Hideki Kamiya's criticism of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker has sparked debate on gaming forums. Players participating in the discussion have expressed differing views on the sailing design, content pacing, and overall gameplay density.
Some users agree with this negative assessment, acknowledging the game's appealing art style and engaging early experience, but noting that later content fails to maintain the same level of appeal. Other users attribute the issue to gameplay density, pointing out that The Wind Waker differs from Hideki Kamiya's works, which emphasize high-density action experiences.
Critics, drawing from personal experience, defended the game's sailing mechanics. One user recalled being immersed in sea adventures and treasure hunting at the age of eight, even planning routes to different seas based on warp points; in their view, the core mechanics of the game are not difficult to understand.
Ideas for a potential remake also emerged during the discussion. One user suggested that if a remake were made in the future, it could include dungeons reportedly planned for the original release and remove the Triforce shard collection process. However, these are merely modification proposals put forward by forum users.
The discussion then expanded to Viewtiful Joe and Ōkami, both involving Hideki Kamiya. Some users used these titles to question his evaluation criteria, while others argued that different games place varying emphasis on combat, dialogue, and exploration pacing. The debate surrounding The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker continues to center mainly on its sailing mechanics and gameplay density.