
Upon actually playing, it appears Wind Waker HD’s purpose is
not the implied ocular majesty but to appeal to those who might not have had the opportunity to play the game previously
without sacrificing the integrity of the source material for people who remember it fondly. Considering my
fondness for the original, I can get behind showcasing the glory of the game to new
audiences.
Fans of the original can customize their experience to be tremendously
fresh or a nostalgic one with a pretty coat of paint. The more
challenging Hero Mode and ability to control much of the game in first person can
create a very different experience than was possible back when the game first released. Anyone who never played Wind
Waker before, meanwhile, now has the perfect excuse to buy it regardless of what’s on
the horizon for Wii U; there's very little that's better value than this game. Say what you will about remakes, but Wind Waker HD is
one of the most encompassing adventures out there.

Half the thrill of Wind Waker is exploring the Great Sea at
your own pace instead of hastening the plot. Though the amount of genuine
hotspots is slim across the wide oceans, the player is free to stop the boat to swipe treasure from
submarines, skirmish with pirates, explore caverns, or meet four-armed fairies.
The boat is now the perfect speed to delve into adventure without tedium while
still affording time for the player to reflect, consult their sea chart, or
view the logs of fellow explorers on the way. Wind Waker is that exceptional
game with an imposed central narrative but enough freedom to create your own
stories within the world.
Though there aren’t many islands that warrant multiple
visits once you’ve raided their treasure, there is plenty to do on the two main islands that will last for many hours of questing in themselves. Nearly everyone on those islands has some sort
of personality, backstory, or philosophical lesson to share. Some even
experience simplified character arcs as the plot develops and the player solves
sidequests. In stark contrast to the expressive colour palette, much of this is
rather subtle and easy to skim over. You can make a point of absorbing all the
lore and hidden depth the seas have to offer or simply go about your business
in pursuit of popcorn entertainment.

There’s also something to be said for the Miiverse
communication. As you go about your business, you’ll collect a multitude of
Tingle Bottles, which contain messages and in-game screenshots from other
players. While certainly not the most ambitious system I’ve seen, many will
find value in exchanging information with each other and reading the logs of
fellow adventurers. Naturally, the quality of these messages will be reflective
of the community, but in a world rich with secrets and minute details, distanced
companionship has serious potential.
The Game Pad also seems like its additions would be
superfluous but the implementation makes countless aspects of the game that
much more comfortable for both newcomers and veterans. While I’ve never been a
fan of simply dumping the menu screen content onto the Game Pad, Wind Waker HD
meshes well with this approach thanks to the design of sailing. Best of all,
the Wind Waker is mapped to its own button and numerous details like showing
the list of the songs you’ve unlocked while conducting cut down on dullness. Hiding
the gratuitous information from the TV screen allows for greater immersion in
the game’s striking vistas. I’d venture to say item usage has never been as
efficient in the entire franchise.

Between the lick of paint and wealth of gameplay
refinements, Wind Waker HD seems more like the actualisation of the concept
Nintendo could not fully achieve in 2002 than the high-definition upgrade it is
billed as. An extra dungeon or two might have catered better to the desires of hardcore
fans, but this version systematically improves the flow of the game and makes
getting lost at sea a more thrilling proposition than ever. If you’ve never
played Wind Waker before, this remaster is genuinely worth buying a Wii U for.
- Clark A
Technical Editor
Technical Editor
Miiverse: Midori