• Publisher: Nintendo
  • Release Date: Nov 20, 2011
User Score
7.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1242 Ratings

User score distribution:

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  1. Jul 20, 2012
    10
    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
  2. Nov 27, 2012
    9
    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 na
    rrativa 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.
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  3. Jan 16, 2013
    4
    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
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  4. Nov 25, 2011
    10
    It took them 5 years but Nintendo has finally done it..delivering an adventure so grand yet utilizing the 'revolutionary' motion control to the best there ever is. While there may be some technical hiccups, this is truly the masters' showing how it's done. Delivering and maximizing the ability of a 'weaker' system such as the Wii to its fullest. Great graphics (not high def though), great music, immersive control and gameplay...The best game of 2011 and all time is here. Expand
  5. Feb 25, 2012
    0
    I'm doing something a little different (admitting this might not be 'right'), but I'm scoring this game with-respect to my expectations. And explaining it that way, this is the most disappointing game of my 30 years of videogaming, and therefor deserves the lowest score possible. Everything about this game is average at best, and the motion controls (even though apparently great by many reviewers) are just, well, beyond terrible. The stuff that works are nothing we haven't seen before 1000 times and the stuff that is 'revolutionary' is just, well, beyond terrible. The exploration is a chore. The dungeons range boring to acceptable. The boss battles are alright. The graphics and sound are alright. The amount of BOREDOM is really REALLY impressive. Like I said I'm scoring this according to my expectations, and that may be wrong but it feels right for me. And the most disappointing game of all time deserves a -10 if I could. I'm glad I got this using my Shoppers points because spending actual cash on this would have been a tradegy. Expand
  6. Nov 20, 2011
    10
    5 years in waiting for a console Legend of Zelda and by god, it is very satisfying to play a brand new Zelda game on the big screen. I have been playing for 18 hours since Friday so this is a good amount of time to finally do a review. Even though Skyward Sword has the Zelda name, it feels like a complete departure from the other games and I felt like I was playing a newly realized Zelda. Dungeons are still here but the only difference is that the whole world map is a big fat dungeon and I think it's an interesting take on Zelda tradition. The main selling point of the game is its fully implemented motion controls and while it works really well, it's not perfect as it can get frustrating at times, especially when you're in combat, aiming a long range weapon or playing your musical instruments, all requiring motion based gameplay but you will get used to it and in time, it becomes second to nature as the controls has a tight learning curve. The layout scheme itself has also changed (for the better) as the item menu is pretty much at your firsthand disposal instead of pausing into the menu and picking the item then un-pausing, leading to a more fast paced gameplay. The story is the most cinematic I have ever seen in a Zelda game and the visual and graphical style is jaw dropping gorgeous to look at and while I should be half way to through the story, it's pacing is slower compared to the other games but its memorable characters, emotional attachments and atmosphere makes it worthwhile. In conclusion, this is the best game I have played this year alone and the best Wii game because it completely realize and utilizes what the console can do. Albeit not being perfect, the motion controls does its job easing you in the game's mechanics so well that the frustration is forgotten in seconds and the visual style makes Skyward Sword the best looking Zelda game since Windwaker and the best looking game on the Wii overall. If you have a Wii, you have to buy this game as sadly, this is might be the Wii's final swansong in its six year lifespan and by god, what a way to go. Expand
  7. Dec 24, 2011
    5
    -sigh- IGN, you prefered a female peter pan running around punching at stuff over Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim? This game or this series is too repetitive, overrated, and has poor graphics. The controls are your typical Wii game, so pretty lame. The game itself is very fun, but it's been evened out with how typical these games are, it's not quite on the 50 dollar price tag. That's when IGNorance comes by and gives this game a 10. Expand
  8. Sep 2, 2012
    7
    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
  9. Dec 4, 2011
    8
    This is a fantastic Zelda game, without a doubt. The story is as rich as ever and accompanied by great characters (perhaps not a strong as Wind Waker's cast) and a stellar musical score. The controls have been entirely reworked to fit the Wii's Motion Plus and, for the most part, it works great. The art direction is gorgeous, having a water paint filter over distant objects. The bosses and swordfights in the game are a lot of fun, although it means that there are less enemies in favor of more challenging fights. However, the game is still pretty easy on the first run and the game doesn't have enough punishments for dying or failing a puzzle.

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

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

    Overall, Skyward Sword is totally worth a purchase at any price. The game is lengthy, filled with that Nintendo-style charm and topped off with some of the best music in the entire Zelda franchise. I hope Nintendo can fix some of the issues in the next game and give us one of the best Zelda's yet.
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  10. Jun 4, 2012
    8
    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
  11. May 31, 2012
    10
    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
  12. Dec 3, 2011
    10
    It's literally the best game on the Wii and one of the greatest games ever made. It doesn't quite have the same open world feel that Twilight Princess had, but then again it doesn't really need it. The graphics are, by far, the most beautiful visuals I've ever seen in a game simply for their impressionist quality - if you notice, the farther you get away from something the objects, or buildings, or whatever it is you're far from become more like paint daubs which is really awesome. The scenes are amazing, and though some people are still bummed out about and/or trolling about how the characters still don't talk, this really, I feel, is better than if they were to include lame voice acting. The music is perfectly fitting for each area you're in and changes depending on what situation your in within an area - for example the Marketplace offers various versions of the same song for each different shop you approach. This game has hours upon hours of amazing gameplay and despite what others say, the controls are wonderful. The only thing I've had difficulty with was swimming, but besides that everything else works perfectly. This is the first Wii game I've played that doesn't rely solely on the sensors, but the position your Wii-mote is in - and if your aimer says it's in a different direction than it should be you can simply readjust it with a push of a button to be back where it should be (so really those who complain about the controls don't know what they're talking about/are trolls - the latter being more likely). The replayability is insanely high for this game, there is so much to do and so many areas you can explore around and it's one of those stories that, I at least, fell in love with right away. It's seriously one amazing experience. Expand
  13. Mar 25, 2013
    10
    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
  14. Nov 20, 2011
    10
    The Wii was built for this. The motion controls are completely unmatched by any other game, and graphically the game uses all of the Wii's graphical power. The gameplay is amazing, and it's a real change from previous Zelda's. This is the game the Zelda 25th anniversary is deserving of!
  15. Nov 26, 2011
    10
    zelda is the best franchise ever existed alongside mario and metroid...... Nintendo are gods, sony and msoft try to compensate this with money and technology but they cant ...............this game is the living proof that nintendo are the best at gamecrafting and overall videogame desing and innovations......... haters go fawk your mother
  16. Nov 22, 2011
    10
    What's wrong with all you people? Now people are just giving games zero, both Nintendo and non-Nintendo, without playing the game? I'm ashamed, particularly with a game as amazing as this. Controls are perfect, gameplay has evolved over the years and has become brilliant. The graphics may not be great but seriously, I DON'T CARE. It's still bearable for goodness sake.Would you rather eat a dish that looks amazing but tastes of paper or chocolate ice cream even if itt looks like crap. This game is the best in the series and the best on Wii. Period. So haters just go do something else instead of just **** about a game just because it gets good reviews. Expand
  17. Mar 15, 2012
    1
    VERY overrated game. I don't know why people are even thinking of comparing this ill handled turd to Ocarina of Time. The controls SUCK. Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise.
  18. Jan 11, 2012
    10
    How **** stupid do you have to be to rant about how this title is more of the same. Last time I checked Zelda games have consistently been awesome. So has Metroid and most Mario games... If it ain't broke don't fix it. Great game though the intro was a bit prolonged.
  19. dz9
    Jan 13, 2012
    6
    What I hate about most mainstream reviews on this game is that they seem to drive on the fact that everyone is SUPPOSE to like Zelda. They seem to forget that the controls only work 35% of the time, lots of time you'll find yourself throwing more slashes than you wants which sometimes means game over, lots of times Link will swing the opposite way you actually swing which can cost you a heart, they seem to forget the fact that you have to constantly recalibrate, I don't care that it is easy to calibrate, the damage is still there, you still have to take time out of the action constantly just to calibrate the remote, they seem to forget that the new stamina bar is more limiting than it is strategic, they seem to forget the long unnecessary loading times between areas, and they seem to forget the fact that Link can't make clear turns which constantly cause you to mess up in the dungeons. BUT WHAT THEY DO SEEM TO REMEMBER IS the cleverly designed graphics, the focus on story, the innovative new way of the world map, and the cool new tools in Link's arsenal. The Good: graphics, story, innovations in world map and tools, and a few cool utilizations with the Wiimote. The Bad: the wiimote can't handle the game, too many loading screens, unresponsive moving controls, and the stale stamina bar. I LOVE Zelda games just as much as everyone else, i even loved Twilight Princess, seeing the main developer of Zelda show off the tech behind this and seeing that the game was even messing up for him in front of a live audience made the game look embarrassing. I'm glad to report that the game is controlled better than the time of the tech demonstration that I just mentioned, and the 35% of the time that it works, it works beautifully. It's hard not to imagine the possibilities of this game if it was hosted on the Kinect or Move, it's not just the Wiimote that can't handle the game... its the Wii in general. Most of the flaws in the game is not the games fault, it is the Wii's... the game is utterly and drastically limited by the Wii's tech. Maybe and hopefully this game will be much better on the WiiU. In the End... this is a good game: FOR THE WII, but on the scale of what most games can do now, it falls flat Expand
  20. Nov 21, 2011
    10
    About the reviews thus far I have a few things to say:
    1. You've definitely NOT played the entire game, yet alone even scratched the surface of it.
    2. Don't insult the Art Style, because you know very well that If they wanted, they could've gone with more realistic TP graphics again. It's a choice, and a good one, in my opinion.
    3. The controls work if you know how to use them. Don't expec
    t the game to hand everything to you. It takes a bit of practice. If I twist my wrist, Link twists his wrist. How much more accurate can it get?

    So far the game is a must-own for every Wii player, has great cutscenes, great gameplay and is essentially a great evolution for the franchise. Not a single torch puzzle.
    I'd say this game is AT LEAST as good as Ocarina of Time, if not better. I'll see once i'm done.
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  21. Dec 25, 2011
    10
    I must say, I don't think I have ever played a game this complete and this in sync with a game system. Skyward Sword delivered the greatest Zelda experience to date. The story is great and the game play is remarkable. This is the game the Nintendo Wii was designed for. This is an experience that will live forever in a gamer's heart.
  22. Dec 29, 2012
    0
    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.
  23. Jan 28, 2012
    10
    Most Amazing game I've ever played. This game plays out the Zelda format perfectly, so if you liked any other Zelda game, or any game from a puzzle genre, action genre, adventure genre, fun genres, and any genre. This game has the best game play out of any game ever, the motion controls compliment this game better than any other game's controls do. This game will also take you a while to beat. It took me 75 hours to complete it. This game is just amazing, if you hear or think its bad, its probably because they don't own a Wii. Expand
  24. Dec 7, 2011
    9
    Easily the second best 3D Zelda. It has the most focus on puzzles throughout the entire game than any other Zelda. The Wii m otion plus is actually pretty decent, and provides an interesting combat system that we haven't seen before, and actually, one that I would really like to see again, if they could do it in a unique way. The only problem people seem to have is that trying to stab sometimes doesn't work very well. If you stab a little bit more slowly you can usually get it to work consistently, but that's easy to say when I'm not in the heat of combat. But other than that the slicing motions are very responsive and they do exactly what you intend them to do. It also does not have any kind of filler material to the degree some of the other Zelda games had, such as Wind Waker's long sailing distances. There are some slightly long flight distances but honestly it only takes about two minutes or so if I were to guess to fly from one side of the map to the other. So we're not talking anywhere NEAR in the range of Wind Waker's sailing distances. This Zelda game also focused on side quests more than most Zelda games, but still nowhere near the amount of side quests Majora's Mask had. I would like to see another Zelda with Majora's Mask level side quests and non-linearity. The reason I can't give this game a perfect 10 is, well, it's not perfect. The problems I have are very minor, such as the stabbing problem, Fi talking too much and spoiling some puzzles, having to recalibrate the motion plus occasionally, the long intro that the game has, etc. but I wouldn't even be comfortable giving this game a 9.5 if I could. Expand
  25. Jul 12, 2012
    10
    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
  26. Mar 14, 2013
    9
    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.
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  27. May 9, 2012
    10
    Skyward sword has it all. Good old zelda game play, memorable characters and a interesting world to explore. Even if your new to the zelda series i would still highly reccomend this game looking for a epic lengthy adventure. Skyward sword is one of he most colorful and best looking games on wii. The game also works great with wii motion plus. This game is simply a masterpiece that should be experienced by anyone who likes games in general. Expand
  28. May 19, 2012
    8
    Although this is a great game, I am not saying this is the best Zelda game by no means. All the flying around makes me feel like I'm back in the Windwaker with sailing accept for flying in this game. The fact that you half to return to desert, woods, lava over and over again takes away from the game. I like it, best wii game of 2011 for sure but it doesn't feel like a true Zelda game in my opinion. I take Twilight Princess over this one for dungeons, items, story. Expand
  29. Feb 18, 2012
    10
    The waiting is finally over, Skyward Sword can now be played by anyone. The idea of mixing the graphics of Twilight princess and wind waker was awesome, and the result was just incredible. You start your adventure in Skyloft, a floating island in the middle of the sky. You receive a letter from Zelda and BAM, the game starts. Instead of epona you have a big bird called loftwing, which is pretty damn cool to ride on. Your relationship with zelda is higher, and from the point when she is captured you start to really care about it and get motivated to save her. The motion control works incredibly, and the boss battles are fun and epic. The cut scenes are fantastic, and the characters are memorable in different ways, or because he (or she) is a **** or because he is dumb, but starts helping you, and end up being the nicest guy in the game. The history is cool, not that much but pretty cool. If you're a zelda fan, you should buy this game. No doubts one of the best games nintendo made until now, and a major game in history of gaming. Expand
  30. Nov 24, 2011
    10
    I don't know what's up with people's controllers, because the motionm plus works fine. If it starts glitching, it's a one button fix. Also, the graphics are fine, like a painting. There is no lag, and almost no load times. And the one to one motion control is used great, especially past the first Ghirahim fight. This game does everything right, and the five years of development gave us a masterpiece. Haters stop hating, laggers get a better Wii because yours is broken, but don't take anything away from the game because of your **** hardware. Expand
  31. Feb 11, 2012
    10
    Look, I haven't even completed the game yet but I'm just going to give my review: Brilliant,amazing and excellent. Why Nintendo gave it to us so late in the Wii's lifetime nobody knows, but what a great way to say goodbye to the Wii with such a fantastic game. Sure, some aspects of the game are infuriating (Silent Realms anyone?) but they are all very minor. I will never forget the experience I have had with this game and as Fi would say, "I predict 100% chance of this being the finest Legend of Zelda game ever" Happy 25th birthday Legend of Zelda and goodbye to you Nintendo Wii. It's been a good one. Expand
  32. Nov 26, 2011
    10
    Best zelda to date. Most fun that the crap that the put out there right now like COD, BF3, and even skyrim. The gameplay is amazing, graphics are beastly (on dolphin) and the cinematic storyline is mind boggling. I havent felt so excited about a zelda game since ocarina of time. This is the new standard for a zelda game and it will only get better knowing nintendo. To the haters, go back to playing your non cinematic skyrim. Just because a game has voice acting, doesnt make it any better, a perfect example of this is Dragon Age , where they literally killed the saga by adding voice acting along wiht many other flaws. Some argue nintendo is living in the past, but the past is doing a hell lot better than the present and this game is a masterpiece. Expand
  33. May 7, 2012
    0
    Probably the WORST Zelda game ever created. Its fast travel system is completely stupid and a waste of time, the motion control's dont respond all the time and can be extremely frustrating when fighting an enemy. Previous Zelda games will always be the best. Then again, Nintendo will continue to milk the hell out of the franchise...
  34. May 21, 2012
    5
    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. Flyi
    ng 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.
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  35. Jun 1, 2012
    10
    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
  36. Jan 7, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Note: This review contains COMPLETE honesty. I will give praise the the parts to ONLY deserve praise. I will hate on the parts that deserve hate. After hearing all the praise for this game and the perfect scores, I got really excited to play this, and expected the best Zelda game ever. Sadly, that is not what happened, I ended up completely agreeing with GameSpot's review. First I would like to say the graphics are absolutely beautiful. The makers of this game took advantages of the Wii's limited abilities, by creating a beautiful painterly-like landscape. On the bad side though, the blurs in the background really hurt my eyes, and could have been either removed or less blurred. The music in the game is absolutely gorgeous!! I found myself listening to a lot of the music on youtube. However, the sounds people make are a bit awkward and could have been removed or improved on. The story was probably the most disappointing part of the game. The story is VERY obvious. (Have you ever realized that the white dress Zelda wears is the same as the the one the goddess statue wears? Have you noticed the silhouette of the goddess in the prologue looks exactly like Zelda?) There are other spoilers in the game itself, but I'm not going to point them out. It's like the makers of the game were trying to give away the entire story to us! Not to mention this game was supposed to touch upon Ganon's creation, but it felt as if they slipped it in at the end. I was expecting to be like "WHOA THAT'S HOW GANON WAS CREATED? Mind=Blown," but instead I was like "oh." And I must complain, Demise is probably the most unimaginative name EVER. Not to mention his design kind of looks like a rip-off of something you'd see in a M rated game. And the final boss with Demise felt rushed and also a rip-off of Ganondorf's final battle in Twilight Princess. What I do not understand the most is Ghirahim. Yes, he flamboyant, yes he is fabulous, but why do the fan-girls go crazy over him? There have been plenty of feminine insane bloodthurst villains in animes and movies, so WHY? I also noticed that the fans try to make Ghirahim more "deeper" and "fleshed out" than he really is, which pisses me off. I understand the makers of the game were trying to make him the complete opposite of Ganondorf but this just doesn't cut it. As for Fi, I thought I would really like this character, but I just couldn't. She constantly telling us the obvious ( Personally I think she's worse than Navi), and I'm not afraid to say I was happy when she had to leave at the end. And Zelda, when I first saw her in the E3 2011 trailer, I hated her. I hated her design, and after playing the game, it doesn't change my opinion about her. She seems like a cliche "kawaii desu" anime girl, who seems to giggle at every little thing. Not to mention it seems a little pointless for Hylia to reincarnate herself as a human for reasons relating to Demise, but then she is used to resurrect him? Seems a little pointless to me. Game play was alright. The controls either work for you, or they don't. Which is a problem. In the nest Zelda game, I hope they make sure the controls work 100%, so we don't have to complain. All in all, this game could have done better, I wouldn't have minded waiting another year for this game, maybe they would have been able to make this game better than it already is. Expand
  37. Mar 17, 2012
    5
    Fetch quests....is that a legitimate substitute for the dungeon puzzles of the past? The 'dousing' mechanic is the worst thing to ever happen to this once great franchise. Well played, Nintendo. You just reused 80% of the content for us to play through again. Oh, and you have repeated non-skippable bullsh*t dialogue to torture the player with? Uh huh. Oh, you say you also have crappy combat that pales in comparison to previous games? Yup. Oh, you say the game holds your hand so tightly their is almost no freedom of exploration? Sure, sure. I am a hug fan of Twilight, Wind Waker and past games, so it saddens me to give this a 5. This franchise, like others, is on cruise control. But with Zelda on the cover, you know those scores inflate reeeeaal. easy. Expand
  38. Dec 13, 2011
    10
    My favorite Zelda since Link to the Past. Possibly even better because it is challenging but not frustrating. Motion Plus adds to the gameplay, and rewards thoughtful swordplay over random bashing; For instance, to kill a 3-headed snake you have to hit all the heads at once, requiring timing and angle.
  39. Mar 5, 2012
    10
    The game that takes beyond the challenging and worn out mechanics of the saga. A pity Wii's technical limitations, but we would be speaking about a bomb explosion. Perfect in your development, ingenious, varied, entertaining and that uses the possibilities of wii in an exemplary way. The best Zelda and the Wii's best game.
  40. Nov 27, 2011
    8
    The game is good. But i do have to question how many 10's you all are giving it. This is far from a 10 as Zelda games go. Skyward Sword is one giant fetch quest with some dungeons peppered in. Twilight Princess was that perfect refinement of the Zelda series up to its point in time. For Skyward Sword to feel like a true departure, they would have needed to do more than add motion controls and strip out the exploration of an overworld (a KEY hallmark of the series). Understandably, the developers still needed SS to feel like a Zelda game - which it still very much does - but they would have been wise to completely revolutionize the series with this entry instead of the next one on Wii-U. Nintendo needs a big shot in the arm right now to remind fans that they are capable of pushing the envelope with ALL of its series, as they proved so gracefully with Mario Galaxy. It really does seem to me that all the perfect scores dolled out to Skyward Sword may be the result of advertising deals, rose tinted glasses, or just pure hype. This Zelda is ultimately a disappointment and I am not excited to play it again in all it's tedium and tacked on fetch quests which extend to length of the game. I do agree that the positives far outweigh the negatives, as usual, but there are enough negatives this time around that the game feels like a chore 50% of the time. This is perhaps the Worst Best game i have ever played. (8.5) Expand
  41. Jan 17, 2012
    10
    Ok first of to all the people that keep saying that "this zelda is more of the same and is worthless" well can you tell me WHAT DID YOU EXPECT? Elder scrolls VI: Zelda or what???? really people, if you buy a zelda game you already now about 50% of what the concept of the game is ,what changes would you add??? ,making it a hack n slash or removing the dungeons???? NO and beside if you do that the game would be a total garbage. But anyway this zelda is one of the best of the series, the dungeon desing is amazing and the puzzles are really well made not to mention that you can repeat boss fights. The controller is great and makes the combat challenging, if you think that motion controls sucks this game is a proof that when motion gaming is done correctly the games mechanics work perfect and are enjoyable. Expand
  42. Nov 15, 2012
    9
    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
  43. Nov 16, 2012
    6
    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
  44. Dec 29, 2011
    1
    Game is utter disapointment. Controls are awful, graphics are mushy, soundtrack is disapointing and there are hardly any new innovations or features when compared to previous titles. The Legend of Zelda serie is really starting to show its age and nintendo really have to start putting more efforts to these games in future.
  45. Nov 28, 2011
    10
    How can I start this review the best I can? Hmmm... how about that this is one of the best games I have ever played in my entire life? I am not just saying that because Zelda is my all time favorite franchise. I am saying this out of confidence that this game is a true masterpiece, and trust me when I say that it is. Skyward Sword isn't just a high quality game. It's a revolution. To think that I would actually prefer motion controls over traditional controls. I've always been interested in the idea of motion in gaming, but still always chose traditional controls over it any day. Until now! When Skyward Sword was announced to rely heavily on 1:1 motion, it really caught my attention to think that this could be the game to show everyone what motion controls can do to improve your game. As it turns out, I was not only right about that, but my expectations were far exceeded. Everything you do in this game uses motion controls specifically in very unique ways at every turn. Skyward Sword is a game that can never be done with a regular controller. This game has officially gone from button mashing to swinging your arm, and absolutely everything in this game takes advantage of it. The puzzles, the bosses, the dungeons, everything relies on the direction you swing your sword. One of the boss battles actually requires you to swing upward in its weak spot, and if you swing from any other direction, your attack is blocked and doesn't do a thing. You'll come across enemies that will block from certain angles, but are left open to attack on the other, although it isn't as easy as swinging from that direction, because enemies will follow your movements specifically to block you. You have to try and trick your enemies into thinking you will swing from one direction, but then come at them from another. it requires great observation and strategy, and makes you victory far more satisfying. It works beautifully, I've never been so sucked into a game like this, I actually feel like Links sword is in my hand, I actually feel like the hero. The way this game uses 1:1 motion is proof that non traditional controls can really change the way we want to play games. Now that I've played this game, I actually want to play more games like it. I want more 1:1 motion games, I want to use it now more than my dualshock controller now. It has opened great opportunity to new kinds of gameplay, and Skyward Sword shows it done right. The story is the best Zelda has ever had. We finally see a romantic bond between Zelda and Link, and it strengthens the urge to find her when she goes missing. There are tons of twists that will make your head spin, and lots of great characters and moments that you will remember for ages. Although this game once again denies voice acting, it's actually an amazing cinematic experience. Character animations, in addition to the outstanding orchestrated soundtrack are stunning and great to witness. This game quite possibly has the best soundtrack a Zelda game has ever had. Right after you turn the game on, you are immediately greeted with the text narrated backstory, which plays the most epic war music you'll ever hear. The game is fully orchestrated for the first time in Zelda history, meaning the music is THAT much better. Never has Zelda music been so beautiful, and remember that we're talking about a franchise that is known for it's high quality and very memorable music. You will likely pause the game very often just because you want to listen to the music, the soundtrack is THAT good. The most debatable thing about this game, however, is the graphics. Many think that the graphics are bad quality due to not meeting todays standards of being HD, and to be honest, it doesn't matter. Because this game, in my opinion, is more beautiful than many HD games out there. Skyward Sword is a prime example that games don't need to be realistic and HD to be beautiful. It uses a fantastic and very original art style that embodies the Zelda universe perfectly, and will likely never look outdated due to its uniqueness. Do not let the absence of HD fool you, this game is actually the best looking Zelda yet. Skyward Sword has also replaced the open world with puzzle filled areas that you will revisit on numerous occasions. You won't be repeating too much, as you'll reveal secret areas that you never knew were there, creating a great sense of discovery. Although, this game has an overworld in the sky that you will be flying around using your awesome new companion. A giant bird. Epic with a capital E. And of course, on top of all this, it takes an amazing fresh approach to that awesome Zelda formula we've come to know for 25 years. It's like we always now it, but different. Zelda has shown once again why it's so critically acclaimed, and is without a doubt one of the franchises best games. Nicely done Nintendo! 10/10 Expand
  46. Dec 21, 2011
    10
    The Legend of Zelda Skywar Sword is incredible! This is the type of videogames that I like and find specially magical. From my perspective, this new generation of consoles (the ps3 and xbox) have gone far into destroying what I remember most proudly of what videogames were about, and what I remember about them, comes back from the days of the N64. It was all about, creativeness, crazy and memorable characters, also crazy and memorable places, and just simply pure unadult fun! Admittably this generation has its share of good and popular games, but they lack the escence of it all, atleast that is what I feel. Nintendo is the only company keeping up with this magic and Skyward Sword shows this every second while at the same time being intutive, new and fresh. In terms of gameplay, theirs simply no game like it, the Wiis motion plus adds so much to the game in terms of combat and gameplay mechanics. They are not perfect per say, but work pretty well and definately makes it more fun than its predessesors. Its level design is pure Nintendo brilliance. Its story is surprisingly emotional and memorable, at the end, it really maked me feel much more than many other games and this one doesnt even have voice acting, its just pure text. Its grahics are beautiful and artistic. In a generation were developers focus on being more realistic with each game, Skyward Sword is a gift from heaven and definately a game I am sure I am going to remember more in terms of its looks than those others gray and black games. Its music is also spectacular with some tunes being orchestrated; Zelda has always had great music and this one is no different. So in terms of basics, this game is outstanding, no matter from what angle, but the different details it offers makes it a true masterpiece. Its easily 30-35 hour adventure and considerably more with its hidden content, making it once again stand out from the rest of the pack in a time were games last 5-10 hours(call of duty), admittably a portion of the game felt like padding ( the third trip to the forest and volcano surfaces) but as an experience it holded incredibly strong during the entire game. This game its full of great moments, and it accomplishes so much more than most other games. I really liked this game alot! Is this the best Zelda? That is debatetable, as it also changes alot of of things that we are accostumed in the series and that may be welcomed differently by each person, but wether it is the best or not (i have not concluded, as each one is so outstanding in its own way) I from the bottom of my heart can conclude that this is a masterpiece of a game, and is so much more than alot of games that come everyday. My game of the year! Expand
  47. Nov 20, 2011
    10
    This game is a 10/10 in my eyes it is the best game of this year, I own most of the hot games that have just came out like skyrim,cod mw3,dark souls,batman arkham city, ect ect. the storyline/plot is AMAZING the soundtrack is fantastic,the gameplay is verrry good the graphic to my opinion utilize the wii's potental power yeaa yea it is not HD and it has more of a cartoony feel but not all games have to be battlefield/skyrim graphics this will prob go down as one of my fav zeldas ever right there with link to the past and ocarina of time the others yeaa there oh k but this one really tops it...if you own a wii BUY IT if you do not own a wii buy a wii because there cheap now and then buy the game. the 37 people that gave this game negative comments dont listen to them there nothing they dont know what real video games are ... there also prob from ages 11-15 and there stuck on COD...play the game for yourself yea iam a zelda fan but i do love lots of other games I also was verryy displeased with twilight princes it is 20 bucks now and I still dont own it... that should explain it all. Expand
  48. Mar 4, 2012
    9
    Skyward Sword was meant for the Wii. Motion controls for this game have been perfected and the game-play is among the best in the entire series. Though the story of Skyward Sword doesn't compare to that of Ocarina of Time or Twilight Princess, to me it held its own with the new dungeon system requiring the completion of puzzles leading up to the dungeon as well as in the dungeon itself. I also really enjoyed the ability to collect resources to upgrade weapons and equipment. I would highly recommend this game to anyone wanting a good game for the Wii and definitely to fans of the Legend of Zelda series. Expand
  49. Nov 20, 2011
    10
    excellent game, the best on the wii, and the best of this generation, GOTY.If you expected this game to have guns, blood, sexuality, or anything like that you are ignorant beyond any reasonable belief.As for the controls, after 5 hours theyÃ
  50. Feb 7, 2012
    0
    The Legend of Rubbish, this game is like any horrible game you would meet with name Zelda in it, just another boring game that doesn't contain anything good about it, a must avoid.
  51. Jan 5, 2012
    9
    This game is great, and in my mind re-legitimatizes the Wii. The main thing I was happy with in this game was the controls, they are wonderful! The story great, and predictable of course, and winding your way through settings is super fun. This game can get frustrating, but no matter what your having fun.
  52. Nov 20, 2011
    10
    Conclusion: THE BEST GAME ON WII. The Legend Zelda: Skyward Sword mix RPG system with the fabulous classical system of Zelda. This game is a masterpiece.
  53. Jul 16, 2012
    10
    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
  54. Nov 25, 2011
    10
    A lot of skyward sword is either love or hate. I love the new graphics style as well as the new gameplay elements, however I can easily see why someone would not. The stamina bar for example, could either be seen as something that adds to movement strategy or simply another useless meter to worry about. The graphics could either be viewed as laziness or nintendo's way of creatively using the limited power of the aging wii. Speaking of graphics, they are probably (as was with wind waker) the most criticized element of the game. However, I think they're beautiful. Just look into the sky in Faron Woods, or take a stroll through sky loft at night, the impressionist influence really pops. If the graphics style was too realistic, the whole game would lose its whimsical and colorful atmosphere, which could potentially break the game. Combat is excellent, swordplay is now longer just mashing b. Almost all the enemies (save the generic keese/chus) require a special element to defeat them. To provide an example of the depth motion plus gives to combat, remembering OoT when the skullutas just turned around for you? Now you have to horizontally slice them to get them to spin, and then thrust to hit the center. If you thrust first, they just knock into you. All in all, the best time I've had on my WIi in a long time. Expand
  55. Mar 1, 2012
    0
    "The Legend of Boredo...."....ah-emm, "The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword", while it could only seem an interesting game for six to eight years old guys if it weren't so boring and tiring, it's instead the perfect game for lobotomized ones. Yes, thanks Ninty for keep saying me what i have to do for the whole game, cause been lobotomized I lack that piece of brain to understand it by myself, despite this I have to give this game a 0 only to drop its rating which is actually WAY to high, otherwise it could deserve even a 2. Expand
  56. Dec 13, 2011
    10
    I had my doubts about this game, seeing as how disappointing the last few Zeldas were (especially Spirit Tracks). But this game... wow... simply amazing. The visuals look great but the Wii's hardware limitations are all too apparent here. This game would have looked so much nicer on an actual HD console. The music is aural bliss and probably some of the best in the series. The story is very good and the dungeons/puzzles are some of the best in the series. Motion+ controls work well for combat and really add a new layer to battles, but for everything else, Motion+ is only put to novel use and bares a number of nuisances (constantly needing to re-center, inability to differentiate movement speeds, inaccurate movement detection). Also, the game treats the player as inept. The first few hours of hand-holding become unbearable and the constantly repeating and unskippable text will test you nerves. There are a number of problems with this game, which do add up to a significant amount, but even with that said I truly enjoyed the game and am rejuvenated on the series. Not only is this one of the best Zeldas ever, but it's also one of the best games of this generation. Expand
  57. May 19, 2012
    9
    5 years we have waited for this. Was it worth the wait? Yes and no. I've been a fan since OoT and have played every Zelda, so I will compare it to the other titles. I'll brake it down in good and bad aspects. GOOD: +In TP you were like superman, which got boring quickly. In SS it's more of a challenge. +My wallet was rarely full in SS (unlike in TP) and there were always great upgrades to find in treasures or to buy at the shop. It also gave the game a nice RPG element thanks to the upgrades you can do to your already awesome items and weapons. They really nailed the item system. +Another great addition is the new controls. They worked really well and added to the whole experience. BAD: -The music. If this is the first Zelda you've played, you'll like it. But god the music SUCKS compared to OoT, MM and WW. Not one great new Zelda tune here. -lack of exploration. You've got your hub, skyloft and in the sky you can explore some islands. But the vast lands under the sky feel like one big obstacle course. It's a bit like MM, except that there was much more to do in Clocktown than in Skyloft. This all comes down to the fact that in SS there aren't much sidequests and they're also easy too.
    Overall this Zelda finally improved in some aspects but still suffers in others. Still a great game but one of the worst Zelda games out there 9/10
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  58. Feb 26, 2013
    10
    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
  59. Nov 29, 2011
    10
    The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is one of the best games of all time. It is also the best motion-controlled game of all time. It does for motion gaming what Super Mario Bros. did for platformers, what GTA 3 did for Sandbox games, what Halo did for shooters. It revolutionizes motion gaming and shows the rest of the industry how it`s done. The controls are the most real feeling in the Zelda series, if you`ve swung a sword or shot a bow in real life your skills will be applied here. The gameplay in general is also the best of the series, far surpassing Ocarina of Time and stepping all over Twilight Princess, with the best overworld, dungeons, and bosses ever. Simply amazing, the definition of a must-play. Expand
  60. Dec 30, 2011
    6
    The game is not that good, since its more of the same stuff from older games, Zelda needs to redefine itself... its pretty much the same story, the same characters with different controls and dungeons, so its not as great as everyone is saying but still worth playing.
  61. Mar 6, 2012
    10
    The story is articulated and is full of characters. The graphics is one of the best i've ever seen on the wii. The new gameplay is a revolution for the saga and the orchestral songs are really beatiful. This is a masterpiece of the history of gaming.
  62. Dec 1, 2012
    10
    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.
  63. Nov 4, 2012
    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)
  64. Nov 16, 2012
    10
    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
  65. May 8, 2012
    9
    All the Zelda magic but with a fantastic new control system. It's hard to imagine a better implementation of the Wii motion controller. I've played every Zelda game since Link to the Past and this is a another superb entry to the series. A tighter, less open game structure than Twilight Princess is the only downside. Still one of the best games in existence.
  66. Aug 4, 2012
    10
    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
  67. Nov 21, 2011
    10
    Es sencillamente perfecto, una historia que crece mas y mas, personalidades agradables, hasta zelda es genial en este juego.
    Graficas agradables, casi al limite de lo que puede la wii, pero son bonitas y agradables a la vista.
    El sistema de combate es demasiado perfecto para la franquicia, es intuitivo,divertido y lejos de ser monotono.
    Aprovecha el Wii plus al 100% , logrando que despues
    de esto el usar un control tradicional se nos haga extraño.
    Es perfecto , bonito, banda sonora bella, con mucha accion, de los mejores bosses en mucho tiempo.
    No me encantaba tanto con un juego desde Majora Mask
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  68. Nov 20, 2011
    10
    THIS is the game I've been waiting for, the reason that I and probably lots of people got the Wii in the first place, not only this is an excelent addition to the Zelda series, it's also a huge step forward for motion control, finaly Nintendo was capable to show how much better the experience can be with motion control if they're implementedthe correct game, got a Wii? Get this game! You own it to yourself Expand
  69. Dec 6, 2011
    9
    This game is great but not perfect, there's a little backtracking but the beautiful gmeplay and story usually makes up for it. A sold A- nintendo, thanks again
  70. Nov 23, 2011
    3
    Before you write me off my review is based on the australian pal version of the game and its terrible. huge black borders (letterboxing) which cuts half the screen, why???!!?? nintendo never gave a rats arse about australian releases (they have done the same thing since the snes days) you can change the settings on the wii but it just stretches the crap out of the game. also have to mention, why does windwakers and twilights graphics seem more solid and crisp? the actual game itself is okay but your pointer just goes nuts sometimes and flying the bird feels awkward. Expand
  71. Dec 20, 2011
    8
    A great Zelda game, worthy of the time it takes to complete. Not as good as Ocarina of Time, but up there. That being said, there are a number of shortcomings. (1) It's too childish throughout. The cartoonish pastel color art direction, the dialogue, the Fun Fun clown/mime abomination, and worst of all: the Tentalus boss that looks like a Whoopi Goldberg Cabbage Patch Doll. (2) It's too linear. There is a much more limited array of exploration here than in past games. It is simply not difficult or challenging to find most items. (3) The fetch quests are painful and pointless at times. (4) Gratitude crystals. Worst Zelda idea ever. (5) Hero mode offers little replay value. Hardly anything is different. Expand
  72. Nov 21, 2011
    10
    Awesome gameplay, the only blemish is the lack of voice acting, but its one of the best in the series so far!
    I wonder why some sites complain about it being similar to other zelda games and give a higher score to MW3 LOL such biased losers
  73. Nov 20, 2011
    10
    This is the game the Wii was built for! The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is an absolute masterpiece from beginning to end. IGN, a trusted website, doesn't hand out perfect 10's lightly. A must own. 10/10.
  74. Nov 20, 2011
    10
    I definitely think this game is worth the praise it's been receiving, it may not be better than Ocarina of Time or Wind Waker, but it's definitely next in line of my favorite Zelda title of all time.
  75. Dec 7, 2011
    10
    Okay, so it's not the best Zelda game. But with it's Motion Controls and restructured Zelda formula, it's worth a try for any gamer at all. It may lack in areas that shined in past Zelda games, but the game has obviously taken big steps for the series.
  76. Nov 28, 2011
    10
    My second favourite zelda game. TP and OOT are joint top. This game has fun gameplay, recalibration is not irritating as people say. The cinematic direction is better than any other zelda game although I prefer TP's art style. The first area and dungeon are boring. Why then do I give this a 10 not a 9? Because although haters gonna hate, Lovers gonna love. Hehehe.
  77. Dec 20, 2011
    4
    Very underwhelming. The only really good thing about the game is the story. I don't mean that it's particularly well written or anything, it's as childish as ever, but somehow it convinced me and drew me in to the fairytale, so no complaints there. Other than that... The graphics are colorful but horrendous, seriously they look like late PS1/early PS2 graphics. No idea why they screwed that up, Twilight Princess looked amazing compared to this. The dungeons are entertaining but the game overuses some of the designs and they get repetitive. The motion controls are miserable and the game is extremely focused on them, instead of using them for optional "flair" like TP. All those people who wrote about perfect controls obviously have a different controller from the future, because both of my remote+nunchuk+plus sets behaved the same way, the game urges you to be precise, which is impossible because the cursor sometimes goes all over the place or disappears, the sword works in mysterious ways and does whatever it wants and everything else like bird flying or using the parachute etc is downright depressing in its randomness. Also, the game's too easy and never forces you to use the combat in-depth, but I guess considering the state of the controls that's a good thing. I remember Miyamoto trying to demonstrate the game at some E3 a couple years ago and he failed hardcore because the controls didn't work and he (jokingly?) asked people in the audience to turn off their cellphones because they cause interference, and we were all like "aww, it's just an early version of the game, they'll fix that". Well, they didn't do a really good job. Overall, ok game, it has its moments, but for a major Nintendo franchise that celebrates its 25th year, it's inexcusable for it to have so many problems. Expand
  78. Nov 20, 2011
    10
    An absolutely essential purchase for anyone who owns a Wii, and even those who don't own a Wii should play it at least once. I honestly can't believe how much has improved since Twilight Princess, it makes me wonder what the hell Nintendo were thinking not doing this sooner.

    Absolutely fantastic, the swordplay, item control and 95% of the motion controls are spot on. Not a dull moment i
    n sight.

    My few complaints: -pointer controls should have been joint motion+ and sensor controled (if that's even possible) because recentering breaks the immersion. -Skyloft is seperate from the rest of the sky (you must go through a 3 second cutscene when entering or leaving) and this seems disjointed.

    -Floating islands rarely hold the same appeal as Wind wakers islands.

    These things asside, it's been a long time since a game had such a hold on me. I don't stop playing because I'm bored, I stop playing because I want this game to last, such is the joy at every turn.

    And make no mistake, Hero mode WILL kill you.
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  79. Mar 28, 2012
    10
    it has best gameplay controls and its the best game ever. super mario galaxy 2 can not compare. better than ocarina of time. I WOULD recomend this game. a masterpiece
  80. Apr 4, 2012
    6
    this episode is not comparable thilight princess, for me it is not so impressionnant.Je think the Wii has reached its limits with this new episode charts. In addition some features were not interacted Link does not enough with its environment. But it's still a good game to discover in the wii console.
  81. Aug 11, 2012
    7
    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.
  82. Mar 7, 2013
    5
    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.
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  83. Jan 12, 2013
    6
    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.
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  84. Nov 20, 2011
    10
    All of you absolute morons rating this a 0 need to stop being jealous that your PS3 and 360's cannot play this masterpiece. You're a cancer to gaming and I hope you all rot with your generic first-person shooters that you defend to the death, and yet bash real innovation like this game with its FLAWLESS controls, design, orchestrated music and 50-100 hours of gameplay. Long live Zelda and this game will sell MILLIONS thank god. Expand
  85. May 23, 2012
    9
    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
  86. Nov 26, 2011
    8
    First of all, this is a great game.

    It still has room for improvement and one can only notice that it was probably going to be bigger but was cut short... On the plus side, the stuff that made into the game was mostly well done and very polished in typical Nintendo fashion.

    I had mixed results with the motion controls: they take some time to get used to but once you do, they worked well
    to some extent and there are parts where it's truly satisfying to slash, stab, parry, spin and finalize most enemies... other times i was frustrated by how sensitive the controls are as i very often saw changing the position of the sword read as a slash or a slash turning into two slashes when returning the remote to the center, or having a stab turn to a spin attack due to the slightest hint of the nunchuck moving when doing the stab gesture, especially since the combat is very particular in how it let's you deal damage to enemies, the misread gestures make for some infuriating moments in the heat of tense fights that demand precision, sadly subtracting enjoyment in some of them.

    The story was fine yet some of the changes I disliked, especially for Zelda, who i think should have played a more active role in this quest as hinted in the beginning and sometimes her actions don't make sense. It'd have been great to see some part where she joins the fight, I mean, she's a student of the knight academy, yet she's the most fragile and delicate I've seen her except for Zelda II where she sleeps the entire game, or maybe have her do the spiritual parts since she's a "Spirit" maiden and those parts didn't involve combat but stealth... instead we get the tired old "sorry, but the princess is in another castle" routine, they paint Zelda and Link's missions as of the utmost importance yet you don't get to see or play any part of what Zelda does which is not much anyways (sorry Zelda, but it's true, i think it's funny my 5 y.o. calls the game "Link")

    The Dungeons, Puzzles, and Boss Fights are as great as ever, except when they make you fight the same drawn out boss battle three times... reeks of lengthening the play time through a silly trick and I absolutely hated that. The sky thing and flying on a bird is nowhere near as great as wind waker's sailing was, but it doesn't get in the way either, and the skydiving is pretty cool.

    Music's great, especially considering they also used some pieces from Wind Waker which has the best music in a Zelda game, IMO. Fits the mood perfectly, well done guys. It's a shame Nintendo still doesn't want to take the risk to add voice to their Zelda games.

    For graphics, all i can add is that the framerate is rock solid... the painting style looks very well and hides muddy textures very well, as long as you keep your expectations in reality... the look of the game won't disappoint.

    Thanks for Reading.
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  87. Nov 20, 2011
    10
    Maybe the best zelda game yet? Maybe! Skyward sword is another game in the long running series, a series well known for having one of the best games of all time. This game is a masterpiece. Enough said. The gameplay is incredible. Trust me, once you play an hour of SKyward Sword, you will never want to go back to controllers. Wii motion plus is what Zelda is made for. Every enemy isnt, WHO CAN HIT EACHOTHER FASTER or somethign like that. It is now, SEE IF YOU CAN LOCATE THE WEAKNESS IN MY STRATEGY AND THEN ATTACK THERE! Trust me it IS amazing. Expand
  88. Nov 26, 2011
    10
    The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
    Average User Score: 7.9
    tbd
    The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Image
    Skyward Sword is like the perfect mix of the past two Zelda games, Wind Waker and Twilight Princess. The graphics and art style are reminiscent of Wind Waker but has the realism of Twilight Princess as well as some of the darker themes. I think people were caught a little off guard by th
    is game, as even Zelda pros have to learn how to defeat foes they've defeated easily in the past. As for voice acting, it wouldn't be fitting to have voice acting. Imagine, after 25 years and for the anniversary, you finally add voice acting. I personally would hate that because I'd hate to hear a voice for Link or Zelda etc. If you have a Wii, you owe it to yourself to get this game. It's like Ocarina of Time for the modern day world. Long time Zelda fans will even get a few references to past games, something I enjoyed a lot.The only disappointment is that such a fantastic game came at the end of the Wii's life. Expand
  89. Oct 29, 2012
    10
    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.
  90. Mar 6, 2012
    0
    And so it was decided. That Nintendo would release the same game again and again. And again.

    The story is the same story in every Zelda game, fighting is the same. and puzzles, although challenging, are just as tedious. I'm glad I switched to the Xbox. This is probably the last Zelda game I will ever buy because I have been buying the same game since Majoras Maks
  91. May 5, 2012
    10
    The best game of 2011 and the only title thats on par with OoT. If you were disappointed with Twilight Princess. I can almost assure you that you will have a better time with this. The main problem with this game, however, its the stamina meter, which you will have to just get used. The best part of the storyline, once you finish the game, you'll understand why things happened the way they did in the previous games. (This is the first game in the LoZ timeline) Go pick up this game right now!!! Expand
  92. Nov 22, 2011
    10
    Skyward Sword is the Wii game people have been dreaming about ever since the console was announced. The use of motion control is intuitive and interesting, and makes this one of the most unique and legitimately groundbreaking (if not, THE most) Game of the Year candidate of 2011. It's another wonderful entry in a legendary franchise with some actual challenge on the table as well.
  93. Nov 22, 2011
    8
    Been playing this series since the first one on the NES, and this is a fairly solid entry to the Zelda series, but there are some problems. For one thing, I'm pretty sick of the motion controls for the sword, I'd like an option for classic zelda style controls. In heated combat the motion controls feel unresponsive, and many enemies require precision strikes to defeat. The shields feel utterly useless, they take up a space in your 'adventure pouch' a separate inventory from your normal gear and have a durability meter. The shield is made even more useless by the fact that extreme aggression is usually the method required to defeat enemies, rarely you will encounter an enemy who requires you use the shield. An MMO style grinding mechanic has been introduced: acquire treasures to upgrade your items, most of these come from monster drops, which are randomized, so be ready to grind out some keese in a zelda game to make your shield slightly better. The first boss is very un-zelda-y and feels out of place, you don't even get a chance to use your first dungeon item against it. Instead, it will serve to emphasize how off the controls feel, as you try to move your sword to strike from another angle, only to have it counted as a swing, and get damaged for it. Additionally the "Navi"-like entity accompanying you somehow feels less helpful than Navi ever did. Most enemies you encounter will only have very barebones descriptions which can leave you guessing what you're doing wrong while you get pummeled and struggle against them and the controls. Some of the enemies such as the "Armos" can stunlock you for a good 3-4 hearts in a row, making you very frustrated. This is possibly the first zelda game where I've ever been stunlocked by an enemy that just camps my knocked down body and gets free hits in taking half my hearts. The boomerang appears to be missing, and replaced by a slow flying beetle robot, which has a much different functionality. The beetle is less of a in-combat weapon and more of an out of combat seeker missile/bomber/puzzle tool. All in all, it isn't a bad zelda game, but it really needs more options to allow you to fine tune the controls or completely disable the combat motion controls in favor of standard controller play. With the option to disable motion controls I would have no pressing complaints about this title, but sadly this is not the case. Expand
  94. Nov 21, 2011
    10
    this is one of the most creative and beatiful games off all time with some of the most unique graphics to date, this game has the best motion controls of all the games this gen, a 50 to 100 or more hours of adventure with a amazing story, lots of side quests, and great cut scenes this is a long game worth your time and money, this is best game ever
  95. Dec 23, 2011
    10
    If you're a fan of the Zelda series, check this out for the wii motion plus control system, adds an entire new element to the combat system. If you're not a fan of the Zelda series, what rock have you been hiding under, buy a wii, buy this game, save Zelda, be a hero. I've read a couple of bad reviews saying motion lag, and that the controls don't work properly (e.g. you can't control which direction you swing the sword from), personally I have no idea what they're talking about, I can only assume they have the wii sensor bar buried underneath a mountain of junk, or that they don't know their left from their right, if you can't control THIS game, it's not the game, you as a gamer just have very bad coordination reminiscent of 12 year olds that tantrum when people won't let them win whilst playing HALO online....
    Overall, this is a fantastic game, typical of Nintendo, graphics are polished, although my one criticism is that of the console, this game would've looked fantastic in 1080p, but oh well. Musical score is fantastic. Controls are brilliant. The puzzles have been well thought out and really challenge you even if you're used to Zelda style puzzles. The major thing that blew me away however, was the story, I found myself wanting to save Zelda, wanting to help people, wanting to find out the dark past of the land. Buy it, you will not be disappointed.
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  96. Nov 20, 2012
    7
    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.
  97. Jan 24, 2013
    0
    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.
  98. Jan 28, 2012
    10
    Just play it and see how much fun and rewarding this masterpiece is! The story is quite awesome though not able to top some other games yet the music here is just amazing! The graphics are cell shaded which does not require much hardware yet the graphics are so well done, it may have pushed the wii almost to its limits. The gameplay overall is just amazing with the wonderful and adjustable controls and the level designs as well as boss fights were just awesome as well. A definite game of the year title and a wonderful game to add to anyone's collection! Expand
  99. Nov 20, 2011
    10
    I was never really big fan of Zelda series, but this one is epic. It's really different from other games of Zelda series. Controls are working greatly, graphics are nice but why should I care about graphics - they don't make gameply better. Game is decently chalanging which is welcomed though bosses are easy (at least four bosses I fought). I really like all those sky boxes, upgrades and other secret stuff. Game hasn't much side quests, but that small about it has is great. Story is 100 percent better than in any other Nintendo game.
    Downsides: In Earth temple it's sometimes horribly hard to proceed (hard to figure out way)
    For most of guys who rated with 0 as soon as this game was relaesed - play at least one hour from the damned game before rating.
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  100. Nov 20, 2011
    10
    I love how jealous these negative reviews are. Just because the game is better than your copy/paste MW3 or BF3, does not give you the right to nerd-rage and give Skyward Sword a 0. None of these negative reviews have given me any good, solid reason as to why they gave it that score, proving to me that they're just angry Sony/Microsoft fanboys. Don't listen to the negativity. Now onto the review: I've played about 60% of the game and I think that I should judge it. First of all the graphics: not an important factor, I know, but the graphics are breathtaking. The overall world is beautiful and it's as if you're looking at masterpiece painting. Truly a work of art and it shows that Nintendo can create beauty even without HD graphics. 10/10 Gameplay: Amazing! Each dungeon will have something new to offer and even before each dungeon you have to A LOT of different things in order to even enter it. The boss battles are fresh, fun, and challenging and each temple requires you to think for a good amount of time before you act. Flying on the Crimson Loftwing is also engaging since it is something different. While it is simlar to Wind Waker's Boat sailing, I do find flying much more enjoyable because I feel you interact with it a lot more, making it less tedious. The game also allows you to dash which is great if you want to get to one point as fast you can. My only problem is that a shield breaks when it loses its shield meter. This is not a huge deal as it takes a while for it to break, and you can always buy another one. It also introduces a new challenge to the game. 9.8/10 Story: Great. The story is about Link trying to find Zelda and trying to forge the master sword, and all these events lead up to the events in Ocarina of Time. It may sound cliched, but when you actually play the game, you will find the story very engaging. You can read more of the story at http://www.zeldadungeon.net/Zelda14-skyward-sword-story.php 9.5/10 Controls: Perfect. The Wii Motion Plus responds to you every movement. It is so satisfying having to swing the sword in one direction and making Link swing it the same direction. It truly leaves the player proud when he or she has defeated and enemy since it's like they're holding the sword themselves. Holding the shield is also very engrossing since you have to flick the nunchuk upwards in order to activate it. Flick it forward to activate the shield bash, similar to the shield attack in Twilight Princess. It's perfect and it is exactly what I wanted the Wii to do in the first place. My only problem is the flying. You have to turn the Wii remote in a certain direction to steer the bird, and this can get a tad bit frustrating sometimes since the controller does not fully respond to this at times. Not a big deal, though. For 98% of the time, the controls are very responsive and very well done. 9.8/10

    Music and sounds: Splendid. Every track in this game is beautifully done by a symphony orchestra. Music is always a strong point in Zelda, but I feel that in SS, Nintendo has really outdone itself. Marvelous orchestrated music adds to the suspense and as to the feel of the game, and it really is one of the many assets of the game. The sound effects are also great, such as the "clank" when you hit another enemy's sword with your own. Or when you slice another enemy. Nintendo has truly done a wonderful job in this aspect. 10/10

    Overall, Skyward Sword is a fantastic game. From it's graphics, music, and gameplay, the game really shows what Nintendo is truly capable of. It seems as if Nintendo took their time to make this game, and all their hard work was well worth it. This game is the best Wii game, no scratch that, the best game I have picked up. It is a true masterpiece and, in my opinion, ties with Skyrim for Game of the Year. I give this game an overall score of 9.8/10
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Metascore

Universal acclaim - based on 81 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 78 out of 81
  2. Negative: 0 out of 81
  1. Feb 6, 2012
    100
    Overall, this is the best experience I've had playing a Zelda game since Ocarina of Time and I'd have to say they are pretty equal in my opinion. Either way, you won't be disappointed getting this game, it's a masterpiece.
  2. 90
    New Zelda is the best game of whole series since the groundbreaking Ocarina of Time. It is a true masterpiece with uncompromising playability. [Christmas 2011]
  3. Jan 19, 2012
    95
    A magnificent homage for the 25th anniversary of one the biggest franchises in gaming, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword provides a compelling gaming and artistic showcase for the indefatigable potential of the medium as a whole, and a reason to have gaming as a hobby.