My Loves and Hates of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

With every game franchise, there are those particular games that are loved more than others. Some people have their favorites out of a series and one of my favorites of The Legend of Zelda series is Skyward Sword. However, this is not a purely loving relationship. There are some parts of the game that make me very irritable with the producers. Yet, even with the negatives of this game, the positives are so numerous they outweigh the negatives. Overall, this is an amazing game.

Fig. 1 A comparison of Twilight Princess and 

Skyward Sword graphics. Photo Credit: IGN thread boards

One thing that I was disappointed with was the graphics. IGN – a leading source for entertainment and games – may have given it an excellent review, but after playing Twilight Princess, I’m not sure I agree with them (Drake). I tend to favor graphics that lean toward realism; it draws a player into the game and makes them forget that they are actually playing it and, in doing this, it allows the player to become the hero of the story. In my opinion, Twilight Princess did an excellent job of that and I was disappointed when Skyward Sword did not follow suit. Instead, it went with a more childish appeal.

Along with the graphics, another item that I did not like about this game is some of the boss fights, particularly The Imprisoned (for those who do not know, a boss is an important antagonistic character that the player must fight). Not only were the fights cumbersome, but you had to do relatively the same fight THREE TIMES. I am not the only one who hated fighting The Imprisoned. It was rated number 8 on SrewAttack!’s Youtube video “Top 10 WORST Zelda Bosses” (SrewAttack!).

Fig. 2 Link practicing the different angles of swinging

 a sword for the player to become accustomed to it. 

Photo Credit: digitaltrends.com

Fig. 3 Link displaying his running ability. 

Photo Credit: tumblr

If there is one thing that makes up for the previous disappointments, it would be the controls. Skyward Sword is played on the Nintendo Wii counsel and it uses a motion-sensitive remote, which allows the player to swing the remote as though you were swinging an actual sword. On top of that, the producers took it one step further and had it where the sword swings in the same direction that you do. The controls easily allow someone to become submersed or absorbed in the game and it makes for a wonderful gaming experience. Another feature unique to the game’s controls is Link’s ability to sprint, which is unlike any other game in the franchise so far. It allows Link to have an extra physical ability (a short sprint up a wall) and adds some speed in traveling short distances.

When it comes to long-distance traveling, Link’s means of transportation took an unexpected turn in Skyward Sword. In almost every game of The Legend of Zelda franchise, Link has a horse to travel great distances. One thing that is unique about Skyward Sword, however, is that instead of a horse, Link has a giant bird! Technically called a Loftwing, the bird is a bit tricky to maneuver at first, but once you get the hang of it, flying on the Loftwing provides plenty of fun.

Fig. 4 Link and his loftwing. Photo Credit: Maquina das Artes

Needing a Loftwing to travel would be unnecessary if the setting wasn’t large, which leads me to another fantastic aspect of Skyward Sword: the vastness of its setting. In my experience of gaming, I always appreciate a feature like that. Many others feel the same. Bissell wrote about the importance of a large setting in his article “Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter.” He expresses that as gamers, we lean toward something big enough to become submerged in. We love a massive universe that we can explore with countless possibilities (349-61). It seems that as new games arise, the setting becomes larger and larger. And with each game we finish, our desire to have an even larger setting becomes greater.

Besides the vastness of the setting drawing players into the game, people are also drawn to being able to play the role of the hero. Americans have the desire, as emphasized in the American Dream, to draw on their individualistic nature and make their own path where they play as the “hero” in their own life. To make it to the top by our use of determination, motivation, and a drive to be the best can be translated into the feelings that a player might receive when playing a video game such as Skyward Sword. Video games help support our need to “play the hero” and “save the princess” whereas in our own lives this is not possible.

It is easy to see that the positives in this game greatly outweigh the negative aspects. The graphics may not be my favorite, but they leave gamers with in imaginative way of seeing the world. The game is filled with many puzzles that engage the mind, allowing one to develop their creative-thinking skills. These features, among others, allow a gamer to become submersed in a game and escape the real world for a time to become an “alter ego.” They are roles that we can slip into that help bring out the desires and emotions that we want in our lives. These things are not just unique to Skyward Sword; they can be seen in other games of the franchise as well. The Legend of Zelda franchise has given gamers a wonderful gaming platform to experience and interact with.

Works Cited

Bissell, Tom. “Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter.” “They Say / I Say”: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing with Readings. Eds. Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, Russel Durst. 2nd ed. New York: W. W. Norton, 2012. 349-61. Print. 14 Feb. 2014.

Drake, Audrey. “Zelda: Skyward Sword – The Great Graphics Debate.” IGN. IGN Entertainment, 14 Nov. 2011. Web. 14 Feb. 2014.

ScrewAttack! “Top 10 WORST Zelda Bosses.” Youtube. Youtube, 7 June 2013. Web. 14 Feb. 2014.