A remaster of The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword was not the Zelda news most hoped for from today’s Nintendo Direct. Indeed, it could be considered one of the great trolls in video game history.
When series producer Eiji Aonuma appeared on screen, many thought it was finally time. After more than a year of radio silence, was it time to hear about Breath of the Wild 2? Sadly, no. Instead, Aonuma offered an apology to expectant fans, promising more information was soon to come. By way of apology, he offered the following:
Considered one of the beloved series’ weakest entries, Skyward Sword has divided fans since its 2011 debut. Its motion controls made moment-to-moment play frustrating and it’s aesthetic, somewhere between Wind Waker and Twilight Princess, failed to resonate with fans. One of the big changes Nintendo is making with Skyward Sword HD is that it is adding full button controls in addition to optional motion controls. Finally, you’ll be able to play Skyward Sword like a video game and not something you waggle a controller at.
Beyond this, it’s unclear if any major changes are being made to the game beyond improved resolution. We hope that the restructuring of controls is what the game needs to let it finally take its place among the Zelda greats.
The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword HD arrives July 16, 2021 exclusively on Nintendo Switch.
