The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD

Game review by Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 10+

Fab remake of classic game shines on Wii U.

Nintendo Wii U 2013
Rate game

Parents say

age 9+

Based on 5 reviews

Kids say

age 8+

Based on 31 reviews

Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
Rate game
  • The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD Game: Screenshot #1
  • The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD Game: Screenshot #2
  • The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD Game: Screenshot #3

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this game.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD is a cartoonish action game with a bit of light role-playing thrown in. The game's hero, Link, is a young boy who enjoys helping those in need and is particularly concerned with rescuing his little sister from some evil kidnappers. Players use weapons including a sword and a shield to fight a variety of fantastical creatures -- including goblins, skeletons, and bats -- who fall to the ground and disappear in colorful plumes of smoke once defeated.

Community Reviews

Deathgamer
Deathgamer Adult
March 4, 2021
age 10+

My opinion on the game

It's a good game for kids and legend of zelda beginners yeah true it's a little different from the other legend of zelda games but I like the toon look but if you look at the games you'll find out that wind waker isn't that different from the other zelda games it's just a toon version of kid link and princess zelda and the King . but I have been playing since it came out and then the disc stopped working and I stopped playing for awhile and now I have it again so I can't speak for everyone else who has played but I can say this everyone else talks about orca being a swordmaster but what they don't talk about is what happens after you hit him 1000 times and then talk to him again and and do it again why? has no one tired I have he talks to you differentinstead of saying are you satisfied being just a swordman to you he says shall we name and you have have the option to say sure or no if you choose sure then he says come at me as if I were your feariest enemy and then you fight orca once again
viex9
viex9 Adult
December 23, 2018
age 7+

It's ok.

It'll keep a kid engaged, but it's pretty boring. If they're younger, you'll probably have to help them a bit more than usual with the triforce shards about two-thirds into the game. It's a neato game that's easy to pick up.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Easy to play/use
See all 5 parent reviews

What’s It About?

Not a fresh Zelda adventure but rather a remake of a decade-old GameCube classic, THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE WIND WAKER HD puts players in the green suit and pointy cap of a young boy who has come of hero's age. Tragedy strikes on his birthday when, shortly after learning how to use a sword and a shield, his sister is kidnapped by a giant bird. In hopes of finding her, Link decides to hitch a ride on a passing pirate ship. From there, he adventures far and wide to islands around the ocean, growing ever closer to the source of the evil that took his sister. Along the way he finds and equips himself with better and stronger weapons and items and learns new abilities, all the while fighting goblins and skeletons, helping people in need, and solving plenty of contextual puzzles so he can keep moving forward.

Is It Any Good?

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD isn't just a prettied-up, high-definition version of the game that came out in 2002. Nintendo's designers tweaked several key elements in an effort to create a better and more modern gaming experience. For example, you can now purchase an item called the Swift Sail that makes sailing from one location to another a much speedier process than in the original game. Also, the GamePad controller is put to use in several interesting ways, from offering an easy-to-reference map and inventory guide to providing a quick way to remap frequently used items to primary buttons. The screen can even be used to play the game away from the TV. Finally, a new Hero Mode, which can be switched on and off whenever you like, gives experienced players seeking a greater challenge a way to make battles much more difficult.

Whether these changes are enough to make older players who have sunk dozens of hours into the original game feel the need to play again is debatable. Still, Nintendo does a great job of modernizing a classic game and making it relevant to a fresh generation of younger gamers, many of whom weren't even born when The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker first came out.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the impact of violence in games. What criteria does your family use to determine whether a game is too violent for you and your siblings? Do you think the judgments are fair?

  • Families also can discuss gender roles in games. Why do you think the Legend of Zelda games don't put kids in control of Zelda, but instead a boy named Link must usually save the titular princess? Do you think many boys would refuse to play a game in which they controlled a female hero?

Game Details

Our Editors Recommend

Themes & Topics

Browse titles with similar subject matter.

  • Cartoon picture of luggage and a map
    Adventures
    See all
  • Cartoon picture of the side profile of a boy
    Great Boy Role Models
    See all

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate