The Wind Waker's Hyrule Castle is one of Zelda's most breathtaking sequences

Nearly 20 years later, this is still an unforgettable moment

24 March 2022
by quence 10
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The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker has come a long way since its initial release. Originally reviled by some fans for its cel-shaded look, it’s often hailed as a classic today. Luckily, many of us didn’t take twenty years to appreciate its beautiful, fluid art style. Not only was Wind Waker a masterful example of atmosphere and immersion back in 2002, it’s aged better than other, more realistically-modeled games of its day. The HD re-release of Wind Waker on the Wii U in 2013 proved that this world needed very little polish to hold its own against newer titles. The seafaring adventure, sweeping music and expressive character animations all add up to make this an unforgettable experience, standing out even in a series as prolific as Zelda.

Entire articles could be written about any number of sequences from Wind Waker; the endlessly explorable Windfall Island, the shocking climactic ending, or even the vast ocean itself. Those are all well and good, but the scene that has stuck in my mind all these years later involves sailing beneath the ocean and discovering the forgotten majesty of Hyrule Castle.

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Hyrule Castle is a time-honored staple of the Zelda franchise, appearing in nearly every single entry. In Breath of the Wild, it’s big enough to be its own intricate and punishing multi-level dungeon. In other games, it functions more as a key story location; a place to meet Princess Zelda when you need her. Wind Waker uses the castle as a way of centering the story at a key point, reframing the player’s conceptions of the world, and emphasizing just how effective its use of color, space, and sound can be.

The majority of your time playing Wind Waker is spent sailing and exploring above the sea. With the exception of some fishing trips, the game isn’t too keen on showing you what’s beneath the waves. That is, until you discover Hyrule Castle. In a breathtaking cut-scene, Link descends on his trusty boat (The King of Red Lions) into the depths to discover an entire castle hidden underwater. This reveal opens up the world of Wind Waker in a way that most players weren’t prepared for. If Hyrule Castle lies underneath the water, who knows what else could be waiting there? Ultimately, the game doesn’t really explore this premise, but the implication of a larger world hiding just out of reach is enough to send imaginations skyrocketing.

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If the discovery of Hyrule Castle is exciting, actually entering its walls is awe-inspiring. To emphasize the fact that this is a past version of the structure that’s been lost to history, the entire location is literally frozen in time. In a striking contrast to the rest of Wind Waker’s bold, beautiful world, your first exposure to Hyrule Castle is cold, stark, and colorless. Link is a splotch of green and yellow amidst a sea of black and white architecture. Even the enemies are greyscale and frozen in place, though seemingly ready to come alive at any moment. There is a great sense of foreboding all throughout this place. Walking through, one feels the need to step softly and carefully, as if it were a library or a museum full of fragile artifacts. It exudes power and importance. In a word, it feels legendary.

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If you examine the walls of the castle, you’ll find a few key clues to its past. First, some family portraits of Princess Zelda and the King of Hyrule, whom you’ve met already (whether you know it or not). That said, the most important and fascinating piece of history comes in the form of a statue at the center of the castle. This statue depicts a legendary hero with his sword held high. He is, in fact, Link, but not this era’s Link. This is Link, the hero of time from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Just in case there was any doubt as to exactly which Link was being depicted, a stained glass display in the castle basement illuminates things further. Darunia, Ruto, Saria, and the other sages from Ocarina of Time are intricately carved into the stained glass windows. What could be a mere easter egg feels like something more than that. It comes across as a genuine connection to another world.

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For most gamers who were alive in the 90s, the version of Hyrule Castle that appeared in Ocarina of Time was the most impactful. It was our first time getting to see the legendary location implemented in three dimensions, but it still wasn’t fully explorable. For the most part, Ocarina sees you sneaking along the outskirts of the castle, catching glimpses of its halls through windows via the courtyard. More important than the castle itself was the overall impact that Ocarina of Time left on an entire generation of gamers.

Wind Waker acts as a distant sequel to Ocarina of Time, taking place hundreds of years after that world has been flooded. This connection to Ocarina is part of what makes Wind Waker’s Hyrule Castle experience so special. With a few notable exceptions, most Zelda games do little to acknowledge their predecessors. Wind Waker, on the other hand, is a game that reveres its past. Its absorbing opening cutscene retells Hyrule’s history and teaches us that the legend of a hero in a green tunic is widely known in this world. With this introduction, Wind Waker’s Link becomes more of an avatar for the player than he has ever been before. This Link aspires to the great and heroic deeds of legends past, just as we do. It’s a subtle twist that nonetheless makes a huge difference. Upon discovering that shrine to Ocarina of Time’s characters and history, one imagines that Link feels the same sense of awe and wonder that we do as players. Moreover, this wasn’t just a lived-in world; this was a world that the player had more than likely lived in themselves. This was a connection to our own nostalgic pasts, executed in a way that no other medium could truly replicate.

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The actual puzzle required of you upon entering Hyrule Castle isn’t lengthy or complicated. Move a few blocks into position and you’ll be rewarded with access to the hidden chamber, where of course you’ll receive the coveted Master Sword. All in all, you could get in and out of the castle within five minutes or less. Personally, I took my time before going down that passage during my first playthrough, opting instead to pace the frozen halls; my footsteps echoing off the high vaulted ceilings, wondering what life was like here before the fall. In fact, I was so taken with the atmosphere, I was almost a little disappointed when the castle’s color and vitality were finally restored. This too is a key part of the experience, however.

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Upon first entering, you’re an unseen visitor in a forgotten realm. When leaving, you feel like you’ve actually been transported to the living past. Active moblin and darknut guards await you for a fun bout of slashing and weapon-stealing. The newly restored red carpets and polished floor tiles are just as ripe for exploration as you marvel at the differences between then and now. This contrast is essential, and the second half of the sequence is no less thrilling than the first.

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Most Zelda games adhere to the series’ successful formula, and that formula almost always includes Link attaining the Master Sword. There’s some stiff competition in this franchise, but for my rupees, no other version of this sequence leaves as lasting an impression as Wind Waker’s. It’s a moment that feels impactful and revelatory without being bombastic or overblown. It offers a moment of quiet reflection in what is otherwise a raucous, joyous adventure game, before returning you to the action with style. Its brevity contributes to its power, too, with the moment never overstaying its welcome. The game gives you just enough to feel the weight of this place and its grand history before sending you on your way again. It’s a great bit of restraint, and an example of just how brilliant Eiji Aunoma and the rest of Nintendo’s development team can be.

Unfortunately, the HD re-release of Wind Waker altered the castle’s color palette, reducing some of its impact, but there’s still plenty there to appreciate. With any luck, Nintendo will make some version of the game available on the Switch before too long. If you do pick the game up again for a new playthrough, take some time to linger in Hyrule Castle’s halls and consider its value. It’s an adventure worth revisiting.

About quence

quence

Quence is a writer, YouTuber, podcaster, and gamer. You can listen to his podcasts Geeks on Trial and The Yeerky Boys wherever you get your podcasts! Find more of his writing and other projects at JonathanEstis.com.

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Comments (10)

biggumby

2y ago

The story telling in Zelda games is so underrated. I understand the appeal of plenty of cutscenes and a more movie-like narrative... But Zelda does stories in games in a way games can only really do. There's a reason why seeing something like the OoT castle in WW is such an incredible experience. Just something entirely unique to gaming. Good feature!


pinkrabbitson

2y ago

Everytime I see or read about this game I get the urge to play it again. It is such a lovely game


rawmeatcowboy

2y ago

I really will never forget the feeling when I first saw this spot. Definitely a favorite moment in all of Zelda for me.


kuribo

2y ago

It was a fantastic moment. Had a bittersweet moment too though when you realised you would not be able to explore Hyrule under the water.


quence

2y ago

@kuribo

Imagine if there had been a Pokemon Gold/Silver style twist revealing an entire second quest in the old Hyrule! They should've asked Iwata to program that in for them.


ridleysaria

2y ago

@kuribo

That’s how I felt. I didn’t care for the ocean and the sailing. Too few islands to explore. Seeing old Hyrule just ended up being a big tease.


hyliantom

2y ago

This exploration got to me - especially this line:
“ Moreover, this wasn’t just a lived-in world; this was a world that the player had more than likely lived in themselves.”

There are some games that are so meaningful, you don’t just “play” them.. you experience them. You live in them. And this piece captured that sentiment beautifully.


streex

2y ago

Nice feature. The end of the game was such a shock I forgot about this moment. Now it's all coming back and yeah, you really need to slow down and take in the moment.


anthonyp

2y ago

Great analysis, quence! I'll never forget how my hands gripped the GameCube controller that Saturday morning. You hit the nail on the head with how Link truly lives up to his name here.

I often dream of an explorable underwater Hyrule as well -- The Wind Waker is still my favorite Zelda in many ways and it still breaks my heart how a rushed deadline impeded its true potential. (It's a very difficult to defend, I've found!) In a way, I see Breath of the Wild as something of a successor in realizing its ambitious concepts (denser scope/weapon variety), but there's a special magic in what it's *trying* to do that shone brighter all the more with the following decade's stagnation (not to mention the poor DS sequels). It's a game I truly cherish.


enthropy

2y ago

Ah, Wind Waker. What a gem. It has such a great sense of adventure, as if truly sailing them big seas and all. And yes, these Hyrule part really was something special. Then again, the entire game is special.
Too abd there are still people who refuse to paly it because of the graphics being too cartoony and/or "childish". These people really do not understand what they are missing. Some people refuse to play Nier: Automata because of the "fan service" but damn are they missing out on a special ride. I just finished Xenoblade Chronicles 2 which had me hooked the entire 72 hours, which is just finishing the story, I played was just amazed at the greatness of the game but people will refuse to play it because it's too anime.

These peope really have no idea what they are missing out on.