The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD Reviews

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is ranked in the 89th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Metro GameCentral
GameCentral
Top Critic
8 / 10
Jul 14, 2021

The most uneven of the 3D Zeldas but its highs soar well above its immediate contemporaries and while the motion controls are still hit or miss at least there's now an alternative.

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8.8 / 10.0
Jul 14, 2021

Zelda Skyward Sword serves its purpose. A second chance that has been great for the saga. A colorful, friendly game with personality that has managed to convince me that it has nothing to envy to other games in the series.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Unscored
Jul 30, 2021

Post Arcade's senior writer faces off against his daughter for a generational analysis of Nintendo's classic Wii game, now available on Switch

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Jul 14, 2021

Skyward Sword HD is a superb remaster of the decade-old Wii game that not only gives it a much-needed visual upgrade but also throws in so many quality of life improvements (not least of all a free camera) that it immediately makes the original version obsolete.

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Jul 21, 2021

Before Breath of the Wild, there was Skyward Sword; Nintendo revisit its mechanically brilliant adventure with this improved Switch version

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Jul 14, 2021

This remastered game from the Wii-era remains a wildly imaginative and magical experience created by Nintendo's brainiest puzzle architects

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ZTGD
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Aug 24, 2021

It contains a wonderful story, one of the most satisfying final battles, some of the best humor in any Zelda game, plenty of completely optional side content, and some really unique gameplay that only Skyward Sword has offered. I have never been happier to say I was wrong about a game.

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Jul 14, 2021

Skyward Sword HD is the definitive version of the game, with many of the annoyances from the original Skyward Sword scrubbed from the experience. Skyward Sword HD has its frustrating moments, but it's still an excellent game, and it's worth a return trip to those who already soared through the skies on the Wii.

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7.8 / 10.0
Jul 14, 2021

Skyward Sword is still not one of the best Zelda games out there, even after improvements added to this new Switch port, but it deserves to be played thanks to a great cast of characters, a good narrative and some interesting gameplay ideas that Nintendo developed further in Breath of the Wild.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Daily Mirror
Eugene Sowah
Top Critic
Jul 14, 2021

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is a masterclass in how to do a remaster. Nintendo has really gone out on a limb to improve the games overall performance and it really shows. The extra little quality of life additions will make this game more accessible for a lot more gamers. This title is a must-have and will keep fans occupied until Breath of the Wild 2 arrives.

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80 / 100
Jul 14, 2021

While it’s not perfect, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is a massive improvement over the original release.

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Wccftech
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Jul 14, 2021

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is a conservative update to one of Link's less-heralded adventures that's unlikely to change many minds one way or the other. The padding, control limitations, and other issues fans have long bemoaned are still in full effect. That said, there's really no such thing as a bad Zelda game, and this one still shines at times thanks to a strong story, excellent dungeons, and some intense boss battles. If you're impatient for Breath of the Wild 2 and have never played Skyward Sword, by all means, give the game a shot, just keep your expectations slightly grounded.

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Jul 23, 2021

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD flies far higher than the original Wii version. Most of the game's core issues have been addressed, and the presentation flows much more smoothly on Switch.

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4.5 / 5.0
Jul 19, 2021

Skyward Sword was in need of this remaster, and Nintendo handled it with care. Now that its greatest weaknesses have been addressed, it’s finally time for the discussion to turn to what makes this game so special and a standout title in the series. I hope that many more future Zelda games will continue to be inspired by Skyward Sword HD’s strengths.

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9 / 10.0
Jul 18, 2021

In short, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is easily the definitive way to experience this wonderful adventure. The variety of quality-of-life improvements are welcome additions, fixing a lot of the issues featured in the original release 10 years ago. Sometimes the game's controls can feel a little weird depending on which setup you choose, so you will most likely experience some issues not present in the other control option. However, they don't detract from what is probably one of my favorite video games of all time. If you're interested in experiencing a deep narrative with some likeable characters, then you owe it to yourself to experience this game. Then again, even if you've played it before, Skyward Sword HD is an adventure worth revisiting with these improvements.

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80 / 100
Jul 16, 2021

Not the hoped-for alternative for those who don't like to move, but still a fun Zelda. Although not the best.

Review in German | Read full review

90 / 100
Jul 14, 2021

A great new version for a awesome Zelda entry. Skyward Sword looks great in HD and 60fps, but it lacks of extra content.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

GameXplain
GameXplain
Top Critic
Liked
Jul 14, 2021
Is Zelda: Skyward Sword HD Better on Switch? - REVIEW video thumbnail
8.5 / 10.0
Jul 14, 2021

An almost mandatory recovery for those who have been struck by Breath of the Wild and equally essential for those who threw in the towel in 2011.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Jordan Minor
Top Critic
Jul 14, 2021

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD’s upgraded visuals and motion-free control options make this the best way to play the Wii classic, even if the game is firmly stuck in Zelda’s past.

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