10 Ways The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker Is Secretly A Masterpiece

2. Character Development

Though the familiar faces of the series are present in abundance, the developments each character saw throughout The Wind Waker's campaign were far greater than we remember.

Perhaps assisted by the art design, Link, Zelda and Ganondorf all manage to make their place in the story feel justified. Zelda's initial part to play as a quirky swashbuckling pirate provides much needed context to better understand the serious, intelligent woman she must become, and Ganondorf's stoic, cold --almost regal-- aura makes him a villain who's very existence is unnerving.

Link, however, is a boy trapped in the middle. The reason for his departure form Outset Island was simply to save his sister, and the world-saving whirlwind he gets caught up in is thrust upon his shoulders with the upmost haste. Dialogue has never been Link's speciality, but we see his courage start to build and develop over time as his relationship with his contemporaries strengthen.

Zelda is no longer a convenient plot device, Ganondorf isn't a faceless baddy and Link is more than a silent protagonist for the player to project themselves onto. We learn to love them, and their perilous journey feels all the more weighted as a result.