The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword WII

The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword does what all Zelda games that have followed ocarina of time have tried but not achieved, that is to keep the Zelda feel, but make a game that feels new. Zelda fans want an experience that keeps the same old Zelda feel but feels totally new. Nintendo answer to the biggest gaming contradiction ever is the wii motion plus controller. While it kept the same sort of story that pulls on every Zelda fans heart strings as well as giving you the back story to what could have been the biggest mystery of all Zelda games, what is the master sword.

The first thing you see when you turn on the game is the most obvious change the art style, which pushes the wii to further than anyone thought it could ever go, it almost gives hd games a run for their money, unfortunately though it does obviously lack the HD sparkle. The art style looks like a painting, and this makes a nice compromise between the people who want a real looking Zelda game like ocarina of time and twilight princess to the people who want a more cartoonish Zelda like wind waker meaning that its almost the perfect game to unite Zelda fans.

The controls are what makes this game feel fresh and new, thanks to the motion plus controller you know are in charge of the master sword which almost gives a 1:1 feel unfortunately at times the controller does confuse diagonal slashes for horizontal, which can cause your attack to be deflected. The bow and arrow controls feel very tight and almost perfect for this game, no more are you using the sensor bar pointing to aim it’s done through motion plus, that means where ever the controller is works as the centre as you move the controller so does the target, this plus a zoomed in camera makes it the most best working bow and arrow the Zelda game has ever seen, please note you can also Z target still. The last way motion plus is obviously used is with the new item the beetle which is controlled through tilting the controller to make him fly he then can pick up items and bring them back to Link, or be used to drop bombs in order to clear a puzzle defeat bad guys etc.

The story line is the old traditional Legend of Zelda storyline, save the princess. To do this you have to travel between skyloft which is where Zelda and Link come from as well as the surface, which is below the clouds of skyloft, as well as this you have to travel in time from present to past, through the gate of time. The story does take some turns, as well as pulls on the heart strings more than any other Zelda game has ever done before, which I won’t go in to because of spoilers.

Summery

Graphics 8/10- While pushing every bit of juice out of the wii lacks the detail of what could have been a perfect looking HD gme

Controls 9/10-This is what makes this Zelda game feel fresh, although sometime confuses the way you want to swing your sword.

Plot 10/10- The most compelling of all Zelda plots and one that is guaranteed to pull on your heart strings.

Fun 10/10-The game successful makes a 40 hour game go by in a blink, the game will make you keep coming back.

Overall 37/40 – Overall the most ultimate Zelda experience to date and takes a lot from all the Zelda games before it, yet still feels fresh, it proved that the wii still had life in it, as well showing what the wii is truly capable of.

The Legend of Zelda has always granted us to the ability to take part in a magnificent quest of a young man battling against the odds, trying to find the Princess Zelda and save his land from a terrifyingly evil presence. Now, thanks to this year’s release of the Skyward Sword, Link is back, still donning his green tunic and once again taking up his trusty sword to battle evil.

We start the game with a very gentle introduction to this new and lush world, hidden above the clouds. Legend has it that a goddess entrusted the inhabitants of Skyloft to protect a magical item whilst she battled the ever growing evil on the surface world below them. Hundreds of years pass and fact turns to legend with no-one ever venturing to the world under the clouds, until now.

So far, so very familiar but every time I go to say Skyward Sword is more of the same I realise it’s not. Even though this title has many similarities to every other Zelda game, there have been so many changes that it is a lot more advanced than initially perceived.

The familiar and progressive nature of the basic Zelda story formula is still in place, open new area, meet locals, open dungeon and beat bosses, but even this changes later in the huge quest. What’s surprising, is that even for seasoned Zelda gamers, there have been enough changes that you almost need to unlearn your gaming habits of the past 25 years.

The biggest hook is just how immersive the game has become, from simple fights to general walks through new areas, there have been so many changes in every aspect that it manages to make old Zelda games look even more dated. Battles are no longer won by button presses or a quick waggle of your Wiimote, this time you really do wield a sword, with Link moving his blade with every action of the MotionPlus, allowing you to try different angles of attack, which is vital in most of the battles. By using the Z trigger you are able to lock onto nearby enemies, giving you the ability to jump, strafe and rush for an advantageous position. Simple slashes and the spin attack also return, along with a few new moves, such as the thrust move which is pulled off by thrusting as you would with real sword; a powerful Skyward Strike which is performed by using a He-Man like move and there is now even a finishing move, making Link jump and plunge his sword into downed enemies by shaking both controllers.

Skyward Sword isn’t not all about attacking though as Link has his trusty shield on his left arm, ready to block and counter with a simple wave of the Nunchuck. The shield has also been slightly altered, now sporting it’s own gauge that dictates strength, with every successful block weakening the shield until it eventually breaks, so carrying a spare is essential.

This improved control system also works like a dream with other aspects of the game like rope swinging; bringing up and selecting items from the very easy to use inventory system; using new and old items found in treasure chests and shops, such as the slingshot or finally, the fun to use radio controlled bug that you can fly wherever you like. All of the items you discover along your journey will each assist in opening up new and interesting areas for you to investigate and progress the story.

To venture around this new world you have your trusty Loftwing, a giant bird that all residents of Skyloft share a symbiotic relationship with. Simply by jumping off any wooden jetty in the areas above the clouds (the thrill of this never gets boring) Link can whistle for the attention of his own giant bird and soar through the skies, traveling to the surface or investigating the world above the clouds to find other inhabited islands and secrets. Control of the Loftwing is very simple, with the Wiimote acting as it’s body; tilting causes the Loftwing to turn and dive and swinging up and down causes them to fly higher. Sadly he does not stick around once you go under the clouds, leaving Link to freefall and parachute to solid land and venture on his own.

Playing Zelda games has become as natural as breathing after all these years of playing, so how is it that Nintendo can continuously top their previous masterpieces; yet again this new iteration will leave you breathless as the game continually surprises you from start to finish. Over familiarity with previous Zelda games may be your only downfall.

The game becomes a challenge even early on, with the new stamina bar and health for your shield really making a significant difference to how you approach the game. But worry not as plenty of help is available like a Gossip Stone found on Skyloft that will show hint videos; puzzle stones will give you a short riddle to point you in the right direction and also shock horror, a healthy positioning of save points. FYI, the entity that possesses your blade also offers a variety of assistance, from scanning enemies and giving tips to felling them to offering “Dowsing”, a divining rod style ability that will help point you in the right direction if you get lost.

Shops and the inhabitants of both of the worlds play an even larger part now, especially with the Bazaar found on Skyloft. Here you can purchase a range of equipment from the stalls such as pouches to boost inventory; new shields and deku seeds. From the equipment shop you can buy items to boost health, stamina and obtain shield repair potions as well as being able to upgrade your equipment using the handyman. This element alone will have you revisiting areas all over the world collecting vital parts to make numerous alterations to your shields and many other items.

The main sticking point with the Wii and the general gaming population has been the issue of graphics and though nowhere near as powerful as other consoles it still somehow manages to impress; with a clever approach that gives an almost hand painted feel to the backgrounds when at a distance; Nintendo have worked wonders with the obvious limitations, creating a believable world ripe for adventure.

With the Wii U on the horizon, Skyward Sword may well be one of the last great games for the Wii, but great it is and a must have for your collection.

The Legend of Zelda has been around for a long time. Since its inception in the early late 80s, Zelda has given gamers a stellar gameplay experience and paved the way for some of the mechanics seen in games of today. There’s no denying that Zelda gives inspiration to current games, however the series is still going strong, much like many other Nintendo icons. The latest entry in the series sees Skyward Sword being developed for Wii. Skyward Sword offers a core Wii experience that makes excellent use of the motion controls, as well as providing great visuals that offer a gorgeous style and feel.

Skyward Sword comes in the form of a prequel to the legendary N64 title, Ocarina of Time. In Skyward Sword you follow the game’s usual protagonist Link who lives on the island of Skyloft. The main plot consists of Link finding the Skyward Sword, which leads the games hero to an island plagued by evil. Of course being a Zelda game that isn’t all that happens. Throughout the story, Zelda – who isn’t yet a princess in this game – goes missing and Link finds it upon himself to go and find her and bring her to safety. Throw into that an evil antagonist that keeps kidnapping Zelda to use her for his own purposes and you’ve got a really engaging narrative that throws different scenarios at you.

The primary gameplay has you defeating your usual dungeon monsters and ghouls with the odd boss battle thrown in. However it’s the continually changing gameplay that sets Zelda apart from the rest. Clever gameplay mechanics and puzzles get your brain working and have you explore the games colourful and vibrant world. The game often has you opening you inventory for all ranges of things to help you progress. In the demo we played we were tasked with using the flying beetle tool to grab at a switch that was out of reach to open a door, while another instance had us shooting arrows at switches in a certain order before using the beetle tool again, this time guiding it to a switch out of sight. These gameplay moments come to life when using the Wii’s remote. Guiding the beetle tool or shooting arrows requires a precise hand and fast movement, all lending itself to an intense and fun gameplay experience that won’t get boring or dire. One new feature the game introduces to the series is bird riding, and while it’s only a small part of the game it makes for a great experience that should be tried and offers some variety. The aim is to chase a bird that has a trophy attached to his foot and obtain it before the CPU players do.

Visuals in Skyward Sword are some of the best on the Wii, thanks to the title’s cel-shaded style which looks convincing and works well. This graphical style isn’t new for the series but is by far the best use of style we’ve seen yet, colours look vibrant and leap off the screen, characters are well represented and look fantastic and most importantly the levels and environments look great and stand-out amongst everything. The game did have some blurry textures here and there but doesn’t tarnish the great art style the game offers.

Skyward Sword makes use of Nintendo’s Wii MotionPlus, offering 1:1 motion control, which gives a strategic and new experience when battling enemies. You control Link with the left stick on the Nunchuck, with the Wii-mote in the other hand controlling your attacks. A swipe of a Wii-mote at any angle will be accurately shown on screen. Using the beetle tool has you grasp the Wii-mote with both hands and tilting left and right to guide to your desired location. We found that the motion controls implemented were well thought out and worked to create a great experience, that offers enough variety to break up the continuous hack and slash gameplay.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword has a lot to offer. It brings excellent gameplay which works exceptionally well with the Wii’s controls and we feel the title should be played with the primary Wii control scheme, as opposed to that of other peripherals such as the classic controller. The cel-shaded graphics are some of the best the series has seen and the game is shaping up to be a must own for fans of Zelda, working as a great stop gap for when Zelda makes its HD debut on the recently announced WiiU.