Topic: Best of the Wii: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

[NWR_Josh]

Motion controls: justified!

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/connectivity/31951

We all knew this one was gonna show up somewhere. Skyward Sword makes its mark at no. 2 on our list of Top 10 first-party Wii games. Neal, Carmine, and Josh recount their time with Link's latest adventure, all while forgetting what items are called and mispronouncing the names of key characters. Hey, it's been a while, lay off!

[pureval]

I knew this was going to be up there and I could not disagree more. Oh well, I am not going to convince anyone at this point. Kind of curious what is left to be #1.

[NWR_Neal]

Well, I couldn't disagree more with people who don't like this game. So I guess we're even.

[broodwars]

No. Just....no. This ****ty, boring, irritatingly-padding, randomly-ugly, terribly-designed game doesn't even deserve to be on this list, let alone the second-best 1st Party Wii game. 

Yeah, I didn't like this game.  The only thing about the game I thought was worthwhile was the Symphony of the Goddess soundtrack included with it.  And for all the hype over the controls, I found that the game wasn't well-designed around their limitations and so the controls frequently frustrated me.  But even that wasn't nearly as terrible as the game's pacing, which may very well be the worst of any 3D Zelda title.

[NWR_Neal]

I couldn't disagree more.

This is legitimately one of my favorite games in the past 5 years. Outside of 2 or 3 frustrating parts, it was a joy from start to finish. I dug the controls. I dug the gameplay. I dug everything about this game.

[Ceric]

I think there is enough there to warrant putting this game in the Top 10 but, #2 I don't personally agree with.  Simply reasoning being this game should be below Metroid Prime 3(MP3).  For the simple fact that MP3 I actually wanted to finish.  This game I'm about halfway through after being hyped to get it and feel no real need to finish the game at all.

[NWR_Neal]

I never finished Metroid Prime 3 and have no intention of ever finishing it. I finished Skyward Sword and will likely play through it again.

See? We are all different people!

[Ceric]

I never finished Metroid Prime 3 and have no intention of ever finishing it. I finished Skyward Sword and will likely play through it again.

See? We are all different people!

No, we are a harmonious collective regulated by the playing of rhythm games by different nodes of the collective.  Neal node your large contributions to the regulation process has been noted and we shall look away this time.

[NWR_Neal]

Is this like an Aparoid thing?

[Lithium]

I wasn't a fan of this game either, but I'm not sure if it was because this is the game where i finally got sick of the Zelda formula or if i just didn't like this particular game that much. Although much of the hate this game this game gets is pretty hyperbolic (surprise, surprise) because we usually expect the best experience possible when it comes to this series and when it doesn't deliver people freak out. I bet that if this wasn't a Zelda game, but a Zelda clone in the vein of Darksiders or Okami this game would probably be widely liked.

edit: pretty sure its pronounced "gear-ah-heem"

[AV]

No discussion on podcast about the time crystals ?!

[Ceric]

No discussion on podcast about the time crystals ?!

Really,
Time Crystals were neat.

[NWR_Neal]

Time Crystals were fantastic. One of the moments of the game where I was just wowed. Soooooo awesome.

In our defense, this is a tough game to cover in a limited amount of time. These segments aren't meant to be definitive.

[VickiL]

I wonder if this will be like Wind Waker, and this game will settle better in 5 years or so.

For my part, I enjoyed it quite a lot.  I started playing it again just a couple days ago (in anticipation of it's appearance near the top of this list), and I'm enjoying it even more.  I constantly blew myself up the first time I played, throughout the whole game, but this time I'm not struggling at all.  Can't wait to see if Tentalus schools me again.

[Sarail]

I absolutely love Skyward Sword. As a matter of fact, it's my favourite 3D Zelda. Not my favourite overall Zelda, but definitely my fav 3D Zelda.

I'm really surprised this didn't land at #1. I'm really curious as to what IS #1 now...

But yeah, SS had me feeling like a little kid from beginning to end. Reminded me a lot of when I played ALttP so long ago. Everything from the art design, the motion control mechanics, dungeon layouts, and even the parts that some of you guys consider "padding" were all thoroughly enjoyable. I especially loved the Silent Realm portions as they were quite intense and made me very nervous and anxious as I plotted through them. Loved it. As far as the sword mechanics go, I don't wanna play another Zelda game without them. Seriously. I could see them being even more fine-tuned on the Wii U, which would lead to an even smoother experience than what SS offered - and SS's were great! Bomb rolling was especially fantastic. Very fluid movement there - you can tell it was ripped right out of Wii Sports bowling. Again, loved it.

If another Zelda using Motion+ is created for Wii U, I'd like to see the GamePad used in its "stand" position as a Map/Inventory screen - maybe even using the pointer to point AT the GamePad screen to select weapons/items. It does have a IR built-in after all. Either way, I'm sure the next Zelda is going to be another brilliant addition.

Very pleased to see SS at the #2 spot.

[oksoda]

I thoroughly enjoyed Skyward Sword. There were times when the controls would frustrate a bit, but it's a gorgeous, ambitious game. I think it will be the template that the next handful of Zelda games follow, much like Ocarina of Time before it (and a Link to the Past before that). I can't really understand all the negativity surrounding what is an earnest and joyful game throughout.

[broodwars]

I can't really understand all the negativity surrounding what is an earnest and joyful game throughout.

That's because all you Skyward Sword fans are delusional.   : :

I likewise can't understand all the positivity surrounding what is a boring and thoroughly un-enjoyable game with terrible combat (thanks to combat requiring motion control the Wiimote simply can't do consistently, even with Motion+), uninspired level design, and quite possibly the worst pacing & repetition issues the series has ever seen.  Seriously, a couple of years from now, everyone will be acknowledging how bad this game is just as they currently acknowledge they got sucked into the Twilight Princess hype at the Wii launch and ended up overrating a mediocre game.

[NWR_Neal]

I think we played a different game. Are you sure you didn't just play Twilight Princess again?

As documented around the launch of the game, I carefully thought about the game in a larger context, full well knowing how much I didn't really care for TP a few years later. I could be proven wrong and make an aboutface, but I loved this game and have wonderful, fantastic memories of it that will be rekindled every few years when I replay it. Just like Wind Waker. Just like Ocarina. Not like Twilight Princess.

[Sarail]

Yeah, I don't understand the gripes about the motion control in the game. It worked almost flawlessly for me. The only time a hiccup ever occurred was when it needed to be re-calibrated. But guess what? The game has a seamless built-in re-calibration technique that allows you to do just that and continue playing without any major diversion. It works great, and I really only had to use it when firing off the hookshot, bow/arrow, or any other "pointing" type weapon/item. It was  rare when I had to, and it was never a nuisance.

Seriously, brood. Do you have C3PO arms or something that keep you from playing games such as SS properly?

[broodwars]

Seriously, brood. Do you have C3PO arms or something that keep you from playing games such as SS properly? : :

There's a reason people have problems with the game's 1st boss & certain enemies in the game that require feinting or rapid changes of direction on your slices: the Wiimote is not sensitive enough to detect when you are moving the sword without executing a slice.  Plus, thrusting the Wiimote to do a forward thrust sucked when the Wii launched and it still sucks now since Motion+ doesn't add any extra sensitivity on that type of motion.  And guess what the hardest bosses in the game and most of the general fodder enemies use?  Right...both techniques.

Plus, it always rubbed me the wrong way how enemies would hold their weapons when they fought you.  NO ONE holds a sword(s) like they do, and it reeks of artificial telegraphing that really ruined the immersion for me even when the controls did work.

[NWR_Neal]

So I guess you don't like it when bosses' weak points glow, either?

[broodwars]

So I guess you don't like it when bosses' weak points glow, either?

Not particularly these days, no.  But even that doesn't feel as artificially as someone trying to "guard" by holding their swords at perpendicular angles so there's an obvious hole for you to swipe through.

[NWR_Neal]

About as artificial as having a talking sword companion? Or fighting sentient plants?

Maybe you should just start fencing and give up video games altogether. They must be way too artificial for you.

[Ceric]

I do like Fencing.

[broodwars]

About as artificial as having a talking sword companion?

Don't get me started on Fi or the Trials.  Seriously, that master of boring redundancy somehow irritated me more than Ocarina's Navi, & I didn't think that was possible.