The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

[Fairweather Pure]

Much like Skyrim, I was prepared to pass on the new Zelda but reviews, forums, and podcasts convinced me otherwise and boy am I glad. The game currently has a 95% Metacritic score with 54 reviews. I was getting caught up on my podcasts last week, and that is what sealed the deal. There was lots and lots of chatter about how surprisingly great the game actually is from multiple sources, all very much sincere and enthusiastic about the game. So, I bought it yesterday with credit from Best buy and tried it out last night.

The game is really, really good. At first I was put off by the kiddie graphics and dialogue, but something really clicked during the 3 hours I played it. Nintendo has wisely worked the art in such a way that the Wii's weaknesses are kept to a minimum. It's kind of a cross between Twilight Princess's serious, gritty graphics and Windwalker's cartoon style. It ends up looking watercolored and rather appealing in it's own unique way. So far, the control system is the shining gold star on the game. It has 1 to 1 control with the Wii motion plus during sword play. I do not have a shield yet, but I really look forward to adding that element into the combat system. The entire first part of the game is a big tutorial, which also sets up the characters and overall story arc. It was done so well, I couldn't help but be impressed. This Zelda is also an origin story, so it has a lot to offer anyone that may have been a fan of the series in the past. The total game time is 35-40 hours for the main quest and 50+ for completion.

Skyward Sword is the culmination of everything the Wii has done up to this date. It is the full realization of what it seems like Nintendo was trying to accomplish since the start. It incorporates all sorts of mechanics from other games, like Wii Sports and even Super Mario Galaxy, in a seamless experience. In short, I am really glad I gave this game a chance. It gets my highest endorsement. It is the best game I own or have played on the Wii. If this is how Nintendo implements motion controls from here on, my interest in the Wii U went from zero to highly interested. It really is a game changer. Too bad it came at the end of the system's life cycle. However, Syward Sword is a great send off to the Wii system.