Nintendo on the Creation of Toon Link for The Wind Waker

The latest Iwata Asks feature explores the creation of the toon, cell-shaded Link used in The Wind Waker - just how did he come to be?

After revealing a new 3D Zelda prototype for Nintendo GameCube in 2000, fans had craved a world that would take on a more detailed version of the Ocarina of Time design. However the team behind the new GameCube Zelda, which would become The Wind Waker felt it "didn't feel quite right".

Then one of the designers drew a sketch of an early cell-shaded Link and a Moblin, which inspired the team. Link was now able to have "actions that will look and feel good no matter how he moves!" The team then pondered how this new Link and Moblin could fight, which spawned new ideas and combat mechanisms which were introduced in the game.

From then, Nintendo "decided rather early on that we definitely wanted to go with that direction", allowing puzzles and mechanisms to be represented in a "more easy-to-understand way".

Do you prefer Toon Link, classic Link or both styles?