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    The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

    Game » consists of 9 releases. Released Nov 18, 2011

    Link descends from his floating continent home to explore the dark and dangerous world below with the help of a magical sword, in this Wii installment of the Legend of Zelda series.

    My short thoughts on The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

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    InhumanWhisper

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    Edited By InhumanWhisper

    After spending around 4 hours with the game and getting through the first dungeon I thought I'd give some thoughts on the game.

    Firstly, the game looks fantastic. The art design is gorgeous and the textures are surprisingly sharp, though obviously this is all in standard definition, which is a shame considering how good it looks. Secondly, even though the game opens rather slowly, there is a lot of charm to the characters, most of it making me laugh. However I hate this game... The controls are awful. They are completely unresponsive for the majority of the time, you'll be swinging in one direction and Link will be swinging the other, and thrusting forward is even worse, it just doesn't happen and if it does, he doesn't stop doing it.

    I wanted to like this game, I really did, but the control just kills it for me. I feel really bad for Tom Mc Shea, who reviewed the game over at Gamespot, as he is getting a lot of stick for giving the game a poor score due to it's controls. I don't think I have the will to carry on with this game. I might trade it in...

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    InhumanWhisper

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    #1  Edited By InhumanWhisper

    After spending around 4 hours with the game and getting through the first dungeon I thought I'd give some thoughts on the game.

    Firstly, the game looks fantastic. The art design is gorgeous and the textures are surprisingly sharp, though obviously this is all in standard definition, which is a shame considering how good it looks. Secondly, even though the game opens rather slowly, there is a lot of charm to the characters, most of it making me laugh. However I hate this game... The controls are awful. They are completely unresponsive for the majority of the time, you'll be swinging in one direction and Link will be swinging the other, and thrusting forward is even worse, it just doesn't happen and if it does, he doesn't stop doing it.

    I wanted to like this game, I really did, but the control just kills it for me. I feel really bad for Tom Mc Shea, who reviewed the game over at Gamespot, as he is getting a lot of stick for giving the game a poor score due to it's controls. I don't think I have the will to carry on with this game. I might trade it in...

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    Hailinel

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    #2  Edited By Hailinel

    Have you considered that perhaps your Wii Remote wasn't calibrated properly?

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    Simplexity

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    #3  Edited By Simplexity

    I've been playing for about 15 hours and I've had no trouble whatsoever yet.

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    OllyOxenFree

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    #4  Edited By OllyOxenFree

    Whenever I hear of somebody "trading in" a game I let out a little chuckle.

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    WinterSnowblind

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    #5  Edited By WinterSnowblind

    I'm having similar problems. I think the game is amazing, but the controls really let it down. Not to the point where I'd consider trading the game is, but I know I'd be enjoying it a lot more if it weren't for the controls. I really don't think they add anything to the game and are only a hindrance. Perhaps I just have poor co-ordination, but that doesn't change the fact I'd rather just use the classic controller for it, and it's definitely going to lose points from me because of it.

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    BUCK3TM4N

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    #6  Edited By BUCK3TM4N

    it seems that some people are having issues with the controls and other are not

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    HylianLegend

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    #7  Edited By HylianLegend

    It amazes me how so many people can how so many different views on the controls. I guess motion controls really aren't for everyone, especially the way they exist today.

    In my review I stated that I had absolutly NO issues with the controls at all. In fact, it was my absolute favorite part of the game. To each their own I guess. I really do hope though you give it another chance, unless of course you just can't get used to the motion controls no matter what you try.

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    DeF

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    #8  Edited By DeF

    there are apparently issues with reflecting surfaces or too much sunlight interfering with the remote.

    just give this a try: put some duct tape over the IR sensor on top of the wii remote. all actions are handled by the gyro sensor but the game also uses the IR as a backup. it doesn't need to however and in cases where there were control issues, covering the IR thing on the remote fixed it. or playing in the dark :)

    before you give the game fault or trade it in, try this method.

    it simply has to be a hardware interference thing since so many people had no trouble at all.

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    averagegreg

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    #9  Edited By averagegreg

    After playing over 15 hours of this game I've only come across a handful of instances where the controls haven't responded properly, or where the remote needed re-calibrating. I find the main issue is the stab technique as most of the time it registers as a vertical slice, which can be mildly frustrating during the heat of combat.

    Especially in the third dungeon, when fighting the Armos and the boss.
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    BBQBram

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    #10  Edited By BBQBram

    I was skeptical for the first few hours, getting used to it. The only thing giving me trouble is the forward stab, sometimes. But mostly it's amazing. When I'm getting frustrated it's because I am waggling, instead of reading the enemy's tells. Try taking it slow instead of doing the usual Zelda sword flailing. Z-Targeting was amazing but just that, dodging and striking weren't cutting it anymore in terms of challenge - enemies had just become trivial obstacles instead of real fights. In my opinion, and I haven't finished the game yet so this is purely about the sword and item control, it's what Zelda needed.

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    Hizang

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    #11  Edited By Hizang

    I'll get round to it sometime =, but to be honest I have always been disappointed with a Zelda game since Wind Waker, that game was amazing.

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    Julmust

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    #12  Edited By Julmust

    The contorls seem to be very polarizing. The videos on YouTube I've seen demonstrating the controls looked great and when I tried it a couple of weeks ago it was pretty good.

    Amazon should have the game here in a couple of days so I'm curious to see if I get good or bad results.

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    jacksukeru

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    #13  Edited By jacksukeru

    I have not liked the controls at all so far. I feel I have to put too much force into it to even get him to swing and I have to randomly swing it once just to get him to unsheath the sword. I'm gonna try it on the smaller TV in my room and some other stuff, might try recalibrating again as well. I just ope that it's better than this.

    • Why do I have to swing to toss a pot? pointless!
    • Balancing is neat but I can do, and have previously done, that with a controller.
    • Same goes for swinging vines.
    • Flying the bird is alright, that I don't mind.
    • I'm in the early parts but can't wrap my mind around the combat, it seems like even if I swing at an open spot the bokoblins can just instantaneously move their hand there to block anyway :/

    Just so I'm not just sounding negative I'd like to add that the game sounds fantastic and I love all the character models and animations. Link has loads of personality and the writing is pretty funny too (I'm a little bummed I couldn't just sneak off after messing up a guy's place and stealing his HeartPiece). I wish it had voiceacting like that small part sung by Zelda in the very beginning though, the game feels quiet all too often.

    Having a stamina gauge is cool, I love how he starts panting more and more the more you expend it and slowly starts breathing normally as it fills up again, it was pretty well done I feel. Sprinting and running up walls itself is pretty cool. Shield durability is cool...until the octorocks break it and you have to go back and get a new one. Fi is funny, her enemy analysis is well worth reading.

    Well, I'm gonna get back into it now. Here's to hoping it'll be fun.

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    NekuSakuraba

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    #14  Edited By NekuSakuraba

    Why didn't they just use the classic controller? This type of gameplay could be used on a normal controller.

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    MAGZine

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    #15  Edited By MAGZine

    @RockmanBionics: I find the issue probably not to be the small TV, but that probably you're too close to the TV. I've definitely had this before. As for unsheathing, I literally do a medium-speed unsheath, and I don't have a problem. That is, I literally do the unsheath motion. I suppose you can just wiggle the remote, but the unsheath motion is just so much more fun!

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    jacksukeru

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    #16  Edited By jacksukeru

    @MAGZine: I was using a big TV and sitting far away from it, I've now started using the smaller TV.

    I've found that my issue isn't so much the accuracy of the controls as much as it's the force you're required to put in, in order to make a proper swing. I've found that if I don't swing with enough force the sword will merly move from side to side or up and down without it counting as a slash. It's bothersome and I would have liked to been able to configure this setting some, so that I could make it more sensitive.

    I'm starting to get used to it and it's become less of a bother, but occasionally it still is.

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    MAGZine

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    #17  Edited By MAGZine

    @RockmanBionics: gotcha. I'm usually super energetic with my moves unless if I don't need to be -- so I've never found an issue. Good to hear that it's being less bothersome...

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    Afroman269

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    #18  Edited By Afroman269

    Calibrate your shit again. I'm having no problems whatsoever with the controls and when something begins to feel a bit off I just recalibrate.

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    JasonR86

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    #19  Edited By JasonR86

    So, here's my first thought on the game; Link uses the toilet like a girl...with his pants still on. This game has started off really weird.

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    Dalai

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    #20  Edited By Dalai

    @JasonR86 said:

    So, here's my first thought on the game; Link uses the toilet like a girl...with his pants still on. This game has started off really weird.

    Magic!

    I've had very few problems after 4 hours in. So far, I really like what I've seen.

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    octaslash

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    #21  Edited By octaslash

    I've had no problems with the sword controls so far. I have however, had problems with general movement. The lack of direct camera controls combined with the jerky movement makes platforming a little harder than it should be. The swimming controls are also awkward; I wish you could turn on a dime underwater. 
     
    Also, the camera really fucked me over on a certain boss. I wish there was a way to lock-on while running.

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