The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD Reviews
There are still enough lingering issues with Skyward Sword HD that keep it from being in the same league as the series’ best installments.
While certainly not the greatest Zelda game, Skyward Sword is a wonderful entry that fans of the series would do well to check out.
The great irony of Skyward Sword is that Nintendo struggled to make it have motion controls as refined as possible and in the end it made it a worse experience. Only when a traditional control scheme was implemented and the game took on a less patronizing game design philosophy is when players can appreciate Skyward Sword‘s finer aspects.
While not exactly what fans of the franchise might want (more so after the outstanding remasters released in recent years), The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD serves its purpose: closing/starting the confusing time loop for the current generation. Hardcore fans and collectors will definitely find their money’s worth in this title, and new players can be rest assured how it will bring them a decent amount of entertainment as they wait for the next inevitable remaster or remake… or Breath of the Wild 2.
"Ancient hero looks more polished."
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Gaming enthusiasts whose time is too limited to sample every hot Nintendo classic might want to move along. However, those among us who can still devote ample hours to our favorite franchises (and can tolerate a few terribly repetitive angles) will find a lot to love here. That’s the most I could hope for from Skyward Sword HD, and indeed, it has delivered.
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.
Skyward Sword is one of the more distinct flashpoints on the Legend of Zelda timeline, and this new HD version only draws more attention to that. It’s fascinating in so many ways beyond the usual game evaluating criteria, and while I’m not sure I enjoy playing it I certainly appreciate having that historical gap filled in. Also, that leitmotif utterly slaps.
With The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD, Zelda fans will be able to experience a phenomenal adventure with captivating characters, ingenious puzzles and an unparalleled combat system, this time without the main aspects that degrade the game on Wii. It still has certain flaws, and while some of them are necessary to preserve the integrity of the original experience, others result from poor remastering choices. Still, Skyward Sword HD is undoubtedly the definitive version of one of the best Wii titles.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
However, the story of the game continues to be fresh and engaging, and apart from the problems mentioned, you will get a fun and exciting experience.
Review in Persian | Read full review
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.
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.
A monument in the action-adventure genre, Skyward Sword HD is among the series’ more ambitious entries; a joyride that you won’t be able to put down!
The bad rap that Skyward Sword received is evidenced here to be undeserved. Even the worst Zelda game is still a good game, and this is by no means the worst Zelda game. It has some dungeons and experiences that are standing side by side with the very best of the whole franchise. While the controls aren't as good as they could have been, and some of the early annoyances remain, this is absolutely a must-buy. It's not the worst Zelda game, not a bad Zelda game, but a great Zelda game.
What’s left in Skyward Sword HD is a fantastic journey with beautiful and varied locations, puzzling dungeons, memorable characters, and one of the best stories in the Zelda series. It’s nice to finally have a traditional 3D Zelda game on the Switch (albeit a remastered one), and if you’re hungry for a Zelda game that does what a Zelda game does best, I cannot recommend Skyward Sword HD enough.
I’d advise caution with The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD. It’s a solid title and for a hardcore Zelda fan, I’d recommend it.
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.
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.
The new control system makes Skyward Sword infinitely more accessible to gamers, and it will appease fans of the franchise who love The Legend of Zelda lore. Its colorful story strays far from the dark world of Twilight Princess, and its crafting mechanics will feel familiar to those who've only tested out Breath of the Wild. And as Nintendo prepares a sequel to Breath of the Wild behind-the-scenes, this HD remaster is filled with tales fans are certain will show up in the next Legend of Zelda game.
Despite the game’s shortcomings, it’s difficult to deny that The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is the best way to play what’s considered the origin point of the entire series. Going back to replay this adventure on Switch, I found myself enjoying it much more. While I completed the Wii version roughly a decade ago, I was never motivated to replay it in the same way that I have other titles including The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, A Link to the Past, and the first Breath of the Wild. Skyward Sword had multiple quirks that the remaster smooth out or eliminates completely. In fact, between this, the Link’s Awakening reimagining on the same platform, and the Wind Waker and Twilight Princess remakes that landed on Nintendo Wii U, it begs the question: what other Zelda titles could benefit from remasters? Rumors have been circulating about such titles as Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons being revisited, though, with any rumors in the gaming industry, these should be taken with a grain of salt. In regard to this Skyward Sword HD review, given the game’s improvements, shortcomings, and all, the game comes highly recommended.