1. Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (GameCube, 2003)
“This is but one of the legends of which the people speak.â€
If you were at all apprehensive about Wind Waker, the controversial Zelda title in which Nintendo stripped protagonist Link of his Nintendo 64 machismo in favor of a look more Rankin and Bass than Ocarina and Majora, the game’s quintessentially Zelda intro should’ve eased your concerns.
If the tiny hairs on the back of your neck didn’t stand at attention once the epic Zelda theme began to play, why are you even here?
Of course, the stylistic change—a complete reversal of the dark and gritty vibe of the last Zelda, Majora’s Mask—was the big story in regard to Wind Waker, but it was about much more than making the game more colorful. Rather, Wind Waker’s hyper-expressive cel-shaded graphics created a vivid new world surprisingly rich in character.
It’s an absolutely gorgeous game, especially in 480p on Wii.
More importantly, Wind Waker also introduced advanced new combat techniques, including the fierce helm splitter. Ironically, the adorable, innocuous-looking Link felt more like a legendary swordsman than ever before, giving Wind Waker’s swordplay unexpected depth.
Perhaps the only thing more unexpected than his skill with the blade was Link’s propensity for gruesomely skewering his enemies with it.
Wind Waker was memorable for these reasons and more, a game with a lot more magic than perhaps critics have given it credit for. It isn’t as epic as Ocarina, as dark as Majora or as gargantuan as Twilight Princess, but that’s precisely the point. Among the four 3D Zelda games, Wind Waker stands apart as the most distinct.
And if you ask our esteemed Infendo staff, one of the best.
And that’s our list, chiseled out in conference, of the best Nintendo games of the decade. Did we miss any of your favorite Nintendo games? Let us know in the comments!
I totally agree with your No. 1 pick. I loved that games, despite the controversy. I felt that the gameplay was fluid, and it really drew me into the games’ series mythology; it was after this game that I really became a fan of the series, and not just some of it’s incarnations.
Notice how the latest one was 3 years ago.
I’m glad to see Canvas Curse on the list. Its probably my favorite DS game. why hasn’t there been a sequel?
Yes, Metroid Prime is a nearly perfect reimagining of the Metroid series…unless you enjoy ducking, running, flipping through the air or any Samus’ other standard moves. Thank God for Retro Studios, surely Metroid Fusion alone wouldn’t have been enough to revive the series! All hail the greatest Nintendo game of all time, etc., etc…
Excuse me while I barf.
Well done with this article, I really enjoyed it.
It’s a shame that Canvas Curse wasn’t as successful as it really should have been, it was truly excellent.
I agree with wind waker. its personally my favorite zelda game of all time. unique exploration mixed with some quirky characters all beautifully rendered in a beautiful array of colors.
Happy that windwaker was no.1. got cranky with all pepole that bashed it and refused to play the great game because of its look. i still got an article from the game geezer hung on my wall about windwaker
Excellent list! As I approached #1, I was afraid NSMBW was going to be there. Not too sure why, it was silly in retrospect, but its happened SO MUCH this month. Yes, its a fun game, but not THAT good.
After I saw Smash Bros, Twilight Princess and wii sports earlier on the list I was wondering what the heck number 1 could be, but there you go! I loved TWW, well, all but the monotonous collecting of triforce pieces.
Fantastic List. I agree with everything 100%. Wind Waker is definitely my favorite Zelda game. I’m not sure I’d call it my favorite game ever, but it IS the only one I take time out to play every year.
An addendum:
You mentioned the hairs standing up on your neck when the classic theme starts playing. I had that kind of moment when you first meet Gannondorf and he, without even turning to look at you, says, “It’s been a while, boy.” He’s been waiting for Link to show up because it’s happened so many times before, and he knows Link better than he knows himself. Because he’s played this game so many times, he knows what’s going to happen before it does, like some cosmic play. I may be reading too much into it, but that’s just my favorite “neck hair moment” in WW.
Three cheers for Canvas Curse. Love that game.