An article floating around the web yesterday claimed that Nintendo had sent them a press release calling Zelda: Wind Waker‘s tutorials “annoying” and sailing “a bit of a chore,” but the Zelda makers tell Kotaku that’s not true.
Yesterday, the website Operation Rainfall — a blog originally formed as a fan campaign to petition that Nintendo bring three Wii JRPGs to the West — posted an article about The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker. According to Operation Rainfall writer Andy Na, Nintendo sent them a press release to ask fans what they’d like to see in the upcoming Wii U remake of Wind Waker, which will be out this fall.
“The following article was provided by Nintendo UK,” Na wrote.
The statement:
What’s on your wishlist for the new Wii U Zelda game?
With a brand new remake of The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker on the way to the Wii U console, speculation has been mounting over what the reinvented game will be like.
Nintendo developer Shigeru Miyamoto, who’s had a hand in the development of many popular Nintendo games with the exception of the Professor Layton series, has offered a few hints as to what we can expect from the new Wind Waker when it finally arrives. He told the ABC news network that HD capabilities of the Wii U will be able to “breathe new life” into the game, and also hinted that the game will have upgraded graphics, along with enhance lighting, better cel shading and overall, a more dynamic and vibrant look.
As it is being developed specifically for the Wii U console, the way the new Zelda: Wind Waker title is played will also be different from its Nintendo GameCube original. Similarly to the New Super Mario Bros. U title, Wind Waker players will have the option to play entirely on the Wii U GamePad. There will also be integration with the Wii U’s Miiverse, similarly to other games released for the console.
This is what we know about the new Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker game so far, but as for more detailed specs and features, we’re still completely in the dark. So, the question is — what would you like to see in the new Wind Waker? What would be on your wish list if you could have a hand in designing the game?
A number of game fans and pundits have a few suggestions, such as the following:
- Bring back cut content — a lot of segments (specifically, dungeons) were cut from the original GameCube design due to time constraints, but these could easily be brought back and expanded on in the new title
- The ability to change difficulty levels — fans of the Zelda series, or anyone who has ever played a Zelda game, might appreciate the chance to up the ante difficulty-wise, as well as turning off those annoying tutorials
- Make sailing more fun — anyone who played the original Wind Waker will know that sailing in the game could be a bit of a chore. Lengthy and repetitive, Zelda fans agree that a way to make sailing faster and more enjoyable is a must when it comes to the new and improved game.
These are just a few of the things Zelda fans would like to see in the brand new Wind Waker, but what improvements would be at the top of your list?
When I saw this article yesterday, I thought it sounded pretty fishy — why would Nintendo call their own tutorials “annoying”? Why is their grammar so bad? Why would they claim to have developed Professor Layton?
But, still, a number of message boards and Nintendo fan websites have been spreading this article around, so I pinged Nintendo last night for clarification. This morning, they got back to me, confirming that no, the “press release” didn’t come from them.
I reached out to Operation Rainfall this morning to ask where it came from, and why they’re claiming this is a statement from Nintendo, but I haven’t yet heard back.
Comments
31 responses to “No, Nintendo Didn’t Call Wind Waker’s Tutorials ‘Annoying’”
Let’s be honest though – the sailing was a chore. It was a fine concept, but the amount of time spent in the boat was excessive.
Until you got the warping ability…..which i didnt use because i am a massive retard 🙁
The sailing was never a chore. It was 100% enjoyable, every time.
No way. Just the wind baton component alone made it tedious as hell.
The music and the seagulls and the transparent-at-close-range sail and the horizon silhouette fade-in islands and the camera and the epic made it all worthwhile.
I found sailing to be very enjoyable in the game, particularly since there were so many random things you ran into out on the open ocean.
That was actually my other problem. You’d get pulled into pointless fights all the time, and the map was actually pretty sparse, though it was awesome when you discovered a little out of the way island.
The sailing in Wind Waker certainly could be a chore, but so could the traversing the overworld on foot, horse, train, bird, etc. in any other Zelda game.
Actually take back that bird bit, I really enjoyed flying around in Skyward Sword.
i agree travelling across a vast overworld to get from point a to b is one of the main reasons why the game is so immersive, it has been in EVERY ZELDA.
I haven’t had a problem with going on horse or foot. There wasn’t that much traversing in OoT, which probably helped. The train and boat in the DS games was the worst. It was basically a pointless and boring distraction from the main game.
I actually quite enjoyed the sailing…
The sailing was kind of like the travel in RDR, except with a little less secenery and variety.
However, fir it’s time it was quite njoyable and I look forward to seeing it again on the WiiU and getting the camera again. Loved collecting pics for all the little models.
I enjoyed the sailing as well. Don’t really get the hate.
I still don’t get the complaints I hear against the sailing in WW, that was the whole draw of that game. It wasn’t easy but man I had a heap of fun.
Same thing with the “end game fetch quest” I was so immersed in that world and enjoying myself so much, I didn’t even realise I was on a fetch quest.
WADDA GAME! 😀
same remember when you have to water those deku scrubs and they just give you pot plants for your personal mansion? i can’t think of any other game series that i would do something so pointless and unrewarding yet still enjoyit
What I didn’t like was the early game stealth bit, I hate stealth. I’ve started replays a few times and just given up at that point.
That’s where I gave up when I played it.
Oh hey, me too. I borrowed my friend’s gamecube (this was like, in 2006 or so) and a couple of games once, got to that bit with Windwaker then it was just F-Zero GX all day every day
A shame, gets uber amazing after.
In my Zelda Holy Trinity with Majora’s Mask & Link’s Awakening
Glad I am not the only one
Is there really an extra dungeon? That would be cool
There were going to be a couple of dungeons, but they had to be cancelled due to time constraints. I think their cancellation spawned the fetch quest not many like.
When casting one of your wind spells, you can hold the stick up or down to make Link raise or lower the wand. But it serves no purpose, other then changing the pitch of the song. It should make a difference, make it so that when it’s raise the winds are a lot stronger and you can sail faster, but with less control, and when it’s lower the wind speed is slow, but you have more control and can sail sideways from the winds to make it easier to get to an island.
that’s a decent idea 🙂
The only part of sailing that was annoying was using the wind waker to change the direction of the wind every time you wanted to move. There has to be an easier way to do that.
Apart from that I couldn’t get enough sailing. The viewpoint, the scenery, the epic music.
Sailing whilst shooting your cannon never felt quite right either. I would definitely support a co-op integration there.
I heard that sailing and shooting complaint before, I just had the items set up the way I liked and by the end it was second nature to swap back and forth between cannon and sails in a fight.
Part of the challenge I thought, like the old tank controls in Resident Evil 1 to CV.
Yeah same, but I just felt like it wasn’t quite right to have to swap between them. I dunno, I just hope they have a good think about how to utilise the new controls to make it a bit smoother. If they allowed some co-op controls, I know my gf would have a great time aiming the cannon as I steered the boat around.
i don’t see how it was boring you would always run into trouble in the sea or find rupee’s and treasures. if anything though i would like to have a large inventory on the gamepad so you dont have to PAUSE to swap out the crane/cannon/wind waker etc
“… With the exception of the Professor Layton series…” Is not a claim that they made it.
I found the sailing chill and relaxing, nice charm to the game. There doesn’t have to be action all the time you know?
Ohh so its a remake and not a remaster. Thats good news, so they can add new stuff.