Wind Waker is the Definition of Timeless Graphics.

A lot of times I go from PS3 to Wii, and of course the graphical difference is noticed more than ever after doing so. However, i litereally bought Uncharted 2 and WW on the same day. After playing Uncharted 2 for a long time (it is a great game after all), I played WW. I was shocked by how amazng the game looked (I bought the game a looong time ago and it broke shortly after). The game looks amazing. I didn't feel the graphical difference too much. Of course there are the few things that are imperfect graphically (it's a last gen game.), but the game holds up very well. I can actually see myself in 5 or 10 years liking this game graphically more than most PS3 and 360 games. IDK if that just me though. Anyone else agree.

AmayaPapaya

Wind Waker looks far better than any other 3D Zelda games imo, that have been released up to this point, and it will most definitely hold up much better visually than any of them in the future too.

I really wish they would make the next Wii Zelda look like this and just ignore all the immature fanboys who don't quite get what nice, and indeed timeless, graphics actually are.

Maybe a combination of the two sytles would work, so it has a similar look to some of the more modern games that use a slightly comic/cartoon like sytle mixed with a more realistic look at the same time. Something that looks a bit like Res Steel 2 would work really well imo and could give the best of both worlds.

Celda is my favorite and I think Nintendo should use similar visuals & over-world for the new Zelda but that's probably just me.. :P

This kind of look could work well and give us the best of both worlds maybe.

I'd still probably go a bit more cartoony personally though because I actually really like something like the Manga look and think that would look great with a Zelda game.

I mean if we take it down to Wii graphic level then this is actually pretty suited imo;

A new Zelda game on Wii in roughly that sytle could work very well indeed imo.

I restarted the game after receiving my Wii for Christmas and borrowing a GC memory card from a friend (lost min) and I have to strongly agree!

i feel like getting a GC again nowsavagetwinkie

I can concur that statement, the graphics seems to hold up well during these days.

Sorry for me 2D sprites are the definition of timeless. I can still enjoy games that released in the 80s over TWENTY YEARS LATER. This art style is nice and helps keep it relevant but nothing has the lasting power so far of this....

Or this...

or this...

Sorry for me 2D sprites are the definition of timeless. I can still enjoy games that released in the 80s over TWENTY YEARS LATER. This art style is nice and helps keep it relevant but nothing has the lasting power so far of this....

Or this...

or this...

Javy03

I also agree that 2D sprites really are timeless when done properly.

I mean many of the clasic 2D games look as good today as they ever did imo.

I would however say that in the case of most NES games, just using your examples (I'd say the game about spectrum and Atari ST etc), the amount of colors used on those sprites is just a fraction below what I consider the bare minimum required to make them truly timeless, or basically not look dated, and for that I would say it requires probably a couple more colors, but other than that I totally agree with you.

Most 3D by comparison age terribly because they are usually based more on the technology and less on the artsytle..

On a totally different note; why is it that every time I try to write the words SYTLE and CLASIC (examples are edited so they will display properly) Gamespot's forums seem to edit them to ****?

Windwaker was not only the worse zelda game but imo it was the worst looking as well, so I don't agree with you TC.

Actually, Jet Set Radio Future (Xbox) and possibly Jet Grind Radio (Dreamcast) are the definition of timeless graphics. The JSR series holds up better than any other game created graphically. I have Wind Waker and it is spectacular and it still holds up beautifully today because of the graphics, though gameplay-wise, and I was replaying it just a few weeks ago, Twilight Princess is actually the better-designed game, nostalgia be damned. Wind Waker just holds up better than TP.

But Jet Set Radio Future is the definition of timeless when it comes to graphics. I'd say Rez (PS2) and Okami (PS2) also hold up really well along with Wind Waker, but JSRF raises the standards of the entire audio-visual side of videogaming and that's no small feat. This is a standard that in my opinion has never been matched again. It's just a shame that Smilebit was absorbed back into Sega and now make those horrible Mario and Sonic games for the Wii. I guess if it pays the bills....

NeonNinja

agreed Jet Set Radio, Okami and Rez also are timeless

I would also agree with ICO or SOTC

[QUOTE="NeonNinja"]

Actually, Jet Set Radio Future (Xbox) and possibly Jet Grind Radio (Dreamcast) are the definition of timeless graphics. The JSR series holds up better than any other game created graphically. I have Wind Waker and it is spectacular and it still holds up beautifully today because of the graphics, though gameplay-wise, and I was replaying it just a few weeks ago, Twilight Princess is actually the better-designed game, nostalgia be damned. Wind Waker just holds up better than TP.

But Jet Set Radio Future is the definition of timeless when it comes to graphics. I'd say Rez (PS2) and Okami (PS2) also hold up really well along with Wind Waker, but JSRF raises the standards of the entire audio-visual side of videogaming and that's no small feat. This is a standard that in my opinion has never been matched again. It's just a shame that Smilebit was absorbed back into Sega and now make those horrible Mario and Sonic games for the Wii. I guess if it pays the bills....

gillri

agreed Jet Set Radio, Okami and Rez also are timeless

I would also agree with ICO or SOTC

SOTC has aged very poorly, IMO.

[QUOTE="gillri"]

[QUOTE="NeonNinja"]

Actually, Jet Set Radio Future (Xbox) and possibly Jet Grind Radio (Dreamcast) are the definition of timeless graphics. The JSR series holds up better than any other game created graphically. I have Wind Waker and it is spectacular and it still holds up beautifully today because of the graphics, though gameplay-wise, and I was replaying it just a few weeks ago, Twilight Princess is actually the better-designed game, nostalgia be damned. Wind Waker just holds up better than TP.

But Jet Set Radio Future is the definition of timeless when it comes to graphics. I'd say Rez (PS2) and Okami (PS2) also hold up really well along with Wind Waker, but JSRF raises the standards of the entire audio-visual side of videogaming and that's no small feat. This is a standard that in my opinion has never been matched again. It's just a shame that Smilebit was absorbed back into Sega and now make those horrible Mario and Sonic games for the Wii. I guess if it pays the bills....

smashed_pinata

agreed Jet Set Radio, Okami and Rez also are timeless

I would also agree with ICO or SOTC

SOTC has aged very poorly, IMO.

Yeah, I don't think some people quite understand the concept of a game looking timeless properly.

Rez has aged pretty well so far imo, and JSR had done ok but the "cell shading" technique they used is and older method that isn't quite a nice as it once appeared (Wind Waker is a better example of an improved technique for cell shading), but I don't think any of those other games has aged too well. Okami has always looked way to blurry imo and that immediately makes it look dated by the technology.

Most 3D games games have aged quite badly imo and especially those that relied on trying to impress you with the graphics technology at the time.

I just finished playing Wind Waker a month ago, and the art style just looked terrific. This game inspired me to go out and start playing the other Zelda games. I have since played the first four games and am going to get Ocarina of Time tomorrow. IMO WW looks SOOOO much better and cooler than OoT or MM (was at my friend's house when he played it) and though their technology was cool, the art style was nothing compared to WW. In WW, not only was the sailing fun, it was cool to explore every single island and platform and collect charts. While the end was tedious, with the whole collecting shards, the storyline was basic enough to be able to jump into the series and get you interested. The only problem was that it was much too easy. Twilight princess looks just a bit weird to me and from what I hear its nothing new; just another quest with similar music, meh art style, and similar plot. Although, it was pretty cool to be a wolf.

Pretty much all Miyamoto games are that way :P

Windwaker was not only the worse zelda game but imo it was the worst looking as well, so I don't agree with you TC.

Espada12

Sorry, but I think you should get a new eye doctor. ;)

Agreed, Windwaker is still today very impressive looking. It will always have a spot in my gamer-heart, i love this game.

Personally I prefer Team Fortress 2's, Okami's, Audiosurf's and Jet Set Radio's artstyle.

Wind Waker is the best 3D Zelda game I've played--and I've played all of them.

Resident Evil 4 is the timeless graphics imo as it will never look badghost392

Wrong. It is in no way stylized, guarunteeing that it will eventually look crappy.

[QUOTE="Espada12"]

Windwaker was not only the worse zelda game but imo it was the worst looking as well, so I don't agree with you TC.

Miyomatic

Sorry, but I think you should get a new eye doctor. ;)

[QUOTE="ghost392"]Resident Evil 4 is the timeless graphics imo as it will never look bad789shadow

Wrong. It is in no way stylized, guarunteeing that it will eventually look crappy.

Im playing it right now and it looks amazing ( and its not the Wii version its GC)

Honestly I would like you to show me how it looks bad

[QUOTE="789shadow"]

[QUOTE="ghost392"]Resident Evil 4 is the timeless graphics imo as it will never look badghost392

Wrong. It is in no way stylized, guarunteeing that it will eventually look crappy.

Im playing it right now and it looks amazing ( and its not the Wii version its GC)

Honestly I would like you to show me how it looks bad

You said "it will never look bad."

If they were HD. To many jaggies.

I hate myself for not getting Wind Waker....

Zelda needs, boobs, cursing, wicked betrayal or dark story twists, deep combat thats actually challenging, tons of gear choices instead of 4 simple items, death, blood, gore, emotion beyond the kindergarden level, enemies that dont look like there from a saturday morning cartoon, and alot of other things to ever get me interested again. Zelda games are simple and overrated, action/rpgs like the witcher, dragons age, fallout 3 etc etc have moved things forward and zelda just feels silly and overtly simple now. Wind waker did have some nice tech running the engine, but the style makes me go limp.

Zelda needs, boobs, cursing, wicked betrayal or dark story twists, deep combat thats actually challenging, tons of gear choices instead of 4 simple items, death, blood, gore, emotion beyond the kindergarden level, enemies that dont look like there from a saturday morning cartoon, and alot of other things to ever get me interested again. Zelda games are simple and overrated, action/rpgs like the witcher, dragons age, fallout 3 etc etc have moved things forward and zelda just feels silly and overtly simple now. Wind waker did have some nice tech running the engine, but the style makes me go limp.

chrion133

How old are you?

Great looking game, shame they had to ruin it by putting a terrible collection quest near the end.

topgunmv

Okami's cell shading is overated (not bad, gorgeous game but the cell shading isn't anything special). Yeah I went there. Wind Waker is like the only thoroughly well done detailed and lively cell shaded game. (Okami could be made an argument as well but I think that the actual cell shading wasn't amazing, the filter and the art direction was)

ActicEdge

I didn't necessarily find the style of Okami to be overated, but I agree, I too liked Wind Waker's cell shaded style more. Don't get me wrong though I loved Okami, but I think that perhaps the main reason of why I loved Wind Waker's to another level, was because the visual cell shaded style of Okami, was in some way already seen before in other cell shaded games. The flat out cell shaded look of Okami has already appeared in games like the Jet Set Radio series or even Viewtiful Joe, so even though it's a style that I like, it's one that I've seen being performed more than once.

I can't say the same for WW. To this day, out of all the Cell shaded games that I've played, I've never seen a cell shaded look como even close to the style of WW. It simply has a unique style that gave the game a sort of flare that remains untouched.

The above said, I really wish that companies like Nintendo stopped being freaking cowards because of their fanbase. I would really love for them to continue evolving this sort of style for the console market, but after all the fanbase furor we're down to only experiencing it on portables.

Wind Waker was an amazing game yes but I don't see what's so timeless about it's graphics. IMO Prince of Persia 2008 takes the cake for best cell-shaded graphics in a game, the visuals were excellent.

[QUOTE="ghost392"]

[QUOTE="789shadow"]

Wrong. It is in no way stylized, guarunteeing that it will eventually look crappy.

789shadow

Im playing it right now and it looks amazing ( and its not the Wii version its GC)

Honestly I would like you to show me how it looks bad

You said "it will never look bad."

If it looks bad Wind Waker will as RE4 looks way better imo