The Wind Waker Art Style Controversy - Most Harmful Thing to the Series

[Iridescence]

Wind Waker is a great, but flawed game. I enjoyed the art style and atmosphere but I had criticisms toward the core gameplay. The problem was that The Wind Waker polarized the series in the wrong way. It created the binary between pro-realism (lifelike graphics) and pro-abstract (celshaded visuals). The divide and fervor of these sides was so strong there was barely any room in between. You were either on the left side or the right side.

I was critical of the game but not because of the visuals. Yet, being critical of the game meant you had to deal with accusations of being in favor of the uncanny valley. The discussion on the actual game mechanics were dwarfed because the controversy of the art style was so large. I neither wanted to condemn Aunoma nor give him mountains of praise. Instead, we should have said: "Aunoma, these are the things you got right and these are the things you got wrong." We did not get that because it was difficult for fans of the games to admit its structural flaws and for critics of the game to admit its merits.

Flaws of Wind Waker

Wind Waker's core gameplay had problems. There was the slow sailing, annoyances of the wind-waker instrument and the long tedious triforce quest which were fixed in the HD version but there are more fundamental problems. Moreso, that the structure and formula of Zelda was left totally untouched. Majora's Mask showed what happened when Zelda changed the formula and tailored it to the themes of the game.

The game, despite having a radial overworld, followed a linear order. Fetch quest, dungeon, fetch quest, dungeon. While the pace was thunderous, the meat of the campaign of dungeons and they were relatively lacking compared to the other Zelda 3D games. They weren't just derivate of older Zeldas but rather dumbed-down. Its not the fact that that the dungeons were smaller. A Link Between Worlds had small dungeons, but they were packed with innovative new puzzles and concepts. The problem was that TWW's dungeons (again, the meat of the game) simply weren't creative.

The puzzles were either: (a) push blocks in an obvious path, (b) light torches or (c) Use X item at the obviously designated location. The dungeons were rarely if ever interconnected. They were just a linear series of rooms in which you kill enemies to find the key to the next room. And those enemies, by the way, were mostly just Chus and Bokoblins. There was no intellectual challenge to them and worst of all zero creativity.

In addition, there were some story issues. Though, I have to admit, Ganondorf in this game is an amazing character and the ending is touching. Still, I would've liked more genuine character development toward NPC's (especially the two that play in dungeons with you) is one of them. Another is the plot twist that essentially tells Tetra to stop being a character with a meaningful role and start being a kidnapped princess like women are supposed to be in Nintendo games.

How the controversy set a bad precedent

Wind Waker didn't set a bad precedent in and of itself but the community gave the wrong feedback to Aunoma, resulting in a slump. Twilight Princess was made as a holding action and it turned out to be a game strained by its own fans demands. Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks were simply made to appease the Wind Waker fans, though no real changes were made to the formula. And then, there's Skyward Sword which tried to balance the two sides. But so much attentions was put into the art style, be it cel-shaded or realistic, that Aunoma never thought to change the formula in either of those games. Thankfully ALBW and presumably Zelda-U are fixing this problem. But the modern Zelda games (Wind Waker to Skyward Sword) were largely a low point in the series, fueled entirely by the unconstructive feedback fans were giving on Wind Waker.

TLDR: Wind Waker caused gamers to ask "please give me the art style I want" rather than "how can we change the Zelda formula in interesting ways"?

 

[Évariste]

I agree with the main point of the argument, that too much of the discussion is focused toward art style when more of it should be focused on gameplay and innovation. That said, I disagree with most of the flaws you point out. Mainly, I think you blame The Wind Waker too much for linearity. Note the games I've played, but I only remember the NES The Legend of Zelda not emphasizing a linear flow of events. Although I personally do not see the appeal of nonlinearity, so maybe I need the right color of lens. On point again, I think The Wind Waker does a really great job of emphasizing random exploration compared to other Zelda games by making almost all appealing upgrades and rewards outside of the path to victory.

 

[Mr Reaper]

I'd say upon Wind Waker's release (and for a couple years after), Zelda fans offered the most unintelligible, unconstructive criticism they could've ever gave. Yes Wind Waker had it's other flaws but as the OP said, the focus the fans had on the art style caused Nintendo to pay too much attention to just that aspect, and not enough attention on the formula of the gameplay itself, causing the Zelda series to go into a slump, a sort of "identity crisis" if you will. However, now that Nintendo has perfected the art style with Skyward Sword by balancing realistic visuals with a unique cel-shaded art style, they are having issues with the gameplay, particularly the linearity of Skyward Sword, now that Nintendo sees this problem, they're trying to fix it with Zelda Wii U, attempting to make it the most non-linear Zelda game since the original game on the NES. If they follow they same trend as they did with Twilight Princess (overdoing the issue they're trying to fix) it's very possible that Zelda Wii U could end up being TOO open-ended. I know that probably sounds ridiculous but bare with me. Being open-ended isn't always a good thing. As has been stated in numerous places (most recently Egoraptor's sequelitis video), by making a game open like this, you end up sacrificing the plot, and the more openness, the less room for plot there is. Egoraptor didn't have an issue with this sacrifice but I'm sure plenty of Zelda fans will. If this does happen, it could end up causing another huge divide between Zelda fans, but we will have to wait until the game is released to make these conclusions, I am only stating the possibility.

 

[Mask-Salesman]

I agree with you on a lot of points. I have never been the biggest Windwaker fan myself. But I have always enjoyed the cell shaded graphips. I think it's arty and daring that Nintendo chose to do such a thing. It was also a perfect way of releasing a game that was visually attractive and was able to work properly on the Gamecube, because, let's face it, the Xbox and Playstation 2 were much more powerfull. I think Link never had more emotion than in the Windwaker. I do not agree with you on your criticism on the visual aspect of the game, because I think it may be the game's strongest point.

Gameplay-technical there were a lot of let-downs. You have a valid point that the game seemed repetitive. In a way all Zelda games consist of the same things, which I usually don't mind because I'm a huge fan. But the game just felt stretched to me, only because Nintendo wanted to do this without making some effort. That triforce quest was actually terrible and took all the tempo out of the game. To think about it, I think the WW is the only rushed Zelda game ever made. The sailing got kinda boring from time to time too. After the 50th shark trying to bump you out of your boat you have seen it.

Worst dissapointment were the dungeons. You have said it absolutely right. Not one dungeon (maybe Wind Temple) was actually hard and required some thinking. You always had to do the most logical action and then you could progress. It's like they made this a child's game on every level. Great point on how they always use the same enemies in the game. I mean come on? Even the N64 games had more enemies then the WW. And the worst part of it all? No third dungeon. Jabu Jabu just 'gives' you the pearl?! Seriously Nintendo? Water temples are what made you even more famous and now you just remove an entire dungeon? WHY?!?!

Overall, it was a great game. It had that typical Nintendo Zelda magic and I enjoyed 90% of the game nontheless. But to me it certainly is the second worst Zelda game I've played on the consoles, after Skyward Sword.

 

[Dio]

I like the wind waker and enjoyed playing the game. However the art style was a bad decision that caused a divide in the fanbase. They try too hard at nintendo to innovate with zelda and change up the formula, however they release 3d titles so far apart and change too drastically with each title that they don't always keep the bits that made the past games good. It is my opinion that they should do more direct sequels before going in a completley new direction. Some may say that is what makes the series what it is, however you can't say that that is why the series increased in popularity after OOT because it really hasn't. With the exception of TP which sold incredibly well, sales for zelda games have been going down since the release of the greatest game of all time. I would say the lack of clear direction is part of the reason the series isn't as popular as it could be.

 

[Iridescence]

Mainly, I think you blame The Wind Waker too much for linearity.

I blame the fanbase. Aunoma made a great game with TWW. It was up to the fan base to reasonably communicate with him, but they failed in that. Linearity has been in Zelda since ALTTP. Ocarina was linear. I wasn't really talking about linearity but moreso the predictable structure. Majora's Mask totally changed things up and then we got to Wind Waker which was the opposite. MM had same art style but different gameplay. TWW had different art style but same gameplay.

Although I personally do not see the appeal of nonlinearity

Yeah, I see what you mean, it's a phrase that gets thrown around. I guess my point is that the entirety of the campaign is just dungeon -> sail to island -> dungeon -> sail to island and it would've been cool if there were real things to do in the story in between. I understand that there's a vast overworld with sailing, but the slow sailing never appealed to me, especially with the urgency of saving the princess.

I think The Wind Waker does a really great job of emphasizing random exploration compared to other Zelda games by making almost all appealing upgrades and rewards outside of the path to victory.

Agreed!

I'd say upon Wind Waker's release (and for a couple years after), Zelda fans offered the most unintelligible, unconstructive criticism they could've ever gave.

Agreed. And this basically closed the window for any reason. The intelligent criticism of the game was drowned out by the over-emotional criticisms.

the OP said, the focus the fans had on the art style caused Nintendo to pay too much attention to just that aspect, and not enough attention on the formula of the gameplay itself, causing the Zelda series to go into a slump, a sort of "identity crisis" if you will.

100% exactly my point

However, now that Nintendo has perfected the art style with Skyward Sword by balancing realistic visuals with a unique cel-shaded art style

Agree. A Link Between Worlds and Zelda-U trailer have this art style as well. Impressionist art style is serious enough for core fans without being too drab.

If this does happen, it could end up causing another huge divide between Zelda fans, but we will have to wait until the game is released to make these conclusions, I am only stating the possibility.

That's a good point. I think there is a balance between freedom and law. Not all games need to have the original Zelda's freedom. But the trend that has emerged from most of the 3D Zelda games have been too cloying. Its not even about linearity anymore. I just want a good overworld, creative puzzles and things I haven't seen before.

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