《薩爾達傳說 風之律動》（The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker）是任天堂在2002年於Nintendo GameCube主機上推出的動作冒險遊戲，被公認為該世代中最具藝術性與創新性的神作之一。《薩爾達傳說》系列的正統續作，亦是系列中首次以「卡通渲染」（Cel-Shading）技術打造的作品，顛覆玩家對「薩爾達」一貫寫實風格的印象，卻成功創造出獨樹一幟的童話式幻想世界。

故事發生在一個被大海覆蓋的世界中，主角林克因妹妹遭到神秘巨鳥擄走，踏上駕船穿梭島嶼的冒險旅程。他將從一名無名少年，成長為能掌握傳說聖劍「大師之劍」的英勇之士，最終與系列經典反派加農展開宿命對決。核心圍繞探索、戰鬥與解謎三大要素，並融合航海系統，使玩家能自由駕駛風之船穿梭於浩瀚海洋，尋找各個分散於島嶼上的神殿與秘密。

最大的特色是其美術風格與動畫演出。開發團隊捨棄寫實風格，轉而採用動畫風格的人物與場景設計，呈現出如同童書般鮮豔、富有情感的表現手法。即使在二十多年後，這種美術風格仍被譽為經典，不但未隨時間老化，反而因其獨特性而更具時代價值。角色表情生動自然，故事敘事節奏流暢，堪稱是任天堂對影像語言與敘事技術的完美結合。

在遊戲機制方面，除繼承系列傳統的道具收集、地城探索與BOSS戰設計外，更首次導入「風之指揮棒」系統，讓林克能透過旋律操控風向、控制時間或召喚盟友。這不僅增添了解謎的深度，也強化與自然環境互動的沉浸感。

市場評價方面，在發售初期曾因畫風轉變引發部分老玩家疑慮，但隨著遊戲上市後的口碑發酵，最終獲得壓倒性好評。日本《FAMI通》給予40分滿分評價，成為極少數獲此殊榮的遊戲之一；IGN則給出9.6的極高分數，盛讚其創意、美術、音樂與遊戲性皆達系列巔峰。後來在2013年，任天堂亦推出《風之律動 HD》重製版於Wii U平台，畫面與操作全面優化，再次獲得新一代玩家的喜愛。

如今，隨著《風之律動》被收錄進Nintendo Switch Online +擴展包所提供的GameCube經典遊戲庫中，且被列為Switch 2專屬陣容之一，使這部神作得以在新平台重生，並觸及更多玩家群體。對於曾在GameCube年代經歷過這段冒險旅程的老玩家而言，這是一次珍貴的回憶重現；而對於從未接觸過的新玩家而言，更是一扇通往任天堂經典之門的最佳入場券。

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, released by Nintendo in 2002 for the Nintendo GameCube, is widely regarded as one of the most artistic and innovative masterpieces of its generation. As a mainline entry in the Legend of Zelda series, it marked a bold stylistic shift by introducing cel-shading technology, creating a whimsical, storybook-like fantasy world that defied the series’ traditionally realistic aesthetic — and yet succeeded spectacularly in establishing its own unique identity.

Set in a world engulfed by an endless sea, the story follows Link, a young boy whose sister is kidnapped by a mysterious giant bird. This event propels him into a grand seafaring adventure across a vast ocean dotted with islands. Throughout his journey, Link transforms from an ordinary boy into a legendary hero who wields the sacred Master Sword and eventually confronts the series’ iconic antagonist, Ganondorf, in a fated showdown. The gameplay emphasizes exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving — core elements of the Zelda series — while introducing a new sailing system that allows players to freely navigate the ocean in the King of Red Lions, discovering temples and hidden secrets along the way.

What truly distinguishes The Wind Waker is its art direction and cinematic presentation. Abandoning realism in favor of a bold, animated style, the developers crafted characters and environments with vivid colors and expressive designs. Even two decades later, the visual style remains iconic, immune to aging thanks to its timeless artistic choices. Character animations are fluid and emotionally resonant, while the story unfolds with a seamless narrative flow, showcasing Nintendo’s mastery in visual storytelling.

Mechanically, The Wind Waker retains traditional series features like item collection, dungeon crawling, and boss battles, but innovates with the introduction of the Wind Waker baton, a magical conductor’s wand that allows Link to control wind direction, manipulate time, and summon allies through music. This system enriches the game’s puzzles and strengthens player immersion by deepening interaction with the natural environment.

Initially, the game’s cartoon-like visuals sparked skepticism among longtime fans, but critical acclaim quickly silenced doubts. It received a perfect score of 40/40 from Japan’s Famitsu magazine, making it one of the few titles to earn such recognition. IGN awarded it a 9.6/10, praising its creativity, visuals, music, and overall gameplay as among the best in the series. In 2013, Nintendo released The Wind Waker HD for the Wii U, remastering the graphics and refining the controls — introducing the beloved title to a new generation of players.

Now, The Wind Waker has been added to the GameCube classic library available through the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, and it is positioned as a Switch 2 exclusive title, giving this legendary game a new life on modern hardware. For longtime fans who originally experienced it on the GameCube, this release is a nostalgic revival; for newcomers, it serves as an ideal gateway into the world of Nintendo’s timeless classics.