'Wind Waker' blows away the competition

The latest chapter in the stellar Zelda series, "The Wind Waker," manages to live up to its hype and earn a position next to the other great Zelda titles. Adhering to the successful game mechanics of 1998's "Ocarina of Time," "Wind Waker" doesn't introduce much new. This time around, Link can stick close to walls to traverse narrow areas, crawl ala "Metal Gear Solid" and even grab the weapons of fallen foes. But these new abilities don't disrupt a feel remarkably similar to "Ocarina." \nThe most striking difference between "Wind Waker" and its brethren is its unique style of graphics. Nintendo's early screen shots of a cartoonish-looking Link were discouraging, but the final product is quite awesome. The cell-shaded, cartoon-like graphics style used in "Wind Waker" are nothing short of amazing. The beautiful graphics, fluid animation and extreme attention to detail make "Wind Waker" one of the most visually spectacular games ever created. \n"Wind Waker" meets the steep standards of the Zelda series. While being a little shorter and somewhat easier than past Zelda games, any Zelda fan, or anyone who doesn't absolutely hate the Zelda series, should love this game-of-the-year candidate.