Hey Zelda Dungeoners and welcome again to another segment of Timeshift Thursday! The whole purpose of these editorials is to imagine that we’ve hit a timeshift stone and headed back in time to reminisce on all the good times experienced from the Zelda series. Yet, today I’ll be taking a different angle for this episode of Timeshift Thursday. This week’s segment is dedicated to exploring the reasons why Nintendo would choose The Wind Waker as its Wii U remake.

The Wind Waker is a game-changer for the Zelda series. Becoming the first Zelda title to fully feature cell-shaded graphics, The Wind Waker performed greatly in dividing the “casual” and “hardcore” audiences. Just the thought of Link looking so cartoony did not appeal to many Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask fans yet in the end it became one of GameCube’s most successful titles. It seemed Nintendo was using this opportunity to attract a younger generation of gamers and reveal how fun the Zelda series actually is while not shying away from implementing the strategic puzzles and dungeons known to the series.

So, why did Nintendo choose The Wind Waker to become Wii U’s first Zelda title? There are certain reasons which may be gathered to complete the theory as to why this particular Zelda title was given the thumbs up and it’s not just because its 10th anniversary has occurred in 2013. If you’d like to join me in discovering further as to why The Wind Waker is gaining a HD remake then click the jump!


I just finished playing The Wind Waker for the first time in my gaming life and it certainly left me with a good expression to remember it by. In fact, it’s given me so much hope in it being a worthy HD remake for my Wii U system when it releases this Fall. Why would Nintendo choose The Wind Waker, though? Surely, Twilight Princess is in a greater need of being revitalized with crystal clear 1080p visuals. As I was playing The Wind Waker I kept thinking how amazing it was that the graphics have survived so well and kept their beautiful texture for nigh on a decade. It’s a superb feat considering technology is rapidly improving and visuals for gaming have evolved increasingly quicker than in decades past. Majora’s Mask is also calling out to be remade like its bigger brother, Ocarina of Time. How many times do the fans need to ask Nintendo for a Majora’s Mask remake if that’s what they really want? Anyhow, could it be that Nintendo thinks that The Wind Waker will be more appealing than Twilight Princess or Majora’s Mask? Surely, if Nintendo wants to grab the “hardcore” audience’s attention with Wii U (which is what they intend) then a Twilight Princess HD remake has to be the greater decision.

Screenshots of The Wind Waker HD shown in January’s Nintendo Direct presentation did not leave many fans with wonder and excitement as to how intriguing it will really look. Many fans don’t like the way Nintendo is tampering with such a beautiful visual experienced on the GameCube classic. E3 2013, being held in a few weeks, should give us a clear idea as to how Nintendo is going about producing this remake and I hope for the sake of all Zelda fans that it turns out for the best. Maybe, Nintendo will surprise us all and reveal that plenty of left out content, such as GameCube Island, will be appearing for this grand edition of The Wind Waker. The Great Sea should look really special in HD and it would certainly be a delight to have an orchestrated soundtrack for the game. One thing that needs to be added is a dungeon to gain Jabun’s pearl. Originally, you scarcely do any hard work to gain the sacred orb needed to have access to the Tower of the Gods and Jabun just hands you his sacred treasure. Having a dungeon will not only increase the game’s length but provide gamers with a proper reason to gain Jabun’s pearl.

Could The Wind Waker utilize the GamePad greater than any other Zelda title? E3 will, most likely, tell us how as Off-TV Play should not be the only beneficial aspect implemented. The Tingle Tuner and Picto Box should be key items for the GamePad as well as the inventory and start menu placed upon the tablet controller. If these items are confirmed to be utilized in this way, expect The Wind Waker HD to be a very interactive experience. A new Zelda game should bring plenty of fans on board the Wii U train carriage yet will Nintendo gain the console and game sales they expect from hype for The Wind Waker HD? It’s risky and probably a treacherous move but having the faith to push it forward to a newer audience may just prove a successful venture. Only time will tell how the fans will react to the final product.

Are you excited for The Wind Waker HD? Do you wish Nintendo would remake a different Zelda title? Do you think Nintendo made the right choice picking The Wind Waker to be remade considering it’s stood the test of time? I look forward to reading your discussions in the comments below!

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