Topic: Advice before playing Skyward Sword

[ejamer]

Oooh good question about the critical patch. I wonder. I actually have my doubts, so be careful how you play.

Yeah, I think assuming the digital version will be pre-patched is giving Nintendo too much credit.
It might be patched, and I certainly hope it is... but don't just automatically assume.

[Shorty McNostril]

Oh.....This game.

I was so disappointed.  I have to admit that the repetition in areas didn't worry me in the slightest.

What bothered me were the controls.  They were awful.  That last boss had me screaming in frustration because the damn controller wouldn't detect the sword pointing up.  It forced me to fight that boss so many more times then I should have due to completely un-Nintendo like issues, my rage increasing exponentially each time. 

That that giant beast that you had to kill before it got to the top of the hole.  Frustrating, unenjoyable fight. 

I would like to play it again, but won't be going anywhere near it unless it changes to a more traditional control style.  Until that day comes it will be forever resigned to the back of my shelf. 

Take two panadol before you start, and every 2 hours into your sessions.

[Luigi Dude]

What bothered me were the controls.  They were awful.  That last boss had me screaming in frustration because the damn controller wouldn't detect the sword pointing up.  It forced me to fight that boss so many more times then I should have due to completely un-Nintendo like issues, my rage increasing exponentially each time. 

Sounds like your controller was broken or you have something in your game room interfering with the signal.  The final boss is pretty easy and I beat him just fine without any control issues.  The controls themselves work great in the game, so any issue's are from external factors messing with your Wiimote and not the games fault.

[MagicCow64]

It's funny, because despite the general hinkiness of the controls on my second playthrough, my brother and I had distinct problems. I could never get the stab motion to execute, so he had to take out the scorpion bosses, and he could never get the Skyward Strike to activate, so I had to do that stuff.

[pokepal148]

or you have something in your game room interfering with the signal. 

Really...? I never thought of that. Here, let me just rearrange my entire f-ing living room so I can play a video game? That's seems like a reasonable expectation.

[King of Twitch]

Get reorgaNized or get out.

[Shorty McNostril]

What bothered me were the controls.  They were awful.  That last boss had me screaming in frustration because the damn controller wouldn't detect the sword pointing up.  It forced me to fight that boss so many more times then I should have due to completely un-Nintendo like issues, my rage increasing exponentially each time. 

Sounds like your controller was broken or you have something in your game room interfering with the signal.  The final boss is pretty easy and I beat him just fine without any control issues.  The controls themselves work great in the game, so any issue's are from external factors messing with your Wiimote and not the games fault.

I don't think so, but it's certainly possible. I've never had any noteworthy issues with any other game. Either way as Pokepal mentioned I shouldn't have to turn my house upside down to play it. What I would have given for a regular controller option.

If motion is never used for a game again it will be a day too soon.

[Wah]

Pro tip for playing Skyward Sword:
Don't.

[sudoshuff]

I'm REALLY a fan of the first couple of hours, i'd be interested to hear your feedback once you get started.

I've already made it through the first 6 hours (at the second dungeon) and I have quite enjoyed the beginning of the game.  There is a good bit more text than in other Zelda games, but the setting, story, and general pace more than made up for it.  I especially loved the Beetle item in the first dungeon.


Also, I read a gamefaqs guide to the motion controls before playing which gave me a better sense of what to expect and how best to execute each move.  I haven't had any issues at all with the controls.

[Mop it up]

I was curious about the glitch and its fix so I was looking around to try and find any information on it. Typically, they release a new "version" of the game with any glitch fixes, and then mark the game discs as "1.1" or something like that, but I can't find anything saying this happened with Skyward Sword. Looking around, I've only seen a few people asking about if this version still has it, and no one has provided any answers yet.

Considering the VC version of Pandora's Tower still has the freeze problems, this may not be a fixed version. However, unlike Pandora's Tower, this glitch is easy to avoid.

[pokepal148]

I hope you like dowsing.

[Lemonade]

I hope you like dowsing.

I really didnt like that part of the game.
Im also getting close to replaying Skyward Sword. It is the next game in the queue.

[pokepal148]

Also, I read a gamefaqs guide to the motion controls before playing which gave me a better sense of what to expect and how best to execute each move.  I haven't had any issues at all with the controls.

Who said motion controls were supposed to be easy to learn and intuitive anyways.

[Lemonade]

I started replaying this last night. Im only up to Faron Woods so far. I wish the game has classic controller support. I miss having proper camera controls and I dont really care about the motion controls anymore.

[lolmonade]

I'm REALLY a fan of the first couple of hours, i'd be interested to hear your feedback once you get started.

I've already made it through the first 6 hours (at the second dungeon) and I have quite enjoyed the beginning of the game.  There is a good bit more text than in other Zelda games, but the setting, story, and general pace more than made up for it.  I especially loved the Beetle item in the first dungeon.

The pacing in the start is great.  I felt like I was on a hunt against time to catch the kidnapper and Save Zelda from her assailant, and it felt like a fresh sense of urgency I hadn't felt in a Zelda game before. 


Unfortunately, while I think they could have, they lose that sense of urgency as you continue playing the game.  I think the game overall still has great moments in the deeper hours, but you're going to encounter some of these non-control gripes that could hinder your overall perspective of the game, depending on how you weigh them against the good parts.

[sudoshuff]

Well, it's been nearly three months and I've finally beat the game!  I'm not sure how much commentary I can add beyond what has already been said, but here are some random observations.

• The controls worked pretty well for me throughout the game.  I would have preferred the game without motion controls but, hey, we'll probably never get them again so why not live 'em up?  Interestingly, I never had trouble with the skyward strike until the last boss (as Shorty mentioned).
• Dowsing wasn't as bad as people made it out to be.  It wasn't a great idea, just not that terrible.
• Things I absolutely loved: the beetle, the silent realms, art style, most of the dungeons, and timeshift stones.
• Things I absolutely hated: item upgrade system/repairs, overlong quest, the last boss, Groose, flying

[Mop it up]

I thought Groose was one of the best characters to come out of a Zelda game. I agree about flying though, it was like the boring ocean all over again (though thankfully much smaller so it wasn't as bad).

I realised it's now been five years since this game came out. Dang, it doesn't feel so long. I've gotta find time to play it again, meself...

[lolmonade]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it, sudoshuff.


I also didn't care for Groose when I was playing through it, but the character grew on me as I neared the end of the game.  I think there's a good character in there, but some of his character traits are a bit much and don't show hardly any growth.  Guess I shouldn't expect that much from a side character, even if he plays pretty prominently.


And I actually hope that flying makes a return in Breath of the Wild, it would seem like a missed opportunity not to have a means of flying in an expansive world like that.

[pokepal148]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it, sudoshuff.

It's called Stockholm Syndrome.

[Khushrenada]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it, sudoshuff.

It's called Stockholm Syndrome.

I've got the Stockholm Syndrome
Everywhere I go it's the game I keep thinking of

[sudoshuff]

It's called Stockholm Syndrome.

I always get very confused whenever people use the term "Stockholm Syndrome" because it 1) has a very specific meaning in the field of psychology related to captors and hostages and 2) has a very loose popular culture usage that seems roughly equivalent to "you irrationally love something you should hate".


If you mean it in the context of number 1 then, yes, there is some Stockholm Syndrome going on.  If I were taken hostage and forced to place Skyward Sword then I would very much have irrational feelings of sympathy toward my captors...for they clearly have decent taste in video games.  If you are using definition 2 then, no, there is no Stockholm Syndrome present.  I recognize all the game's flaws and have listed my least favorite parts above.

I thought Groose was one of the best characters to come out of a Zelda game.

I can see why people like him. For me, he just had too much of a "frat boy" persona.  That and his haircut.  I have this weird thing about distracting haircuts. 

[lolmonade]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it, sudoshuff.

It's called Stockholm Syndrome.

lol, oh Pokepal, unable to accept someone might enjoy a game in spite of its flaws.

[Lemonade]

Update: I stopped playing it.
When the game came out, I lost interest and stopped playing in Lake Floria. This time I got past the bit with the minecarts and recycled boss battle. There was the area after that, I got part of the way through it, died and lost the little motivation I had to keep playing.

I wanted to finish it, but Im not finding it fun to play. I was forcing myself to play it, which I really shouldnt do. There are plenty of other games I would rather play.

My biggest problem with the game is the world design. Everything is designed like a maze, it takes forever to get anywhere. Its the opposite of what I want in a Zelda game (BotW is exactly what I want). The motion controls work and are better than TP Wii, I just dont really like using them.

On the plus side, the art style is nice and most of the music is really good.

So, the two best Zelda games are still WW HD and TP HD.

[Evan_B]

Wind Waker HD fails to do what the original did perfectly.

Twilight Princess HD is the best Zelda game, in my opinion.

However, you have ducked out of Skyward Sword at a very good part. I don't understand your qualm about the level design, I'd rather a Zelda game be dense than overly expanse. Breath of the Wild will fail if its specific biomes lack personality- this is why the landmarks are important parts of the landscape as well as engaging aesthetics.

[pokepal148]

Update: I stopped playing it.
When the game came out, I lost interest and stopped playing in Lake Floria. This time I got past the bit with the minecarts and recycled boss battle. There was the area after that, I got part of the way through it, died and lost the little motivation I had to keep playing.

I actually enjoyed the Sandsea immensely. The Timeshift Stones are a fun mechanic and the stuff with the boat sailing around the Desert was actually fun and the Pirate Ship dungeon is actually pretty good. Skyward Sword at it's best is a really damn good game but the game has so many mediocre (at best) moments in between that the entire game just becomes a bit of a shitshow overall.

That said I didn't make it much farther than you before I gave up on the game. I got to the dungeon for the second volcano visit before quitting.