Engrossing combat & intricate design champion Skyward Sword as one of Nintendo's most grand adventures.
Somewhat of a noble brat, young Link lives essentially as a college student in the downstairs dorm at the Knight's Academy in Skyloft. Above on the second floor lives his lifelong best friend, Zelda. Immediately engrossing is the interaction between the fantastic cast of characters, rivaling the relationships formed between characters in any series in gaming. There is a great sense of family and friendship, and the small but relatively crowded floating island of Skyloft is a curious and neighborly place.
There is the classic "The girl is mine" rivalry between Link and Groose. Zelda's father is the wise headmaster of the academy. Link's good friends range from timid to undeservedly boisterous. Seemingly every personality type is accounted for in the game, setting the stage for what is arguably the most endearing storyline in the franchise. Link and Zelda eventually find themselves in a conflict of eternal significance.
Bringing out the beauty of characters are the aesthetics: a blend of nostalgic music that is more experimental and varied in its instrumentation, and a gorgeous visual style inspired by impressionist art. Exploring the beauties of various lands is done on Link's feathered companion: his loyal crimson loftwing.
The key element that sets Skyward Sword apart from its predecessors is the complete reliability upon the utilization of Wii-motion Plus. Since the revealing of the Wii console, Nintendo admirers have dreamed about wielding Link's sword in an adventure built for the console from the ground up. The result is quite remarkable. The combat in Skyward Sword is the most engaging and tactical in the series.
Eliminating each foe can be likened unto solving a puzzle in and of itself. Enemies contain specific weak points that require concise swipes of the sword in order to execute the kill. Careless flailing comes with consequences-it does not work. Mastering the controls has a bit of a learning curve. Growing pains will occur, and frustration will accompany many players in the beginning stages of interaction with the controls. Sword fighting progressively becomes second nature with time and practice. Imagining future console Zelda installments without being able to personally wield Link's sword does not incite excitement.
Praiseworthy as it is, the sword combat is not always perfect. In the heat of fast and crowded battles, Link sometimes loses track of what the player is doing. This is a rarity that does not infringe on the overall experience of the game, though it can cause high degrees of annoyance. Apart from the occasional mishap in sword combat, using Link's items is a breeze.
Link has a couple of new toys in his arsenal, though the majority are familiar ones returning with new utility. Usually obtained in the game's dungeons, the items help Link traverse the incredible temples. The usage of the items are somewhat predictable in that they are most used in the respective dungeon that they are found. However, Skyward Sword does a fine job of keeping nearly every item relevant throughout the entire game. Versatility increases the items' value significantly. The Beetle can be used to scout unreachable areas and used in creative ways to take out enemies. Link's items can be upgraded, but the feature is not as useful as it could be during the first playthrough. Also needless are the constant reminders of obtaining a new item used for upgrades during the heat of combat.
Skyward Sword's Link is easily the most athletic in the series. With the ability to sprint, leap, climb, and perform exhausting attacks, Link tires and loses ability to do anything for a few seconds when his stamina gauge is depleted. The addition of the stamina meter is questionable during the first several hours, but as the adventure progresses, it easily becomes one of the most useful aspects of the game.
Link's athleticism is especially useful in exploration. Skyward Sword most closely resembles Wind Waker in this regard. Islands are scattered abroad in Skyloft, waiting to be discovered. While the main overworld of Skyloft can feel somewhat desolate, each island serves some sort of purpose, even if for something as small as being a piece of land with a single hidden treasure. Nintendo have placed the game's temples within the confines of larger areas which are being deemed as "Dunegon Overworlds" by some. The new take will be criticized for being linear, but the wonder of discovery and exploration have not diminished. Hidden treasures of many sorts abound, a real scavenger hunt for the completist obsessed with conquering Skyward Sword in its entirety.
The dungeons in Skyward Sword are indeed among the franchise's best. Nintendo slowly introduces new mechanics with the first couple of dungeons, and by the third dungeon weens the player into unmatched brilliance in game design. Gone are the block pushing and torch lighting puzzles, replaced by puzzles that require careful thinking as well as utilization of Link's abilities and items. An exceptional timeshift mechanic in the third dungeon and a puzzle that alters one of the latter temple's structure are especially impressive-mind boggling, even.
Awaiting Link at the end of these temples are beasts that put up unforgettable, epic battles. Simply put, Skyward Sword contains some of the most challenging, grand boss battles in any game ever made. In these showdowns, Nintendo makes a strong case for motion control combat. Consistently thrilling, the bosses demand more than finding a simple weak spot to defeat. Carefully timing and executing sword combat is important, but Link also finds himself running for his life and using the environment around him to stop these astounding fiends.
The main quest can take around thirty-five to fourty hours to complete, but that is only scratching the surface of what Skyward Sword has to offer. A plethora of pleasant sidequests and significant treasures and mini-games increase the longevity of the over all game by a large margin. Completing the main quest will unlock a more challenging difficulty to really put the player's sword fighting skills to the test. As enthralling and enjoyable as it is, a second playthrough is inevitable even if the extra content were not present.
A celebration of twenty-five years of one of Nintendo's most beloved franchises, Skyward Sword strikes a remarkable balance of retaining aspects that have made the series so beloved, all while driving the series into exciting new territory. Link and Zelda have never been more loveable, and the entire cast of characters play into an impressive story-line. Most importantly, the motion controls give the Zelda series depth in combat, championing Skyward Sword as the apex in motion control gaming.