Skyward Sword

Skyward Sword is the Zelda game designed for the Wii. It uses extensive motion controls both for the swordplay and all the items. It is one of the few games that takes place before Ocarina of Time in the bizarre Zelda timeline.

Skyward Sword gets a ton of grief from people on the internet. There are several very valid issues. Some people had motion control issues (although I didn’t. I thought the motion controls worked well). Some people hated how story-locked and linear everything is. And then there’s the timewasters like how boring the skyworld is, and all the cutscenes.

This is all true. However I contend that Skyward Sword is the first 3D game since really Ocarina of Time that really showed off stellar level/dungeon design. And it’s not just in the dungeons, the path to the dungeons are also designed like a dungeon. Coupled with some excellent visuals, this has some of the most memorable sequences in Zelda.

Right in the first starter dungeon you’re hit with a brand new character/boss Ghirahim. He grabs your sword and is just generally a scary individual. It’s tricky, it challenges you, and it sticks in your mind. Water dungeon bosses are some pretty bad ones in Zelda, from “Morpha” in Ocarina to the stupid fish in Majora’s Mask. But in Skyward Sword you have this Hindu-deity style machine where you tear of his arms and then hit him with his own arms. Frickin’ sick man.

I haven’t even talked about the timestones in the desert, which take you from the dead and rusted present into the vibrant and lush past, with colorful robots and weird puzzles. Every time you go into the desert, the timestones are used in different ways to make the puzzles interesting.

And then there’s the Silent Realm. This is reminiscent of all the terrible stealth parts in previous games and of the weird light bugs in Twilight Princess. But here it’s this interesting and frightening challenge. You can be spotted as long as you grab the next light orb quickly. Again, it’s interesting, memorable, and tightly designed.

I also think Skyward Sword has the best story. Not only do you have Zelda taking a more active role in the first half of the game, you have whimsical NPCs in Skyloft. Not to mention some great character development and great soundtrack of Groose. Did I mention that this game is the first Zelda to use live orchestra?

Sure, it would be nice if the Sky part wasn’t terrible. Or if the game didn’t force you to go here and watch a cutscene just to unlock the next part. It’s annoying as hell. But it’s got payoff with exciting and top shelf design. And, if the motion controls turned you off, the port to the switch will let you play without them. So check it out!