The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Encyclopedia
is an action-adventure game
for the Wii
console and the sixteenth entry in the Legend of Zelda series
. Developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development
, it was released in Europe on November 18, 2011 in North America on November 20, 2011, in Japan on November 23, 2011, and on November 24, 2011 in Australia. The game makes use of the Wii MotionPlus
peripheral for sword-fighting, with a revised Wii Remote
pointing system used for targeting. A limited edition bundle featuring a golden Wii Remote Plus was sold coinciding with the game's launch, and the first run of both the standard game and the limited edition bundled included a CD containing orchestrated tracks of iconic music from the franchise in celebration of the franchise's 25th anniversary.
The game's storyline is the earliest in Zelda continuity, preceding The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
. Skyward Sword follows an incarnation of the series protagonist Link
who was raised in a society above the clouds known as Skyloft. After his closest childhood friend, Zelda
, is swept into the land below the clouds
by demonic forces, Link does whatever it takes to save her, travelling between Skyloft and the surface below while battling the dark forces of the self proclaimed "Demon Lord", Ghirahim.
Upon release, the game received universal critical acclaim, receiving perfect scores from publications including IGN
, Wired
, Edge
, Famitsu
, Game Informer
, and Eurogamer
. Much of the praise was directed at the game's intuitive motion based swordplay and the changes it brought to the Zelda franchise.
. The controls are revised, with swordplay based on the Wii MotionPlus peripheral, which allows one-to-one motion control between the Wii Remote and the in-game sword. In contrast to earlier installments, battles do not focus solely on timing attacks, but also on their target, such as the direction in which enemies are hit. In addition to the sword, there are items such as a mechanical flying beetle to grab items from a distance, a whip, and series staples such as bombs, a slingshot and a bow, which can also be controlled with the Wii MotionPlus. An upgrade system has been introduced, which enables the player to increase the power of equipment such as the wooden shield by collecting items from fallen enemies. A stamina meter allows for sprinting and running up walls. Drinking health-restoring potions does not interrupt the gameplay anymore, and the maps are now easier to read, making it harder to get lost in the game. The player has the option to turn off the heads-up display
.
, and elaborates on the origins of the Master Sword and Ganondorf
. According to legend, after the creation of Hyrule, the Triforce was entrusted by the Golden Goddesses Din, Farore and Nayru to the deity known as Hylia. However, the Demon King Demise gathered an army to take the Triforce for his own evil intent. Using her power to create the floating islands called Skyloft to keep the Hylians and the Triforce safe, Hylia and the remaining tribes—the Ancient Robots, the Parella, the Kikwis, the Gorons, and the Mogmas—battled Demise's horde before the demon was defeated.
The plot begins many years after the prologue and follows an incarnation of the protagonist Link, who was born and raised in Skyloft, who begins to have dreams of a strange figure. Woken up by his childhood friend Zelda
, Link gets ready for the Wing Ceremony, a tradition to acknowledge one as knight. Link completes the ceremony after overcoming the attempts of a classmate, , to sabotage him. However, Zelda is then taken in by a storm which sucks her down to the still demon-infested Hyrule. Soon after, Link learns that the figure from his dream is , the spirit of the Goddess Sword which Hylia created in case the evil she defeated was to stir again. With guidance from an elderly woman in the Sealed Shrine, Link pursues Zelda to the Skyview Spring where he encounters the Demon Lord Ghirahim, who is responsible for Zelda's predicament. However, tracking her down to the Earth Spring, Link learns that Zelda is being protected by a mysterious woman named Impa. It is later at the Lanayru Mines that Link receives the Goddess Harp from Zelda, as she and Impa depart into the past through a Gate of Time before it is destroyed during the fight with Ghirahim. Later, when Groose ends up following Link to the surface before fighting the monster known as the "The Imprisoned", the elderly woman advises Link to seek out three sacred flames of the Golden Goddesses in order to increase the power of his sword to activate the second Gate of Time within the temple. Along the way, he also strengthens his spirit through the trials set by the three Goddesses. Once all three flames are infused into it, the Goddess Sword transforms into the Master Sword and he is able to enter the Gate of Time, arriving in the time period where Demise was just recently sealed away by the Goddess.
Zelda reveals she is the reincarnation
of Hylia herself; her trip to the Springs meant to restore her past life's memory before traveling back in time to enter a deep sleep in order to keep Demise's seal active so that The Imprisoned, Demise's cursed form, cannot break free. She tasks Link to search for the Triforce hidden in Skyloft to destroy Demise. Once acquiring the complete Triforce in the present, Link uses its power to crush The Imprisoned under the descending Isle of the Goddess. Soon after, Zelda awakens from her slumber and is reunited with Link and Groose. However, the reunion is cut short by Ghirahim as he kidnaps Zelda before entering the Gate of Time, intending to resurrect Demise in the past.
Despite Link's attempt to stop him, Ghirahim succeeds sacrificing Zelda's life force to The Imprisoned. It reverts into Demise, who reveals Ghirahim to be his sword. He challenges Link to battle, impressed with the youth's bravery. Link manages to mortally wound Demise in their epic battle, giving Zelda back her soul in the process. In his final words, Demise swears that his hatred will be reborn (as Ganondorf) and will haunt the descendants of Link and Zelda for all time, before he disperses into a mist which is then absorbed by the Master Sword. With her mission done, Fi asks Link to place the Master Sword into the shrine's pedestal while she enters a deep sleep. Link and Zelda also say their goodbyes to Impa, who is revealed to be of this time and must watch over the Master Sword to ensure Demise's destruction. Link, Zelda, and Groose return to the present, where the elderly woman reveals herself to be Impa before she finally passes on after fulfilling her duty. After saying their goodbyes to Groose, Zelda admits to Link that she wishes to stay in Hyrule, and Link decides to stay as well, while both of their Loftwings fly off in the distance.
confirmed the Zelda team to be "forming again to work on new games". He later clarified at the E3 2008 trade show that the staff members had been working on a new installment in the series for the Wii
. The development of Skyward Sword started between the production cycles of the two The Legend of Zelda games for the Nintendo DS
: it began after the completion of Phantom Hourglass
and before the development of Spirit Tracks
. Director Hidemaro Fujibayashi
and his team developed Skyward Sword and Spirit Tracks simultaneously until the latter was completed and all staff was transferred to work solely on the Wii game. A report of Official Nintendo Magazine pointed out that the developers were still in the planning stages in November 2008, and that a first screening at E3 2009 was considered an optimistic prediction.
While the implementation of the graphics was not advanced enough to present actual footage at the 2009 trade show, the story of the game was almost completed, and a single piece of concept art was revealed to a select group of journalists. The image was released to the public a few days later, and showed a near-adult Link with a shield in his left hand, a mysterious female figure standing at his back. During an interview, Miyamoto gave a hint on the story by pointing out that Link does not hold a sword in the illustration. The comment raised speculation about the mysterious female being a personification of the Master Sword.
Miyamoto also announced utilization of the Wii MotionPlus peripheral for integral parts of the gameplay, such as sword-fighting. Support for this feature was dropped for several months because producer Eiji Aonuma
did not feel it was effective enough. However, the decision was eventually reversed when Miyamoto told game designer Katsuya Eguchi
to challenge Aonuma with creating swordplay similar in quality to that in Wii Sports Resort
. This turn of events also resulted in Skyward Sword borrowing some of its technology from the sports game. Aonuma later confirmed Wii MotionPlus to be mandatory, and described aforementioned swordplay as feeling very natural, as if Link's sword and the player's controller became one. Instead of developing Skyward Sword around cutscene
s, the team focused on the gameplay mechanics first. The game was intended to correct the flaw of too big and vacant areas in Twilight Princess
, while maintaining and improving on the realism it portrayed. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata
revealed plans to release the game by the end of 2010, and mentioned that it would debut at E3 2010.
At Nintendo's press conference coinciding with the trade show in June 2010, it was announced that the subtitle of the Wii Zelda was Skyward Sword, and that the game would be delayed until 2011. The presentation also revealed a hybrid of graphics from Twilight Princess and The Wind Waker
resembling a painting come to life, similar to the graphics of Okami. The art style has been described as resembling the work of impressionist painters like Cezanne and was chosen based on the designers' desire to tell a fantasy story . One of the reasons fully realistic visuals were dropped was to allow for more exaggerated character designs, emphasizing the enemies' attacks and weaknesses. The game's soundtrack was primarily composed by Hajime Wakai, and long-standing series musician Koji Kondo
provided additional compositions. Staff members expressed their wish to include orchestral music in Skyward Sword, but Miyamoto initially intervened because he felt its inclusion was not yet necessary for a presentation that focused on gameplay. After the summer break of 2010, however, it was decided that there would be orchestra recordings, and Super Mario Galaxy
composer Mahito Yokota joined the development team as orchestration
director. At E3 2011, it was announced that Skyward Sword would be released in Q4 2011. On August 17, 2011, it was announced that Skyward Sword will release in Europe on November 18, 2011, and in North America on November 20, 2011. The game will be released as both a standard edition and a limited deluxe edition that includes a gold Wii Remote Plus. For the initial production of the game, an anniversary CD containing orchestrated music of iconic music of the series will be included with both editions of the game.
has starred in TV commercials promoting the game. A short comic based on the game was published weekly in five parts on Nintendo's official The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword website, written and illustrated by Jerry Holkins
and Mike Krahulik
under their Penny Arcade Presents series. The story is narrated by Gaepora, Zelda's father.
based on 58 reviews. Skyward Swords first review, from ONM on October 20, scored 98%, praising the title as the "best Zelda game ever made". A day later, Edge
gave the game 10/10. Edge's review said "How apt that this ultimate tale of hero-making should see Nintendo’s hardware become the console it was always meant to be", describing it as "a game made for Christmas Day, released an agonizing six weeks before". GamesTM
gave the game a 9/10, and said "Spellbinding, dramatic and absolutely epic in both the world it paints and the story it tells, Zelda: Skyward Sword is a hugely important event for the Wii, for Nintendo, and for anyone with even a passing love for the venerable series it celebrates." Game Informer
said "Skyward Sword is one of those rare treasures, a 10/10 game." The Guardian
's review stated, "nobody could argue that it's anything less than a masterclass in the art of crafting video games."
In regard to motion controls, IGN
's reviewer Richard George praised them for their integral implementation into the gameplay, stating that he would "never want to play a Zelda game any other way again." He considered Skyward Sword to be "the purest, most perfect realization of Nintendo's ambitious goals for motion-controlled gaming", going on to say it "is the greatest Zelda game ever created. It's the best game for Wii and one of the finest video game accomplishments of the past 10 years." Game Informer praised the controls as the best in any Zelda game, writing that "when the correct method to defeat each foe finally clicked, I felt a sense of satisfaction that repeatedly tapping the A button never provided." GamesRadar
however felt that "though we still prefer traditional button inputs, we have to admit that the Wii MotionPlus really does work well here overall, and while the detractions are there, they're relatively small." Eurogamer
called the motion controls "as integral to this game as the analogue stick was to Mario 64." Eurogamer
's reviewer stated that the MotionPlus controls "perfectly" track movement "without requiring energetic gestures" and give players a "more direct link to Link." In contrast to most reviews, EGM
s reviewer Ray Carsillo felt that the MotionPlus controls follow the player "too well." He preferred the simpler motion controls found in the Wii version of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
stating, "...this could’ve been one of the greatest Zelda games yet had the controls just worked" and ended by saying, "Even with cruddy controls, [the game] is still an epic adventure worthy of the franchise—and it should absolutely be played by all fans of the series."
1UP
particularly noted the dungeons, a staple of the series, that "consistently stand as the most brilliant element of the Zelda formula, and Skyward Sword sends you exploring though catacombs on par with some of the best in the series", that "the developer has artfully crafted intelligently designed spaces that utilize your entire skill set". They were however less pleased with the quests outside of the main story, such as the "fetch quests" that they felt "start to feel more like filler material than inspired game design". Joystiq
echoed this view feeling that some side quests did "nothing but stuff a few more insubstantial hours". However, they still praised the overall length of the game that "without them, would still be 25 to 30 hours long", going on to state "Skyward Sword is given plenty of time to shine through its excess, and when it does, it will completely consume you." In contrast, Wired
commented on what they felt was "tons of content that doesn’t get repetitive", while also noting that "you don’t have to do any of these things to complete the game, but they are good substantial rewards for going the extra mile".
Skyward Sword received positive critical acclaim in Japan as well. Famitsu
magazine gave Skyward Sword a perfect 40/40 score making it only the sixteenth game in the publication's history to receive the honor.
GameSpot
however gave the game a comparatively lower score of 7.5/10, mainly criticizing its motion controls, linear progression and formulaic gameplay. GameSpot critic Tom Mc Shea states in his opening paragraph, "Nintendo has kept the elements that have hung like an acidic cloud over past iterations while crafting a new control system to keep it from feeling like the same old game. Inconsistent controls continually torment poor Link, and the predictable structure does little to distract you from these faults. Shortly after, GameSpot added an addendum
to the review, stating that it incorrectly described the Wii Remote
's infrared sensor as being responsible for aiming in the game and that the review had been edited accordingly. Mc Shea later explained that although there was some misinformation regarding the controls, the other faults of the game still remain.
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
console and the sixteenth entry in the Legend of Zelda series
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda, originally released as in Japan, is a video game developed and published by Nintendo, and designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Set in the fantasy land of Hyrule, the plot centers on a boy named Link, the playable protagonist, who aims to collect the eight fragments...
. Developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development
Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development
, commonly abbreviated as EAD, is the largest division inside Nintendo. It was preceded by the , a team of designers with an art background responsible for many different tasks, which Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka originally belonged to...
, it was released in Europe on November 18, 2011 in North America on November 20, 2011, in Japan on November 23, 2011, and on November 24, 2011 in Australia. The game makes use of the Wii MotionPlus
Wii MotionPlus
The is an expansion device for the Wii Remote video game controller for the Wii that allows it to more accurately capture complex motion. According to Nintendo, the sensor in the device supplements the accelerometer and Sensor Bar capabilities of the Wii Remote to enable actions to be rendered...
peripheral for sword-fighting, with a revised Wii Remote
Wii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
pointing system used for targeting. A limited edition bundle featuring a golden Wii Remote Plus was sold coinciding with the game's launch, and the first run of both the standard game and the limited edition bundled included a CD containing orchestrated tracks of iconic music from the franchise in celebration of the franchise's 25th anniversary.
The game's storyline is the earliest in Zelda continuity, preceding The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was released in Japan on November 21, 1998; in North America on November 23, 1998; and in Europe on December 11, 1998...
. Skyward Sword follows an incarnation of the series protagonist Link
Link
Link, links, linking may refer to:- Education :* Hands On Learning Australia, implements the HOL LiNK program -Music:* Link , an American R&B singer...
who was raised in a society above the clouds known as Skyloft. After his closest childhood friend, Zelda
Princess Zelda
is the name of a fictional character in The Legend of Zelda series of video games. The name has applied to every female member of Hyrule's royal family, which includes several distinct characters in Hyrule legend. Though she is the eponymous character, the player controls the main protagonist, Link...
, is swept into the land below the clouds
Hyrule
The fictional universe depicted in The Legend of Zelda series of video games consists of a variety of lands, the most commonly appearing of these being , and was created by Japanese video game developer Shigeru Miyamoto.-Hyrule:...
by demonic forces, Link does whatever it takes to save her, travelling between Skyloft and the surface below while battling the dark forces of the self proclaimed "Demon Lord", Ghirahim.
Upon release, the game received universal critical acclaim, receiving perfect scores from publications including IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, Wired
Wired (magazine)
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
, Edge
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
, Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
, Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
, and Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
. Much of the praise was directed at the game's intuitive motion based swordplay and the changes it brought to the Zelda franchise.
Gameplay
The gameplay of Skyward Sword departs from the Legend of Zelda series' traditional flow of alternating overworld and dungeon exploration by integrating the two more than other games in the seriesThe Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda, originally released as in Japan, is a video game developed and published by Nintendo, and designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Set in the fantasy land of Hyrule, the plot centers on a boy named Link, the playable protagonist, who aims to collect the eight fragments...
. The controls are revised, with swordplay based on the Wii MotionPlus peripheral, which allows one-to-one motion control between the Wii Remote and the in-game sword. In contrast to earlier installments, battles do not focus solely on timing attacks, but also on their target, such as the direction in which enemies are hit. In addition to the sword, there are items such as a mechanical flying beetle to grab items from a distance, a whip, and series staples such as bombs, a slingshot and a bow, which can also be controlled with the Wii MotionPlus. An upgrade system has been introduced, which enables the player to increase the power of equipment such as the wooden shield by collecting items from fallen enemies. A stamina meter allows for sprinting and running up walls. Drinking health-restoring potions does not interrupt the gameplay anymore, and the maps are now easier to read, making it harder to get lost in the game. The player has the option to turn off the heads-up display
HUD (video gaming)
In video gaming, the HUD is the method by which information is visually relayed to the player as part of a game's user interface...
.
Plot
In the chronology of the series, Skyward Sword is a prequel to Ocarina of TimeThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis and Development division for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It was released in Japan on November 21, 1998; in North America on November 23, 1998; and in Europe on December 11, 1998...
, and elaborates on the origins of the Master Sword and Ganondorf
Ganon
, anglicized Gannon in early Japanese materials, and also known as , is a fictional character who is the main antagonist of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series of video games. He is the final boss of most games in the series. He was first given a back-story in A Link to the Past...
. According to legend, after the creation of Hyrule, the Triforce was entrusted by the Golden Goddesses Din, Farore and Nayru to the deity known as Hylia. However, the Demon King Demise gathered an army to take the Triforce for his own evil intent. Using her power to create the floating islands called Skyloft to keep the Hylians and the Triforce safe, Hylia and the remaining tribes—the Ancient Robots, the Parella, the Kikwis, the Gorons, and the Mogmas—battled Demise's horde before the demon was defeated.
The plot begins many years after the prologue and follows an incarnation of the protagonist Link, who was born and raised in Skyloft, who begins to have dreams of a strange figure. Woken up by his childhood friend Zelda
Princess Zelda
is the name of a fictional character in The Legend of Zelda series of video games. The name has applied to every female member of Hyrule's royal family, which includes several distinct characters in Hyrule legend. Though she is the eponymous character, the player controls the main protagonist, Link...
, Link gets ready for the Wing Ceremony, a tradition to acknowledge one as knight. Link completes the ceremony after overcoming the attempts of a classmate, , to sabotage him. However, Zelda is then taken in by a storm which sucks her down to the still demon-infested Hyrule. Soon after, Link learns that the figure from his dream is , the spirit of the Goddess Sword which Hylia created in case the evil she defeated was to stir again. With guidance from an elderly woman in the Sealed Shrine, Link pursues Zelda to the Skyview Spring where he encounters the Demon Lord Ghirahim, who is responsible for Zelda's predicament. However, tracking her down to the Earth Spring, Link learns that Zelda is being protected by a mysterious woman named Impa. It is later at the Lanayru Mines that Link receives the Goddess Harp from Zelda, as she and Impa depart into the past through a Gate of Time before it is destroyed during the fight with Ghirahim. Later, when Groose ends up following Link to the surface before fighting the monster known as the "The Imprisoned", the elderly woman advises Link to seek out three sacred flames of the Golden Goddesses in order to increase the power of his sword to activate the second Gate of Time within the temple. Along the way, he also strengthens his spirit through the trials set by the three Goddesses. Once all three flames are infused into it, the Goddess Sword transforms into the Master Sword and he is able to enter the Gate of Time, arriving in the time period where Demise was just recently sealed away by the Goddess.
Zelda reveals she is the reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
of Hylia herself; her trip to the Springs meant to restore her past life's memory before traveling back in time to enter a deep sleep in order to keep Demise's seal active so that The Imprisoned, Demise's cursed form, cannot break free. She tasks Link to search for the Triforce hidden in Skyloft to destroy Demise. Once acquiring the complete Triforce in the present, Link uses its power to crush The Imprisoned under the descending Isle of the Goddess. Soon after, Zelda awakens from her slumber and is reunited with Link and Groose. However, the reunion is cut short by Ghirahim as he kidnaps Zelda before entering the Gate of Time, intending to resurrect Demise in the past.
Despite Link's attempt to stop him, Ghirahim succeeds sacrificing Zelda's life force to The Imprisoned. It reverts into Demise, who reveals Ghirahim to be his sword. He challenges Link to battle, impressed with the youth's bravery. Link manages to mortally wound Demise in their epic battle, giving Zelda back her soul in the process. In his final words, Demise swears that his hatred will be reborn (as Ganondorf) and will haunt the descendants of Link and Zelda for all time, before he disperses into a mist which is then absorbed by the Master Sword. With her mission done, Fi asks Link to place the Master Sword into the shrine's pedestal while she enters a deep sleep. Link and Zelda also say their goodbyes to Impa, who is revealed to be of this time and must watch over the Master Sword to ensure Demise's destruction. Link, Zelda, and Groose return to the present, where the elderly woman reveals herself to be Impa before she finally passes on after fulfilling her duty. After saying their goodbyes to Groose, Zelda admits to Link that she wishes to stay in Hyrule, and Link decides to stay as well, while both of their Loftwings fly off in the distance.
Development
In April 2008, game designer Shigeru MiyamotoShigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Miyamoto was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture; the natural surroundings of Kyoto inspired much of Miyamoto's later work....
confirmed the Zelda team to be "forming again to work on new games". He later clarified at the E3 2008 trade show that the staff members had been working on a new installment in the series for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
. The development of Skyward Sword started between the production cycles of the two The Legend of Zelda games for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
: it began after the completion of Phantom Hourglass
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
is the fourteenth game in Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. It was released after The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the Wii and before The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks for the Nintendo DS...
and before the development of Spirit Tracks
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, released as in Japan, is the fifteenth installment of Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. Developed by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld game console, it was released worldwide throughout December 2009 after Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced the...
. Director Hidemaro Fujibayashi
Hidemaro Fujibayashi
is a Japanese video game designer working for Nintendo. He is best known for his contributions to the action-adventure game series The Legend of Zelda, for which he served as planner, writer and director. Before he entered the video game industry, Fujibayashi had designed layouts of haunted...
and his team developed Skyward Sword and Spirit Tracks simultaneously until the latter was completed and all staff was transferred to work solely on the Wii game. A report of Official Nintendo Magazine pointed out that the developers were still in the planning stages in November 2008, and that a first screening at E3 2009 was considered an optimistic prediction.
While the implementation of the graphics was not advanced enough to present actual footage at the 2009 trade show, the story of the game was almost completed, and a single piece of concept art was revealed to a select group of journalists. The image was released to the public a few days later, and showed a near-adult Link with a shield in his left hand, a mysterious female figure standing at his back. During an interview, Miyamoto gave a hint on the story by pointing out that Link does not hold a sword in the illustration. The comment raised speculation about the mysterious female being a personification of the Master Sword.
Miyamoto also announced utilization of the Wii MotionPlus peripheral for integral parts of the gameplay, such as sword-fighting. Support for this feature was dropped for several months because producer Eiji Aonuma
Eiji Aonuma
is a Japanese video game designer and video game director. He currently works for Nintendo, and has overseen several installments in The Legend of Zelda series of video games.-Education:...
did not feel it was effective enough. However, the decision was eventually reversed when Miyamoto told game designer Katsuya Eguchi
Katsuya Eguchi
is a game designer and manager at Nintendo EAD. He was born in 1965 in Tokyo, Japan and grew up in the Chiba Prefecture. He began work at Nintendo in 1986 and spent some time doing promotional artwork before starting as a designer on Super Mario Bros. 3. He first served as director for Star Fox in...
to challenge Aonuma with creating swordplay similar in quality to that in Wii Sports Resort
Wii Sports Resort
Wii Sports Resort has received generally favorable reviews, with an average score on Metacritic of 80%. IGN gave it a 7.7 out of 10, citing the impressive fidelity of the controls and how the graphics, as compared to the majority of Wii games, were superb. GameTrailers gave an 8.6 out of 10....
. This turn of events also resulted in Skyward Sword borrowing some of its technology from the sports game. Aonuma later confirmed Wii MotionPlus to be mandatory, and described aforementioned swordplay as feeling very natural, as if Link's sword and the player's controller became one. Instead of developing Skyward Sword around cutscene
Cutscene
A cutscene is a sequence in a video game over which the player has no or only limited control, breaking up the gameplay and used to advance the plot, strengthen the main character's development, introduces enemy characters, and provide background information, atmosphere, dialogue, and clues...
s, the team focused on the gameplay mechanics first. The game was intended to correct the flaw of too big and vacant areas in Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii video game consoles. It is the thirteenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series...
, while maintaining and improving on the realism it portrayed. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata
Satoru Iwata
is the fourth president of Nintendo, succeeding the long-standing previous president of the company, Hiroshi Yamauchi in 2002. He was responsible in great part for defining Nintendo's strategy both before and during the release of its Nintendo GameCube video game console in 2001, a vision which...
revealed plans to release the game by the end of 2010, and mentioned that it would debut at E3 2010.
At Nintendo's press conference coinciding with the trade show in June 2010, it was announced that the subtitle of the Wii Zelda was Skyward Sword, and that the game would be delayed until 2011. The presentation also revealed a hybrid of graphics from Twilight Princess and The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, released as in Japan, is an action-adventure game and the tenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series. It was released for the Nintendo GameCube in Japan on December 13, 2002, in North America on March 24, 2003, in Europe on May 2, 2003, and in Australia on...
resembling a painting come to life, similar to the graphics of Okami. The art style has been described as resembling the work of impressionist painters like Cezanne and was chosen based on the designers' desire to tell a fantasy story . One of the reasons fully realistic visuals were dropped was to allow for more exaggerated character designs, emphasizing the enemies' attacks and weaknesses. The game's soundtrack was primarily composed by Hajime Wakai, and long-standing series musician Koji Kondo
Koji Kondo
is a Japanese video game composer and sound director who has been employed at Nintendo since 1984. He is best known for scoring numerous titles in the Mario and The Legend of Zelda series.-Early life:...
provided additional compositions. Staff members expressed their wish to include orchestral music in Skyward Sword, but Miyamoto initially intervened because he felt its inclusion was not yet necessary for a presentation that focused on gameplay. After the summer break of 2010, however, it was decided that there would be orchestra recordings, and Super Mario Galaxy
Super Mario Galaxy
is a 3D platform game developed by Nintendo EAD Tokyo and published by Nintendo for the Wii. It was released in most regions in November 2007, and is the third 3D original platformer in the Mario series, after Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. The game follows the protagonist, Mario, on a...
composer Mahito Yokota joined the development team as orchestration
Orchestration
Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra or of adapting for orchestra music composed for another medium...
director. At E3 2011, it was announced that Skyward Sword would be released in Q4 2011. On August 17, 2011, it was announced that Skyward Sword will release in Europe on November 18, 2011, and in North America on November 20, 2011. The game will be released as both a standard edition and a limited deluxe edition that includes a gold Wii Remote Plus. For the initial production of the game, an anniversary CD containing orchestrated music of iconic music of the series will be included with both editions of the game.
Marketing
Skyward Sword was available as a demo at the Australian Nintendo Connection Tour 2011 at selected Westfield stores and was the central theme of the event, attracting vast amounts of attention and praise. Actor/comedian and series fan Robin WilliamsRobin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
has starred in TV commercials promoting the game. A short comic based on the game was published weekly in five parts on Nintendo's official The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword website, written and illustrated by Jerry Holkins
Jerry Holkins
Keith Gerald "Jerry" Holkins né Parkinson is the writer of the webcomic Penny Arcade and co-founder of Child's Play, a multimillion dollar charity that organizes toy drives for children's hospitals...
and Mike Krahulik
Mike Krahulik
Mike Krahulik is the artist for the popular webcomic Penny Arcade and co-founder with Jerry Holkins of Child's Play, a multimillion dollar charity that organizes toy drives for children's hospitals. He goes by the online moniker "Jon Gabriel" or "Gabe"...
under their Penny Arcade Presents series. The story is narrated by Gaepora, Zelda's father.
Reception
Skyward Sword has received universal critical acclaim, with an average rating of 93/100 on MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
based on 58 reviews. Skyward Swords first review, from ONM on October 20, scored 98%, praising the title as the "best Zelda game ever made". A day later, Edge
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
gave the game 10/10. Edge's review said "How apt that this ultimate tale of hero-making should see Nintendo’s hardware become the console it was always meant to be", describing it as "a game made for Christmas Day, released an agonizing six weeks before". GamesTM
GamesTM
GamesTM is a UK-based, multi-format video games magazine, covering many video game platforms including PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 2, PC games, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS and Arcade machines...
gave the game a 9/10, and said "Spellbinding, dramatic and absolutely epic in both the world it paints and the story it tells, Zelda: Skyward Sword is a hugely important event for the Wii, for Nintendo, and for anyone with even a passing love for the venerable series it celebrates." Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
said "Skyward Sword is one of those rare treasures, a 10/10 game." The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
's review stated, "nobody could argue that it's anything less than a masterclass in the art of crafting video games."
In regard to motion controls, IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's reviewer Richard George praised them for their integral implementation into the gameplay, stating that he would "never want to play a Zelda game any other way again." He considered Skyward Sword to be "the purest, most perfect realization of Nintendo's ambitious goals for motion-controlled gaming", going on to say it "is the greatest Zelda game ever created. It's the best game for Wii and one of the finest video game accomplishments of the past 10 years." Game Informer praised the controls as the best in any Zelda game, writing that "when the correct method to defeat each foe finally clicked, I felt a sense of satisfaction that repeatedly tapping the A button never provided." GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
however felt that "though we still prefer traditional button inputs, we have to admit that the Wii MotionPlus really does work well here overall, and while the detractions are there, they're relatively small." Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
called the motion controls "as integral to this game as the analogue stick was to Mario 64." Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
's reviewer stated that the MotionPlus controls "perfectly" track movement "without requiring energetic gestures" and give players a "more direct link to Link." In contrast to most reviews, EGM
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
s reviewer Ray Carsillo felt that the MotionPlus controls follow the player "too well." He preferred the simpler motion controls found in the Wii version of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development, and published by Nintendo for the GameCube and Wii video game consoles. It is the thirteenth installment in The Legend of Zelda series...
stating, "...this could’ve been one of the greatest Zelda games yet had the controls just worked" and ended by saying, "Even with cruddy controls, [the game] is still an epic adventure worthy of the franchise—and it should absolutely be played by all fans of the series."
1UP
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
particularly noted the dungeons, a staple of the series, that "consistently stand as the most brilliant element of the Zelda formula, and Skyward Sword sends you exploring though catacombs on par with some of the best in the series", that "the developer has artfully crafted intelligently designed spaces that utilize your entire skill set". They were however less pleased with the quests outside of the main story, such as the "fetch quests" that they felt "start to feel more like filler material than inspired game design". Joystiq
Joystiq
Joystiq is a video gaming blog founded in June 2004 that has since become one of the most successful sites within the Weblogs, Inc. family of weblogs. It is the centerpiece of WIN's own network of video gaming blogs, which also includes a blog dealing specifically with the popular MMORPG World of...
echoed this view feeling that some side quests did "nothing but stuff a few more insubstantial hours". However, they still praised the overall length of the game that "without them, would still be 25 to 30 hours long", going on to state "Skyward Sword is given plenty of time to shine through its excess, and when it does, it will completely consume you." In contrast, Wired
Wired (magazine)
Wired is a full-color monthly American magazine and on-line periodical, published since January 1993, that reports on how new and developing technology affects culture, the economy, and politics...
commented on what they felt was "tons of content that doesn’t get repetitive", while also noting that "you don’t have to do any of these things to complete the game, but they are good substantial rewards for going the extra mile".
Skyward Sword received positive critical acclaim in Japan as well. Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
magazine gave Skyward Sword a perfect 40/40 score making it only the sixteenth game in the publication's history to receive the honor.
GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
however gave the game a comparatively lower score of 7.5/10, mainly criticizing its motion controls, linear progression and formulaic gameplay. GameSpot critic Tom Mc Shea states in his opening paragraph, "Nintendo has kept the elements that have hung like an acidic cloud over past iterations while crafting a new control system to keep it from feeling like the same old game. Inconsistent controls continually torment poor Link, and the predictable structure does little to distract you from these faults. Shortly after, GameSpot added an addendum
Addendum
An addendum, in general, is an addition required to be made to a document by its reader subsequent to its printing or publication. It comes from the Latin verbal phrase addendum est, being the gerundive form of the verb addo, addere, addidi, additum, "to give to, add to", meaning " must be added"...
to the review, stating that it incorrectly described the Wii Remote
Wii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
's infrared sensor as being responsible for aiming in the game and that the review had been edited accordingly. Mc Shea later explained that although there was some misinformation regarding the controls, the other faults of the game still remain.
External links
- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword at the E3 2011 Nintendo Network
- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Official Europe website
- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Official North America website
- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Official Japan website
- The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Official Australian website