Too easy, lacks dungeon, big pointless fetch quest at endgame, final dungeon design and boss was lame (a stringed "puppet" Ganon?).
I was very disappointed with it when it launched.
I was very disappointed with it when it launched.
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I still find The Wind Waker painful to play
- Thread starter YolkFolk
- Start date
It's for the most part a painfully dull experience, only mitigated by the beautiful artstyle, the music and some in-dungeon aspects. It might have one of the worst uses of negative space in an "open" world since the sailing isn't sufficiently engaging and turns into tedium a few hours in. There is no wonder in exploring a vast sea of blue that doesn't manage to convincingly hide how it's streaming one area after another and quite frankly, there is nothing to do between islands. The HD version manages to fix some aspects of the original, particularly the pacing, but it just proves that you can't polish a slightly moldy piece of perfectly baked toast.
Breath of the Wild's bad textures are constant though. The simplistic nature of its art style does not work nearly as well as Wind Waker. Sometimes it looks amazing, but most of the time it just looks like this:
You can easily tell where there was probably intended to be a dungeon here and there that never got made, but the rest of the game is strong enough that I don't really care. I loved the sense of adventure the game gives off.
I also hated the Artifact hunt in Prime more than I hated the Wind Waker's shard hunt, to be honest.
I also hated the Artifact hunt in Prime more than I hated the Wind Waker's shard hunt, to be honest.
The artifact hunt in Prime is so bad since it takes way longer and is often way more cryptic. It's so bad, and the one in Prime 2 managed to be even worse.
Wind Waker's didn't take very long, and about the only thing annoying about it were the Tingle maps, which didn't bother me that much at that point since I was loaded with cash already.
What an exaggeration. Wind Waker isn't as feature complete as other Zelda games, but its polish is off the charts. All of your criticisms apply far more to earlier Zelda games, whether its the equipping of the Iron Boots in Ocarina of Time or the repetition of the Elegy of Emptiness in Majora's Mask. If anything, Wind Waker's comparatively simplistic dungeon design assures that there's far less item switching, and the actual act of entering and exiting the menu is far faster than in the N64 titles whenever that's required.
Wind Waker may be a somewhat empty and simple game, but what's there is extremely polished. I wasn't aware so many people required analgesics just to get through it.
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Nah, you can get about 11/12 artifact as you progress to the final boss in Prime as long as you plan your route well. The Wind Wakers fetch quest is worse because it can only be done once you beat all the main dungeons. Still i don't think it's nearly as bad as many make it out to be. If you leave most exploration till the end game, then it's pretty enjoyable and it lasts about an hour at most.
Best Zelda game. I didn't find any aspect of playing it to be particularly painful. I had more fun with it than I've ever had with a Zelda game. I love sailing and how spaced out everything because it really encourages exploration in a way that other Zelda games (bar BOTW) do not. Unlike BOTW, however, it's not overwhelming because elevation is not a factor in exploration, so I can always be certain that I'm not missing anything. Real good for completionists.
I REALLY hope this gets a Switch port, because I'd love to revisit it.
I REALLY hope this gets a Switch port, because I'd love to revisit it.
I played this game for the first time last year and I have to say it has moved to my 2nd favorite Zelda game, Breath of the Wild being number one and Link's Awakening being number three.
Windfall Island (I think that's the name) is easily one of my favorite Zelda towns. There are so many little side quests sprinkled throughout it despite its small size and all the people have their own lives. The other towns pale in comparison. If they had each somehow managed the same amount of content, I would forgive the rest of the game's shortcomings.
I beat it for the first time in college in the span of two days basically forgoing sleep. It's short, and some of the islands are a bit too copy paste, and I definitely get the hate it gets, but it's so light and breezy I still love it.
BoTW really could've used some towns more like Windfall.
I beat it for the first time in college in the span of two days basically forgoing sleep. It's short, and some of the islands are a bit too copy paste, and I definitely get the hate it gets, but it's so light and breezy I still love it.
BoTW really could've used some towns more like Windfall.
That's assume you even know where they are or that they exist. For a lot of people, they just pop up at the end and it's just annoying.
Sure but the game does tell you where they are in the temple and assuming you ever replay the game it's barely a problem. Echoes was the most annoying game in terms of how it handled this type of fetch quest.
My least favorite 3D Zelda next to SS and yeah the game does feel like a chore. Even back then it just didn't blow me away but I played it anyways.
Disagree - but ive played zelda since NES. It was painfully obvious to me that they could have done some bonus dungeons at end in hyrule to make the game complete
I'm talking about first playthroughs, not replaying them when you already know what to expect.
The game tells you where they are, but not all at once. It's tedious as hell and just bullshit padding. You're acting like it's nothing when it reaaaallly isn't. It's completely unnecessary and really annoying when it really should have ended by then.
Pretty much. A new player going in blind is probably going to organically a small handful of them, then have the game stop dead cold at the end until they either scour the world or give up and go get a guide. As I recall, it also only gives you like three hints at a time, but it's been a long time.
At least you get the In-Credible Chart in Wind Waker.
The game's plot is intriguing, the new art style adds a new and unique feel into it, but the game's length sometimes makes it a little tedious to play. The dungeons are also VERY BAD when compared with Twilight Princess for example, but that's it. It's a somewhat unique game, great story, great exploration mechanics. It's not the best zelda, but it's not the worst.
Don't get me wrong, i agree with you for the most part and ideally both of these shouldn't have even been in the game but i was just saying that i still feel that Wind Waker was worse because it locks the quest from the player until you already complete everything. Metroid was already a game where you are already going explore every place in the game. On my first playthrough i remember finding six or seven artifacts before i even knew that they were required, because i was already searching for missile expansions and energy tanks. By the time it came for me to backtrack and collect them all, it barely took more than a half an hour and ceased to be an issue on any replay but it continues to be an issue in the Wind Waker because Nintendo did not let the players look for them earlier.
I'm sure this is a YMMV kind of thing but i don't find it to be a huge problem in prime.
I think I might actually put both Wind Waker and Majora's Mask above Ocarina of Time. I value atmosphere in Zelda games a lot and those two games have it in spades. I do agree that I would've liked to have seen what Wind Waker could've been with a bit more time.
My biggest problem is they felt the need to still make the game feel long instead of just reigning in the scope of the game. Some parts kind of drag on as a result.
So was there a reason they never added the extra dungeons to WWHD? Were those dungeons ever finished or close to it?
It has a sequel -- on the DS. And its pretty bad.
It's not the same. BOTW looks straight up ugly at times.
Wind Waker is far more cohesive in its looks.
It has a sequel -- on the DS. And its pretty bad.
It's not the same. BOTW looks straight up ugly at times.
Wind Waker is far more cohesive in its looks.
I believe the third pearl that you get from the fish god was supposed to have a whole other dungeon attached to it. The same goes for the volcano and ice islands. They couldn't be added to the HD release because the concepts planned for those dungeons were used in later Zelda games. There is an interview with the developers where they discuss this I think.
Nah, I thought it was fine too. Without the internet I would have never known it was so contentious.
Still my favorite Zelda, despite it's flaws.
Having to fill in your map one 1x1 square at-at-a-time is still one of the worst game mechanics I've ever seen. Kills any motivation I have to ever play it again.
nope not when this exists
that combat/ the lightning was soo satisfying
I completed a new playthrough every year for 7 years straight, so I can't say I agree. lol
I agree the visuals, music, controls and presentation make it pleasant to play, but for whatever reason I don't focus on what could have been and instead just enjoy the game for what it is.
I agree the visuals, music, controls and presentation make it pleasant to play, but for whatever reason I don't focus on what could have been and instead just enjoy the game for what it is.
I liked Wind Waker a lot in general but it does feel incomplete. I didn't notice in my first playthrough, since I was a kid and had only played OoT before. But after replaying it years later with more Zelda experience it does feel... bare at times. That part where you're just given one of the orbs was such a joke.
I beat this game in a single afternoon as a kid, it never really held much water with me except for the better depiction of Ganondorf.
I did like sailing around collecting the pieces though.
I did like sailing around collecting the pieces though.
I don't see how. It actually felt rewarding finding a new island and getting a unique upgrade or item on it. BotW is just a bunch of crappy rewards dotted around an interesting looking world. Oh wow look at this cool looking place. Oh a chest I wonder what's in it. Another sword that's going to break in 10 hits or a Topaz. How rewarding.
The speed run of the HD version at AGDQ a few years ago was four and a half hours long. That's some afternoon you had. Did you play the reverse Song of Time or something?
An afternoon ran from 1-10 lol.
The point I was making was that I normally take time on games I like, I don't run through them, this game had nothing that made me even care about taking my time, I just sort of drifted through it.
Random thought seeing the thread title, but Zelda games have some of the most poetic, imaginary subtitles don't they? So beautiful
Yeah texture quality in BoTW is very inconsistent, some textures are pretty good and sharp and some are downright Wii-area levels of bad, while Wind Waker had its texture quality very consistent.
Otherwise, the art style of BOTW is beautiful and timeless too, even if the texture quality is lacking sometimes. Lighting and the grass makes up for it.
I'm sorry, but... what?
One problem with Wind Waker's dungeons is that so many rooms require you to do a lot of different things, which require constant switching of your active items. It's rare that you'll be using in a room the same items that you used in the previous room, especially in the earth and wind dungeons. Compare this to the N64 games, where rooms were usually much more focused on the use of one or two items. WW makes simple traversal much more of a hassle than it has any business to be.
The menu being faster is't of much help when you're opening it two or three times in a single room, only to have to do it again in the next room.
And really, just how many times the game makes you use the melodies to control Makar and Medli? Only the Stone Tower Temple in Majora's Mask comes close to that level of redundancy, and it still isn't as obnoxious as WW, especially the GC version where the melody is repeated twice after you play it.
TWW has a huge problem with flow and pacing. I don't know how anyone can deny it.
my only problem with the triforce quest is that they should have just made charts = pieces. grinding rupees for tingle to interpret them for you was no fun. I've been doing a replay of it and just taking my time and exploring the islands, it's one of my faves. such great atmosphere.
I often wonder this too. It's possibly still my favorite Zelda, but it obviously needed more dev time and I always wonder what another year could've done for it.
I can imagine a Wind Waker that's up there with the best Zelda games, but much as I can overlook its flaws, it just doesn't try hard enough, much as that breaks my heart to sag.
I can imagine a Wind Waker that's up there with the best Zelda games, but much as I can overlook its flaws, it just doesn't try hard enough, much as that breaks my heart to sag.
If the dungeons we got are representative of the dungeons we would've gotten, then I'm fine tbh. Any more of those boring dungeons and the game would've just draaaaagged.
You're correct, but you made the tragic mistake of assuming people beat Skyward Sword.nope not when this exists
that combat/ the lightning was soo satisfying
That's true for every Zelda game, unfortunately. Can't speak for BotW, though.
Wind Waker is my favorite Zelda, it has a really special charm to it.
Also, I get more of a feeling that BoTW is unfinished while playing it than I do in Wind Waker.
Also, I get more of a feeling that BoTW is unfinished while playing it than I do in Wind Waker.
Wind Waker is leaps and bounds the best "classic" Zelda. Even after knowing what was cut from the game, I still don't think any of the other classic Zeldas come close. I even enjoy the Triforce quest. Feels like a real adventure and I feel like I am hunting dragon balls.
Breath of the Wild is a different story tho.
Breath of the Wild is a different story tho.
The combat in SS is not fun and Link does not stab Demise in the head, so WW still wins.