Analysing "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD"

Analysing 'The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD' - Rhys Wallett

For my chosen game, I will be analysing "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, HD" which was released in 2013 in "The Legend of Zelda" franchise on the Wii U. The Wind Waker HD was released by Nintendo in 2013 to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of the original game "The Wind Waker" available on the Nintendo GameCube, therefore Nintendo have effectively used the selling point of nostalgia as remaking and improving the retro game released in 2002-2003 allows older audiences who had previously enjoyed the game to replay it with improved 1080p graphics, extras and general improvement, and so will prompt them to purchase the game on the Wii U console. 

In addition, Nintendo has been able to use the already successful "The Legend of Zelda" to attract loyal consumers for The Wind Waker HD as they would be excited to either relive the game for older audiences and allows a younger audience to be tempted to play this game and purchase it. This was also effective by Nintendo as in 2017, 29% of people who play video games were 18 and under, therefore the decision to rerelease The Wind Waker on the new Wii U would attract a younger audience. Plus, The Wind Waker HD was one of the first games to be released alongside the Wii U, hence why they also released a Wind Waker themed Wii U console, with the Wii U Gamepad being designed with aspects from The Wind Waker shown below: 

This shows that Nintendo was attempting to use their successful "The Legend of Zelda" franchise to boost the sales of the Wii U (with around 65 Million units being sold amongst the different Zelda games over 25 years.). However, this did not go as well as Nintendo would have hoped, with the release of the Wii U being relatively poor ( with 16 million units being sold.)

Game Play

The game is played in 3rd person format as you control the main avatar link through the fantasy world which is referred to as the 'New Place'. Nintendo's choice of animation was very well received by fans and customers to its utter unique layout, with strong primary colours, simplistic animation of objects and the music playlist for The Wind Waker HD which can make the audience associate certain feelings regarding the situation. EG: When sailing in daylight, the tune is happy, regal and easily discernable, however in frozen Hyrule, it's eerier which makes the theme of suspense prevalent.

In addition, on both the original GameCube version and 'The Wind Waker HD' on the Wii U, the actual controls are relatively simplistic and easy to get, with no extremely advanced moves which can confuse starting players. This can help Nintendo push their product as it advertises how this game can be both for professional Zelda players and beginners.

Plot 

The plot of 'The Wind Waker HD' is rather unique from other games. The game starts with the main avatar (whose default name is Link but can be changed by the customer before GamePlay) asleep on a remote island in a blue poncho. This is different from the other 'The Legend of Zelda' as it first strays from the all too famous outfit of Link: a green tunic, elf hat and beige boots and trousers.

In addition, instead of the primary mission being to rescue Princess Zelda like most Zelda games (Eg: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild), whilst that is the end mission, the first turning point of the games is when Link's sister Aryll is snatched by the Helmaroc King and taken to the Forbidden Fortress, where the famous villain Ganondorf firsts resides. This allows a somewhat new plot for the consumers to follow, which is effective as it allows a fresh outlook to be added to the Legend of Zelda franchise, which prevents fans from tiring as the games are too similar. On the other hand, Nintendo is also effective in preventing the fan's concerns about 'The Wind Waker HD' straying too far from traditional Zelda games by including the character of Princess Zelda later, and as the final end mission is to slay Ganondorf and rescue Princess Zelda like most traditional games, this allows the familiarity of the games to pass through, which consumers love.

Type of Game

The Wind Waker HD can fit into many of the gaming categories. the first one can be fantasy and it is fantasy because it is set in the make-believe world of the 'New Place'. With Dragons, Spirits and supernatural creatures (such as wise talking trees and living sailboats.), this allows the macabre element of fantasy to be embedded in this game. In addition, the actual Wind Waker which the title stems from is fantastical and supernatural also as it is a device that allows you to change the direction of the wind which allows you to sail in whichever direction you choose, and can be used to solve certain puzzles.

The game can also fit into the category of Adventure as the game provides you with a huge ocean to explore alongside the missions. Plus, The Wind Waker HD provides you with many other bonus missions, with examples being to feel all the fish in certain squares to get the full map of the New Place and upgrading your Beedle Membership card. These extra missions allow the consumer to play the game in their own time and choose to do the additional missions and enjoy more of the game.

Lastly, the game can also be counted as a Combat game due to how your avatar must fight monsters, sea mutants and bosses in order to win the game. Throughout the game, Link must attack these monsters for both bonus missions and main missions, therefore this safe violence can count it as a combat game. However, this term would be used loosely as the game does not include blood, gore or extreme violence, almost childlike violence instead, hence why the game has a PEGI rating of 7.

Overview Of Video Game Terminology

Overview of Video Game Terminology - Rhys Wallett

Key Terms

Avatar - The characters(s) which you play as or play in a game.

Audience Appeal - What a game will add to its creation or advertising to attract them and purchase the Videogame.

Genres: Categories of games based on the way their played, the ideals are shown and the layout of the game-play.

  Examples include:

• Survival Horror - A game (typically 3D shooter) must survive numerous armies of monsters or enemies and survive till the game's completion (eg: COD: World at War)
• Exercise - Games that allow players to have pleasure of exercise in the games and revolves around exercise and workout's to improve the player's health (eg: Wii Fit)
• MMPORG - A game that millions of players can play simultaneously amongst each other and interact on the WWW (eg: World of Warcraft)

Augmented Reality - A game that uses the real world as we see it as a platform, with most AR games adding virtual miscellaneous to a genuine setting (eg: Pokemon GO)

Retro - Video Games created a few years ago and are out of date and not up to par with modern gaming, however, are still loved by players for nostalgia (eg: Mario 64)

History + Industry

Technological Changes - How consumers method of playing video games has changed and advanced as technological breakthroughs have occurred through the years.

Audience Changes - How a game has changed its target or primary audience due to changes in the gaming industry and game in question, and society's interpretation of Video gaming.

Modern Industry - The state of the Videogame industry today

Marketing + Distribution - Looks at how games are advertised to appeal to their chosen target audience and looks at the selling and the success of a Videogame with its customers.

Applying The Hypodermic Needle Theory To Representation Of Veterans In The Media

Applying The Hypodermic Needle Theory To Representation Of Veterans In The Media - Rhys Wallett

In the Media, we can see how the Hypodermic needle theory has been used to create a generally progressive representation of Veterans. For example, when looking at this advert from National Geographic, we can see how a representation of heroism is demonstrated in the sub-title "Remarkable Stories of Heroism, Sacrifice, and Honor." The three abstract nouns "Heroism, Sacrifice, and Honor", which have pragmatics of nobility and bravery create a progressive ideology that all war Veterans are heroes who deserve respect and adoration. Therefore, the media is using the Hypodermic Needle as it is injecting an idea that becoming a Veteran is the heroic option in society and it is subconsciously persuading the viewer to join the army.

Plus, patriotism is also shown in this advert, by the CVI which is a mid shot of a soldier using indirect mode of address waving The American Flag. This is effective as The American Flag has connotations of patriarchy, pride and nobility, therefore this advert is demonstrating that Veterans make America proud, which allows the Hypodermic Needle Theory to suggest how they are attempting to embed an idea of Veteran heroism in the viewer's brain, which also doubles as an effective form of persuasion to join the army.

However, we can also see how Veterans are also represented in different ways on different media forms. For example in the Netflix show One Day at a Time, they have attempted to prove how War Veterans are just like everyone else and instead of creating an ideal that Veterans are heroes, they are just normal people:

In this trailer, for example, they show a more serious, truthful side to being a Veteran when Penelope says "I went to war. I got hurt. And when I got back, there was an organisation set up to help me and other veterans get the help we need.". This provides evidence of an attempt to highlight the underbelly of being a veteran: the fact that it can destroy you, physically and mentally. Therefore, when applying the Hypodermic Needle Theory to this trailer, we can see how Netflix has attempted to break from the generally progressive, heroic portrayal of Veterans and has instead decided to show how they are just people who need some compassion like the rest of us. This ideal is also enforced by Netflix's decision to make Penelope a mum as this shows how Veterans are like the rest of us. This is shown in the mid shot with Lydia, Elena and Penelope when she celebrates when Elena gets accepted into the "Young Voices" programme.

In addition, there is also the progressive representation of ethnicity in relation to the Veteran community. This is proven when we get hints that the Alvarez family are Cuban, such as how Penelope is called the racist term 'Maria' and rants about it to Dr Berkowitz in his office. While is regressive to society, we can see how it is progressive for Veterans as it shows how American soldiers can be of many ethnicity's, and so breaks the general view of Veterans, which is stereotypically a white Caucasian male. Plus, it also allows feminism to be portrayed by having the soldier in question be a proud mum which suggests a progressive representation of women's equality in our society today.