If there were to be a poll of the most anticipated titles of 2011, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword would surely be high on most gamers' lists. Similarly, if there were to be a poll of games likely to be pushed from 2011 to 2012, Zelda would also be fairly high on the list. Thankfully, Shigeru Miyamoto has come out to assuage many gamers' fears by saying that Skyward Sword is, "Over half complete."

Zelda is a series that has long been synonymous with extensive delays. Usually these delays are in service of the fans, polishing the experience or including Wii support, but inevitably they do begin to wane on gamers’ hearts. Miyamoto wanted to make sure that fans don't get too worried by saying:

“What we are focused on is creating gameplay mechanics so the gameplay experience feels very dense. In fact, the overall experience is going to feel more dense. We hope that people will want to go back and replay the game once they finish it."

What "half complete" means in Nintendo terms could be many different things. It could be Nintendo saying that it doesn’t look like they are going to make their hopeful 2011 release date or it could mean they are saying it’s almost finished. “Half complete,” in Nintendo terms can be taken more ways than there are versions of Zelda.

At the end of the day Nintendo has the right goal in mind, they want to deliver the same solid experience gamers have come to expect over the years, with a few inventive changes of course, without sacrificing development in favor of a release date; it’s Zelda after all.

Hands-on with the game has proven a bit disappointing and that poor E3 demonstration didn’t do much to help Nintendo’s case. Perhaps the extra time allotment has been in service of the fans — making sure any fears are squashed pre-release.

It’s tough not to think of Nintendo as the company that likes to keep us waiting (look at Kid Icarus), but it has become one of their trademarks for better or worse. No matter where Skyward Sword is in its development, it’s bound to be a surefire hit.

When do you see Skyward Sword releasing? Do you think it is headed for a 2012 release or do you think “half complete” is a positive statement?

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is currently set for a Spring 2011 release date on the Nintendo Wii.

Source: Pocket Lint