about now have the perfect jumping off point. Add in Off TV Play (allowing the game to played solely on the GamePad screen) and the innovative use of Miiverse and it's looking like a winner to us. Hopefully this, along with 3DS exclusive The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, should scratch that Zelda itch until the supposedly unconventional brand new Zelda title is released for Wii U sometime in the future.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD will be released for Wii U in October. In the meantime, why not take a look at the official trailer.
