In 2011, Nintendo releasedThe Legend of Zelda: Skyward Swordfor the Wii. The game earned widespread critical acclaim at the time of its launch, earning an impressive 93 rating on Metacritic and a respectable 8.1 user score. Recently, Amazon UK leaked the existence of a possibleSkyward SwordSwitch port, which garnered a mixed reaction from theZeldacommunity.
While it was well-received at launch, time hasn’t been kind toSkyward Sword’s reputation. For a variety of reasons, some fans don’t look back on the game quite as fondly as they do other 3DZeldagames, and so some expressed disappointment about the leak, hoping for Nintendo to bring a different classicZeldato Switch instead. But while there are many fans who may not be excited at the possibility of aSkyward SwordSwitch port, it seems to make the most sense at this time.
RELATED:The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Switch Port Listing Disappears from Amazon
Here is the case for bringingThe Legend of Zelda: Skyward Swordto the Nintendo Switch.
Anniversary
2021 marks35 years ofThe Legend of Zeldafranchise, as well as 10 years since the launch ofSkyward Swordfor the Wii in 2011. Nintendo often marks its franchise anniversaries with special releases, and it seems likely that it will do the same forThe Legend of Zeldafranchise. Since 2021 is an anniversary for bothSkyward SwordandThe Legend of Zeldafranchise in general, releasing an HD remake or remaster of the game seems only fitting.
Fi
MostZeldagames stick Link with a companion that’s there to give players tips during their adventure. Some are remembered fondly, but others are looked back on with disdain, andFifromSkyward Sworddefinitely falls in the latter camp. Fi has a penchant for constantly stating the obvious, and her constant-talking can bog down subsequentSkyward Swordplaythroughs. Being able to limit Fi’s tips would arguably help withSkyward Sword’s pacing quite a bit, but it’s just one example of how Nintendo could improve the game with a remake.
New Control Options
One of the main criticisms ofThe Legend of Zelda: Skyward Swordfor the Wii was its use of motion controls. Some gamers simply do not like motion controls, even when they’re done well, and so many didn’t even giveSkyward Sworda chance for that reason. The Switch’s Joy-Con controllers mean that Nintendo can retainSkyward Sword’s motion controlsif it ever decides to bring the game to the new console, but perhaps including a more traditional control scheme would be a good move as well.
By including both the motion controls and a more traditional control scheme, Nintendo can appease both fans of the originalSkyward Swordas well as those who dislike motion controls. Since this is one area where many agreeSkyward Swordcould be improved, it seems like this reason alone makes the game a remake worth pursuing.
Other Games Have Already Been Remade
When it comes to 3DZeldagames on console, all of them have been remade, with the exception ofSkyward Sword. Nintendo 64 classicsOcarina of TimeandMajora’s Maskhave both been remastered for the 3DS, whereasWind WakerandTwilight Princesswere given HD overhauls for the Wii U.Skyward Swordis the only 3DZeldastuck on a much older console (discounting the Wii U eshop release), and so hopefully Nintendo plans on changing that at some point in the near future.
RELATED:Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 Collector’s Edition May Have Just Leaked
That isn’t to say that Nintendo shouldn’t bring the other 3DZeldagames to the Switch. In fact, it would be very surprising if Nintendo didn’t bring theWind WakerandTwilight PrincessWii U ports to the Switchat some point down the line.
Side Quests
Another common criticism inSkyward Swordreviewswas that its world wasn’t satisfying to explore and that there weren’t really any good reasons to stray from the beaten path. ASkyward Swordremake for the Switch could go along way in addressing this complaint, adding extra content for players to complete, whether it’s through the form of worthwhile collectibles or the addition of brand new side quests that better flesh out the game world.
Underplayed
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Swordcame out at the end of the Wii’s lifespan, with many gamers already looking ahead to Nintendo’s next console or having dropped their Wii in favor of PS3 or Xbox 360. Not only that, butSkyward Swordrequired theWii MotionPlus accessory, meaning that it had an even smaller audience than the Wii install base. Despite these hurdles,Skyward Swordsales were strong at first, with it becoming one of the fastest-sellingZeldagames of its time. Unfortunately, its overall sales have been much less than otherZeldagames, meaning it’s one of the most underplayed games in the entire series.
For comparison’s sake,Skyward Swordsales were about 3.6 million units or so at last count, whereas Nintendo recently confirmed thatBreath of the Wild’s saleshave hit a staggering 18.60 million worldwide. The argument could be made thatSkyward Sword’s motion controls could have drove off some potential customers, so if Nintendo implements an optional, more traditional control scheme, perhaps the millions ofBreath of the Wildfans that didn’t playSkyward Swordcould be convinced to give the game a chance.
Fill the Void
And finally, another reason that Nintendo should re-releaseSkyward Swordfor the Switch is the simple fact thatBreath of the Wild 2’s release dateis nowhere in sight. A re-release ofSkyward Swordfor Switch (especially considering not many have played it compared to other games in the series) could be a great way for Nintendo to tide fans over while they wait for more information on the much-anticipatedBreath of the Wildsequel.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Swordis out now, exclusively for the Wii, with a Switch port rumored to be in development.
MORE:The Craziest Fan Theories About Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2
