Unique Zelda adventure gets new life on Switch

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Skyward Sword in an updated version reawakens the charm of this already somewhat forgotten edition in the Zelda series, writes Alexander Ekelund.

The year when Zelda marks its 35th anniversary, many had hoped for a celebration similar to the one Mario had last year, with some form of collection for Switch.

That did not happen, and recently it also became clear that neither Breath of the Wild 2 time out before the turn of the year.

But we get an updated version of unique Skyward Sword at least – and at least there’s nothing to despise.

This Zelda adventure, which was released at the junction between Wii and Wii U, is, in the end, both a fascinating part of the series and perfectly intended for the Switch. While the Wii U put that with motion-sensitive remote controls on the side, the Switch is flexible enough to handle the gyro technology Skyward Sword was designed for. Everything from how to aim sword blows to turns objects and control projectiles is performed by manually making the movements with the control boxes. Apart from the lack of an external sensor in front of the TV – which results in you having to recalibrate them closely – Switch even has the upper hand.

It is also an interesting Zelda edition as far as the story, the game world and the layout are concerned. It is consistently more experimental than Twilight Princess, while compared to Breath of the Wild – the series’ biggest change to date – it still stays close enough to the classic Zelda formula to make you feel at home.

Skyward Swords’ different control system, framing and distribution of gameplay results in a unique and captivating Zelda well worth experiencing for both new players and visitors.