The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword (Wii) Review

Posted by Justin Weinblatt on 12.23.2011

Does The Legend of Zelda still represent the gold standard in gaming?

Title: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Genre: Adventure
Players: 1
Rated: E 10+



When one thinks of the most influential franchises in gaming’s history, The Legend of Zelda has to be near the top. The Zelda series has consistently set new standards in depth, complexity, scope, control, visuals, and story telling. However, the industry is a far different place than it was when we entered our first dungeon in the NES classic, when Ocarina Time blew our collective minds, or even when Link turned into a wolf in Twilight Princess. The industry has made great strides in cinematic storytelling, voice work, and graphics. In this brave new world, can The Legend of Zelda still be a relevant experience? Can Skyward Sword be a must own title?

Skyward Sword is the latest entry in the Legend of Zelda franchise, and the first game in the series designed from the ground up for the Wii. Skyward Sword makes good on the initial promise of the Wii. It offers a new way to experience a beloved franchise. Those looking for a radical change in the Zelda format will be disappointed. Link will still be rescuing Zelda, he’ll still be traversing elementally themed dungeons, and he’ll still push the occasional block. Despite its familiar set-up Skyward Sword makes several changes to the franchise both, small and large, to deliver a fresh experience.

Skyward Sword starts as many Zelda games do with a young Link living a peaceful life in a quaint village. This time around, Link’s village is called Skyloft, an island that exists several miles above the planet’s surface. Link spends his time training to be a Skyloft Knight, the police force of the village, and hanging out with his best friend Zelda.


Don’t do it Link! You’ve got so much to live for!

The opening hour of Skyward Sword does a great job of establishing its main characters, and establishing the central relationship between Zelda and Link. Zelda is a charismatic and charming character, unlike the clichéd damsel in distress seen in some other entries of the series. This time around, you won’t be merely saving Zelda because the plot calls for it, you’ll actually want to save her. Link’s tale is a familiar one, but it is far more personal this time. Skyward Sword also gives some interesting information regarding the back story of the franchise that will be appreciated by long-time Zelda fans.

As with every other Zelda game, characters in the story do not speak. Some people will have an issue with the voiceless protagonists, but I had no issue with the decision. The Legend of Zelda is not modeled after a summer blockbuster like the Uncharted series. It is modeled after oral legend. In that capacity, text based narrative works, especially considering the difficulty of voicing such iconic characters. Even without voice acting, Skyward Sword’s characters are lively, unique, and engaging. From Link himself to the lowliest shop keep, each character has a unique design, distinct animations, and their own endearing quirks. Nearly every character in Link's epic journey is a memorable one.


For perhaps the first time in the series, the relationship between Zelda and Link feels fleshed out and genuine.

Once Link takes his first steps off onto the surface world, longtime Zelda faithful will notice the changes made to Zelda’s overworld. In older entries of the franchise the overworld was a simply a means to pass from one dungeon to the next, with an assortment of heart pieces and treasure to be discovered. This time around, the world Link travels through is far less hospitable. It is filled with traps, obstacles, enemies, and puzzles, not unlike the dungeons themselves. This change in design makes for stronger pacing and less down time between dungeons. On another level, the new structure makes Link’s tale feel a bit more epic. Travelling over harsh terrain simply feels more heroic than trotting down well worn roads.

The biggest change in Skyward Sword is the control scheme. As you’re probably aware, Skyward Sword uses the Wii Motion Plus technology. The core of the gameplay is Link’s swordplay. Thankfully swordplay is very strong. Being able to control the direction of your attack adds a whole new dimension to combat. Enemies will anticipate, guard, and counter your moves. While weaker enemies can still be dispatched with a few lucky flails, a little precision will definitely save you a few hearts. Against tougher enemies, you’ll need timing, dexterity, and strong reaction speed.

Above all else, the control scheme adds a sense of immersion. Parrying an enemy’s attack with your shield and countering with a quick thrust is incredibly satisfying. Whether you’re yanking the arms off of an imposing monster, slashing through limbs with energy beams, or picking off distant enemies with your bow, all of Link’s moves are incredibly satisfying to pull off. Personally, I’d be very disappointed if the next Zelda game does not utilize the Wii-mote. While dual stick controllers can and should be the industry standard for years to come, Skyward Sword clearly demonstrates that motion controlled games have a place, even in the realm of the hardcore gamer.


Battling Stalfos has never been better

As good as the motion controls are, the dungeons are the highlight of any Zelda game. Each dungeon is incredibly memorable, featuring its own gameplay mechanics, gimmicks, enemies, and unique puzzles to be solved. Skyward Swords’ dungeons are more streamlined than other entries in the series. There are less useless “light the torches” rooms, and more time spent on more compelling puzzles. Simply put, Skyward Sword easily features the strongest level design we’ve seen this year, possibly the best level design we’ve seen this generation, and debatably the best level design of all time.

Naturally, each dungeon is capped off with a boss battle. The boss battles are among the best in the series and among the best boss fights in recent memory. This is largely thanks to the motion controls. Motion controls add a sense of immediacy to the battles and also add a sense of visceral satisfaction. Parrying an enemy blow and thrusting your sword into his eye is both fun and rewarding. Each boss focuses on a unique and enjoyable mechanic. This is the kind of gameplay we were looking forward to when the Wii was announced all those years ago, and it’s great that Nintendo has finally delivered. Better late than never.

An interesting addition to the Zelda series is the ability to customize weapons. By gathering raw materials, Link is able to alter his inventory of weapons and potions using a system similar to that found in Monster Hunter. While this is an nice addition to the series, it is drastically underused. Aside from beefing up my shield, I never felt a strong need to upgrade my items. Upgrading makes a great deal of sense in stat driven games like Monster Hunter and Skyrim, but may not be the right fit for the Zelda series.

The biggest turn off for many gamers will be Zelda’s visuals. More precisely, the biggest turn off for many gamers will be Zelda’s resolution. At best, the graphics will run in 480p, far short of the resolution that X-Box 360 and Playstation 3 gamers are accustomed to. This low resolution is offset by stunning visual design. Skyward Sword’s visuals have been compared to The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, but that comparison is not entirely correct. Whereas Wind Waker was modeled after a Saturday morning cartoon, Skyward Sword is modeled after impressionist paintings. Wind Waker featured thick black character outlines, over the top facial animations, bold colors, and disproportionately large heads. Meanwhile, Skyward Sword features a softer color palette, more subtle facial motions, and less distinct divisions between different colors and textures. The overall effect is quite beautiful. There are a few moments in Skyward Sword where I was taken aback but an ugly texture. However, there were many more moments when I was awestruck but an incredible looking view or one of the game's incredibly well crafted cutscenes. Does Skyward Sword surpass top visual efforts on the PS3 and 360? No it doesn’t. But it puts up a hell of a fight.


Music has always played a key role in the Zelda series, and Skyward Sword is no exception. Like Wind Waker, Ocarina of Time, Link’s Awakening, and Majora’s Mask, music is a key part of the story and the overall experience. Unlike previous entries of the series, Skyward Sword features fully orchestrated music. There are several truly beautiful compositions, and some great ambient tracks to set the mood for dungeons. Even if you have no intention of playing Skyward Sword, you should definitely make an effort to listen to a few of its songs, if you’re a fan of orchestra music. As an added bonus, those who get a copy from Skyward Sword’s first printing will receive an awesome CD containing orchestrated music from Zelda’s rich aural history.

So, what’s not great about Skyward Sword? Not much really. There are a few quests, particularly towards the end of the game, that are somewhat tedious or unnecessary. Certain boss characters are not quite as intimidating as they should be, even if they are fun to battle against. As I’ve mentioned before, there are a few really ugly textures in Link’s world, and if you’re playing on a larger set you may have to fiddle with your TV settings a bit. Skyward Sword’s lack of HD and voice acting will be a sticking point for some people. Other than these quibbles, there isn’t all that much to complain about in Skyward Sword without venturing into the world of nitpicking. This is an incredibly polished experience with few major faults

Those who enjoy Skyward Sword will be enjoying it for quite some time. Link's latest quest could last you anywhere between 30 to 50 hours depending on how often you get stumped by puzzles, and how many sidequests you choose to undertake. For the truly devoted, there is a more difficult quest that is unlocked after completion of the main quest. This isn’t a fully remixed game like Ocarina of Time’s Master Quest, but it offers a robust challenge, and motivation to replay the game.

The 411:

Ultimately, a review is a recommendation on how you should spend your hard earned money. In the case of Skyward Sword, I can only give this game the highest possible recommendation. A perfect score does not mean that a game is perfect, and indeed Skyward Sword has a few flaws, mainly due to its limited hardware. A perfect score means that I recommend this game with no qualifications, no reservations, and no hesitation. Do you have a Wii? Do you have fifty dollars? If your answer to both of these questions is yes, then you should pick up this game. If you haven’t taken the Wii plunge yet, Skyward Sword is the most compelling reason to own the system.

Graphics	9.5	A triumph of art design and creativity. Even in 480p, Skyward Sword looks beautiful.
Gameplay	10.0	After playing Zelda with Motion Controls, I don’t want to ever go back.
Sound	9.5	Zelda’s soundtrack is superb, but some gamers will lament the lack of voice acting.
Lasting Appeal	10.0	This is a very long game, even without the sidequests. Settle in for a lengthy stay in Skyloft.
Fun Factor	10.0	If I could put an 11 here, I would. The controls are excellent, the level design is incredible, and it's all wrapped together with a compelling narrative.
Overall	10.0   [ Virtually Perfect ]

Screenshots
All 10 The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Screenshots