It all begins one hundred years after the events of Ocarina of Time took place. A young lad by the name of Link is celebrating his birthday on his home of Outset Island, located in the middle of a vast ocean world known as the Great Sea. As the day wears on, Link's grandmother tells a story of a legendary hero dressed in green who saved the land from an evil force. At this point, a chain of events begin that will ultimately lead Link to discover that his destiny involves the rebirth of an ancient evil power -- something that only he can stop from destroying the world.

Link's kid sister, Aryll, is callously kidnapped by a monstrous bird-creature and bore away to a fortress prison. Together with a jovial band of pirates -- lead by the wickedly cute Miss Tetra -- Link leaves behind his simple life and sets sail for the fortress island to rescue her. Before long, Link is separated from his new friends and is forced to adventure alone over the high seas of the Great Sea in a living, talking sailboat called "King of Red Lions." After getting a gift in the form of the fabled Wind Waker -- a magical baton that grants the user the power to control the wind -- Link soon enough finds himself on an adventure involving many different islands, dungeons, towns, and locations. Without giving up any spoilers, the story pegs Link as the Hero of Time, climaxing with more than a few epic boss encounters, and reintroducing plenty of the Zelda legacy.