[Rekubot]

It's a shame there's no title sequence in this game. The world above the clouds is so beautiful I can't believe Nintendo forwent the chance to show it off with some soothing music in the background.

[ajim]

Alright, I've had this game since launch however I'm just getting into it now after putting both Xenoblade Chronicles and The Last Story through their paces.

Absolutely loving the game so far, it's really refreshing, and a joy to play.

I'm up to the Lanayru Desert and got the upgraded flying bug and am competely stumped at what to do at this point. Oh well, I'll keep trying to figure it out. It's probably something really simple I'm overlooking.

Anyway, the controls are fantastic, puzzles have been nice, overworld is fantastic (I love cruising around on the bird) and it looks so purdy.

[Effect]

That's it! :( I'm at the Skyloft Silent Realm and I've reached a deal breaker (it's been building up) for future Zelda games. As much as I'm enjoying this game, and I'm loving it for the most part, if this crap (or anything like it) is in a future Zelda game I'm not buying it. I'm finally at the point now where it's no longer worth it to suffer through a small part of what is otherwise an extremely enjoyable game. Collecting things in general can be annoying but I really don't mind that. The sections leading up to this were okay. I don't mind that type of thing. I normally dislike time based sections in general but I can usually deal with them. This Silent Realm crap is something else all together.

I'll eventually get through this I think. Will be taking a break again (started playing again today and put just under 5 hours into) and will watch some youtube videos to see others run this so I know exactly what to do. Hopefully that helps me get pass it quickly. This type of thing though is not fun or challenging. It's pure frustration.

I was trying to hold off playing Xenoblade until I finish Skyward Sword. That's not happening now.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

That's the last one, if it's any consolation.

[Effect]

Well I've calm down from last night. Managed to clear it this afternoon after failing several times. A video on YouTube did help though. Just glad it's over. However still feel this is going to be a deal breaker for the next game and I'm not replaying this one do to these sections.

[Nyoro SF]

I didn't have any trouble with the Silent Realms though. Where are you making mistakes?

Farore: 2 tries
Naryu: 1 try
Din: 2 tries
Skyloft: 1 try (I figured out by accident that if you throw yourself off the edge, the Guardians stop chasing you, you get to keep all your tears and no timer penalty).

[Effect]

It's not the point of making mistakes or even being able to do them eventually. It's just that they simply aren't fun but frustrating. There is no sense, at least for me, of accomplishment after finishing them. No feeling that I just completed a challenging but enjoyable section of a game. Just relief that those frustrating minutes are behind me and I can get back to enjoying the game. I also would not be surprised if these sections stopped some players, especially those new to the series, from even finishing the game and turned them off to it.

They've certainly changed my opinion of the game for the worse. If I could just cut out those sections the game would be near perfect for me as a Zelda game.

[ajim]

Nyoro SF - you could have been a bit more courteous and spoiler tagged that stuff.

[Nyoro SF]

It's not the point of making mistakes or even being able to do them eventually. It's just that they simply aren't fun but frustrating. There is no sense, at least for me, of accomplishment after finishing them. No feeling that I just completed a challenging but enjoyable section of a game. Just relief that those frustrating minutes are behind me and I can get back to enjoying the game. I also would not be surprised if these sections stopped some players, especially those new to the series, from even finishing the game and turned them off to it. They've certainly changed my opinion of the game for the worse. If I could just cut out those sections the game would be near perfect for me as a Zelda game.

I take it you hate platformers.

I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and creativity of the Silent Realms, and I hope something in a similar vein appears in future Zeldas.

I've always digged time-based challenges like the block puzzle or trading sequence in OoT.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

"Timed required perfect-run stealth collection section" is a funny definition for "platformer", or at least as a litmus test for whether you like them or not.

[Mistle]

I really enjoyed the Silent Realms. But I was in "OMG SKYWARD SWORD" mode. I still absolutely love the game though, but it's yet to be seen if they'll become an annoyance when I replay it.

[Effect]

I take it you hate platformers. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and creativity of the Silent Realms, and I hope something in a similar vein appears in future Zeldas. I've always digged time-based challenges like the block puzzle or trading sequence in OoT.

I don't understand trying to compare platformers and the Silent Realms. Not that same at all. I wouldn't compared things in OoT to it either. I did enjoy those in the end. Didn't have a problem with the time sections to make the Biggoron's Sword.

[RoylAsult]

im trying to find this game for cheap, really want to get back to playing my Wii. But i have a simple question. Do the HDTV cables make a huge difference when playing this? along with some other games?

[Sagitario]

im trying to find this game for cheap, really want to get back to playing my Wii. But i have a simple question. Do the HDTV cables make a huge difference when playing this? along with some other games?

If you can afford component cables, GET THEM. Games definitely look better (specially colors), but at the end of the day, it is still a SD signal on a HDTV.

[RoylAsult]

If you can afford component cables, GET THEM. Games definitely look better (specially colors), but at the end of the day, it is still a SD signal on a HDTV.

http://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-Wii-C...4077129&sr=8-1

these do?

[Joe Shlabotnik]

The upscaling and input lag is going to be pretty hideous with composite cables on an HDTV. Sometimes the clarity of the component signal arguably makes some games look worse (it's still 480p), but it is objectively a clearer picture and most games will look and play much, much better.

http://www.amazon.com/Nintendo-Wii-C...4077129&sr=8-1 these do?

I guess it's worth a shot for four bucks, but quality does matter for analog cables. Safest pick would be the official Nintendo component cables.

[RoylAsult]

ive bought HDMI cables from amazon for 4$ and they have all been great. So i would expect these to work but i just wanted to make sure that it will actually make a difference

[Joe Shlabotnik]

HDMI carries a digital signal so the quality of the cable doesn't matter (to a point). Either the TV gets the entire signal or it doesn't.

Component is analog and the quality of the cable does matter, as it can easily send a degraded signal to the TV, and you get a bad picture, and you think we lied, when it's the cable's fault.

Again, maybe worth the risk for four bucks, but if the picture is bad you probably have a bad cable.

[RoylAsult]

okay thanks, guess i will find out soon lol. I ended up picking this game for 28$ on Amazon, cant really complain about that. Hope it holds up to all of the expectations.

[RoylAsult]

quick question, i havnt had a chance to start the game and cant play it unit the weekend but i just stumbled upon this thing called motion plus for the wiimote (i havnt touched the wii in a very long time)

Do i NEED this in order to play or can i use the original wiimote that came with the console?

[Joe Shlabotnik]

Yes you need Motion Plus.

[RoylAsult]

the game seriously wont work without it? kinda annoyed right now...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...F8&me=&seller=

this is all i need right? and its compatible with the original wii motes?

[Effect]

the game seriously wont work without it? kinda annoyed right now... http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...F8&me=&seller= this is all i need right? and its compatible with the original wii motes?

Yes it is. The Nunchuck plugs into the Motion Plus add on since the add on plugs into the bottom of the remote.

[RoylAsult]

okay thank you, i just ordered it. This game better be awesome for all the extra stuff i need (hd cables and now this)

[MrOogieBoogie]

Hey guys, what's the remarkable music track that plays while you're talking to Groose right after returning from the Gate of Time, and he's telling you that he's decided to stay behind with the old lady? It was absolutely epic.

[MrOogieBoogie]

Guys, this is the piece of music I'm talking about!

Please don't mind the annoying narration.

WHAT IS THAT TRACK? It's nothing like I'd expect in a Zelda game. Sounds like the intro to an Explosions in the Sky song or something.

[Melhisedek]

How long do I have left? I just got the third sacred flame

[Ushojax]

How long do I have left? I just got the third sacred flame

You just finished the last 'true' dungeon. Your heading for the end game but you've still got a few hours left.

[MYE]

Guys, this is the piece of music I'm talking about! Please don't mind the annoying narration. WHAT IS THAT TRACK? It's nothing like I'd expect in a Zelda game. Sounds like the intro to an Explosions in the Sky song or something.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0np8WU2Znw

:)

[StickSoldier]

Man, I'm about to freak the fuck out on this game. I'm trying real hard to like it which sucks because I normally love Zelda games, but oh my, this game is just downright pissing me off. Now, I know a lot of people aren't having problems with the controllers, and for the most part they normally work, it just seems when I'm fighting monsters the motion I'm swinging the sword in just doesn't register. It's a real nuisance trying to fight a monster that needs to be attacked sideways, for instance, only to have a slight angle in your attack causing me to miss. Another thing is that my beetle won't fly straight at all, it'll fly either right or left and nothing in between so for me to go forward, I'm constantly having to fly right then left and so on... I've tried two different controllers along with two different motion plus devices so I don't know what the deal is, I just hope this isn't what I'll have to experience throughout the game.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

Man, I'm about to freak the fuck out on this game. I'm trying real hard to like it which sucks because I normally love Zelda games, but oh my, this game is just downright pissing me off. Now, I know a lot of people aren't having problems with the controllers, and for the most part they normally work, it just seems when I'm fighting monsters the motion I'm swinging the sword in just doesn't register. It's a real nuisance trying to fight a monster that needs to be attacked sideways, for instance, only to have a slight angle in your attack causing me to miss. Another thing is that my beetle won't fly straight at all, it'll fly either right or left and nothing in between so for me to go forward, I'm constantly having to fly right then left and so on... I've tried two different controllers along with two different motion plus devices so I don't know what the deal is, I just hope this isn't what I'll have to experience throughout the game.

Are you making tiiiny movements with your wrist when controlling the beetle? That's all you need to turn the beetle (and the bird). If you're holding the controller straight out in front of you with the buttons facing up, you should hardly ever have to tilt the controller more than, say, 30 degrees or so (or less) in either direction.

More often it's like driving a car, where you're making tiny adjustments all the time that you don't even really notice.

Without seeing you play it's hard to tell whether there's a calibration issue or you're doing-it-wrong.

[StickSoldier]

Are you making tiiiny movements with your wrist when controlling the beetle? That's all you need to turn the beetle (and the bird). If you're holding the controller straight out in front of you with the buttons facing up, you should hardly ever have to tilt the controller more than, say, 30 degrees or so (or less) in either direction. More often it's like driving a car, where you're making tiny adjustments all the time that you don't even really notice. Without seeing you play it's hard to tell whether there's a calibration issue or you're doing-it-wrong.

Yeah I'm not turning it hard or anything, just slightly angling the controller. It seems that the beetle starts of flying straight, but for instance, if I turn it left, it will keep going left until I have the Wii mote angled enough to go right, it will never go straight again until I shoot the beetle again. So basically, even though I'm hardly tilting the controller, it's like the beetle only has two directions it can go, right or left.

[leroidys]

Yeah I'm not turning it hard or anything, just slightly angling the controller. It seems that the beetle starts of flying straight, but for instance, if I turn it left, it will keep going left until I have the Wii mote angled enough to go right, it will never go straight again until I shoot the beetle again. So basically, even though I'm hardly tilting the controller, it's like the beetle only has two directions it can go, right or left.

The beetle would normally work for me OK, but at times it would freak the fuck out completely and just make hard right circles with no way to really control it. I had to just turn it off and come back sometimes, it made the game very frustrating whenever it happened. I don't think I could have completed the game if it happened EVERY time I used it. That sucks.

[TheCongressman1]

Holy shit, guys. Holy shit.

Ordon Ranch in Skyward Sword

Outset Island in Skyward Sword

Wouldn't it be great to flesh out some of the small areas in this game? Or better yet, actual Islands in the Sky!

[Heavy's Sandvich]

I finished the game yesterday and deleted my save because of hero mode :(

The game was incredible, the biggest triumph being the combat.

[Chuckpebble]

Holy shit, guys. Holy shit. Outset Island in Skyward Sword Wouldn't it be great to flesh out some of the small areas in this game? Or better yet, actual Islands in the Sky!

Link, are you Jesus?

[tc farks]

My god! I'm up to the 2nd temple and the controls were terrible. Slow pointer in menu, swings not accurate. It was awful but now it's wonderful! The calabration information Nintendo give is awful. It says to put on flat surface! I do and get all those problems. I decided to hold it still in the air and now works great. The pointer moves fast and my swings are accurate. Luckily I tried that or I would of hated this game.

I'm glad I came across this post. I'm playing SS right now and just got to the water dragon and while the controls weren't killing me they always felt off. And it wasn't the centering. I never thought to just hold the wiimote in my hand during the calibration. But it makes all the sense in the world, I don't play holding the wiimote perfectly flat...

Thanks.

[CorvoSol]

So I just finished this game the other day, and though I really liked it (as in REALLY LIKED IT), I can see where some of the complaints are coming from.

Skyworld is dreadfully empty. I felt that if the lower world had been fully interconnected, I would never have ever wanted to go back to Skyworld. There was simply very little there that interested me.

Sword fighting jumped back and forth between amazing and frustrating for me. I loved being able to cut things in neat ways, but I loathed fighting the goblins with electric swords because most of the time I'd nick those damn swords while trying to move my sword into position. The sword-fighting boss fights were pretty great, though.

I, for one, loved the story. I felt it carried that right amount of humor and seriousness.

Needing to make the bird flap its own wings became a major annoyance once or twice as well.

And that pumpkin game was horrid.

[tc farks]

So I just finished this game the other day, and though I really liked it (as in REALLY LIKED IT), I can see where some of the complaints are coming from. Skyworld is dreadfully empty. I felt that if the lower world had been fully interconnected, I would never have ever wanted to go back to Skyworld. There was simply very little there that interested me. Sword fighting jumped back and forth between amazing and frustrating for me. I loved being able to cut things in neat ways, but I loathed fighting the goblins with electric swords because most of the time I'd nick those damn swords while trying to move my sword into position. The sword-fighting boss fights were pretty great, though. I, for one, loved the story. I felt it carried that right amount of humor and seriousness. Needing to make the bird flap its own wings became a major annoyance once or twice as well. And that pumpkin game was horrid.

Did you do all the skyloft sidequests? I've done a few but got tired of them pretty quickly. I don't know if there's a good payoff but I enjoy everything else besides Skyloft so much that I always hurry up and get out of there... I basically agree with everything you said and I'm not all that far.

[Slime]

My TV stopped working back in November just as I was really getting into the game. I loved what I'd played so far and was so majorly bummed that I couldn't continue. So I spent the last several months in the dark about the game, and finally got a new TV recently, and continued from where I left off (Lanayru Desert).

Good god, what a disappointment. It's like my TV died right before the enjoyability of the game did. The main factor that drew me to Zelda in the NES days was the exploration and range of areas. Does it get any better, or is the rest of the game really just re-visiting places I've already been?

[leroidys]

My TV stopped working back in November just as I was really getting into the game. I loved what I'd played so far and was so majorly bummed that I couldn't continue. So I spent the last several months in the dark about the game, and finally got a new TV recently, and continued from where I left off (Lanayru Desert). Good god, what a disappointment. It's like my TV died right before the enjoyability of the game did. The main factor that drew me to Zelda in the NES days was the exploration and range of areas. Does it get any better, or is the rest of the game really just re-visiting places I've already been?

I'm sorry to say, yes.

[Flying_Phoenix]

So I sold my Wii 2 years ago. I have been PC gaming since. I have used nothing but a gamepad or a keyboard and mouse.

I went to my friends house and while they got hooked on Diablo III I didn't have the game so he offered me to play Skyward Sword.

I played for a hair over 3 hours. I got to the entrance of the first temple.

My thoughts:

- The sword controls are incredible. Anybody who prefers a gamepad over this has a bad opinion. Most revolutionary thing I've tried since the analog stick.

- This should have been a launch game for the Wii. As in the Wii should have launched with motion plus and a flagship title similar to this.

- Why is it so difficult to hit those red ogre duders at times? I slash my sword and they keep blocking. I know it can't be the lack of correct input because it works fine when I screw around out of battle or try to hit back the nuts those nuts spitter things.

- Since when did Zelda get cutscenes as frequent as JRPGs? The beginning of the game holy shit.

- The story seems good.

- The graphics are great despite shit textures, but hey its the Wii.

- The interface is great.

- No voice acting > voice acting.

[abasm]

So I sold my Wii 2 years ago. I have been PC gaming since. I have used nothing but a gamepad or a keyboard and mouse. I went to my friends house and while they got hooked on Diablo III I didn't have the game so he offered me to play Skyward Sword. I played for a hair over 3 hours. I got to the entrance of the first temple. My thoughts: - The sword controls are incredible. Anybody who prefers a gamepad over this has a bad opinion. Most revolutionary thing I've tried since the analog stick. - This should have been a launch game for the Wii. As in the Wii should have launched with motion plus and a flagship title similar to this. - Why is it so difficult to hit those red ogre duders at times? I slash my sword and they keep blocking. I know it can't be the lack of correct input because it works fine when I screw around out of battle or try to hit back the nuts those nuts spitter things. - Since when did Zelda get cutscenes as frequent as JRPGs? The beginning of the game holy shit. - The story seems good. - The graphics are great despite shit textures, but hey its the Wii. - The interface is great. - No voice acting > voice acting.

If the Wii had launched with Motion Plus and Skyward Sword, we would probably be singing a very different tune about motion controls right now. It really does make good on a lot of the Wii's early promises.

[Flying_Phoenix]

If the Wii had launched with Motion Plus and Skyward Sword, we would probably be singing a very different tune about motion controls right now. It really does make good on a lot of the Wii's early promises.

The Wii's problem is that it never got a Mario 64. A game that not only sold developers on the new game style, but showed them how to do it, and on top of that was a great fucking game that did not rely on standing out due to "proving that it works". Skyward sword does just that. The sword controls really do make a difference in gameplay that many of us dreamed as as children Not only that but the rest of the controls and interface transfer very smoothly. But instead of a game to open up the Wii and its "legacy", its the swan song. It would be like if the Nintendo 64 didn't truly deliver and show developers how to do full roaming 3D gaming until Majora's Mask. Heartbreaking.

[effzee]

I am just playing this game now because of school and other responsibilities I couldn't finish.

I don't even know what % I am into it, but god damn its amazing. Just got to the Isle of Songs. So far its one of the best games I have ever played.

[abasm]

A game that not only sold developers on the new game style, but showed them how to do it

Wii Sports filled that qualification, and wound up sending the wrong message for the rest of the generation.

[robox]

just finished the game, like yesterday. it's good.. but there's a number of negatives that bring it down.

- a complaint that originates from oot, the sky hub is just too big and empty. going in and out and across is just a lot of dead time. flying is really neat, but it loses its appeal when it becomes really routine.

+ really like the variety of tasks. coming from uncharted and shadow of the colossus just prior, it's kinda refreshing to have all this stuff thrown at me

+ timeshift stones are amazing. it's one of those mechanics that i tag under "only in video games," vs say a billion other games whose central mechanic is shooting. i'd be down for a game that revolves around time shift stones.

+ the dungeons are still brilliant as ever.

- there's a lot fluff in the game still. there were several times where i'd consider quitting over a random fetch quests over retraced territory. the silent realms were amongst these. the gratitude crystals, while not rage-quit inducing, were approached with apprehension. didn't really wanna do them, but i know there's good rewards behind it, so.... dammit, just do it.

- motion controls were pretty neat when the requirements are pretty loose, but frustrating when requiring swiftness and precision, such as fighting them electrified dudes. the straight jab was one move i still couldn't get on a consistent basis.

i'd prob like the game way more if it was a tighter package. cut out the fluff, cut out like 10 hours and make it feel more cohesive. basically, i wholly agree with this article on evolving zelda. when i finished wind waker, i said i'd swore off zelda because i thought i'd seen it all. so i skipped twilight princess and the ds games, until i caught the ss hype train. the things that modern 3d zelda's do well, are still awesome, but the things it doesn't still haven't been addressed.

[Flying_Phoenix]

*Reads through thread* Zelda fans really are the worst fanbase of all-time. Every new Zelda game is shit to them and the previous ones are gold. I can't believe there are people here shouting out for Windwaker and Twilight Princess. The irony.

Wii Sports filled that qualification, and wound up sending the wrong message for the rest of the generation.

The difference is that Wii Sports couldn't be applied to a lot of different genres. Mario 64 could be applied to a vast majority of genres.

[leroidys]

*Reads through thread* Zelda fans really are the worst fanbase of all-time. Every new Zelda game is shit to them and the previous ones are gold. I can't believe there are people here shouting out for Windwaker and Twilight Princess. The irony. The difference is that Wii Sports couldn't be applied to a lot of different genres. Mario 64 could be applied to a vast majority of genres.

Really? I would only say that the game is polarizing to a greater extent than prior titles. I have not seen an unusual abundance of praise for Twilight Princess since SS came out.

[SecretMoblin]

*Reads through thread* Zelda fans really are the worst fanbase of all-time. Every new Zelda game is shit to them and the previous ones are gold. I can't believe there are people here shouting out for Windwaker and Twilight Princess. The irony.

I think the issue with the franchise is just the hype cycle. Even other major Nintendo franchises like Mario, Metroid, or Kirby don't have the kind of cachet that The Legend of Zelda has. Zelda fans can't help but compare every new game to previous (great) ones; they can work themselves into a frenzy and then are inevitably let down when the game isn't the second coming of Favorite Zelda Game X.

I don't think it's really that terrible, honestly. The ride can still be fun for those of us who don't get on the hype train, and I think gamer consensus about the various games in the franchise is generally correct in the long run. At the end of the day, I think the number of people who actually think SS is among the worst in the franchise is on par with those who think the other big games are among the worst. And I think the as-of-now consensus about SS is pretty accurate: it's a very good game with some major nitpicks.