I’ve been playing on The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword over the last week or so since receiving it via the Father Christmas Delivery Service. Typically for a Zelda game, it’s pretty damned good; I’m not all that far into it at the moment, but it definitely feels fresher and more involving than the slightly disappointing Twilight Princess, which I still haven’t got around to completing. One thing I’m really not sure about is the motion controls, though. In fairness, Nintendo have done a brilliant job of integrating them into the whole experience, particularly the combat. There’s a whole range of sword swipes that can be pulled off, so it isn’t just a matter of a wave of the Wii Remote for an ‘attack’ (which I think is what TP was on the Wii – I’m not altogether sure as I’ve only got the GameCube version). In general it all works really well, though there are a number of times when the accuracy of the Remote – even with the necessary MotionPlus adaptor thingy – doesn’t quite seem accurate enough, which can be pretty frustrating when a misread sword-swipe causes you to die.
My real concern with it is the same that I have with motion-controls in general: I’m not sure what it adds to the experience. Sure, flying Link’s Loftwing around the sky using the Remote is different and it works, but is it actually any better than using an analogue stick. I’m not sure that it is. Waving the Remote around to simulate the bird’s flapping wings is fine, but I don’t believe it really adds anything to the experience apart from arm ache. Likewise, the combat is an interesting experience and is a step above what Zelda games have featured before, however I’m not convinced that it’s the best direction to go in.
Maybe it’s just me being a little stuck in the past and too glued to the controllers of old. Maybe I’m just a bit lazy. Still, I just can’t escape the feeling that the motion controls aren’t enhancing the game enough to put up with the potential inaccuracies and physical tiredness they produce.
