Topic: Advice before playing Skyward Sword

[sudoshuff]

Skyward Sword is the only 3D Zelda game I haven't played (I don't think I'm the only one in this camp).  I figure it's time to find a copy and at least give it a chance so I can say I've played them all before BotW comes out. 


Does anyone have advice for how to best play through this game to maximize its positive attributes and minimize its annoyances?  As an example, I've read that I should probably avoid all the sidequests--they are mostly "fetch quests" that aren't worth it. 


Also, I'm not committed to having to play through the whole thing. So, your tip may be something like, "play up to point x, the rest of the game sucks". 


Thanks in advance!

[Soren]

I don't have any gameplay tips but depending on how far you want to go you should download the Skyward Sword Save Data Update Channel. It's the only way to patch the game to remove the Song of the Hero glitch, which is a pretty nasty game-breaking bug. This part of the game is near the back half, so you might not even get to it, but it's better to be safe.

Link contains spoilers:
http://zeldawiki.org/Glitches_in_Skyward_Sword#Song_of_the_Hero_Game_Ending_Error

[Luigi Dude]

When playing the game you're not holding a real sword.  Just use slower gentle motions when slashing the sword instead of trying swing like crazy which will make the game not register what you're doing.

Other then that just play the game like you would any other.  Yeah the game has it's haters but it also has a lot of people who love it as well.  What most people do agree is the desert area is the best in the game so keep playing until you've finished the third dungeon.  If by the end of the third dungeon you're not feeling it then you can probably stop, but if you at least like the 3rd dungeon, then keep playing until you've finished the Pirate Ship dungeon since it has a similar theme and is also considered one of the highlights of the game.

So yeah, at least play until the end of the 3rd dungeon since that pretty much will give you an idea on what the game is really like and what it's high points will be.

[lolmonade]

Skyward Sword was one of my favorite games of the year when it came out.  I'm not sure if you can avoid its annoyances, as it's kind of part of the core experience.




Fetch Quests before opening up some dungeons.


One redundant boss fight that'll come back several times.


Your companion deciding to repeatedly tell you all the details of an item you pickup, despite having already encountered it.




I personally enjoyed doing this, but you technically don't need to upgrade your weapons/equipment.  That could cut down on some of the fetching of miscellaneous materials within the world.

[sudoshuff]

This stuff is all great to know--exactly what I was looking for.

[Adrock]

I want to say, "Don't," but in the interest of discussion, get past the really boring intro where Nintendo insists on telling you how to do every little thing. You probably only need to get through the first dungeon to see if you can stomach the motion controls. I finished the game mainly out of principle. I bought the version bundled with the gold Wii Remote so I wanted to get the most out of the game. I kept hoping Skyward Sword would get better, and it didn't. You may like it though so give it a chance.

[Ian Sane]

When I think about Skyward Sword I realize I hate:

-the controls
-the reoccurring boss fight
-Fi!!
-repeated stealth parts (those who have played it know what I'm talking about)
-the segmented level layout of the world

And yet I didn't feel I had to force myself to beat it and I overall had a good time and consider it one of my favourite Wii games.  I think that just shows how strong the Zelda formula is.  Even with a lot of pretty annoying flaws the game is still really good and I would recommend it to others.

[MagicCow64]

I'm a Skyward Sword booster, and don't find the generally agreed upon annoying parts to be annoying (aside from the Tadtones sequence, but that's really just a blip in the scope of the whole game). Depending on how far you get, be aware that there are multiple ways to approach the repeating boss that make the fights more interesting, and these ways are not necessarily apparent. Also, there's a whole side-quest system involving various townsfolk that is basically hidden, but I found it very entertaining and that it gave bonus social texture to Skyloft.

On a technical note, I found the motion controls to work flawlessly on first playthrough, but years later on a second run with my brother we had fairly regular issues with the syncing/drifting. I looked it up and though it's anecdotal, it seems like your best bet is to use the integrated Motion Plus wiimote with fresh batteries (on second run I had a motion plus dongle and crummy over-the-hill rechargable batteries).

[ShyGuy]

Play it on a large television.
Have a flat surface nearby for calibration.
Sitting on a stool fills up your hearts.

[Dasmos]

I think I'm going to start this game again. I stopped midway after I somehow lost my Zelda WiiMotion+ Controller in my own house (it's still missing after 4 years, how?!) and never went back.

[nickmitch]

One of the trailers has a tip for the recurring boss fight.

(completely missed that when I played it)

[sudoshuff]

...it seems like your best bet is to use the integrated Motion Plus wiimote with fresh batteries (on second run I had a motion plus dongle and crummy over-the-hill rechargable batteries).

Got it. I've always had issues needing to recalibrate on motion plus games.

[pokepal148]

Don't bother

[lolmonade]

Don't bother

I generally disagree with your opinion of the game, but there is another "gripe-point" you refreshed my memory on, that I DO agree with:




They reuse the same areas for different sections of the game more than they should, and by the end of it, yes, you will be annoyed by it.  Particularly, the reason why they send you back to those areas are particularly frustrating collect-a-thons, although I think they do slightly change the landscape in them (I could be wrong, it's been since the game came out as the last time I played it).


Still worth it to me, Breath of the Wild in some ways seems like a hard re-adjustment from feedback in this game, but I think there's a lot of good experience to be had in it.  I'm REALLY a fan of the first couple of hours, i'd be interested to hear your feedback once you get started.

[Stogi]

Shield bump is crucial to beating the game. And it doesn't damage your shield.

[Lemonade]

This is an interesting topic. I also plan on replaying the game. I want to have it finished before the new Zelda. I bought SS when it came out, but only got about three or four dungeons in and lost interest.

Since then I have played through WW HD and TP HD, so it should be good to reattempt SS.

[Soren]

I'm still playing through Twilight Princess HD and while the dungeons have been so much fun I am quite ready for it to be over. I am very interested in revisiting Skyward Sword but it will have to wait.

[sudoshuff]

I'm still playing through Twilight Princess HD and while the dungeons have been so much fun I am quite ready for it to be over. I am very interested in revisiting Skyward Sword but it will have to wait.

I was in the same boat...played through TP (not HD) a few months ago and needed a little break.  I plan on picking up SS to play in August/September.  Surprisingly, the game has been difficult to find for a good price.  Used copies are still holding their value at $50 USD. 

[pokepal148]

Twilight Princess is actually really easy to just put down at a certain point and pick back up. It's a surprisingly episodic game.

[Mop it up]

I don't think the side quests are really any different or worse than the kinds of things you had to do in previous Zelda games, there have always been things to collect on the side like OoT's 100 gold Skulltula tokens.

That said, the padding in this game might be worse than some of the previous games, as some of the content it makes you repeat is a bit lame. Even so, I think it's worth sticking with to the end, as the (if I remember the order right) final dungeon is a masterpiece of design, and the whole sequence of the end is some of the best spectacle you'll find in a Zelda game.

[Khushrenada]

Twilight Princess is actually really easy to just put down at a certain point and pick back up. It's a surprisingly episodic game.

Not if you are missing one Poe's Soul and haven't played the game in years.

[Soren]

One good thing about the remaster is the ghost lantern that lets you locate Poes during daytime hours.

[sudoshuff]

So...I'm really glad I held off on purchasing this game in August since they announced its arrival on the Wii U eshop today in the direct. I'll be downloading it tomorrow!  Surely, this comes with that critical patch pre-installed...

[Fatty The Hutt]

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

[King of Twitch]

I recommend playing this game while standing up. You'll feel like a true video game hero and get good exercise in the process. If you're worried about glitches, copy your save file to an SD card after every temple.