The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

 Wii
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2628 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,980 out of 2628
  2. Mixed: 360 out of 2628
  3. Negative: 288 out of 2628
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  1. Kirby-Force
    Dec 26, 2011
    9
    The Game's An Overall Masterpiece, Though Sometimes It Can Feel A Little Too Easy, And It's Real Annoying When The Controls Go Off Center. Other Than That,This Should Belong In Anyone's Collection!
  2. Tav2244
    Dec 25, 2011
    10
    Skyward Sword is simply one of the greatest games I have ever played, perfect from start to finish. The controls are perfect and the music is spell-binding! Although there may be a few niggles, they aren't major. Well worth a purchase. 10/10
  3. Zero2k
    Dec 25, 2011
    10
    I must say, I don't think I have ever played a game this complete and this in sync with a game system. Skyward Sword delivered the greatest Zelda experience to date. The story is great and the game play is remarkable. This is the game the Nintendo Wii was designed for. This is an experience that will live forever in a gamer's heart.
  4. EastonReviews
    Dec 24, 2011
    5
    -sigh- IGN, you prefered a female peter pan running around punching at stuff over Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim? This game or this series is too repetitive, overrated, and has poor graphics. The controls are your typical Wii game, so pretty lame. The game itself is very fun, but it's been evened out with how typical these games are, it's not quite on the 50 dollar price tag. That's when-sigh- IGN, you prefered a female peter pan running around punching at stuff over Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim? This game or this series is too repetitive, overrated, and has poor graphics. The controls are your typical Wii game, so pretty lame. The game itself is very fun, but it's been evened out with how typical these games are, it's not quite on the 50 dollar price tag. That's when IGNorance comes by and gives this game a 10.… Expand
  5. josh_climax
    Dec 24, 2011
    10
    Best Zelda game so far! I wish there were more areas to explore, like in Wind Waker, but as far as the story goes, it's super. I love the hints that direct towards Ocarina of Time. I hope they're all related.
  6. LemonlyFresh
    Dec 23, 2011
    10
    If you're a fan of the Zelda series, check this out for the wii motion plus control system, adds an entire new element to the combat system. If you're not a fan of the Zelda series, what rock have you been hiding under, buy a wii, buy this game, save Zelda, be a hero. I've read a couple of bad reviews saying motion lag, and that the controls don't work properly (e.g. you can't controlIf you're a fan of the Zelda series, check this out for the wii motion plus control system, adds an entire new element to the combat system. If you're not a fan of the Zelda series, what rock have you been hiding under, buy a wii, buy this game, save Zelda, be a hero. I've read a couple of bad reviews saying motion lag, and that the controls don't work properly (e.g. you can't control which direction you swing the sword from), personally I have no idea what they're talking about, I can only assume they have the wii sensor bar buried underneath a mountain of junk, or that they don't know their left from their right, if you can't control THIS game, it's not the game, you as a gamer just have very bad coordination reminiscent of 12 year olds that tantrum when people won't let them win whilst playing HALO online....
    Overall, this is a fantastic game, typical of Nintendo, graphics are polished, although my one criticism is that of the console, this game would've looked fantastic in 1080p, but oh well. Musical score is fantastic. Controls are brilliant. The puzzles have been well thought out and really challenge you even if you're used to Zelda style puzzles. The major thing that blew me away however, was the story, I found myself wanting to save Zelda, wanting to help people, wanting to find out the dark past of the land. Buy it, you will not be disappointed.    … Expand
  7. Xavier09
    Dec 23, 2011
    9
    An incredible addition to the Zelda series!

    This game really shakes up the old-school layout of the series; for some, this is a bad thing, but I loved it. Essentially, the 'overworld' areas have been done away with; this means that any new area you're going to explore is one riddled with puzzles and monsters. After you've gotten familiar with the layout of the area and you've scoured its    An incredible addition to the Zelda series!

    This game really shakes up the old-school layout of the series; for some, this is a bad thing, but I loved it. Essentially, the 'overworld' areas have been done away with; this means that any new area you're going to explore is one riddled with puzzles and monsters. After you've gotten familiar with the layout of the area and you've scoured its nooks and crannies for keys, it seems to open up, allowing you to traverse easily through without having to run through the same puzzles again and again. This change to Zelda not only stretches out the adventure (I beat it in 35 hours at a quick pace), but it makes it more enjoyable as well.

    Another improvement is the number of sidequests. Certainly there are more than Twilight Princess, but there aren't nearly enough as I would have liked; in total, there are about 15 or so. These sidequests are often fetch quests, but they're hardly annoying; and after all, everyone knows they're just filler, to establish something to do between dungeons. I enjoyed it, but there could have been more.

    One sidequest done very well was the scrap shop in the Bazaar; it wasn't quite a sidequest, but it was definitely optional. Essentially, you collect monster spoils from your adventures, give it to the mechanic, and he'll upgrade your equipment with the raw materials for some cash. You can upgrade nearly all your tools and weapons, increasing durability, power, range, capacity, etc. Overall, a really fantastic aspect to this game.

    There's also a wide variety of bugs (for catching) in addition to spoils, and they can be used to enhance potions and increase their potency; it's a nice addition, but it's not quite as impressively relevant as upgrading weapons. Bugs can also be sold to some creep in the Knight Academy, but again, they're not as great as spoils.

    Next, graphics; some may call them childish, but I adored them. The detail is amazing, particularly when soil sifts in with grass, like on the edge of a dirt path. Also, the interior of houses is beautiful, with plenty of geometry spread over the desks. I did not, however, like the faces particularly; in some scenes, the shadings all weird, and Link just looks strange. Sometimes text is blurry, especially when its bolded in red. Overall, Nintendo did the best they could do with the Wii's graphical power, and it really is beautiful.

    The plot in this game is good, too, but it's nothing special; Fi is on par with Navi and previous helpers, but neither compare to Midna from Twilight Princess. There are some very touching moments between Link and Zelda, but even so, the plot passes but doesn't seem to stand out anywhere.

    Finally, controls; these take a bit of getting used to, but after the first area you'll have broken them in and you'll really be getting into the Wii Motion Plus. It works very well, contrary to what others might say, and I love the way its implemented into the gameplay. For those who didn't know, the basic combat mechanics in 3D Zeldas (Z-targeting) are still intact, and they work great. I don't miss button-based swordplay. Nintendo said in a recent interview that they would be using motion controls in the next Zelda, so longtime Zelda fans might want to get used to them, because they might not be going away.

    Overall, Zelda: Skyward Sword is an epic, beautiful game with fantastic (10 / 10) gameplay. It doesn't quite excel plot-wise (8 / 10), but it definitely gets by. Graphics are beautiful (9 / 10), but nothing HD couldn't help. Controls, tied in very much so with gameplay, are the best yet (10 / 10). Sidequests are very nice, particularly upgrading equipment, but could be better (8 / 10). In conclusion, I'm going to have to say this is an epic game and deserves plenty of attention; 9 / 10.    … Expand
  8. Seich
    Dec 22, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is awesome. The story is well narrated actually closing in gaps left by other Zelda games before. This is the beginning of everything and as such it is a brilliantly narrated and very well polished. After I finished the game I felt as if I had grown stronger as Link did and got really into the whole story. I loved the game and would definitely classify it as one of the best Zelda games made so far. It's truly a master piece and Nintendo truly outdid themselves.… Expand
  9. Jolu42
    Dec 22, 2011
    10
    Best Zelda game and best Wii game I've ever played. I beat the game with 100% completion and I was clocked in at 65 hours of gameplay. Huge game for the Wii. Nintendo did an amazing job with this one and it's worth buying a Wii just for this game! If you are even kind of a Zelda fan, BUY IT!
  10. jayman444
    Dec 22, 2011
    10
    One of the best games I've ever played, outstanding story, gameplay, presentation, controls, puzzles, music, everything!!!!!!!!!!!
    The game is also very long, my playthrough took about 45 hours while completing about half the side quests.
    If you don't have a Wii, go out and get one just for this game. And if you do have one, why aren't you playing this game now?!?!
  11. Gilberto
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    The Legend of Zelda Skywar Sword is incredible! This is the type of videogames that I like and find specially magical. From my perspective, this new generation of consoles (the ps3 and xbox) have gone far into destroying what I remember most proudly of what videogames were about, and what I remember about them, comes back from the days of the N64. It was all about, creativeness, crazy andThe Legend of Zelda Skywar Sword is incredible! This is the type of videogames that I like and find specially magical. From my perspective, this new generation of consoles (the ps3 and xbox) have gone far into destroying what I remember most proudly of what videogames were about, and what I remember about them, comes back from the days of the N64. It was all about, creativeness, crazy and memorable characters, also crazy and memorable places, and just simply pure unadult fun! Admittably this generation has its share of good and popular games, but they lack the escence of it all, atleast that is what I feel. Nintendo is the only company keeping up with this magic and Skyward Sword shows this every second while at the same time being intutive, new and fresh. In terms of gameplay, theirs simply no game like it, the Wiis motion plus adds so much to the game in terms of combat and gameplay mechanics. They are not perfect per say, but work pretty well and definately makes it more fun than its predessesors. Its level design is pure Nintendo brilliance. Its story is surprisingly emotional and memorable, at the end, it really maked me feel much more than many other games and this one doesnt even have voice acting, its just pure text. Its grahics are beautiful and artistic. In a generation were developers focus on being more realistic with each game, Skyward Sword is a gift from heaven and definately a game I am sure I am going to remember more in terms of its looks than those others gray and black games. Its music is also spectacular with some tunes being orchestrated; Zelda has always had great music and this one is no different. So in terms of basics, this game is outstanding, no matter from what angle, but the different details it offers makes it a true masterpiece. Its easily 30-35 hour adventure and considerably more with its hidden content, making it once again stand out from the rest of the pack in a time were games last 5-10 hours(call of duty), admittably a portion of the game felt like padding ( the third trip to the forest and volcano surfaces) but as an experience it holded incredibly strong during the entire game. This game its full of great moments, and it accomplishes so much more than most other games. I really liked this game alot! Is this the best Zelda? That is debatetable, as it also changes alot of of things that we are accostumed in the series and that may be welcomed differently by each person, but wether it is the best or not (i have not concluded, as each one is so outstanding in its own way) I from the bottom of my heart can conclude that this is a masterpiece of a game, and is so much more than alot of games that come everyday. My game of the year!… Expand
  12. vermithrax
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    This game is amazing. Probably the best Zelda game in the series so far, and that's saying a lot. The new crafting system is simple yet fun. The controls add to the experience but the game would be amazing without them as well. The game truly has an epic feeling and it seems every location you go there are secret spots worth checking out. One minor gripe is that it takes a little long toThis game is amazing. Probably the best Zelda game in the series so far, and that's saying a lot. The new crafting system is simple yet fun. The controls add to the experience but the game would be amazing without them as well. The game truly has an epic feeling and it seems every location you go there are secret spots worth checking out. One minor gripe is that it takes a little long to get going out of the gate, but once it does it is completely addicting.… Expand
  13. BrianC
    Dec 20, 2011
    8
    A great Zelda game, worthy of the time it takes to complete. Not as good as Ocarina of Time, but up there. That being said, there are a number of shortcomings. (1) It's too childish throughout. The cartoonish pastel color art direction, the dialogue, the Fun Fun clown/mime abomination, and worst of all: the Tentalus boss that looks like a Whoopi Goldberg Cabbage Patch Doll. (2) It's tooA great Zelda game, worthy of the time it takes to complete. Not as good as Ocarina of Time, but up there. That being said, there are a number of shortcomings. (1) It's too childish throughout. The cartoonish pastel color art direction, the dialogue, the Fun Fun clown/mime abomination, and worst of all: the Tentalus boss that looks like a Whoopi Goldberg Cabbage Patch Doll. (2) It's too linear. There is a much more limited array of exploration here than in past games. It is simply not difficult or challenging to find most items. (3) The fetch quests are painful and pointless at times. (4) Gratitude crystals. Worst Zelda idea ever. (5) Hero mode offers little replay value. Hardly anything is different.… Expand
  14. Avadon
    Dec 20, 2011
    4
    Very underwhelming. The only really good thing about the game is the story. I don't mean that it's particularly well written or anything, it's as childish as ever, but somehow it convinced me and drew me in to the fairytale, so no complaints there. Other than that... The graphics are colorful but horrendous, seriously they look like late PS1/early PS2 graphics. No idea why they screwedVery underwhelming. The only really good thing about the game is the story. I don't mean that it's particularly well written or anything, it's as childish as ever, but somehow it convinced me and drew me in to the fairytale, so no complaints there. Other than that... The graphics are colorful but horrendous, seriously they look like late PS1/early PS2 graphics. No idea why they screwed that up, Twilight Princess looked amazing compared to this. The dungeons are entertaining but the game overuses some of the designs and they get repetitive. The motion controls are miserable and the game is extremely focused on them, instead of using them for optional "flair" like TP. All those people who wrote about perfect controls obviously have a different controller from the future, because both of my remote+nunchuk+plus sets behaved the same way, the game urges you to be precise, which is impossible because the cursor sometimes goes all over the place or disappears, the sword works in mysterious ways and does whatever it wants and everything else like bird flying or using the parachute etc is downright depressing in its randomness. Also, the game's too easy and never forces you to use the combat in-depth, but I guess considering the state of the controls that's a good thing. I remember Miyamoto trying to demonstrate the game at some E3 a couple years ago and he failed hardcore because the controls didn't work and he (jokingly?) asked people in the audience to turn off their cellphones because they cause interference, and we were all like "aww, it's just an early version of the game, they'll fix that". Well, they didn't do a really good job. Overall, ok game, it has its moments, but for a major Nintendo franchise that celebrates its 25th year, it's inexcusable for it to have so many problems.… Expand
  15. MetalMario2000
    Dec 19, 2011
    10
    This game is truly a masterpiece, it goes even farther, by saying that this is the definition of epic. The motion controls are truly excellent. The visuals are beautiful and truly exploit the Wii limited hardware. The orchestrated music is a very good one. The story is fantastic. With being said i can say this game is truly must-have for everyone
  16. Aloei
    Dec 18, 2011
    10
    The long 5 year wait has finally come to an end and we finally have our hands on The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. I begin this review by stating that even if it took twenty years longer it would still be worth the wait. Sometimes it feels the wii was built so we could play this game, this game alone proves that motion controls are the way of the future, that nintendo was right. The 1 toThe long 5 year wait has finally come to an end and we finally have our hands on The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. I begin this review by stating that even if it took twenty years longer it would still be worth the wait. Sometimes it feels the wii was built so we could play this game, this game alone proves that motion controls are the way of the future, that nintendo was right. The 1 to 1 combat is just flawless, the enemies are challenging and require some thinking to defeat. And speaking of thinking the dungeons have the best puzzles the whole series has to offer, heck the entire game is the best the whole series has to offer. The story is fantastic, with unimaginable twists. By far the best wii game, the best zelda game, the best game ever to date.… Expand
  17. Duke_Challenger
    Dec 18, 2011
    6
    Zelda: Skyward Sword is the first game I've really played in long time since I've been a fan of the series since I was a kid. However, it does not really live up to the innovations of previous Zelda games. Rather there are some new aspects here and there, but it really just copies off of the formula of past Zelda game, along with using all the same ingredients that were once innovationsZelda: Skyward Sword is the first game I've really played in long time since I've been a fan of the series since I was a kid. However, it does not really live up to the innovations of previous Zelda games. Rather there are some new aspects here and there, but it really just copies off of the formula of past Zelda game, along with using all the same ingredients that were once innovations of the previous Zelda games.

    Flaws of Zelda: Skyward Sword
    â    … Expand
  18. renaldowhat2
    Dec 16, 2011
    10
    This game rocks. Zelda never disappoints me. I had a great time figuring out puzzles and leveling up my items to help me. Never a dull moment here. Blah Blah Blah Blah. Awesome. Ble bleed blee.
  19. alxexi
    Dec 15, 2011
    10
    sin duda un zelda q desta entre los demas es mucho mas emotivo y expresivo en lo que es la personalidad de los personajes , una gran historia y un control mas que satisfactorio y q le agrega muchas funcionalidades al juego ademas de hacerlo mas entretenido
  20. IamHereNow
    Dec 14, 2011
    10
    I just beat the game an hour ago, so you can rest assured that this reviewer actually spent the time to play through the entire game before writing a review. *SPOILER ALERT* I have played through and completed almost every zelda and after this game it finally hit me just how repetitive this franchise has become. Don't get me wrong, i loved the controls, the selection of items was amazingI just beat the game an hour ago, so you can rest assured that this reviewer actually spent the time to play through the entire game before writing a review. *SPOILER ALERT* I have played through and completed almost every zelda and after this game it finally hit me just how repetitive this franchise has become. Don't get me wrong, i loved the controls, the selection of items was amazing and the difficulty is up there with some of the harder zeldas. You really gain a personal connection with zelda in the beginning and honestly I had a hard time putting the controller down because I wanted to save zelda. Unfortunetely after the 4th dungeon the story really dies down until you finish the 6th. and by the time i got to the 3rd dungeon dowsing had become somewhat of a chore, thankfully they changed that with the silent realms which were in fact quite fun and, especially the last two, a challenge. Stamina played a major role that really added to the combat as well as some of the frustrations, upgrading items was awesome until you ran out of things to upgrade. And this game definitely had some of the biggest twists in the story compared to other zelda iterations. But again most if not all of this just felt repetitive, There were great ideas here but they were never fully realized, how i wish zelda was just one massive open world, and that you had to make choices in the way you upgraded your items, and come on nintendo kill off your characters, your zelda fans have grown up, we want a grown up story, I dont mean blood, nudity, and language, i mean let me feel for a loss of one of the iconic characters, let link feel rage as his closest friend dies. Why are the dungeons so linear, design the dungeons to be completed in any order you choose, and make the way you solve the puzzles completely dependent on what dungeons you completed prior. This game had so much potential but fell short, fortunately when compared to other games that have come out this year, uncharted 3, skyrim, batman, portal 2 etc. it easily ranks up there with them if not surpasses them, I loved zelda far more than almost every other game this year, and as much as skyrim. But it does have its faults, if you are new to the zelda franchise you will love this, if you are a veteran you will probably be wishing there was more just like I am, and if your someone who hates motion controls, all I can say is give this one a chance, you wont regret it. As for the score, this game honestly deserves a 9 because of the combat. Sound and story were good, graphics were great for the wii, but because 121 people are obviously giving this game a poor rating without even playing this game, i'm gonna stoop down to their level and give this a 10 to try and get the user score up closer to where it should be.… Expand
  21. praimo
    Dec 14, 2011
    10
    I don't know what some people expect Zelda to "innovate", voices?? some of the best movies of al time don't have any spoken line on them. Character creation, mature looks??? That's not innovation and there are already excellent games that incorporate those elements. Zelda has always been about the dungeons, puzzles and that unmistakable sense of adventure that is present until the lastI don't know what some people expect Zelda to "innovate", voices?? some of the best movies of al time don't have any spoken line on them. Character creation, mature looks??? That's not innovation and there are already excellent games that incorporate those elements. Zelda has always been about the dungeons, puzzles and that unmistakable sense of adventure that is present until the last minute of this game.
    One can only give praise to this fantastic game. Among the very best of this generation and I'd recommend it to anyone who appreciates videogames for much more than online multiplayer, blood, weapons, sex and HD graphics.    … Expand
  22. ludd_gang
    Dec 13, 2011
    10
    My favorite Zelda since Link to the Past. Possibly even better because it is challenging but not frustrating. Motion Plus adds to the gameplay, and rewards thoughtful swordplay over random bashing; For instance, to kill a 3-headed snake you have to hit all the heads at once, requiring timing and angle.
  23. f_type
    Dec 13, 2011
    10
    I had my doubts about this game, seeing as how disappointing the last few Zeldas were (especially Spirit Tracks). But this game... wow... simply amazing. The visuals look great but the Wii's hardware limitations are all too apparent here. This game would have looked so much nicer on an actual HD console. The music is aural bliss and probably some of the best in the series. The story isI had my doubts about this game, seeing as how disappointing the last few Zeldas were (especially Spirit Tracks). But this game... wow... simply amazing. The visuals look great but the Wii's hardware limitations are all too apparent here. This game would have looked so much nicer on an actual HD console. The music is aural bliss and probably some of the best in the series. The story is very good and the dungeons/puzzles are some of the best in the series. Motion+ controls work well for combat and really add a new layer to battles, but for everything else, Motion+ is only put to novel use and bares a number of nuisances (constantly needing to re-center, inability to differentiate movement speeds, inaccurate movement detection). Also, the game treats the player as inept. The first few hours of hand-holding become unbearable and the constantly repeating and unskippable text will test you nerves. There are a number of problems with this game, which do add up to a significant amount, but even with that said I truly enjoyed the game and am rejuvenated on the series. Not only is this one of the best Zeldas ever, but it's also one of the best games of this generation.… Expand
  24. FightForTheLost
    Dec 13, 2011
    1
    Horrible controls, linearity, fetch quests galore, underwhelming sountrack, characters so utterly over the top ridiculously kiddy they make Wind Waker look like Gears Of War in comparison Skyward Sword proves yet again beyond a shadow of a doubt that not only is Eiji Aonouma a hack no talent director/producer but that the man can continually time and time again top his own efforts atHorrible controls, linearity, fetch quests galore, underwhelming sountrack, characters so utterly over the top ridiculously kiddy they make Wind Waker look like Gears Of War in comparison Skyward Sword proves yet again beyond a shadow of a doubt that not only is Eiji Aonouma a hack no talent director/producer but that the man can continually time and time again top his own efforts at horrible game design in a manner eerily similar to how his creative superior Shigeru Miyamoto seemingly can top himself at creating better and better games. Ever since the utter disaster and trainwreck as well insults to the Zelda series that were and are Majora's Mask and Wind Waker the Zelda series has been sliding downhill into mediocrity and impending irrelevancy. The solution of course is to either outright fire Eiji Aonouma or remove him from the Zelda team and get Miyamoto directing the series he and Takashi Tezuka invented again but will Nintendo do that? Will they do the right thing?? WIth their track record of idiotic decisions the answer to that question is unlikely. They give us a romance between Link and Zelda FINALLY and they STILL DON'T KISS! What the hell is wrong with Nintendo? 25 years of blue balling Link and the fanbase is utterly unacceptable. The Mass Effect series and Elder Scrolls have undoubtably surpassed what Zelda as a game franchise has become under Aonouma's stewardship and that never needed to happen but through Nintendo's negligence and arrogance it HAS happened. Skyward Sword offers us an ultra kiddy dumbed down Bizarre with idiotic parental figures one that gobbles like a turkey in an attempt to calm down the baby on his back which I'm sure only serves to upset the baby further and the mother idiotically calls out "hey yo!" so much to no one in particular you'd think she was a Scott Hall fan of late 90's professional wrestling fame. Add to that a cast of characters that belong on either the Disney Channel (Groose) or the Logo Network (Ghirahim, Pumpkin Soup bartender, Bizarre Fortune Teller, and Fun Island man) you've got a whole collection of characters that are simply inappropriate for the Legend Of Zelda's overall theme as a series which is that this game series is supposed to be and always was (before Eiji Aonouma got his dirty hands on it) a midieval sword and sorcery adventure which common sense dictates should feature mostly serious characters both that you can take seriously as your opponents as well your allies. The site of the eye shadow wearing, dangly diamond clad homosexual Ghirahim does not fill one with terror but a combination of disgust and laughter two feelings no one should be getting from a Legend Of Zelda series boss. Demise the final boss and predecessor of the Ganon character is more what the series is supposed to be all about but unfortunately we have to suffer through his homosexual non threatening buddy who belongs on the Logo Network Ghirahim through the majority of the game and not just once but three times we have to face that decidedly unmanly tribute to cultural marxism and the moral corruption of American society. Ultimately I give this game a 1 to both signify its quality from my perspective as well grudgingly say that hardcore Zelda fans should at least play through this one once before putting it on their shelves with the rest of the Nintendo shovelware to collect dust and never be played again to disgrace and insult our collective intelligence with. From the tedious and far too numerous Silent Realm fetch quests to the tad notes fetch quest Eiji Aonouma and the new director Hidemaro Fujibayashi have truly created something that competes NOT with Ocarina Of Time but rather with Superman 64, Majora's Mask and Wind Waker for the worst game of all time and with the latter two games for the worst so called "Zelda" game in the series history. Message to Nintendo in closing: If you have any sense left in you as a company remove Eiji Aonouma from the Zelda series development immediately and get Shigeru Miyamoto back in the director's chair or Takashi Tezuka either of the series original creators and get the best writer the series has ever had Yoshiaki Koizumi to write the story. If you want to make this series worth a damn again and sell more than Ocarina Of Time or equivalent to that title do as I say. You companies only care about money anyway and that NOT Disney-ing the series up is what will bring you the masses of money that you desire. Wind Waker was a flop and Skyward Sword is turning into a sales flop as well despite being the supposed fastest selling Zelda so understand that the overall Zelda fanbase has spoken. No more cartoons or Aonouma garbage we want a real and worthy Zelda game to follow in the direction Ocarina Of Time and Link To The Past had the series heading in so long ago and only Miyamoto and Tezuka know how to bring it back in that direction, back on course.… Expand
  25. rideatlga
    Dec 12, 2011
    9
    This was a great game that I had fun playing through. The motion controls are great to a point, but I found sometimes i would be doing the "right" thing to proceed on a puzzle but not be emphasizing the right movement with the motion controls. I would end up checking online and be like I have been doing that all along. I can overlook those 10 minutes of frustration here and there.This was a great game that I had fun playing through. The motion controls are great to a point, but I found sometimes i would be doing the "right" thing to proceed on a puzzle but not be emphasizing the right movement with the motion controls. I would end up checking online and be like I have been doing that all along. I can overlook those 10 minutes of frustration here and there. Another major flaw in the game is whenever you pick up an item for the first time each session it will go to a big cut scene and be like "oh hoorah you already have 10 of these but you got one for the first time again." The open sky area isn't as cool as Hyrule Field as you can do less exploring, at least put some mini dungeons on those islands or something. Aside from these gripes the dungeons were amazing, boss fights great, and a great story line. The issues i mentioned were the only thing keeping this from a 10. For a title like Zelda it is unacceptable to have these issues.… Expand
  26. manayter
    Dec 12, 2011
    10
    The Wii has had some very good games in its lifespan- Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel, Metroid Prime Trilogy, Goldeneye 007- heck, even The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. But none surpass Skyward Sword, the game which truly capitalises upon the hardware, using motion controls to play a work of art.

    PRESENTATION: Skyward Sword looks and sounds a treat- the impressionistic art style    The Wii has had some very good games in its lifespan- Super Mario Galaxy and its sequel, Metroid Prime Trilogy, Goldeneye 007- heck, even The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. But none surpass Skyward Sword, the game which truly capitalises upon the hardware, using motion controls to play a work of art.

    PRESENTATION: Skyward Sword looks and sounds a treat- the impressionistic art style lends itself to the wacky, off-beat characters present here-in and the blur effect- while in use because of the Wii's lack of grunt- creates a beautiful painting in the background. The graphics also aid in the gameplay, accentuating what the player has to do with their new found mastery of the blade. The game also sounds delightful, the orchestrated soundtrack delivering many memorable tunes. The story is the best that the Zelda saga has to offer- deep characters with moving tales told through well-designed cinematic cutscenes. While the lack of voice-acting is a pain, I can understand why it was done- these characters probably wouldn't be quite so fun to talk to if they were being acted out. GAMEPLAY:
    Skyward Sword revolutionises the Zelda formula. It takes what was once only in the dungeons of its world and spreads them out across Hyrule, leaving you with a constant challenge, wherever you go. Skyloft is something of a hub from which you travel to the lands below. There you complete very original challenges and battle foes in an all-new way. In addition, the dungeons themselves are better designed- instead of having dozens of smaller rooms, the puzzles are built across huge halls! Now, the combat. Using super-accurate Motion Plus controls, battles themselves are puzzles which you have to defeat by swinging well. The first boss just goes to show how accurate they are, destroying you if you flail randomly! With 40 or so hours in the main plot, another 10-15 in bonus content like side-quests and then a harder version of the main plot, you are getting a lot of bang for your buck- 80-100 hours? This game is a must-own: the puzzles are brilliant, the monsters amazing, the graphics stunning and the soundtrack awe-inspiring. This has cast off the shadow of Ocarina Of Time is a game that all should play. 10/10    … Expand
  27. 88dizi88
    Dec 11, 2011
    9
    Controls:
    Great Motion controls. Swinging the sword and using items like the whip or flying beetle is very fun. The Wiimote seems to use the sensor bar to auto calibrate itself and thus it will get confused if there's another source of infrared light in the room such as sun from the window. For best results, play during night time. The sword stabbing can be a bit unresponsive at times    Controls:
    Great Motion controls. Swinging the sword and using items like the whip or flying beetle is very fun. The Wiimote seems to use the sensor bar to auto calibrate itself and thus it will get confused if there's another source of infrared light in the room such as sun from the window. For best results, play during night time. The sword stabbing can be a bit unresponsive at times but everything else is works pretty good.

    Game Design:
    Wonderful, inventive and brilliant dungeon design, especially the very last dungeon. The entire world under the clouds is pretty much one big dungeon. The outdoor environments are complex enough to be interesting but not too complex to be confusing. Every confrontation is engaging thanks to the added motion controls, especially the boss fights. The last boss fights are extremely long and satisfying. The game constantly provides new activities to challenge you with so it never gets too repetitive. There are times however, where you know exactly where to go (and have the ability to do so) but the game forces to follow an exact order of events before your objective can be complete. For instance, at one point you have retrieve a specific lost item in land. Even though you can stand right next to the lost item you cannot interact with it until you first speak with owner. There's also a specific underwater fetch quest near the end of the game that is very uninteresting and seems forced. The overworld above the clouds is fun to navigate but very sparse in content. These are, however, just 3 minor complaints going against the game's overall excellent, engaging and plentiful puzzles and combat scenarios.

    Story:
    A decent story that is more complex and richer than previous Zelda titles. Nice to see the supporting cast members have a more significant role.

    Graphics:
    Artistically, this is very pretty. This time the game seems to have Asia influence in its art design which is a nice change to it usually Medial European look.


    Overall:
    Excellent motion controls. Excellent level designs. Great variety of gamplay. A few hiccups with the Wiimotion plus technology and minor game design flaws keep it from a getting higher. But as it stands this is hands down, the best game in the Legend of Zelda series.    … Expand
  28. Dstins
    Dec 10, 2011
    10
    Let's just say, this game is an absolute masterpiece. This is quite possibly the best game I have ever played. Nintendo perfectly blended beautiful music, a great art style, a surprisingly deep story, and perfect controls into this. The 5 years of work paid off amazingly.
  29. Starchild
    Dec 10, 2011
    10
    Just wanted to throw another 10 this game's way (because 7.7 as an average user score is ridiculous) and add: GAME OF THE YEAR. Sorry "Uncharted 3."
  30. ASDFlayne
    Dec 9, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Let me just say this: Skyward Sword was one of the best gaming experiences yet for me. The masterful use of the blended Wind Waker/Twilight Princess art style is truly amazing. The story is the best yet, and it leaves you aching the whole way through (In a good way!) The Wii Motion Plus makes your sword move 1:1 and makes fighting enemies for the first time like a puzzle. This game sets up events for the next games, and, spoiler, the creation of the legendary Master Sword. This is the first game in which Link gains the entire Triforce, and it explains why our green-clad hero is always up against a big baddie. If you are a fan of the series, definitely pick it up.… Expand
  31. NaotaNandaba
    Dec 9, 2011
    10
    I think negative/mixed reviews are out of mind. I can comprehend the issues of this game, but it remains the best demonstration of the Wii spectacular controller and the best game in this generation (maybe Skyrim can compete with this, but only Skyrim). The best Zelda ever.
  32. Auxesis
    Dec 9, 2011
    9
    Zelda introduces next gen gameplay paradigms, resulting in a fun, unique game with a great story. Even the much-maligned motion controls work well. Yet the game is still uniquely Zelda. Kudos to Nintendo.
  33. Thalianis
    Dec 9, 2011
    9
    This is a great game. I have been a Zelda fan since the original came out for the NES. I am about 30 hours into the game and have thoroughly enjoyed every minute (yes even the introduction). The motion controls are glitchy (as others have mentioned); however, they are pretty good for being new technology. When they do get off-centered, they are easily re-calibrated. The thing that IThis is a great game. I have been a Zelda fan since the original came out for the NES. I am about 30 hours into the game and have thoroughly enjoyed every minute (yes even the introduction). The motion controls are glitchy (as others have mentioned); however, they are pretty good for being new technology. When they do get off-centered, they are easily re-calibrated. The thing that I enjoy most about the game is how much more difficult enemy encounters are. In any other Zelda game I usually can hack and slash my way through any non boss enemy. In this game, nearly every enemy requires strategy and thought. I have been hearing a lot of criticism about the graphics. I feel like Zelda fans generally appreciate the typical cartoony graphics and Nintendo is appealing to its typical client base. Also, when have realistic graphics every made a game good. There are tons of games out there that have amazing graphics but lack substance and aren't fun. If you are a real Zelda fan, this game probably will not be disappointing.… Expand
  34. Acidblood83
    Dec 9, 2011
    9
    Is is wrong to mark a game down for only being 98% pure awesome? Skyward Sword takes a little while to get going and once it does it's not exactly at a breakneck pace. With about 40-50 hours for a first play through (and hero mode if you feel like a second) it's not a game your going to knock over in a weekend, but it is definitely a fun experience throughout and a wonderful change of paceIs is wrong to mark a game down for only being 98% pure awesome? Skyward Sword takes a little while to get going and once it does it's not exactly at a breakneck pace. With about 40-50 hours for a first play through (and hero mode if you feel like a second) it's not a game your going to knock over in a weekend, but it is definitely a fun experience throughout and a wonderful change of pace from Shooter Season 2011 :/. The controls are generally quite good, with the 1:1 swordplay working well and being used smartly and creatively throughout the game. That said there is still some waggle action to had here, so your motions don't have to be prefect all the time, but most enemies will punish you if slice the wrong way too often and there are some basic physics in play that cause enemies / objects to get knocked / thrown in the direction of your attack. The art style / graphics are a bit of a matter of taste; personally I would have preferred something little darker; but they are generally very good (just look away whenever someone 'sings') with areas like those around timeshift stones (especially the portable variety) and the final boss fight being particular highlights. Speaking of timeshift stones there are some great new mechanics is Skyward Sword, some a little under developed, but most proving quite enjoyable. There is also the new upgrade system, which works well in the early game, but by about mid game you'll have all the resources you need to max out pretty much all your gear... this does give you plenty of time at 'full power' I suppose, but it would have been nice to see a few more items / upgrade options. Gameplay overall is what you would expect from a Zelda game, with enemies to fight, temples to explore, puzzles to solve (though none especially difficult) and treasures to find. Of particular note are the boss fights, all of which range from excellent to awesome, and most of which can be repeated (if you want) through a mini game towards the end. The world is well designed and some of the temples are truly excellent, however it can't help but feel small with Skyloft being mostly empty sky and only three distinct environments down below. The main areas down below are visited numerous times (though usually with changes, some quite significant) throughout the story, however there are still new areas that unlock right until the end of the game so the world never gets entirely stale. The story is your usual 'hero saves the princess from the evil monster' variety, but it is well told, and there are side missions you can do around Skyloft that help flesh-out a lot of the minor characters. While not being quite perfect, Skyward Sword is definitely a worthy entry in the Zelda series and worth playing if only to experience some of the greatest moments in gaming this year. A must play for anyone who still has a Wii.… Expand
  35. GTMippey
    Dec 9, 2011
    8
    I wanted to give this game a perfect 10, I really did. Skyward Sword is a great game. But I couldn't help but feel something was missing afterwards. I went in with extremely high expectations, and it did meet a lot of them. The controls are fantastic. They make you feel like you're weilding the sword itself. The graphics aren't HD, but that's not what it was trying to do. The art style isI wanted to give this game a perfect 10, I really did. Skyward Sword is a great game. But I couldn't help but feel something was missing afterwards. I went in with extremely high expectations, and it did meet a lot of them. The controls are fantastic. They make you feel like you're weilding the sword itself. The graphics aren't HD, but that's not what it was trying to do. The art style is a perfect balance between Wind Waker and Twilight Princess, and it captures the spirit of Zelda perfectly. The gameplay was typical Zelda (which itself is a good thing) with a few changes, like the hub world, and one that I hope sticks with the series, upgradeable items and breakable shields. It made your rupees and collectibles worth something, and throughout the whole game I was compelled to find different items to make my items better.
    I think my gripe, however, is with the actual pacing of the story, mainly the 2nd half, as it actually starts to drag down the gameplay with fetch quests. There is a lot of "go here, talk to this person, go there, collect this, go back here, wait I need one more thing, go there again." Maybe that's a little bit of an exadgerration, but by the tail end of the game I really wanted to move along with the story, because it gets interesting. I got the feeling the developers wanted to add a little more play time in, but I personally would have preferred less play time in the story mode than to start getting bored by it. And by the time you get all these quests out of the way and make your way to the final leg of the game, it's over in a flash. Be warned; the epic finale of Ocarina of Time, this is not. I definately missed that feeling during the games last moments. The ending felt rushed, and left me wanting more, but not in a good way. Overall, Skyward Sword is definately earning the praise it's been getting, but there's still something missing. Next time, hopefully Nintendo will keep introducing us to awesome new gameplay elements right up until the very end of the game instead of sacrificing quality for quantity.    … Expand
  36. kokiri
    Dec 8, 2011
    8
    I am a die hard zelda fan. It's literally the only game I continue to look forward to and play. I grew up with it being the exact same age of the game and was so exited to get it for my birthday. I've read all the reviews watched all the videos and was dying to play it. As soon as I put the cd in I was very disappointed by the graphics. They look old and grainy. That might be because ofI am a die hard zelda fan. It's literally the only game I continue to look forward to and play. I grew up with it being the exact same age of the game and was so exited to get it for my birthday. I've read all the reviews watched all the videos and was dying to play it. As soon as I put the cd in I was very disappointed by the graphics. They look old and grainy. That might be because of the wii console i'm not sure but that doesn't excuse the lack of background story in the game. After Ocarina of Time, games began to have less and less story substance behind them. What I loved about the first N64 game is that every "race" had a whole society, each had it's own culture, traditions, legends and side quests. Twilight princess was a great improvement to Wind Waker. But the point is sometimes you get tired of playing a constant battle in the game and want to chill out with side quests, it's disappointing how they are locked and only a few are available at the same time. This new game seems a little .. empty on that side. For new players it's still a very good entertaining game. But for Zelda Lifers it's going to come as a bit of disappointment were you feel more like your controlling a game character than if your actually part of the story line game.… Expand
  37. FlyingAsianBear
    Dec 7, 2011
    10
    Okay, so it's not the best Zelda game. But with it's Motion Controls and restructured Zelda formula, it's worth a try for any gamer at all. It may lack in areas that shined in past Zelda games, but the game has obviously taken big steps for the series.
  38. Mandalorian_12
    Dec 7, 2011
    9
    This game is beautiful, gorgeous and has the smooth control minigames we've waited for for years. Legend of Zelda has shown us once again that they rule nintendo by using that beautiful formula of puzzles, tough bosses and showing us collectibles we cant have while keeping a fresh and innovative touch staying ahead and giving us games to remember.
  39. Wolfwing0100
    Dec 7, 2011
    1
    Woops Kinda did the wrong rating there but just go towards my review - When I first saw this game I thought it would be good or something new aside from the other games like Twighlight princess. Yes it does have a long number of hours of gameplay but it seems to be just another hack and slash. The controls for it was extremely bad even with motion plus. I got frustrated with it becauseWoops Kinda did the wrong rating there but just go towards my review - When I first saw this game I thought it would be good or something new aside from the other games like Twighlight princess. Yes it does have a long number of hours of gameplay but it seems to be just another hack and slash. The controls for it was extremely bad even with motion plus. I got frustrated with it because when my controller went off screen the whole thing **** out. The story is good and interesting but the gameplay seemed to repitive to me.… Expand
  40. Hylian_Hero
    Dec 7, 2011
    10
    After finishing this game, I can truly say that this game is one of the best Legend of Zelda games I have ever played. I rank this game on par with my other Zelda favorites, Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask (although I haven't met a Zelda game I didn't like). The storyline is amazing and the musical score is one of the best I have heard! The controls are fluid and intuitive, and afterAfter finishing this game, I can truly say that this game is one of the best Legend of Zelda games I have ever played. I rank this game on par with my other Zelda favorites, Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask (although I haven't met a Zelda game I didn't like). The storyline is amazing and the musical score is one of the best I have heard! The controls are fluid and intuitive, and after about a 2 hour learning curve, you forget they are even there. The puzzles are challenging, but not overwhelming to where you get stuck for hours on end. While the graphics are not high definition, they fit the game perfectly and are colorful and interesting to look at. If you want an adventure game, with puzzles and challenges, where you can immerse yourself and forget about your real life troubles, then this is the game for you!… Expand
  41. 777Faron
    Dec 7, 2011
    10
    This is the best game of the generation. The art style is timeless, the music is grand and the story is actually emotional and makes you care about the cast, unlike the 90% of western game's stories. But the two things where this masterpiece shines the most is the level design, and the revolutionary 1:1 sword combat mechanics. Playing an action game without motion controls may seem aThis is the best game of the generation. The art style is timeless, the music is grand and the story is actually emotional and makes you care about the cast, unlike the 90% of western game's stories. But the two things where this masterpiece shines the most is the level design, and the revolutionary 1:1 sword combat mechanics. Playing an action game without motion controls may seem a little dull after this.… Expand
  42. duckypwns
    Dec 7, 2011
    9
    Easily the second best 3D Zelda. It has the most focus on puzzles throughout the entire game than any other Zelda. The Wii m otion plus is actually pretty decent, and provides an interesting combat system that we haven't seen before, and actually, one that I would really like to see again, if they could do it in a unique way. The only problem people seem to have is that trying to stabEasily the second best 3D Zelda. It has the most focus on puzzles throughout the entire game than any other Zelda. The Wii m otion plus is actually pretty decent, and provides an interesting combat system that we haven't seen before, and actually, one that I would really like to see again, if they could do it in a unique way. The only problem people seem to have is that trying to stab sometimes doesn't work very well. If you stab a little bit more slowly you can usually get it to work consistently, but that's easy to say when I'm not in the heat of combat. But other than that the slicing motions are very responsive and they do exactly what you intend them to do. It also does not have any kind of filler material to the degree some of the other Zelda games had, such as Wind Waker's long sailing distances. There are some slightly long flight distances but honestly it only takes about two minutes or so if I were to guess to fly from one side of the map to the other. So we're not talking anywhere NEAR in the range of Wind Waker's sailing distances. This Zelda game also focused on side quests more than most Zelda games, but still nowhere near the amount of side quests Majora's Mask had. I would like to see another Zelda with Majora's Mask level side quests and non-linearity. The reason I can't give this game a perfect 10 is, well, it's not perfect. The problems I have are very minor, such as the stabbing problem, Fi talking too much and spoiling some puzzles, having to recalibrate the motion plus occasionally, the long intro that the game has, etc. but I wouldn't even be comfortable giving this game a 9.5 if I could.… Expand
  43. infinitejoe
    Dec 6, 2011
    10
    The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword isnt just the best game on Wii, but is easily the best Zelda game and one of the greatest games ever made. The start puts you in the floating Island above the clouds Skyloft, and later is revealed how it became like that. Progressing through the 30 to 40 hour story makes this one of if not the best Zelda story in history. The first act is adorable withThe Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword isnt just the best game on Wii, but is easily the best Zelda game and one of the greatest games ever made. The start puts you in the floating Island above the clouds Skyloft, and later is revealed how it became like that. Progressing through the 30 to 40 hour story makes this one of if not the best Zelda story in history. The first act is adorable with showing off Link and Zelda's relationship and the second is amazing with plenty of twists and turns around every corner, it's very engaging. Characters are absolutely amazing, from a new and charming Zelda and the creepy villain Girahim there's never a dull moment with each character you meet. The controls in Skyward Sword were probably my biggest worry when it was revealed to be MotionPlus control, however, those worries can be put to rest, after a little learning curve the controls felt natural and easy to use and can be very enjoyable. When aiming with some weapons though it sometimes loses focus and goes off on it's own sometimes, theirs a button that lets you center the wii remotes aiming, and after a couple hours it too felt natural. The few things people have been worried about is zeldas formula, its usually a dungeon then going through some sort of event to get to the next dungeon, Skyward Sword shows a new direction in that formula, the sky is your main hub, your loftwing is your animal companion this time around and can fly you all across the sky meeting new characters and areas, there's not much to do but what's there is very unique. The land below is where the dungeons are located and here is where you pick up bugs, treasure and other goodies such as weapon's, treasure can be used for upgrades and bugs for money, the map however is a bit linear there isn't a big hub like hyrule field, but what's there still holds a lot incentive to explore. Graphics, they aren't HD but the art style, level design, and overall look and feel make it the best graphics on the Wii and even better art style then other HD counter parts. TheLegend of Zelda: Skyward Sword isn't just the best Zelda and Wii game ever, but is one of if not the best games ive ever played, it will surely amaze you in terms of story and gamplay and show amazing set pieces that can only be described as Incredible 10/10… Expand
  44. MsBetterThanU
    Dec 6, 2011
    10
    This is a game that pretty much proves you can't always listen to the "users" as the case is that they're practically never right about a game being bad! Especially when it turns out to be as fun as this one! Believe me it's not something I usually say, but this time screw the losers. Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario Galaxy 2 both got higher ratings than this! However that doesn't meanThis is a game that pretty much proves you can't always listen to the "users" as the case is that they're practically never right about a game being bad! Especially when it turns out to be as fun as this one! Believe me it's not something I usually say, but this time screw the losers. Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario Galaxy 2 both got higher ratings than this! However that doesn't mean they're as fun. In fact as over rated as those games are (they're still fun IMO) they aren't worthy of climbing the same heights as a Zelda game like this one. Why not? Because they aren't nearly as revolutionary of games as people said they were! Now here's a game that has finally come along that you should just know from the very moment that you play it is pretty revolutionary, in ways that those other games will NEVER be! Show me one way that this brilliant this game isn't revolutionary! Do that and I'll show you something that will wow your socks off! Anyway you'll never convince me this is bad, if you find it bad...well that's your loss! Others who know better will continue to see it for what it is, the absolute best game in the series since Majora's Mask!… Expand
  45. FD3355
    Dec 6, 2011
    9
    This game is great but not perfect, there's a little backtracking but the beautiful gmeplay and story usually makes up for it. A sold A- nintendo, thanks again
  46. UKTone
    Dec 5, 2011
    10
    I judge games on an individual level. I liked the game in itself more than Skyrim, I have more fun. Even IGN reviewers said they feel that Skyward Sword surpassed Ocarina of Time with this one, and if I am correct, IGN are usually biased towards Nintendo games, so..... by saying it surpassed TLOZOOT, they are indirectly saying they feel it is the best game of all time since OOT isI judge games on an individual level. I liked the game in itself more than Skyrim, I have more fun. Even IGN reviewers said they feel that Skyward Sword surpassed Ocarina of Time with this one, and if I am correct, IGN are usually biased towards Nintendo games, so..... by saying it surpassed TLOZOOT, they are indirectly saying they feel it is the best game of all time since OOT is considered by majority of gamers as the best of all time period, not ever really questioned.

    Skyrim is great, I think they should tie, but if you have to choose, it's Skyward Sword. And you call it garbage, IGN and GameInformer rated Skyward a 10 and IGN and GI rated Skyrim a 9.5 (but Skyward is garbage...). Skyrim has more perfect scores because it was release 9 days earlier and more promotion, and multiple platforms.

    I don't like that there are strictly Skyrim players voting that haven't even given Zelda a try, can't wait for Wii U so people can stop talking about Nintendo's graphics, btw Skyward Sword graphics in my honest opinion are better, it's unique rather than trying to be like everyone else with trying so hard to look realistic... Gameplay > Graphics, that's why Nintendo games are considered the best overall, Quality > Quantity.

    And you guys keep saying Skyward is short compared to Skyrim like that matters, same with us saying Skyward has no glitches, but really games are meant to have fun, not try to take your life away (which skyward did for me lol).

    Vote based purely on gameplay, and the vote would have to go to The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword. Vote based on the game as a whole and the vote would have to go to The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword.

    I really hope Skyward Sword wins GOTY.    … Expand
  47. razokev
    Dec 5, 2011
    10
    This game is perfect! Amazing history, great graphics except for the Wii's low resolution, nice gameplay. If you are a Zelda fan this is a must have.
  48. InfinityFeed
    Dec 5, 2011
    10
    A fantastic game from start to finish! The one-to-one movement swordplay made me feel more powerful than any other game i have played. The aesthetics and music complement the game perfectly and give it a truly 'epic' feel. Truly the Wii's swansong release!

    Full review at http://infinityfeed.blogspot.com/2011/11/legend-of-zelda-skyward-sword-review.html
  49. epicgamer
    Dec 5, 2011
    10
    Note: I have not yet finished the game. The Legend of Zelda Sword is a remarkable experience. While the graphics are mediocre from a technical stand point, the art style is beautiful, and the scope of the game is breathtaking. The audio is good as well, with some great orchestral music and crisp sound effects. Where Skyward Sword excels is the gameplay, the dungeons are some of the best inNote: I have not yet finished the game. The Legend of Zelda Sword is a remarkable experience. While the graphics are mediocre from a technical stand point, the art style is beautiful, and the scope of the game is breathtaking. The audio is good as well, with some great orchestral music and crisp sound effects. Where Skyward Sword excels is the gameplay, the dungeons are some of the best in the series. The game also breaks old Zelda conventions whilst adding new ones in the process. If there was anything I didn't like about the game that would be the lack of voice acting, and the (OCCASIONALLY) problematic camera.… Expand
  50. SpiritGirl
    Dec 4, 2011
    10
    Skyward Sword is an amazing game. It makes perfect use of the motion controls and has some of the best dungeons Zelda has seen yet! One of the best games in the franchise without a doubt.
  51. AaronSmith86
    Dec 4, 2011
    10
    The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword is potentially the most anticipated release of 2011 for any system maybe challenged only by The Elder Scrolls V:Skyrim. With so much hype and pressure surrounding this "swansong" for the aging Nintendo Wii did this game soar or dive? Other than Super Mario the Legend of Zelda games have continually shown their influence throughout the gaming industry withThe Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword is potentially the most anticipated release of 2011 for any system maybe challenged only by The Elder Scrolls V:Skyrim. With so much hype and pressure surrounding this "swansong" for the aging Nintendo Wii did this game soar or dive? Other than Super Mario the Legend of Zelda games have continually shown their influence throughout the gaming industry with game mechanics, story developement, and art design. However, some have felt that the Zelda formula that has been used in Zelda games over the past several years has gotten a bit stale, and needed to evolve in order for the series to continue to stay on top of the gaming industry.So, the real question is whether or not Nintendo has changed enough to keep things fresh, and whether Skyward Sword solidify's it's place amongst the top games of all time. The short answer is simple: YES!

    Gameplay: 10/10 When the Wii was released we were promised true motion gaming with 1:1 controls for fluid gaming. Unfortunately, Nintendo was not able to deliver on this promise up front, and rectified this mistake by developing the motion plus to enhance motion gameplay. While Ubisoft was the first to truly test Motion Plus gameplay with Red Steel 2, which ended up being fantastic, Nintendo has now given the Wii the game it always deserved to showcase it's motion control capabilities. Skyward Sword's 1:1 sword combat is outstand. It uses a combination of motion plus and IR in order to keep things in check, and offers depth to the fighting mechanics that could have easily become redundant/repetitive. However, I found myself taking a look at the enemy I was approaching thinking about just how I was going to dismantle them. The added ability for Link to be able to sprint is also a major addition to the formula, which doesn't necessarily seem huge, but allows for some significant gameplay changes. With the new quickswap menu for items/tools makes gameplay cohesive, and makes you wonder how you play Zelda without it. If you don't find the gameplay delightful then you might be missing something.

    Story: 10/10 Potentially one of the best stories of any Zelda title. Without giving to many details away, this is an origins story for the Zelda series. It doesn't find Link and Zelda in their typical predicaments, which is a breath of fresh air for the series. You will also find yourself caring about other characters throughout, with the desire to try and talk with every villager in the game. Skyward Sword completely captivates, and you may not want to stop playing until to unveil it all.

    Graphics: 10/10 The Wii released to prove one thing, and that was to convince developers and gamers alike that what makes a game soar is gameplay not graphics. I think for the most part they've succeded in that endeavor, but Skyward Sword is absolutely gorgeous to look at! It uses a mixture of realistic graphics found in Twilight Princess, and more cel shaded graphics of Wind Waker. The final product is like playing a painting. It really is a work of art, and quite honestly one that only Nintendo could pull off.

    Longevity: 10/10 With the main quest promising at least 40 hours of gameplay, and completing everything the game offers will put you potentially around the 100 hours mark. This game will keep you playing for quite some time. In fact it might even have you wanting to play through one more time just to see all of the beautiful locations Skyward Sword has to offer.

    Verdict: 10/10 Skyward Sword is a constant reminder why Nintendo is #1. The way they create worlds, characters, and stories is really unique in the gaming industry. No one quite does it the way Nintendo does it, and with games like the Mario Galaxies and now Skyward Sword it just proves this even more. If you're finishing this review then do yourself a huge favor. Either scroll up and purchase Skyward Sword, or run out to your local video game retailed and get it. People of all ages need to experience the greatest Zelda of all time, and quite possibly the greatest game of all time. There is one thing for certain. The negative reviews written for this game are completely unfounded. I've been playing for nearly 20 hours now, and I have had not one issue or control mishap with the motion controls. The negative media surrounding the Wii Motion controls hasn't been completely unfounded, but to wrap this game in to that nonsense is pure nonsense. This game further proves that only Nintendo can create some of the most unforgettable gaming experiences, and Skyward Sword might be the best of the best!    … Expand
  52. Danman
    Dec 4, 2011
    0
    Sorry to give it such a low score but the motion controls did not work for me at all. perhaps this was a technical issue, but this is a serious issue since you can not play game if the controller doesn't work properly. After a lot of time spent making sure the controls where set up as best i could, the game had so much text to click through that after giving the game about 5 hours worth iSorry to give it such a low score but the motion controls did not work for me at all. perhaps this was a technical issue, but this is a serious issue since you can not play game if the controller doesn't work properly. After a lot of time spent making sure the controls where set up as best i could, the game had so much text to click through that after giving the game about 5 hours worth i got very impatient and frustrated and chose to play something else.… Expand
  53. KarthXLR
    Dec 4, 2011
    8
    This is a fantastic Zelda game, without a doubt. The story is as rich as ever and accompanied by great characters (perhaps not a strong as Wind Waker's cast) and a stellar musical score. The controls have been entirely reworked to fit the Wii's Motion Plus and, for the most part, it works great. The art direction is gorgeous, having a water paint filter over distant objects. The bosses andThis is a fantastic Zelda game, without a doubt. The story is as rich as ever and accompanied by great characters (perhaps not a strong as Wind Waker's cast) and a stellar musical score. The controls have been entirely reworked to fit the Wii's Motion Plus and, for the most part, it works great. The art direction is gorgeous, having a water paint filter over distant objects. The bosses and swordfights in the game are a lot of fun, although it means that there are less enemies in favor of more challenging fights. However, the game is still pretty easy on the first run and the game doesn't have enough punishments for dying or failing a puzzle.

    The overworld is a bit disappointing. Where Wind Waker had multiple creative islands, Skyward Sword has only a handful of platforms. There also only one town, which is saddening. There are only three different areas, each containing two dungeons centering around that regions climate and style. The dungeons themselves are fairly short, but there are usually pre-dungeon areas that you must go through to reach them. Boss Fights are vastly improved from the last console Zelda and practically ooze creativity.

    As I said earlier, the motion controls work well for the most part. That doesn't mean they don't have issues. The pointer needs to be centered a couple dozen times each play session and you'll likely need to re-calibrate the motion plus two or three times. Even then, some swings are easily misread. Thrusts are near-impossible to do when in a combat situation and require the utmost concentration to pull off, which can be excruciatingly frustrating when an enemy requires such a strike. The nunchuk is very sensitive in the game and is used for two functions; Shield Thrusts and the Spin Attack. On more than one occasion I found myself accidently pulling out my shield when trying to scratch my nose or adjust glasses. My complaints are mostly just nit-picking, but it can be really annoying to die due to a misread swing.

    Overall, Skyward Sword is totally worth a purchase at any price. The game is lengthy, filled with that Nintendo-style charm and topped off with some of the best music in the entire Zelda franchise. I hope Nintendo can fix some of the issues in the next game and give us one of the best Zelda's yet.    … Expand
  54. doodlerman
    Dec 3, 2011
    10
    It's literally the best game on the Wii and one of the greatest games ever made. It doesn't quite have the same open world feel that Twilight Princess had, but then again it doesn't really need it. The graphics are, by far, the most beautiful visuals I've ever seen in a game simply for their impressionist quality - if you notice, the farther you get away from something the objects, orIt's literally the best game on the Wii and one of the greatest games ever made. It doesn't quite have the same open world feel that Twilight Princess had, but then again it doesn't really need it. The graphics are, by far, the most beautiful visuals I've ever seen in a game simply for their impressionist quality - if you notice, the farther you get away from something the objects, or buildings, or whatever it is you're far from become more like paint daubs which is really awesome. The scenes are amazing, and though some people are still bummed out about and/or trolling about how the characters still don't talk, this really, I feel, is better than if they were to include lame voice acting. The music is perfectly fitting for each area you're in and changes depending on what situation your in within an area - for example the Marketplace offers various versions of the same song for each different shop you approach. This game has hours upon hours of amazing gameplay and despite what others say, the controls are wonderful. The only thing I've had difficulty with was swimming, but besides that everything else works perfectly. This is the first Wii game I've played that doesn't rely solely on the sensors, but the position your Wii-mote is in - and if your aimer says it's in a different direction than it should be you can simply readjust it with a push of a button to be back where it should be (so really those who complain about the controls don't know what they're talking about/are trolls - the latter being more likely). The replayability is insanely high for this game, there is so much to do and so many areas you can explore around and it's one of those stories that, I at least, fell in love with right away. It's seriously one amazing experience.… Expand
  55. AgentNick007
    Dec 3, 2011
    9
    What can I say? It's Zelda! You can't go wrong, but there is a few problems in the game. Like the motion controls. I like it but sometimes it can be a pain. You do a horizontal attack, it does a vertical. The shield can get in the way sometimes, people won't shut the hell up, but other then that the game is really enjoyable. The story is okay could have been better. Fi your sidekick youWhat can I say? It's Zelda! You can't go wrong, but there is a few problems in the game. Like the motion controls. I like it but sometimes it can be a pain. You do a horizontal attack, it does a vertical. The shield can get in the way sometimes, people won't shut the hell up, but other then that the game is really enjoyable. The story is okay could have been better. Fi your sidekick you can say, is very boring she has no personally and she talks like a robot. But the good thing is she not as annoying as the others in the Zelda games. Therefore it does big improvement but does have it's falls. It's still a great Zelda game and needs to be pick up.… Expand
  56. JinjoTime
    Dec 3, 2011
    10
    This game is beautiful. The art style is just wonderful and stands ground against these "HD REALISTIC" games such as Skyrim or Modern Warfare 3. The storyline was the best in the series.
    'Two childhood friends, who may secretly be caring for each other more than that, are separated and one will do anything it takes to get the other one back." Amazing.
  57. Mora
    Dec 2, 2011
    10
    The game is just majestic ! It needs some time to get used to gyroscopic aiming, but you can recenter it anytime you want using a button ...

    Yes it's storytelling at the start of the adventure, but it's not that bad. Combat moves with the motion controller are just GREAT, and i had no specific problem at all in 40h+ gameplay ... The difficulty is easy to medium most of the time but some    The game is just majestic ! It needs some time to get used to gyroscopic aiming, but you can recenter it anytime you want using a button ...

    Yes it's storytelling at the start of the adventure, but it's not that bad.

    Combat moves with the motion controller are just GREAT, and i had no specific problem at all in 40h+ gameplay ...

    The difficulty is easy to medium most of the time but some challenges and boss are more tricky :)    … Expand
  58. battousai_hades
    Dec 2, 2011
    10
    Uno de los videojuegos mejores diseñados de los ultimos 10 años. Un espectaculo artistico y jugable. Sentiras que realmente nunca habias jugado a algo parecido. No puede faltar en tu coleccion.
  59. Supermann
    Dec 2, 2011
    10
    Stupendous! Gamers really can't ask for more. The best Zelda according to me. From the controls, to the graphics, to the story, I was blown away. Nintendo really went all out with this one.
  60. moizeto
    Dec 2, 2011
    10
    Amazing graphics, awesome gameplay, beautiful level desings, it makes me feel like I am playing majoras mask again, superb upgrades, it took me 75 hours to finish it at 100 %, this is what we waited 5 long years for... ENJOY IT!!!
  61. PaulMorphy
    Dec 2, 2011
    10
    Anybody who gives this game lower than a seven, hasn't played it. This game is an absolute masterpiece! The artistic direction in this game is amazing, gameplay works fine (if not, buy a new nunchuck), cutscences are jaw dropping, and the story is amazing!!! Buy it
  62. Link973
    Dec 2, 2011
    10
    Skyward Sword Shows that the wii still has some life left in it. Its a truly amazing game that excels gamers expectations. The controls are tight and actually feel like your controlling a sword and shield and the implantation of a run button helps so much. Nintendo finally gave an origin story to the franchise a much needed one that captures the same feeling of ocarina of time. A lot ofSkyward Sword Shows that the wii still has some life left in it. Its a truly amazing game that excels gamers expectations. The controls are tight and actually feel like your controlling a sword and shield and the implantation of a run button helps so much. Nintendo finally gave an origin story to the franchise a much needed one that captures the same feeling of ocarina of time. A lot of people say that this game is just as good or if not very close to how good ocarina of time, and i can see why. The graphics are some of the best the wii has ever shown with an art style all its own, the story epic in every way "although still no voice acting" the controls shows us the way the wii was meant to be used, and the music truly blew my mind. Not since ocarina of time and well the original halo theme song did i get chills hearing the music in game. Over all to all this is an amazing game that much like ocarina everyone should play… Expand
  63. skylegend
    Dec 1, 2011
    10
    Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is hands down the greatest game I have ever played. Dungeons are amazing, puzzle are great, story is engaging, and combat works perfectly. One word about combat, once combat finally clicks, for a time the enemies start to feel a little easy. However, just when combat loses its charm, the game provides us with some of the best puzzles I have ever seen. IfLegend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is hands down the greatest game I have ever played. Dungeons are amazing, puzzle are great, story is engaging, and combat works perfectly. One word about combat, once combat finally clicks, for a time the enemies start to feel a little easy. However, just when combat loses its charm, the game provides us with some of the best puzzles I have ever seen. If you have a wii, get this game. If you don't have a wii, get a wii, then get this game.… Expand
  64. wyvernshido
    Dec 1, 2011
    5
    Twilight Princess for me; I've been forcing myself to play skyward sword, it's the first Zelda game i dislike. I brought all the Zelda games on there launch dates; I'm so surprisingly shocked at my hate for this game..........(MY OPINION ONLY) it feels like a dumbed down Dark cloud 2 (visuals and gameplay wise) with bad music, and link seems to be weaker than previous versions. Oh; and whyTwilight Princess for me; I've been forcing myself to play skyward sword, it's the first Zelda game i dislike. I brought all the Zelda games on there launch dates; I'm so surprisingly shocked at my hate for this game..........(MY OPINION ONLY) it feels like a dumbed down Dark cloud 2 (visuals and gameplay wise) with bad music, and link seems to be weaker than previous versions. Oh; and why are the puzzles so easy? Poor Pacing; repetive objectives, and ugly characters. on the upside i did get a gold wii remote out of it :)… Expand
  65. dpv_costa
    Dec 1, 2011
    9
    As a Zelda since Ocarina of Time i believe this game is amazing. It's one of a kind The Legend of Zelda franchise. Great story, very smart and beautiful graphics considering Wii's capacity, good music, nice exploring of Link and Zelda's relationship, Skyloft is gorgeous, sword fight is something you wont be able to go back from, the dungeons are clever and gorgeous puzzles, hero mode makesAs a Zelda since Ocarina of Time i believe this game is amazing. It's one of a kind The Legend of Zelda franchise. Great story, very smart and beautiful graphics considering Wii's capacity, good music, nice exploring of Link and Zelda's relationship, Skyloft is gorgeous, sword fight is something you wont be able to go back from, the dungeons are clever and gorgeous puzzles, hero mode makes it all more challenging. Everything is great but i dont give this game a 10 simply because of the controls. I know i know, i praized the sword fighting and i stand by what i said but the Wii Motion Plus isnt ALWAYS accurate which is a same. This is my experience and i dont find it hard to believe something could be wrong with my wii remote since my wii is very old. But eventhough controllers do sometimes get out of syncrony, this never affect my gameplay severly, quite the opposite. Most of the times i wouldnt even realize it while sword fighting unless i used the beetle or something i needed to aim. And when they work...it's a whole new gaming experience...fantastic.
    Therefore i say this is a great Zelda game. I wont say it's the best but it might measure up to Ocarina of Time. PS: for those giving this game a 0 score...please, i know some of you might be dissapointed but at least give it a serious and considerable review and score. A zero score is what you would score a computer when it's not on.    … Expand
  66. Spartacus33765
    Dec 1, 2011
    9
    Skyward Sword definitely elevates at where it promises to fulfill. Want an engaging 1:1 sword fight? Well, this game has that in spades. At first, controls can be very difficult to get accustomed to, but once you do, you won't want to go back. Fantastic story, great music and visuals that fit the Wii's style.

    Unfortunately, I cannot warrant a 10/10 for some slight annoyances here and    Skyward Sword definitely elevates at where it promises to fulfill. Want an engaging 1:1 sword fight? Well, this game has that in spades. At first, controls can be very difficult to get accustomed to, but once you do, you won't want to go back. Fantastic story, great music and visuals that fit the Wii's style.

    Unfortunately, I cannot warrant a 10/10 for some slight annoyances here and there. Treasure finding with the recurring pop-up description should not exist. Also, swimming using the gyro = no fun. This should have been avoided (joystick would have worked just fine). Furthermore, as huge the world seems...it can also feel a bit too limited if you will. For example, instead of having to head to the sky just to head to another area (woods to mountain), why couldn't they have implemented a path from one region to the next without flying to it? Finally, after having completed the game, I also wish that there was more to do in terms of item collecting instead of just finding hearts. And what am I going to do with a ridiculous amount of rupees once I acquire them?

    All in all though, this is a quality game and I will be coming back to it like I do all the other Zelda's in the series.    … Expand
  67. VANN
    Dec 1, 2011
    10
    This is the Best The Legend of Zelda game ever made... The Story, the mechanics, the gameplay, the characters, the music, everything is a WIN in this game. this was the best way that Nintendo could celebrate the 25 th Anniversary of the franchise (an epic game) This game is fresh air (and a masterpiece) in the middle of all those generic HD "ready" games of this 7th generation. MetacriticThis is the Best The Legend of Zelda game ever made... The Story, the mechanics, the gameplay, the characters, the music, everything is a WIN in this game. this was the best way that Nintendo could celebrate the 25 th Anniversary of the franchise (an epic game) This game is fresh air (and a masterpiece) in the middle of all those generic HD "ready" games of this 7th generation. Metacritic really should do something with all those ignorant haters who put a 0/10 in this and another games, because that is just ridiculous. This game is no way less than 9/10.

    For me, this game deserves a 10/10    … Expand
  68. ZER0
    Dec 1, 2011
    10
    Gameplay wise the best Zelda I've played so far. The upgrading system, shield gauge and ability to sprint add to the depth of the game without making it less Zelda-like, I already find it hard to imagine a Zelda game without sprinting. The motion plus controls work really well and remain fun until the very end. I wonder what people who rate this game low expected from it. Of course it'sGameplay wise the best Zelda I've played so far. The upgrading system, shield gauge and ability to sprint add to the depth of the game without making it less Zelda-like, I already find it hard to imagine a Zelda game without sprinting. The motion plus controls work really well and remain fun until the very end. I wonder what people who rate this game low expected from it. Of course it's not in HD, it does not have spoken cut-scenes, the characters do not look spectacularly realistic, and pretty much all you do is run around between and in dungeons. But it's Zelda, what do you expect?… Expand
  69. Viewtiful
    Dec 1, 2011
    10
    Okay, let me start off with this: Skyward Sword has problems, several problems. I had to recalibrate every so often, though unlike most, it happened like, 3 times in the roughly 30 hours it took me to complete the main story. The music seemed more centered around creating an atmosphere than giving you memorable tunes much of the time. Lastly, the game's textures are generally poor. BeforeOkay, let me start off with this: Skyward Sword has problems, several problems. I had to recalibrate every so often, though unlike most, it happened like, 3 times in the roughly 30 hours it took me to complete the main story. The music seemed more centered around creating an atmosphere than giving you memorable tunes much of the time. Lastly, the game's textures are generally poor. Before you get your panties in a bunch, let me finish this statement: I've found it to be one of the greatest Zelda games ever. The controls work like a charm. Other than the times they temporarily wigged out (again, happened thrice for me), they were spot on. Every so often, it screwed up with the stabbing motion, but I rarely noted that occurring. If you or a reviewer is claiming the controls aren't spot on, check out the controls demonstrations here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_aGjL1bwN0), otherwise it's due to interference or something. The enemies clearly show how they're supposed to be attacked with your, thanks to the exaggerated art style and you'll probably get wrecked trying to waggle constantly to win. The other weapons worked well too, though I myself was rather bad with the whip. I found some of the puzzle rather intriguing, but being a seasoned Zelda player, I never really found myself stumped. Some of the other puzzles-- some of which introduce an awesome mechanic-- were good fun. The graphics and art style are quite good as well and definitely draw inspiration from impressionist art. More distant objects take on an almost water color appearance. The fact that the textures aren't the greatest seems like an odd thing to complain about since the art style definitely draws from the Wind Waker. I didn't find some of the music to be as memorable as some past games in the series, though quite a few of them-- such as Zelda's and Faore's themes-- stuck with me. As I mentioned previously, several of them seem geared more so to evoke an atmosphere like the Metroid series, rather than providing tunes you can hum to. Though, the fact that most of the tracks are orchestrated (maybe all, or nearly so) makes them sound so beautiful and soothing, and in other cases, up-beat and have a nice tempo. There are some other cool musical effects in the game; the theme shifting music of Skyloft's Bazaar comes to mind. I found the plot to be quite fun to watch, mainly the references to future points in the timeline. And at last, we see a little Zelda and Link love connection. We all knew it had to happen eventually...wait, this game is the furthest back in the timeline, so it already happened? Time confusion? Song of Time? Hell, my mind just boggled itself. @_@ Skyward Sword is a game with problems and is imperfect. Said imperfections are mostly small and insignificant. I found it to be a great adventure, with tons of side quests, optional upgrades and some great characterization that made me long for voice acting for all characters, barring Link and is "Hiyaaaa!!"s. In spite of these problems, Skyward Sword manages to provide an amazing experience with many memorable moments, and the combination of a beautiful soundtrack and eye-soothing visuals was something that I would just sit down, listen to and watch for a little while. For years now, I have never been able to decide which Zelda game I liked most, never advancing past Majora's Mask, A Link to the Past, and Ocarina of Time as my favorites. Well that....hasn't changed, but Skyward Sword has joined their ranks. Please do not miss out on this game. Not only is it one of the Wii's best games--I hold it as high as I do Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2--, it's one of the best games I've played in quite some time. I'd like to give it a 9.5, but alas, I'm restricted to whole numbers.… Expand
  70. HazaXig
    Dec 1, 2011
    10
    Controls are perfect. Just throw away your Wii and go sleep if you have control problems. Anyway I'm so blessed that I could play the game during my life.
  71. swash
    Dec 1, 2011
    8
    Just finished game! So i feel ready to critique now. I have mixed opinions. Its a bit overrated wich is why i borrowed a wii and bought this game. Its a good game but not quite great. OCARINA HAS NOT MET ITS MATCH. However it has advancements in many ways. Gameplay is the best feature. The motion controls are way fun! but not perfect, but cool. They make the combat twice as good. TheJust finished game! So i feel ready to critique now. I have mixed opinions. Its a bit overrated wich is why i borrowed a wii and bought this game. Its a good game but not quite great. OCARINA HAS NOT MET ITS MATCH. However it has advancements in many ways. Gameplay is the best feature. The motion controls are way fun! but not perfect, but cool. They make the combat twice as good. The stamina meter is a huge plus! The visuals are strong as well ,in different, more artistic ways than ps3 or xbox. Perfect balance of ww and tp. And there is some great challenging puzzles in the game. Even for someone who has played a lot of zelda. So GREAT in all those areas! BUT there is several annoyances and shortcomings. The overall story was weak and disorganised. Sometimes hard to tell when a temple starts, seems ur doing poinless busy work before temples sometimes. Bosses and are Mostly good. Music is weak 4 zelda. Everything seems scattered and not so special. To many bugs not enough keys Overall 88 good not great… Expand
  72. TheReviewPerson
    Nov 30, 2011
    9
    A 7.8 userscore are you guys nuts? This game is freakin' awesome! The story is the best in any Zelda game. I'd love to say more but I don't wanna spoil it. The controls are nearly flawless, and when they do get out of alignment, just press down to automatically center it. Or if they screw up (which only happened to me like twice) press 1 on your WiiMote and recalibrate the controls, it'sA 7.8 userscore are you guys nuts? This game is freakin' awesome! The story is the best in any Zelda game. I'd love to say more but I don't wanna spoil it. The controls are nearly flawless, and when they do get out of alignment, just press down to automatically center it. Or if they screw up (which only happened to me like twice) press 1 on your WiiMote and recalibrate the controls, it's very helpful. Be warned, though. The game starts VERY slowly in the beginning. You do some crap for like an hour before you actually get into the action. This game, like all the other Zelda games, have no voice acting,which I actually prefer. It gives the player the ability to portray the characters to whoever you want them to be like. As a result, they're more likeable and the player can bond with them more easily, which is pretty hard for video games to do nowadays. As for visuals....Well...It's the Wii. It isn't the most powerful console out their. But what they didn't have in power, they made up with this cool impressionist artstyle, the same they used in Wind Waker. This makes everything in the game pop out with it's lush bright colors and it's very refreshing to look at. Not only that, but it also puts more emphasis on enemy expressions so you can view their weakspots a lot easier. The AI has been greatly improved from the past games. You can't just randomly waggle your WiiMote like you could in Twilight Princess anymore. If you did that, you'd die in seconds. You have to observe your enemies' movements, and atttack when the time is right. The dungeons are incredible. They all have very clever puzzles and awesome bosses. You really have to use your brain if you ever want to beat this game. Kickass game, go buy it now :)â… Expand
  73. Nintendo24
    Nov 30, 2011
    10
    Amazing game:) I really enjoyed it. The story, characters, control and even more were great. The graphics were amazing love the art style. It felt like you were really there! Also, the items were awesome, now it makes it better because of the new item system which it's better than using and switching 3 different items once in a while. The music was great, thanks Koji Kondo! The music feltAmazing game:) I really enjoyed it. The story, characters, control and even more were great. The graphics were amazing love the art style. It felt like you were really there! Also, the items were awesome, now it makes it better because of the new item system which it's better than using and switching 3 different items once in a while. The music was great, thanks Koji Kondo! The music felt good to be alive! The game brought and 25 music anniversary cd which is amazing! I was eating my dinner while listening to it and it felt good and relax some of my favorites were in the cd too:) The enemies were challenging to defeat because it was like a puzzle which its great cause I love puzzles in the Zelda games. The dungeons were amazing and you can go back to them which is awesome! I recommend this game if you play video games! Trust me is a game you don't want to miss:)… Expand
  74. Asonic3582
    Nov 30, 2011
    10
    Ok so I'll say this the short way and the long way, the short way this the best game of this generation wheter it's Wii, PS3 or 360 and makes the Wii a MUST HAVE console; alright now here's the long version. Skyward Sword relies hevaily on motion control, but those of you that think motion control is unresponsive will see no issues with this game wheter it's the sword, the bombs, or theOk so I'll say this the short way and the long way, the short way this the best game of this generation wheter it's Wii, PS3 or 360 and makes the Wii a MUST HAVE console; alright now here's the long version. Skyward Sword relies hevaily on motion control, but those of you that think motion control is unresponsive will see no issues with this game wheter it's the sword, the bombs, or the whip everything responds with pinpoint accuracy. Those of you who breezed trough twilight princess cause you were able to wildly swing the controller will have trouble enemys block depending on how you swing your sword so you have to take time to aim your strikes or youll be open to counterattack. Although Zelda is one of Nintendo's franchises well suited to realilistic graphics, I find Skyward Sword's graphics stunning and showing one of if not the best way to show off the wii's graphic capabillities (who says we need hd graphics to make a good looking game). The music is now fully orchestrated and wheter it was the classic Zelda's Lullaby from Ocarina of Time or the new Ballad of the Goddess main theme Skyward Sword's versions are now the ones the ring in my head constantly. The story also proves that there can be an amazing story with a great cast despite not bieng fully voiced while telling the origin of Zelda's boduguard Impa, the master sword, even Ganondorf to some extent. Skyward Sword also offers a higher difficulty mode called hero mode where even the most expierienced Zelda players will have trouble facing enimies but unfortunatly the dungeons don't get the Master Quest treatment. Skyward Sword is the reson to own a wii it's the best game of the last two generations if not going farther than that, it also repeats the cycle of all Nintendo consoles and handhelds with the last major Nintendo release; showing the real power of the system and evolving the series that is given the honor. It is the greatest update to the Zelda series since Ocarina and gets every Nintendo fan one last wii hurrah before we transition to Wii U next year.… Expand
  75. xevilhunter
    Nov 30, 2011
    10
    One of the finest examples in evolution of gameplay, a must-have and one of the best games ever created. If you want it don't be trolled out by bad reviews, just get it and see it for yourself.
  76. seshoumaru_27
    Nov 30, 2011
    10
    best game on the wii and one of the best games ever created, negative coments about this doesn't make sense at all, this is a masterpiece from begining to end..!
  77. DrNo0
    Nov 30, 2011
    9
    Good game not better than ocarina of time. People who say the controls dont work are dumb **** The only time when the controls get bad is when you switch items. the graphics in the game are alright gameplay feels a little different from past games. The only complaint I have with the game is that its too easy.
  78. PAIERS
    Nov 30, 2011
    10
    Fast pacing and spot-on controls make this game the ultimate proof that Nintendo Wii and its motion controls can satisfy even the "hardcore" audience.
    amazing story, brilliant level design, memorable scores and the usual great game play we have been accustomed to when talking about Zelda.
    it is a must have for every video games lover!
  79. SKULLbrgr7
    Nov 29, 2011
    10
    The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is one of the best games of all time. It is also the best motion-controlled game of all time. It does for motion gaming what Super Mario Bros. did for platformers, what GTA 3 did for Sandbox games, what Halo did for shooters. It revolutionizes motion gaming and shows the rest of the industry how it`s done. The controls are the most real feeling in theThe Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is one of the best games of all time. It is also the best motion-controlled game of all time. It does for motion gaming what Super Mario Bros. did for platformers, what GTA 3 did for Sandbox games, what Halo did for shooters. It revolutionizes motion gaming and shows the rest of the industry how it`s done. The controls are the most real feeling in the Zelda series, if you`ve swung a sword or shot a bow in real life your skills will be applied here. The gameplay in general is also the best of the series, far surpassing Ocarina of Time and stepping all over Twilight Princess, with the best overworld, dungeons, and bosses ever. Simply amazing, the definition of a must-play.… Expand
  80. MasterColonico
    Nov 29, 2011
    8
    Nintendo did a really great job of bringing a new feel to the Legend of Zelda series, while still making it feel like a 'Zelda game'. Firstly, the graphics are remarkable. Some people have said that the textures look 'grainy' or 'blurry'. This is a correct statement. Some of the textures are grainy and blurry, but this isn't a negative thing. It is meant to look like a "paintingNintendo did a really great job of bringing a new feel to the Legend of Zelda series, while still making it feel like a 'Zelda game'. Firstly, the graphics are remarkable. Some people have said that the textures look 'grainy' or 'blurry'. This is a correct statement. Some of the textures are grainy and blurry, but this isn't a negative thing. It is meant to look like a "painting coming to life", so a lot of the textures are just a mesh of colours and brush strokes. It really looks nice though. Secondly, the story is an exciting adventure with a little romance between Link and Zelda - a first for the series. Lastly, Nintendo has veered away from some of the same old and boring traditions found in most games of the series. For example, there is not one torch puzzle found in the game. Also, the dungeons that Link encounters are not the same old Forest Temple, Water Temple, Fire Temple, etc. However, many elements of these traditional temples are present in the new dungeons, and even sometimes in combinations. Link is also able to dash, climb ledges, fly, upgrade items, and more. Based on this criteria alone, I could rate this game 10 out of 10. However, there are a few flaws. The biggest one I found was the unresponsiveness to the motions of the player. I may be trying to slash sideways, but the game would detect it as a slight diagonal. This gets frustrating when trying to defeat enemies that require you to swing your sword in a particular direction. Also, the controller would often have to be calibrated quite frequently, which caused disruption in the flow of the game. I haven't completed the entire game yet, but the adventure has been, so far, an epic one. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is no doubt one of the best games Nintendo has produced in years, and may be at equal quality with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Many will find this hard to believe, but once those people try it, they will certainly be hooked. Do yourself a favour and purchase a copy of this game if you already haven't. It's definitely worth it.… Expand
  81. cvgz
    Nov 29, 2011
    10
    Best Zelda ever, it greatness creeps up on you, so its only immediately apparent but it grows on you. A few dungeons in and you see the best of Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, and Ocarina of Time.
  82. pvtcornflower
    Nov 29, 2011
    8
    The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. As with almost any other franchise, it's hard to look at one game in a series without comparing or reflecting on other entries that have come previously. Unfortunately, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time seems to always be the precipice of all follow on entries of this series; being hailed as the best Zelda of all time. What players and reviewers oftenThe Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. As with almost any other franchise, it's hard to look at one game in a series without comparing or reflecting on other entries that have come previously. Unfortunately, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time seems to always be the precipice of all follow on entries of this series; being hailed as the best Zelda of all time. What players and reviewers often forget is that, that game too, for the most part, was a rehash of the one before it but in three dimensions. Collect three things, get the sword. Collect seven things, save the princess. It has been that design for these games that has been used for follow on entries, aside from a few exceptions. In comes Skyward Sword, a game that tries to break the mold but keep a familiar feeling to hold true to that "Zelda-esque" design. For everything that Skyward Sword does well, it has a few things that are done equally terrible. What we have here is a series that has gone from little to no story outside what was in an instruction booklet to the fullest story told in the franchise. This series is muddied by inconsistencies told throughout, until Skyward Sword. A story that within it's conclusion wraps up nicely the reason for all previous games. I will not go too far into the story in fear of spoilers, but for a fan of the series, you get that "Ah-Ha!" moment; for newcomers, it's easily followed along and makes jumping into the other games that much easier. Story: 8/10 Back in 2000, the world was shown what Zelda would look like in upgraded graphics since the time of Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. A year later we were shown Wind Waker. People, myself included, were shocked; some even appalled. It took playing and seeing to believe what Nintendo was truly capable of doing with motion design and emotional storytelling. Then came Twilight Princess, the ode to Ocarina of Time. A dark dreary game told in a threatened world once again. I mention these two games because it is so hard to feel the mixing of the two together to get the graphical design we see here in Skyward Sword. An older Link in a beautifully cel-shaded world. The world is so bright and colorful, full of detail and as things move off into the distance and fade into the background, it almost looks like a Monet style painting. The art direction for this game, fits perfectly to house all of the content and people that reside in this world. It makes sense to have kooky blue haired people in a world that looks and feels like this. The gorgeous oil/guache/water color design is absolutely gorgeous. Graphics: 9/10 The controls for this game are amidst huge debate among it's fans. Almost everything is controlled with the help of WiiMotion+ to it's advantage and dismay. When the controls work, it's incredible fun to see it all being played out on the screen in front of you. It really gives you the feeling of full control. It's when it doesn't work, which is about 20% of the time, that you wish you had a standard controller. Instead of fixing their control scheme they placed a work around in the controls to reset the center of the Wii-mote. This game can be completely played without the sensor bar because it's all relative to the Wii-mote. With this in mind, I found myself not having to reset very often. It was a mindset that took getting used to because of always having to point at the screen. Is it possible to waggle in this game? Yes. If done "right" it's actually quite effective. What ends up happening if the Wii-mote is waggled too ferociously is that you have to recalibrate the motion+. After having played with these controls, however, I couldn't imagine playing a Zelda game any other way, so long as n=Nintendo keeps improving on this method. Controls: 8/10 As with almost every Zelda game out there, there is some degree of exploration. Unfortunately, for Skyward Sword, as much exploration as there is, the locales are of 4 places; granted they are huge, you feel very confined. The level design is thoughtful and intriguing, I just wish there was more of it. I am glad they got rid of, for the most part, the "overworld" design put in place by Ocarina of Time. The surface world is full of surprises and things to see and opens up more and more as you progress through the game. Unfortunately, the only reasons to ever venture down there seem like padding. This game doesn't learn that fetch quests are redundant time fillers and can be quite annoying. There's a specific time where I wanted to choke someone out in Nintendo screaming "Why are you doing this to me?!" Getting over all of the fetching, the side quests, collectibles and other additions to this game round it out nicely. It was nice to see the bug net make its return. Gameplay: 6/10 Overall, I feel like Skyward Sword was a decent entry into the series and brings about the end of the Wii nicely. Skyward Sword: 8/10… Expand
  83. Linkno
    Nov 29, 2011
    10
    Bueno, para ser sincero soy fan de la saga de zelda, PERO, hablare objetivamente de este titulo, SIN Fanatismo, primero, Presentacion, el juego comienza con una elegante introducción, promocionando que la saga cumple 25 Años, los menus son sencillos con una vista panoramica de toda "SkyLoft" en español la llamaron "Neburía", laBueno, para ser sincero soy fan de la saga de zelda, PERO, hablare objetivamente de este titulo, SIN Fanatismo, primero, Presentacion, el juego comienza con una elegante introducción, promocionando que la saga cumple 25 Años, los menus son sencillos con una vista panoramica de toda "SkyLoft" en español la llamaron "Neburía", la introducción del juego es impecable, te describen el juego de una manera tan sencilla que cualquiera lo entiende, tan solo en este primer punto le doy un 100, por lo sencillo, entendible y bonito de interactuar con el menu.
    Graficos, aqui le tengo que dar un aplauso a Nintendo, ¿porqué?, se estaran preguntando, bueno, esta compañia esta consciente que su consola no es muy poderosa, es por eso que se la "ingenian" para poder hacer del juego lo mas bonito visualmente, que el arte del juego sea como una pintura, hace que el juego se vea muy bien, los movimientos de los personajes son fluidos y a pesar de no hablar, son muy expresivos, los efectos de luz son muy bueno y de lo mejor que puede tener el Wii, por eso aplaudo a Nintendo, porque sin necesidad de que la consola sea HD, las graficas se sienten muy fresacas y unicas (por estilo de arte).
    Sonido, que podemos decir de esta parte, todo el juego esta orquestado, simplemente hermoso cada melodia del juego, hay momentos en el juego donde se siente apagado, pero va de acuerdo a la situacion presentada, a lo mejor algunos les moleste que los personajes muevan sus labios y que de ellos no salgá ningun sonido, pero que conste que algunos no agradará, NO doy a entender que esto es es negativo.
    Forma de juego (gamplay), la verdad despues de jugar de esta manera un zelda, quisiera que los demas se juguen así, el control de movimiento estan intuitivo y fluido que realmente sientes que tu sostienes una espada, este zelda, es el zelda con menos objetos, pero cada uno es utilizado iteligentemene por el uso del control de movimiento, es el primer zelda, donde para ganarle a un enemigo o jefe, necesitas dar espadasos al azar, realmente necesitas observar por donde atacara tu enemigo o ver sus "huecos" para poder darle un espadazo, realmente una maravilla.
    NOTA: Quiero aclarar algo en este punto, SI, al principio el control se te hará un poco incomodó o torpe, pero si te tomas tu tiempo para entenderlo, y poder usarlo bien, lograras tener a tu poder uno de los mejores controles jamas hechos.
    Duracion del juego, el juego para los veteranos les durara entre 30 y 35 horas en terminar solamente la historia principal, para completarlo al 100% les tomara unas 45 a 55 horas, si eres nuevo y te gustaria comenzar a jugar un zelda, la verdad te lo recomiendo muchisimo porque te gustará, si no eres muy fan de los juegos tipo accion/aventura con un toque de RPG, entonces este no es tu juego, pero no por eso es malo el juego denle una oportunidad.
    Por todo lo anterior mi puntuacion es de un 100, si una puntuacion perfecta, pero la verdad es muy subjetiva esa califacion, yo creo, en mi opinion que el juego minimo es de un 85 a 100, ustedes deciden si comprarlo o no, espero les allá ayudado mi reseña (solo para aclarar si ya me termine el juego y puedo ciriticar de manera correcta)    … Expand
  84. the_straw
    Nov 29, 2011
    9
    This is a very good game but it isnt perfect like so many people are saying. Ive played every Zelda game before this one and I would put this one third in the series (behind OT and MM which are as close to perfect as any games ever been) mainly because of a couple irks I have with it. The motion control takes time to learn but once I figured out to swing my whole arm and not just flick itThis is a very good game but it isnt perfect like so many people are saying. Ive played every Zelda game before this one and I would put this one third in the series (behind OT and MM which are as close to perfect as any games ever been) mainly because of a couple irks I have with it. The motion control takes time to learn but once I figured out to swing my whole arm and not just flick it like in TP it worked fine. Dungeon design in this game is by far the best of the series and a couple of the boss fights will leave your jaw dropped (Bhudda / Final boss). Now my irks, which are small compared to what this game does right but there nontheless. The story is fine, it was just too predictable. This ones probably my fault and no fault of the game but I guessed the "twist" in the game and the ending scene before they happened, so it kinda made me feel empty when they happened with nothing else. The biggest problem I had was with the music and let me clarify this, the music was different in that it was all orchestral but in doing so there were no new original tracks that really caught my attention and actually took away from the atmosphere of the game. It was too cheery, all the time (even during the boss fights). I actually believe that if they had original NON ORCHESTRAL scores and side quests as vast as MM then this would have been a perfect game, but alas not. Overall though very good Zelda experiance and definately one of the top games in the series, just not perfect yet.… Expand
  85. aggie2012
    Nov 29, 2011
    10
    What does Zelda mean for us? For some, it was the beginning (along with Mario) of the resurgence of gaming after the big collapse in the 80s. Others view it as the beginning of games being epic in scope, with vast content, a massive overworld, unique gameplay elements, tough combat and tricky puzzles all rolled into one, a few people can look at Zelda as the beginning of saved data andWhat does Zelda mean for us? For some, it was the beginning (along with Mario) of the resurgence of gaming after the big collapse in the 80s. Others view it as the beginning of games being epic in scope, with vast content, a massive overworld, unique gameplay elements, tough combat and tricky puzzles all rolled into one, a few people can look at Zelda as the beginning of saved data and they could finally clear their cabinets of all those passwords they had been writing down. But I think that most people will think of Zelda as the birth of a legend (pun intended) in the history of video games that many of us have come to love. With all this in mind, I believe that The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword has also created a new beginning. It's a new beginning for Zelda, gamers, graphics, music, storytelling, gameplay, and for the entire gaming industry in general.
    No doubt by now you've heard all the praise and reviews Skyward Sword has gotten. As of time of this writing, I've counted 24 perfect scores on Metacritic, including perfect scores from big names such as IGN and Game Informer. Now if you are interesting in some trolling, feel free to head over to Gamespot.com, but i digress. What Skyward Sword has done to earn these high reviews is completely justified. In the waning month of the Wii, Skyward Sword shines brightly in the sky to remind us to never underestimate what Nintendo has done, is doing, and will continue to do for the world of video games.
    I'll start off with the story, and I will only mention thing and events that Nintendo themselves released through trailers and press events. So unless you've been under a rock this whole time, consider this spoiler free. Skyward Sword is the beginning of it all. Nintendo has finally given us the beginning of the Zelda timeline (how you decide the timeline should connect is your business, but know that this game is the origin of it all). As always, this is a story of Link and Zelda,and this time it actually means something, gone is the distressed princess that previous served mainly as a plot device and in return, Zelda is an actual person. At the very beginning it shows that Link and Zelda have know each other forever, and in fact there is great chemistry between the two. Zelda is spunky, happy, full of life, and a bit of a tease too, but it's still obvious she cares for Link in a very human sense. It's very nice to see Zelda as more than one dimensional finally. And over the course of the story, she only gets better. Link, while silent as always, is still full of character, maybe even more so than in Twilight Princess. He is very express in his actions and is instantly likable to help us connect as him and to BE him. Whenever a major plot twist happened, it was like Nintendo was reading my mind and had Link react the way I was, especially true with any part involving Zelda. I can't forget to mention Fi, your new traveling companion, and probably should also be considered the comic relief. Because Fi isn't human, she has no concept of emotions or human understanding, and gives very blunt odds of success, but she is still very interesting and her lack of emotion is probably her standout personality trait. As for the main story, it's pretty straightforward. Zelda gets captured and you are the chosen hero to go and save her, eventually having to save the world. Along the way, there are some major plot twist that will strike a chord to every Zelda fan and answer quite a few major questions in the Zelda universe, leading to a complete ending that will lead into the rest of the Zelda lore. But it's the characters that bring us in and keep us on this journey that is so worthwhile.
    Artistically, this game is beautiful, and Nintendo shows again that art style will always outlast polygon count in terms of beauty. If you think of a Twilight Princess modelling on a Wind Waker palette, then you get Skyward Sword. Characters are expressive, the world is bright and colorful, and add a great visual filter that turns distance objects into an impressionistic painting, and you have the greatest thing the Wii has ever made.
    I will be short with sound, it's amazing, I can't imagine ever going back to MIDI have the musical score Nintendo has put together here. It simply must be heard to be believed.
    Gameplay is where Skyward Sword shines brightest. After 5 years, Nintendo has proven motion controls really do change everything. Sword swinging is very accurate, fluid, and necessary. You won't be able to waggle your way through this game. The items you get in the game all benefit from this control, and better, you'll be using all your items throughout the adventure. No items left behind (except for the slingshot for the bow eventually)
    If by now you've noticed, Skyward Sword has in fact ushered a new beginning. Skyward Sword is hands down the greatest Zelda ever made, one that will connect to every gamer out there. To sum this game up in one word, Legendary.    … Expand
  86. TheGreenWasabi
    Nov 29, 2011
    10
    Although Ocarina of Time will always have a special place in my heart, Skyward Sword has topped it to being the best Zelda ever.

    First off, to the people who say the graphics are terrible, how so? Is it because it doesn't look realistic and looks cartoonish? There was only one Zelda game that looked kind of realistic, which was Twilight Princess. THAT game wasn't so great, especially    Although Ocarina of Time will always have a special place in my heart, Skyward Sword has topped it to being the best Zelda ever.

    First off, to the people who say the graphics are terrible, how so? Is it because it doesn't look realistic and looks cartoonish? There was only one Zelda game that looked kind of realistic, which was Twilight Princess. THAT game wasn't so great, especially for a Zelda game. In Skyward Sword, I like how the game is colorful. It brings back all of the nostalgia. The art style is amazing; the game was like a moving painting. The cutscenes were the best in the entire series! I was so shocked to see how beautiful the graphics actually were.

    The story was amazing as well. It was about time Nintendo gave us an origin story, and boy, they really gave us one. The story starts out pretty simple, go save the girl, but it slowly gets more complex yet engaging as you progress through the game. The characters themselves were great. I think most people will start out hating this one particular guy, but towards the end, he'll be your favorite character. Zelda isn't a princess this time; she's Link's childhood friend and someone he cares about greatly, so you genuinely want to save her. Link himself is the most badass Link ever. Even more badass the Ocarina of Time Link! Although he's his usual silent self, he still shows so much emotion thanks to the graphics. And there are other, GREATER reasons why I think he's so freakin' awesome, but if I say why it'll just spoil the story for you ;) guess you gotta play it for yourself.

    But really, although the graphics are stunning and the story is awesome, what REALLY makes this game the best is the gameplay. Seriously. Motion-plus for Zelda was the best thing ever since 3-D graphics. It works perfectly (and those who say it doesn't are just complete idiots), and fighting has never felt so satisfying than ever. The dungeons and puzzles are just perfection, I don't know how Nintendo keeps coming up with new and brilliant puzzles all the time. The only negative thing I can say for the motion plus is that you have to center it by pressing the down button every few hours, but it's not a big deal to just simply press a button.

    All in all, this game is a masterpiece. The best game I've ever played for the past decade. For those who've given the game a 0 are just trolls. Don't listen to them. This game has everything. Amazing graphics, terrific story, and the best gameplay gaming has to offer. You don't need to take my word for it; just play the game and you'll see. You won't be disappointed. I mean, it's ZELDA after all!    … Expand
  87. KILLDOG
    Nov 29, 2011
    10
    Has the world gone mad???? 30 negative reviews???this is just unbelievable...the game is brilliant having a very impressive art style(even though i liked twilight princess more on regard of the art style)the games motion controls are the best I've seen yet,i think that we might be looking at the game of the year
  88. santaglause
    Nov 29, 2011
    10
    it looks like the critics are even trying to sabotage this game, this game is everything i wanted and more well done Nintendo! the graphics are 10 for artistic merit, motion controls 10 for evolving the Zelda franchise, story is the most dramatic so far in the series, sorry but this is getting a 10.
  89. phads
    Nov 29, 2011
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was really ready to love this game since it's a new Zelda game and I have played them all from start to finish! Ive grown up with these game and have been waiting along time for this wii release of a zelda game...

    First of all... Were's the freedom we all LOVED with the old games? Now you just "dive" into new areas... The exploring of the game is gone.. And why is the graphic ALWAYS out of focus? The textures is so low resolution that's a shame to the franchise.. :( The drawing distance of the game engine is terrible. The graphics is way worse than ocarina of time that came out in 1998... The puzzles in this game are great! But the control ruins the fun, the joystick is way slower than it was in TP and the motion plus of the sword is somewhat the only thing that works with the controls. You always have to recalibrate the motion plus controller when you try flying for example the beetle. And there is so many insignificant uses of the wii motion controller that could be done with buttons better! This game is made for the motion controllers but you could made a more balanced gameplay controller... The story of the game is ridiculous #SPOILERS you live on a floating island and you try to become a knight and zelda get caught by a storm and yes the nonsense story goes on. It's not like the good old games were you actualy have a good background like you come from a little forest village and fight yourself upwards in the world! No now your some kind of random god knight that's flying a big useless bird that's impossible to controll and just dive/jump into new "dungeons". And what's up with your SWORD, now it's no fairy that's helping you ,now your sword is carrying somekind of ALIEN like sword creature that calculates everything "it's 95% chance you will find Zelda in this dungeon". And the alien always talk about the motion controller and how you can recalibrate it, what a nice way to keep the adventure illusion talking about the controller "35% of all the time the alien talks". There's still no voice acting but it's of no big deal us Zelda fans are used to it and it's no setback compared to the other games. The sound is good to make it short. I have finished the game. All the way I was thinking why the **** dont I play ocarina of time / TP ?! The score is based on 1point for the sword controll, 1point for the sound and 1 for the puzzles. I hope if you read this that you will get a greater experince of this Zelda game than I had. I guess my expectations were to high :(    … Expand
  90. davgav
    Nov 29, 2011
    10
    Best game of "The Legend of Zelda" saga.
    This is the game the Wii was built for! All gameplay, that we suffer in other Wii games, where designed for Zelda...
  91. AgentAtomic
    Nov 28, 2011
    9
    The game starts off really slow (takes 1-2 hours before your even in the first dungeon) which will probably put off Zelda beginners, but if you liked past Zelda games there's no reason why you won't like this. It even has the potential to be your favourite in the series. The style is great and controls were perfectly (although may take some time getting use to). They also add a few newThe game starts off really slow (takes 1-2 hours before your even in the first dungeon) which will probably put off Zelda beginners, but if you liked past Zelda games there's no reason why you won't like this. It even has the potential to be your favourite in the series. The style is great and controls were perfectly (although may take some time getting use to). They also add a few new ideas to puzzle solving and combat, making it a fresher experience from previous games in the series. The story is one highlight of the game, but what I enjoyed the most was the sidequests and collectibles. I always like finding pieces of heart, but this time there's also the Goddess Cubes for you to find and the gratitude crystals for you to collect. One bad point is the feeling of emptyness while flying around the sky world. There's hardly any islands for you to visit with things to do, but Skyloft (the biggest island) is full of life and extra tasks for you to do.

    It's not my personal favourite in the series, but it's definitely an enjoyable one. The game doesn't change too much to make it unrelatable to previous Zelda games, but enough to make it a fresh experience.    … Expand
  92. malypso
    Nov 28, 2011
    10
    Here we are at the end of 2011 going into 2012 and have been lucky enough to see some of the greatest games released (at one time), in the history of gaming. I'm 28 and have been playing video games since I was 5. I've played countless games and have experienced moments, where a game is so good, that it sticks with me for the rest of my life. The Legend Of Zelda Skyward Sword is one ofHere we are at the end of 2011 going into 2012 and have been lucky enough to see some of the greatest games released (at one time), in the history of gaming. I'm 28 and have been playing video games since I was 5. I've played countless games and have experienced moments, where a game is so good, that it sticks with me for the rest of my life. The Legend Of Zelda Skyward Sword is one of those titles. Skyward Sword improves on every aspect of the Zelda series. It raised the bar so high, that future titles (of the series), are going to have one hell of a time flying past the skies and into the stars...

    STORY-It's no secret that Skyward Sword is the prequel to OOT, in fact, Nintendo announced that Skyward Sword takes place as the first Zelda title ever. Skyward Sword is a cinematic experience that tells the brilliant story about how the series first started. Without going into detail (for the sake of people who have yet to play it), Skyward Sword dramatically changes the way The Legend Of Zelda's story was ever told. Traditionally, Zelda's story has always been about Link saving Princess Zelda from the Evil clutches of Gannon, have a happy ending, and do it all again in 3 to 5 years; this is not the case for Skyward Sword. Skyward Swords story improves in so many ways and with it's great art design, manages to deliver a memorable cast of characters. For those of you hoping for more control of the story, your not going to find it here. Regardless, Nintendo does an excellent job perfectly pacing the story, without ever feeling like your hand is being held the whole way through. Your objectives are quite clear, yet your always asking yourself "how do I get to the next area"? I never felt as if any part of the story was added for the sake of making the game longer. CONTROLS-Skyward Sword defines what a true game experience really is, by using some of the most sophisticated motion controls ever designed for a video game. Forget what you knew about Zelda's button mashing combat, this is a whole new way to control Link; where as before battling enemies was strictly a button mashing obstacle to proceed, now turns into a fight that requires skill and accuracy to reach the next foe. Not only has Nintendo somehow managed to make every enemy and boss battle exciting, they succeeded in implementing motion controls into every aspect of the game, without hurting the experience and making it more tasteful, and appealing, to every type of gamer. The motion controls are a new and welcomed edition to the Zelda franchise; in fact, the thought of exploring the land of Hyrule without motion controls (after using it), would be a step backwards for the series.

    GRAPHICS-Nintendo has managed to create a colorful, vivid, land, and some how combine the mature aspect of Twilight Princes together, without making it feel like Skyward Swords art direction was catered for children or adults. Granted most of the Wii's power is used for the Wii Motion Plus, Nintendo still managed to push the limits of the Wii like no other company has ever done before. There were a few times when I found myself wishing Skyward Sword would output in 1080p, but then again who doesn't??? I appreciate the effort that Nintendo made on Skyward Swords graphics, it runs so smooth (compared to current gen titles), I was able to look past the graphical limitations and enjoy the magnificent lands created. SOUND- Zelda + Orchestra = EPIC! Not once did I feel that the music in Skyward Sword never matched. Whether I was opening a treasure chest, or flying through the beautiful sky, Skyward Sword managed to suck me into its world with its tunes. Sound-effects are better than ever and improves on what previous versions offered. Skyward Sword is a cinematic experience. There is over an hour and a half of cut scenes and itâ    … Expand
  93. officerpup
    Nov 28, 2011
    10
    Gameplay: 10/10 Featuring highly intuitive controls and a very good use of the Wii remote's buttons. The Wii-Motion Plus enable enemies that cannot be defeated by just waggling the remote. Also, items are needed again and again, rather that in just one dungeon. The dungeons and main worlds are complex and detailed, without being to puzzling. Story: 10/10 An amazing, incredibly longGameplay: 10/10 Featuring highly intuitive controls and a very good use of the Wii remote's buttons. The Wii-Motion Plus enable enemies that cannot be defeated by just waggling the remote. Also, items are needed again and again, rather that in just one dungeon. The dungeons and main worlds are complex and detailed, without being to puzzling. Story: 10/10 An amazing, incredibly long story that is a must play game for any Zelda fan or any fan of games in general.
    Graphics: 9.5/10 Very, very good graphics which rival many photo-realistic HD console games. Some slight grainy pixels are noticeable during still cut-scenes. The art style is also amazing with colorful, yet believable design. Overall: 10/10 This is the best game for Wii ever, and likely the best Zelda game ever, quite possibly being the best game ever. Everyone should play this, ever if they are zealous HD-graphics zombies afraid of anything Nintendo.    … Expand
  94. el9nin0
    Nov 28, 2011
    10
    This beautiful game deserves the beautiful score : 10. Every aspect of this game is fine-tuned, and is the best Zelda experience i've had. Everything works so well, from the timeless water-color design to the clever dungeon puzzles, this game is a complete masterpiece.
  95. Nosidda89
    Nov 28, 2011
    10
    How can I start this review the best I can? Hmmm... how about that this is one of the best games I have ever played in my entire life? I am not just saying that because Zelda is my all time favorite franchise. I am saying this out of confidence that this game is a true masterpiece, and trust me when I say that it is. Skyward Sword isn't just a high quality game. It's a revolution. To thinkHow can I start this review the best I can? Hmmm... how about that this is one of the best games I have ever played in my entire life? I am not just saying that because Zelda is my all time favorite franchise. I am saying this out of confidence that this game is a true masterpiece, and trust me when I say that it is. Skyward Sword isn't just a high quality game. It's a revolution. To think that I would actually prefer motion controls over traditional controls. I've always been interested in the idea of motion in gaming, but still always chose traditional controls over it any day. Until now! When Skyward Sword was announced to rely heavily on 1:1 motion, it really caught my attention to think that this could be the game to show everyone what motion controls can do to improve your game. As it turns out, I was not only right about that, but my expectations were far exceeded. Everything you do in this game uses motion controls specifically in very unique ways at every turn. Skyward Sword is a game that can never be done with a regular controller. This game has officially gone from button mashing to swinging your arm, and absolutely everything in this game takes advantage of it. The puzzles, the bosses, the dungeons, everything relies on the direction you swing your sword. One of the boss battles actually requires you to swing upward in its weak spot, and if you swing from any other direction, your attack is blocked and doesn't do a thing. You'll come across enemies that will block from certain angles, but are left open to attack on the other, although it isn't as easy as swinging from that direction, because enemies will follow your movements specifically to block you. You have to try and trick your enemies into thinking you will swing from one direction, but then come at them from another. it requires great observation and strategy, and makes you victory far more satisfying. It works beautifully, I've never been so sucked into a game like this, I actually feel like Links sword is in my hand, I actually feel like the hero. The way this game uses 1:1 motion is proof that non traditional controls can really change the way we want to play games. Now that I've played this game, I actually want to play more games like it. I want more 1:1 motion games, I want to use it now more than my dualshock controller now. It has opened great opportunity to new kinds of gameplay, and Skyward Sword shows it done right. The story is the best Zelda has ever had. We finally see a romantic bond between Zelda and Link, and it strengthens the urge to find her when she goes missing. There are tons of twists that will make your head spin, and lots of great characters and moments that you will remember for ages. Although this game once again denies voice acting, it's actually an amazing cinematic experience. Character animations, in addition to the outstanding orchestrated soundtrack are stunning and great to witness. This game quite possibly has the best soundtrack a Zelda game has ever had. Right after you turn the game on, you are immediately greeted with the text narrated backstory, which plays the most epic war music you'll ever hear. The game is fully orchestrated for the first time in Zelda history, meaning the music is THAT much better. Never has Zelda music been so beautiful, and remember that we're talking about a franchise that is known for it's high quality and very memorable music. You will likely pause the game very often just because you want to listen to the music, the soundtrack is THAT good. The most debatable thing about this game, however, is the graphics. Many think that the graphics are bad quality due to not meeting todays standards of being HD, and to be honest, it doesn't matter. Because this game, in my opinion, is more beautiful than many HD games out there. Skyward Sword is a prime example that games don't need to be realistic and HD to be beautiful. It uses a fantastic and very original art style that embodies the Zelda universe perfectly, and will likely never look outdated due to its uniqueness. Do not let the absence of HD fool you, this game is actually the best looking Zelda yet. Skyward Sword has also replaced the open world with puzzle filled areas that you will revisit on numerous occasions. You won't be repeating too much, as you'll reveal secret areas that you never knew were there, creating a great sense of discovery. Although, this game has an overworld in the sky that you will be flying around using your awesome new companion. A giant bird. Epic with a capital E. And of course, on top of all this, it takes an amazing fresh approach to that awesome Zelda formula we've come to know for 25 years. It's like we always now it, but different. Zelda has shown once again why it's so critically acclaimed, and is without a doubt one of the franchises best games. Nicely done Nintendo! 10/10… Expand
  96. DrEggman
    Nov 28, 2011
    10
    My second favourite zelda game. TP and OOT are joint top. This game has fun gameplay, recalibration is not irritating as people say. The cinematic direction is better than any other zelda game although I prefer TP's art style. The first area and dungeon are boring. Why then do I give this a 10 not a 9? Because although haters gonna hate, Lovers gonna love. Hehehe.
  97. CCmancusi
    Nov 28, 2011
    10
    With complaints about the same old same old, these are a plus in my book. When they create a Zelda game i want a majority of the stuff i have seen before with subtle differences. With that i mostly mean upon mechanics, format etc. On the other hand the story should be its own new thing every time around. With skyward sword i get exactly that. The elements of zelda that i adore, Hearts (With complaints about the same old same old, these are a plus in my book. When they create a Zelda game i want a majority of the stuff i have seen before with subtle differences. With that i mostly mean upon mechanics, format etc. On the other hand the story should be its own new thing every time around. With skyward sword i get exactly that. The elements of zelda that i adore, Hearts ( Including Beeping), Music, Dungeons, Side Quests and side characters i couldnt be happier. they upgraded the fighting to 1:1 which is always fun and although the enemies sometimes get really repetitive, in what game do they not?. All in all 10/10 for me… Expand
  98. Darkzander
    Nov 28, 2011
    10
    This is one of the best games for the Wii! Maybe the best zelda game yet? Maybe! Skyward sword is another game in the long running series, a series well known for having one of the best games of all time. This is the game the Wii was built for! This game is a masterpiece. Enough said. The gameplay is incredible. Trust me, once you play an hour of SKyward Sword, you will never want to goThis is one of the best games for the Wii! Maybe the best zelda game yet? Maybe! Skyward sword is another game in the long running series, a series well known for having one of the best games of all time. This is the game the Wii was built for! This game is a masterpiece. Enough said. The gameplay is incredible. Trust me, once you play an hour of SKyward Sword, you will never want to go back to controllers. Wii motion plus is what Zelda is made for. This Zelda is one of the best Zelda game ever. First of all the gameplay is great, with the wiimote plus everything you do will be recognized and its really impressive. But because it uses the gyro instead of using the sensor bar you will often of to recenter the wiimote while using items like the slingshot. Graphics are really wonderfull, its are the best you can find on wii. I believe this is as good as Ocarina of time. They tried innovating and succeeded! This game makes old gamers happy and new people to the series as well. They changed a lot of new things but in a way that did not disappoint people who loved the formula and got tired of the formula. 25 hours till now playing the game ,controls are very impressive,clever, initiative . the important part that i have the same feeling in Ocarina of time the Depth of game play the value that i want to replay the dungeons and visit the area than one Time. The graphics are the best wii can get. The gameplay with the wii controller is superb. Absolutely fantastic. It's colorful, it's challenging, and while it's reasonably accessible for new players it does none of the claustrophobic hand-holding that many other recent Zeldas have done. The combat is a massive improvement over Twilight Princess, the motion controls being precise, responsive, and making combat an actual treat.… Expand
  99. GameDude2030
    Nov 28, 2011
    10
    Zelda has never let me down and this year is no different. The motion controls, which was heavily promoted by Nintendo, is actually really good, not perfect but still manageable compared to other games. With practice, the game's controls are close to accurate and I almost felt like I am Link, fending off foes and solving puzzles. The atmosphere, the dungeons, the story, almost everythingZelda has never let me down and this year is no different. The motion controls, which was heavily promoted by Nintendo, is actually really good, not perfect but still manageable compared to other games. With practice, the game's controls are close to accurate and I almost felt like I am Link, fending off foes and solving puzzles. The atmosphere, the dungeons, the story, almost everything seems different, if not too different, from the Zelda games I have played. The story is not too different from the formula, but it does give me a little more insight on the future relationship between Zelda and Link, it's more personal than ever. There is no voice acting, but I think its nothing important with this game as the characters are expressive in their own way. The dungeons are completely vast despite the fact that it is not as much of an open world as previous installments. I feel good about completing dungeons because the journey is just as exhilarating as the destination. I know some might not like the things I have mentioned above, but for those who are willing to have an open mind and appreciate what this game can give, then its a worthwhile experience.… Expand
  100. cebikks
    Nov 27, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After starting it up, I was a little disappointed by the new controls and look of the game. But after about 5 min, I was loving it. The golden remote that came with the game works perfectly and the game looks stunning(for the wii). I'm not concerned with the graphics cause those don't make a game anyway, I mean, how awesome are all the bad graphic games from the nineties? Back to Skyward Sword: The story was really a let down at first, but after I heard about the three flames, I new just what was a coming. THE GAME IS A PREQUEL!!! The way the story all ties together is amazing and blew my mind. i don't think there is a better 25 year anniversary for anything ever.… Expand
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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

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
93

Universal acclaim - based on 81 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 78 out of 81
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 81
  3. Negative: 0 out of 81
  1. 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.
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  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 19, 2012
    90
    New Zelda is the best game of whole series since the groundbreaking Ocarina of Time. It is a true masterpiece with uncompromising playability. [Christmas 2011]
  3. PALGN
    Jan 19, 2012
    95
    A magnificent homage for the 25th anniversary of one the biggest franchises in gaming, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword provides a compelling gaming and artistic showcase for the indefatigable potential of the medium as a whole, and a reason to have gaming as a hobby.
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