The Wind Waker on Nintendo Switch Online Explained

June 2025’s Nintendo Switch 2 launch brought with it the much-anticipated debut of Nintendo GameCube games on Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. The first wave consisted of F-Zero GX, Soulcalibur 2, and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and more are already on their way. Still, this is a very solid first showing for the GameCube lineup, and there’s something here for everyone. A Nintendo Switch port of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker in particular has been a common request for years, and this does provide it, even if it’s not the shape many were hoping for.

While its unusual art style met with some derision back around its 2002 launch, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker has become a beloved entry in the Zelda franchise. Said strong art style has been embraced enough to spread to other games, The Wind Waker’s soundtrack is considered a classic, and both its combat and dungeon exploration are exceptional. Even if the possibility of a Nintendo Switch Wind Waker remaster is even more uncertain than before, players can still get a lot out of its Nintendo Switch Online release if they follow a few unspoken rules.

link sailing with the king of red lions in the legend of zelda: the wind waker

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Try Adjusting The Wind Waker’s Camera Controls For the First Time

One of the first things that newcomers and returning players should do is check if The Wind Waker’s camera controls are to their liking. Different games handle moving their camera up and down differently, and preferences vary, but the way The Wind Waker governs moving it left and right is unusual. By default, The Wind Waker’s X-axis is inverted, and there has never been an official way to change this. Fortunately, Nintendo Switch Online’s Suspend Menu allows for the right stick’s X-axis to be reversed, though doing so will make using the titular Wind Waker a bit harder, as the in-game arrow visuals will not change.

Suspend Points Can Be A Lifesaver For Clearing Windfall Island

Nintendo’s official website advertises using Nintendo Switch Online’s Suspend Points as a quick save function midway through dungeons, but that’s not the only use for them. Players will spend a lot of time in The Wind Waker on the populated Windfall Island, as it serves as a sort of sidequest hub. Various distractions, like the Picto Box questline, tailing a girl at night, winning auctions, and playing Wind Waker’s famous Squid-Hunt Battleship minigame include finicky parts that can suddenly undo progress, so using Suspend Points to cut down on repeat playtime might feel too relieving to be called cheating.

Be Prepared Before Charting Out The Wind Waker’s Great Sea

Setting sail on the Great Sea is one of The Wind Waker’s simple thrills, but players can’t be too hasty about it. It’s best to wait until The Wind Waker‘s Master Sword is obtained after the Tower of the Gods, as the game will be done railroading the player at that point, and they will also have the boat-integrated items necessary to thoroughly explore the map. Players should also buy the Bait Bag and plenty of All-Purpose Bait from Beedle to ensure they can get a map piece from every fish, and use their recently-acquired Hero’s Bow to get the Ballad of Gales fast-travel song from the roaming Cyclos as soon as possible.

Before The Wind Waker’s Triforce Hunt, There Must Be A Fairy Hunt

Getting the Master Sword and Ballad of Gales also means players should be ready to scour the map for Great Fairies in particular, as they offer The Wind Waker‘s upgrades, one of which is mandatory. Their Fairy Fountains are also a reliable source of Fairies once Link begins accumulating Bottles, and are a convenient stop to pick one up on the way to healing Link’s Grandma. Even if her powerful soup isn’t necessary, helping Grandma is a time-honored tradition in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.