The Wind Waker HD Review

[@VaatiVidya]

Agree with you completely about the bloom - It would look alright in any other Zelda game, but it just doesn't suit Wind Waker. It's too harsh on the eyes for such a comfy game

[@typhoeus3801]

Well hello Vaati, been a while my friend.

[@Tyler-jp4vz]

Bloom was a natural fit for wind waker, it looks SO much better

[@ShyGuyXXL]

What the heck is bloom even supposed to be? Like, which optical effect in real life is it supposed to represent? Fog? Smudgy glasses? High humidity? When I go outside in real life on a sunny day, I don't see bloom. I see clear, crisp air. When the sun is shining brightly, it doesn't make my vision blurry. So what the heck is bloom even supposed to be? Maybe in the dungeons it might work, since those are supposed to be damp and uninviting. It makes sense if things look foggy. But outside? On a sunny day? With clear blue skies? I don't get it. Somebody please explain bloom to me and why it always needs to be there!

[@triforcewill]

VAATI?

[@Golem29]

When two of your favourite KZbinrs meet

[@strife57x]

If Nintendo was so desperately trying to shoehorn bloom everywhere they should've remade Mario Sunshine.

[@redfox1366]

Sunshine would've been the only game improved by the new graphics engine and bloom.

[@BassbaitGG]

+Redfox Now I'm dying for a Mario Sunshine sequel that isn't so padded out and uses the mechanics of the FLUDD to it's full potential.

[@redfox1366]

BassbaitGG The game pad could be used as a map and to switch the FLUDD easier.

[@jamesmarley687]

+Redfox because pressing the X button to change fluud was soo hard. and pressing a gimmicky touch screen will make changing fluud so much better..

[@redfox1366]

James Marley If the touch screen could be used, then all the versions of FLUDD could be available and be switched using the gamepad. It saves a few seconds, and that adds up in the long run.

[@ElleRoni]

I have to agree with regard to the bloom and gradients. Wind Waker GCN gave off a wonderful impression of a living 2D animation. Wind Waker WiiU seems more like claymation, not a bad thing in itself.

[@byte.me_original]

+ElleRoni Just wish they gave the option to play the game in classic graphics mode, just like what Halo and Halo 2 Anniversary did. I'm sure it's only a matter of switching off/turning down some effects (like lighting, bloom, ambient occlusion, etc.), and I doubt it would be an issue with disc space (in case that's the requirement) because the Wii U disc can hold around 25 GB of data.

[@_ArsNova]

I definitely consider it bad. The Wii U version looks worse in almost every conceivable way. The only improvement is the native resolution, which I can do on Dolphin for free. All Nintendo had to do was improve the resolution, and include some QOL touches for modern gamepads, and they managed to screw even that up. I have no idea how a team at Nintendo looked at the bloom in this game and approved it for commercial release. It's so unpleasant to look at, it's as if the Wind Waker takes place on Mercury now. Not even going to rail against the awful 3D graphics since Matt did that perfectly.

[@XTheBlackSoulX]

"It gives the impression that the Great Sea is actually the Great Puddle" my sides

[@AndrewRKenny]

I absolutely love to point about the "great puddle". It really affected how I view a lot of game design decisions. Outstanding comparison.

[@WolfyDuh]

I completely agree about the art style change being a bit disappointing, I also found that in some areas the new style worked well, but i do miss the flat colors, and not being bombarded by bloom

[@ZerogunRivale]

I believe the reason they chose Wind Waker was because the GC was one of their worst selling consoles. Now, however, GC games are in a kind of renaissance where people are looking back and are deeming so many GC games to be classics. For people who have never owned a GC, however, they are on the outside looking in because they are hearing about all of these second opinions. Don't be surprised if this isn't the only GC remake. I wouldn't be shocked if Mario Sunshine and F-Zero GX saw HD re-releases with how well regarded they are within the video game fandom.

[@TheKyshu]

I agree, and a Sunshine remake would be *amazing*. It was such a good-looking game when it released, it would be great seeing it with improved shaders, HD textures and a higher res. I would still prefer a Majora's Mask U though, to be honest.

[@harlemraider3347]

***** Well we can't compare WiiU to the remainder of Nintendo consoles (sales wise) yet because its just about half into its life-cycle. But I think it was inevitable that Nintendo would fall off since they don't seem to care about the hardware race at all, I mean c'mon Nintendo why can't we get top notch graphics, game physics & mechanics for the greatest game franchise out there (Mario, Zelda etc)? It's not fair.

[@harlemraider3347]

Imagine Zelda with textures like the Witcher 3... Mario with physics like Portal 2. One can dream.

[@TheKyshu]

***** The sole reason for that is price. A Nintendo bundle (console+ game) goes for 300$, Sony's PS4 goes for 400$ alone, and Microsofts X1 goes for 500$. In the past Nintendo was even cheaper if I remember correctly. This makes the console more accessible for families as one example, and very casual gamers on the other hand.

[@TheKyshu]

***** Sorry, but just saying: The Source engine at its current state isn't exactly cutting edge anymore in terms of PC performance and representing the newest in terms of graphics and technology. The Unreal Engine would be the candidate for that, I suppose.

[@omega3711]

My God that switch from original to full bloom is JARRING @.@

[@GenteelCretin]

What puzzles me most is how Nintendo allowed it. Was it just an instance where the PM of the remake team overruled the art department? I can't imagine the visual designers were happy with it. I realize aesthetics are a subjective affair, but even then it's a matter of degrees; the the changes don't cohere with the original design theme at all, so I'd argue it's objectively worse, and I imagine anyone who studied art or design and made a good career of it would agree that the changes did the game a disservice.

[@mikeluna2026]

@@GenteelCretin Well, people were kind of obsessed with bloom at some point, specially when the light or GI systems in a game were kind of poor, so some effects had to be faked. I wonder if they simply thought it looked sunnier and hotter with that level of bloom?

[@bearzdlc2172]

looks way better to me. still, they shouldve had an option in the settings to turn it off or adjust how strong it was.

[@hevy6]

Hit the nail on the spot. I havent been able to express what "HD'ing" a something cartoony results in, but your description about a plastic toy fits perfectly.

[@Treyworld]

The HD version doesn't have the Tingle Tuner. Not the definitive version to me.

[@lpsp442]

Which is INSANE, given that the Wii U COMES WITH A TINGLE TUNER *BUILT IN*

[@turtleanton6539]

Agreed !

[@bryson7329]

What's more confusing about bloom is how they added it in this game, yet when remaking Twilight Princess they basically removed it. Neither game stuck to the original art style.

[@bunsmasterbunny]

Yeah, that remaster has the opposite problem. Thankfully Skyward Sword HD seems to be finally getting it right.

[@dedicateddark]

Nice run down on the changes, most of these so called reviews just glances over them. So, Twilight Princess HD please.

[@nathaneskin3572]

Noble Alfred The only real difference there is the increased climbing speed in the new version.

[@allex3004]

hahahahaha what?! you clearly didn't even play the HD version...

[@nathaneskin3572]

Yeah I did. It's pretty accurate to the original. The wallet sizes are larger as well. And obviously the resolution is higher, that goes without saying. What exactly am I missing?

[@allex3004]

Alright, the obviously updated visuals, the aforementioned bigger wallets and the increased climbing speed aside there's a new optional dungeon called the Cave of Shadows, a new item called the Ghost Lantern, a more challenging Hero Mode similar to Wind Waker HD, Amiibo support, 50 collectable Miiverse stamps scattered around the world, streamlined inventory use via the GamePad and a ton of quality of life improvements like new map features, less tedious Tears of Light collection, less intrusive HUD, rupees not being put back in a chest if your wallet is full, more immersive wolf transformation, better horse riding and swimming controls, etc.... as you see, there's a LOT more to the Remaster than you give it credit for! :)

[@nathaneskin3572]

Fair enough. I forgot about most of that stuff. I mainly really appreciate that they didn't mess with the visuals outside of the resolution and some textures. Wind Waker HD looks kind of hideous compared to the original because they decided to change way too much.

[@itscomplicatedwatches]

I think the pros outweigh the cons by far in the HD version. Probably my favorite 3D LoZ game.

[@WCCXtra]

Same here. I love the music that comes on when you set sail in the boat. Epic tune.

[@nathaneskin3572]

BitterPoetMadman I'm pretty divided. The gameplay is improved a lot, but it feels bizarre that the original version just looks sooo much better

[@horsebox5138]

Nathan Eskin ??

[@nathaneskin3572]

TL, DR: The gamecube version looks good at all times. There isn't a point at which you could take a screenshot and it looks bad. The Wii U version looks weird and bad sometimes and the sun is stupidly bright. But you really should just read my original post.

[@itscomplicatedwatches]

Have you tried looking at the sun lately? It's pretty damn bright. Sure. The HD version isn't perfect but it looks far better than the original. Being why Nintendo decided to port this to HD on the Wii U.

[@gwardojones]

When people cry for more objective reviews, I believe they are looking for what you produce in your videos. You are by far the most objective reviewer of games I have ever crossed paths with. Your critiques rarely include quibbles or complaints that are purely subjective, and even when they do pop up you fully acknowledge that they are, in fact, completely subjective. You consider aspects of game design from a technical approach, thoroughly explaining why they do or do not work, which is greatly appreciated. I walk away from your videos with a much firmer grasp of the game you are talking about and a greater amount of respect for the effort game developers put into their games.

[@Knux576]

Why isn't this video called "The Wind Waker HaichD Review"?

[@baconham5589]

+Knux576 Because there are these things called "Accents"

[@FractalFernow]

+Liam Hubbert *speak properly

[@FractalFernow]

***** I am glad to have finally gotten it after all this time. It'd really been bothering me up to now, to the point that I have actually been losing sleep and physical health over it. You have saved me countless dollars in medical fees. Thank you, good sir.

[@annebutnotreally2209]

because not everyone is american, other people exist too

[@whoabuddyful]

As an Australian with relatives from Manchester, Edinburgh, etc the correct pronunciation of H is still "aitch" not "haitch"

[@RaymondoPerson]

I'm very glad you mentioned the stuff about the shadows. People usually just complain about the bloom from what I've seen and I often found myself to be the only one pointing out the fact that the game is actually not cel-shaded anymore.

[@OSW]

This is an excellent, considered review. Thanks for articulating the problem with the crazy bloom lighting. It put me off buying it (again), even though everything else looks pretty fantastic. The selfie in front of the wind tunnel is so adorable! Subscribed!

[@BOBMARIYO]

To be honest the bloom only gets ridiculous in the first temple, when you're at the side of the volcano. Otherwise it doesn't detract from the experience, I find.

[@YeCannyDaeThat]

I was just thinking that. Very intelligent review. I've subscribed

[@AnoNymous-dh2sv]

For me bloom was much better. Could be slightly toned down? Maybe. But it would be worse without it.

[@matthewmuir8884]

@@AnoNymous-dh2sv Yeah; the problem is more the excessiveness of the bloom; a little bit of it to complement the new shadows was a good idea, but they went way too far. The real problem is definitely the gradients; those just make the game look worse by removing the cel shading and making characters look like miis.

[@ingrogies1]

Awesome review from a fellow Irishman!! Great to hear an Irish person talk in such knowledge and detail about games. Majora's Mask should be the game to be remade

[@uknownada]

ingrogies1 Majora's Mask has already been remade, though.

[@chamchamtrigger]

Your explanation of the models at 12:30 was pretty much perfect.

[@dotapazappy]

I love your videos so much. I honestly think you must be one of the more underrated video game themed personalities reviewing games on all of KZbin. I watch a TON of different let's plays, streams, game reviews and other related content but you are honestly one of my favourites! From a personal standpoint I think you even hold up when compared to bigger more well known names on KZbin that can quadruple the amount of subscribers you have. I believe a big reason why this is the case, is the style in which you do your videos. There is little to no silliness. There are no really whacky jokes, co-casting, animated bits or part where you are acting out a scene in real life as a reaction. Now, don't get me wrong - I love that. I think people like the AVGN and that style of presenting pioneered what we have today in terms of KZbin entertainment - BUT I feel like a lot of channels, even some of my favourites all take a direct inspiration from that already established idea. It's part of what sets yours apart ! You take a serious sit down and look at things most people would be far past tempted to poke fun at and make a comedy rather than a serious review. Your work, even with all the other millions of game commentaries out there is actually kinda original and unique. I wouldn't want to discourage you from changing or even including jokes in your work, but I mean to say you aren't trying to be Jon Tron or AVGN. You've taken an approach to the medium that is very much your own and I love it. Though, you do lack videos when compared to many other channels that I love - such as Projared or Jon Tron for example. They makes some great videos I really like but he also uploads a bunch of let's plays, other filler that are mostly unedited and probably have significantly less thought put into them. So while your channel doesn't have 500+ videos, the ones you have are all very well done and I love them. It doesn't feel like you're trying to cash in with your videos, they are all genuine and THAT is very respectable. There is a definite quality of quantity element to your work and while maybe it's just a small thing. I think you are one of the few good ones who really deserve some kind of reward. I'm not sure how much you read comments or how you will take this one but I wanted to voice my opinion as a long time watcher and fan. I see a ton of "subscribe and like, share this on Facebook" and really more or less ignore most it but you are one of the biggest reasons I made an account here in the first place - So I could give you one more subscriber rather than just always watching anonymously. So I hope some of my words encourage you to keep on doing what you do!

[@MarkManuel15]

Interesting.

[@dotapazappy]

uhmm.. thank you I think

[@SCDJMU]

The problem with watching Mathewmatosis is that he is so much better, that other gaming-related youtube channels becomes unwatchable in comparison.

[@melanchlorin]

@@SCDJMU I agree, I've stumbled upon a guy named PointZ3RO that comes very close though, his metroid reviews are phenomenal.

[@mfisher9977]

i love this post. everything you said rings true

[@danette26]

5:09 Actually you can still direct the wind that way in the HD version, you just have to use the gamepad screen instead of the analog stick.

[@LukeKnowsAll26]

This review was brilliant. It's also the first time I've heard a youtuber talk about Zelda in a Dublin accent which is brilliant.

[@ceeb420]

the windwaker haychd

[@fatleg1000]

your dad it's how we Irish say the letter haha

[@DefinitelyAPotato]

Yet you can't say "th"

[@ignotumperignotius630]

heich

[@rickyknowles]

I dont get this how else do you pronounce "H"?

[@insekki]

Nogamez ‘aitch’

[@xCyph0nx]

As usual, excellent work. Simply the best reviewer on YT, if not the internet. Short, yet full to the brim of relevant information. Keep at it mate.

[@JoshRushingartist]

You addressed the art style and lighting issues perfectly in this review, something I would have had a difficult time doing myself. I've been trying to explain the unnecessary and sometimes detrimental changes to the lighting to other Zelda fans, but I haven't had much luck in doing so. The section where you directly compared to the original in an enhanced format is fantastic, and it properly showcases the issues (as well as the improvements) in the HD edition. I really enjoy and appreciate your videos man, thanks for being awesome!

[@BardBoss64]

I am so glad somebody, ANYBODY pointed out how horribly this remake ruined the visuals.

[@june9113]

Oh, my god. Thank you so much for this review. This video highlights everything I liked about the remake, and everything I hated. I loved most of the gameplay changes, and really wasn't a fan of the new art style, ESPECIALLY the gradience. And the fact that you went over the idea of Wind Waker HD replacing the original is something I've thought about since I played it a year ago, and you've articulated my thoughts perfectly.

[@NecroGarfunk]

I remember a friend telling me I'd never be able to play the GCN version again after he got me to play this one. I've played it on the GCN at least four more times since.

[@Nukle0n]

It's sad that Nintendo didn't throw in an option to play the game with the original shader. But no, we have to play it in this weird bastardized new lighting scheme that doesn't fit the textures and models.

[@Nukle0n]

+SteveDoidoUltimate No it wouldn't be. Other games have done similar stuff.

[@Yuztub]

I liked the change. At least for the majority of the game

[@Nukle0n]

+Really loud girl - lol nice analogy bro

[@Nukle0n]

+Really loud girl I'm talking about a different lighting mode, in fact the one the Gamecube version used. Your remark made no sense. Why would it be unreasonable to have two sets of shading models in a game? Certainly more reasonable than "unlimited polygons" or whatever the fuck you are talking about.

[@Nukle0n]

+Really loud girl Yes you can, they did it for this remaster. You could easily have it as a different option. Games have lighting changed constantly in patches and in options menus.

[@ShadowMan64572]

Wait, are you telling me they toned DOWN the bloom in the final release of WWHD? Lol, I can hardly imagine the horrors of what we could have gotten had they not listened to backlash. What were the graphics directors thinking when they made this HD port?

[@JinGitaxias]

I think the reason why they decided to make an HD remake of Wind Waker over other Zelda games is that WW has an artstyle that translates well to higher resolutions without the devs having to do much work. If Nintendo were to make an HD release for Twilight Princess or better yet, OOT and MM, they would have had to make entirely new textures and models. Also, funny how you didn't comment on how the water went through the boat, which still is an issue for the HD version.

[@sourbeard]

The water clipping was the first thing I noticed and I chuckled.

[@BrickBreakerXX]

Uncle QUiKSCOPEe I think they remade it also to improve the few things that were wrong with it as even Matthew said that there were gameplay elements that held the game back that they fixed really well in the HD version.

[@mccookies3664]

Now that they've made Twilight Princess HD, this comment is kind of funny.

[@gethsoftware]

WHERE IS THE LINK BETWEEN THE WORLD REVIEW!? With love, Palpatine.

[@AppleGreenmusic]

Won't happen, he doesn't have the 3DS capture card, and doesn't plan on getting one.

[@MrFoxInc]

Apple Green We should do crowdfunding for that, then. I really want to know his thoughts on Link Between Worlds.

[@digitaldazzle5836]

Now this is the best review of the game I’ve seen yet! Wow!. You did your research!

[@k-leb4671]

I think the sailing scene looks better, actually. But there were some other scenes shown in the video that definitely have too much bloom going on, and I do wish the lighting engine was adjusted to retain more of the cel-shaded look. Other than that though, the visuals look great. Even just up-scaling the textures made a huge difference.

[@pikXpixelart]

I'm glad you chose to make a video about this! Most people tend to oversimplify WWHD to "it's inherently better because of the improved gameplay" or "the wrecked art style makes it worth skipping over" (admittedly... I was part of the latter group. To me, Wind Waker is a rare type of game where the visuals are just as important as the gameplay) Hopefully it'll be possible to modify an .iso to include the new gameplay modifications?

[@Merapsco]

Quality reviews back then, quality reviews now. That is what has been the norm with this channel since the beginning, I really appreciate what you do Matthew.

[@zatchbell89]

see guys? THIS is a game review! an in-depth analysis on things that made a notable change from the first one. thanks Matt, that well written and insightful comparison gives me a bit of hope for the future of game review

[@Gadtkaz]

The one thing I never understood was nintendo remaking WW instead of twilight princess, ironically: the one zelda that aimed to make the franchise as realistic looking as it could, has aged so quickly and so easily.

[@RobeezyLoudenProud]

I have a feeling TP will be remade eventually in HD and not in 240p on 3DS. Having it on 3DS wouldn't make sense.

[@PointZ3ROGaming]

I think, generally speaking, games that try to be realistic will almost always age poorly because the capabilities of graphics engines are always improving. Games that we consider to be ground-breaking graphically now will be obsolete in just a year or two's time because we will have more realistic looking graphics to draw comparison from. Alternative art-styles such as cel-shading tend to be timeless, though, since they have their own unique style. Mario 64 has, arguably, aged poorly in terms of graphics, whether as Paper Mario on N64 still looks great because it's simplistic but is unique.

[@fws91]

Gotohellcadz Definitely and they could improve on the many downsides the game had. However realisitc games after a few years age terribly graphically. Look at ps1 and ps2 Metal Gear, The old call of duty and grand theft auto games, heck even sports games on ps2 look b d graphically now and back in the day there were stuff.

[@aBDKstan]

Gotohellcadz It's not really ironic if you think about it. Realistic games will always be outdated faster because the technology is always getting better. While stylized games will usually look better because of the art styles themselves. It's why Banjo Kazooie still looks pretty good today but Goldeneye looks like absolute trash.

[@teppy8085]

Leroy Jenkins It sure is. Its just way too soon for one.

[@OMGpandemic]

I love your reviews, I've watched your MGS, and Zelda reviews a few times each.

[@BloodyMastersword]

I have watched all of your reviews for the 3d Zelda games yesterday and I really enjoyed them. You know what you are talking about. Do you have plans for reviewing 2d Zelda games as well? I would really like to hear your opinion about Zelda 1, Zelda 2, Alttp and the portable games.

[@DenniTheDude]

You're so awesome man, your reviews are so honest and true that no one can be mad at you for talking a lot of crap. Huge respect, and keep doing these videos. I discovered you less than 24 hours ago and I've already watched a lot of your videos, which is weird because I never tend to be able to watch long videos and yet I have watched quite a few. Awesome work man! Can't thank you enough for the content you're making.

[@ReizoKazunari]

Gotta make a Twilight Princess HD video now your videos are highly informative and really get to the bare bones of the pros and cons of these titles.

[@Cheatscape]

I've been playing a lot of Wind Waker randomizers in Dolphin, and the original GameCube game looks incredible in HD. I hadn't played the Wii U version in a long time, and after recently booting it up, I was shocked by how much I disliked the visual changes they made. When this video came out, I would have said the Wii U version was clearly superior, which I now find baffling. "I can only hope history has enough room for two Wind Wakers." With emulation and quality of life patches, there really isn't any reason to revisit the Wii U version for me. I see this as a win for gamers who now get the best of both worlds, but it really highlights how little the original needed to be tweaked, and shows that a remake of Wind Waker really wasn't necessary. A more ambitious remake, with new models for all the characters and locations, would have been exciting, but the existence of the Wii U version means we might never get something on that level. It's fortunate, then, that the original still holds up remarkably well.

[@Skidonti]

I don't like them changing things just to change things, like the Moblin torches and wind direction selector and those little things, but when they changed things to fix actual problems they did a great job! But damn is the bloom on the ocean ever hard on the eyes compared to the original. Too much light. I don't like that at all, complete step backwards. I will strangle Nintendo if they try putting this much bloom in the new Zelda. That and the super fast crane are the only negatives I find in playing this game over the original.

[@Lastcastor]

When I heard of the HD remake I wondered if you were going to go into detail about it when the game came out. I am glad to see that is what you did. As far as the video goes, it is exactly what I expected; you going into detail about the changes made while at the same time keeping the video relatively short.

[@Vvonter]

It's a bit funny and sad how this game was ill seen twice by the general public. The first time because of the cartoony style, the second one, because of changing things in the cartoony style.

[@WaddleDee105]

Your reviews are so damn good. I only wish you had even more and dove into other franchises. Especially Mario platformers, Clover Studio/Platinum Game's titles, and some cult classics. Your reviews often open my eyes to things I was unaware of.

[@Medllix]

I really enjoy these long reviews, thank you!

[@mAcroFaze]

I would love to see a sequel to the windwaker. I'd happily jump back into this rendition of Hyrule again simply for the amazing art style they managed to pull off, and with new dungeons, items and puzzles, it'd make for one hell of a game!

[@uknownada]

Phantom Hourglass is the sequel to Wind Waker.

[@The_letter_N]

I'd like to see Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks remade with Wind Waker gameplay.

[@BrickBreakerXX]

***** ... Yes

[@TheChromaKid]

Alastair Hadlow The best thing I could imagine is if the next time zelda u was shown, It had toon link instead. Or maybe an older toon link, But still with massive eyes

[@FoodLiquorCool]

12:24 explained fantastically. Exactly why I watch these videos. Best reviewer out there

[@vSAMGX]

I got so excited when I saw another Zelda Review from Mathewmatsis come up on my subscription feed.

[@TKnightcrawler]

Great comments on the art style.

[@GenericUsernameYay]

Good job man. I also wanna say wow when you showed the art styles side by side it became really evident how much I didn't like the bloom. And I wish the orIginal shading was kept instead of the gradients. Well anyways great job man can't wait for more. Any ideas for you next review? More Zelda? More WiiU?

[@chadbagger]

I would love to see a commentary similar to the demon soul's video you posted, and would happily wait a month or two to see this. The quality is astounding and worth waiting for.

[@sordel5866]

Impressively detailed commentary. I subscribed after this channel was praised by Totalbiscuit, and it doesn't disappoint.

[@BiSk0iT01]

Every time I see a new Matthewmatosis video in my sub box, i just get this really dumb smile on my face, am I the only one? I don't think so.

[@DownItplay]

Great review, your insight into the new Wind Waker interested me a surprising amount, I knew I was going to be interested in the gameplay differences, but didn't expect the differences in the art-style to be so great, or for you to point them out so smoothly or precisely.

[@cloverraven]

I had no idea there were so many changes to the Wii U version. That’s awesome.

[@SHSLRuby]

Please review Twilight Princess HD!

[@richardm6985]

Matthew.. i bought and hacked an entire wii u system for this game alone and i stopped playing it more or less immediately because of the bloom. Just served to reinforce my commitment to Dolphin.

[@Samus-aaron]

(continued)... little-to-no contradictions throughout that time whatsoever, which is really a testament to the thought you put into your reviews. I've watched every single Zelda review of yours, your Portal 2 review, and your Bioshock Infinite review (please review Bioshock 1 & 2 as well!), and I intend to watch your MGS ones once I've played those games. Just keep doing what you do, and you'll have a regular viewer

[@iCharlie17]

Just finished the HD gane (1st time ever playing WW). Loved watching your two reviews. Great work as always

[@MrWarrentierney]

We need your Breath of the Wild Review in our lives!

[@ultraness]

We got it, eventually. Just had to wait two years.

[@Samus-aaron]

Hey Matt, just wanted to let you know that I think what you do is truly great. Your reviews are genuinely insightful, and I wish reviews of this caliber were the norm, rather than the exception. You really dive into critique in the truest sense of the word - nothing is sacred and even convention deserves to be analyzed. What's more, you really have a consistent bearing on what makes games good. I've watched what must amount to 5 hours or so of your reviews, but there were (continued)...

[@TheMultiPickle]

The whole art style part of this is why I watch you, you clearly love Zelda but you're not blind to its flaws and uncompromising in your assertions. Can't wait for more videos sir

[@JamesFLivingstone]

Hey, I only discovered your stuff a few days ago, but I think I can confidently say you're already one of my favourite game reviewers. I've never seen someone deconstruct an art style before like you did here. amazing work and I can't wait to see more.

[@terraformthesun2896]

You forgot to mention the best part of the remake - the fact that you can take selfies with the pictograph box.

[@JaretMSanchez]

I think you should check out the "BetterWindWaker" mod for the original game. Adds lots of QOL improvements. That paired with the Hypatia texture pack, which IMO is the most faithful and beautiful texture pack I've ever seen. Would love to hear your thoughts on it. I think playing it that way is the definitive way to play WW

[@hellamaddi]

I'd never played the original Wind Waker, so I had no idea that so many changes were made. What you said about a remake being unnecessary interests me because I was thinking the same thing about Twilight Princess HD. I thought it was unnecessary and a waste of resources on Nintendo's part. However, after hearing about all of the improvements in Wind Waker HD, I'm starting to think that maybe Twilight Princess HD won't be such a waste after all. I loved TP, but there were definitely a lot of issues in it, and I'm curious to see if Nintendo addresses those issues at all in the HD remake.

[@TP3200]

+Maddi Maryam Everything I've read about confirmed fixed issues has got me hyped to play TPHD again. Improvements to swimming and Tear hunts are confirmed, as well as turning into a wolf with one button press if you want without asking Midna. I'm also hoping for some speeding up to the climbing. That's really slow especially before you get the Clawshot.

[@Gnurklesquimp]

I never liked the art-style myself, but one thing I certainly see going for it even through my dislike for it is that it holds up beautifully compared to other art-styles as executed at around it's release and even after, I agree it's weird they gave this one the update and assume it was just really easy and cheap to do so.

[@scrustle]

Just discovered your videos and I'm finding them to all be excellent. Really great in-depth look at games. For that changes in art style for this game, at first I wasn't to keen on them, but once I saw the updated concept art they put out for this game, I got it. In this version, they've gone with a more kind of pastel look, where the light and colours feel so bright they bleed in to each other, but in a way that still feels kind of illustrative. While the original was a more kind of straightforward cartoon style. So because of that, despite the fact that I think this HD version is unquestionably a better version of the game overall, I wouldn't call it the "definitive" version. It has those differences in the art style. I wouldn't say either game looks better or worse, although seeing the visuals in a much more vibrant and detailed HD display is stunning, each feels like a different realisation of a similar visual theme. It's not like the HD version was finally able to realise what was always intended originally, but it doesn't ruin things with the changes either. Although I do agree about some of the gradient lighting in dark areas with a smaller focused light source. But overall, it looks good. It's simply different. Which is "better" comes down to personal preference, but I think both achieve what they set out to do very well.

[@Metalhead472]

Why is watching your videos so comfy? I could just listen to you rattle on about vidya gaems for hours. :3

[@lozfoe444]

At the very least, whether this version is better or worse, gamers of this generation will be able to experience a terrific game. We need a game like Wind Waker in this age more so than we did in 2003. I know my little sister is going to love it.

[@jordancastellanos5992]

(Continued.) I used your videos to my advantage to improve my writing skills on my essays for my English class last semester. I received A's on all of them. Matthew, you deserve so much more subscribers on KZbin compared to the other dolts that produce crap and have millions. It simply isn't fair, especially for a dedicated video game reviewer of high caliber such as yourself. Watching your videos is so rewarding to my knowledge and the way I perceive my surroundings. Thank you Matthewmatosis.

[@Jon_Cyber]

I like the super bloom effect because it constantly tells me how bloody bright the sun is and how much it beats down on everyone in the game. I enjoyed seeing the darker skin tons on many of the characters. It reminds me of getting a sun tan. Which for me, just makes more sense. But hey, I like your points too. I cannot believe how the water still clips into the boat while sailing. That bothers me to this day. How did they not fix that!?

[@apcreed]

Wow, the look of the new character models are pretty bad when compared with the original.

[@CFlandre]

Matthew, you're very quickly becoming my favorite game reviewer. As many people on here have said, your points are solid, and you know your stuff. Keep doing your thing.

[@Bulzeeb15]

I think both versions definitely have their strengths and weaknesses with neither one being completely better than the other. To a new player, I recommend playing the original before the HD version since a second playthrough going in that order would allow them to tackle Hero Mode and they would be able to recognize and appreciate most of the gameplay changes, while possibly lamenting some of the visual changes. Bottom line: Original - Better visuals, weaker gameplay HD - Better gameplay, weaker visuals

[@N-Khal]

You're blinded by nostalgio if you think the original has better visuals.

[@Dontrel3030]

My problem with this (and the Majora's Mask remake) is that there was a lot of opportunity in making a game that felt Bigger and more fleshed out. Windwaker is one of the most expansive and gives the feeling of exploration, and with the larger disk space and capability of the Wii U, the world could be bigger there could be more sidequests, more lore, and a more interesting experience. I'm not sure why you would get this game full price.

[@FunkyKarim93]

Your trully the best reviewer I saw on the internet, and I hardly say that. Great work dude.

[@amanofnoreputation2164]

The definitive Windwaker would most likely be some kind of romhack that took the gameplay enhancements from WWHD and the artstyle from the original.

[@Respectab13]

Another great in-depth review. Keep it up Matthewmatosis! Hopefully you'll feel up to reviewing the hand-held games. I'd be up for watching that! Link's Awakening, Oracle of Seasons/Ages, Minish Cap, Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks, etc.

[@bleachpasta]

I always got the impression that Nintendo updated the graphical style just so that it would look like they put more effort into the remake than they actually did. I think we all know that Nintendo has fallen on hard times lately, and Wind Waker HD struck me as an easy way to make quick money to revitalize the company.

[@devyboo2]

They have lost alot of money on the Wii U, however prior to the Wii U they had around 250 Billion dollars if estimates are to be believed. I don't think Nintendo is going to need revitalizing after only one failed console, especially when it's heavily buffered by the previous console's success

[@ominouscap5813]

The reason Wind Waker received an HD remake was so the developers of The Legend of Zelda could test the HD capabilities of the system and to apply what 'worked' to the upcoming Zelda Wii U game. Extra money doesn't hurt either. :P

[@bleachpasta]

Dev On That's debatable. Considering that Nintendo execs have had to take pretty significant pay cuts to avoid laying off low-level employees, I'd say that the company could use a little boost right now.

[@randmc1986]

Your reviews really are on another level. Just awesome!

[@joserics]

I think nintendo should have done the graphics like the naruto ninja storms games (PS360), they are cell shaded but with the benefits of the HD and the power of the consoles

[@user-vs1vr7jf3c]

Any day when Matthewmatosis posts a video is a good day.

[@NatStarlight]

Very well said as always. I just finished TWWHD last night and popped the original in to compare a little while ago. After getting past the initial jarring resolution difference, the original art-style still holds up remarkably well and I prefer it in many ways to TWWHD...well, perhaps "prefer" isn't the right word, because I like both in their own way. I do think TWWHD is a gorgeous-looking game, but so is the original. The original is a living animated cartoon, while the new one is some kind of cartoon/realistic hybrid. While at times, the latter can be quite jarring, it can also be quite beautiful. They both have merits, and like you said, I hope the original is still appreciated. Unfortunately, I just don't think many people (besides overly obsessive types like you and I, as well as art types who pay close attention to art direction) will even notice and the vastly-improved resolution will simply cloud their memories of the original, or for new players, overwrite it. I don't mean to sound pretentious; I just feel that in this resolution-obsessed world, the new, shiny, widescreen TWWHD will greatly overshadow the original, as wonderful as it still is from an art stand-point. The interface and control upgrades (minus the wind changing, which I agree with and immediately noticed when trying to control the "wheel" like the original and being baffled as to why it was changed to something far less intuitive and more awkward) really do make the game so much more enjoyable to play though, and this is coming from someone who has always immensely enjoyed the original and never had much of an issue with all its minor interface-related hang-ups. But after playing the new version, it will honestly be hard to go back, which is actually fairly annoying because visually I still love the original so much. Basically, the original still has a ton of artistic merit and it's unfortunate that Nintendo seemed to want to overwrite it. Ultimately, I'm in perfect agreement with your end conclusion and am just glad to know that someone still appreciates the original's brilliant art direction. Hopefully, with time and reflection, both titles can be appreciated in their own way by the larger public.

[@swagermuffinz8050]

the master sword is a double edged sword

[@legofarm13]

Ya know, I don't get your problem with the Wind's Requiem. Moving the stick left or right instead of any direction isn't a big deal, as that's actually what my fingers defaulted to doing the first time I chose the direction. Also, you can see what direction the island is on the Game pad screen map, as well as a little compass telling you which way you're currently set to go. This means you can play the song, look at the screen, find the island, maneuver the compass,change the wind, and you're on your merry way. It doesn't bother me, so I don't see why you complained, but I do agree that it didn't need to be changed. It should have gone under the "unnecessary, but not necessarily detrimental" category of changes. Also, I found Silver and Orange Rupees in chests just this morning, so mabye you just got really bad RNG.

[@Jackald]

Not a fan of Zelda, but anything with Matt's lovely critique is worth it.

[@cheesytrojan]

Man I love your reviews. Although I never noticed the things you brought up about the art style and lighting while I was playing. Though I think if they hadn't changed a few things and simply upgraded the resolution it would have been kind of a waste. I also like the bloom. Its not hard for me to look at and it makes everything even more bright and cheery than it was before

[@juniorjackson676]

What a great in depth review, well done mo chara.

[@crg353]

I really like your reviews. They are very in depth and interesting. I would really like to see your opinions on Fallout 3 and NV, perhaps even Fallout 2 and 1.

[@MattMikulich]

Yes! Yes! Yes! The Mr. Plinkett of video game reviews!

[@Coolfizz10]

I agree, this remake was kind of pointless, but I'm glad it happened. My first Zelda was Ocarina 3D, didn't like it that much. Then it was Link's Awakening DX, lost interest within 30 minutes. Then I bought Wind Waker HD and oooohhhh my god. It was only a little over a year ago but I'm so glad I bought it. I'm glad this remake happened because little kids and many other people are attracted to bright colors, and that could possibly be the reason they buy it. With the Gamecube selling poorly, and many people backlashing at the reveal of Wind Waker, this new remake gives new and old players a chance to play Wind Waker, much like myself. Now I just recently picked up Majora 3D a few days ago and it's amazing. If it wasn't remade, I probably would've never touched it, and same goes for the Wind Waker, since original copies of it can go into $300+.

[@BrickBreakerXX]

***** Link's Awakening DX is a small yet dense game where you really need to just explore the world in order to progress and find everything which I love about it. Give it another chance if you can, especially past the start and you can explore more of the island.

[@chinakat154]

Lol, I find it interesting that I love Ocarina of Time, but don’t care for Wind Waker that much, and can’t stand Majora’s Mask. Maybe I should give Link’s Awakening DX a go lol

[@Nukle0n]

They probably picked WW because it would be the easiest game to put in HD, in addition to the cult status of the game and the easy fixing of the games problems, like the travel speed and the triforce shards. It would be much, much more difficult to fix a game like Skyward Sword because the problems of that game are so fundamental to it, whereas Wind Waker is a solid game with just a few things that needed tweaking. I totally agree on the graphics. It feels like whoever did it must've been completely different from those who originally were in charge of the art style. Would've been great if there was a setting to toggle between the old and new lighting models but ultimately it would've been a lot of effort for the few people who care, and Nintendo isn't the type of company to let people decide on such a thing.

[@stretch90]

The only problem with SS was that there wasn't enough to explore in the world. Anyway, I think one of the main reasons they remade WW is because it's one of their lowest selling Zelda games as well.

[@mob322]

The actual reason why they chose ww was because they made both toon link and ss link(or tw link) into HD and toon link surprised them with how it looKed So they made wwwhd

[@andrewrabon]

"The new version of The Wind Waker is well worth playing, but so is the original." I agree that the HD version shouldn't overwrite the original, but why is the original "worth playing" now that the re-release is out? Not trying to flame, but the only argument one could make is the art style which is highly subjective. Very few people will bother with Dolphin so you're comparing the HD version with all the very worthwhile gameplay improvements and a bloom-filled (yet 1080p) graphical style, to a 4:3 non-HD release that plays far worse and has much fewer options. For players who never experienced TWW, I could not in good conscience ever say the original is "worth playing" now that the HD version has been released. Maybe for 20 minutes to see the original art style in action, _maybe,_ if they have a GameCube or can be asked to bother with Dolphin. My thoughts, anyways.

[@Terszel]

+Andrew Rabon Yeah I was wondering this too throughout the review. Despite whatever personal preferences or bias he might have to the original, the HD improved on so many aspects that "which is the definitive version" shouldn't even be a question you need to ask. It's like comparing MGS3 Subsistence with normal MGS3, yeah the original isn't bad but Subsistence improves and adds in so much that the only major reason for going back to play the older one is if you're biased to nostalgia or you really can't get the new version. I don't see why anyone would recommend GC WW just because the new one has some bloom, shadows and a very slightly recolored area, and the change in the instruments is nowhere near as jarring as the difference between the OST of FFX and the remaster. Like another person posted, if they have the potential to alter the graphics to add some new rendering effects or change the audio a bit or add some gameplay revisions and they don't make use of that potential, people would still complain that there's no reason to buy it if it looks and plays the same as an upscaled version of the same game.

[@HEADSHOTPROLOL]

+Potpourri MGS3 Subsistence and this is not comparable as Subsistence added, not change, unlike here.

[@scorpionsapprentice3248]

+Andrew Rabon I would never want to go back to the original wind waker. I hated it due to the sailing. the hd version is much better, but I still find it overwhelming. I am playing it on hero ode to see if my opinion still holds up. maybe I was a bit harsh on it, but that does not mean I do not stand by the issues I have with it such as the lack of optional items aside from heart pieces and ammunition capacity upgrades, the inability to play any dungeons out of order and the poor pacing.

[@darthhole6818]

Matthew argued against this effectively, so playing the original over the remake can be argued against.

[@WMan37]

Thank you for touching upon the bloom issue. I've talked to people who don't think it's a problem in the slightest but you cite actual examples why it is and articulate it in a concise and understandable manner. Because of the bloom, at times colors felt as if they were washed out in comparison to the original. Look at a side by side comparison picture of the lava gohma monster in the original and HD versions side by side for the easiest comparison example to what I mean.

[@FransLebin]

Never played the HD version. I knew the bloom was bad, but I had no idea how terrible the gradients were. Just awful.

[@arthursimsa9005]

Damned, that bloom is atrocious when compared directly to the original. What a waste.