I love that Nintendo decided to go with the Wii Motion+ attachment for the main implementation of Skyward Sword's controls. They, as a result, stimulated an invigorating and immersive experience for me, pulling the player deeper into the action and adventure that constitutes Zelda.
The world was bright and vibrant with color, even in the barren wastes of Present Lanayru and the volcanic terrain of Eldin, which somehow seemed to accentuate the effects of the motion controls. I found it enjoyable to partake in the vast array of puzzles that pervade almost every inch of the game, and an engaging challenge to face off with the various operatives within Ghirahim's forces. Most importantly, though, I think the controls act as a bridge to truly connect the player with the world inside the game. Whenever I swung my Wiimote, Link followed suit with his sword, and it felt as if I really was the one controlling his actions. Well, besides his hands and arms; everything else is functional due to how the game was produced. When Link runs, we're not jogging in place or dashing toward the sensor bar (which would have been aggravating indeed); we have to press a button for that. But I'm perfectly fine that it's that way, because the main focus, movement-wise, is on the upper torso anyhow.
Not only does Skyward Sword have a lot to do with motion outside the game, but it even introduced a few action-based features inside the game as well. These added touches inspire the player to take a little more time and care in their gameplay and against enemies. We have the
Skyward Strike, which sends a surge of energy down Link's sword while it charges, and then he can expel the revolving beam into an oncoming attacker or a Goddess Crest. The
Stamina Meter (or
Air Gauge if underwater) is another one that affects movement because it causes Link to go kaput if he overexerts himself. Running, rolling, or using too many Spin Attacks all at once will make the gauge drop exponentially or even put his life on the line. So in this particular case the danger is manifested in our own actions.
*Running up a steep incline
In addition to those features, Skyward Sword has a very broad arsenal and wide use of items. Unlike previous items, where you either pressed or held down a button to utilize one and move it around with the analog stick, in Skyward Sword each weapon is controlled by the motion of the Wiimote somehow. It can be a simple swipe or by pointing the Wiimote toward a certain location on the screen. The former is applied for swiping the Bug Net or slinging out the Whip, whenever a single motion sets off the desired effect of them both. Rolling bombs first requires you to hold the Wiimote down, directly where you want to send it, and let it go; tossing bombs was a simple downward motion.
*Preparing to bowl a bomb into an enemy
On the other hand, the latterly maneuver is attributed to the long-distance items in Skyward Sword. As I mentioned, pointing the Wiimote at a desired target would aim the item in that direction. For me this was way more fluid and often quicker than tilting the analog stick to just the right spot, which expanded on how the motion controls brought the game to life. They made the items very versatile and integrated in many challenges in puzzles and combat.
Some of the challenges were as simple as using the Gust Bellow to sweep uncover a switch buried beneath the sand, or in a more engaging light, sniping enemies from afar before they could even detect you. Aside from holding a button down to activate the Slingshot, Gust Bellow, dual Clawshots, and Bow, everything is completely focused on the player's movement. The Beetle is the only exception, for when it's utilized, it becomes a separate tool that Link has no more physical control over. The player guides it on to a desired target themselves, where they then order it to speed up, drop bombs, or run into a switch/Timestone [depending on the upgrade]. My only gripe is that it consistently took the pointer a second or two to catch up with my motion; in a fast-paced battle using the Bow, such as with Tentalus, I needed to act quickly, but this thwarted my progress quite a bit.
Likewise, the Motion+ also controlled the direction Link moved in some instances. The Wiimote became like the analog stick, steering him around in a field of water, which hearkens back to
Zora Link's ability from Majora's Mask, and doing the same with the new addition of riding a Loftwing in the Sky—heck, we could even control a motorboat! Shaking the Wiimote would cause Link to burst forward, doing a spin attack underwater, or in the Sky have his Loftwing flap to gain altitude. So long as there was not interference outside the game (sensor bar pointing the wrong way, dysfunctional Wiimote, etc.), both of these maneuvers flowed seamlessly with the gameplay. There were few times when a button had to be pressed—to have the Loftwing perform a speed boost, for example—but only because all the movements wouldn't have fit in with the Motion+ alone.
*Swimming beneath a watery terrain
Swordplay is the most emphasized combat component in Skyward Sword. Due to the intelligent nature of SS adversaries, the player finds it much harder to land a blow on a foe, because they're constantly parrying and moving around, while looking for an opening in Link's defense.
The opponents of previous games would almost always leave themselves open, without even attempting to ward Link's blade away. But the Motion+ made it possible for them to block from nearly all sides, and the player had to uncover the window of opportunity themselves. Needless to say this made clashes very engaging and oftentimes difficult to overcome with relative quickness. Flailing the sword around wildly seldom got anywhere, as most (if not all) of the enemies had some sort of protection. The player had to watch out and react quickly enough if they wanted to strike a direct opening. For foes such as Stalfos or Bokoblins, who switched the stance of their swords quite a bit, the player simply needed to be aware of the open space. Harder foes—Lizalfos and Moblins in mind—carried huge shields that covered the majority of their bodies, so Link has to wait for them to drop their defenses, or get around them and attack from behind. And some enemies didn't even wear protection, but could only be defeated if Link slashed them in certain areas (Beamos and Sentrobes), whiles others are slain by simple sword strokes (Chuchu and Keese). Most of the time, though, an adversary will be carrying a sword, and Link must hit the opposite direction that they use it to block.
Outside of combat, the sword has become a useful resource for a number of other features. The aforementioned
Skyward Strike was one of them as it dematerialized the Goddess Cubes and activated Hylian Crests. In my opinion, the Strike was underused in terms of puzzle-solving, but the sword itself still had multiple uses. There were doors locked by eyeballs, that could only be opened by "befuddling" the eye [nearly similar to
"Mr. I" from
Super Mario 64]. Additionally combination locks also kept Dungeon doors fastened, and could only be opened if the sword knocked the "dials" in the right pattern. However, I believe that the most crucial element of the sword was the brand-new process appropriately labeled
dowsing. In the game, dowsing is using the sword as a sort of indicator to detect traces of a desired target which Fi picks up and lets Link know if he's on the right path. Dowsing itself is almost like a puzzle that encourages exploration, but again, movement is required to set things in motion [no pun intended]—and Nintendo did an excellent job establishing this new feature for the sword.
*Dowsing for buried treasure...possibly?
Now to delve into the rougher aspects of the Wii Motion+.
For a huge deal of the time, the motion controls worked great and were extremely responsive. But as others have mentioned above, too much movement all at once could produce a "confusion" in the calibration. This would give way to the game having to pause itself in order to recalibrate and then continue where it left off. Personally, I experienced this more than I would have liked, but looking back I can understand why.
It's because of the immense level of gameplay interaction in Skyward Sword; during some really intense moments it was easy to get carried away. By that I mean whipping the Wiimote around like a madman (something Mr. McShea would relate to) until the sensor bar couldn't properly pick up the signal. Compared to, say, Wii Sports, Skyward Sword was not some casual title that people could sit back and play nonchalantly the entire time. Literally like the only time I could truly relax while on the move was flying the Loftwing. The rest of the time I was continuously active, fighting foes, dodging rolling boulders, running from one point to another, etc. SS, in this sense, lent me the feeling that I was a part of the adventure and that I
had to be lively every minute of it. Another thing that the motion controls contributed drastically to.
Given all that, Wii Motion+ immersed the player in various aspects, although it also stationed them under some intuitive duress sometimes, which would in turn affect the controls. Take all of The Imprisoned's battles, for example. After breaking free from his seal, this enormous menace makes his way to toward the Sealed Temple. Link is charged to stop him by slashing off all his toes, making him fall backwards. This caused the player to think and act quickly in light of a pressure that Zelda fans typically don't experience. During these hurried moments it was possible to swing the Wiimote so much force that it threw off the calibration. Perhaps this even offset the quickness of the motion sensor, like I brought up in relation to long-distance items; thankfully though, the issue could be resolved with the push of a button to center the pointer on the screen. At any rate, whenever the controls go haywire, it could very well be the player's movement that originates the need to recalibrate. But before that it should be noted that the game is set up with moments of complete urgency, and that they are partially the blame that the player is rushed.
*Ghirahim caught my sword! These controls stink!
In Conclusion:
So no, Wii Motion+ might not be perfect at this time, and nor is it without flaws, but motion controls can be expanded on and improved in the future. They weren't synonymous to "bad" in any manner, except when they stopped to calibrate abruptly. The swordplay and item-wielding exponent flowed smoothly with the pattern of movement. This had already been developed to a nearly perfected degree in terms of prompt responsiveness, and despite the issues I highlighted above, they were very minimal next to the extensive playtime of Skyward Sword. I just look forward to what Nintendo can do with them in the future, if they choose to use them again, and hope that a new system is made to further ensure that no problems occur.
