The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

 Wii
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Image
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93

Universal acclaim - based on 81 Critic Reviews What's this?

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8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2628 Ratings

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  • Summary: A Link to the Future - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword shakes up the tried-and-true adventure game formula and marks a turning point for the franchise. The introduction of full motion controls enabled by Wii MotionPlus technology synchronizes player movements with Link's actions whileA Link to the Future - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword shakes up the tried-and-true adventure game formula and marks a turning point for the franchise. The introduction of full motion controls enabled by Wii MotionPlus technology synchronizes player movements with Link's actions while offering the most intuitive play control of any game in the series to date.

    FEATURES:

    * The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword boasts the most realistic sword combat of any game to date, turning every encounter into a challenge of both brains and brawn. Wii MotionPlus technology accurately translates the angle of every sword slice, effectively putting Link's blade in the player's hand. Analyzing enemy attack and defense tendencies and counteracting with precise swings of the sword provide a satisfying experience that blends puzzle-solving with a new and distinctly unique combat system.

    * Explore a massive, multilayered world that seamlessly blends soaring exploration in a sea of clouds with intense ground-based adventuring that blurs the line between the main world and traditional Zelda dungeons. Link soars through the skies on the back of a noble bird and dives beneath the clouds to the continent below in an epic quest that lays the foundation for the events in the critically acclaimed The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

    * Prepare for intense puzzle-solving as only The Legend of Zelda games can deliver. Exploration of the forests, volcanoes and deserts requires players to think on their feet as they solve puzzles, overcome obstacles and escape deadly traps. Once they find their way to each dungeon, they are confronted by even more puzzles guarded by fiendish enemies.

    * The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword redefines the traditional Zelda framework and introduces an arsenal of items, upgrades and rewards unlike any game in the franchise to date. The adventure guides players into, out of and back to dungeons and areas they've already completed. Along the way, Link gathers a massive inventory of peculiar items and resources that can be used to upgrade many of his weapons and equipment.
    * Every copy in the initial production of the game will come packaged with a special music CD featuring orchestral arrangements of select songs that will be performed at The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony Concert.
    * This version of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword comes packaged with a special Gold Wii Remote Plus controller. You can also purchase a copy of the game without a controller.    … Expand
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 78 out of 81
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 81
  3. Negative: 0 out of 81
  1. NintendoWorldReport
    Nov 11, 2011
    100
    Skyward Sword is an epic, the sort of epic you call out of work or school for a few days to complete. A focused playthrough will take you north of 30 hours, and if you try to 100% the game, there is a 50+ hour quest to go through. Throw in the second quest, dubbed Hero Mode, and there is a lot of game to play.
  2. N-Europe
    Nov 18, 2011
    100
    An exhilarating journey in every sense. Skyloft is an area you'll want to explore and Skyward Sword is well worth the wait. Prepare to be amazed.
  3. Armchair Empire
    Feb 6, 2012
    100
    Overall, this is the best experience I've had playing a Zelda game since Ocarina of Time and I'd have to say they are pretty equal in my opinion. Either way, you won't be disappointed getting this game, it's a masterpiece.
  4. Destructoid
    Nov 14, 2011
    95
    My new favorite 3D Zelda title, beating out Majora's Mask and Wind Waker by a substantial margin. It would be hard to go back to any of those games now. All of the gameplay innovations, emotionally involving moments, beautiful little details, and purely blissful experiences in this game have me completely and utterly spoiled.
  5. GameShark
    Dec 20, 2011
    91
    It's excruciating, mostly because Skyward Sword is such a rare, utterly wonderful game. It fully deserves to be thought of as a modern classic and a masterpiece, and it's so good that even controller frustrations couldn't keep me from sinking a completely crazy amount of time into it.
  6. Gamer.no
    Nov 21, 2011
    90
    Link is back in the best shape we've seen him in for years. The puzzles and challenges are brilliant, and the motion controls really shows you how to do something right. This 25 year old kid is still as relevant as ever.
  7. GameCritics
    Jan 9, 2012
    60
    After finishing the game, I can say that The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was not what I expected. I thought it would be a good (but not great) practitioner of the Zelda formula hampered by unnecessary motion controls, much like Twilight Princess was. Instead, I got a game that's cripplingly hamstrung by its controls and even falters when presenting the basic Zelda recipe.

See all 81 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 694 out of 869
  2. Mixed: 97 out of 869
  3. Negative: 78 out of 869
  1. EFYevan
    Nov 20, 2011
    10
    This is the game the Wii was built for! The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is an absolute masterpiece from beginning to end. IGN, a trustedThis is the game the Wii was built for! The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is an absolute masterpiece from beginning to end. IGN, a trusted website, doesn't hand out perfect 10's lightly. A must own. 10/10.… Expand
  2. johanliebert
    Nov 26, 2011
    10
    just amazing... one of the best games i´ve ever playd...... its beautifull and full of feelings the advernture, the characters,just amazing... one of the best games i´ve ever playd...... its beautifull and full of feelings the advernture, the characters, link, zelda, the places, the dugeons... everyting its so amazing... i just love this game.. its a "must have" and... game of the year....… Expand
  4. Fry_Bot
    Jun 8, 2020
    10
    The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is a masterpiece, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have flaws. Take a shot everytime i say "controls",The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is a masterpiece, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have flaws. Take a shot everytime i say "controls", "control" or "controller". The main enemy in this game is not Ghirahim or The Demise, it is the controls. This game probably has the worst controls out of any game i've ever played, they are incredibly inconsistant. I'm perfectly fine with unique controls, but when those unique controls don't work, i have a problem with them. Another flaw but not really a flaw, is this game probably has my least favorite graphics out of any Zelda game since the CD-i Zelda games. The reason i say it's not really a flaw is because the graphics are still great, i just don't like the way the humans look in it. The story is arguably the best out of any Zelda game ever made, it knows how to make you hate, it knows how to make you sad and it knows how to make you smile. That is all i will say about the story, because i don't want to spoil it, despite me having a lot to say about it. The dungeons in this game are great, besides the ones that use the timeshift stones, i'm not a big fan of those, they are fun to use the first few times but they get very repetitive. The dungeons have clever puzzles and great bosses, just like almost every other Zelda game. Each dungeon is incredibly different, but are all at a slightly hard difficulty. They are definetly easier than the dungeons in Link to the Past, but are still tricky... because of the controls. This game would be incredibly easy if i could control it with a regular controller, i understand that they would have to redesign a lot of the bosses and enemies but it would just be so much easier and smoother to play. Despite me saying that, about 6 and a half hours after i started playing, i got used the controls and realised that this games controls were bad to make the game more difficult, you are always doing something. Which i can praise it for, you can make any movement with the controller and it correlates with the game, which even though it is unnecessary, it is impressive. I know i seemed hard on this game because i just ranted about the controls, but i truely loved it. It is definetly not my favorite Zelda game, but without any doubt in my mind it is the best Wii game i have ever played. Everything that wasn't the controls was truely great, this game has it all. This game keeps you thinking throughout the whole game, whether it's the puzzles, bosses or just the controls, you will always be thinking. This game is a strong 10/10, when i first started it i did not like it purely because of the controls but once i got used to them i absolutely loved it. If you started this game but quit because you didn't like the controls, try it again, you will not be dissapointed. Alright now take 15 shots, if you haven't already!… Expand
  5. Xicon
    Nov 24, 2011
    10
    This is the greatest Zelda game ever created.

    It is doubtful that the game will win over new converts, but for series faithfuls, this game    This is the greatest Zelda game ever created.

    It is doubtful that the game will win over new converts, but for series faithfuls, this game represents the apotheosis of the series' style. Everything that makes a Zelda game a Zelda game is in perfect form in this wonderful game.

    The scenery is absolutely gorgeous, with an art style reminiscent of both the whimsical Wind Waker and the darker Twilight Princess - it looks as if ripped straight from an oil painting. The combat is seamless - it feels incredibly fluid and natural. The story has a brilliant mythical quality that gives the entire series a sort of origin myth all its own.

    If you have ever loved a Zelda game, this is a must play.    … Expand
  6. SabesLink
    May 7, 2017
    9
    This 25 Anniversary Game of The Legend of Zelda is Amazing in many ways, first the story of this game is better than other big games of zeldaThis 25 Anniversary Game of The Legend of Zelda is Amazing in many ways, first the story of this game is better than other big games of zelda like ocarina of time, the music is amazing like in any game of zelda, the gameplay is good, it isn´t the better but i enjoyed it, for me this is one of my five favorites games of The Legend of Zelda.… Expand
  7. CaptainClogga
    Dec 23, 2017
    8
    This game is a good Zelda game. Its not the worst, but not the best, either. The dungeons were incredible. Sky Keep, Sandship, and AncientThis game is a good Zelda game. Its not the worst, but not the best, either. The dungeons were incredible. Sky Keep, Sandship, and Ancient Cistern being some of my favourites in the entire series! People complain that the motion controls were bad and laggy, but I enjoyed them and didn't have any major lag or problems with them. The bosses were awesome, with Ancient Cisterns "KOLOKTOS" being my all-time favourite Zelda boss to date. The art style is beautiful, and looks even better when upscaled to HD. I enjoyed Skyloft a lot, and the other islands were great supplements. Some problems is the huge amount of backtracking. this is where a lot of criticism come from, and I get it. Backtracking can be tedious, unless you're playing Metroidvanias, they have a pass. Redoing the Skieview temple was not that great, but if it leads to Ancient Cistern, then I'm all for it. The overworld was also small and linear, which a lot of people did not like because every Zelda game has to be open and can't change anything unless its BoTW.

    Skyward sword is a great game, and Its fairly cheap right now, so buy it, give it a chance, and enjoy!    … Expand
  8. thehairyscreame
    Aug 24, 2021
    0
    This game sucks. In 2011 this game was not good, but now it's really not good. The motion controls are gimmicky and when the game isn'tThis game sucks. In 2011 this game was not good, but now it's really not good. The motion controls are gimmicky and when the game isn't holding your hand it's super cryptic. I hate this game. Critics compared this game to metroidvanias, this is nothing like a metroidvania. this game makes you revist locations over and over agiain because the devs were lazy.… Expand

See all 869 User Reviews

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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best Wii Game of 2011
1
#1 Most Discussed Wii Game of 2011
1
#1 Most Shared Wii Game of 2011