The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD remake includes Hero Mode

Nintendo's HD remake of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for Wii U will have a Normal Mode and Hero Mode, with the latter adding a challenge for players who want something harder than the original.

During a recent hands-on session with the game, we got to check out the two modes, which are available to players from the beginning of the game. In Normal Mode, the game plays very similarly to the original Wind Waker. Players will be able to find hearts by smashing pots or defeating enemies, and enemies will deal the standard amount of damage during combat. In Hero Mode, enemies deal double damage and players will not be able to find hearts in the environment. The only way Link can regain health is through the use of potions or encounters with fairies. This means players have to carefully manage their health and be more strategic in how they engage in fights.

A new feature introduced in the HD remake that is available in both Normal and Hero modes is the Swift Sail feature. In the original game, players controlled the wind direction in order to direct the boat. This option is still available to players in the HD remake, but those who want to travel faster can now activate Swift Sail, which allows players to directly control the ship's movement by steering the ship itself and move at a faster speed.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD will launch for the Wii U in October.