The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

  • July 16, 2021
75%
Game Brain Score Based on 72 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • music
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD Game Cover
While certainly not the greatest Zelda game, Skyward Sword is a wonderful entry that fans of the series would do well to check out.

Witness the origins of the Master Sword in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD for Nintendo Switch. Originally released on Wii in 2011, this classic quest has been optimised for Nintendo Switch with smoother motion controls, as well as newly-added button controls. Depicting the earliest story in The Legend of Zelda timeline, Link must travel between a world above the clouds and the great unknow…

  • Nintendo Switch
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

75%
Audience ScoreBased on 72 reviews
story12 positive mentions
grinding2 negative mentions
  • The game features a beautiful story, stunning art, and an impressive soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • The remastered version offers improved graphics, smoother gameplay at 60fps, and new control options that make it more accessible to players.
  • Skyward Sword HD includes some of the best dungeons and puzzles in the Zelda series, providing a charming and engaging adventure.
  • The control scheme can be cumbersome, with motion controls still feeling unreliable and button controls lacking precision.
  • The game suffers from pacing issues and repetitive fetch quests that can detract from the overall enjoyment.
  • A major quality-of-life feature, instant fast travel, is locked behind an amiibo, which is frustrating for players who may not have access to it.
  • story25 mentions

    The story of "The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD" is widely praised for its beauty, charm, and engaging characters, particularly the relationship between Link and Zelda. While the narrative is compelling and complemented by a stunning soundtrack and visuals, some players feel that repetitive fetch quests detract from the overall experience and disrupt the pacing. Despite these criticisms, the game is considered a strong entry in the Zelda series, with many reviewers highlighting its captivating storyline and well-designed dungeons.

    • “It is a beautiful story, a beautiful score, and the stunning art to go with it just takes the cake.”
    • “The game has a good and well-dedicated story that is charming and sometimes can be easy to get lost in rather than focusing on the gameplay, especially from the story between Groose and Link himself, fighting for the love of Zelda in the side story line.”
    • “Take to the skies, draw your sword, and experience the earliest story in the Legend of Zelda™ series.”
    • “Sad that Nintendo doesn't address this despite the huge backlash pre-launch. This feature should be an in-game item by default or a side quest reward in my opinion.”
    • “Many repetitive quests and fights feel like a chore by the end. Although the quality of the regions is great, there aren't many of them to explore. Story pacing could be better.”
    • “Admittedly, some aspects of the game haven’t aged all that well – the repetitive fetch quests particularly stood out, whilst there were some aspects of the world that felt vacant when compared to modern titles.”
  • graphics19 mentions

    The graphics in "The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD" have received widespread acclaim, with reviewers highlighting the surreal, crisp HD visuals and smooth 60fps gameplay that enhance the overall experience. The remake features significant graphical upgrades and quality-of-life improvements, making it feel modern and visually stunning while retaining the charm of the original. Overall, the enhanced visuals and new control options contribute to a more enjoyable and immersive gameplay experience.

    • “This new version of the game is fantastic, the graphics are so surreal.”
    • “With motion controls more precise than ever before, an alternate button control scheme that totally works, crisp HD graphics, smooth 60fps gameplay, and a bothersome sidekick who's been streamlined into something altogether more useful, this really does feel like Skyward Sword as it was meant to be experienced.”
    • “The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD improves upon the original massively, with its new control scheme and impressive visuals making it feel like a whole different game.”
    • “Skyward Sword HD is definitely the best version of the game with vastly improved visuals and new control options, but I can’t help but feel it's lacking as a Zelda rerelease.”
    • “Like all great remakes, it’s got some serious quality of life upgrades and not an insignificant amount of graphic upgrades as well.”
    • “The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is a fantastic remake, with Nintendo elevating the visuals and adding many quality-of-life improvements.”
  • music9 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised as one of the best soundtracks in the Zelda series, enhancing the overall experience with its charm and quality. While some players note that certain improvements could have been made earlier, the soundtrack remains a standout feature, complementing the engaging story and cleverly designed dungeons. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's enjoyment, despite some criticisms regarding pacing and additional content.

    • “The music also sounds great and has one of the most well-loved soundtracks in the Zelda legacy.”
    • “Touching story complemented by one of the series' best soundtracks.”
    • “Amazing music; one of the best Zelda stories to date.”
    • “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged during gameplay.”
    • “While the soundtrack has some good moments, it doesn't capture the essence of the franchise like previous titles.”
    • “The absence of a music playlist or any additional content to enjoy the soundtrack is a missed opportunity.”
  • gameplay7 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, showcasing refined mechanics reminiscent of "Breath of the Wild" alongside charming storytelling, particularly in the dynamic between Groose and Link. However, players note that the experience can feel linear and uneven, with underwhelming exploration and pacing issues detracting from the overall enjoyment. Despite these drawbacks, the game benefits from improved motion controls, HD graphics, and a streamlined sidekick, contributing to a satisfying, albeit flawed, Zelda experience.

    • “With motion controls more precise than ever before, an alternate button control scheme that totally works, crisp HD graphics, smooth 60fps gameplay, and a bothersome sidekick who's been streamlined into something altogether more useful, this really does feel like Skyward Sword as it was meant to be experienced.”
    • “You can tell they used this game to test out game mechanics that appeared in Breath of the Wild.”
    • “The game has a good and well-dedicated story that is charming and sometimes can be easy to get lost in rather than focusing on the gameplay, especially from the story between Groose and Link himself, fighting for the love of Zelda in the side storyline.”
    • “[Full price for one old port, extremely linear gameplay]”
    • “[Surface world and sky exploration are both underwhelming; gameplay segments remain remarkably uneven.]”
    • “Its issues with pacing, repetitive gameplay elements, and a lackluster narrative remain moderate detractions from what is an otherwise legendary Zelda experience, filled to the brim with the charisma, creativity, and satisfying dungeoneering the series is famous for.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its touching story and one of the series' best soundtracks, which enhance the overall experience. However, some players feel disappointment over the limited amiibo support compared to previous titles, which detracts from the emotional engagement. Additionally, cleverly designed dungeons and quality-of-life improvements contribute to a more satisfying gameplay experience.

    • “Dungeons are cleverly designed and satisfying to solve, with a touching story complemented by one of the series' best soundtracks. Quality-of-life improvements help smooth over some previously irritating elements and improve overall pacing.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players note that while the game's pacing has improved over time, the grinding aspect remains tedious due to excessive padding and repetitive fetch quests, detracting from the overall experience despite the strong soundtrack and engaging boss battles.

    • “In my opinion, some changes should have been in the original game, not added 10 years later. For some improvements, there seems to be a slight drawback compared to the original. The game still retains some of the best soundtrack, dungeons, and boss battles in the series, but the padding, fetch quests, and scavenger hunts to get to them can feel tedious.”
    • “Whilst the game's initially poor pacing has improved, the game can still be slightly tedious and repetitive.”
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Critic Reviews

81% average critic score

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