Would you say that the Windwaker was a step in the right direction for Zelda?

Personally, I would say it was. I, personally, wouldn't mind if the next Zelda game was very similar to it. The only real problems I had with it was the lack of dungeons (2 to be precise, god dammit) and how the islands were so small. I also thought the graphic style was very fitting to the game, but that is for another topic. Of course, I would get a bit bored of the sailing if it was the same in the next Zelda game. A little less sailing would be great. But I liked the sense of adventure I got from sailing. It's just that I got such little reward from them. They were just little chunks of land, really.

So, would you say that the Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker was a step in the right direction for Zelda?

Insofar as I found it much more engaging than the other Zelda games, yes.

It's still overrated though.

I think it get's too much hate to really be considered overrated. I liked it. All of it, really. I even liked the triforce quest, because I wanted to explore the whole world, anyway. I wouldn't want to see another Zelda game rely as much on sailing (at least, not in that particular way) the same way I don't want to see another one that makes you relive the same three days over and over again. There's always something about each Zelda game that makes it unique.

I didnt really like how they went so "kiddie" with it if you know what i mean. I like the more violent bloody etc style like Ocarina. I hope Twilight does this.

I also hated the sailing. Quick travel or something would have stopped my various suicide attempts while waiting to get to certain locations....... okay maybe that didnt happen, but I think it took way too long.

The Wind Waker is a perfectly enjoyable Zelda installment, living up to series expectations in terms of graphics, music, plot, and overall atmosphere. Its only real stumbling points were the dearth of real dungeons, the sheer volume of sailing required just to get from place to place, and that terrible Triforce hunt near the end, which was so objectively poor that Aonuma actually apologized for it a while back.

And although it's not a flaw with The Wind Waker as its own game, I don't like that its art style, while fine for one or two games, became the series norm throughout a number of subsequent installments, until it was ubiquitous to the point of losing much of its original charm.

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Originally Posted by JaytodaP

I didnt really like how they went so "kiddie" with it if you know what i mean. I like the more violent bloody etc style like Ocarina. I hope Twilight does this.

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It was more realistic, but it wasn't really a bloody style. Some spurts of ooze here or there, but that could hardly be called "bloody."

Majora's Mask was the most dark and disturbing game in the series, anyway.

Oh, I just remembered something I don't like about it. The battles. They were much too easy. I shouldn't have to put effort into dying.

EDIT: Yes, Majoras Mask was definitely the darkest in the series. Apocalyptic.

I really liked the battles. They seemed more fluid than before. Of course that could be chalked up to technological improvements between installments, but still, combat felt tight in Wind Waker.

I must agree on the battles. They were much too easy. The system of battle certainly had potential, and parrying was a good idea, but the enemies simply never took advantage of their ability to block, and their HP was very, very low. I do agree that it was more fluid, though. Just incredibly easy.

I liked the exploration :]

I loved the volcano dungeon, entering it was so epic <3

alot of the game awed me out actually.

It didn't really give the Zelda series a right direction nor wrong if you ask me. Well, technically, it did set the Zelda series of in a brand new direction because many people acknowledged the "kiddie"-graphics, so they kept making Zelda games with the cel-shading(Four swords, Minish Cap). But what the real question is, what will Twilight Princess bring to the Zelda series?

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Originally Posted by roto13-ness

I think it get's too much hate to really be considered overrated. I liked it. All of it, really. I even liked the triforce quest, because I wanted to explore the whole world, anyway. I wouldn't want to see another Zelda game rely as much on sailing (at least, not in that particular way) the same way I don't want to see another one that makes you relive the same three days over and over again. There's always something about each Zelda game that makes it unique.

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Go to the Zelda Universe forums. The Wind Waker is completely overrated. Everyone there loves it and if you say you don't they flame you and say "thats just becus if the graphix!!111". It's now "cool" to hate Ocarina of Time, so now that game is hated on much more than The Wind Waker.

Anyways, The Wind Waker was a big step in the wrong direction for the Zelda series. Zelda is about exploring, challenging dungeons and puzzles, and side-quests/minigames. The Wind Waker was weak in all those areas. It has no overworld to explore what-so-ever, the dungeons were designed for people new to Zelda, leaving no challenge to Zelda vertrans, and the side-quests and mini games were way below the standards that Majora's Mask set before. The Wind Waker had the potential to be the best Zelda game, but it was rushed and it shows. It is an unfinished game and Nintendo learned from that and that is why they are delaying Twilight Princess. Afterall, we don't want another Triforce quest...

Now, I don't think it's fair to compare it to Majoras Mask in terms of side quests, since Majoras Mask was basically made of them.

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Originally Posted by roto13-ness

Now, I don't think it's fair to compare it to Majoras Mask in terms of side quests, since Majoras Mask was basically made of them.

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That's true. Majora's Mask just isn't fair, but what about Ocarina of Time and Link's Awakening's trading side-quest? I perfer them greatly to The Wind Waker's trading quest, plus thew rewards are greater in the other games (OoT= Biggoron Sword). Or even the Happy Mask side-quest in Ocarina of Time? Hunting Gold Skulltilas? The Wind Waker just did not have side-quests that could compete with those. This is probably because of the fact that The Wind Waker was rushed.

I'd like to say that I did like The Wind Waker, but I was greatly dissapointed in it. I had low expectations getting the game, but with my first playthrough, I became a believer. I loved the game, but with my second time through, Wind Waker's flaws jumped out much more. The first one that jumped out at me was the lack of replay value compaired to pretty much all the other Zelda games. Then the Triforce Quest. You should never be FORCED to explore like that plus it felt so imcomplete. Aonuma even apologized for the Triforce hunt in one interview saying that it was rushed and boring. The sailing was not so bad the first time through, but after you beat the game, the sailing just get's irritating; having to change the wind constantly, boring setting (just endless, undetailed blue sea), islands were too far apart, lack of enemies, and the list goes on.

The Wind Waker is one of those games that you feel you have to love, but there are just so many flaws you wonder how this game ever got so popular.