Long ago, there existed a kingdom where a golden power lay hidden. One day, a man of great evil found this power and took it for himself, and with it at his command, he spread darkness across the kingdom. But then… just as all hope had died, a young boy clothed in green appeared as if from nowhere. Wielding a blade that repelled evil, he sealed the dark one away and gave the land light. This boy, who traveled through time to save the land, was known as the Hero of Time. The boy's tale was passed down through generations until it became legend. And then a day came when a fell wind began to blow across the kingdom, and the great evil once again crept forth from the depths of the earth. The people believed that the hero of Time would again come to save them. But the hero did not appear…

Most people feared the new cel-shaded art style of Wind Waker, thinking it would make the game look too "kiddie", but just one glance at the animation made everyone eat their words. The game looks like a cartoon, yes, but a well-animated one, which is rare these days. Blades of grass move with the wind, fish jump in and out of the water, realistic flames dance on top of torches, and even the smoke clouds that form when you defeat monsters look amazing. The game's filled with tiny details that remind you that Nintendo cares. Bosses are big and very detailed, and have plenty of moves and animations that will keep you from blinking until the fight is over. Another nice graphical touch is Link's facial expressions. You can tell how he feels just by looking at him. This is important because sometimes you wouldn't know where to turn unless you pay attention to Link's eyes and head.

As in every Zelda game, sound plays a very important role. Sounds effects are as sharp as ever, with realistic sword clanks, bomb explosions, and water splashes. Your sword makes different sounds depending on what surface you hit, and that can let you know if a wall can be smashed or not. Link has various grunts and yelps during combat, as he did in Ocarina of Time. They simply add to the fun, since he's the silent type. The background music is has both happy and scary at times. Towns have nice, happy tunes, while dungeons and caves have moody, creepy music. When a fight starts the music changes and gets more interesting, and then it goes back to normal. Overall it's not as memorable as in past versions, but nice nonetheless. It's always good hearing classic Zelda themes, though.

Here's where every Zelda game shines. You can do so much stuff in Wind Waker, it's almost ridiculous. Fighting is very fun because besides the usual hack and slash, you can do reversals, steal your enemy's weapon, or push them off a cliff. As you progress in the game you'll get different weapons, like a bow, bombs, boomerang and hookshot, and they all control differently and are used for different reasons. You won't make it past a big gap on the ground unless you have the hookshot, or you won't enter a cave unless you bomb the entrance. Moving around the world map is done by sailboat. Since the world's about 80% water, it's not such a bad idea. Sadly, sailing is a bit of a chore since it's slow and you encounter annoying creatures on your way to islands. You'll be spending a lot of time in the water, fishing out treasures and just getting lost. Later in the game you'll learn a song that lets you warp around the world map, making your life a little easier. The most rewarding aspect of The Wind Waker, and all Zelda games for that matter, is getting through dungeons. They're all genially designed, with plenty of puzzles that have a unique way of being solved. In one dungeon you must posses a statue and flip some switches with your weight, in another you have to use stealth and walk by guards undetected, Metal Gear style. Another cool gameplay feature is the Tingle Tuner. With this item you can use a Game Boy Advance connected to the GameCube and play coop with a friend. One player controls Link and the one with the GBA can access a special map to guide you, or even attack enemies or make you invincible for a little while. This makes the game easier than it already is, but it's really neat.

While saving your sister and restoring peace to the world is fun, that's not all you can do in the magical world of Zelda. There are tons of side quests and mini games in here to keep you occupied. You can write letters to people from around the world, bid for rare items in the auction house, collect special necklaces, take photos of every single enemy and character in the game and make them into little statues, look for hidden treasure in the middle of the sea, chase and catch pigs, shoot fish with your bow and arrow, play hide & seek, and more! With so many activities you'll never get bored.

Although way too easy and short in my opinion, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is still one of the finest games out there. Outstanding visuals, charming melodies, interesting plot twists, and tons of gameplay innovations make this game an instant classic. Shigeru Miyamoto (creator of Zelda, Mario, Pikmin) once again delivers a fresh new Zelda adventure, with enough classic elements to please long-time fans, and plenty of new features to reel in some new ones. You'll definitely want to replay the game to collect every Piece of Heart, hidden treasure, and collectible figurine. There's something here for everyone. Buy it!

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