The Legend of Zelda has been around about as long as Nintendo itself has. A few gamers have even grown up with the series. Telling the story of a young Elf hero named Link, The Legend of Zelda series has managed to add new features with each new game while maintaining the essence of fun that made the original such a success. With the release of Wind Waker, Nintendo has more than managed to recreate the feel of its predecessors. It has surpassed them in amazing and unexpected ways.

    Many people have complained about the cell-shading used for WW. Fearing that it gives the game a "cartoony" look, some fans were extremely disappointed in the decisions to use a visual style such as this. While these fears were somewhat valid,Wind Waker manages to easily fit in with its graphics, making them come alive in such a way that you won't be able to imagine what it would be like without them. Granted, there are one or two moments when the visuals look like they came straight out of"Lego Land," but these are few and far between. In fact, many elements manage to become something beautiful and new with the help of the cell-shading. For example, steam rising out of a crack in a wall or the black smoke that appears after Link defeatsan enemy look simply amazing. Enemies and boss characters look intimidating also. To see them in action is breathtaking, and any fears that they would look too childish are quickly put to rest.

    And the graphics aren't the only thing that has been overhauled for this sequel. The gameplay -- while retaining a few key elements from Ocarina of Time --have interesting new features thrown into the mix. Because the story takes place on a planet almost totally covered by water, sailing is a big part of the game. To get from one dungeon or town to the next, Link must hop onto his talking ship, unfurl his sail, and ride into the wind (which he controls with a magic wand that takes the place of the Ocarina). The Great Ocean is so huge; it can take minutes at a time to get from one place to the next. This may sound relatively boring, but there's so much to see and do out on the water that players will hardly notice. Fending off shark attacks, controlling the wind's direction, and exploring help make traveling far less tedious. And there's a lot to explore. The developers went all out with adding locations and hidden areas. This is the type of game for which all-night playing sessions were established. It's so much fun, in fact, that many people will most likely find themselves hoping it will never end. And with the amountof things to do in Wind Waker, it seems almost endless.

    The wind isn't the only cool new weather effect in the new Zelda. The waves roll and crash in a very mesmerizing way that, though not very realistic, is certainly fun to watch. As in Ocarina of Time, things take place in real time with days and nights going by as you travel. There are even thunderstorms and rough seas in certain areas, along with fog in various places. These also help to add variety to the huge ocean on which Link spends most of his time.

    There are also a number of side quests to complete during the course of the adventure. These range from menial tasks like gathering a certain number of items for someone to more interesting things like taking candid pictures of two lovers as they glance into each others' eyes. With the insanely large amount of side quests to complete (and their sheer variety), it isn't hard to find yourself spending hours on them. For players with a Gameboy Advance and a link cable, there is an item called the "Tingle Tuner" that allows you to summon the ambiguously gay fairy Tingle. This adds a neat "two-player" aspect of the game. One gamer controls Link on screen while a friend, using the GBA, moves Tingle around to find secrets, solve puzzle, and help attack enemies using bombs. Tingle can even be used to refill Link's health and magic, but at a price.

    The plot revolves around the heroic Link desperately trying to save his sister from the clutches of the evil Ganondorf, the most baffling villain of all time. Ganondorf is a Gerudo, a race that only has one male each generation. Thus, he is made king. To keep his species alive, he must mate with just about every single female Gerudo. But instead he decides to conquer the universe. Why? What more does he want? He's already got an entire race of women that want to bed with him. You can't really go up from there. That's pretty much the top. Joining him in his evil conquest are a horde of new bosses that are some of the biggest and meanest currently found on the GameCube.

    To aid Link in his quest, are various magic items that make return appearances from earlier games such as the bow, the boomerang, some bombs, and even a bunch of empty bottles with which to ruthlessly imprison fairies to use at your leisure. To add to these series mainstays are the grapple (which can also be used as a crane while on the boat), a Deku leaf, and a few others. The Deku Leaf is probably one of the more interesting of the new additions. Acting as something of a parachute or glider, Link can get to hard-to-reach areas while holding it open over his head. This allows another opportunity to control the wind's direction, as it determines where the leaf will take Link.

    Sound effects are relatively good, with young Link sounding a lot like he did in Ocarina of Time. There is no voice acting, as usual, but some of the characters do sort of groan when you talk to them. As for the musical aspect of WW, it's almost perfection. Songs are fun and memorable without becoming annoying after having to listen to them for too long. The tunes help add to the epic quality of the game in a large way. Some tunes are even reminiscent of those found in Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The music is so wonderful, in fact, it can easily hold its own with the work of great composers such as James Newton Howard and Thomas Newman.

    The only real "problem" to be found is the control of Link, which is still somewhat awkward even after three games. Fortunately, a more controllable camera has been implemented to make things somewhat easier. The story is also somewhat vague. It's clear that there is a complex plot to be found, but only half of it is ever actually revealed. Aside from these small gripes, everything is nearly flawless.

    The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is truly a spectacular experience. Epic in nearly every way, it's the reason many people bought a GameCube. It's so big and so entertaining to play that any lover of games is sure to enjoy it. This is obviously a classic and one that can't be missed. Fans of the series and newcomers alike will have a blast being transported to the land of Hyrule once more. Zelda followers rejoice! This is the ultimate Legend of Zelda experience.