One of the biggest announcements at the latest Nintendo Direct presentation was the reveal of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD, a remaster of the critically-acclaimed Wii game from 2011. Launching this summer, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD will deliver the same adventure that fans remember from the original game, but with some improved visuals and new control schemes.
Even though The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword earned near-universal critical acclaim when it launched for the Wii in 2011, the game is still somewhat controversial in the Zelda community because of its motion controls and padding. However, those who haven't given Skyward Sword a chance because of its motion controls can rest easy knowing that the new version of the game makes motion controls optional. Beyond that, those who enjoyed The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild may also want to give Skyward Sword a second look, as Nintendo has pointed out the ways that the Wii game directly inspired its popular successor.
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The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is like a classic Zelda game in terms of structure, and it certainly does not have the Breath of the Wild-style open world. However, various gameplay features in Skyward Sword laid the groundwork for what was to come in Breath of the Wild, as pointed out by Nintendo in a recent tweet. In the tweet, Nintendo shared some images of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD while drawing attention to how some of its gameplay features led directly into Breath of the Wild.
This includes the stamina meter, which is used in both Breath of the Wild and Skyward Sword to gauge actions like Link climbing up walls. Not only that, but The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword also introduced the concept of upgrading equipment, which was virtually unheard of in Zelda games up to that point, but was a major focus of Breath of the Wild. Link is also able to use a sailcloth for gliding purposes in Skyward Sword, which is another feature that was used in Breath of the Wild.
The screenshots shared by Nintendo showcase some of these features in action, like Skyward Sword's weapon upgrade system and the stamina meter. When one considers that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the highest-rated games of all time, it makes sense that Nintendo is trying to get people to associate it with Skyward Sword, though it must be stressed that Skyward Sword is still a very different kind of Zelda experience. The two games may share some similar gameplay features, but Breath of the Wild fans shouldn't go into Skyward Sword expecting all that similar of an experience.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD launches July 16, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.