This is the big one. The Legend of Zelda, a series the mere mention of which makes most gamers twitch uncontrollably with excitement, is coming to Nintendo GameCube - in a brand new adventure and a brand new look. And now it has a name, too – The Legend of Zelda – The Wind Waker.

The adventure begins on our young hero's 12th birthday, the tranquility of Link's island existence shattered when his younger sister is kidnapped by a monstrous bird. Donning that familiar green tunic (which we learn is a birthday gift from his kindly grandma), Link embarks on a long, perilous journey to rescue his little sibling.

That journey is packed with just the kind of genre-defying brilliance that you've come to expect from The Legend of Zelda. Swing, slice, parry with your trusty sword; solve puzzles with the aid of new items like the grappling hook; stand agape as breathtakingly vast landscapes stretch off into the distance - landscapes you can fully explore and interact with. And, of course, soak up another spellbinding The Legend of Zelda plot.

And then there are those visuals. We call it Toon Rendering, and it gives The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker a spectacular 'living cartoon' look that has to be seen to be believed.

It's in the action - the vividly-colored sparks that fly from Link's sword in battle, the room-sized lava monsters that glow, shimmer and smolder in a dazzling array of deep reds, fiery oranges and intense yellows that make you feel hot.

But it's also in the faces of Link and his friends and foes. Even in still screenshots like the ones above, Link's big, sad eyes and trembling lip as he waves goodbye to his island friends are enough to break your heart. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is full of expressive moments like this: Link and co. look recognizably shocked, angry, suspicious, curious, happy, jovial - all thanks to Mr. Shigeru Miyamoto and his team's unrivalled visual skills.

So, why 'The Wind Waker'? Because in this adventure, Link controls the wind using a special Baton, steering his boat between islands by shifting the breeze in his favor. There's more to the wind theme than just that, of course - but we're not here to spoil all the surprises...

We could write enough about The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker to make this page fall out of your monitor through sheer weight of text. Instead, we'll leave you to look at the hotness screens (including pictures from the unique Nintendo GameCube-Game Boy Advance link-up mode) - look, and love.