A recent HD The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time PC port has brought again to mind another beloved game, perhaps the most unique in the series, one that is still awaiting a true HD remaster on a current console - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Despite the lack of success seen in the previous remaster on the Wii U, the long-rumored Wind Waker remaster on Nintendo Switch could take the game to entirely new heights. From its exceptional art style to its depiction of a young, cartoony Link and a world fully immersed in the sea, Gamecube's Wind Waker has a lot to offer newer Zelda fans.

Wind Waker is a title both charming and mechanically deep, which has gone largely unrecognized due to not finding quite the success Nintendo might have hoped on the Gamecube and Wii U. With updated features, however, it could be yet another Zelda highlight on the Nintendo Switch. Developer Harbour Masters shows just how possible it is for even smaller teams to push the boundaries of Legend of Zelda games with its Ocarina of Time HD PC port, and where Harbour Masters took the iconic Ocarina of Time and amplified its visuals and performance to hone (rather than alter) its beauty, it shows just how a similar formula would make Wind Waker into a new experience.

Related: Wind Waker's Outset Island Brought To New Life By Neural Network AI

At the heart of Wind Waker is its cel-shaded visuals, an artistic technique that uses less shading color to render 3D textures in a 2D style. Cel-shading allows games like Wind Waker to age better than sharply-rendered projects because it doesn't aim to showcase the highest graphical quality, rather its own distinct style. The technique gives Wind Waker its signature cartoony look, making characters’ whacky designs and expressions stand out while allowing the majesty of the Great Sea and the starry night sky to flourish, even with the Gamecube’s graphical limitations. Thanks to this effect, it wouldn’t require too much work for Nintendo to recapture the appeal of Wind Waker on a modern console.

Ocarina Of Time's PC Port Shows That Wind Waker On Wii U Wasn't Sufficient

BOTW 2 could make a Trial of the Sword challenge mode required, just like the Savage Labyrinth on Wind Waker's Outset Island

While Ocarina of Time is the best Zelda game according to many fans, Wind Waker has many supporters as well, and is an underrated favorite that deserves the same touch-up that Ocarina of Time's PC port got. With the potential for a Switch remaster, Nintendo can also address the previous remaster of Wind Waker on the Wii U, which was criticized for substantially changing the look of the game. In a seeming attempt to achieve modern graphics, it substituted the original cel-shading for sharpened textures and artificial, enhanced brightness. A remaster that stays faithful to the game’s core features would introduce Wind Waker to a new generation of Zelda fans, preserving the game's legacy.

The other ambition a modern Wind Waker could seek to fulfill based on the Ocarina of Time PC port is achieving a 60 fps frame rate. The newest 3D Zelda title, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, doesn't manage 60 fps, undoubtedly to the disappointment of even its most zealous fans. Its performance suffers due to high graphical output and its fully rendered open world. While operating in HD, Wind Waker could lean further into its cel-shaded style and look good while maintaining 60 fps. This would help highlight Wind Waker's gameplay, allowing its unique combat features like the parry attack and the navigation of the Great Sea to perform even more seamlessly.

Projects like the HD Ocarina of Time PC port remind fans of the value in older generation Nintendo games. There remains an ongoing hope for remasters of Wind Waker and Twilight Princess because titles like these are timeless experiences unavailable on the Switch. This is especially true for Wind Waker, a game wholly distinct from its counterparts, whose open environments, art style, and combat helped pave the path toward the series' major success in Breath of the Wild.

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