The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD Reviews
In theory, motion control of the Nintendo Switch paired with The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword HD is a perfect match. What sounds quite conclusive at first has unfortunately not been implemented perfectly in practice. A further complication is the optics, which no longer meet today's standards despite HD. Even the gripping plot, which lays the historical foundation stone of the series, can only offer slight consolation.
Review in German | Read full review
The remastering of The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword HD makes it a drastically more accessible game on the Nintendo Switch that offers a wider audience the chance to explore the earliest point within the expansive Legend of Zelda timeline.
It’s great to see a Nintendo classic like this get a decent makeover and opens up one of the early Link efforts to a whole new fan base by weighting it in more modern gameplay standards.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is, like the original, a good game and a must-have recommendation for fans of the series. It is not, however, a magnum opus, as there are defects and problems that can disturb the experience, even if some of them have been mitigated by remastering while others have been aggravated. As a remaster, this new version brings important improvements to the Skyloft adventure and certainly consolidates as the definitive version of the franchise's origin story. However, the focus of its production was certainly those who didn't play the original, as, for longtime gamers, there's not much new to be expected.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD offers some much needed enhancements that result in a better game. Whether it's your first or second time exploring Skyloft, you will definitely find some charm in revisiting the story where everything started.
Review in French | Read full review
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is an incredibly diverse and constantly evolving game. If you haven't played the Wii version, you shouldn't miss this adventure.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Overall, the Skyward Sword HD remaster is an excellent game worth playing despite some of it’s flaws. There are some quality of life improvements throughout that may not stick out as obviously as you would expect, but they really help the game play a bit more like a modern game despite the janky controls. It may not be as beloved as Link to the Past or Ocarina of Time, but Skyward Sword is absolutely a game worth your time.
There are excellent things about its plot, its level design, and its gameplay choices. But they are equally offset by some terrible design choices in the same segments. The same can be said about this remaster. For every welcoming improvement, such as the fantastic graphics, performance, and being able to ditch motion controls altogether, there is another annoying setback, such as the implementation of said non-motion controls and the bizarre camera movement.
Skyward Sword HD’s quality of life improvements made to the game are a step up from the Wii version of the game. No more constant interruptions while you are playing, from Fi the spirit of the sword, that’s a blessing. The controls are better. However, I think it will boil down to how well you gel with the updated control system. I do recommend giving the game a go for those that are on their journey through The Legend of Zelda series of games. As while it isn’t the best of the best in the series it shouldn’t be overlooked completely.
It is a little flaw on Zelda Skyward Sword HD that there is no new contents added. But thank nintendo for letting us play the masterpiece again with HD resolution graphic and improved manipulation.
Review in Korean | Read full review
While it was largely considered one of the less popular titles in the franchise, Nintendo rereleased Skyward Sword HD for the Nintendo Switch so a new generation of players that can experience what is considered to be the narrative foundation for the series. The result is an adequate entry, but one where its history and original control scheme’s legacy still can influence people’s enjoyment.
Skyward Sword HD is enough of a Zelda game that fans of the series will still have a good time playing it. With a strong story and characters that stand out, there is still fun to be had despite the god awful controls that do their best to ruin what would’ve been an outstanding game had it adhered to traditional gameplay mechanics.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is an excellent remaster of an underappreciated Zelda title.
Besides the obvious visual improvements, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD offers a clearly enhanced experience compared to the original Wii title. First and foremost the button controls offer a near-perfect alternative to the formerly mandatory motion controls, making the game more accessible. Beyond that, many of the original's hand-holding has been removed, leading to fewer gameplay interruptions. The game still has other flaws, but the HD version does a lot to bring out the good of the game.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD improves upon the original massively, with its new control scheme and impressive visuals making it feel like a whole different game. It was already one of my favourite games in the series anyway, but playing it with more traditional controls at 60fps was astounding, whilst the new quality of life improvements go a long way in streamlining the overall experience. It really is a brilliant game. Admittedly, some aspects of the game haven’t aged all that well – the repetitive fetch quests particularly stood out, whilst there were some aspects of the world that felt vacant when compared to modern titles. Between all of the enhancements, the engaging narrative, and the brilliant dungeons that have stood the test of time though, it’s easy to recommend The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD to newcomers, existing fans, or just those who were simply put off the motion controls the first time around. It’s another must-own title for your Nintendo Switch library.
It's the only Zelda game that I recommend you play only once, if only to experience the blue skies and sunshine that this game has on the outer layer.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD isn’t necessarily a massive upgrade over that original experience, but it does clean things up and provides a different look at the fateful connection between Link and Zelda.
Some of its more controversial elements remain, despite the technical, graphical, and mechanical overhaul. Yet the new features — optional motion controls, full camera control, auto-save, a less intrusive companion, a smoother frame-rate, and modernized graphics, among others — will surely be welcomed by parties on both sides.
Skyward Sword is definitely one of the better games in the Zelda series. Some experimental ideas and mechanics were implemented that breathe some fresh air into the dungeons and puzzles throughout the adventure. When viewed from the timeline where Breath of the Wild exists, it is really interesting to see how Nintendo took the franchise from Twilight Princess to where it is now. Skyward Sword is absolutely a must-play for anyone who is a fan of the franchise.