Summary
After transitioningThe Legend of Zeldafranchise to 3D with the landmark release ofOcarina of Timein 1998, Nintendo took some time to figure out the next major entry in the series. Despite a realistic-looking CG short film showing Link and Ganon fighting at Nintendo Space World 2000, the nextZeldagame abandoned all that in favor of a cel-shaded, highly stylized world withThe Wind Wakerin 2003. It was a massive departure from the styles seen in previous entries, but it wasn’t just about looks.The Wind Wakerwas poised to introduce some major contributions to theZeldafranchise’s already evolving mythology.
With its unique world and expansive story covering centuries of fictional Hyrule history,The Wind Wakerexplored a fascinating side of theZeldafranchise and introduced several key pieces of mythology that would go on to influence the rest of the series for years. It was able to take full advantage of an already evolving mythology that took some massive leaps inOcarina of TimeandA Link to the Past, all while introducing its own core tenets that would shape major elements of the lore for the next twenty-plus years.The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Wakeris due for a re-release on Nintendo Switch Online with the launch of Switch 2 in June 2025, and with that in mind, here are the major ways it has reshaped the franchise over the last twenty years.
4Establishing The Hero Of Time As A Myth With An Open-Ended Destiny
One Of The Many Legends Of Zelda
Previous entries in the franchise did well to establish the actual, tangible “legend” of Zelda, as the series positioned its two leads as consistent reincarnations of the same two mythic figures destined to fight evil and save Hyrule from certain destruction. WhileOcarina of Timehad established Link as the mythic “Hero of Time,“The Wind Wakersolidified the absolute mayhem that the officialZeldatimeline was about to unleash. InHyrule Historia, an expansive companion book released alongsideSkyward Sword, Nintendo did the unthinkable and tookthe officialZeldatimelineout of the vault, making it publicly available for the very first time.
It established that, post-Ocarina of Time, a total of three possible outcomes existed: one where Link defeated Ganon, one where he stops the Dark Lord’s acquisition of the Triforce and returns to his life as a child, and, shockingly, one where the Hero of Time is defeated. This revelation cast older games in a new light, but it was especially so in the case ofThe Wind Waker, as it was the first game to fully utilize Nintendo’s split timeline concept, with the opening of the game firmly establishing that the Hero of Time was gone and unable to prevent Hyrule’s destruction in the one-hundred years followingOcarina of Time.
3New Worlds Can Have Unique Looks
Not All Zelda Worlds Are The Same
MostZeldagames beforeThe Wind Wakerestablished a significant visual style that remained fairly consistent, as it presented a familiar fantasy world with traditional trappings that unfolded in either 2D or 3D spaces. While Nintendo’s CG presentation at Space World 2000 showed a very realistic-looking Link and Ganon, prompting speculation that it would pick up whereOcarina of Timeleft off,The Wind Wakershowed that this legendary franchise wasn’t about to rest on its laurels.
The Wind Wakertook a hard left turn, presenting a highly stylized cel-shaded look that took stronger influence from Disney and Pixar than it did from traditional fantasy settings. It was able to establish that the series could be defined by more than just its setting, asThe Wind Wakerwas able toshowcase one of the true strengths of the series: its commitment to innovation and reinventing itself every couple of years. The series would continue to take advantage of this, as futureZeldagames were able to be more experimental both in their visuals and the way they presented that mythology, all thanks to the huge gamble thatThe Wind Wakertook with its art direction.
2The Fall Of Hyrule
The Forgotten Land Under The Great Sea
AsThe Wind Wakertakes place roughly 100 years after the events ofOcarina of Timein the Adult Timeline, it sees Hyrule with no protector and no heroes to keep it safe. Due to the absence of the Hero of Time and Hyrule’s imminent destruction at the hands of Ganondorf, the land was begging for someone to save them. In response, the Goddesses flooded the land and sank itbeneath the Great Sea. This set a haunting precedent for the series, as it showcased just how dark things could get for the heroes, as Hyrule being submerged in the depths of the ocean opened up an incredible new way of telling stories for the series.
While the franchise always prides itself on telling unique tales of adventure,The Wind Wakerestablished that anything was possible, and that Link wouldn’t always have an easy path to forging his new destiny. The Great Flood became a major element in the Adult Timeline, as it would go on to influence some key events in bothBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom, proving that this landmark GameCube release still has something left to contribute.
1The True Nature Of Ganondorf
The Wind Waker Details Ganondorf’s Evolution Into A More Complex Villain
Ganondorf has emerged as oneof the most iconic video game villains of all time. The mad despot has tried time and time again to defeat Link and rule over Hyrule once and for all. However, while previousZeldagames positioned Ganondorf as a typical power-hungry madman after the mythical Triforce,The Wind Waker established a much deeper, more complex history for the Prince of Darkness. Tying deeper into the events ofA Link to the Pastand the Imprisoning War, a major event in theZeldatimeline that serves as the basis forHyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment,launching for Nintendo Switch 2 in late 2025,The Wind Waker alters Ganon’s path to villainy in spectacular fashion.
As the kingdom of Hyrule flourished and Hylians lived with privilege and wealth, the Gerudo tribes were forced to the outskirts. Living in desperation and desiring to make the lives of his people better, Ganon’s pure, raw anger is given new meaning, as he was able to evolve from a simplistic villain on the hunt for power into a more complex, multi-layered antagonist with motives that felt more honest and relatable.The Wind Wakerallowed Ganon to evolve from an antagonist with somewhat narrow intentions, transitioning him into a more nuanced, complicated vision of how corruption and desperation can turn anyone into a villain.
