The Wii was a revolutionary console in the field of motion controls. It helped make motion controls commonplace, inspiring similar console add-ons like PlayStation Move, and its ideas live on in the Nintendo Switch's JoyCons. Nintendo notoriously seemed to delight in motion controls, producing Mii-centric sports games with all kinds of twists on motion controls and even integrating them into its core games like Super Mario Galaxy. Motion controls were especially important to the Wii exclusive Legend of Zelda game: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Everything the player did, from battle Bokoblins to soar through Hyrule's sky, required motion control.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was once envisioned as a game meant to celebrate motion controls, and while some liked that innovation, not everyone was fond of it. In fact, many criticized Skyward Sword's motion controls for being unwieldy or unresponsive at times. That's a big part of why Skyward Sword HD for the Nintendo Switch includes button controls. Zelda fans who were previously lukewarm on motion controls will probably consider button controls a blessing, especially during the parts of the game where motion controls are the most pivotal. That includes the flying segments of the game. As charming as Skyward Sword's Loftwings are, flying on Link's Loftwing with motion controls wasn't always ideal.
Skyward Sword's Awkward Flight
In Skyward Sword, there's only a small civilization of Hylians that live in an archipelago of islands in the sky. While they aren't technologically advanced or magically powerful, they still have the means to travel from island to island thanks to Loftwings. Every Hylian grows up paired with one of these large, colorful, shoebill-like birds and gets trained to fly around Skyloft on their backs. Skyward Sword players can only complete Link's journey by getting frequent help from his rare red Loftwing, which will ferry him around the sky to investigate its secrets.
As compelling as that premise is, flying on a Loftwing can be a little awkward. Flight is yet another aspect of Skyward Sword that's built around motion controls. Players have to tilt and veer with their Wiimotes to direct their Loftwing through the sky and shake it around to gain altitude. Sometimes the motion controls contributed to the experience of flying in Skyward Sword—for instance, tilting the Wiimote downward to accelerate into a nosedive was pretty satisfying. Overall, though, the Loftwing's handling was a little too sluggish and cumbersome to be called precise.
Those controls weren't a huge problem when players were just exploring Skyward Sword's sky in search of treasure and minigames. It's the parts of the game where flying is the most important that the motion controls really show their flaws. At the beginning of the game, Link has to beat Groose and his friends in a flying race, which calls for a lot of projectile dodging and precision flight on the player's part. Because of the Loftwing's slow turning and rising speeds, this part could be really frustrating, which isn't a good introduction to Skyward Sword. The same flaws shone through later in the game whenever Link faces danger in the sky.
Improving Skyward Sword's Feathered Friends
For a little while, people wondered if Skyward Sword would ever get a port in large part because of its motion controls. That control scheme has fallen out of vogue, becoming more part of the VR console's domain rather than a regular facet of standard gaming consoles. That's why it was big news that Skyward Sword HD for the Switch would offer button controls. Nintendo has already shown off Skyward Sword's new control scheme to some degree, and the adaptations are pretty straightforward but impressive. For instance, the right joystick can imitate a great deal of Link's various sword attacks from different angles, meaning players who favor button controls have just as many attacks available as motion control players do.
If button controls are on the table, then that means there'll be button control options for Skyward Sword's Loftwings too. That'll make a big difference in plenty of situations. Turning the Loftwing with a joystick is bound to be much more responsive and accurate at a moment's notice than twisting a Wiimote in one's hand. Responsive, straightforward button controls at the start of Skyward Sword means Zelda fans who haven't had the chance to play the game before might get a much more satisfying and forgiving introduction to the game when it comes to the race with Groose.
Frankly, exploring Skyward Sword might feel better in general thanks to button controls. So much of the best loot and extra equipment that Link can find requires him to fly around and find the islands that it's hidden on. If flying feels like less of a chore, then players might be more excited to get out there and look for Heart Pieces and high-value Rupees. Skyward Sword does have a lot of interesting secrets that are worth finding, but the experience of looking for them should be just as fun and rewarding as finding the secrets themselves.
The Legend of Zelda is Always Changing
Nintendo made the right choice by keeping motion controls available in Skyward Sword HD for the Switch, even if they aren't always remembered fondly. Skyward Sword is so heavily built around motion controls that, in certain situations, the experience of the game flourishes the most when they're in use. Button controls are definitely more convenient, but there are also empowering moments like charging up Link's sword that button controls can't really replicate. Motion controls were part and parcel of the mound of innovations that Skyward Sword was built on; fans wouldn't get the full picture of the game if motion controls weren't available at all.
Still, there are parts of Skyward Sword that are definitely better off with a traditional control scheme rather than motion controls. Directing Link's sword slashes with precise swings of the Wiimote is satisfying, but frantically waving a controller to make a Loftwing keep pace with an objective isn't. If there are any parts of the game that motion control fans might prefer to try button controls, it's flight. Seeing The Legend of Zelda's origin story come to the Switch is exciting on its own, but it's also encouraging to see how much Nintendo is willing to improve the game with the power of hindsight.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD releases July 16 for Nintendo Switch.