Ranking Every Legend Of Zelda Game From Worst To Best
10. Skyward Sword
There's a plethora of positives to be found in Skyward Sword, but they're all crucially undermined by one major feature: motion controls.
Whereas Mario came to represent gaming purity from Nintendo, the more the Zelda series progressed, the more the company gradually used it as a canvas for gimmickry. Whilst the general formula remained untouched, instead the designers unnecessarily tinkered with its apparatus.
Wind Waker set us a-sea, Phantom Hourglass tried to prove the pen was mightier than the sword, and Twilight Princess forced fans to contest with cumbersome motion-controls. As the latter migrated to the Wii late in its development to help sell the console, it was clear the Wiimote waving was a tacked-on extra.
Skyward Sword was Nintendo's attempt to do it properly. Sadly, they crash landed.
It's such a shame, because some of the game's ideas are exceptional. Unfortunately, it's difficult to enjoy any of them when you're constantly wrestling with the Wii to do your bidding. Add in pacing which makes even the most lethargic glacier look spry, as well as material recycling fast-food chains would be ashamed of, and you have a game full of promise badly let down by execution.
Top marks for the inspired main theme though, a cunning reversal of Zelda's Lullaby. It's just a shame the controls often felt backwards as well.