The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD

[-Dem0-]

What?! the motion controls made the game great. In fact, I think had Skyward Sword combined it's 1:1 motion controls with Twilight Princess' attacking-while-moving, then it would have been perfect.

[Hero-of-Time]

What?! the motion controls made the game great. In fact, I think had Skyward Sword combined it's 1:1 motion controls with Twilight Princess' attacking-while-moving, then it would have been perfect.

 

I don't care much for motion controls, as such I found playing Skyward Sword a pain in the butt. Give me a standard controller any day.

[Guy]

Skyward Sword was cool. Sure, the motion controls were iffy at times, but the real issue with that game is the ridiculous padding. There was so much filler in that game that didn't need to be there.

[Rummy]

Yeah i bought it a week or so after launch for the N64 and loved the game, having previously only played the 11/10 Alltp i fell in love with the series because of these two.

However i don't feel its a 10/10, maybe its a 9.5/10, but Majora's Mask felt so much more refined

realistically though OoT and MM are the same game, and missing the third chapter

My only issue with it was the water temple, hated it so much it stole the extra point/half point

Now OoT 3D is a 9.5 or 10/10 and almost on par with MM(probably being too generous) [/b]

 

Similar to myself then, as I'd fallen in love with it througha random/accidental purchase of LttP. Think I'd played LA by then, but I can see your points. I always struggle to score/rank the games, because I too prefer MM and would put it above OoT - but it's so intrinsically linked to OoT and makes use of so much of it I don't feel it's fair! I wondered mostly because I like to hear from people who didn't play it until OoT 3D.

[Fierce_LiNk]

I had no idea Skyward Sword was so meagrely recieved here, I thought it was outstanding, 100x the game Twilight Sepia Princess was.

 

+ motion controls.

 

I don't care much for motion controls, as such I found playing Skyward Sword a pain in the butt. Give me a standard controller any day.

 

There were two things that Skyward Sword did right. The item upgrade system was fantastic, as were the outstanding motion controls. Ok, I'll also give the unique art style. Three things.

 

Everything else is bordering on mediocre or terrible. The first third of the game is pretty good and it shows lots of promise, but it rapidly falls apart.

 

It's also very fucking repetitive. 3 fights against The Imprisoned or whatever it's called. It was cool the first time around and it led me to believe that there would be other cool overworld bosses. Wrong. You fight it 3 times. 3 TIMES.

 

In addition to that, you pretty much do the same with Ghirahim. It's almost identical each time, too. In general, the boss fights in this game are dire. As good as the motion controls are, they can't save poor ideas or creativity. The boss fights were lame and completely forgettable. It is an insult to say that Skyward Sword is better than Twilight Princess because the boss fights alone destroy, nay, obliterate the drivel we had in Skyward Sword.

 

The dungeons, aside from the Buddha-inspired one, were also a bit bland. Some cool moments, but no overall awesome feeling. Again, Twilight Princess destroys Skyward Sword in this department.

 

But, the icing on the cake for me is the story. Or rather, the lack of it. You get tons of it in the first quarter/third at Skyloft and so on, and a little bit towards the end, but it is absolutely devoid of any story or progression in the middle third. You get nothing. You complete a dungeon and you get nothing. At least Twilight Princess had some of those cool Midna/Zant moments, or even THAT cutscene with at the Mirror.

 

Lastly, the overworld. There was so much potential here. You've got a vast sky. Why were there not smaller islands for you to visit? Maybe you could have started settlements on the smaller ones? It was empty. A beautiful but empty vast nothingness. Also, I loathe the way that you have, essentially, four areas to visit in the game. Skyloft, and the three main areas on the ground. Sorry, but what complete shit. I've heard people say that they were well developed. They most certainly were not. There is nothing at all separating them from sections within a Mario Galaxy-type of platformer. There's no interesting people to meet, no other quests to go on.

 

In all of these areas, Twilight Princess is the better game. You've also got Midna who is infinitely more interesting than Fi, who I did not give one fuck about in the game.

[Hero-of-Time]

I hated the overworld in SS. When you compare it to something like Skies of Arcadias overworld ( also set in the sky, obviously ) it's flat out terrible.

[Fierce_LiNk]

I hated the overworld in SS. When you compare it to something like Skies of Arcadias overworld ( also set in the sky, obviously ) it's flat out terrible.

 

Nintendo need a goddamn kick up the arse. Xenoblade's overworld size puts it to absolute shame. I'm not saying that we need one quite as big in Zelda, but we deserve a lot more than we're getting.

 

It's not just the size, but the depth of the overworld. So much to do within it, so much to collect, so much to see, so many wow and beautiful moments.

 

What I also love is that the areas aren't dominated by the elements. Zelda is tied into this too much. I'm sick of FIRE WATER FOREST...FIRE AGAIN.

[Ronnie]

Zelda's overworlds have been lazy since Phantom Hourglass. On rails exploration in that game and Spirit Tracks. Skyward Sword gave you a level select empty hub world and A Link Between Worlds is rehashing a world we've all played before. Zzzzzzzzzzzz.

 

Agree that SS's dungeons were a huge disappointment, as were the bosses, as was the much hyped orchestral soundtrack.

[Fierce_LiNk]

Zelda's overworlds have been lazy since Phantom Hourglass. On rails exploration in that game and Spirit Tracks. Skyward Sword gave you a level select empty hub world and A Link Between Worlds is rehashing a world we've all played before. Zzzzzzzzzzzz.

 

Agree that SS's dungeons were a huge disappointment, as were the bosses, as was the much hyped orchestral soundtrack.

 

Oh God, I forgot about that soundtrack. I remember all the hype about it being orchestrated. It would be a unique entry for the series.

 

I can't remember a single tune from that game, except the sky overworld theme, which would probably be more fitting in a Mario adventure.

 

Again, both Wind Waker and Twilight Princess had much, much better soundtracks. Hidden Village theme trumps anything we had in Skyward Sword.

[Ronnie]

To go from Mario Galaxy, Wind Waker and TP's soundtracks to SS's, bah.

 

Twilight Princess was probably the pinnacle for the series in terms of dungeons. Arbiter's Grounds, Snowpeak Mansion (wow!), the Temple of Time, City in the Sky and the Palace of Twilight were all excellent. I also liked the eerily quiet mood of Hyrule Castle as the final dungeon.

[Mr-Paul]

Boo to all the Skyward Sword haters. I loved it.

 

In terms of ranking the games, I'd say:

 

Ocarina/Majora: 10/10

Twilight Princess/Skyward Sword: 9/10

Wind Waker: 8.5/10

 

I always struggle to put a score on the 2D Zeldas, it's hard to split them really. They're all brilliant. Links Awakening and the Oracles were the ones that hold a special place in my heart from my childhood, but I love the others too.

[Grazza]

I'm not sure a remake can ever really be a 10/10 (I felt the same about OOT 3D too). The Wii U can do so much more than the GameCube (apart from analogue triggers ). Being "10/10 impressed" with something on the GameCube is not the same as being 10/10 impressed with something on the Wii U, but we'll see. My ratings:

 

Wind Waker - 10

Ocarina Of Time - 10

Majora's Mask - 9 (but 10 in terms of quality/atmosphere)

Twilight Princess (GameCube) - 8

Skyward Sword - 6

 

Twilight Princess was way better than Skyward Sword. To this day I remember starting TP and feeling there was a large world to explore. It wasn't perfect, but it was so much closer to the proper Zelda formula. The main thing I liked about Skyward Sword was the Bazaar in Skyloft. That actually was good, and a big improvement over the shops in Twilight Princess, but other than that I can't think of much. Koloktos was a good boss too because of the swords.

 

But the "overworld"... as others have said, it's just three disconnected zones with a hub. The story was also like a series of scenes set up for you take part in, like stopping the Imprisoned, or taking part in the Trials. And when you sailed the Sand Sea, it became another sort of mini-game, moving a boat with a model Link stuck on top. There was no sense you could find underground tunnels that would lead to other areas of the overworld.

 

If Nintendo had made a game called "Motion Swordsman" it might have been alright, but once you got over the novelty of the sword swinging at the same angles you were swinging the Wii remote, it became clear the combat was absolutely terrible. It wasn't like Zelda, it was like Punch Out! As for Ghirahim... awful. I never thought I'd be fighting a boss in a Zelda game, just moving my hand one way then waiting to move it to the other side. Supposedly Miyamoto didn't know what to do and thought it was impossible when he first fought him. That's one teatable he should have upended!

 

Sorry, but to me Skyward Sword is that game where I clashed against swords/shields, changed my batteries, clashed against some more shields, changed my batteries again... It was a fair experiment, but the idea of replaying it pains me.

[Ronnie]

The Wii U can do so much more than the GameCube (apart from analogue triggers ). Being "10/10 impressed" with something on the GameCube is not the same as being 10/10 impressed with something on the Wii U

 

What's the difference? If a game is a 10/10 game it shouldn't matter what platform it's on. The Wii U has improved the visuals and brought them into HD, otherwise the same 10/10 game remains, more or less.

[Rummy]

If Nintendo had made a game called "Motion Swordsman" it might have been alright.

 

'Motion Swordsman' - brilliant!

[Phube]

As we're all doing this (all games I have completed):

 

ALttP - 9.5

WindWaker - 9.5/10

OoT - 9/10 (story = 10, but the gameplay (now) is waaaay below par) P.s. I played after WW)

Twilight Princess - 8.5

Phantom Hourglass - 8

Skyward Sword - 8

LoZ - 8

LoZ II - 7

[Cube]

The official site have new versions of screenshots:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They've lowered the bloom and made the HUD smaller. The sail is also now semi-transparent.

 

Oh, and draw distance seems to be much greater.

Edited August 16, 2013 by Cube

[Ville]

Legend of Zmelda Nintendo's Flagship Franchise Named BY A WOMAN ANITA SARKEESIAN!: 8 (it's ok even today)

Link's Adventure Gone Horribly Wrong: 6 (horrible to play through)

A Linkz to Da Pastimes: 8.5 (good game, but a bit depressing)

 

Link's Awakening D-Generation X Style: 9 (can't fault this, solid in every regard)

Minish Cap-Italy-ism: 8.5 (nice game, but the Kinstone shit was a bit messy)

Oracle of Aging / Seasonings Greetings: 9.5 (simply awesome stuff)

[Ronnie]

Fantastic!! New screenshots look so much better with the lowered bloom and smaller HUD especially. Though I quite liked the lighter sea colour.

 

EDIT: Draw distances look huge! I'm sure you couldn't see that far away when standing on Windfall in the original?

[Sheikah]

Ocarina of Time - 10

Skyward Sword - 9

Wind Waker - 8.5

Majora's Mask - 8

Twilight Princess - 5 (TROLOLOLOLOL)

 

The trolol should be one line up.

 

I hated the overworld in SS. When you compare it to something like Skies of Arcadias overworld ( also set in the sky, obviously ) it's flat out terrible.

 

The best overworld of anything was Majora's Mask. The town was alive. That's what made the game for me - you really cared about the townspeople. Having uber dungeons and an awesomely dark and sad story also really helped.

[Blade]

Whats with all the Skyward Sword hate!?

 

I loved it personally. Offered a new experience with not only the motion controls but the way they reused areas. By the end I knew every nook and cranny lf those areas. I actually thought it was not lazy, but clever.

 

I do like the fact that Zelda is a series that albeit normally keeps it's core gameplay does try and freshen it up by introducing things.

 

Anyway back on topic with da WW. I cannot wait until 4th Oct!!

[Sheikah]

What's the difference? If a game is a 10/10 game it shouldn't matter what platform it's on. The Wii U has improved the visuals and brought them into HD, otherwise the same 10/10 game remains, more or less.

 

I don't agree - a game is often judged by the standards of the time it gets released. Even though it's the same game it often gets compared to other similar titles, and generally how well it has aged/how playable it still is.

[Phube]

The official site have new versions of screenshots:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They've lowered the bloom and made the HUD smaller. The sail is also now semi-transparent.

 

Oh, and draw distance seems to be much greater.

 

 

Surely not right as WW wasn't in 16:9, and those are not stretched images!

[MrMac]

Surely not right as WW wasn't in 16:9, and those are not stretched images!

"old version" pics are from "old" "work in procress" WW HD. Not from the original GC -version.

[Wii]

Bar the 16:9 aspect not a great deal of difference for me. They should have remade Majora's Mask. Before people say they can do that on the 3DS, there's no guarantee that they will and it would benefit greater from a full HD upgrade and well I don't own a 3DS.

[Ronnie]

Bar the 16:9 aspect not a great deal of difference for me. They should have remade Majora's Mask. Before people say they can do that on the 3DS, there's no guarantee that they will and it would benefit greater from a full HD upgrade and well I don't own a 3DS.

 

There's a big difference.

 

They can easily remake MM for 3DS for relatively little effort.