Quick Look at What We Know About Skyward Sword

UPDATE: Nintendo released a new trailer for Comic-Con with some new information, bolded below.

Now that E3 has passed, we have a slew of new information about Skyward Sword. It may be difficult to keep track of all this information, so here is a compilation of everything we know so far. Look inside for all the trailers, images, interviews, and more.

Before getting to the in-game information, we know a little bit about its release:

• Release window: holidays 2011
• It will be coming with a special golden Wii Remote.
• A special 25th anniversary soundtrack featuring the orchestrated music from Skyward Sword will also be released.
• It is a Wii-only title, revolving around Wii Motion Plus, and will not be released for the Wii U.

In addition to the release information, here is a quick list of some general information in regards to Skyward Sword.

• The game utilizes an Impressionist Art Style, making it appear like a Water-Colored world.
• Motion Plus controls are fully utilized to control sword play with one-to-one gameplay mechanics.
• Skyward Sword is the first Zelda game that features fully orchestrated music

Three trailers have been shown so far. The first is from E3 2010, the second from GDC 2011, and the third from E3 2011. The fourth is from Comic-Con 2011

Some things can be picked up from these videos:

• A stamina meter will limit Link’s physical exertion
• A shield meter shows how much damage Link’s shield has taken. The shield will break when the meter runs out.
• Phi can be called by pressing down on the D-pad.
• Link will obtain Zelda’s lyre at some point and can play it by pressing up on the D-pad.
• The people of Skyloft ride on giant birds.
• Link and Zelda are close friends.
• While Link and Zelda are flying together, Zelda is thrown off her bird by a tornado and swallowed by a whale.
• Link will encounter Lord Ghirahim on several occasions.
• The Goron race will appear in the land below.

Nintendo has posted many screenshots and official artwork, all of which can be viewed at our gallery.

From various interviews conducted over the past year, we know several things about the game:

• The game will revolve around the Skyward Sword, which will become the Master Sword within the game.
• Link was born and raised on the floating land called Skyloft, whose residents know nothing of the evil land below.
• The feminine figure from the E3 2009 artwork, named Phi, is the Skyward Sword.
• She is the driving force behind Link’s travels between Skyloft and the land below, and will help him throughout his journey.
• The reason the two worlds have become separated is an important plot point.
• Link will be searching for a lost, valuable friend: Zelda
• There will be many brand-new items, including the Beetle.
• These items can be upgraded.
• The events of Skyward Sword will lead into Ocarina of Time, including the forging of the Master Sword.
• There is no full voice acting. However, Phi speaks in nonsense sounds similar to Midna’s speech.

Read the Skyward Sword story page for a more detailed description of what we know of the early story.

Nate Bihldorff was interviewed twice at E3 2011 while showing off a gameplay demo.
–GameTrailers
–G4

This interview with Erik Peterson, the localization producer, is accompanied by a full direct stream of the entire Sky Temple dungeon demo. There are dozens of videos showing off the demo, but I think this is the best quality and the most comprehensive.

These interviews are all very similar, and you can read more about the Erik Peterson interview here.

There were two other demo modes at E3 2011:
–Birdriding competition
–Demon Lord Ghirahim battle

These two demos contained some dialogue scenes that reveal a bit about the characters and story.

• The prize for winning the birdriding competition is a gift from Zelda
• Zelda is holding the lyre from the GDC trailer.
• The whale that swallowed Zelda was a servant of the goddess.
• Lord Ghirahim claims to be the demon who presides over the land below.
• Ghirahim’s people are after Zelda’s holiness.

Finally, much of the more spoiler-ridden information was presented at the developers roundtable. You can watch Nintendo’s video here, and find links to various blogs describing the events of the roundtable as well as a summary here.

Skyward Sword
Skyward Sword Walkthrough
Skyward Sword Video Walkthrough
Skyward Sword Bosses
Skyward Sword Characters
Skyward Sword Enemies
Skyward Sword Items
Skyward Sword Story