was both a beginning and an ending

for one of Nintendo's most beloved franchises.

Released on a system known for its casual appeal

and unorthodox motion controls,

"Skyward Sword" was a mixed bag of sorts.

Yes, it sold millions of copies

and received multiple awards for its innovative aspects

and general quality,

but fans have since identified it

as one of the weakest Zelda games.

Their decision to shelf the traditional 3D Zelda formula

resulted in the phenomenal,

highly regarded "Breath of the Wild".

Now, almost a decade after its original debut,

Nintendo's released "Skyward Sword HD"

for the Nintendo Switch,

giving the Wii adventure a fresh coat of paint

and tweaks to its controls and gameplay.

Truth be told, in the post-"Breath of the Wild" world,

this rerelease isn't gonna win

the accolades the original did,

but that's not the point.

Rather, revisiting the venture via "Skyward Sword HD"

gives us a better understanding

of where the Legend of Zelda ended up 10 years ago,

and where it's going now.

(soft instrumental music)

It's easy to get lost in the labyrinthine timeline

of the Zelda saga,

but luckily "Skyward Sword HD"

is canonically the beginning of it all.

This origin story is a fitting place to jump in

for someone like myself

who didn't play "Skyward Sword" on the Wii,

and anyone who casually pops in and out

of the Zelda timeline

and wants to better understand the larger story

and the characters who inhabit this world.

"Skyward Sword HD" shows Link

to be a carefree and downright lazy sky dweller

who would rather sleep in

than practice becoming a knight.

He's the character who has all the skills,

but doesn't know his true potential,

and feels like more than a cipher wearing a green tunic.

We also discover that Skyward Sword Zelda,

the first reincarnation of the goddess Hylia,

is just a normal Skyloft settler,

sans the usual princess baggage.

She's Link's childhood friend,

and happens to be mad thirsty for the Hero of the Skies.

Witnessing the origin

of the Link and Zelda character archetypes

was surprisingly enjoyable,

granting more life to the duo than in usual Zelda games.

Turns out, it's nice when these kids show some personality.

(Zelda screams)

(Link gasping)

To be frank, "Skyward Sword" is linear as a game could be.

The follow the breadcrumbs style gameplay,

paired with their helper spirit Fi's obsessive handholding,

can feel stifling,

contrary to the spirit of adventure

you might hope from a Zelda game.

That said, I didn't get too caught up on the linearity,

perhaps because I've been duly warned ahead of time.

Sometimes, I just wanna turn on the autopilot

and go through the motions from point A to Zed.

And, to be honest, most older Zelda games

have linear adventures,

aside from a few side quests here and there.

Even so, the linearity rubbed a lot of folks the wrong way,

and the developers noticed.

Mr. Zelda himself, series producer Eiji Aonuma,

even commented on it.

Essentially saying, we hear the many,

and things will be different next time around.

As a result, the development team

sought to rethink every aspect of its next major game,

resulting in the free roaming, open-world gem

that is 2017's "Breathe of the Wild".

So, if you were expecting "Skyward Sword"

to be at all like "Breathe of the Wild",

heed my warning and look elsewhere,

but if you want to play a traditional, mainline Zelda title

on a current console,

"Skyward Sword HD" is the game for you.

Of course, I have to mention "Skyward Sword's"

famous motion controls,

which turned out somewhat wonky

due to the Wii's middling hardware,

and are one of the reasons the original version

garnered its mixed reception.

Many core aspects of "Skyward Sword's" gameplay

are centered around motion controls.

As expected, the remaster's motion controls are imperfect.

Wrangling them in wasn't a fun experience.

Yet, when it works, it's definitely satisfying.

Slicing a Deku Baba in the right direction is fun,

and, dynamically aiming at a Guay

and taking a down mid-flight is surprisingly gratifying.

Luckily, the Switch version offers

a new optional control scheme

that ditches motion control inputs entirely.

Now, you can make Link

precisely hack and slash in the correct directions

using the right analog stick,

which suited me and my play style just fine.

The Switch version also lets you look around

with the right stick while holding the left bumper.

It's a bit clunky, but still a welcome addition.

At the end of the day,

"Skyward Sword HD" still puts a heavy focus

on the motion controls,

and it should be played, or at least tried,

the way the development team intended.

Will I continue using the motion controls

instead of my pro controller?

Maybe not.

The new game pad style controls are great.

Still, I may switch back and forth from time to time

to better grasp the essence of what the Zelda team

was trying to accomplish here.

"The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD"

lets you revisit a turning point

in one of Nintendo's greatest and grandest franchises.

It's a rare chance to look at the past

on a current gen console,

and it's helped me better appreciate what came after,

even while feverishly waiting

for the saga's promising future,

and that's good enough for me.

(dynamic orchestral music)