August 23rd, 2001 marked a day of profound unrest for many people in the Zelda community.
Just one year earlier, attendees at Nintendo Space World 2000 had been treated to a 12-second tech demo for a potential Zelda game set to be released on the GameCube. This demo, whose realistic graphics resembled those of the paradigm-shifting Ocarina of Time, sparked excitement within fans of the series, but game director Eiji Aonuma absolutely despised it; he thought that it leaned too heavily on games of the recent past and wanted his team to develop something fresher, more innovative. As a result, the tech demo showcased at the following Space World convention bore practically no resemblance to its predecessor: instead of a stern, realistically-proportioned adult Link squaring off against Ganondorf, we got a wide-eyed child caricature engaging in wacky shenanigans around a cel-shaded world.
Chaos immediately erupted within the fan community, with a tidal wave of criticism directed at the unconventional art style. Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto, who also intensely disliked the graphics at first, worried that the derisively-nicknamed “Celda” would be a rare dud for the series.
Could the fate of the series really depend on such a silly boy?
But like the Little Engine That Could, this game kept on chugging up the hill. The members of Aonuma’s development team strongly believed in their vision, and in the end, their unwavering faith and determination paid off in spades. Following a successful gameplay demostration at E3 2002, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker released to critical acclaim in Japan on December 13th, 2002.
It turned out that there was so much more to love about this game than people were expecting. The combat and sailing mechanics were fun and engaging, the cast of dynamic and memorable characters quickly charmed its way into people’s hearts, and the whimsical, cartoony oceanic environment proved oddly immersive, sucking players into a world as tense and thrilling as it was gentle and uplifting. It may not have been what fans initially wanted, but just as the goofy boy from Outset Island rose to the occasion to become the Hero of Winds, The Wind Waker demolished expectations and proved to be the exact breath of fresh air that the series needed. And now, 20 years, one HD re-release, and several Super Smash Bros. and Hyrule Warriors cameos later, it stands tall as one of the most stunning, dearly-beloved games known to the Zelda universe.
“You must look forward and walk a path of hope, trusting that it will sustain you when darkness comes.”
To celebrate The Wind Waker’s 20-year legacy of wonder, inspiration, and pure joy, we will be devoting the first two weeks of December to articles centered around this bold work of art. We invite you to join us on this exciting adventure, so you’d better hop into your nearest boat, grab a bottle of homemade Elixir Soup, and open up your sails! Where will this journey take us? Well, we’ll let the wind be our guide!
