Entries in The Legend of Zelda series are always among the most anticipated of all Nintendo games, and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is no exception. In a year that promises very few major Wii titles, Skyward Sword stands out like – what’s the opposite of a sore thumb? – the one digit on an arthritic hand that doesn’t hurt.
Nintendo’s demo showed three sections of the game. In one you ride a big bird around using the Wii remote to guide it. The PR flack wouldn’t say how much of the game is devoted to flying, so for all I know this is the only bird sequence in the whole game, but I’m hoping the bird will be the equivalent of the boat in The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker and will be the main form of transportation.
Sword required Nintendo’s MotionPlus technology, either in the form of the MotionPlus dongle or the Remote+. This makes swordplay far more specific than it was in the other Wii Zelda game, Twilight Princess. You can see the sword follow your motions as you move your arm or twist the remote. For each creature in the game you must figure out the specific way you have to move the sword to best an attacker. For example, you must use the sword to flip over a giant spider before you can attack the weak spot in its abdomen.
Players will have access to typical Zelda weapons like a sword and a bow (which is handled in a in a way similar to the method in Wii Sports Resort). The most unusual tool I saw was a bumblebee you can fire at objects. Once it starts moving you can guide it with the remote. It reminded me of the way you fire and control swords in the PS3 game Heavenly Sword, and came in handy in one of the game’s puzzles.
I also got a chance to fight one boss. This was Ghirahim, a white-haired, white-lipped bad guy who is after Zelda (who is to Zelda games what Princess Peach is to Mario games – a damsel in continual distress). Ghirahim is really, really creepy. He reminded me of my vague recollection of Crispin Glover in that terrible Charlie’s Angels movie, although one of Nintendo’s PR people said he reminded her of someone from Zoolander. When he sneaks up behind Link and whispers in his ear and wiggles his tongue, well, it’s a little disturbing. The fight itself was interesting in that once again you need to figure out what slashes of the sword are most appropriate for countering and attacking Ghirahim.
Graphically the game is nice as Wii games go but nothing particularly impressed me.
Zelda games have always been a safe entertainment bet, and I’m expecting to find Sword as fun as its predecessors. The little bit I played was engaging, offering exactly what gamers expect from the series. The PR flack claims the full game is particularly massive, and this will certainly be the high point of Wii games in 2011. The game will ship November 20th.
