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The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword game review

Five loooooonng years. It’s been quite a wait for a new The Legend of Zelda for the Wii. But with Skyward Sword, that lengthy wait is finally over.

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SKYWARD SWORD
Nintendo for Wii, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older

Gameplay: 9.0
Graphics: 8.0
Sound: 9.0
Replay Value: 7.5
Overall Score: 8.7

Pros: It’s a brand-new Zelda; inventive ways to play; riding Loftwing.

Cons: Jaggies on graphics show the Wii’s age; tips can be confusing; controls take getting used to.

Nintendo has brought you another thrilling serving of the silent hero Link’s mysterious epic adventures. This time, he travels between two worlds to rescue the lovely Zelda. (The reason it’s called Skyward Sword probably has something to do with the controls. You lift your Wiimote high over your head to the sky to get super sword power.)

RESCUING LOFTWING

Begin your escapade high above the clouds in a fantasy kingdom overseen by a beautiful ancient goddess. There’s an awesome monument high above the town. You must check out the goddess statue and explore its nooks and crannies to move forward in the game. You also meet the quirky townspeople along the way, including kids who want to bully you.

In the first hour or so, your primary goal is to rescue your beloved Loftwing, a giant red bird who is your loyal friend as well. You ride on his back for a competition — but you must free him from a well-hidden dungeon first. Tip: When Zelda comes to help you find Loftwing, don’t leave that green perch on the cliff (like I made the mistake of doing). Just look around there — carefully.

Soon, you’ll jump off a plank into the clouds. Don’t worry; you won’t die. Coming to your rescue is your trusty Loftwing. Take off on his back and fly down, down, down through a hole in the swirling clouds. It’s an exciting ride.

THE CHALLENGES

Skyward Sword comes packed with a soundtrack CD celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Zelda game series. Another package features a special golden Wii Motion Plus remote. You need the precision of Motion Plus to, say, aim your sword properly when fighting bosses at the end of levels. But sometimes either your aiming or the device isn’t that precise. That causes you to lose a battle.

Like many of the Zelda games, the puzzles can be difficult, and that’s usually a good thing for the series. With Skyward Sword, Nintendo added a feature that lets you get a hint when you’re stuck. Just press down on the Wiimote’s D-pad.

Beware: The hints can be vague and confusing. At first, they can be more puzzling than the puzzles themselves. Early on, these hints can feel especially useless when you have to rescue a cute Kikwi from a tree. Tip: Roll into the trunk.

DESPITE GLITCHES, AWE-INSPIRING

Once you figure out the ins and outs of the game, the lands that you explore are vast and wondrous ones. Move through a treacherous volcano to get to the eerie Earth Temple where you fight the fiery-mouthed Scaldera. Feel awe when you travel to the Isle of Songs. Halfway through, explore the Ancient Cistern, defeat the six-armed Koloktos and get yourself a very useful whip.

Sure, the Wii is showing its age as far as graphics go (which is why there will be a new Wii next year). While Skyward Sword tries to give you the best graphics ever on the Wii, it still suffers from the jaggies. It’s a credit to the people at Nintendo that the story and game are so compelling, you don’t always notice the problems with displaying the artwork.

Despite its few glitches, Skyward Sword is the Wii game to get this season. With over 40 hours of play, it will keep you magically occupied for weeks on end.

83 Comments on The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword game review

  1. veryfunfunman6 // February 1, 2012 at 8:07 pm // Reply

    i love this game i beat the game on hero mode I love the hylin sheild

  2. This game stinks!

  3. Wind Waker was better.

  4. Cool Bro

  5. Awesome! i love this game! i like games with a little challenge and i deffinently got it with this game! I just beat the Lanayru Desert Level

  6. Does ANYONE know how to get into the temple in the deep forest? Where do I find that stone tablet?!?
    IM DESPERATE! 🙁

    • Are you talking about the first dungeon? If you are than look above the door. There should be a red crystal on the sealing. Hit it with the slingshot to open it.

    • 390 boy scout // January 20, 2012 at 7:07 pm // Reply

      dude it’s easy. look above the big jewled skyloft sign and shoot the crystal

    • i love this game and i have the time of my life on my loftwing! and i love destroying the chandellar in the pumkin bar!

  7. A Random Guy who Took Over the World Last Tuesday // December 21, 2011 at 7:01 pm // Reply

    Sounds awesome, but the graphics are horrible even for the wii’s standards. “Skyward Sword tries to give you the best graphics ever on the Wii”? Twilight Princess has way better graphics than that and it’s one of the older wii games, and that’s not even mentioning Sonic Colors, which was as good as any Xbox or PS3 game. Other than that, It’s unquestionably the best game of 2011.

    • random reaplire that is always right // December 22, 2011 at 10:17 pm // Reply

      it’s graphics seam bad because it’s a fantasy game not a real life game. so i would give it’s graphics a 9.5 in fantasy graphics .

    • random reaplire that is always right // December 22, 2011 at 10:24 pm // Reply

      + graphics are just an accessory , the graphics in the controls make it a good game not the screen graphics.

    • I would have to disagree with you. MW3(Modern Warfare 3) out sold and was waaaaayyyy more cool then Zelda! Zelda could only dream of how cool MW3 is! over all I would rather use a zelda game as target practice for my .22 rife!

    • the secret police // March 10, 2012 at 9:46 am // Reply

      agreed

  8. This game is awesome. It is in my top Seven, well besides the last three Spiderman games, here’s the list: 1: Skyrim, 2: Xenoblade Chronicles, 3: Sideway New York, 4: Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell 3D, 5: Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Shadow Wars 3D, 6: LEGEND OF ZELDA SKYWARD SWORD,and 7: FIFA 12

  9. samurottfantic // December 17, 2011 at 2:52 pm // Reply

    i want it but i vant get it it all happen like this one day i was coming home from school then a package came in the mail with a wii game boom blox 25$ best buy gift card and 50$ check i was going to use it to buy it with the money and she was like use the gift card so i bought club penguin elite penguin force and when i looked at it it was used so i was bummed out first for getting a used game and no skyward sword

  10. that game sounds really cool i think they should make that for ds that way i coulld get it at game stop for ds .

  11. JCarpenter92 // December 7, 2011 at 4:42 pm // Reply

    I got it 4 Christmas 4 my little bro!!!

  12. Shadow Master X // December 6, 2011 at 9:49 am // Reply

    I have it and it is AWESOME!

  13. I haven’t played any zelda games, and I was wondering if this was a good game. It’s either this or paper mario, so any thoughts? And I mean from someone whos played it.

  14. Excuse me, I was looking for the best nintendo game ever released and there it is right there. I’m going to play this game the second I get home after buying it.

  15. THAT GAME IS SO COOL

  16. It is cool

  17. I played the demo and IT…IS…AWSOME!!!

  18. This is the best Legend of Zelda game yet!!!

  19. snackinapack // December 1, 2011 at 12:05 am // Reply

    very fun, amazing, thrilling, epic, and fun

  20. Gettin it 4 christmas! Can’t wait for Zelda on the Wii U either. Who else saw those breathtaking graphics at E3?

  21. i bought the limited edition bundle i got the most epic wii femote with built in wii motion plus and the most epic wii game ever LEGEND OF ZELDA: SKYWARD SWORD

  22. this game is so fun

  23. i am getting it

  24. I pre-ordered it, with the gold Wii Remote, and its amazing! Everyone should get it.

  25. I bet this game is going to be awsomo

  26. My dad rented the game of zelda

  27. i have all zelda games tht come out

  28. itcool

  29. i want it sooooooo bad.

    • Me too Zelda is my favorite thing EVER!!!!!!!!!!!! I am waiting till Xmas to see if anyone got me the bundle with gold remote. I am just sooooooo anxious and might get it early.

  30. me to

  31. i want this game for ever

  32. I WANT IT!!!!!!

  33. henrypotty2779 // November 26, 2011 at 11:50 am // Reply

    I tried it at Walmart but only for 5 minuetes. The bosses are hard!

  34. its an amsome game

  35. im probubly never geting it my famliy dose not have the money to get the game sistum

  36. try the super nintendos mario series.

  37. I pre-orderd it, ITS AWASOME!!!!! but kinda hard

  38. I love that game.

  39. me to but I dont think i have the monye

  40. You Got Skyd // November 25, 2011 at 7:44 am // Reply

    Mom pre-ordered it!
    Ps.Used to Litwick101

  41. I have been waiting 5 long years for this game

  42. I NEEEEEEEEED that game!

  43. i would give my dsi for that game. well not really. but you get the point.

  44. I really want to get it to see what the big boss is.

  45. i might get it for christmas

  46. you got that right

  47. Looks pretty good!

  48. My friend has it. He says it’s epic

  49. The Game Master // November 22, 2011 at 6:59 pm // Reply

    Same Skyward. I have Twilight Princess and it is so fun!

  50. SkywardScout // November 22, 2011 at 5:06 pm // Reply

    I want that game so badly.

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