Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Kate defends The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword against its many critics...
I bet some of you clicked on that headline to yell "IT WAS ALWAYS GOOD", and you know what? I agree with you. You're among friends here. But since the announcement that Skyward Sword HD is coming to the Switch on last night's Nintendo Direct, social media (and our comments) have been abuzz with people fighting over whether or not Skyward Sword is good, or terrible. I'm just here to set the record straight.
At the time, when Skyward Sword came out on Wii, it had been five years since Twilight Princess, and the world was dying for a new Zelda game. We probably would have thanked Nintendo if they'd given us a wet sock with Link's name written on it at that point.
But they didn't - they gave us Skyward Sword, which I will posit is one of The Most Beautiful Zeldas Ever. The vibrant watercolour style is such a huge (and welcome) departure from the grim realism of Twilight Princess. Though some of you may not have liked its cutesy leanings, with characters like the spherical scaredy-cat Kikwis being either adorable or grating, depending on how you generally feel about these things, I was totally down for it.
Most reviewers gave it scores of 9/10 and above when it came out. However, it only sold around 3.6 million copies - a figure that Age of Calamity hit in about a month (h/t Benji-Sales) - making it the worst-selling home console Zelda game by quite a long way.
So, why does it have such a bad rep? Well, it's not wholly undeserved. The game holds your hand tighter than a concerned mum helping a toddler cross the road for the first time. The Navi-like companion, Fi, talks even more than Navi, if that's even possible. The motion controls are fun when they work, but TV-smashingly frustrating when they don't, and the Wii wasn't that good at detecting precise movement, meaning that you often had to flail around in your living room to beat enemies that required directional sword-slashing.
Ghirahim, the secondary villain, is an awful example of how to make a queer-coded villain, and his design - which aims for "unsettling" and instead lands firmly in "deeply disturbing" - isn't something I'm particularly looking forward to revisiting. And everything, from the Kikwis to The Imprisoned himself, is just a little too cute. The Imprisoned looks like a giant huggable pinecone with squishy little toesies, and that's not very scary.
Also, all the characters have those horrible lips.
But, by god, is it a beautiful game. The concept art alone is gorgeous, and I actually had several framed pieces of art from that collection. Skyward Sword was a creative risk in many ways - A Hyrule sunk beneath the clouds, a sword that talks to you, a story that predates all other Zelda games and a Zelda who didn't even know who she was yet. Add to that the need to show off the Wii's innovative (if irritating) controls, and you get a game where the Master Sword is a wiggly, Wiimote-controlled thing instead of the press-the-button-to-swing sword that we knew well, turning a simple mechanic into something more akin to trying to dress a two-year-old.
But for all the work that they had to do integrating motion controls, Nintendo did a pretty great job. This is a Zelda game that is focused on movement above all else, with dungeon keys, puzzles, and fights all centred around the Wiimote's position. Never before had a Zelda game felt so dynamic, with the player being able to literally manipulate the world that Link was exploring for the first time.
But the story itself took second place to the movement as a result, which led to fantastic designs - like the first area in the game, Faron Woods, being flooded later on, turning a familiar place into a totally new one - being overshadowed by the general trickiness of the controls.
Still, the design of the temples is something truly special, and everything from the open-air Temple of Time to the Ancient Cistern still sticks in my mind after all these years. Even the character designs were something special, much more than many Zelda games, with fleshed-out NPCs like Groose and Batreaux still holding a place in my heart. And Skyloft, despite being a little cramped for an entire civilisation, has some beautiful details, with Beedle's air-bicycle shop being a particular highlight for me.
I can't wait to go back to the game that played with time in the Lanayru Desert, stealth in the Silent Realm, and the strange Beetle-flying mechanic that let you see the world from a drone's perspective. Skyward Sword may not be the best Zelda game in many ways, and it certainly has its flaws, but it laid the ground for a lot of what Breath of the Wild managed to pull off a few years later. And sure, it's not what a lot of people wanted from the Direct, myself included. But I'm hoping that more than 3.6 million people give it a go this time, and discover for themselves that there's a real hidden gem behind all the jank.
Comments 154
Yeah, I’m a massive fan of actually well-implemented motion controls so of course I loved Skyward Sword. Just cut 2 or 3 Imprisoned fights and it would be better 😂
@nessisonett but he's so cuuuuute. I just wanna hang out in a café in Skyloft with him
I never played it, but it looks like a fun game. Also, I never wanted anything in my life as much as I want those joy cons. They are beautiful. I don't even care that they'll get drift in like a year.
Skyward Sword was the first Zelda game that I played and did not finish. I was that bored by it. It was well made and all, but by then, I was tired of the formula established and well worn after Ocarina of Time's 'wrap Zelda around a gimmick' design, and using the Wii Remote as a dowsing rod was not fun.
But do you think a port of a 10 year old game is worth $60 when you can buy the original on the wii u eshop for $20?
can't wait to play skyward sword again! i enjoyed it so much the first time i played hero mode a few times. can't understand why people don't like it!
It's actually one of my favourite Zelda games (I've only actually completed two Zelda games in my life, despite being alive for them all, and this is one of them), and indeed one of my favourite games in general:
https://inceptionalnews.wordpress.com/2016/08/18/my-favourite-games-of-all-time-part-3/
So, yeah, I agree with you for the most part (other than the reasoning behind thinking Ghirahim was bad. I actually thought he was a great villain).
Also, I think this new HD version has a chance to be even better when played with button-only controls, although I really do hope they've been smart enough to include an option to still use the basic gyro for aiming bows and stuff more accurately in this mode too.
Yeah, I know most Zelda fans don't like this one, but I quite like this one. Not my favourite, but I place it above Wind Waker personally (and now I am dead).
I loved the characters, the interactions, the areas you explore, the music, the dungeons, the bosses (bar one f***** in particular). What puts it down for me is the annoying text boxes and the transitions between Skyloft and the Surface. I am interested in revisiting, but I am not sure if I will wait and buy the switch version yet, or just play my wii copy via Wii U.
I agree, actually.
@impurekind I'm VERY interested to see how the buttons work. I'd love the option, but not if one is clearly superior than the other. At least with Joy-Cons I can play lying down, which the Wii would never allow!
It's not my favorite 3D Zelda game, but I absolutely adore Skyward Sword. At its best, it has some of the best dungeons, characters, items, and musics in the whole series. I really hope that the button controls allow for more people to get past that initial motion control barrier because they're missing out on a real gem!
The controls were not great, but they weren’t what made it bad imo. There’s just so little content when you really look at it. Some good dungeons, but overall it was really restrictive, and did not portray a sense of a big endless world to explore like previous games
This headline is literally speaking true — Skyward Sword is good — but that’s the problem — it’s just good.
For a franchise where the bar is elevated so absurdly high and each game feels like a monumental event, it was (and remains) a disappointment.
Whoever wrote that subtitle deserves a raise.
The story and graphics were great in this game! I don't get why people complained so much about the motion controls, I liked them. The issue with this game is the lack of exploration, repeated battles with The Imprisoned and the sky portion is boring. More cities would have made it cooler.
This game was never on my radar but after seeing the reviews I can't wait to play this with my Zelda joy-cons
@Euler Yes i read that and almost laughed out loud xD
I got through the second dungeon on Wii but never much past that besides enjoying the CD that came with it.
@KateGray The mini imprisoned from Hyrule Warriors really make me want them as a companion or something
@Euler I came in here to say the same thing. Excellent spin on “Untitled Goose Game”.
Skyward Sword is the ONLY main Zelda game I haven't been able to care enough to finish. It was so obnoxious it actually ruined the experience for me.
This was the 2nd game I had played (after Ocarina 3D), and I thought it was a joy even then. It was a bit too hand holdy in the beginning but I couldn't recognize it for awhile due to how unfamiliar I was with the series at the time. I think Nintendo does a decent job about making games for the future fan, rather than solely their current base. And we're all the better for their weird experiments.
Nope. No it’s not. SS was the first and only Zelda game that I rushed to complete. Just so I could be done with it and trade it in. Post-haste. The washed out color palette, horrendous music, regurgitated boss battle, lame power ups and a final battle with a character I can only describe as half Street Fighter Akuma/half Super Saiyan. Of all the Zelda games I’ve played and completed, this one ranks supreme as the worst. ( to me )
Just thought of more. It also saddens me that Skyward Sword is likely the last Zelda game in this style of gameplay. Whilst I like BOTW and think it is a good game, I don't think it is a good Zelda game. Probably my least favourite 3D Zelda so far. Exploration is great, but that is as much good as I can really say about it without going into depth about my problems with it. BOTW2 honestly scares me for this reason as I am unsure if it will fix the problems I have with BOTW.
I only played a little of this one at a friends house. I liked quite a bit of it, but I felt kinda limited. It does have my favorite design of Zelda though, so that's a plus. I look forward to finding out if I'll like it or not.
That being said, if most problems can be solved by mashing the A button, it doesn't seem as big of a problem to me. Worse games have still been loved with bigger offenses. @cyberpunk
Looks great, its just zeldas look never clicked for me in this game.
Skyward Sword is an amazing Zelda game. I absolutely love it and would probably put it in my top five Zelda games. It's on the complete opposite spectrum from Breath of the Wild though, since it basically consists of only Dungeons (even the ground areas acts as dungeons).
Whenever I think about replaying this game I remember those... flipping... silent realm sections and I feel Ill.
At least I won’t have low batteries with my Joy Cons
The dungeons are bit shorter but there’s more meat in between each dungeon which made some people feel like the game was dragging compared to previous entries. I encourage people to go in with an open mind and judge the game for its own merits, and not what was established before. It’s my favourite Zelda game and an absolute gem!
This game has my favourite Zelda (the princess). She has just the right level of cuteness and craziness. Also it's pretty awesome to have an origin to the Zelda lore and I didn't mind the linear gameplay at all.
Probably my least favorite 3D Zelda game, but has my most favorite Zelda game music.
I thought that the motion controls were the best part of SS. The dungeon designs were also very well done. Other than that, the pacing made it feel like such a chore to complete. The padding in this game is just brutal, imo.
But yeah... Back to the controls (which I actually liked). People literally bashed the hell out of this game for it's motion controls on the Wii. It's going to be very interesting to see what they'll say this time.
Lastly, the alternative control scheme using the analogue stick is clever. I'm a bit skeptical, but it shows effort on Nintendo's part. I'm also very curious to see how well this will be received, when SS launches.
I always liked Skyward Sword and never got the "It's a bad game"
Yeah, it's very linear, the world has little exploration, the motion controls aren't perfect and Fi is annoying. It's still a good game.
What I really like about SS is that they made the story telling way more theatrical. Story is emotive and characters are shoved in your face (figuratively and literally). It could easily be anime with a villain like Ghirahim
Alright @kategray - I had neglected this one on my Wii back in the day and skipped around the stuff in Hyrule Historia - you got me excited tho
This is the only Zelda game that I didn't finish (I own all the nintendo games). Not sure why? I don't know if I was bored of the game or other games at the time caught my interest. It wasn't the motion controls as I loved TP on wii with its half ass motion controls.
Still when i pick up the HD version I will defo be playing it with traditional buttons.
While Majora's Mask is my favourite Zelda by a long shot. Skyward Sword is probably my second favourite and I'm saying that as someone that started with the series in 2001, having played all 3D games and some 2D ones.
Ofcourse I have some complaints, which include Fi talking to much, overdoing the imprisoned fight a bit to often and always having the message when collecting stuff. (Also would have liked to be able to do more in the sky instead of basically only Skyloft)
But I love Fi, Ghirahim, the Kikwis, all the temples, all the boss designs (some are way too easy though), love the areas, love how they expand and alter areas throughout, love the story, the music, dungeon items and I think I could go on.
Never had any issue with the motion controls to be honest either, always did exactly what I wanted it to do and I played through the game thrice.
This is actually one of my favorite games of all time. I've played through it four times now and will likely do it again eventually.
Say what you will about the gameplay and story pacing, but I still think Skyward Sword has the best audio-visual presentation in the whole series. The impressionist art style they went with made the environments look gorgeous, and the soundtrack is one of the best in the Zelda series. I'm baffled that some people think it's ugly or think the music is bad.
I loved it the first time around but it’s the only Zelda I haven’t played through twice. I think that is because the involved creation story is only impactful that first time while the older entries which focused on smaller, less character driven adventures can be picked up again more easily.
However, it’s been a decade so I am happy to finally get that second play through.
Seriously: button controls fix a LOT of problems.
The other ones are basically Fi...
MASTER DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN SWING THE JOYCON TO SWING YOUR SWORD?!?
MASTER YOU’VE BEEN PLAYING FOR A LONG TIME!!!
MASTER THE JOYCON BATTERY IS LOW!!!
MASTER YOU’VE ENTERED A NEW ZONE!!!
I've tried to play it three times (1st time my Wii memory corrupted, again when I got my Wii back, and then again on Wii U) and it never clicked with me. I might try it again with button controls, and see how it goes.
And that’s just it, it’s a good game. It’s not a great Zelda game let alone a great game, and considering the pedigree, Zelda games should be battling for GOTG.
Yes the art style is nice and graphics are fab, but what use is that when the game is annoying and frustrating to play? No amount of style will make up the games short comings. And that’s one of the odd things since Nintendo prioritises gameplay over graphics. The phrase, a ... is a t*rd but you can roll it in glitter seems about right.
I loved it. Not as much as some other modern Zeldas, but it was certainly one of my favourite Wii games out of maybe 200 or so I played. Cool wiimotionplus controls, great art style, designs, music etc. Actually preferred it to Twilight Princess Wii until it's WiiU HD remake
@SeantheDon29 I don’t think anyone is going to think it’s good value with that comparison. Luckily for Nintendo, 63 million people have a Switch but probably no way to play Skyward Sword. 😑
After reading this my opinion of the game has diminished.
It's good. Just good. Is any Zelda bad? The story is miles ahead of Breath of the Wild, and the puzzles and dungeons are solid. My biggest complaint was that there were only a few areas and you had to keep going back to them, I got tired of it. I thought 8/10 or 9/10 was fair when it came out. That's a good game.
I've been defending Skyward sword for ten years now. Love the game and now It gets a second chance.
While it's not a bad game, it's easily the worst 3D Zelda.
Quite looking forward to this. When it came out in 2011 I was absolutely done with Wii waggle controls and, I now realise after adoring BOTW so much, traditional Dungeon Zeldas. So I didn’t get far with this and I never bothered with Link Between Worlds.
However now, with button controls and a HD lick of paint I’m really keen to give it another go. Judging by comments I won’t go in expecting the best ever but plenty seem to have enjoyed it despite itself.
I played most of Skyward Sword back in the day, but ended up bailing like some other commenters have mentioned. I generally enjoyed the exploration and various levels, but I also found fighting the same bosses more than once annoying. And even though I was generally comfortable with the control scheme, the boss grabbing the sword was aggravating. I'm generally a Zelda fan, but probably will skip the remake.
It's my favorite 3D Zelda game after BotW and The Wind Waker.
The worst 3D Zelda is Majora's Mask with Twilight Princess being second worst.
Despite the bad motion controls, the lame story, the creepy looking Zelda, the constant back and forth, the dull flying mechanic and Fi, I’ll still give it another go.
It’s good , it’s very good. You can fly on your bird, jump off and free fall, now that’s awesome x eat that breath of the wild! Xx
So no Ocarina of Time? ;-(
My favorite Zelda game is Twilight Princess, but this is very far up my list! I'd say I like it more than Wind Waker and Majora's Mask quite easily.
This will always be one of my favorite Zelda games! I’ve been hoping for an HD Switch release for some time now, so I’m thrilled.
By far my least favorite 3D Zelda and I love most of those. I’m just wondering how the button controls will be if you’re using the right stick to slice with your sword, will you move link with the left stick? That just seems awkward to me as the left stick moves the camera in most games.
Not the biggest fan of the gameplay on the Wii version, but love the story, characters and everything else. So look forward to play it in handheld mode. Groose is my second favorite Zelda character after Tingle.
Totally agree. I really enjoyed Twilight Princess, but I like the colors of Skyward Sword much better.
Also, the sky islands gave the same sense of exploration that Wind Waker gave with the various ocean islands.
No, it actually isn't
I was actually shocked to find out that loads of people hate Skyward Sword. In my opinion, seeing how the Master Sword grows to the form we find in the rest of the games was awesome, the gameplay was fun and engaging and it was overall a great experience. :/
Skyward Sword was a good game and it will always be. I don't care what others say about the game. I was able to handle the controls for it. Only thing that sucked about the game was that permanent glitch.
Skyward Sword has some of the best mechanics, characters, and set pieces of any Zelda game- as well as the most epic final boss I’ve ever played.
The big problems it has is the implementation of the controls, especially for lefties like me, and some repeating of areas and a particular mid boss.
DO NOT skip this game. You're missing out on an amazing story. Yes, I'm talking to the BotW-only fans here.
I found the controls troublesome only when trying to swipe too quickly, the intended diagonal sword slash would be horizontal instead. It wasn’t a big enough issue to make the game too difficult to play. I still enjoyed it. The new controls of the Switch version will remedy this.
Sometimes I get the impression some fans would have simply made Twilight Princess 2 with a bigger over-world than before. But thanks to creativity we got something different that worked really well.
With the new button press controls, I hope more people will give this a try and enjoy it for what it is. Another great adventure game.
This is the only Zelda game I only played once (at launch) and never revisited. I still liked it a lot, but I hated the Silent Realm sections, so much so that just thinking about them made me forget about ever wanting to replay the game at all. They combine 2 things I really hate in games: Arbitrary time limits and janky insta-fail (ish) stealth.
Here's hoping those sections get updated somehow kind of like how WW and TP HD streamlined certain aspects of the originals. Just removing the time limit would be enough for me, because it is completely unnecessary. But even if Nintendo doesn't, I can't wait to replay it anyway, it's been so long it might as well be a new game to me, and in HD it must look glorious.
One of the only Zelda’s I never finished. Now it has button control I may well give it another shot...
Yeah, it is, loved back in the day. It’s just not $60 good when you still have the original for 1/3 of the price.
I disagree. I’m a big Nintendo fan and have no problem being objective. When they do good I give them praise when they don’t I let them know. It has the best Zelda story in my opinion but the worse gameplay and pacing. To each their own I guess.
Always knew it was a great game, I never gave it a shot because motion controls, but super hyped to give it a chance once it drops on Switch!!
Had to stop reading at the negativity on Ghirahim. He's my boy, I love him. And he's prefect.
I will pick up the Switch version. I never played much on the Wii, I just hated the motion controls.
The only aspect that prevented this from being a top game was Fi. I feel they put too much hand holding in this game due to the Wii being a more casual Console
The first time I finished it, I thought Skyward Sword was amazing and one of the best games I ever played.
The second time I finished it, I was much more aware of the flaws. I ended up despising the game and swore it is the only Zelda game I will never EVER replay.
For the record, I quite enjoyed the motion controls. That tends to be a big complaint but I really enjoyed that aspect of the game. It's just so many little design decisions that add up to preventing the game from being fun. And Fi is the most annoying thing ever. Everything she said completely wasted my time and insulted my intelligence.
Agree to disagree. It's my least favorite of the 3d Zelda's. By a lot. Just the stupid look on Link's face when he gets a rupee in a chest is enough to turn me off.
This is a funny game for me because unlike most other Zeldas, I have a hard time relating to people's experiences. My motion controls always worked brilliantly. I hear complaints about the linear sections before dungeons, but they always just felt like just more dungeon to me. I loved the imprisoned fights. Every damn one of them. If Fi told me my batteries were low, I'd change them and thank her.
I dunno. This is easily one of my favourite Zeldas though. Where I do relate to people is the love of the story. And if folks could forget about batteries for a second, Fi was one of the best companions. Her arc might not pay off until right at the end, but when it does it's like an elbow straight to the gut. Between her and the final boss, it changed the way I looked at every other Zelda game I'd played in the past. That's pretty special to me.
It's a good game, not quite great, though, but still well worth having and playing, in my opinion. Don't know if I'll double-dip, because I already own the limited edition on the Wii:
I certainly DO love those Hylian JoyCon, though. So perhaps I might be persuaded after all...
Skyword Sword is a good Zelda game but many people are turned off from this game because of the mandatory motion controls
I've never played it, so looking forward to it. I didn't own a Wii and was going through a video game hiatus of sorts that ended when I won a Wii U at a company party.
I just know one of the things I hated about Mario Galaxy when I played it on my gf's (now wife) Wii was the forced motion controls. I'm happy those are gone in this new one.
I got this in the special edition with the soundtrack CD and gold Wii more for Xmas 2011 from the missus. At the time it came out there was a lot of hype; it was the last major release for the Wii and for those of us who had stuck with the machine after the novelty of motion control games it was really anticipated.
That being said, I tired of it very quickly. I could handle the controls but the first time I had to fight the boss who keeps catching my sword if I was only slightly off I quickly got tired of it. However, I was always under the impression that I was in the minority as most people seemed to love it. It’s only in recent years that the view seems to have changed for the worse, mainly for the controls, which is amusing considering motion control has been a thing ever since the Wii for Nintendo. However, I think they went too far with the over reliance on motion control (desperate to push the Wiimote Plus) when the best Wii games with motion controls (Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime Trilogy for example) used the motion controls to great effect as they were fairly simple to learn and remember. Skyward Sword just seemed too complex at times. I also didn’t like that fact that your shield would wear down and get destroyed (I hated that in Breath of the Wild’s weapons too).
I think playing with buttons will make it much more enjoyable (just as Twilight Princess on GameCube was more fun than on Wii) but for £60? Not a chance!
It did actually sell more than Majoras Mask on console, I should point out!
This one ain't in my top 5 Zeldas but I do enjoy it. Just please please have some sort of option to stifle Fi. She induces rage.
@SeantheDon29 I am surprised that it is still in the WiiU eshop now.
Ghirahim is one of the best Zelda villains. I think it is great that he borders on disturbing and I always appreciate it when they push the envelope with villains in Zelda. That's one of my many complaints of BOTW actually. No memorable villains.
I played SS in 2011 and 2012. To be honest, I enjoyed it as a relaxing game with some interesting fights. The whole time, I was standing and wanted to be really immersed into fighting with sword and shield. I think that this worked really well and the very last fight was just so awesome.
However, no way I am touching that game again. I enjoyed it but there is no replay value in it for me. The handholding would drive me crazy and the game forced you already to redo a lot of things and areas.
Final boss was far too easy, and the sky is empty, but it was a fantastic game.
The time travel stuff was great fun, and the silent realms were pretty old-school in their difficulty.
It's a good game that could be a great one if Nintendo put in the effort for this remaster. Little things like toning down the constent Fi and item notifications would go a long way.
I played this game with a friend where one person would hold the wiimote and the other would hold the nunchuk. Personally I thought the game was fine, though the flying sections drove me nuts sometimes since I was delegated to wiimote.
Good read, thank you!
Skyward Sword has the best story of a Zelda game by a considerable margin. The compelling narrative and intense, emotional cut scenes helped me push through some of the jankier mechanics and abysmal pacing of the game.
I just couldn’t do a second playthrough though. I really tried, but put it down about halfway through. After experiencing the story once, I just couldn’t be compelled to do all of the tedious skyloft chores, fetch quests, and lightning cloud block rotation puzzles again.
Here’s hoping the remake cuts down on the Fi talk and repetitive sequences so the game’s engaging combat and story can take center stage in the minds of new players.
It has a great soundtrack. It’s a Ok Zelda.
I don't like this article's reference to Ghirahim as a "queer-coded villain" - he's flamboyant, sure, but such a trait is often used as a negative stereotype for gay men. Absolutely nothing is established in regards to his sexuality, as has been the case with every Zelda villain. My point being flamboyant does not equal "queer" (still a slur for many including myself hence the speech marks) as this article seems to infer.
I liked it during my play through ten years ago, but as the trailer rolled yesterday all I could think was how I was glad to have it behind me. Zero drive to play it again.
On top of that, I find it near insulting that they’re going for a full 60 bucks knowing how devoted us Zelda fans are. Not this time for me.
@RobotReptile Glad, someone felt the same way. I am fine listening to the music of the game today but I don't want to click trough all these textboxes again.
@henrysbloggin I agree. That's such a stereotype. Not all flamboyant people are gay, just as not all gay people are flamboyant! I hate the word "queer" too (as a gay man)
As part of a 3D allstars type multipack this would have been just fine - as a stand-alone $60 release I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
I’ve had no issue with the WiiU ports (they really do deserve to be enjoyed by a larger audience) but this is just one step too far for me.
Well, I always said I’d give this game another shot if they got rid of those darn motion controls. Time to put my money where my mouth is. I never realized how poorly it sold. That said, there is a lot to like about it. I think it had some really cool dungeons, but also quite a few annoyances (I despised the Silent Realm challenges and the Imprisoned fights).
Of course it's good. Maybe even great! None of the zelda games made by Nintendo are bad. Some less fun than other's but there's not a truly bad one in the bunch. Not counting side games at least.
I love me some skyward sword!
I loved Skyward Sword, and at the time thought it would be really hard to go back to using traditional controls. I'm really looking forward to this. I only wish they had improved the graphics a bit more, they still look very "wii".
Been wanting to revisit the game but haven't felt like hooking up my old Wii, so I'm really happy to see it coming to switch, curious to see how well it plays with just the pro controller.
Visuals and story are the only thing good about this one. The game is not a bad Zelda game but a bad game overall (the only only one I have not played is Zelda 2 but from the rest is just the only bad game)
It's almost cruel to ask people to play this game again in 2021, especially for $60.
Anyone who has played BotW is going to have a supremely hard time enduring some of the most monotonous and unnecessary set pieces ever created for a Zelda game. It's unsurprisingly going to feel like a downgrade on every level compared to BotW, except perhaps in the dungeon department. And unlike games like Wind Waker, there just isn't much retro charm to be had here imo, especially with the most ambiguous and uninspired art direction the series has ever seen.
@MS7000 completely agree, was so disappointed in BOTW as a Zelda game. I’ve very low expectations for BOTW2 as everyone seems to love the things I disliked in BOTW!
I agree with the author that "the Imprisoned looks like a giant huggable pinecone with squishy little toesies, and that's not very scary" but it makes up for it with its encounters especially the latter being so frustrating and anxiety invoking. I hope they do something about the encounters though probably not.
No its actually not, carry on.
But in all seriousness, I didnt like this game. Probably my least favorite Zelda title, except for maybe 2. Absolutely hated the motion controls. I probably won't be picking this up unless its on sale for really cheap
@damien33ad that's awesome! I know Nintendo has never been the best for accessibility, but I'm glad you're getting to play Skyward Sword all the same
Yeah. It’s a good game that has pacing problems and useless filler. Looking for the map for the sand ship comes to mind
@LUIGITORNADO Isn't that the bit where you sail the sand sea and go to Skipper's house and ride a mine cart though? Love that bit (and probably most of the so-called 'filler' in this game lol)!
It took a bit for me to get into this installment but once I did, I really ended up enjoying the story and the dungeon design. Overall, I didn’t have many issues with the controls either and thought it was generally clever. I don’t feel a deep desire to replay it (with an extensive backlog of stuff waiting), but it was a fun experience overall that I remember fondly.
@Fleischyy All we can do is hope for the best that BOTW2 fixes the problems we have. =)
@GrandScribe You're not wrong. I remember doing the boss rush to get the Hylian Shield, and I always dreaded getting the second encounter with that darned pinecone. Could be wrong, but I remember that one being the most annoying for me.
You do have to let go of exploring an overworld. In that way this game is the antithesis of BotW. You drop down into restrictive areas to gain access to temples. Also, interruptions by Fi and descriptions about items you collect (that are reset whenever you come back) were highly disruptive at times. I get why some turn away.
But, I really loved this game. The lore was pretty great and the characters quirky and interesting just like they should be in a Zelda game. The art style helped give it something to stand out (I mean, this was the Wii, it was in 480p, wasn't it?)
I was hoping they could do some shader magic to double down on the watercolor/painted look, though.
Well written article. I think many of us see it as a good game, but compared to other Zeldas, it simply is not up to snuff. I think Windwaker, BoTW, and even the OG and the SNES entry, are much better. This one is good...but a bit mediocre in comparison. That being said, I've already pre-ordered mine as I'm a huge Zelda fan...perhaps I will like it better the 2nd time around.
@MS7000 I remember doing it once and I spent the entire encounter knocked back or chasing after it or getting knocked off a cliff. I failed so many times I almost gave up which would've sucked cause there were some amazing temples after.
give us a way to shut Fi up, and i'll have no qualms about rebuying it
Nope it isn't.
The art style is gorgeous, the Water Basin (not sure it's the actual name) was a great dungeon, the whole "prequel" thing was pretty cool, and I also like the desert area.
Other than those, it's a mediocre Zelda with an identity crisis.
Ancient Cistern is the best Zelda dungeon.
Full Stop!
The overworld is frustrating - too confined - it feels like a dungeon, so the whole game is dungeon.
Running/climbing w/Stamina meter is awesome!
Upgrading equipment is awesome!
Visuals and orchestrated sound track are awesome!
Motion controls were a mix of TERRIBLE and innovative.
Chasing Bobokin's with Hornets is hilarious!
The Imprisoned fights are some of the WORST in the series!
I will gladly play through it again - though I am not excited about the first 2 hours (SO SLOW!)
My least favorite Zelda, and it has nothing to do with the motion controls.
I love Zelda, I love 3D action games, SS is no exception. The motion controls, Groose, Ghirahim, the backtracking, gratitude crystals, I loved it all, especially Fi's design. I never got annoyed by her interruptions and hearing her cool voice.
Zelda's not a fast-paced game, the interruptions are nothing.
The only complaint I have is fighting the Imprisoned. But I'm not the kind to let one small detail detract from a fun game.
I hope people will have a better look at the game on Switch. I'm glad they didn't abandon the motion controls which is about 50% the reason I wanted this game back in the day, the other being it's pure 3D Zelda! More than I can say for BOTW.
I just dropped in to praise that subtitle. 😄
But while I’m here, may I say I mostly enjoyed Skyward Sword on the Wii - especially the music, characters, and overall premise - but then my progress utterly ground to a halt in the Lanaryu desert and after a few earnest tries I abandoned game. It was just so utterly monotonous running around those ruins and sand pits, I kept falling asleep before I could find whatever stupid detail I was missing.
Of course, I was a new parent with a 9-mo old daughter at the time, too. Sleep was precious...
That said, I think I’m too spoiled by the flowing BOTW experience to go back and endure another trudge through Lanaryu now.
I never completed it, but it was a great game from what I played. The motion controls didn't bother too much, but it'll be nice to play though it with regular controls. Can't wait for the remaster.
This is still the best 3D zelda game ever. Don't @ me
Yeah, no. This is the only 3D Zelda game I simply could not finish due to how bored I was with it. Motion controls were only half the problem. I suppose if you compare it to other Wii titles, then I could see it being good? As a Zelda game though I found it pretty underwhelming. I normally eat up all things Zelda, but unless major changes are made I can't see myself going back to this one.
Maybe if I play handheld, I can finally complete that duet with Kina!
@henrysbloggin haha yes. I don’t think it amounted to much. I just remember thinking, “wth was that about?”
Nailed the tagline! XD
This highlights why I enjoy Skyward Sword quite well. Some of the complaints about it aren't unwarranted, though I had few issues with the motion controls. My biggest complaint is that Fi is a bit too handhold-y and probably one of my least favorite companions in the entire series.
That said, the story is pretty decent, most of the dungeons are amazing, some interesting/fun puzzles and mechanics are introduced, fairly decent bosses, interesting characters, and contains probably one of the best characterized Zeldas in the series. The soundtrack is pretty awesome too!
It's not my favorite Zelda game, but that's such a high bar to reach in this series. It's still amazing and very much worth a look!
Fresh take: Skyward Sword has the most homely looking Zelda.
Yeah i didn't really enjoy it on the Wii i remember it released around same time as Skyrim, but it was honestly a joke in comparison to Skyrim.
Yeah im not really sure id spend £50 on a 10 year old sub par game. Also if i remember correctly it was a very short game with a low amount of content, i don't even think the price would justify the amount of game you would get.
I would prefer Twilight Princess and Wind waker HD.
"The Imprisoned looks like a giant huggable pinecone with squishy little toesies, and that's not very scary."
I Lol'd SO HARD 😂
I had just recently set up the Dolphin emulator, just to try to play this with better graphics than a regular Wii...I may wait to see how this looks before I go any further.
Story: good.
Gameplay mechanics: good.
Having to replay each section 2-3 times: lazy.
It’s not a bad game. I didn’t dislike it. But twilight princess and windwaker are just much better games
What I truly disliked is that Aounuma comes and says that "SS has the foundations for BoTW".
No, it didn't.
SS is nothing but puzzles after puzzles in a strictly on-rails"overworld". The story is awful. The characters are stupid. The gameplay is tedious. It's the exact opposite of what Botw...BOTW was created after the disastrous sales of SS for christ's sake!
And I don't remember people being excited when this game was released but all the contrary. Many didn't bother to finish it and had mediocre sales.
SS was the proof that Aonuma should have never been in charge of Zelda. BOTW is an great zelda game not thanks to himb but despite him. It was nothing but pure "I can't kill Octorocks so I'll keep cutting grass" Aounma style.
I like the game, and the high points are some of my favourite in the series, but this article doesn't touch upon my biggest issue with it - the pacing and structure. The disconnected set of explorable areas really hurt the sense of adventure, and the developers felt they needed to exploit each environment as much as they could to lengthen out the game. Between the dowsing, underwater fetch quest, and an atrocious late-game stealth section, not a lot of it was much fun or added anything valuable to the experience.
It's a massive contrast from all the things that the game did right. The intricacy of the combat is thrilling when you've learned how to work with it, and some of the dungeons are among the most masterfully and imaginatively realised in the series. Not always. The pirate ship section was so visually bland and repetitively designed, it reminded me of PS1 and N64 dreck like Duke Nukem: Time to Kill and South Park.
I think people who stick with the game will find a lot to love in it, but I totally understand that not everyone has that kind of patience when a game feels like it's aggressively wasting their time.
I absolutely love Skyward Sword. But I cannot believe you didn’t mention the EPIC soundtrack!
I'm stoked, not a fan of motion controls though or how that will translate, to the pro controller.
@KateGray This is great: "I bet some of you clicked on that headline to yell 'IT WAS ALWAYS GOOD', and you know what? I agree with you. You're among friends here."
Skyward Sword is the first and STILL only Zelda game that I ever got around to finishing after playing Link to the Past and Link's Awakening a million or so years ago. I probably won't play it a second time (what with BotW still patiently waiting for my attention), but I'll be slightly jealous of the people who do.
How much will it costs? I'll pick up day one if it costs not more then 30.
Can't say I agree. The art style and washed out colours are enough to put me off. Then there's those faces... the stuff of nightmares!
If you want a Zelda game with a 'different' visual style play Wind Waker. It's a far better game in every way.
I'm pretty keen to try out the joystick motion controls
I’m actually really looking forward to playing this properly for kind of the first time! I got Skyward Sword shortly after release as a Christmas present, expecting to love it - unfortunately, though, I also received a PS3 with Skyrim that same Christmas, which meant Zelda ended up taking a back seat. So, partly because of the weird waggle controls and partly because all other games paled in the eyes of a 15-year-old when presented with the open-world behemoth that is Skyrim for the first time, I only ended up playing SS for a short while before putting it away, even though I do remember enjoying my time with it quite a bit (aside for the anxiety-inducing Silent Realm bits...). I’m fully expecting to love this once I get my hands on it this summer - though perhaps not as much as WW or TP, which are some of my favourite games of all time.
Played it again a few months ago in 4K on PC with Dolphin bar. It's very good. Always surprised by the way people talk it down as if no-one liked it on release.. Just about EVERY gaming site ADORED it... Vast majority gave it 95% and above. Controls are great and graphics are cleverly designed to make the most of the Wii's underpowered innards and still look gorgeous. Few annoying niggles... less fights with the imprisoned would've been nice and the tear searching sections are kinda pants. Doubt I'll ever play it again but still a very good game.
Pretty bad argument for it being good when you acknowledge its worst flaws of the game being linear and slow, and the only pro it has is its art style.
This is easily the weakest of the 3D Zeldas due to it relying on a tired formula and motion controls, and the fact that it launched alongside Skyrim really highlighted it at the time.
I don't know if I'll buy it, because I already have it on Wii, and never played it, so I feel like I must play that version... but also know that on the Switch I'd have the time if I'd play it on-the-go.
It's surprising that there are so many people complaining about the controls, everywhere, and calling it "the first Zelda I didn't finish", but reading the Reception section in the Wikipedia page for this game, the reviews and awards would say otherwise. It got great scores back then.
I loved Skyward Sword when it first came out. The dungeons were amazing, some of the best in the series. But having played BotW, I don’t know if I can go back. It depends on whether or not they make quality of life changes and reduce the hand-holding.
@KateGray I marvel that you wrote that entire article, and that folk have furnished 150 comments, without once mentioning the Zelda Cycle... deliberate choice on your part, KateGray?
I loved the sword play once I got use to deliberate attacks rather than mash or fail and it felt good.
I enjoyed the world and beat regular mode, hard mode I think I am in the second round of temples but it has been sometime. I am hoping they show something new for it to help push me to a repurchase.
@chiptoon I realised that after publishing! The soundtrack is INCREDIBLE. I saw a live orchestral version once and I'm not ashamed to say I cried just a little...
@Slowdive I can't tell if that's a good thing or not
@DK-Fan I don't think I've ever heard anyone try to argue that Aonuma is bad for Zelda. I mean, he's been with the series since Ocarina!
Personally, I think he's great for the games - but, much like Junichi Masuda on Pokémon, he may become set in his ways after a while, and need a more fresh perspective to revitalise the general structure. Still, Zelda manages to reinvent itself every single game, so it's not as much of an issue as it was with Pokémon!
@COVIDberry do you mean the motorbike, or the story? Because the story is way too confusing to mention, and the motorbike is too cool for me to even look at
@SeantheDon29 Yes. It's worth it.
@MS7000 It's a great game. A lot of people hate it because they couldn't play it when it was released.
They simply don't understand it. They went and read some low rate critics and said they knew all the game had to offer.
While The Legend of Padding: Skyward Shut Up Fi may have some of my favorite individual moments in the entire series, overall I pretty much hated the experience. The whole game felt kinda artificial, like someone kept going "It's too short, throw some more crap at the player" to make it longer without making it feel natural.
I'm debating trying it again on Switch. The Wii version had some weird control quirks that made me constantly aware of them once I realized they were there and really broke the immersion for me. (Why are swimming and flying mapped to the tilt of the remote when there's a limit to how far you can tilt before it stops registering a change, a limit that's already built into analog sticks?) Maybe a more standard control scheme would help in that regard, and maybe knowing in advance that the game's going to be like "you thought you were gonna get the thing but NO, do this other dumb thing first" a whole bunch will make it less frustrating to play through again.
Very much looking for to this - one of my favorite Zelda games. Already loved the motion controls (I was in the minority), but it'll be all the better with the joy-cons.
This game needs more Peatrice content - more quests and an alternate ending for Link players who prefer her over Zelda. That would be awesome!
I enjoyed this game but the motion controls were an absolute disgrace. Those recurring bloody fights with Ghirahim would take over an hour apiece. Wait for opening, swing sword, it doesn't work, reset position, try again. Over and over and over again.
It's a great Zelda game and it didn't deserve to have its experience ruined like that. I'm looking forward to playing this again with stick controls.
I loved playing this game from a borrowed wii almost ten years ago. The story line is strong and of the same quality Zelda games deliver.
The puzzles in this game are what set it apart. It is the strongest of any of the Zelda games.
BOTW is the best game ever made but if you are comparing puzzle to puzzle Skyward Sword beats it ...except for Eventide Island but I consider that strong on the survival, weak on the actual puzzle involved.
The motion controls meant I had to play each second standing in front of the couch and pretending I was holding the sword and shield in each hand which made each hit feel like a personal offense that needed rectification.
@KateGray I'm so jealous that you got to hear it live. I tried to plan an international trip to coincide with a performance (I'm in South Africa), but couldn't manage it.
Just hearing the music in the trailer hit me in the feels, can't wait to play this again.
I agree about the problematic Queercoding, but I don't know what version of Skyward Sword you were playing when fighting The Imprisoned. That thing is NIGHTMARE FUEL.
And when I discovered there could be mini Imprisoned in Hyrule Warriors, I almost asked for my brown pants. **** got real. Literally.
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