The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is a 2002 action-adventure developed by Nintendo EAD, notable for its striking cel-shaded art style that gave Link and the world a timeless, expressive cartoon-like appearance. It sends a young Link across a vast, flooded ocean, the remnants of a submerged Hyrule, to rescue his kidnapped sister and confront a returning ancient evil.
The game replaced Hyrule's open fields with a great sea dotted with islands, letting players sail between them aboard a talking boat named the King of Red Lions while exploring dungeons, hunting treasure and controlling the wind with a conducting baton called the Wind Waker. Its fluid animation, humor, charm and sense of maritime discovery won it lasting affection despite initial skepticism about its looks.
The Wind Waker's art has aged gracefully, and a high-definition remaster has kept it playable on later hardware, letting new players enjoy one of the series' most visually distinctive entries.
Play it today
Modern alternatives to The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, with the devices they run on and their price. Ordered editorially by how well each one stands in for the original, with community votes weighted in as they accumulate.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
| Alternative | Price | Steam Deck | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas Indie | € 14,99 | Steam Deck Verified | PC, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch |
| Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm | € 28,99 | Steam Deck Verified | PC, iPhone, iPad, Switch |
| The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom | € 59,99 | Not on Steam | Switch |
Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas Indie
€ 14,99An indie action-adventure openly modeled on seafaring Zelda games.
Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas runs on PC, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm
€ 28,99A cel-shaded sailing adventure of islands and dungeons, unashamedly modelled on Wind Waker.
Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm runs on PC, iPhone, iPad, Switch. Not available on Mac, Linux, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
€ 59,99A cel-shaded Zelda where you play as Zelda herself, with the same bright cartoon look.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom runs on Switch. Not available on PC, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox.
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