Ambitious but disappointing. Whilst game scores are often arbitrary, two things are certain: 0 means there is absolutely nothing right with the game and 10 means there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. Yet Skyward Sword is littered with perfect scores creating high expectations and a fascade of perfection despite it containing fundamental gameplay errors.

The motion controls are imprecise and always fail at the worst times. This would not be a problem if precision was a limited requirement, but nearly every enemy is required to be killed in a precise manner. The game is repetitive you will have to visit the same areas again and again, of which there are only three additional areas to the hub town. Nearly all of the side quests are fetch quests and the game constantly pulls you out of the experience with a bland side kick constantly interrupting the game to point out the bleeding obvious, especially after the bleeding obvious was just mentioned. Further, every time you pick up a collectible item the game will pause and open up your inventory and describe the item, despite you having 55 of them already. This all pulls you out of the mood and atmosphere of the game, especially when momentum is being gained. In addition to all this there is nothing extra to do the clouds are littered with islands, yet 90% of them contain nothing of interest it creates an illusion of expansiveness but in reality is disjointed and rather barren; certainly not a staple of the Zelda franchise.

However Nintendo brings a few new players to the table in an attempt to change up the Zelda formula which has been gospel since Ocarina of Time. The dowsing and RPG style inventory upgrading system are new as well as the customary temple treasures however these things either add little or detract from the experience. Dowsing is basically a scrap metal detector when was this fun? The RPG system is distantly related to the Zelda 2 system but ultimately more of a pain than anything as it requires going back to the hub world... AGAIN. The new temple treasures however are a benefit and have a useful life longer than the temple, but many of the items are not as satisfying to use as many of the traditional Zelda treasures, even though they are implemented well with the level design.

Nintendo did have to change up the formula, however it did not really work out for this game the same as it did for Majora's Mask.

Is it worth playing for a non-Zelda fan? Sure. Will you be disappointed if you are a Zelda fan? Likely.… Expand

Underwhelming. I think that's the best word here. I remember watching my mom play A Link to the Past as a small child and being so excited when I got Ocarina of Time for my birthday one year. I really expected a lot out of this game, but it seems that the "on-rails" hand holding trend in modern gaming has tarnished even Zelda. The story is cute and typical, Link and Zelda are as adorable as they have ever been, and the dungeons are pretty well designed and fun, but the exploration is gone. That sense of place that was galloping through Hyrule on Epona's back is definitely gone. And did I mention that I hated the flying thing? Maybe I am just handicapped, but seriously, it just didn't feel good. It's alright. It's not Zelda, at least not how I remember Zelda being. Oh well.… Expand

In every way, shape and form, Skyward sword is amazing. Even if it may not have done a lot to innovate, who the hell cares? We like a game for what it is. It doesn't need to constantly change for us, but sometimes it's okay. I actually liked the motion controls for this game and, believe it or not, Link has character development! This is a must play for the wii

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. First off, I wonder how much money Nintendo dished out to sites like IGN and the like to rate this zelda higher than a six? This game is honestly atrocious, and the worst zelda I have ever played. And trust me I've played through about "85% through, master." Yeah, Fi... 85%... whatever you say.... of all the zelda games. Majora's Mask, which any zelda fan can argue, has the craziest, insane, most twisted story in the franchise. Now compare that to Skyward Sword. You have a bland "hero, knight, chivalry, etc." character that hacks n slashes first and asks questions later. You know that mummified dad you had to save in MM with the song of healing? Ya, non-o-dat here.
Speaking of music, what the flip Nintendo?! After Mario galaxy's soundtrack (which i still listen too), you give us uninspired, orchestra (orchestra, has to be good?! Right?!) music which is about as moving as a clogged toilet. The harp? Dear God, just take it away, compared to the beautiful ocarina compositions from OoT and MM, the harp playing sections include a bunch of random phrases composed by pulling notes out of a hat. On top of that, there are no specific songs you learn with the harp, just generic strumming... I still have the Song of Time button input memorized Nintendo, Holy CRAP, gamers have memory spans longer than 1 min!!!
Now Shigeru Miyamoto himself said people stopped playing the game half way through. Well, its not rocket science, how about an actual, interesting story? From what i could gather, by the 30th hour of gameplay, I was merely a lab rat chasing after cheese on an exercise wheel. Zelda is 1 step away! Maybe next time you'll catch her! Oh, can't catch her? How about you do numerous, cloned fetch quests to upgrade your sword and shield in the meantime so you can become god? It was all so predictably written, that it could have been fan fiction. And why is every character so cookie cutter? You have jocks (all of which have a soft side deep down, awww), you have haughty chicks, you have slightly normal people (but always the same), and you have over the top weird. None of them feel tangible or interesting after you learn their 2 paragraphs of background.
The gameplay as everyone says, fails. Sure, some boss battles inspire awe, but only because the baddies are big and interesting. When you're facing moblin after moblin that requires no more skill to defeat than whipping your left hand then whipping your right hand, the gameplay gets stale and that's not mentioning frustrating calibration and aiming issues which happen ALL THE TIME. The overworld, Skyhaven, Skyhop, i really dont care anymore, has almost nothing to do in it once you have all the money you need, and your wrist will cramp up after flying in Skyhop for more than 5 min. I would rather stroll through my generic neighberhood Walmart.
If you know what Rune Factory Tides of Destiny is... good! You'll get my next reference. Ahem... I finished that game. I didn't finish Skyward Sword. That should make the point loud and clear that SS is the worst excuse for a zelda game ever. Nintendo abused my trust, i used to buy every zelda gaming assured it would appease my adventurous appetite. No more! This was supposed to be the first in the series timeline, well... it comes dead last in my book. Honestly, the younger generation, which apparently has half the brain (according to Nintendo) that I had at the same age, will be the only ones who truly like this game. Many longtime zelda fans and Nintendo fanboys will defend it for the sake of pride, but at the same time, inadvertently cast a shaky look over their shoulders at the shell of what used to be the quality zelda franchise.… Expand

This game is fundamentally very good, but was tarnished by a few flaws that made it difficult to enjoy.
Starting with the good:
The art style and music are phenomenal, as can be expected from the series. No disappointments in these areas. The level design is very good and takes advantage of the motion controls well. The levels were built around motion, not the other way around (see Twilight Princess).

I'm neutral on the game's plot.

Now the not-so-good:
It treats the player like a moron, constantly assuming that he doesn't know what to do and constantly interrupting gameplay to tell him. It gets worse and worse as the game progresses. If this help system had been implemented in a way that made it voluntary, it would be a non-issue.
There is a lot of boss repetition, which is unusual for Zelda games.
The game is easy, even in hero mode. Solving puzzles is more a matter of moving your arm correctly than thinking correctly and bosses do very little damage. Enemies die when you breathe on them. Very few of the heart pieces are well-hidden.

A lot of the reviews on here seem like they were written by people who were blinded by the "new-ness" of it, without actually taking the time to analyze the gameplay. It has the makings of an excellent experience, but it's brought down at least a few notches by its flaws.… Expand

The game controls perfectly fit on the wii motions sensor system. It has a great storyline and the puzzles and adventure is amazinly fun. Innovative bosses and opponents.

I don't know why this game has been receiving such low user reviews. I believe the people who gave it a low score didn't give it much of a chance in the get go, it was doomed to fail in their eyes to begin with.
First, let me address the issues of the controls. Don't let those other reviews fool you, the controls work phenomenally. I admit that at first, I was having trouble with the controls, until I realized the fault was on me and not on the controls. It takes getting used to, but once your mind becomes more familiar with the motion sensor and the fluidity of the game, Link will be come as precise as a Sushi Chef.
This game is truly fit to be a Zelda game. The impressionist art style is beautiful, and the story is very compelling. It truly blends the series together and allows you to see each game in the series in a new light.
I was a bit skeptical about the stamina system at first, but now I can't imagine this game without it. It's perfectly implemented and I dare even say innovative to the series. The mini-games are fun and creative and the Boss battles are a hell lotta fun. There's an upgrade system to your weapons, and there's even a hard mode once you beat the game.
The only problem I have with this game, is the limited item space. I dislike the idea, that I have to take up two slots of the item pouch, in order to have all heart containers at a given time. However, it's a small problem, and this game still receives a perfect score from me.… Expand

Dezpy.
Oh by the way: GREAT GAME 10/10
Don't mind this part, just writing more so it will match the review's necessary number of characters of one hundred and fifty characters long. See what I did there?

I want to love this game. I really do. I've been a hardcore fan of the series since LttP. I bought the stupid wii motion plus and started up this game with my heart pumping and my hands quivering. I proceeded to be slapped in the friggen face with what they've done to my Zelda. After the first 3 temples, I quit entirely. It took my friend Rachael another 4 months to convince me to pick it up again, with the promise that it gets better. And she didn't lie. Some of the bosses (especially Four Arms McSamurai Robot) and level designs are GREAT! But the overall game just didn't hold up. I didn't feel like link, saving the world from evil. I felt like I was busting my way through dungeons, having my hand held by the most annoying character to grace the series. Navi pretty annoying. Fi holy godamn your are so annoying it is physically hurting me. She literally will interrupt the game to inform you that "bows shoot arrows", "keys go into locks", and my favorite, "I was beeping to let you know about the other beeping to let you know that your health is low". The controls were not 1:1, making the prequel to the final boss the most frustrating battle I have ever experienced. But then after that I killed the final boss with relative ease! And let's not forget that the cool Zelda races have been replaced with weird little penguin f**kers, and MOLE PEOPLE. SERIOUSLY. Hey game designers, Imma just put it out there, if you're looking for innovational character design, MOLE PEOPLE WILL NEVER BE IT!! Oh, and the bird sucks. Theres minimal air combat and the over world is too big to be flying uselessly along. I want Epona back. I get it. I really do, it's supposed to be new and creative. I just don't caaaare. It sucked, gimme back Epona. And give me back the ADVENTURE! This game was so "on the rails" it made me feel like I was playing a LoZ mod of an FPS. The side quests were all silly grind fests with no real merit. If this wasn't a Zelda game, I would give it at least a 7. But I had certain expectations from this, and they just weren't met. As a kid who grew up defeating Ganondorf, memorizing the songs, collecting all the mask to become the fierce diety, and riding over the fields of Hyrule on my beloved horse, this was not what I was hoping for. But it looks like they'll get the next game right so far!… Expand

Skyward swords has a lot of good points but also a few bad points. lets start off with the good.

The first thing that is brilliant with SS are the characters. Legend of Zelda has never had such a lovable cast. Even the robotic Fi will be pulling at your heart strings by the end of the game. Zelda has never been so likeable. She is full of personality and I actually cared much more about saving her.

The next great thing about it, is the story. Nintendo wisely chose to tell the true origin story of Zelda and why you are in the position you are in. You truly feel like this important character, and it drives you to play the game to your full potential. The story is only made better by the brilliant cast

The next thing that is wonderful in SS is the graphics and the sound. The mix of wind wakers cell shadedness and twilight princess mature world, gives Skyward sword an identity that can truly be known as the best look for Legend of Zelda. The music n the game is also the best it has ever been, mainly because it is fully orchestrated and the new themes fit perfectly within the context of the story and characters. "Fi's farewell" is my favourite track.

Now for the bad aspect. the structure of game play. Due to the limitations of the Wii Nintendo has created a world made up of four large areas. They are all wonderful locations and Nintendo should be commended for crafting such a brilliant world. The issue is you will be travelling back and forth so much between these locations that they get quite dull

Overall Skyward sword has become my favourite Legend of Zelda game, and one of my favourite games ever. Nintendo has created something truly special. I give it a well deserved 9 out of 10… Expand

Ive yet to play a zelda game i would not give a 10 to. So maybe im biased. From nes to now its amazing how far we have came link and I. And honestly this is my number 2 on my list. Wind waker was my pick cause of how different it was. But thats how this shines. Its windwaker but in the sky, and the controls make your really feel they put time into the game. Turn your remote or aim in up and his hand follows. Small details like that really show the bun in the oven is nice and toasty.… Expand

Fi: Thank you.
Me in tears: No, Fi, thank you for everything.

The most equally beautiful and saddest moment in any game I've ever played.
This game is a work of art and the absolute pinnacle of Nintendo.

This game is brilliant. I mean anyone who has had problems with the controls are either cheating, don't realize what they should do or the remote is broken. The gameplay is immersive in which you have to plan your attacks more than in any other Zelda game before. What also makes this game excellent is it's story. It's simple yet engaging. The villains are great in their own way and Link somehow is still my favourite character. So in short, this game is almost perfect. Sure it has it's faults but there isn't a single game this long without any problem. A 10- out of 10.… Expand

Skyward Sword has impressed me since the start. I bought the Wii Remote Plus for this game and I was not dissapointed when I finally got to play it. There are tons of positive things I could say about it, but I'll just say a few. First of all, it has beautiful graphics... and considering the limited specifications for the Wii, it's still a pretty good looking game. The motion controls worked very smoothly and added an extra sense of action to the game. The enemies and boss battles were fun and quite challenging at times. The world and dungeon designs were stellar as well. I am a big Zelda fan and this game has stood out as probably the best Zelda game ever for me. 10/10 from me.… Expand

This game is truly amazing. The graphics are the best Ive ever seen out of any game for the Wii. Even if your not a Zelda fan this game is absolutely incredible. I actually purchased a Wii just to play this. This game is a must have.

After thoroughly enjoying Twilight Princess, I felt that Skyward Sword had some pretty high standards to meet. Unfortunately, it did not deliver this time around. Too much repetition and backtracking in the gameplay got old really fast. Also, utilizing the Wii Motion Plus was a good thing but a bad thing at the same time. Sometimes the controls made sense while other times they were just ridiculously frustrating. Overall, Skyward Sword is an "okay" installment, but if you are looking for this one to be up there with some of the most memorable Zelda games, I recommend passing on this one.… Expand

Absolutely amazing game. Great design and art style. Working motion control. Memorable characters. Great upgrade system. Great interface. WONDERFUL STORY. Though, I wish the game had dungeons in the sky over world. Though they fit a lot of content into a fairly linear surface world. My favorite game of all time though. A must buy on the wii.

This is the best example of Motion Controls to date and shows that fantastic game design can lead to solid motion controls, they are not perfect with some registering issues but this is very rare, Motion Controls are used to control your sword and shield as well as your items which include many things like a Bow, bombs, a flying beetle just to name a few, they all control very well.

The story is arguably one of the best to come for The Legend of Zelda series, It's very cinematic and provides an origin story for the series, the characters are great and the game will last you about 40-50 hours just playing the main story depending on how well you play, there are some great puzzles to figure out and the enemies in the game are sort of like puzzles themselves with you having to figure out how to get to there weak points.

Nintendo manages to take the Wii hardware and make a game absolutely beautiful with a watercolor painting sort of design, it is very impressive for a game not in HD. It is easily one of the best titles for Wii and a testament to the fact that motion controls can work if a game is designed properly to take advantage of them, Nintendo achieved what they set out to do with the Wii back in 2006. There is so much to say about this game that I could go on forever, but if you have a Wii or Wii U then pick this game up you will not regret it.… Expand

Amazing!! Great all around, unless you are clumsy with a wii mote haha. I have the presence of mind to not ask for hints or read the tips, so I don't have the problem of it "holding my hand" too much. I am pretty good with a wii mote, so combat is fun. I loved the art style, music, and tendency to stray from the formula a bit. The stats of Fi are just for effect, and are obviously nothing more than to give her a robotic feel. Overall amazing game!!… Expand

I recently beat Skyward Sword for the second time on hero mode and I have to say It has now become one of my favourite zelda games. Many people misjudge it just because the art style. But once you start to get into the story you realize that art style caters to the feel of the game. This game has so much emotion that as the player you feel everything. Every smile Link gives, you feel happy. Happy that you got through that obstacle. Every time you help someone or you complete a task you feel a sense of achievement.

Other Zelda games do have you feel that sense of achievement but I feel no Zelda games makes you feel as Link feels. And I applaud Nintendo for being able to do this.

So to everyone who didn't give the game a chance based on the wii mote or the art style. Play it and feel as Link does; The chosen hero of the godess. www.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dn6xN_lWW2Fw&h=YAQHPyeit… Expand

I just can't work this game out. There is massive critical acclaim for this game but I honestly can't see why. Critics and audiences praised the control system, why? The pointer controls are too unresponsive and keep requiring you to recenter them, the motion controls are not tight enough and quite frustrating. Gameplay feels lighter than previous Zelda's due to the motion control implementation it's like Wii Sports with a story. Plot is hardly a black sheep in the Zelda universe, it isn't clever in it's execution, Nintendo just made up a story about the origins of the Master Sword and made players think that the story had existed throughout the franchises history, quite cheap really. Locations are generic...but NO ICE WORLD!!!! WHAT??? It's like Super Mario Sunshine all over again, saying that, the Lanayru Desert segments are some of the series finest. Returning to the comment about being 'cheap', some elements in the game feel as though they were taken straight from other game series' such as Resident Evil and Ninja Gaiden. In several segments you have to defeat hordes/waves of identical enemies just to proceed to the next area with only your sword motion movements as the only form of variety. The watercolour art style is luscious but it's personally not my favourite look for Zelda. There are a lot of smart puzzles in the game but experienced Zelda gamers will find them disappointingly easy, perhaps offensively so. The boss fights rarely impress but when they do, they really do. The game is long but this is mainly due to repetitive and uninspiring fetch/collecting quests, the average player could clock around 20-30 hours.

Graphics: 8.5/10
Gameplay: 6/10
Features: 5/10

The WORST Zelda game ever made to date! Lazy controls, basic design and cheap tactics can't be disguised behind Skyward Sword's appealing art style. A thorough disappointment in my opinion. I'm sticking with Twilight Princess and waiting for Wind Waker HD.… Expand

This was by far the worst Zelda game for me. It just seemed like it was made for a different age group than Im in (born 1990). It lacked the dark parts of the story that Twilight Princess had. This made the game feel a lot more like a kids game, without the depth and mature parts of Links adventure. It really felt like they wanted to adjust the game to fit lower ages. This was shown also in the "cartoony" choice of art style and design of the characters. Comparing Zelda in Skyward Sword to Zelda in Twilight Princess, Zelda looks like a kids manga character.

On the technical part, the motion controls werent very precise and became frustrating after a while. Sometimes you just want to sink down the couch and slip into the world of Zelda.

I cant say much about the graphics, its down to the hardware. Though I did feel this game felt extra blurry with the chosen art style. The gameplay was alright, parts of it was very enjoyable. The game did seem a bit too easy once beaten it and there was no real urge to go back for the stuff you missed either. It would have been nice with some more sword upgrades. For future games:
* Make the motion controls optional, with support for the Wii U pro controller.
* Blend dark, mature environments with the colourful and fantasy inspired.
* Make the characters with more realism inspiration. I'm thinking lord of the rings, not realism as in watching TV. We can push it much much further before it becomes "too realistic".
* DONT MAKE ZELDA INTO ANOTHER KIDS GAME PLEASE! YOU HAVE SO MANY ALREADY!… Expand

My favorite game yet, we'll deserving of a ten. The art style is amazing, motion controls are the best of any game I've ever played, the wii at its finest. It has a slow start, but the ending, which in my opinion is the best in the series, more than makes up for it. The overworld, although a bit restrictive, is awesome, like one huge mini-dungeon. With the exclusion of the lanayru province, the overworld and its inhabitants didn't make you care for them quite as much games like tp and OOT, and that could have been made a bit better, but the main driving motive of the game more than makes up for the slightly less immersive world. Honestly the best game I've ever played, even though it had some minor flaws. If tp and this had a baby, then it would be perfect, but this alone is pretty close. 10/10.… Expand

I don't believe in rambling, so I'm going to review the game as a list of pros and cons. Hopefully none of it seems petulant or nitpicky. Here goes:
Pros:
Controls, while a little stiff at times and tending to fall into premade animations, are for the most part very intuitive and fun to use. There is no denying that fighting even basic enemies has ever been this fun in a Zelda game.
Art (or perhaps art design), soundtrack, and overall polish are incredibly high, exceptions made of course for the limitations on the art imposed by the Wii being 6-year-old hardware.
Storyline (for once) tries something new and succeeds.
Has the Beetle. 10/10 game of the year best Zelda thingy.

Cons (here comes the whining):
No overworld whatsoever- gameplay is very clearly divided into The Surface, where Things Get Done, and The Sky, where There's Clouds I Guess. The only area you'll ever have to visit outside of the surface is Skyloft.
Bird is easy but frustrating to control and serves little purpose except to get from point A to point B. Compare to Epona in Twilight Princess, where some battles take place entirely on horseback and are actually really fun to play in and of themselves!
Dungeon design, while still Zelda (read: amazing), pales in comparison to Ocarina of Time or Twilight Princess. Boss fights are simple and boss design is simpler. Two bosses are fought 3 different times, many of them have a very low level of detail (Scaldera, anyone?), and even the final boss is pitifully easy.
By comparison, normal enemies are arduous, as most of the challenge in basic fights is simply waiting for the enemy to drop their guard.
Environments, temple or otherwise, while beautiful, tend to put form over function (read: sealed grounds, giant spiral that serves no purpose except to teach you how to hold down the A button).

Overall? Definitely not worthy of the hate it gets, but not worth the praise either. If anything, it is a perfect example of how too much polish can make a game thoroughly average- something Nintendo has been doing an awful lot recently. An absurdly clean and weirdly streamlined experience that could have been great in execution but failed in conceptualization.
Now stop reading this review and go play Ocarina of Time again.… Expand

An OK game in the series. It seemed to target the a new younger crowd, after going after the more mature with Twilight Princess. This seemed pretty obvious with the rating e10+ (for everyone above 10 years old), compared to Twilight Princess T (for teen).

I was not a fan of the art style, which seemed too "cartoony" and too far from realism. Some people are scared of too much realism, but I cant say Im one of them. I would love to see Zelda fuse with skyrim, offering both colourful environments and dark. I do not think realism would ruin the fantasy feeling. I would like Zelda to be the game version of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings (visually)!

The gameplay is pretty good and I didnt get bored at any part of the game. That has ever happened in any Zelda game though! For a Zelda

The motion controls work the best in this game so far, but its still not great. The input lag and lack of preciseness is still enough to put me off. Id love to see the option to use a regular controller (Wii U pro controller) in the upcoming game. I also miss the times when I could lay in bed sunday mornings and slip into the world of Zelda. The motion controls pretty much ruined that experience. To summarise its a good game, but acording to me the worst instalment in the 3d series. There are plenty of games for the younger crowds, please give us Zelda fans what we want!… Expand

La verdad que es un juego que realmente me enamoro. Su arte, su historia TODO. En este zelda se notan las expresiones de los rostros cuando sienten alguna emoción, las gráficas para ser de Wii, son bastante bellas, su jugabilidad es perfecta capaz que con algún que otro fallo pero sigue siendo perfecta, la historia emociona los personajes son de lo mejor el arte que tiene es hermoso o como dije un juego que me enamoro. Capaz que no tiene un mundo abierto como en ocarina of time ni te podes sentir libre por ahí pero la verdad que sigue siendo perfecto. En fin The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, es una obra de arte sin dudas y para aquellos que posean una Wii y no tengan este increíble juego les pregunto ¿Que esperan para comprarlo … Expand

Somehow, this feels more like Studio Ghibli than even "Ni No Kuni." I adore the art design and graphics of the game so much, it's probably my second favorite looking "Zelda" behind only "Ocarina of Time." Awesomely enough, how incredible it looks is matched (and often exceeded) by its great storytelling, pace, and controls. I don't think I ever became more emotionally invested in a "Zelda"... or any solely Nintendo title, come to think of it. There are moments when the plot beats and the music accompanying them are simply awe-inspiring. I'm also in the camp that firmly believes its place in "Zelda" mythos as the first chronologically (and how the rest of the games fit together because of it) is genius. There's no other word for it except genius. I never thought it possible to logically and practically link every game in this series, but so help me, it REALLY works! However, I do have a rather large problem with "Skyward" that cannot be ignored (and is the only reason I didn't rate it a 10): it's insanely easy in every area (save combat) and it never allows itself to become more complicated at any point before it ends. With every quest, puzzle, and whatnot, you have Fi giving you advice and flat-out hints and, as if that's not enough, there's those miserable stones that basically reveal everything to you if you so inquire. It's ridiculous to me, considering the very foundation of the "Zeldas" is exploration and discovery. It's a shame Nintendo also decided to carry this ability to find out everything about everything without having to do anything over to the 3D release of the aforemenioned "Ocarina" (the reason the N64 version is still the ace).… Expand

Skyward sword may not be HD but this game spews perfection.The beautiful impresionistic art style,the intriguing dungeon ,an the best story to date on any zelda game.This is hands down an outstanding game 10/10.

This games motion controls were so bad I didn't even want to play to the first dungeon. I didn't like the art style, but it was better than Wind Wakers. The controls killed it.

I HATE this game. But it's not horrible. I was just incredibly disappointed by it. The combat works.....kind of. It seems to read my motions pretty well but sometimes it just...feels a little off. horizontal slashes are WAY too often mistaken for diagonal ones. Not only that, but the combat in general bores me. Yes it requires more than just brainless swinging, but that leads to tediousness and stupidly long battles with regular, normal enemies. Using items seems to work a little less accurately for some reason. Most of them are either too sensitive or not sensitive enough (the latter of which is most of the time true). The story is interesting, but I find the characters really annoying and stupid. Fi is the most annoying character in Zelda history in my opinion. Another minor gripe I have with the game is that the text moves waaay too slow and some cutscenes are agonizingly long. I'm not kidding, I literally quit playing for a month after I played the first couple hours because I was so bored. I eventually started playing it again, but if a game does that to me, then it's doing something wrong. Music is thoroughly forgettable. The only tracks that stick are the main theme and when you're flying in the Sky. The puzzles and dungeons are done well (however some puzzles are too easy or questionably annoying). Overall, I dislike this game. However I can give it a solid recommendation because apparently many, many people enjoy it far more than I do. However, for me, this will always just be a decently alright game and a massive disappointment. My favorite Zelda game is still Wind Waker and doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon.… Expand

I'll start this review by saying that, while I've enjoyed a number of games in the series, I wouldn't generally consider myself to be a huge Zelda fan. Having heard virtually nothing but positive reviews for this title since its release however I purchased Skyward Sword hoping it would top all the previous games. This may not be the popular opinion but I was left bitterly disappointed as a number of issues meant I failed to garner much enjoyment from the game.

Chief amongst these issues is the tedious opening three to four hours in which the majority of the time is spent listening to characters explain the world in far more detail than is necessary rather than just letting the player explore for themselves. I've never played a game where I found myself wishing that NPCs would just stop talking and let me get on with things quite as much. During this time it also becomes clear just how important HD has become to a games visuals. I'm not someone who is usually too fussed about how a game looks but Skyward Sword looks particularly ugly in places, especially when compared to the gorgeous cel-shaded graphics of The Wind Waker. The much hyped motion-controls, while better than the majority of Wii titles, are also as frustrating as ever in places. There are of course plenty of examples of the usual Nintendo magic to be found throughout the game and Zelda fans will likely be pleased with what they find but this won… Expand

This is a odd ball type of Zelda game sort of. Although I half to admit the visuals are amazing! The water color backgrounds and foregrounds make this game visually genius! The story is a bit flat and faded at times you really wonder what you are working to achieve in this game as it goes all over the place at times. The upgrades are fun and stamina bar is great although I feelt it should have lasted longer. The dungeons are ok at times but seem to be a little let down for what I was looking for. The bosses are decent. Overall a decent Zelda game but not the best. I do love the art work though!… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The best game I've ever completed and the longest at that too. Heck you don't even complete the game after you beat the final boss and finish the story so I'm yet to continue on.

The gameplay is decent, nothing amazing, but you'll notice from the start that SS is a game that uses the Wiimote to the best of it's ability.

Anyone who hasn't played or completed this game is missing out.… Expand

This is the worst Nintendo Zelda I've ever played (and I've played them all), that doesn't mean it's a bad game, it just isn't GREAT. What scares me the most about this game is all these 10 out of 10s, the lack of honesty and sheer blind fan boy attitudes will keep this game series from developing in a positive direction and that scares and saddens me. Anyway my review:

I love this game because: The artistic style, the aiming controls (for slingshot etc), the story line is very strong, the Japanese style voice acting, the setting of the game, the bug hunting, the new tools/equipment.

I hate this game because: The sword motion controls suck, and hinder my enjoyment. The support character Fi is annoying, she's more annoying than Navi. The game holds your hand constantly, repeating instructions way too many times. The game tells you constantly about the items you're picking up if you've loaded a save (for example, I have 39 sacred bugs, I KNOW WHAT THEY ARE) and you can't skip or speed up these explanations. The constant dungeon feel, linearity and lack of exploration (and lack of exploration reward). Finally the music is terrible with only Skyloft and Ballad of the Goddess being remotely catchy. The harp stuff is awful too.

Overall I don't hate this game but I'm getting bored 25 hours in, I just want to finish it now and find out what happens. I'm expecting many people to disagree with my review but I certainly hope Nintendo pay attention to more level headed reviews like mine.… Expand

I wasn't particularly fond of Twilight Princess and how it implemented the Wii controllers, so I was initially skeptic about Skyward Sword. This game ended up surpassing my expectations immensely. I now consider it nearly tied in greatness with Ocarina of Time (my all-time favorite Zelda game). Visually stunning, accurate and innovative controllers, tremendous gameplay. Do NOT pass this game up.

I have played a long Zelda list games, but Im sure that this game is the worst Zelda in 3D. Only the Motion was excellent, but the other things, same and same the same thing. With a Lower difficulty, dungeons very easy and not workered.
This is a poor Zelda production.

Having played nearly all the previous titles over the years, this title had the bar set quite high and I believe nintendo in-house is able to do better. Frankly Twilight Princess was better, I thought the over-world design was just plain lazy and the backtracking through the same areas was a little bit boring.

While there are plenty of good and bad things about this title comparing it with it's predecessors and expectations for a zelda title, there were good things to, swordplay was new and took getting used to, this game had one of the best boss battles in a zelda game ever, and the graphical styling was too gimmicky and a side step rather than a step forward.

If this title was not a zelda game, I would have reviewed differently and more positively, If you have never played a zelda title, this is a great game to get into it with, it is more of the same of what has made it good since the 90's and has a decent story with the bare essential dialog from very well animated characters. As a zelda outsider 9/10 - a top wii title and must have for any system owner

As a zelda veteran 6.5/10 - a new chapter of the Link attempts to save hyrule with the usual characters, alot of newcomers and condensed, creative new locations.… Expand

This is my favourite game of all time. No lie. I love Zelda games since Ocarina of Time and this is the best of 'em. It uses the Wii remote in creative, unique en mostly NOT gimmicky ways. The Sword combat was a blast, Ghirahim was awesome and the temples were the best. The overworld was boring though and there were quite a lot of things wrong with this game (I have my own website were I wrote a longer review I'm not going to name all bad things here) but Skyward Sword is so charming and so innovative, yet still Zelda in every way. Not perfect, I know, but defenitly an amazing game.… Expand

Skyward Sword is a game of bests and worsts. Its motion controls are everything Nintendo promised, and a feature that should be carried over to future titles. Where it fails is in its mise en scene, variety and atmosphere. Repetition of the same areas and flying across the sky (to islands that, unlike Wind Waker, often hold little secrets) takes away the game's potential majesty, and the music, while amazing in some places, is dull and repetitive in the fields of the game's main areas. The story, while suitably complex, lacks any visible threat within the game world to compel the player. That said, the areas, though repeated, are well-designed and hold many secrets. In short, it is a game whose brilliant parts cannot quite make up for its letdowns.… Expand

Let's start with the positive. For those of you who don't know this game is the first zelda game in chronological order. I'm not gonna bore with the Zelda timeline so let's go to gameplay. I had high expectations for this game and from the beginning to the end of the first dungeon, those expectations were met. Almost one to one tracking with the sword, interesting new items with new ways to play. That came at a price though. CALIBRATION. There is so much calibration in this game because the Wii MotionPlus gets uncalibrated so easily. I don't have the Wii RemotePlus so I don't know if that's better. So even though we have the amazing one to one sword tracking and the (tricky to master) different techniques for different enemies, I can't say I enjoyed playing the game because of the endless calibrating. I much prefer games like Ocarina of time and Majora's Mask because it's not tedious and that makes it fun. There's a line between fair but hard and then just overly annoying and Skyward Sword falls into the overly annoying section. This bit is personal so I'm not gonna take marks of for this but I've met a lot of people with the same game experience as me so I should. I said that it was "fun" until the end of the first dungeon/temple. That's when the game didn't become hard just, I didn't know what to do. I had to look up a guide literally every 5 mins. That was the thing that made me put down the game and say no.… Expand

The beginning of the legend. Skyward Sword to me happens to be the best Zelda game since "Majora's Mask". The Nintendo Wii was made for the experience using motion controls, and Skyward Sword is one of very few games on the Wii which happens to get the motion controls working correctly. The game suffers from linearity like the majority of the latest Nintendo games--not a terrible thing--not for me, though you may be turned off due to the linearity. Skyward Sword focuses more on combat and puzzle solving than any other Zelda game to date. Being the origin of the entire Zelda universe, it would've thought to have been lacking a great plot and story, though Skyward Sword soars and does offer a rather lovely tale. The overall appearance of the game which is completely subject is a bit of a problem. When half of the people who play the game consider the game to look "bad" or "not my thing" there will be problems. Imagine both Wind Waker and Twilight Princess mixed in one--pretty freaky. The core fans will either love it or hate it while the average fan will generally accept it...it's been a bad run for the series due to (in my opinion) the poor releases Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. Nintendo learned from their mistakes, though made mistakes in other areas.… Expand

Weak story and character development. Although the game is playable, there was no drive for me to continue due to a lack of incentive to do so. I forced myself to beat the game because I beat every Zelda game before this one.

Fantastic game really really good, it contains some puzzle elements like in Link to the Past (SNES), and some RPG like the SNES game Secret of Mana had back in the days, with this game the makers combined the best of Ocarina of Time and The Wind Maker/Minish Cap, with a new original story, great colors and the Wii Motion Plus remote that give it another dimension. For me it was fun from since I started. Personally I wasn't to happy with Twilight Princess but this game is 100% up my street. This is the game that you can't stop playing until you finish it. :-P… Expand

This game has it's good parts and bad parts. The reason I got this game was because many big game review companies were putting out 10/10 for this game. Maybe I just don't like this genre (this is the first Zelda game I have played), but I just didn't like it as much as most reviewers.

The graphics: This game is not bad to look at, but it just doesn't stand out above any other games I have played. The characters and creatures are animated nicely.

The controls: The controls took me a long time to get used to. However, the sword-swinging with the Wii motion plus is amazing. With my own experience, it responded with little lag and very accurately. Shaking the nunchuck to use a shield bash was also well implemented.

The sound: The music is nice, but it didn't stand out all that much either. I do think that some of links voice clips are quite funny. if you accidentally burn yourself in lava, then you will know what I am talking about.

The gameplay: I found it lacking at some points. Sometimes, quite boring. I would often explore for a very long time with very few enemies to battle. Some of the puzzles had answers that took a very long time for me to figure out. Sometimes I would try looking for a hint online, and then I figured out that the reason why I didn't solve the puzzle was because of a small detail that wasn't very obvious. Battling is fun, and I did enjoy the boss fights.

The story: The story is one of the strong points. I found it (at least the parts I have played through) to be emotional, and the cut scenes are well animated.

Maybe I don't like this genre of games, but make sure to read many reviews to see if you want to play this game.… Expand

Honestly this game is the best I have played in years. "The controls, as long as you correctly calibrate them every time you boot the game, work flawlessly. Honestly I am really disappointed in humanity with all these trolls. The gameplay is flaw less, and it is paced very good from the start, a first for Zelda! The soundtrack is loads better than Twilight Princess, and the gameplay is no longer button mashing. The must own game for Wii.… Expand

Hands down the best Zelda game! The controls were perfect i didn't have any trouble using them at all. The graphics are one of the best things about this game, they were so good and it seemed that objects far away looked like paintings but when they came closer they came into detail. Everything about this game was great right down to the story. A must buy for anyone.

Best Zelda ever and I love the beetle and story. In the word of Lord Ghirahim "This is our Thread of Fate."
Zelda even makes repitition fun. The only con to this game is I want to sword fight on my bird. Overall outstanding motion plus title.

El título se presentaba como el "heredero de Ocarina of Time", y si bien no logró superarlo si hizo que la obra maestra de 1998 temblara en su trono.
El juego muestra de manera muy interesantes los orígenes del universo Zelda en el marco del título con mas elementos RPG de la saga hasta ahora. Mas allá de la linealidad tan marcada en el desarrollo, la narrativa es impecable y cuenta la historia mas madura y elaborada que haya vivido Link.
El gameplay es realmente bueno, y a pesar de que el MotionPlus da problemas a lo largo del desarrollo, uno se termina adaptando (a la fuerza) y se llega a punto donde nos movemos con una soltura que antes solo soñábamos. La BSO está a la altura de la saga, siendo sublime como de costumbre.
Ciertamente, el juego no alcanza el rango supremo que sigue ostentando Ocarina of Time, pero tiene brillo propio y celebra con dignidad y emotividad los 25 años de una de las sagas mas importantes y queridas de la industria.… Expand

A good game but a bad Zelda game. Zelda is held to higher standards than other franchises and this is just a step backwards. The variety in enemies is low, the combat is boring and consists of waggling your wiimote for most enemies, the dungeons are short and easy, it's extremely linear, and there is too much back tracking.

All I can realy say is it's amazing. The Game is just brilliant in Story wise and Music Wise but the motion controls could of been better as you always had to calabrate the remote. Verdict: An Amazing game for Nintendo and Zelda fans as the Story is great but if you don't like motion controls this game is not for you. A must have game in your collection.The graphics are the best the wii can handle and the art style is amazing.
Presentation:10/10 Gameplay:9/10 Sound:10/10 Graphics:10/10 Replay Value:10/10 Overall:9/10… Expand

Zelda, what an inspiration this series has become. We look to you not only as an originator of a whole subset of gaming but to perfectly encapsulate and immortalise transvestites as not only being people, but being heroes. Only perhaps with Kirby, another fine Nintendo creation, have we seen a long standing transexual role-playing series. To this I say Nintendo should be given a huge hurrah by the greater community for their ability to radically change the way we think. For anyone, be they man or woman, or one that identifies better as the other, can be a hero to all.… Expand

Marvelous. It's motion control actually works as if the Wii was only made for this game. There's certainly Nintendo-magic in here. The game-play is clever and tricky, but exciting with a story that keeps you alive. The rewards are extremely satisfying, which motivates you to move on till the game ends. The game might feel like a chore, but that feeling can be covered up by doing missions at the hub, which are usually short and fun. I crown this game a big 'must-have'.… Expand

The game is very good. It has great dungeons, great boss fights, great gameplay, basically everything you expect from a good zelda game, there is just one... little... problem.... The game doesn't have enough exploring. I enjoyed how in Ocarina of Time, Majoras Mask, and Twilight Princess you could explore the lands of Hyrule. The game takes most of the exploration in the sky which contains mostly small islands with little to do on them. I did find it fun to fly really high then dismount and dive straight down and catch my mount again. The game also involves revisiting the same areas multiple times, which isn't that bad since each area looks really nice, but it again doesn't promote enough exploring. The game overall is really good. Maybe in the top 5 for some people, but most wouldn't put it near Ocarina of Time.… Expand

THIS IS THE BEST GAME EVER!!!!!! Ya wanna know why cuz this game has a really good soundtrack, comedy, drama, action to make a videogame cake! I personally love this game it changed my life it got me all fluffy inside when i play it, it made me feel like i can do anything that is why my friends this game is a perfect 10.

First of all, I like motion controls, so this game was a blast to play .The controls in this game are just so amazingly responsive that the combat never get old! Every puzzle feels new, and the dungeons are better than ever.

But when I mastered the sword play. solved the puzzles and finished the game, I felt like there is not much to come back to. Like the previous Motion Plus-based game, Red Steel 2, this game feels soul-less. This game made me THINK about puzzles, and THINK before engaging an enemy,but It never made me FEEL anything. There are no scary parts, or particularly funny moments to remember.

Don't get me wrong, the game is fun, but it just not memorable . Sure, the puzzles are smart and well thought out, but after you solve them , the second time is not as interesting. The story is just "collect all of those things to save Zelda". What about missions that are not fetch quests? what about the atmosphere?.To me, These are the most important factors to a Zelda game. Take for example Twilight princess . The game didn't innovate much in terms of combat and puzzles, but is still loved by zelda fans. Why is that?
Because twilight princess has:
1)the game has a scary parts, with spooky atmosphere and music.
2)there are many lovable characters to meet in the game.
3)you are free to explore the massive land.
Skyward sword has none of those, except maybe in the beginning of the game .

It's a good game, and I'm glad that I played it. But a game that doesn't get the player to feel , does NOT belong to the Zelda series.… Collapse

Innovation is once again brought to the series of legend, Skyward Sword shows what Zelda is really about with an exciting new control scheme, beautiful art style, and engrossing gameplay. A faulty moments here and there is greatly overshadowed by the game's strengths. This is a must have for any Wii owner. 9/10

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is, put simply, a masterpiece. It succeeds on all levels of game design. The overworlds are amazing, the dungeons incredible, and the music breathtaking. This game has excellent graphics and the controls work brilliantly. Easily the best game on the Wii, if not the greatest game this century. (So far)

This is definetly in my opinion the best legend of Zelda so far. Motions controls worked perfectly for me. Definetly a must buy for any legend of Zelda fan or any wii owners in general.

Easily the best Zelda since Majora's Mask and the biggest leap forward in modern gaming since Ocarina of Time. The controls are flawless, the combat is fluent, the puzzle-solving is top-notch, and the music is easily the best in the franchise. Any Wii owner would be a fool to miss out on this work of art. Truly a masterpiece.

This is NOT the best Zelda game but what a great collection of ideas and controls. The game opens up slowly and is well thought out. Each dungeon has to be worked for, as with most of the Zelda games, but more so in skyward sword. However, when Dungeons are reached they are easy, a lil on the short side and linear. Disappointing (very!).
The use of clear targets for the hookshot seems ridiculous.. ever since windwaker.
Too often the guidance of fi completely removes any satisfaction any puzzle element would have given. Fi should take notes from Navi. Fi is a spoiler!
Puzzles are a breeze, but, never before in a zelda game have I died so many times. Ocarina was never so punishing as this outing.
Sword training could have evolved a bit further.
The harp - WTF! does it get any more basic? FFS! Epic fail!
The way the skyward sword world is arranged is BRILLIANT. This is one major score for this game and the choice for quick exploratory detours from the main quest is within easy reach.
I have enjoyed parts of this game. It contains some wonderful ideas and effects. Experimenting with the new controls has been refreshing.

best bits - Boss Battles, New controls, sound, central island idea, save points, enemy fights

worst bits - Dungeon Difficulty far too easy/ cut scenes no quick skip - Item collect pauses - annoying/ Too lengthy game. Silly sudden deaths at times.

sound - great, outstanding - best ever in a Zelda game

graphics - great for wii

boss difficulty - Balanced.

best Zelda? - No way is it Skyward Sword! Ocarina of Time still reigns.

NOTES

How brave to have gone with wiimote design for this console.
Amazing to think OOT achieved so much all that time ago.… Expand

Let me put this in summary: Nintendo couldn't have done worse for the controls by choosing to incorporate this game with wii motion plus.
I non-stop found myself in frustration as I failed to get to grips with the unnecessarily awkward controls.
My advise/request: keep things simple, go back to the franchise's roots and use the characteristics that everyone loves about this once fantastic franchise.
I (what seems hopelessly) look forward to the day when I will see a continuation of the ocarina of time/majora's mask quality games of the franchise.… Expand

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is a great game, one of the best available on the Nintendo Wii, but a disappointment for any long-time Zelda fan.
If you've never played a LOZ game before, chances are you will see through the many issues of this game. The game suffers from a lot of pacing problems. Fetch-quests dominate many hours of this game and grow very tedious when flying around the over world is such a slow progress. The over world in itself is very bland and does little to encourage exploration, which is a huge part of any other LOZ game. You will come across many floating islands, but these house nothing interesting for you to discover. The game also suffers from padding problems. You'll be exploring and expanding three major areas throughout the game (a forest, mountain and desert). This Metroid-like backtracking approach is clever enough, and a fresh direction for the series, but one that grows boring when you'll do fetch-quests in these areas and fighting the same bosses up to three times. With this approach the game tries to pack more content in between the game's 7 dungeons, which is a fresh idea after Twilight Princess that consisted of walking from dungeon to dungeon. As already stated, this content is sadly mostly about fetch-quests, like collecting random tears, fish-notes (dafuq?) or filling a tub with water in order to extinguish a fire. The game improves upon the very shallow motion controls of TP, so much in fact, that it does not come with the option to play it with a normal controller. This is a mixed result. While the controls work most of the time and offer interesting gameplay, they are not always responsive, which can be very frustrating when playing through the game's harder "Hero" mode, or the "Boss rush" mode.
Skyward Sword is a very cinematic experience, sporting a charming paint-like visual style and great cut-scenes driven by fantastic facial animations. There is still no voice-acting in this game, which is about time, but the animations mostly make up for this. The story does nothing new for the franchise. This is your typical "Zelda gets kidnapped, Link has to go through 7 dungeons in order to rescue her" story. To great disappointment, the cast of characters is very limited, considering the minimum amount of side-quests available in the game. Speaking of side-quests, these come in different qualities: There are some interesting personal ones, while carrying pumpkins is downright lame. The main story boasts about 6 major characters: Link, Zelda, Fi, Ghirahim, Groose and Impa. The only ones of those that shine are Zelda and Groose, because they are the only characters to see any kind of development. Link is good thanks to the animations, but he is silent and mysterious once more, so not much can be said about him. Ghirahim, the new villain of the game, is interesting at first, but quickly becomes boring as he has lack of motives and remains the same character throughout all of the game. Impa is just a trickster, there to guide Link and Zelda on their quests. Fi is the new companion, and my god if she isn't awful. You could just as well call her captain Obvious. This creature has a nasty habit of pointing out the obvious for you, constantly, with no way for you to disable her comments. If you see a boss door she will pop up and tell you that it probably requires a special key to open. If you see a lever, she will tell you that there is an 80 % chance that it can be turned, and so on. While perhaps there is a clever approach to this, it quickly becomes frustrating. Fi is by far the worst companion in any Zelda game to date, only shining slightly in the very end of the game.
The dungeon design in SS is great. While none of the dungeons will go over in history as some of LOZ's best, they are very creative and funny to complete. The boss fights are also fantastic, with the exception of a few you have to fight multiple times. My only complaint about the dungeons is that they are a bit short and easy, mainly because of lack of different and challenging enemies.
SS also puts a little emphasis on customization, something that is very limited, but nonetheless very welcome. You can now upgrade weapons, armor and potions if you would like to do so.
LOZ: SS is an average Zelda experience with many obvious flaws. The biggest flaw is that it tries to do so much new for the franchise, while ultimately achieving nothing. The ALTTP/OOT dungeon formula is beginning to show age. It is nice to see more emphasis on content between dungeons, but when this consists of bad padding, it… Expand

I can only say one thing... THAT, GAME, IS, AMAZING. The best Zelda game, the best wii game, the best adventure/platform game i ever happen to play. I RECOMMEND IT, TRULY

Excellent story and characters, the items are very good too, there is no item that you stop using throughout the game. And the controls are simply amazing, it is 100% accurate and is probably going to shape future games!

I bought a Wii and this game over the summer because of everything I've heard, and I am a HUGE Zelda fan. Zelda link to the past and Zelda 64 were two masterpieces, and every Zelda after should walk in their shoes. I will admit that this game was innovative in certain ways and fun, but for some reason it just felt a little too different. Some of the items were pretty silly, like the blow dryer and I thought the flying beetle was a neat idea just not for Zelda. Also, what happened to the music in this game? The music at certain places, especially in the desert was kind of ugly. I would love to see a Zelda game use SOME previous music in a remastered form such as the dungeon music from aLtTP, memories would flourish. I also have to somewhat agree that the controls are a little sloppy and annoying at times, and for some reason I don't really like flailing my arms around to play a Zelda game. Graphically I was a little disappointed too because I prefer a more mature type of artwork compared to a sort-of childish look. I have to say too that even though some of the areas were pretty large, it felt a little too linear and I wish they didn't include all these check and save points that make it feel less like Zelda. The flying around on the bird was a good idea but sometimes it gets a little annoying as well. If you are a die hard Zelda fan though and you own a Wii already, this game is worth at least checking out because passed all the flaws there is still a good game. I totally agree with IGN giving Zelda 64 a 10 out of 10 but not for this game, a 10 is overrated IMO.… Expand

I've played through Majoras Mask and Ocarina of Time, and this is not even close. The first problems being the intro, in the N64 titles the intros are short, sharp and interesting...In Skyward Sword the intro drags along. I think that the introduction (first 2-5 hours) is most important because that can make the difference between someone playing and quitting the game and i dont think that the first hours of gameplay are fun at all. The story in Skyward Sword does also not live up to usual standards. But what were looking at is gameplay. On so the combat is rather fun and maybe even a bit more involving than that of Oot and MM. Saying this, the boss battles are quite tedious and the controls for blocking and rolling are inconvenient. The games items are also pretty interesting. I mean, the claws and the beetle thing are both pretty cool items but on the other hand i find it really repetitive to use the dowsing thing over and over again. One thing they have perfected time and time again in the Zelda series is the soundtrack, and im happy to say at least they got something right with this game. The dungeons are also quite well thought out as usual but lack variation, i mean for example the first dungeon. Confuse the eyeball, shoot the bug, open a door...Rinse and repeat. But in saying all this, i know ive sounded a little harsh on a game from a series that i love. But the wait was very long and it was very disappointing compared to the others. In saying this it is not a bad game, it is just i know they can do better because they have done much much better before.… Expand

First of all, look at the critic reviews before coming straight to the user reviews. There are many 10s, and there is a reason. Skyward Sword is arguably the best game on the Wii, one of the best of this generation, and maybe just the best Zelda game ever (but this last one is more personal preference, since they are all amazing). This was the game the Wii was built for, the game that proves that motion controls can revolutionize gaming. The motion controls do not feel forced, but they feel right at home. Flying, swimming, items, and especially sword fighting feel tight and natural, not to mention pretty fun. The overworld in this game is somewhat like a dungeon, focusing on puzzles rather than exploration. It was a nice change of pace from TP's wide open, barren overworld with little to do. ALL of the dungeons are brilliant, especially the last one. They take a more linear approach focusing on fewer very dense rooms with a lot to do rather than huge dungeons easy to get lost in. Even the bosses got a revamp as many of them do not follow the basic Zelda formula for "Stun 3 times with the dungeon item and mash the b button until it dies." Sure the dungeon item is used for most of the fights, but barely really. There even 2 dungeon bosses that are just a sword fight, which shows of the wii motion plus very well. Overall the gameplay is so much fun just to play and it will be hard to put it down. The graphics are just about the best the wii has to offer, still SD, but a nice cel-shaded water color art style that fits Zelda well. Personally I find it annoying how the islands in the sky will slowly come into focus, first they just appear and be gray and ugly, then slowly add color the closer you get to them. This is more a problem with the console though than the game, as they did the best they could with the limited hardware. The music is very good, not the best Zelda has, but still very good. It has my personal favorite song in the series, "Ballad of the Goddess." Besides the songs being good to begin with, most of the tunes are now orchestrated, which sounds just amazing and it feels like Zelda was always meant to be orchestrated. Next and finally is the story. Now Nintendo games aren't meant to be bought for their stories, but Skyward Sword's narrative was decent. The opening sequence was very well done, but after that the story itself starts to show up less and less, especially between the 4th and 6th dungeon, where it goes very dry. But the ending makes up for all of this, as it is very fulfilling. This is the first Zelda game to happen chronologically, and it explains how Hyrule was founded and why Ganon is always messing things up for Link and Zelda. Overall the plot and story is the best for any Zelda game, but could be improved by telling it a little better. The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword is a masterpiece, and you would be cheating yourself out of an AMAZING experience not to buy this game. Now the user score is a little bit low, but do not pay attention to THAT score. It is the 93 critic review average that you want to focus on. This game is great and you definitely do not want to miss. I had some minor issue with the games, but not enough to dock it down to a 9. Personally, I give it a 98/100. A pure masterpiece.… Expand

If you dislike zelda games already, you not gonna find much here. The gameplay is the best ever created in my opinion, and the graphics are great, but over that if you not a fan of the series ( like me ) not much is gonna keep you interested.

i feel that this was the worst game of of the series so far after playing every one of the legend of Zelda series i compared it and it was not even close to the rest . i say don't buy it it has too much repetitive game-play and nothing to give it that wow factor that's why i gave it a 0/10 i guess this time they just weren't up to par!

this game is amazing as Twilight Princess! The sound is freaking authentic, Gameplay looked awesome. This was an epic Zelda adventure! Its a must buy

Absolutely brilliant. Played the Oot all the way through and this other entry in the zelda series plays great. The dialouge between characters is hilarious, the gameplay is smooth, solid and extremely enjoyable. Well worth a play

I have a soft spot for Zelda from way back, this game cured me of it. Probably the most frustrating thing is sitting through constant dialogue screens. You cannot fast forward them and have to sit as page after page of boring inane rubbish (gee you look good in that green uniform...click A for next). And the text just crawls slowly across the screen. Waiting, waiting, click A. Waiting, waiting, Click A.

After that terrible bird race, you have to jump off a tower and land inside a circle. If you miss the circle...then try again. Well, try again after sitting through 5 screens of Zelda telling you how to do it, the text just crawls and you cannot fast foward. Ugh. This is even more frustrating than the terrible controls.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'd prefer the writers to either stick to a more classical storyline or trash the Zelda characters altogether than to take the remnants of the story we love and build this subpar storyline out of it. You don't learn who your real enemy is until 75% through the game, up until which you've been fighting a ludicrous cross-dresser that I personally could not take seriously. You have to fight the most annoying boss THREE TIMES. Graphics are disappointing, especially in Skyloft. Attempting to make things look "painterly" resulted in a blurry screen that looks like a 2-year-old's coloring book. THE MAP IS ANNOYING. Navigating through each area is a nightmare, and having to make a laborious flight through the sky every time you want to go anywhere makes the gameplay much less enjoyable. What happened to warping? TP is better. If this game is a perfect 10 I quit playing games.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. When I was six years old I got an N64 and OoT for my birthday... to put it lightly I have a major fan of the The Legend of Zelda games since. To be blunt I was not impressed by SS. Peope have said that we who are negative of SS are blinded by our nostagla from past Zelda games, to that I agree to an extent. The Zelda franchise has been a constantly evolving series, that has change many core gameplay mechanics, but stayed true to what Zelda has always been about; adventuring the lands, finding badass items, wicked boss fights, and a deep and convaluted story that grips you and pulls you in from start to finish. Pre-N64 games aside, OoT (ALttP was fantasic for its time as well) achieved all of these elements with a high degree for its time becoming one of the first great 3D adventures. It is now the model to which all of us hardcore "Zelda fanatics" hold all future installments to. SS is a paradox, despite being hailed as the greatest Zelda game ever, it is a major step back from the progress made since OoT. Each game brings its own special flavour to the medley, and despite never being "perfect" they represent progress for the franchise. SS throws away many successful and exhilarating aspects of past games, for new greener ideas. I cannot fault Nintendo for this, for without innovation the franchise wouldn't be in the same place as it is today. Nevertheless, I dearly miss the open worlds of WW and to an extent TP, interesting races like the Gorons or Zoras, the epic boss battles that *ALWAYS* required the unique item from the given temple, and finally... you can quote me on this, "a complelling story". As a self rebuttle I did greatly enjoy the new crafting system, the development of many secondary characters on Skyloft, and the new puzzles using the Wii MotionPlus. These are keepers in the Zelda franchise as far as I'm concerned, although the sword fighting with MotionPlus was at times...infuriating. Despite this the things that made LoZ so special to me, are spat on and frankly thrown out the window as far as I'm concerned for the following 3 reasons:
1. Adventuring: Essentially none existent - 3 seperated linear areas, and a large sky that apart from skyloft has very little to offer. In WW there was a wide open world to explore that was deeply interconnected and possible to travel at anytime, even if some islands secrets were item specific. Even the original OoT was open, and Hyrule could be travelled freely other than a free choice exceptions. The main complaint is that the progress that was made in WW and not so much in TP towards a more open and interactive world was not existent in SS.
2. Boss Fights: Just Awful - Apart from Koloktos, the huge beast with 6 arms (who was a blast to fight I should say), and Demise, the rest get to big thumbs dowm. Ghirahim is a huge pain to fight not to mention that you battle him 3 times instead of a boss that is unique to the temple, and the rest are fairly lame. One of my favourite part of the past games was the massive boss fights and how satisfying they always were. Its not a matter of difficulty, but how satisfying it is to slay a massive beast...SS misses the mark in this category.
3. Story: Weak - this is a very subjective category I admit, but its been said before and I'll say it again...the story of SS is awful with numerous plot holes. For one who the bloody f*** is Ghirahim! yes he is the demon lord pledged to Demise, but come on! no detailed reasons for his motives, what makes him demon lord? where does he come from? In TP there was a great backstory on Zant, his background is blurry, but it is obvious he is usurping Minda as Ganondorfs pawn and is conquering the world of light. Its easy to work out that Demise has the evil, destroy everything that is fresh and sweet goal, but some more to go on would be nice espeically for Ghirahim. In every Zelda game I've been absolutely captured by the story, with SS I could barely finish the game! I don't even wanna start with Fi...in summary I would have sold my first born child to get one chance to strangle her! To sum up, weak secondary characters, terrible races (the kwikis...come on...), far to linear and repetative plot, and most importantly a lack of connection with the world depicted in SS. I want to jump in to the world's created in Zelda! if you don't feel involved in the plight of the world why bother saving it?

Skyward Sword is a step forward for the Zelda francise in terms of controls, and systems, but 2 steps back for the key elements that any Zelda fan should sit anxiously at the edge of their seat for. SS represents a new era for the Zelda franchise, I may not like it but the 93/100 speaks for itself. Old schoolers like myself may be sidelined as Zelda moves into new, uncharted waters disregarding past innovations. I can only hope that LoZ can move forward while respecting the past by bringing about positive change, while staying true to its roots!… Expand

This is the best use of motion controls ever seen in a video game. This game is packed full of content. The story is interesting and the graphics are perfect. The amount of sidequests adds on even more to the length of the game. Everything about this game is perfect. It takes Zelda, Nintendo, and the wii to new heights, as this is one of the most innovative games that has ever seen the light of day.… Expand

Lets some this up. This is no ocarina of time. What nintendo has done is take a good title and try to introduce it too a wanna be new audience. The gameplay is almost comfortable, but the bombflower controls can make you pull your hair out. The story line, well there really isn't one. Your the hero and your looking for zelda. Nintendo is completely overlooking there potential with there zelda titals because they have a strong and vague fan base that is awaiting the next ocarina of time and are willing to settle for some flashy fight scenes. Zelda needs wide open free play, npcs that speak a "normal " dialect, unlimited side quests and maybe just maybe some possible alternative decisions to make a more unique experience according to the player. Zelda needs a new look as an RPG, the way is was meant to be. Nintendo I'm a little disappointed and to thanks there's probably more then a million "new" fans who give the thumbs up, the true children of ocarina of time are still waiting for the next real zelda game. But I have faith… Expand

The Zelda series was born of Shigeru Miyamoto's childhood adventures around the Kyoto countryside, where he would discover caves, lakes and most of all, the joy of exploration.

This has been retired in the latest instalment, where exploration and vast seamless worlds have been sacrificed completely in favour of rigid, isolated adventure 'arenas'. Gone are the open waters of Great Sea, the dusty sunsets of Hyrule Fields, the intriguing duality of the light and dark worlds. Hearken in three, tiny, boxed-off playgrounds.

And a sky, oh how could I forget the sky? Three-dozen floating rocks of varying degrees of pointlessness.

I found this title utterly disappointing. Not only is the exploration the series was born from gone, but we're graced with the most boring and vacant Link to date - who's only response to his charming new world is a series of awkward grunts.

Dull, forgettable music (Song of the Goddess is the only one that was memorable). An irritating and bland support character (especially when compared to Midna and Linebeck), awkward and unresponsive controls (flight...), and it pains me to say this, but ugly and dated graphics.

Perhaps standalone, this title would be alright, but not as a Zelda title. Not even close.… Expand

I waited to play this game due to mixed fan reviews. Eventually I was convinced, and it was one of the best experiences I have ever had. The MotionPlus controls are a blast and not as finicky as everyone claims; in fact, they just add to the overall experience. The "backtracking" isn't as repetitive as people claim either; each area is revamped and changed with all new challenges. The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful, and the story line is simply fantastic and perfect in every right. By the end of the game I was in tears; because I had beaten my first every Skyward Sword experience, and because the touching story line was concluded expertly. Touches of humor and a nice difficulty level are also good embellishments. This is the best game I have ever played, and everyone else should have the bliss of playing it at least once.… Expand

9.5 - While some of the latter game feels unnecessary and tacked on, this is what I've been wanting in a Wii title ever since I first saw the console. The controls are fantastic with spot on swordplay. The music is incredible and varied, not to mention absolutely beautiful. The story is excellent, and the many colorful locales you visit are full of life and character. There are an incredible amount of things to do and see, and everything is memorable, from the characters to the world itself. It's pure Nintendo magic at it's finest.… Expand

Without a doubt the greatest entry in Zelda series, and definitely one of the best games I have ever played (I give it 9 only because I see room for improvement, as in every game). The story is flawless, the rpg and platform elements really add to the gameplay and it offered an experience unlike any game I have played before, let alone a Zelda game.

I think the controls are very innovative and clearly most people that have played it really enjoyed them. Personally I experienced some difficulties (either due to personal poor reflexes or a faulty controller, of course I would say the latter!), but can recognise how they have added to the gameplay. Swimming was a bit tricky but luckily you don't encounter that much.

There were a few moments in the game where I felt I was retracing my footsteps (going back to Skyview temple, for example) but overall I felt each section offered something new. I particularly liked the use of the stones in the Lanayru area.

Despite not being my personal favourite (due to control issues), this is the best Zelda game: it brought forward so many innovative ideas and there is very little fault to find (compared to my personal favourite, Twilight Princess, which admittedly was a weaker game and a rehash of Ocarina of Time that fell apart towards the end). I hope the Zelda franchise continues with more games like this in the future (hopefully on a better console!)… Expand

While I don't agree with everyone here, I'd have to say that this entry in the series, is probably the most fun I've had with the series. A deep, and twisting story filled with multiple puzzles and wii gimmicks that aren't terrible (at least in my opinion). Clearly, the motion controls are not perfect, but are really close to being so, even if they screw up, nintendo added in a "center" command encase they're not acting correctly. That is an issue, nintendo should've checked to see why the controls didn't center, and it shows a missed spot on this polished gem. The overworld is actually fairly small, but your loftwing(the bird you fly) is slow, and there is no way to speed him up, which is a shame. Those are the only complaints I have, but getting passed them leads to an excellent game that I would consider one of the best. If you're going to get this game, finish it, it's well worth it.… Expand

While I did like this game, it does not live up to the reviews found in the media. I enjoyed the motion controls, but the story didn't feel as engaging as say twilight princess. Also some of the game felt like it was added just to extend the length of the game rather than to add something truly important or engaging. Some portions of the game really just felt like a chore or an annoyance.

One of my favorite Zelda games, besides Ocarina of Time and maybe a couple others. This game is flawless and is great for any wii lover, zelda fan, or someone wanting something original. It's a must have!

Pros: I certainly enjoyed this creative game and I have been a loyal zelda fan since Link's Awakening on GB back in 1995. All of the Wii motion controls were implemented near flawlessly and I enjoyed using them in the game, they never really became obnoxious of any sort. They made the game challenging in a very good way. The art design is fresh and the impressionistic portrayal of the far scenery makes me feel like I'm exploring one huge painting and brings back memories of Super Mario 64. The story & main quest is heartfelt, lengthy, and provides character development as well as unexpected turns throughout. Most of the characters have their own marvelous personality and problems that you can help fix, and they remember you justly for your good deeds. I like the newly implemented potion making & item upgrading systems. I would find myself spending hours exploring the worlds looking for ingredients. There are a solid amount of new & reintroduced items to use; and for the most part they are used very well, and remain fun & useful after the dungeon you earned them in. Cons: The side-quest area is seriously lacking in my honest opinion. There were only about 2 sidequests & 1 mini-game I thoroughly enjoyed, and there are about 13 side quests and I think 5 mini-games. This still isn't enough in a Zelda game even if they lack substance. The main quest can take anywhere from 40-60 hours to complete, while the side content can only provide 10-15 hours max. Zelda games have always been known for having side content standing up to the main quest, and sadly it isn't true here. And you don't get very good rewards for alot of the side-quests anyways. Also whenever you pick up and ingredient or bug, no matter whether it's new or not, you have to go through a little cutscene and read about whatever you picked up every single time. This gets ridiculously annoying very fast. There is also a "Hero Mode" after you beat the game the first time, and it allows you to play through again with all the enemies doing double damage. Sadly that's all it adds to the experience and that is definitely not enough incentive to play through the game again. Now I can honestly say that every dungeon is truly amazing and stands up with some of the best dungeons in Zelda history; but I was seriously dissapointed with a couple of the bosses, and I won't give away why, but I was and you might find out why if you choose to decide to buy the game. Because I still believe it is worth buying and is a above-average entry to the legendary Zelda series. Just don't expect it to fullfill all of your expectations, because I know that this wasn't everyones' cup of tea, even for die-hard Zelda fans. But you're getting a solid review from one right now! The game is about a 7.8 but it's either 7 or 8 on here. So it gets an 8.… Expand

To be quite frank to all the 'REAL' Zelda lovers this is my opinion:

Firstly I'm a DIEHARD zelda fan this game has changed my life. Well, sadly not this actual game itself. I'm 21 years old and currently an aspiring musician in the UK, when I was 7 years old and I'd heard the Lost Woods theme playing in the background of all that magical forestry I remember my heart skipping a beat for a second.
So there I was motivated with my little yamaha toy keyboard infront of me and I sat down for 4 hours and learned the melody. 14 years later I'm still playing that melody to this current date. My undying love for music and adventures made this game feel like curry to a drunk. Everything Zelda up until 'Skyward Sword' brought me back to that magical moment when I was 7. I think the Critics aswell as the media are manufacturing lies when they say this is the best Zelda game since Ocarina of Time. It clearly isn't is it, about 65% of the way through the game I still had a glimmer of hope, I remember thinking to myself "It's ok after i'v done this bit I think I should finally be in hyrule field" There was no hyrule field. Instead the most adventurous map the developers could think of was above a few clouds with barely nothing to explore except a few chests you open on the ground below (which is only accessible through different parts of the sky). The music was nothing special either really, on OoT it was that detailed you could even learn to play the simpsons theme on your ocarina, little things like that made Zelda fun. Also being 21 and a smoker I really couldn't be bothered waving a stick around to kill an enemy can we have the option to use buttoned control pads again pleaaaaaaasseeee.… Expand

This game captures the essence of Zelda and everything you love about it and enhances it. Quite honestly, the Wii Motion Plus controls were just an additional pleasure. The story shows the very origin of all that is Hyrule and its inhabitants, the world becomes a real dungeon design rather than mindless scenery, dungeons require thinking and timing, and fighting has never felt so amazing. The graphics truly bring out a style that defines Zelda to the maximum and the music being orchestrated simply added to the amazing feeling of playing a Nintendo game once more. This game is easily my favorite of the Zelda series, finally knocking Ocarina of Time off its high horse. This is the game the Wii was built for. If you don't at least try it, you're missing out on the game of the year.… Expand

This is one of the best Zelda games ever, the story is similar but it is very good, the controls are the best controls in a Zelda game, you won't want to go back to the original controls, the dungeons and bosses are epic, a must-own 10/10

A truly gorgeous game with an engaging story, masterful controls and epic soundtrack. This is an adventure you don't want to come to an end. The only glaring flaw is see in this game is that the tutorial is way too long and a little off putting, but after that its an epic journey until the end.

Amazing game, the controls works great, someone saying different can't set up there Wii's correct.
Music is very good start to finish, story best to date, graphics beat PS3 anyday even on the Wii, now stop reading and go buy it, you won't be sorry!

This game was great, but the opposite of simple. The control wasn't very good and calibrating the wii motion plus was a pain. I would be pointing in the middle of the screen and my cursor was so far to the right you almost couldn't see it, the skyward strike took at least 10 minutes to do, and selecting items from your pouch should have been move the d-pad to select, not move the remote. The silent realm was a nightmare, i avoided the game for months thanks to it, the silent realm will drive you nuts, and is sure to have you angry. I also can't thrust, so trying to beat the cross dresser, bizarre Ghirahim was really difficult. Let's look at the positive, the music was the best i've ever heard in a zelda game, the areas were different and amazing to look at, the creatures were almost cooler than ever, and finally the characters and the side quests are the funnest parts of the game.… Expand

Hugely disappointing, the spirit of ocarina of time has been lost. I do not know by what conspiracy this has gotten a 10 and can even be compared to ocarina of time - is the world composed of idiots? Truly rhetorical question, because the answer is obviously yes.. Ocarina, you could explore. This, there are only 3 worlds, which you are forced to visit twice each because they got lazy, which to explore you use a teleportation system rather than have them linked like in Ocarina. The overall spirit and monsters is childlike and bad, compared to the emotion inducing, epic feel of Ocarina of Time. Where Ocarina was a game that shook you and sucked you in, this is merely a mediocre Zelda game, I don't even think the creator of the series enjoys it as he himself has said being disappointed in it midway through development. How the great have fallen. Oh and it's still the same, same, same concept that ocarina INVENTED on the 64, remade again for all you creativity enemies. This game is lucky to be good enough to still deserve an 8 despite insulting the entire Zelda franchise, but yes it's still high quality nintendo title that is acceptably fun...but oh so disappointing..… Expand

Those of you giving The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword low scores have clearly had trouble playing the game. Here's the rager's patterns : Play Skyward Sword. Fail. Think "Ok, I'll try again". Fail again. Rage. Throw control at wall/door/television/family member/cat. Go on Metacritic. Type in "The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword", hands shaking in rage. Type in a common rage comment. "THIS GAME IS AWFUL. THE CONTROLS SUCK. THEY MADE ME FALL OFF A LEDGE 40 TIMES. GAMEPLAY IS NOT FUN." I mean, come on people. When you comment on lack of voice acting, it's so clear that you're commenting on something trivial becuase you couldn't think of much else. Skyward Sword is a brilliant game. The composing is amazing, the graphics are very attractive. The gameplay is hours of brilliant fun which can never get boring to me. Hell, I've not actually finished Skyward Sword. I'm at the last boss battle. (You know, the guy with the fire hair.) I failed but didn't rage. I camly put down my controler and say to myself "i'll do it another time." The fact that I've dragged out this game for months (since christmas, actually.) added to my enjoyment. It's the longest game I've ever played. And I usually finish games within 1-6 hours of getting them. So, a word to everyone - drag out the gameplay. It's really worth it.… Expand

Overall a enjoyable and long game, any Nintendo, Zelda and Adventure fan will want to get this game instantly. You will not regret it, not only will the game offer a long playtime but also a enjoyable adventure, enjoyable music, enjoyable gameplay as well. Only downside is you would have to buy a Wii Motion Plus control but that should not be a problem as they are either cheap or most players should already have one available at this point of the Wii's life.… Expand

After months of waiting for this game and all the propaganda it received i felt really disappointed. The creators had plenty of time to make it perfect and yet it had so many flaws. In this game you will never get lost or die it is incredibly easy. They tell you where and what to do more than twice. Controls takes time to get used to opening a boss door took me more than 15 minutes once. The first 15 hours are so boring nearly killed myself. However not everything is bad using loot to modify shields and weapons was great story gets better after 20 hours and some new items effects are quite interesting. Loved the graphics and changing the present with the past was awesome. What is unforgivable for me is that the hidden skills from TP are not in this game. That was a step backwards in the Zelda franchise. Voice acting is necessary like it or not Zelda games need to change their formula for their own good. There are other flaws but I have no space to put more. Nintendo should learn a couple of things from xenoblade chronicles; now thatâ… Expand

Not quite the masterpiece everyone claims it is, but an excellent entry in the series. Uses the Wii's limited hardware to put forth the best looking game possible that controls the way the Wii should in the first place. 40+ hours of solid, interesting gameplay, side quests and intelligent dungeon designs. A definite purchase if you're a fan of the series.

so many things were changed, and upgraded in this game, i love the story, BUT. why it didn't get a perfect score, the controls are a pain sometimes. now not complaining i love the challenge of actually controlling a sword to kill your foes. unfortunately its very upsetting sometimes when it doesn't do what you wanted it to do

This is the worst entry in the entire Zelda series that I have played. While they did try to do a few things to mix things up a bit, ultimately the game is utterly formulaic in the worst ways possible, and many of its innovations fail to actually be FUN.

The incorporation of motion controls into the game seems like a good idea, but unfortunately in practice they are extremely clunky. Flying around and swimming both use the motion controls, and while flying works decently (not great, but not horribly), swimming does not - the only good news is that you will hardly be swimming in the game, but the few times you do have to swim it becomes a bit frustrating. You can manage, but it just doesn't feel right. Fortunately, running around in 2D works just fine, but sadly your sword, too, uses the motion controls. This seems like a neat idea at first, but unfortunately it fails to deliver. While it works fine for the slashing and spin cuts, unfortunately stabbing doesn't work very well at all, doubly so when your shield is out, oftentimes coming out as the wrong kind of attack. This is deeply frustrating when you need for it to work. The only motion control that works well is your shield, which works completely flawlessly.

Your bow, oddly, does not take a cue from Wii Sports Resort (which actually did bow controls RIGHT as a minigame, and a fun one at that!) and sadly uses just the standard old point with the wiimote - this works alright, but is disappointing. Ultimately, the fact that most of your items use some weird mixture of motion controls and the IR sensor results in a very inconsistent feeling about the game, and it doesn't make you feel good - the motion controls constantly break immersion, which sucks. As the capstone of the Wii, this game tried to show that motion controls were a good idea, but failed utterly.

The rest of the game is also flawed. The enemies are very repetitive - there are very few types of enemies, and only a few of them are particularly interesting to fight. By about a third of the way through the game, you will have seen every enemy the game has to offer, and sadly (and more than a little bizzarely) the game repeats bosses incessantly - one of the bosses (Ghirahim) is fought three times, and really four times because the final boss (Demise) is very similar to Ghirahim, and actually probably more boring than him. The Imprisoned is a boss you fight three times, and the fights are simply not different enough to matter or to be very fun. At one point you fight him twice, back to back, and it is quite boring. While there are some fun enemies (Lizardfos are actually quite fun to fight, as are the skeleton enemies) overall the game repeats monsters far too much and by the end you are very tired of fighting the same old things for the upteenth time, bosses and normal baddies alike.

The story is also bad. Most people don't even know that the world is in trouble, let alone that you're saving it, and there is nothing about the story which is very gripping. The fact that you live on floating islands is pretty much entirely incidental to the plot - it is just the Hyrule Field of this game, and it is no more interesting. The flying hardly matters at all - at only one point in the entire game do you actually use your bird to fight a bad guy - and really was an idea which was utterly wasted on this game.

The only good thing about the game is the dungeons and the leadup to them; the Lanyru desert is actually fairly enjoyable and has some interesting ideas, and the beetle allows for some interesting puzzles. Sadly, they failed to exploit the beetle as well as they could and should have, and many of the new items (the blower and the whip) feel very pointless. Unfortunately, the hookshot (or should I say, the clawshot) is feeling increasingly this way as well - once a really neat piece of equipment, the heavily sanitized targeting (targets and vines) results in it feeling much less versatile, interesting, and useful. Thus you're left with the bow and the beetle as the cool items that you can do lots of stuff with - a disappointingly small list

The ultimate problem, though, is that Zelda has failed to evolve, learn, and grow. Darksiders is basically a Zelda game, but its combat was much better and the game was thus much more fun. But the real tragedy is that Batman: Arkham Asylum is a Zelda game - just think about it. Batman has many of the same items as link does (a hookshot/grapnel, bombs, he even has a boomerang!), and he runs around solving puzzles to progress through dungeons, but unlike Link he isn't groundbound, he is very mobile, the combat is interesting, and the gameplay overall is much better. When you realize just how far behind Zelda has fallen, you wonder why you'd ever play a game like Skyward Sword in the first place. And the answer is - you wouldn't.… Expand

Really great game. I love Zelda games, but as an adult it is very hard to ask for the franchise to amaze me like it did when I was a child, when everything was innately more impressive and magical. This instalment of the Zelda series features a beautiful world. Great characters and plot, fantastic game play and controls. The graphics are as good as you're going to get on the Wii. Only real negative I can think of is that other than the sky there isn't really any great open expanse to explore like in you'd old 2d Zelda games and OoT. But that's not to say there isn't plenty to explore. My favourite Zelda since OoT.… Expand