Skyward Sword ZD Community Gives No Love to SS? :(

[Hanyou]

Unfortunately, Skyward Sword is like the most heavily debated topic in the Zelda fanbase, if you give a mouse a cookie...

I'd say every console Zelda after A Link to the Past, excepting Majora's Mask, which everyone seems to love, is highly controversial. Even the much-lauded Ocarina of Time faces a fair bit of criticism in Zelda communities.

This is probably because the Zelda fanbase is so divided--a testament to Nintendo's creativity--and few of the games seem designed to make compromises. It's no wonder that Skyward Sword has managed to be controversial. It's internally consistent by design, but it goes on its own tangent and is hardly diplomatic. If you don't like its tangent, good luck enjoying any of it. If, like me, you love the core design ideas, the game will be above-average to you.

 

[Tearbender]

Lol I don't think you were here with WW. That game was a riot and a half with the fans. Seesh. SS was really an amazing game, and its second after MM. But yea it does have some glaring flaws like the Sky and informing you what the items are after you restart the game <.<;. As for Dowsing, I see both sides sort of. It's optional which really doesn't give much to complain about over an optional feature, but the problem is for me is that they never said that it was optional. It didn't make it that much easier, there was still exploring needed with dowsing, but they could have at least mentioned it without pestering you about it with having Fi keep on beeping. Honestly though, each Zelda game has an abundance of amazing ideas that made it great. I feel that making the best one incorporates each and every single on of these ideas, like a musical instrument akin to the Ocarina. Sidequests and hubs as good as MM, etc.. That would make a great Zelda game and I think that some games had some cool ideas which they could also incorporate with a Zelda feel to it. SS is an amazing game, my second favorite. But MM beat it with better sidequests and clock town.

 

[Burning Beast]

No I wasn't here with WW sadly, but hey people are still talking about that one so I can only imagine how that must have been in full swing! :O

 

[DarkestLink]

I really have no idea what you're talking about. The dowsing has absolutely nothing to do with solving any of the game's puzzles. Unless you count finding the Sandship as a puzzle.

So you magically knew where everything else was? You didn't use dowsing except to find the sandship?

Dowsing is absolutely optional,

So is collecting hearts.

and it's entirely possible to complete the game without it as a result.

....y'know...assuming you beat it before, have a good memory, and had the blessing of just bumping into the sandship.

It's highly recommended in some places (like the aformentioned finding the Sandship) but it's not forced on you at all.

So you knew exactly where to find the sacred water on your first run and just kept filling your bottle at random places until you finally found the right area in the temple spring.

If it were forced, we would have no choice but to use it. This is not a debatable issue.

Does it matter? Collecting the heart pieces aren't forced either. That doesn't make the game harder, it just gives players another means to "challenge" themselves.

 

[Blu Ray]

I'd say every console Zelda after A Link to the Past, excepting Majora's Mask, which everyone seems to love, is highly controversial. Even the much-lauded Ocarina of Time faces a fair bit of criticism in Zelda communities.

... Really?
That's actually new to me, I always thought It was one of the most hated Zeldas.

So you magically knew where everything else was? You didn't use dowsing except to find the sandship?

What? That's called exploring buddy, you don't have to magically know where everything is, just look around the map and you'll eventually find your stuff. The first time I did the Kikwi part was without dowsing actually.

 

[JuicieJ]

That's actually new to me, I always thought It was one of the most hated Zeldas.

It was when it first came out. As of late, it's become a cult classic.

 

[Hanyou]

... Really?
That's actually new to me, I always thought It was one of the most hated Zeldas.

All I can tell you was that when I started foruming eight years ago, it seemed like everyone (including myself) thought the game was underrated.

It's unfairly worn that label for years for God knows what reason, but it honestly seems to be one of the most widely loved and popular Zelda games. It's not a black sheep anymore (I have my doubts that it ever was), not by a long shot.

Contrast with Zelda II, which still annoys lots of people.

 

[Blu Ray]

It's amazing how after OoT people tend to have godly expectations for every new Zelda game and always end up getting disappointed at first, oddly enough, It's the most underrated zelda games (at least initially) that pleases me the most, I have this strong tradition of beating WW and MM at least once a year, while OoT twice was enough and It actually took me 2 months to beat TP as I just couldn't get addicted to it.

 

[Hanyou]

It's amazing how after OoT people tend to have godly expectations for every new Zelda game and always end up getting disappointed at first, oddly enough, It's the most underrated zelda games (at least initially) that pleases me the most, I had this strong tradition of beating WW and MM at least once a year, while OoT twice was enough and It actually took me 2 months to beat TP as I just couldn't get addicted to it.

As I said, I don't think there's much evidence it's ever been underrated. Underpurchased, maybe, as it was released at the end of its console's life cycle, but I've never seen anything but praise for the game. It's unclear to me why the "underrated" myth persists all these years later.

On the other hand, I think a strong case could be made that Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks are really underrated.

 

[JuicieJ]

As I said, I don't think there's much evidence it's ever been underrated. Underpurchased, maybe, as it was released at the end of its console's life cycle, but I've never seen anything but praise for the game. It's unclear to me why the "underrated" myth persists all these years later.

It's no big secret that Majora's Mask never got much love upon release, and not because it wasn't sold highly. It was living in the shadow of Ocarina of Time, the biggest leap forward in gaming since Super Mario 64, so by being so different from its predecessor, it was quite naturally very polarizing for the fans that actually played it. It wasn't until years later that it started getting the recognition it deserved, most specifically when its 10th anniversary rolled around.

 

[Blu Ray]

As I said, I don't think there's much evidence it's ever been underrated. Underpurchased, maybe, as it was released at the end of its console's life cycle, but I've never seen anything but praise for the game. It's unclear to me why the "underrated" myth persists all these years later.

On the other hand, I think a strong case could be made that Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks are really underrated.

All I can tell you was that when I started foruming eight years ago, it seemed like everyone (including myself) thought the game was underrated.

It's unfairly worn that label for years for God knows what reason, but it honestly seems to be one of the most widely loved and popular Zelda games. It's not a black sheep anymore (I have my doubts that it ever was), not by a long shot.

Contrast with Zelda II, which still annoys lots of people.

You're contradicting yourself ... Every now and then there are some really good games that gets praised yet underpurchased, such as Okami. I really don't remember MM getting much praise at launch though.

EDIT: As for PH and ST, I doubt that's the case for most, but I just hate to play Zelda games on portables, actually, I hate to play any game longer than 10 hours on portables, I find It very uncomfortable. It's probably because when I get a game I try to beat It as fast as possible and looking at DS tiny screen for over 8 hours just doesn't please me.

 

[DeletedUser9]

You're contradicting yourself ... Every now and then there are some really good games that gets praised yet underpurchased, such as Okami. I really don't remember MM getting much praise at launch though.

No he didn't. He said no evidence it's actually been underrated, then that a lot of people thought it was underrated. And that is true. Having large numbers of people complain that a game is underrated -- which is what happens with Majora's Mask, or used to anyway -- indicates the exact opposite: If everyone thinks the game isn't highly rated enough, then that means it is rated highly, because everyone keep whining about it not being so.

There are people who don't like Majora's Mask, but as a whole, it's a hugely well received game.

Anyway, Hanyou's sentiments are kind of how I feel as well: A large number of Zelda games have had controversial releases. Vanessa is right that it seems about 50-50, but honestly I think even that's not true. The majority of people, as far as I can tell, enjoyed Skyward Sword to a greater or lesser degree. Some people think it was alright. Some people loved it but felt it should have been better (I fall under this category), and others think it's perfect. It's just going through the awkward phase every Zelda game seems to, where it's a big emotional issue for everyone. The Zelda fanbase isn't always... graceful. :bleh:

Maybe Skyward Sword is a bit more polarizing than most Zelda games were (honestly, though, this is impossible to really gauge), and it does have a lot of people who genuinely dislike it. But that's true of Majora's Mask, which as I've said seems to be extremely well-received overall, or even the legendary Ocarina of Time.

 

[DarkestLink]

... Really?
That's actually new to me, I always thought It was one of the most hated Zeldas.

I think of it as the Invader Zim of Zelda's myself.

What? That's called exploring buddy, you don't have to magically know where everything is, just look around the map and you'll eventually find your stuff. The first time I did the Kikwi part was without dowsing actually.

OK...so...how did you find the Silent Realm Entrances, the Water, and the Sandship?

 

[Blu Ray]

Used dowsing, but It's totaly possible to do It without It, just takes more time and actually requires you to explore the place instead of just going where the game tells you to go.

Axle the Beast, sorry, I guess I just didn't get him right.

 

[LinkIRL]

Fifth day being on ZD and I started one of the current most popular threads in the World of Zelda section of the forum.

12 days until SS for me!