The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

 Switch
User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 700 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 467 out of 700
  2. Mixed: 104 out of 700
  3. Negative: 129 out of 700
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  1. Cream147
    Jul 17, 2021
    9
    10 years ago The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword released to typical critical acclaim from the media, but an unusually mixed fan reaction for the series - and it has been the fan reception that has stuck with this game in the years since. That was mostly fair, there were definitely a number of issues with this game such as a very prolonged intro, no option to not use motion controls, a10 years ago The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword released to typical critical acclaim from the media, but an unusually mixed fan reaction for the series - and it has been the fan reception that has stuck with this game in the years since. That was mostly fair, there were definitely a number of issues with this game such as a very prolonged intro, no option to not use motion controls, a broadly empty sky world which seemed like it could have been so much more, and a particular annoying repeated boss, to name a few. Furthermore, the game was unusually linear for a Zelda game, with very little focus on exploration and more on environmental puzzle solving for progression, with the surface world areas essentially playing like dungeons in themselves. This felt like the opposite of what the fanbase wanted at that time - a large-scale exploration-based game with less of an emphasis on motion controls, as the craze about these had died down. Skyward Sword seemed like a dated game on release, rather than a groundbreaking game in one of their most beloved series.

    One important thing has happened in the Zelda series since Skyward Sword, and that is of course the release of Breath of the Wild, the Zelda game of many's dreams. With this game, pushing firmly opposite to the direction proposed by Skyward Sword, the future of the Zelda series as an open-world adventure rooted in exploration seems secured.

    And so we come to Skyward Sword HD. With this game clearly not indicating the direction of the series, we can perhaps view this game in its own right. The critical praise of Skyward Sword did not come from nowhere - there was always a lot right with this game:

    - The dungeon design was the best in the series, with some interesting ideas such as a dungeon which you largely traverse on a large boulder floating through lava, and general novel puzzle solving.
    - The dungeon design was helped by an interesting set of items including the return of some classics (e.g. bombs, bow and arrow etc.) and some new ones (e.g. a mechanical beetle that you obtain early on). Included are some new ways to use familiar items, such as the ability to roll bombs like a bowling ball, which add a few fresh puzzle and combat ideas.
    - Surface world level design, while linear, keeps focused and you are not running through large areas of empty space often.
    - The addition of a stamina wheel allowing you to run faster and climb higher objects than in previous games.
    - The ability to upgrade many of the items you obtain throughout the game giving the game more of an RPG-lite flavour than some previous Zelda games.
    - Fun sidequests up in the sky area give you some downtime can break up the more linear, focused action on the surface world.
    - A story that, while not fantastic, has its moments and is a suitable beginning to the Zelda timeline

    And then the HD version has made several key improvements, some of which directly address issues with the game:
    - It looks visually pleasing. They haven't done much modelling work so the geometry is jagged but the increased resolution and the more defined textures do wonders, and the geometry isn't particularly jarring in the surreal painterly style of Skyward Sword.
    - 60 FPS. People's mileage seems to vary on this, but for me 60 FPS is world's better than 30 and to see Skyward Sword as the first ever 3D Zelda game officially running at this framerate is a big deal for me and dramatically improves the experience.
    - The addition of button controls. These are unintuitive at times as ultimately the game was designed to be played with motion controls, but they do the job and provide an option for those who are not interested in motion controls (or want to play handheld, another feature this port naturally adds)
    - Several quality of life additions, such as faster text skipping, cutscene skipping, less interruptions from your partner, auto-saving and so on. These serve to greatly increase the pace of gameplay, if you're keen to progress quickly the game is going to stop your flow a lot less now.

    Some of the issues of the game are more inherent and have not been addressed, but by improving the overall QoL they are less problematic than remembered. Furthermore, in a world where now we are saturated with open world games, the old-school linear action-adventure gameplay may be refreshing (if it's to your taste), as they really do not make games like this anymore.

    The way I see this remake, I think this is a second chance for Skyward Sword. Selected improvements have been made to the experience to enhance it, motion controls are no longer mandatory, and perhaps most importantly, we have the context that the more ground-breaking experience of Breath of the Wild 2 is on its way. With that said, this may be an opportunity to enjoy Skyward Sword for what it is, rather than for what it is not. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it, and if you have the right expectations, there's a good chance you can too.    … Expand
  2. Reed618
    Jul 17, 2021
    10
    Unfortunately ports are a target for review bombing so the user score probably won't be that reliable as people who haven't played the game will just give it a 0.

    I'm a few hours in and really enjoying the game though. The art style really holds up and this is such a great version of Zelda (the character I mean). I love her design and she's quite funny. The quality of life features make    Unfortunately ports are a target for review bombing so the user score probably won't be that reliable as people who haven't played the game will just give it a 0.

    I'm a few hours in and really enjoying the game though. The art style really holds up and this is such a great version of Zelda (the character I mean). I love her design and she's quite funny. The quality of life features make the experience noticeably better.

    I also really appreciate that I can use a gamepad. Joycon drift is a big headache so I just couldn't handle playing with joycons.

    Having tried the original version on wii just a few months ago I can definitely say this is hands down the best version of the game. Better control options, less annoying tutorials/pop up messages, visually it's far nicer (the old wii version looks awful on modern tvs), autosaves, camera controls etc. It really is a massive improvement.

    Is it better than breath of the wild? personally not at all. botw has a lot more to offer but skyward sword is full of charm and it's a fun adventure. I'd definitely recommend it.    … Expand
  3. NoUsernameYet
    Jul 17, 2021
    10
    A wonderful game, which is undoubtedly one of the best in the saga, having the best story,the best soundtrack, impressive dungeons, bosses and others that make this game very special. A version that corrects a large part of the errors of the past and offers luxuries to the most complaining or picky eaters, already full HD AND 60 PFS, and yes, I said in full HD haters;), without a doubt oneA wonderful game, which is undoubtedly one of the best in the saga, having the best story,the best soundtrack, impressive dungeons, bosses and others that make this game very special. A version that corrects a large part of the errors of the past and offers luxuries to the most complaining or picky eaters, already full HD AND 60 PFS, and yes, I said in full HD haters;), without a doubt one of the best Zelda, and an excellent way to relive this title in HD and 60 FPS.

    PS: Beautiful Zelink, the best.    … Expand
  4. GreenMenace
    Jul 19, 2021
    10
    Skyward Sword [SS] isn’t a game for everyone. With that out of the way, let me tell you why SS is my favorite Zelda game from my favorite franchise.

    First I’ll acknowledge its flaws. You can read other reviews and get a very solid understanding of those so I won’t waste your time. Most of them are correct. I would add that I would have liked more monster variety as well as more things    Skyward Sword [SS] isn’t a game for everyone. With that out of the way, let me tell you why SS is my favorite Zelda game from my favorite franchise.

    First I’ll acknowledge its flaws. You can read other reviews and get a very solid understanding of those so I won’t waste your time. Most of them are correct. I would add that I would have liked more monster variety as well as more things to do in the sky as the sky and its islands feel relatively empty.

    I loved Skyward Sword because of its story. It doesn’t do anything extraordinary, but it attempts to develop characters and introduce plot twists. In my opinion, any Zelda game without Ganon as its main enemy already deserves some attention. The characters are as goofy in this installment as other Zelda games. This game also stands out from the rest because it started to break away from the old Zelda formula that had been established.

    And while mandatory motion controls were/are unpopular, SS is the only Zelda that features them, creating an experience you can’t get with any other Zelda. The game was my first Zelda experience that had a hard mode. Two of the dungeons in the game are in my top three dungeons list (and I’ve played most Zelda games out there since A Link to the Past). Finally, I’d argue that the ending of the game was as epic as Zelda gets. This is a fantastic game that’s only getting better with the remaster. Not only that, but the game will also somehow be connected the next game in the series I’m super excited for—BOTW 2.

    SS was my favorite game on the Wii. On the switch I’m roughly 18 hours in. The game looks more crisp, it runs smoothly, and it’s now portable. The button controls work well, but they take away from the immersion factor that the game aimed for. The motion controls work, but because joy cons are uncomfortable for me to hold, I find myself using button controls most of the time. I’d recommend switching to motion controls for big events in the game like bosses.

    The game feels a lot faster paced since a lot of the wordiness can now be rushed or even skipped entirely at times. And the free roaming camera adds a lot to the experience as well.

    In conclusion, if you’re on the fence about considering giving SS a shot, I’ll wrap up with these thoughts. SS is a differently paced game from most Zelda games. Since it is a little slower with compact environments, it’s not a game for everyone. It places a different emphasis than BOTW. It doesn’t offer much to players who want to explore, but it offers an immersion factor, great dungeons, and good music. The story of SS is more important than any other mainline Zelda game. While marketing has focused on comparing the game to BOTW, I think it’s much more comparable to Twilight Princess. SS may not have aged as well as other remastered Zeldas, but it’s still a fantastic game and was a no brainer preorder for me.    … Expand
  5. mrwho995
    May 30, 2023
    9
    Although this game doesn't improve much from the original, the original is so good that it didn't really need to.. The most impactful change is that Fi is less annoyingly intrusive. The free camera is also very welcome, as well as fixing an annoying bug.

    Skyward Sword was great when it came out and is still great now. In many ways, it is the pinnacle of Zelda: the best dungeons in the    Although this game doesn't improve much from the original, the original is so good that it didn't really need to.. The most impactful change is that Fi is less annoyingly intrusive. The free camera is also very welcome, as well as fixing an annoying bug.

    Skyward Sword was great when it came out and is still great now. In many ways, it is the pinnacle of Zelda: the best dungeons in the series, the best story in the series, the best music in the series, some of the best setpieces in the series, some of the best characters in the series. What it does, it does exceptionally.

    The game also introduces a lot of innovations to the franchise that Breath of the Wild would then expand upon; this was at the time the most extensive arsenal of collectible items in Zelda, and Breath of the Wild expanded on this but arguably actually did it worse; same for Tears of the Kingdom.

    However, it is also a game with very large flaws. There is very little exploration in this game, and very little room for player freedom. The game can be far too hand-holding at times, and can be repetitive and feel padded at points.

    This game is the polar opposite of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom; what those games to the best, this game does badly, and vice-versa. It just so happens that the things I care about the most: dungeons; a grand contemporaneous story; great music; a sense of progression throughout the game; and the feeling of going on a meticulously hand-crafted adventure, are what this game excels at.    … Expand
  6. rafaaguilera
    Aug 18, 2021
    8
    While I was amazed by Breath of the Wild open world scope, a more story driven and linear old fashion Zelda experience is still enjoyable as well and I think switch between both styles is a nice thing to preventing them getting old.

    I had a good time playing Skyward Sword. Dungeon design is excellent; visuals while definitely old generation, holds well due to art style; and the motion    While I was amazed by Breath of the Wild open world scope, a more story driven and linear old fashion Zelda experience is still enjoyable as well and I think switch between both styles is a nice thing to preventing them getting old.

    I had a good time playing Skyward Sword. Dungeon design is excellent; visuals while definitely old generation, holds well due to art style; and the motion controls add interesting gameplay possibilities, even if gets irritating when your movement doesn't translate well to the game.

    I think this remaster could've came up at least with a significant visual uptade, but as I said before, the art style holds well and don't hurt the eyes.

    Along the minor but welcomed modifications done in this HD version, I highlight the fact they shut the mouth of this nosy partner called Fi a little. Now is up to you to listen to her tips or advices, she doesn't intrude anymore if she's not called. Believe me, you'll be grateful for this. Motion less controls are also available as well, but given how the game was build, motion is still the best way to play it for the most part. I said most part, because flying on the bird and diving with button controls is the way to go (its possible to switch controls by going to the menu)

    However, even enjoying my playthrough with Skyward Sword, I must say this is not quite there among the most memorable and unforgettable Zelda games. The environments, characters and overall feel are not quite as charming or charismatic like the Wind Waker or Majora's mask. But what really really annoys me the most is that due to the lack of explorable areas (just 3), the game keeps recycling them sometimes proposing annoying tasks and challenges that felt blatantly tacked on to make it last longer, like: fight the same boss 3 times; backtrack to an already explored dungeon to get an item; collect redundant stuff and on. It's not fun! Felt like work and also hurt the overall pace. It takes about 30 hours to reach the end and it didn't feel necessary to be this long. If an 4th explorable area wasn't possible to avoid filler quests, I think cut the game shorter would be a better decision.    … Expand
  7. Drash-Digimon
    May 18, 2023
    10
    Top notch in terms of adventures and dungeons.
    It was the best story Zelda there ever was, and nothing like it will ever be seen.
  8. Ninbreasy
    Jul 20, 2021
    9
    This remaster is at least a solid 80 out of 100 and has improved in every way on the original game, which was already quite good. Now: 1080p, 60fps, faster loading times, better motion controls, optional joystick controls, faster text, free camera controls, you can skip scenes, Fi is much less annoying, less annoying item info, auto-save, selectable save files and a lot of minor things!This remaster is at least a solid 80 out of 100 and has improved in every way on the original game, which was already quite good. Now: 1080p, 60fps, faster loading times, better motion controls, optional joystick controls, faster text, free camera controls, you can skip scenes, Fi is much less annoying, less annoying item info, auto-save, selectable save files and a lot of minor things!
    Back in the day these issues were the main quality of life complains of many people, which shows that Nintendo listened to his fans and tried to fix the game.

    Of course Skyward Sword (HD) is not perfect at all and has still its annoying flaws.

    It is a pity that there are so many people in this review section rating this game just for its price. If you think 60 bucks is overpriced and Nintendo should be ashamed of it.... you're probably damn right!
    (Ah, and if your joy-con is drifting than fix it! It is actually pretty easy.)

    But these things have nothing to do with the content of this game. Please go ahead and hate Nintendo for the price and the joy-con drift but not the game.    … Expand
  9. revadb
    Jul 26, 2021
    10
    A great game in 2011, still a great game 10 years later.
    The QoL improvements really expedite the slower parts of the game experience, and replayability is much simpler with the ability to skip cutscenes. The visual really stand out in 1080p, 60fps.
    Finally, this game is always worth it just for having the best story in the series!
  10. WWD2
    Sep 29, 2021
    8
    At its core, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is a great game. Everything you’ve ever loved about a Zelda Game is here: compelling storyline, great character development, well-designed game mechanics, all of that. But Holy Mother of Mayonnaise, this game has absolutely NO business being on the Nintendo Switch. It’s no secret that the Joycon motion controls completely blow. But this isAt its core, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is a great game. Everything you’ve ever loved about a Zelda Game is here: compelling storyline, great character development, well-designed game mechanics, all of that. But Holy Mother of Mayonnaise, this game has absolutely NO business being on the Nintendo Switch. It’s no secret that the Joycon motion controls completely blow. But this is a motion control heavy game, particularly in terms of attacking with specific motions. The game is far from unplayable, but I’d say to expect the Joycon to read your motions correctly just south of 60% of the time when attacking. Also, when using equipment which requires you to aim, or even when looking around in first-person mode, keep your thumb on the Y button, because you’re going to have to readjust the gyroscope just about every time. Overall, this is a great game and deserves the accolades it has received, but if you can play it on the Wii, do yourself a favor and play it there first. Otherwise you might risk having a sour taste in your mouth about a brilliantly designed game.… Expand
  11. bingobengo
    Jul 17, 2021
    9
    They fixed the most hand-holding dialogue and infuriating motion controls, delivering an undeniably amazing puzzle action game with some of the best music in the business.
  12. Mr_fettuccinee
    Jul 18, 2021
    8
    Great game, not without problems, memorable soundtracks, reminds me of many childhood moments, a little too pricey for a remaster but in the end I was happy to pay for the overall experience, you constantly have to reset the motion controls but the fact that you can do in any moment just by pressing the Y button makes it less annoying than I wold expect and Fi is still the most annoyingGreat game, not without problems, memorable soundtracks, reminds me of many childhood moments, a little too pricey for a remaster but in the end I was happy to pay for the overall experience, you constantly have to reset the motion controls but the fact that you can do in any moment just by pressing the Y button makes it less annoying than I wold expect and Fi is still the most annoying companion that you could ever immagine only second to Navi even if they tried to cut many unnecessary dialogues but in the end I’m glad that Nintendo waned to give a new life to the less liked of the 3D Zeldas, it’s also a great way for people new to the Zelda brand to discover the franchise and try something other than breath of the wild. So you should definitely give it a chance.… Expand
  13. brendanbarrett
    Jul 20, 2021
    9
    Excellent remake. The button controls become more intuitive after about 5 hours. The frame rate is steadily 60 FPS. More importantly, the game is just great.
  14. JoeyPL5
    Nov 16, 2021
    8
    It's sad how a really charming game with a beautiful soundtrack, incredibly memorable story moments, and unbelievable dungeons had to drag on so long with actual tedious garbage that made me feel like Nintendo doesn't respect my time.
  15. JohnnyPS5
    Jul 18, 2021
    9
    I love this game. I loved it 10 years ago, and still love it now. That being said, is it worth the $60. YES! I played the Wii version last year and I’ve watched side by side comparisons and it looks better in handheld than the Wii… and absolutely phenomenal while docked. It’s amazing the polish they put into it. The bad reviews are ridiculous. 1.don’t rate a game poorly because of anI love this game. I loved it 10 years ago, and still love it now. That being said, is it worth the $60. YES! I played the Wii version last year and I’ve watched side by side comparisons and it looks better in handheld than the Wii… and absolutely phenomenal while docked. It’s amazing the polish they put into it. The bad reviews are ridiculous. 1.don’t rate a game poorly because of an amiibo
    2. Don’t rate a game poorly because your joycons drift
    3. Don’t be that curmudgeon

    Honest negatives. 1. It’s the same game. If you hated it then, you’re gonna hate it now. 2. The start is tedious. It’s almost 2 hours to get to the first dungeon and every time it starts to go, you’ll get pulled back into an explanation, story, or tutorial. 3. The controls are WAY better but still clunky and going to be divisive. This game has a great story and is an important part in the evolution of the legend of Zelda series. There are moments in this game that are just breathtaking and it sucks that the controls and the slow start of the game keep people from loving this game like I do. Anything above a 70 rating is fair. Anything below is petty and misdirected displeasure at joy cons, amiibos, and Nintendo.    … Expand
  16. Zephyrion
    Jul 17, 2021
    10
    For me who never played the wii version this game is fantastic. Love the story gameplay is okey and the music wow
  17. Kakadu
    Jul 18, 2021
    10
    Absolutely fantastic. Controlls are more accurate than in the original and it looks and runs way better. Qol improvements make the game alot more fun. Fi isn't annoying anymore.
  18. MAM10
    Jul 19, 2021
    10
    one of the best zelda games it holds a special spot among zelda games. The game is fun with fantastic story and awesome music.
    with improved motion control and much better graphics now it deserves a 10.
  19. AndyCoaster
    Jul 18, 2021
    10
    Really enjoying this great experience for the third time. It's something about the dungeons and the weapons, and the new controls works surprisingly well. in my honest opinion, better than Breath of the Wild!
  20. NorwayGamer
    Sep 7, 2021
    8
    I really wanted to play this game with a "normal" control scheme, even though I really liked playing it with motion controls on the Wii, and finished it 3 times.

    But unfortunately, using the right control stick to swing Link's sword feels really awkward to me, so I was quite disappointed. Thankfully, using motion controls still feels responsive so i just stuck with that when playing    I really wanted to play this game with a "normal" control scheme, even though I really liked playing it with motion controls on the Wii, and finished it 3 times.

    But unfortunately, using the right control stick to swing Link's sword feels really awkward to me, so I was quite disappointed.
    Thankfully, using motion controls still feels responsive so i just stuck with that when playing this version as well.
    I feel this is a very underappreciated game in the franchise, it is actually quite good Imo. Definitely not the best in the series, but there's plenty of fun to be had.

    There are some small improvements in the game besides the resolution & framerate bump - like being able to skip cut-scenes, skip FI's annyong interruptions etc. Those probably won't convince you to like the game any more if you didn't already, but for someone like me, it's great.

    I gave it a 9/10 on the Wii, but I feel the improvements aren't significant enough to varrant a score higher than 8/10 for Switch, as there's no graphical improvements other than resolution - no improved textures, lighting & effects etc. And the new control scheme leaves a lot to be desired Imo.

    A really fun game overall, but this version could be much better if Nintendo for once was willing to put in the actual effort.    … Expand
  21. DPV07
    Jul 20, 2021
    9
    I'm a huge fan of Zelda games, and I know when to notice their flaws, and I'm critic about them when they really hurt my experience without nitpicking like most of these HATERS out here and out there on the internet.

    I never owned or played the original Wii version of Skyward Sword, but now that I finally played it and beaten it today, I can't understand the freaking hate this game    I'm a huge fan of Zelda games, and I know when to notice their flaws, and I'm critic about them when they really hurt my experience without nitpicking like most of these HATERS out here and out there on the internet.

    I never owned or played the original Wii version of Skyward Sword, but now that I finally played it and beaten it today, I can't understand the freaking hate this game gets, specially if this version has fixed things that made people mad such as Fi. I liked Fi, I like the gameplay, music is GREAT as to be expected… Skyward Sword does some things better than the rest of 3D Zelda games (before Breath of the Wild came out), just like other 3D Zelda games do some things better than the others. That's how it has ALWAYS been.

    Skyward sword is MILES from being a BAD game. I will say that right now. I don't hate Twilight Princess, in fact it's one of my personal favorites, but that game is heavily flawed, even more flawed than Skyward Sword is, which I can say now, now that I have finally played it ( it was the last 3D zelda game I had left to play yet ).

    No Zelda game is perfect, and even despite the personal flaws I found myself with this game, I only had a few things that I didn't like about it:
    • Lack of region / zones variety: you only have 3 regions and the sky. The sky only has one big town, which is Skyloft, and very few NPC islands with barely much to do with them. In a way, it's as barren as Wind Waker's great sea was. BUT I WILL DEFINITELY SAY… that the sky in Skyward Sword, is waaay more fun to play around with than the sea from Wind Waker, which was slow and boring after a few hours of playing it. With Skyward Sword, at least the sky is fast to travel for most of your missions and more entertaining and dynamic with the Loftwing ( your bird mount friend ).

    The surface's regions, Eldin, Faron and Lanayru, are only populated by monsters you kill, and the good people in them are about one race at most per region. It makes sense because this is the first game in the timeilne after all, but you would think there would be at least one city or town for each race. You see a few gorons but there isn't a town for them? Like what the hell…

    But again, this was never gonna change in an HD port, so this is just basic complaints that I'm sure I was always gonna have with Skyward Sword.

    This HD port definitely fixes things that I noticed from the original game, and I'm glad my first experience was with these fixes they made.

    As someone whose favorite gaming series in life is Zelda, I easily consider Skyward sword among my top 5 favorite 3D Zelda games. As someone who loves the series, I know what I want from it, I don't just eat whatever they put in my plate that easily, but thankfully none of the 3D Zelda games has left me with a bad taste, like EVER.

    Skyward Sword HD definitely left me with a smile now that I played the first game in the Zelda timeline, the gameplay was fun and I was never bored swinging the sword and using the games' dungeon items, etc.

    This game OOZES with personality ( unlike Twilight princess where almost every character are dead inside and lack personality for the most part… and I say this as someone who still loved that game very much ) and the story is definitely worth playing the game alone as it is.

    If you are a Zelda fan who just wants a neat adventure with great story and fun characters, Skyward Sword should make you happy. The gameplay won't disappoint, sure you will find the lack of region / biomes variety a bit "mehh…" at some points, but most of times you revisit these few areas you are always finding something new to do in them anyway, so it's NOT the end of the world, specially if you liked Wind Waker, then there is no reason why you wouldn't be able to enjoy this game as well.

    Give the game a try, don't nitpick to oblivion, just enjoy the game for what it is and has to offer.

    If the price annoys you so much then have fun playing the outdated version on emulator, or have fun giving your money away to scalpers for the wii version of the game. Hell, I don't understand why you would even want to play a version of the game that has no fixes to the things you will complain EXTRA about (like Fi being annoying), nor be able to play the game on 60fps even. For me, this HD port was totally worth its price. As a Zelda fan, I wouldn't stop myself from experiencing this fun game just because it could be 10$ or 20$ cheaper in some people's minds. If you don't like the price, speak with your wallets, Nintendo is not gonna stop pricing their games for 59.99 just because you won't stop whining about it. It hasn't changed in all these years, it won't change later, speak with your wallet and be quiet about the whole price nonsense, it's TIRING to read.    … Expand
  22. Mrman23
    Jul 20, 2021
    9
    It honestly pains me to see so many people complain and cry about the motion controls still, the motion controls simply put has a 90% probability of being accurate with every swing of the joycon you make. I feel as if most people in sword combat swing the WRONG way, simply explaind people have a tendency (like my friend) to swing left in order to swing a broader right swing! This mistakeIt honestly pains me to see so many people complain and cry about the motion controls still, the motion controls simply put has a 90% probability of being accurate with every swing of the joycon you make. I feel as if most people in sword combat swing the WRONG way, simply explaind people have a tendency (like my friend) to swing left in order to swing a broader right swing! This mistake makes you swing left first making you stagger and do wrong in the game. A simple not so hard fix is to flick from the middle aka holding the joycon straight and flicking left for left and right for right. If you manage to do what I've said and still fail then you're honestly just horrible at direction, because after this rocket-science of a fix (apparently) its just impossible not to make the right swing 90% of the time! I absolutely adored this game playing it in 60fps with a 1080p resolution while engaging in interactive gamplay in which doing a parry with a shield feels so good! The dungeons are great and the music is phenomenal while it's really underrated for stupid and wrong reasons. Some people have complained that aiming in the game can be a hassle since you need to reset the gyro from time to time, but honestly how hard can it be if all you need to do is press "Y" A single time?… Expand
  23. triple_co
    Aug 29, 2021
    8
    I played the original version of Skyward Sword on the Wii in 2011 and I can say with certainty that this new, updated port is the superior experience.

    With a button control scheme that offers more precise and fluid sword swinging and item switching, as well as a crisp, smooth 60 fps HD display, this pre-cursor to BOTW is now more enjoyable and balanced than ever. You can skip cutscenes,    I played the original version of Skyward Sword on the Wii in 2011 and I can say with certainty that this new, updated port is the superior experience.

    With a button control scheme that offers more precise and fluid sword swinging and item switching, as well as a crisp, smooth 60 fps HD display, this pre-cursor to BOTW is now more enjoyable and balanced than ever. You can skip cutscenes, flick through speech quicker than before, and reduce the frequency with which Fi interrupts you.

    It's worth a note, however, that this title isn't for everyone, especially if you've not dived into Zelda's back catalogue beyond the last entry. The level design is particularly linear and on-rails, with emphasis mostly on brain-teaser puzzles and unique fighting encounters. You won't have a large, open world to explore every nook and cranny of, aside from some small rock formations that are dotted about Skyloft.

    The scattered level design with multiple short loading windows whenever you travel between environments will get tedious toward the end too, and the mechanics to craft and upgrade your gear are a little redundant when they're never truly needed to progress. Some of the ideas presented here were clearly translated into BOTW in more meaningful and objectively better ways, but it's interesting as a Nintendo fan to see them first implemented here.

    Where the game does succeed is in its character arcs and immersive setting. You'll feel compelled to finish the title just to see where it all ends up - and the final bosses are a stylish marvel for hardware that is fifteen years old. Combat is fun and unique, with the new button controls removing the frustration of unreliable motion gimmicks once you get the hang of it.

    And while you can't run about freely in a massive environment, Skyward Sword still encourages you to dive deeper into its NPC questlines, hidden secrets in the form of Goddess Cubes and Gratitude Crystals, and its bug catching mechanics.

    You can purchase items and medals to help improve your odds of success and there are many Skyloft residents who offer small quests to give you a nice break from the intense main story. Overall, this remains one of my favourite Zelda titles, despite its wearied design and controversy within the fanbase.

    It is well worth a play - though I do wish Nintendo had lowered the price to around £35.    … Expand
  24. ItsTamo
    Aug 18, 2021
    8
    I'm not a hater nor a lover of this game. I don't mind motion controls. I'm somewhere in the middle and I like it for what it is and dislike it for what it is not. I played through the original game about 5 times (I played OoT like 30 times, so yeah.) so I guess I'm more toward the lover side. I played all mainline Zeldas and I think I'm quite objective in my opinions, lol.

    I was quite    I'm not a hater nor a lover of this game. I don't mind motion controls. I'm somewhere in the middle and I like it for what it is and dislike it for what it is not. I played through the original game about 5 times (I played OoT like 30 times, so yeah.) so I guess I'm more toward the lover side. I played all mainline Zeldas and I think I'm quite objective in my opinions, lol.

    I was quite a bit disappointed that there was no additional content to this remaster. The Hyrule Encyclopedia states that the devs were originally planning a 'Second quest' for Zelda and Impa, but had to cut it, only to include the cutscene in credits. I thought the Second Quest would feel perfect for the HD remaster but did not happen. I can't stop comparing this remaster to the Xenoblade Chronicles DE and Super Mario 3D World, since both of the remasters had 5+ hrs of all-new contents included. I don't understand why the Zelda devs didn't bother to put that much effort into this remaster.

    Aside from the Additional contents complaint,

    Pros:
    - Fabulous story and strong characters. Groose has one of the strongest character arches in any Zelda game.
    - Strong dungeon design. The Ancient Cistern is almost like a storybook and has its own story. Most of them requires you to understand the 3D layout and are not overly linear. The Sandship initially forces the player to the deepest part of the dungeon, while showing all the doors and branches that you can access later on. This is just a great dungeon design. I think SS is the second strongest game in terms of dungeon designs, next to MM.
    - Geographic design is great. Utilizing each of the provinces in a new way every time the player re-visits them. I really don't mind the tedtones. It's fascinating to see how the familiar maps change for the Silent realm sequences.
    - Addition of the button control was great, especially for some minigames that require precise controls. I played the HD version on motion because of muscle memories, but I thought buttons were great.
    - Halleluja, Phi's dialogues are gone. The game felt a lot speedier and more fluid than the original. Overall cut in diologues and tutorials were nice. I think this would be the biggest reason for the players to choose the HD over the original.

    Cons:
    - The hub world is really tedious, the worst in all Zelda games. They should've added a new quest to give the Loftwing some extra speed boost, just like how they did in WW HD. They should've added extra islands with more collectibles to give the players incentives for exploring. They didn't add anything. The Sky is a blatant ripoff of the Great Sea, but the Great Sea is actually fun and this is not.
    - The collectibles are the worst in the entire Zelda series. I hate the medal and pouch system and hoped the remaster fixed it. They didn't. They have 2 heart medals in place of 8 heart pieces. This game only has 24 heart pieces. OoT had 36. The game starts you off with 6 hearts instead of the usual 3. That's just lazy game design. You can get two of the same medals like the rupee medals, and this is because the devs did not want to develop new items. No permanent upgrade to the consumable items. Gratitude crystals are way too easy to gather and the quest itself is fairly short. I'm surprised that they fixed none of this. Someone should tell the devs that the collectibles in this game are downright terrible.
    - Some parts of the original game felt rushed and incomplete, like the empty caverns in Eldin province that serve no purpose, or the absence of any roles of the Eldin dragon. These have not been fixed in the rerelease.
    - The motion controls were okay, but they drift quite badly. They are a lot more responsive than the Wii counterpart but far less accurate. Not joycon drifts but gyro drifts. Any battle that required you to use the Skyward attack was quite painful, far more than the original.
    - The graphics were not as impressive as when I first played the first and haven't aged well. Very blocky. Soft, glittering aesthetics of the original release is not as prominent in the HD release.
    - Amiibo functionality is stupid. They should be criticized heavily on this. They should've let us scan all zelda amiibo and let us gain a ladybug or amber or something.
    - Why no warp??? They should've at least made warp from bird statue-to-bird statue within the same province possible. This is the only 3D Zelda with no warp system. If I land on a wrong bird statue, I need to fly back up and make a huge turn and see the cut scene again. That's annoying.

    I enjoyed it, it's a good game. Took 30 hrs to 100% the HD version.
    The complaints I have are all from the original game design. I do think Skyward Sword HD is a better game than Skyward Sword and the devs listened, but it feels like they missed some opportunities to fix the problems the original had. The original game had a lot of problems even excluding the motion control finesse.    … Expand
  25. Rebtain
    May 20, 2023
    10
    Pocos Zeldas hay tan brillantes como este. Sigue la estela de anteriores títulos a la perfección, e implementa uno de los mejores sistemas de combate y resolución de puzzles basados en movimiento e imput del control.
    El juego peca de ser más largo de lo necesario, en especial en su tramo final, pero tener una gran historia lo compensa satisfactoriamente.
  26. MacieRu
    Apr 22, 2023
    8
    The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword HD is a pretty good remastered of the original Wii game.
    Fun and intuitive dungeons, nice tools and the graphics are clean.
    it gives an amazing mood and the side quests also are fun to play. but there is a big con, the motion controls. for those that plays the game in portability mode the sword controls might be annoying beacuse you have to use the R    The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword HD is a pretty good remastered of the original Wii game.
    Fun and intuitive dungeons, nice tools and the graphics are clean.
    it gives an amazing mood and the side quests also are fun to play.
    but there is a big con, the motion controls.
    for those that plays the game in portability mode the sword controls might be annoying beacuse you have to use the R stick to manage it.
    Despite of this thing i think that this game is worth 40 euros
    it's still a zelda game :D    … Expand
  27. azathoth_91
    Apr 24, 2023
    9
    Quick rewire: Not the best Zelda, but a very quality 11 year old game that still plays great at 2023
  28. MisterWizard
    Jul 20, 2023
    8
    This is a really fun game! Before I say more, I played it without motion control. I loved that you had to use the joystick, it felt so fresh and different from other games. The music and story are also fire. Wish it had a bit more freedom, sometimes, but other than that, this game is pretty underrated, and you should give it a shot if you're into this.
  29. Steyraus
    Jul 21, 2021
    10
    A master peice of a game and now even better at 60 FPs and more control options..
  30. Fatluou
    Jul 18, 2021
    10
    Incredibly fun game the controls are so much better now and is more fluent than the wii version, the game still looks stunning even after 11 years later, I recommend that you should buy it if you haven't
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Awards & Rankings

56
#56 Best Switch Game of 2021
4
#4 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 106 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 89 out of 106
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 106
  3. Negative: 1 out of 106
  1. Gamersky
    Dec 20, 2021
    77
    The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD on NS brought this once masterpiece back to the player's vision. However, its crappy control and a somewhat old-fashioned design make it seem less attractive nowadays.
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  2. RPGamer
    Nov 22, 2021
    70
    Skyward Sword HD should be commended for its attempt to improve on the original. Having a new control scheme and making a good deal of Fi’s advice optional make it a more palatable experience. However, the game still suffers from pacing issues that made the original feel too bloated as well as a disappointing deemphasis on exploration. This remaster could have realistically improved upon a lot, yet it would still fall short compared to the series’ strongest entries. There is still enough for those looking for a more traditional 3D Zelda experience on the Switch provided they keep their expectations in check.
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  3. JeuxActu
    Oct 16, 2021
    65
    Yes the picture is sharper, yes the game is smoother (60fps), yes there have been some improvements to make the adventure more enjoyable, but damn the gameplay has taken a hell of a beating in the back of the head. It was already painful in 2011, it is even more 10 years later, and it is not the tinkering in classic controls that will sublimate the gameplay of this Zelda : Skyward Sword HD.
    Read full review
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