It’s been a decade since this game saw the light of day, and that was on the Wii. The 2021 redux is an impressive update of the ‘classic’ Zelda template which brings the clumsier elements of the original bang up to next-gen standards.
First thing first, the stills here don’t really do the game justice, it looks simply lovely running at 60fps, even if Breath Of The Wild beats to for overall design.
Second thing second, the motion controls, those that threw a few people go the Link train in 2011 are refined here, and you can choose to do away with them completely, if you prefer.
In a timeline that would make Christopher Nolan reach for his scratching post, this is the first Zelda adventure as we know it, desire coming out some 20 years after the originals.
As ever, Zelda has got herself kidnapped, this time, the goddess Hylia has sealed away the evil on the surface of Hyrule and moved humans to the skies to protect them. However, an evil force abducts Zelda, leaving it up to Link to travel to the surface and discover his fate as the chosen hero.
The story and writing in Zelda games have always been second fiddle to the puzzles and level design, as well as their sense of scope and here the character writing, script and development is without peer.
For fans of Zelda, both new and old, it is time to revisit this once lost gem.
The Legend Of Zelda Skyward Sword is out now on Nintendo Switch.
