The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
By Marc Saltzman,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Stellar fantasy adventure gets refreshed for the Switch.
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The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
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What’s It About?
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SKYWARD SWORD HD stars a young Link, who vows to rescue his childhood companion, Zelda, who was kidnapped by an evil force. Zelda -- who is not yet a princess in this prequel to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time -- was snatched from the peaceful floating islands of Skyloft and taken to the dangerous surface world below. To aid in his quest, Link is presented with the magical Skyward Sword, which houses a spiritual aid named Fi, who can provide Link with some guidance when he needs it. Link can also hop on the back of a giant bird, known as a Loftwing, and soar the unfriendly skies. You choose the direction, flap the bird's wings, and press a button for a temporary speed burst. But much of the gameplay focuses on exploring vast lands (including multiple dungeons, towns, and deserts), bypassing traps and other obstacles, and engaging in real-time combat. Like the original 2011 game for Nintendo Wii, players can detach the JoyCon controllers from each side of the Nintendo Switch and use the integrated motion controllers to synchronize their real-world movements with Link's swordplay. Whether you're holding the controller skyward (up) to charge its magic, slicing diagonally, jabbing forward, or performing a spin attack, all the actions are mirrored in the game. You can raise your shield during combat or to perform a preemptive shield bash against an opponent as well. You can use the Nintendo Switch controls without motion as well -- an option not available with this game's predecessor.
Is It Any Good?
While this is a 10-year-old revamp of a Wii title, it hasn't lost a single step in that whole time, and a new generation of players will love this title. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD gives you the choice to play with motion controls or not, which is important since the motion controls are still somewhat inaccurate, and thus frustrating, like those in the game it's based on. Giving you the option is a welcome addition, and since it's playable on Nintendo Switch, that means this classic adventure is now portable for the first time. That said, rotating the camera can be a little cumbersome in the button-only mode as the right analog stick doesn't move it as in most games (instead, you need to press the L shoulder button first).
Nostalgia aside, this Nintendo offering also introduces this stellar game to a whole new generation of players. Reading a lot of dialogue might not be in vogue today, but the engaging gameplay will keep players glued to the screen hour after hour. There are a couple of new additions, too -- such as amiibo support, the ability to skip past some (once mandatory) cutscene sequences and tutorials, and being able to summon Fi for help instead of her cutting into your gameplay uninvited -- but for the most part, it's the same game. And that's just fine. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD also adds new emotion to the story. You can feel the admiration and attraction between Link and Zelda when the two are speaking closely. It gives you a sense of extra purpose to your actions when she's taken. Some missions are better than others, of course, but overall it's a well-crafted adventure you won't soon forget.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in video games. Is the impact of the violence in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD affected by the inclusion of blood as part of combat? Would the impact of combat be lessened if there wasn't any blood shown? Why do you think the developers included blood as a result of doing battle?
Is remastering older games for newer hardware lazy on Nintendo's part, since much of the work has been done already? Is Nintendo simply recycling content to make more money? Or is this a smart move, because a good game is a good game that should be played over the years, and it should be updated and enjoyed by new audiences?
Game Details
- Platform: Nintendo Switch
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Nintendo of America
- Release date: July 16, 2021
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More , Adventures , Friendship , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- ESRB rating: E10+ for Fantasy Violence, Comic Mischief, Animated Blood
- Last updated: August 19, 2022
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