Wind Waker was a gem on the Nintendo GameCube, with a unique feel and story that has yet to be replicated in the Zelda series ever since.
Popping Wind Waker into my GameCube for the first time, I was instantly transported to Outset Island. The little piglets that roam the grounds, the grass lightly swaying in the breeze, the zany locals, and the exciting terrain all made me feel like I was Link, the Hero of Time in ways that I have not since felt.
Wind Waker 2 is a pipe dream of the cruelest sort. Wind Waker was such a divisive title in The Legend of Zelda series, with many fans questioning Nintendo’s choice to make a cell-shaded title as a followup to the Nintendo 64’s Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask. It seems as though Nintendo listened to fans, in that Twilight Princess was a direct result of that call for a more adult, gritty, and Ocarina-like Zelda adventure.
The news of Wind Waker 2 being scrapped came as a shock for fans of the seafaring adventure game. Satoru Takizawa, an artist for the Legend of Zelda series, spoke of the cancellation of Wind Waker 2 in 2016. “We had begun the initial steps towards creating Wind Waker 2… However, demand for a more Ocarina-like game was growing by the day.”
Twilight Princess is a fine game, but ran a little too far with the Ocarina of it all. See, Ocarina was and still is such a marvel because of its originality. Twilight Princess took the tone of Ocarina and simply dialed it down a couple more dark notches.
Originality is key here. Since Wind Waker, the closest Nintendo has come to finding a revolutionary way for The Legend of Zelda fans to enjoy the series is in the admittedly fantastic Breath of the Wild. But should Breath of the Wild satiate fans calling for Wind Waker 2? It’s close, but no cigar. (Or if you’re my colleague Selina, you really dislike Breath of the Wild.)
King of the ocean
As Link in Wind Waker, we’re given a surprisingly large overworld to roam around. There are islands on each of the map’s 49 blocks, each with a unique story to tell and an adventure just waiting to happen.
The joy you feel when you’ve discovered a new island in Wind Waker is an unparalleled experience. “Will this be a Great Fairy Isle? I could really use a fire-arrow upgrade to get into that ice-covered island,” you might ask yourself.
While sailing the open sea, perhaps you’ll even be surprised by a side mission that you would have otherwise ignored if it was in a standard overworld. The key difference in Wind Waker‘s overworld is the unique and clean compartmentalization. When you can locate and isolate different tasks, characters, and stories, you create an adventure game for a specific type of player. That type of player is the same one still hoping for a Wind Waker 2 announcement.
Charm to boot
There’s no denying that Wind Waker is unbelievably cute. From Link’s side eyes and :3 faces, to the bomb smoke effects and enemy death clouds, every detail of Wind Waker is full of life and attention to detail. While being cute, it still knows how to present a scary enemy, such as the terrifying rendition of the Redead creatures or even Ganon’s character design.
Even in the game’s longest dungeons, you’ll find yourself bopping along to the upbeat OST, or enjoying the musical cues present whenever you hit an enemy. That is to say, the music alone would be enough to make Wind Waker a very charming game.
The fighting mechanics feel so organic and great, giving players the feeling that they’re in Link’s boots, dancing around opponents’ blades and arrows with finesse and grace. Link’s battle calls and action sounds add to this realism, which is saying a lot for a cel-shaded video game.
Where is ‘Wind Waker 2’?
In the above-mentioned interview, Takizawa went on to talk more of Wind Waker 2‘s cancellation. “Wind Waker 2 would have taken place in a more land-based setting, rather than on the sea, so that we could have Link gallop across the land on a horse. But Link’s proportions in Wind Waker weren’t very well suited for riding on horseback; he was too short, and an adult version of Toon Link did not seem appropriate either. High-budget live-action fantasy movies were also huge at the time, so with all things considered, we decided to have at it [and switch to Twilight Princess].”
It is so heartbreaking to hear that Wind Waker 2 was already in development, but was instead scrapped so that Link could ride a horse. I get it, it’s an important part of the Zelda mythos that the Hero of Time must ride upon his trusty steed to do battle with the forces of evil. That said, I can’t say I really had reason to miss horseback travel in Wind Waker.
The Wind Waker story does continue on in the two DS games, Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks, but they feel nothing like the original Wind Waker. In 2013, Nintendo released Wind Waker HD for the Wii U, which may be the last bit of love this classic GameCube gem gets.
If Nintendo does announce a Wind Waker 2, fans of the original will surely come out in droves. When you’ve already done a Breath of the Wild, why not follow it up with the closest parent to that game in Wind Waker 2? It has open-world potential, would maintain a similar enough artstyle to Breath of the Wild, and might just be the secret key to keeping BotW fans interested in another Zelda Switch game.
Tetra, Medli, King of Red Lions, Aryll, Link, and hell, even Ganon, we miss you. Bring back the Zelda series into the era of magic, music, adventure, and whimsy, Nintendo. Wind Waker fans have earned it.
For now, Zelda fans have the recently announced Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening remake to look forward to on Nintendo Switch.
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