11. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
When you get shivers from the title screen music, you know you're in for quite an adventure. And with The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, it was an adventure unlike any other. The game is quite different from previous Zeldas that I've encountered. The most obvious change is the art style: Link and the world around him are Cell Shaded. And it is goregous in motion. From Link's animated face and eyes (see: Khuutra's avatar) to bosses that are vibrant and wonderfully detailed (Gohma still blows me away)... the art style works beautifully for the franchise. Change number two is... well... Hyrule seems to be missing under this giant ocean. Some call sailing boring, but I for one loved it. With the wind guiding you along and the music strumming with the waves... I couldn't have a better way of traveling (I love the ocean as well... so it was just a natural fit for me). And yet despite the changes, the Zelda formula we all love is still there, and as stong as ever. Dungeons filled with mind bending puzzles and dastardly foes await.
This was also the game that made Ganondorf my most beloved villain of all time, of any medium. His interaction with Link and Zelda and the broken land of Hyrule is just perfect. The last few hours of this game is some of the best in the industry. It all just flows so wonderfully, and the ending just hits you (and Ganondorf) so hard... it's just a rewarding experience. Yeah, this game is one of the greatest adventures I've had, and the game will always be cherished for it.
