It took me 35 hours to beat and I did not one side quest (I did look for goddess cubes) because they are have always been kind of pointless, to me at least, to beating the game. A side note to that, I wish I had did some side quests to get more bottles because more bottles would of helped a lot in this game.

I must say Zelda is one of my favorite series, I’ve played every game during their original releases. Skyward Sword does a few things that are the best in the series, and some things that are the worst in the series.

Best:

Dungeons

puzzles

challenge/difficulty

stuff to buy with rupees 

bosses

mini-bosses

pre-dungeon stuff*
There is this part where you obtain a small key in a certain way. Simple but very cool “Only Nintendo” moment.

*There are a few exceptions here that will be hit or completely miss with some players. Like the swimming for music notes part. That part is complete trash, partly because the point it comes in the game and mostly the controls. But, for the most part I thought the variety was refreshing.

Worst:

Navi-like helper (Fi)

The amount of hand holding and repeating stuff that stops the game dead in its tracks. Basically, unnecessary padding *

Music (its great, but not catchy like you would expect from a Zelda game)

Overworld; while mostly fine in the context of the game, it makes the seamlessness this series is known for non-existant.

NPC quirkyness

Villain

*Sometimes you are reminded in three different ways via cutscene, NPC, and Fi. But then a few times you get the classic LoZ/LA/LttP puzzle hint that is vague and cryptic that tests if you were paying attention; 30 hours ago in one case lol. I love the latter because it’s classic Zelda. Otherwise, some stuff truly does pad the game, even though it can still be considered fun. An example would be the Silent Realm with an explanation each time and a reminder when you picked up an item you have already gotten. But I think Nintendo made this game with their non-hardcore Wii audience in mind because it would be less annoying to someone who plays games 2 hours a week as oppose to 8 hour a day stretches.


About controls:
Now the controls are mostly fine if you have an optimal setup for them. The intro may be a little too long for veteran Zelda players, but they had to make it that way because they are forcing a new control on everybody. You are suppose to take your time and play around with it. With that in mind the intro is fine and certainly better than Twilight Princess.

Swimming is ass. It works until you get in a narrow space and need to turn. The jumping out of water onto a platform is stupid most of the time. Phil will hate this, I think. The music note part especially.

The game is really challenging though. Most of the game I was running around with 1 to 4 hearts because I got wrecked. Not Dark Souls difficulty of course, but challenging enough to keep you on your toes. That reminds me of another thing. Drop rates for hearts, rupees, and arrows are low in this game. So collecting rupees is fun because there is stuff to spend them on they will actually help you out like potions. Can’t wait to play the harder difficulty where enemies do more damage and there are no heart drops to save your ass. The boss rush in the harder difficulty will be insane.

That had to be the most creative ways to obtain a small key in any of the Zelda games! It’s one of those simple things that hits you a moment later and you can’t help but note how freakin cool it was.

(Source: kyokosan)

vaati:

Story details:

- Ghirahim seeks to revive his master.
- The headmaster of the Knight Academy Link goes to is named Gaepora.
- Gaepora is Zelda’s father.
- Gaepora laugh like this “Hoo hoo hoo”, which seems Owl like.
- Zelda wakes up Link one morning to show him her dress for the Bird Riders ceremony.
- Noticing how lazy Link is about his flying training, Zelda pushes him off the edge of Skyloft.
- During the “date” after the competition, Zelda is trying to tell something to Link she’s been meaning to tell him for a long time, but is interrupted by a tornado.
- Link has premonitions of a black creature that shallows Zelda.
- During the attack of said tornado, Link is saved by his bird, which are called Loftwings.
- Fi appears in Skyloft after the attack and Link chases her all around Skyloft to the Goddess Statue.
- Fi was created by the Goddess to guide Link.
- The Sheikah’s Stones are back has the game’s hint system.
- The Eldin Volcano’s dungeon is NOT the Fire Temple, it’s the EARTH Temple.
- The bullies are named Groose, Cawlin and Stritch. Groose, the red-haired one, has a big crush on Zelda.
- Other characters includes Pipit, a senior student and bird expert. And Fledge, a nice guy but kind of a wimp.
- Link’s sword is referred to has the Goddess Sword and appears to be its official name. It is no longer called the Skyward Sword. Link gains the Goddess Sword before getting his green tunic.
- The Earth Temple’s boss full name is: “Pyroclastic Fiend Spaldera”.

Gameplay info:

- Night/Day transition does not occur in real-time. Link must go to bed and choose to get up at night or at day.
- Monster appear during the night. Cats become aggressive. The cats are apparently the freakiest enemies you’ll encounter.
- The HUD can be customized. Standard, Light and Pro. Standard shows the full controller overlay and button functions, Light only the buttons and Pro is almost completely clean.
- The only way to save your game is with the birds statues. They are pretty much everywhere, including mid-dungeon and right before boss rooms. From the Sky you can return to any activated statue.
- Almost everything in the environment can be interacted with.
- The Sword Beam is called a Skyward Strike.
- Skyloft is said to be gigantic.

deejaylate:

prophet-five:

Dammit this means I have to give GameStop more money…

The Legend of Zelda Four Swords parody.