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

10. Sound Design

The first tell-tale sign of The Wind Waker's fantastic presentation will undoubtedly be its art style, yet the level of polish it consistently manages to achieve reaches the audio department also, and delivers the series' best sound design to date.

Original score aside, the auditory flourishes that litter the adventure contribute so fruitfully to the game's tone, story and charm. Link's vocal notes are adorable, and somehow manage to display his immense courage while still maintaining the feeling of youth.

Contributing largely to the sound design is the titular 'Wind Waker', a conductors baton that channels wind, changes time and controls allies, among other things. A replacement for the ocarina, the sounds that accompany the item fit seamlessly into the game's overall presentation, as each note strings together to create a light, wistful tune that can drastically alter a gameplay situation.

Mainstays of the series are present as ever. Opening chests, smashing pots and uncovering secrets are all met with the iconic jingles we consider synonymous with the series.

Wind Waker's approach to sound design stays true to the Zelda formula, yet also manages to forge a tone entirely its own.