Your progress
Pieces of Heart
Triforce Charts
Before you set sail
the essentials before you cast offMaster the Wind Waker baton early
It's the most-used tool in the game: Wind's Requiem changes the wind direction, the Ballad of Gales warps you across the sea, and the Command Melody activates statues. Learn each song as soon as you get it.
Upgrade your wallet before you start hoarding rupees
You start with capacity for only 200 rupees — not even enough for one Triforce Chart (Tingle charges 398). Visit Tingle on Rock Spire Isle as soon as you can.
Talk to everyone and read every sign
NPCs on each island and posted signs give the exact clue you need to decipher a Treasure Chart or find a nearby Piece of Heart — you almost never have to guess blindly.
Photograph everything you see
The Deluxe Picto Box feeds Carlov's Nintendo Gallery (134 possible figurines) and unlocks sidequests like Minenco's on Five-Star Isle.
The game only saves at golden statues
This guide's progress (hearts, charts, current island) saves automatically on your device — but the game itself only saves when you touch a golden statue. Don't close it without visiting one.
Beat the game once to unlock extras
Defeating Ganondorf unlocks the Swift Sail (the boat always sails at max speed) and Hero Mode, a tougher new playthrough.