Minor spoilers are included below, but nothing that will ruin your enjoyment of the game.

The latest installment in the Zelda franchise has been a subject of much speculation and controversy since it was initially unveiled at SpaceWorld 2000. The first time anyone would see real-time graphics for Nintendo’s new GameCube system, Nintendo showed a near-photo-realistic version of a classic hero and villain that many of us grew up with. It was with a certain degree of shock that we witnessed a drastic change in graphic style for The Legend of Zelda. Gone was the gritty realism, and in its place was a wide-eyed “toon-shaded” version of Link. Fans cried out in utter disbelief, wanting the more realistic version of this beloved character. They said that the game would be ruined, and that it would no longer be a game they wanted to play.

Thankfully, none of these people get to make Legend of Zelda games.

Producer Shigeru Miyamoto and Director Eiji Aonuma have been very clear that in creating a more realistic version of Zelda; they were getting away from what made the previous games in the series so wonderful. They were worrying more about making the characters move believably, something that must be done when you create a game with realistic graphics. We know how the real world works and moves and even the slightest mistakes will hinder our suspension of disbelief. It was with that in mind that Miyamoto and Aonuma took the bold step in changing the graphics and style of the game, and thankfully, the result is a world that feels more real because we come to it with no pre-conceived notions. It’s almost ironic that a game lacking realistic graphics would feel so real, but that’s exactly what Nintendo has accomplished.

Nevertheless, there will be “purists” who will reject the game due to the graphic look alone, and they will simply refuse to play the “cartoon” version of The Legend of Zelda. The joke is on them, because The Wind Waker is most true to the series we all love, and while it may not have the realistic graphic style that fans clamored for, you’ll quickly find that the story started in The Ocarina of Time isn’t complete until you’ve finished The Wind Waker. Upon finishing this new game, it becomes clear why Nintendo chose to re-release Ocarina of Time to promote The Wind Waker. The two stories are inexorably linked, and neither is complete without the other. It also serves to showcase that the beloved Ocarina of Time wasn’t nearly as realistic in look as we remember through our rose-colored glasses. It was the storyline that made Ocarina feel so grown-up, and in that department, The Wind Waker delivers in spades.

The game starts off with Link (asleep on a tall lookout) being woken up by his sister, Aryll. Immediately the foreshadowing starts, as things being “woken” is a recurring theme in the game. Aryll tells Link that their grandmother has a gift for him … it seems that it’s Link’s birthday! As Link stands, you get your first view of this new world, as he looks far out onto the horizon. The draw distance in Wind Waker is not just impressive, it’s astounding. There is a depth of field blur that is used to accent the distance, and it’s tempting to just sit there and look around. However, Grandma is waiting. You’re now free to wander around Outset Island, where you can talk to the residents and even take a dip in the water. Much like last year’s Game of the Year in Metroid Prime, Wind Waker is full of minute detail that might escape the notice of casual gamers. You can watch the wind blowing through the air, enabling you to tell at a glance which way the wind is going. Not only that, but the wind will change your environment as well, with grass and trees swaying in the breeze. Link can swim through the water, and when he reaches land, you can see the droplets of water falling from him. Stop to talk to someone to start a cinematic, and you see the power of the real-time engine, as the water continues to drip off of him. Pre-rendered graphics just can’t offer that kind of customization.

Grandma’s gift turns out to be a costume which he gets to wear for the day. When young boys reach a certain age, they are all given a green tunic and hat that symbolizes reaching the age of the legendary “Hero of Time” that saved the land of Hyrule a hundred years ago. Sure enough, the costume fits Link perfectly, and he’s ready to go show it off to his sister. Aryll gives him her present, a telescope that she lets Link use for the day along with his costume. This new tool serves to prove that the draw distance is no trick, as you can now use the telescope to zoom in on any of those islands in the distance that looked so interesting.

As Link checks out his borrowed telescope, there’s a bit of a commotion, as Link spies a girl dropped by a large bird into the forest on the hill. At this point, Link is called upon to go rescue the girl, but he can’t go unarmed. Link goes to learn sword-fighting techniques from Orca, a grizzled old retired swordsman. It is here that we see some of the new refinements made to the battle system. “Z-Targeting” is back, albeit using the L Trigger, and you still have the option of holding the button down or setting it to a “toggle”. Now, Link has a series of sword attacks and combos that he can use in battle, making very quick attacks, leaps, rolls, and dodges seem absolutely effortless. One of the best refinements is the use of “parry” attacks, when you can sense the incoming attack, dodge out of the way, and return the attack. With all these different ways to handle combat situations, you can actually tailor the fighting style to how you want to play. Elements like these serve to illustrate how innovative Nintendo is in this industry.

Once you set out to rescue this mysterious girl, you get your first real taste of battle, and it’s quite fulfilling. This is just a warm-up for more intense battles and different techniques ahead. Miyamoto is a master of using small victories in a game to help teach you what you need to know for the future, and it’s clear that he’s passed much of this information on to his teams. That, and the way his games tease you with areas that you can’t yet reach, but will suddenly leap to the forefront of your memory when the proper tool comes along. You are constantly being tempted with further exploration opportunities, and you are given the perfect vehicle to satiate those wandering tendencies with Link’s sailboat. The “King of the Red Lions” is exhilarating in a way that Epona could never be in Hyrule Field’s close quarters, and Link’s command of the wind gives him the ability to explore anywhere. The game almost seems to be able to read your mind, because just when sailing to reach far off islands starts to become a bit tedious, you are given the ability to jump from place to place, speeding up your frequent searches.

One thing that is never dull when sailing is the absolutely splendid soundtrack, arranged by the brilliant Koji Kondo. The instruments are varied and all rather enchanting. The full soundtrack is over 130 pieces (albeit some are rather short), with each and every one adding to the mood and atmosphere in the game like never before. Some pieces borrow from previous recognizable themes, others are new works, and some are simply background ambience. The ambient sounds are best experienced in full Dolby Pro Logic II if you have it, but even regular Dolby Pro Logic is wonderful enough to leave you bobbing your head or tapping your feet absent-mindedly to the music while you play. Another wonderful addition is the way many of the pieces are dynamic based on your location in the world, or even the time of day. The way the music fades from an upbeat and chipper theme to something with an air of foreboding as you approach the unknown can send chills down your spine. The absolute best part is the way the music reacts to Link’s sword during battles, an effect that has never been done with this level of sophistication, if ever. Every time Link makes contact with his blade, the music strikes a chord, almost as if it’s not just the wind that Link can now conduct, but the soundtrack of his adventures as well.

As wonderful as the music is, it’s the graphics that have had everyone talking, as well they should. There has not been a game this graphically impressive in recent memory. Games like Star Fox Adventures used bump-mapping quite nicely, and Metroid Prime managed to push a great deal of polygons and other effects. Zelda is on a whole different level, with a graphic style that looks hand drawn at all times; little in the game belies its computer generated nature. The animation is incredibly fluid, almost unconceivable given the 30 frames per second frame-rate. Nevertheless, Link and everything around him move in a totally believable manner. Zelda has its share of graphic tricks as well, such as the aforementioned depth-of-field blurring, heat blur, particle effects (used brilliantly on Dragon’s Roost Island), and very stylized puffs of smoke that swirl and undulate, yet still manage to look “real”. The only caveat comes right at the end of the game, when the camera is used to call attention to certain details, and there is some texture clipping that distracts from what would otherwise be very emotional and engaging moments.

Wind Waker makes excellent use of what until now has been little more than a gimmick addition to the GameCube console, that being the link to a GBA system. Early in the game you can rescue the mapmaker Tingle, who will gift you with a GBA-shaped “Tingle Tuner”, which you can use to contact Tingle for hints, or even direct help. For a price, Tingle can drop bombs to open passages, find secrets, or destroy your enemies. While you can use it alone, it adds a whole new aspect to the game by giving the GBA to a friend and having him or her play along.

When you aren’t playing with Tingle, there are a ton of hidden items and mini-games you can play, many with no tangible reward other than personal satisfaction. There are races and distance events, trading games, picture taking quests, letter delivery jobs, and more. Probably the best “hidden” feature of the game is one many people may never find without help, that being the “Nintendo Gallery”. Once you acquire the color camera, you can gain access to this gallery, where pictures you take of people are turned into figurines … gotta catch them all!

Inevitably, this game will be compared to the outstanding Ocarina of Time, which is a high-water mark for the Zelda series. Ocarina had the gameplay and story that Zelda fans simply gushed over, and there has been a great deal of concern over how Wind Waker would stack up. Fans, you have not been let down. Wind Waker is the new heir to the throne of Hyrule. Those familiar with the series are going to be grinning ear to ear as missing pieces of the Zelda puzzle are assembled and explained for them. This, coupled with simply the most fantastic final battles ever conceived, will all serve to catapult Wind Waker to the top of any self-respecting gamer’s list. Let the pundits and naysayers miss out; it serves them right for judging a book by its cover. It’s only March, and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is destined to be the best game of the year on any platform.