Gossip Stone: Should Zelda Revisit Motion Controls?

Although the Wii version of Twilight Princess was the first Zelda title to experiment with motion controls, the game wasn’t initially developed with those controls in mind. Admittedly, I prefer the Wii version, but it’s clear that Link and Midna’s adventure was originally a GameCube game. Skyward Sword, on the other hand, took full advantage of the console’s capabilities with the advent of Wii MotionPlus. That said, its control scheme might be among the most polarizing elements of any individual Zelda title. It seems that for every person who views it as a worthwhile experiment — if not the new standard for the series’ controls — there is someone who can’t stand playing the game. Regardless of whether you enjoyed its approach to swordplay, though, do you think the Zelda team should eventually take another crack at motion controls?

Join the discussion after the jump!

Part of the controls’ mixed reception stems from people’s radically varied experiences with them. Even on an individual level, some fans — myself included — have formed a love-hate relationship with the controller. The game’s performance seems solely dependent upon where I play it. When Skyward Sword launched, the controls ran smoothly, with only the occasional recalibration. I have moved into an apartment since then, though — one with a different television-desk setup. Here, playing the game is a different story.

Infuriatingly unresponsive is about as accurately as I can describe it. I mean, I’ve never thrown a controller out of frustration, but I would totally understand if someone told me that Skyward Sword drove them to that point. With the right setup, though, the game stands as my third favorite Zelda entry. The one-to-one sword duals, especially, handle like a dream. When Wii MotionPlus gets it right, it gets it right. I would like to believe that there’s a way to build upon the foundation that Skyward Sword established without suffering from inconsistent accuracy.

I’m skeptical as to whether we’ll ever find out, though. Considering that Nintendo seems to have moved away from the motion-control space, I doubt we’ll see a game specifically developed with similar controls in mind anytime soon. On the one hand, that’s a slightly disappointing prospect, for I think the team was onto something with Link’s previous console quest. However, virtually every game in the series has several features that distinguish it from the rest of the pack. Wii MotionPlus is, for better or worse, among Skyward Sword’s.

Again, what do you think? Should Nintendo ever look into refining what Skyward Sword started? Share your thoughts in the comments below!