Skyward Sword HD

[Chedney Honks]

Comes out tomorrow on Switch, the least beloved 3D Zelda. My memory is that I really enjoyed it besides the big toe boss, I remember finding the story rather touching in the end and while it blurs into TP and OoT in my head (both of which I played and which kind of merge into each other, anyway), the memory is a pleasant one.

It's had some QoL updates to chill the companion out and stop you feeling too patronised by the hand holding. Mostly, I just want to see some of the painterly areas like the one which changes (no spoiler) and play some traditional old Zelda.

I seem to remember it's very 'collect fifteen of these little things to progress'.

[Kelvin]

It's definitely a curates egg. Some of the series' greatest highs and deepest lows.

Positives

Among the best dungeons in the series, both in terms of variety and puzzle design. They're much shorter than usual, too, which I definitely consider a positive move for the series. 

Some really good items - and they get used in multiple dungeons and in the overworld, not just forgotten about after you finish the level where you find them.

The music is great, even by the standards of a Zelda game.

The sections in the spooky trial realms are unbelievably tense. You will shit brix.

The "overworld" incorporates far more puzzles than usual. They've effectively spread some of the typical dungeon content over the lead up to them, and its a smart move that gives it a very different feel from other Zelda games.   

Negatives

There's a lot of revisiting the same areas, and a lot of fetch quests, some of which are better than others. Excluding the sky overworld, the game only has three main regions, which expand and change as you revisit them. But its hard not to wish there was more variety to the environments, even if some of the later areas are really good.

The motion controls weren't really a negative for me, I actually really liked them in the original game. But they were temperamental and it sounds like that's still the case with the remake. I'll be playing with the motion controls off for my sword this time, I think.

Fi is a characterless, boring, nagging cunt.

Some areas of the game are really quite ugly, either very drab, or just a mess to look at. Even at the time it looked rough, and while it obviously looks much sharper now, I can't imagine time has done it many favours. Other areas look lovely, of course. But it's a real mixed bag - even down to the variable character designs.   

Personally, my biggest problem is that there's quite a lot of busy work. Collect this, go to this region to get that, carry this thing up there, find X. I still loved the game at the time, but in hindsight, I do think its telling that this aspect really lingered in my memory.


Mileage may vary

Finally, the thing that seems to alienate a lot of people is how linear the game is. It really does railroad you down the critical paths most of the time. But personally I like that about it; its very distinct from the other Zelda games for that reason, and I honestly think it would have been better if they lent into that more; have you effectively progressing through linear levels, but making imaginative use of the items you found along the way. A bit like a Zelda platformer. Anyway, I don't dislike it about the game, but it's probably worth setting your expectations beforehand, especially after BotW set a new standard for do anything, go anywhere, whenever you want.       

[madhair60]

This is my favourite 3D Zelda and yes, I know, I know, it's me. It fucking well would be, wouldn't it. But I really did love it.

[Kelvin]

It's not my favourite, but I did love it at the time. Its a flawed gem rather than a boring drudge. Will be interesting to see how I feel about it after BotW.

[Chedney Honks]

I'm really enjoying the anachronisms. Some of it might be shit but I will take a bit shit and a fair bit great over the homogeneity of most modern gaming. It's much more fun and full of character than Ratchet but Clank Rift Apart, for example.

[Video Game Fan 2000]

This was miles better than the fucking grimdark wolf game where everyone was a latex puppet. Parts of it were the purest of jank and there are few big areas right at the start and again at the end that seem obviously unfinished, but I dunno. It had more heart that any 3D Zelda up to that point other than Majora's Mask.

My personal conspiracy theory is that at some point there was some crossover between its development and the development of the 3D Kid Icarus game. Evidence - 1. Kid Icarus: Like Writing With A Bank Pen game had lots of adventure game environments in its ground levels that you couldn't explore because it was linear, but there were clearly designed for a non linear game. 2. Focus on flying in Skyward Sword but lots of the aerial sections are totally empty. 3. Link's Crossbow Training came out when there was a rumour of a wii-mote powered Kid Icarus reboot, possibly with Treasure involved. Which was false but accurately predicted the Sin and Punishment style gameplay of Kid Icarus: Wankers Cramp 4. Skyward Sword has that linear areas building into open exploration thing that Kid Icarus did. 5. The mix of classical and cyber themes in the design is notably unZelda, as are the sillier enemies. 6. Sakurai did a fuckton of work for Kid Icarus: Fuck My Wrist Hurts Argh My DS Has Fallen Down that doesn't featuer in the game, which possibly includes the early stuff that was meant to bring it in line with contemporary adventure games. 7. Fi is crap and an obvious placeholder and part of the plan for Kid Icarus: Shit I've Spilled My Drink was to thematically flip the damsel-in-distress theme, a flip thats a major part of Skyward Sword.

[Video Game Fan 2000]

One of the annoying things about this game is that the opening hour or so NAILS the Twin Peaksy mix of unrealness and grounded humour that makes Links Awakening the best Zelda, especially with the bird and the 50s high school gangs stuff. Then that goes away and doesn't really comeback.

The first interactions with the bird made me laugh out loud for real and then barely a chuckle after.

[Thursday]

They should release this at a reasonable price instead. But it's Nintendo so it never will be.

[Chedney Honks]

I'd forgotten how good the soundtrack is but as Kelvin says, it's a stunner.

[Chedney Honks]

This is more fun than I remember. A lovely little game. I know that there's padding to come and it is very fetchy but I've missed the satisfaction of a game where all of the pieces slots in neatly. Every NPC comment has a purpose, even if simple and obvious. Every little side quest has a little reward of some item or what have you. The Gratitude Crystals pay off with decent upgrades. It's all very...modular. Do something, get a little reward, click it into place. Click, click, click. Slotting jigsaw pieces together. Same with the puzzles and dungeons. You don't have to be a genius, you just have to be inquisitive. Click, click, click. Well done. Have a treat.

Games aren't really designed this way any more. They're either much more open ended or dynamically shifting to keep satisfaction just out of reach. Keep playing, keep playing until your mind is battered.

This is good old Nintendo. Fair play.

[Magnum Valentino]

Swinging from ropes is difficult and sword combat still feels like I'm completely outclassed allll the time but I'm glad to be able to play it after being put off by the SD and the motion controls. Enjoying it more than most games I've tried that were released in the past few years.

[Kelvin]

I'd forgotten what a great opening the game has, first with the legend of the ancient war being scorched in that parchment, then the classy white on black:

Nintendo presents

The Legend of Zelda

Skyward Sword

Then hard cut to that triumphant piece of music and the birds soaring towards the island in the sky.


Pure class.

[Kelvin]

If I can give one tip for this game - one which I wish I'd realised sooner in my original playthrough on wii, and which is greatly improving my current run - it's that you really don't want to use the "dowsing" ability unless you absolutely, positively cannot find something without it. There's almost nothing in the game which can't be found with normal exploration, and the game is vastly diminished if you spend your time using dowsing to tell you exactly where to go, flicking back and forth between it and the normal third person view. Just ignore Fi, sack off the dowsing, and look around the areas normally, as you would in any Zelda. I really can't recommend that strongly enough. The dowsing is such a complete load of shit in this game - and yet it's completely unnecessary.   

[jobotic]

I have such a desire to play the Wind Waker at the moment, it's stronger than the desire to smoke.

Never gonna happen is it?

[Magnum Valentino]

I read when I was younger that Christopher Lee read The Lord Of The Rings every summer and decided if I was going to do that, I'd do it with Wind Waker. But I haven't done it more than once since thinking that.

Play it mate. Play it for me.

[Kelvin]

I have such a desire to play the Wind Waker at the moment, it's stronger than the desire to smoke.

Never gonna happen is it?

Oh it will, I'm certain. Nintendo basically put out a Zelda every year, whether its a core title (BotW2), or a spin off (Hyrule Warriors), or a 2D Zelda (Link's Awakening), or an updated port (Skyward Sword HD). They re-released Windwaker and Twilight Princess on Wii U, and I don't doubt they'll be ported to Switch at some point, maybe even next year if - as I suspect - BotW 2 gets pushed back into 2023.

If you haven't played Windwaker HD on Wii U, you're in for a treat. It's a significant step up from the (already extremely good) original. I can't wait to play it again.

[jobotic]

AcE! Thanks and I hope you're right

[thecuriousorange]

As someone who's only played Link's Awakening, Ocarina of Time, Breath of the Wild, Link to the Past, plus minor muckabouts on Twilight Princess and the NES ones, I really wish they would just port Windwaker to Switch. Especially since there's already a  Wii U version which would take close to no effort to just give us. I don't fancy Skyward Sword anywhere near as much.

[Magnum Valentino]

I'm in the second major temple of the game, the volcano one, and I've not been able to collect more than 300 rupees in my shitty little wallet for about 4 hours of gaming and I've no shield.

Please tell me how to play this game properly. Should I be exploring islands in the sky to find this stuff or is it alllll yet to come. Every rupee j see is wasted :-(

[Kelvin]

I'm in the second major temple of the game, the volcano one, and I've not been able to collect more than 300 rupees in my shitty little wallet for about 4 hours of gaming and I've no shield.

Please tell me how to play this game properly. Should I be exploring islands in the sky to find this stuff or is it alllll yet to come. Every rupee j see is wasted :-(

You can get multiple upgrades to your wallet. The first is in "Beedle's airship", the small helicopter house that circles the bazaar in Skyloft. Ring the bell and a rope lowers. You can also get other upgrades in there.

Shields can be bought at the bazaar. Get a metal one, upgrade it at the smithy if you have the materials now, and consider buying a potion that repairs damaged shields, too.

You should also try and solve the mystery of the missing girl, who disappeared from the graveyard. Most of the game's side quests don't unlock until you've done that one, I don't think. To do it:

Spoiler alert

Talk to the mother about her missing daughter, then speak to the scared man at the lumpy pumpkin island, then go back to the graveyard and do the thing he suggests.

[close]

[Magnum Valentino]

Thanks Kelvin, did all this last night and I feel like I'm doing it properly now.

[Magnum Valentino]

Any other advice you would give to someone that you wish you'd have been given when you first played it? I'm just after beating the volcano and want to maximise my efficiency instead of always feeling like I'm on the back foot like I did with BOTW.

[Kelvin]

Any other advice you would give to someone that you wish you'd have been given when you first played it? I'm just after beating the volcano and want to maximise my efficiency instead of always feeling like I'm on the back foot like I did with BOTW.

1. Upgrade items at the bazaar between levels.

2. Talk to characters with a speech bubble above their head when you visit skyloft. These characters have a side quest, which will result in gratitude crystals you can then trade with the friendly demon for items.

3. You can sleep in a bed to explore skyloft at night. Don't miss the side quests there, or the hidden gratitude crystals that only appear at night.

4. You can find and buy "medals", then keep them in an empty item slot for perks. Eg. A higher drop rate for hearts, rupees, treasure, etc. Clear space by giving items you dont want to the item check girl at the skyloft bazaar.

5. Hit godess cubes! While you play through the levels on the surface, make sure you hit these, as treasure chests then appear in the sky with really good items in them: gold and silver rupees, medals, heart pieces, etc. Once you return to the sky, just check your map and head to the islands with a glowing chest.

[Kelvin]

Sorry, reading back, a lot of those are probably really obvious, but they were just things I thought you wouldn't want to miss.

[Chedney Honks]

I never knew what the medals were for so didn't buy them, cheers! Can't remember upgrading anything, either. Thanks for the tips.

Still enormously enjoying this when I get chance to play.

[Magnum Valentino]

No, your advice is class, I'd been doing some of that so it's good to know I'm playing it properly as I never felt that way with BOTW. Thrilled to finally be playing Skyward Sword, fuckin nearly a decade later like. Delighted. Fuck you, Motion Plus, you ruiner. I won! Not you! Me!

[Kelvin]

This is such a gamey-ass game, isn't it? No pretensions about creating a real, immersive world, just very carefully crafted areas you move through puzzle by puzzle, item by item, idea on idea. The only real difference between the dungeons and the sections leading up to them is the size of the areas you're moving through. I was expecting to find that annoying after BotW, but I actually really like it, because it's such a U-turn in style.

[Chedney Honks]

My thoughts exactly while playing. It's that design ethos where everything means something, even if it's simplistic. Every peg has a hole it fits in. Very satisfying and gamey. It's not just that it's a pleasant throwback to a time before cookie cutter open world skill tree sandbox waypoint clutter, because you can still find this type of design in indie games. It's that you have Nintendo at the helm. They invented this shit and they do it better than anyone else.

The game is obviously not perfect. There's a lot of backtracking and repetition. Mostly fetch quests. The combat isn't quite responsive enough (even with a pad). The impressionistic effect is reduced here unfortunately compared to the Wii version (probably because harder with higher resolution and modern telly). Aside from that, though, the fundamental stuff is so good.

[petercussing]

Oh my god guys, i bought this on Tuesdays and am enjoying this very much, so i'm part of the group now, too, which feels great, i felt terrible when i wasn't being part of the group.

God, this game is crazy, they let you have a slave and everything, which they make more acceptable by having it be a bird which is sensible. You have slaves in other zeldas so it makes a lot of sense, continuity wise.

I'm a massive fan of all those zeldas you can play and they might have expected casual gamers to be playing this more as i noticed they make the mistake in the name section where your name defaults to seemingly asking for a web address, so naturally i changed the name of the main guy to his real name, which we all know is Zelda, and got cracking.

The game is crazy as it keeps asking me to look for myself or visit myself, which i presume means that i'm secretly being led to a surprise party for me, which again tracks for zelda games, of which i'm a big expert about.

The game is really nice though and all the sounds sound nice to listen to like in BOTW. It's great seeing all the precursor stuff to BOTW like the flying rag and stamina circle and the swords fighting in this is good and easy, no sweat.

It's also nice seeing my friends from other 'zelly' games turn up like the rock chomping man or Beedle. I like seeing things i've seen before as it's reassuring a lot.

The main graphics of the humans is a bit fuck that's not right though like a disney pixar man has done zelda fan art. I hope that opinion doesn't exclude me from the group.

[Chedney Honks]

You are the at the centre of the love in, which is a very affectionate place albeit a little messy :(