Breath of the Wild launched with Nintendo’s hit-console, the Nintendo Switch. By comparison, Skyward Sword launched at the end of the Wii’s lifecycle, which was Nintendo’s last massive success. Both games are great in their own way, but when it comes down to it, Skyward Sword is simply a better game. It needs to get the high-definition treatment that Wind Waker and Twilight Princess received. While Breath of the Wild is superior in its vast and expansive world, Skyward Sword offers up one of gaming’s most compelling narratives and sets the foundation for the most storied series in video game history. It’s also more innovative with the best control scheme in any Zelda game, opening up brand new puzzle possibilities, and has the most exotic dungeons in the series.
Story
In Skyward Sword, Link and Zelda share a very special bond. They’ve been friends since childhood and have an obvious affection for one another. This sets the foundation for one of gaming’s most incredible stories. As opposed to Breath of the Wild, which is severely lacking in the story department, Skyward Sword has a focused narrative. Link is expressive and determined, as opposed to his Breath of the Wild counterpart, who you can never quite connect with. Breath of the Wild’s world with Skyward Sword’s story would have made for the perfect Zelda game, though it was not meant to be.
Link has a determination and drive that has not been seen in any Zelda game before it or since. As Link grows throughout the game into the hero we all know and love, we grow with him. The origin of the Master Sword and the great evil that will engulf Hyrule for the ages is unveiled and the side characters, such as the Old Woman, Groose, Impa, Fledge, and many others only enhance the story. The villains, such as Ghirahim, are some of the most memorable in the series. Ganon, by comparison, is simply “there” in Breath of the Wild; he has no character. In today’s gaming world story is important and Skyward Sword trumps Breath of the Wild, harshly, in this respect.
Gameplay, Innovation, and Dungeons
The motion controls in Skyward Sword are controversial, but I’ve never had a problem with them. It may be because I had the special edition Wii Remote. Regardless, the controls were and still are incredibly innovative. They are impeccable. They are immersive. Most of all, they open up brand new gameplay opportunities. Everything is a puzzle. The combat is a puzzle, which makes fighting normal enemies, such as Stalfos, intriguing. Boss fights, such as Girahim, don’t require items, but still, have a puzzle element to them. The 1-to-1 motion controls offer puzzles, both inside and outside dungeons, that no other Zelda game has offered before. The design is exquisite.
Breath of the Wild, once again, severely lacks this. The bosses are carbon copies of one another. The dungeons are, dare I say, boring. The shrines offer interesting puzzles, and the physics of the game are impressive, but that doesn’t make up for the lack of innovation. Being able to explore an open world is not innovative. In fact, it can get rather boring after a while when that’s all there is to do. Skyward Sword’s world isn’t open per se, but there is still a lot of exploration to be had. The areas are dense and full of secrets. Breath of the Wild feels hollow by comparison.
The dungeons in Skyward Sword are also incredibly varied compared to the lackluster design in Breath of the Wild.
The Legend of Zelda
Skyward Sword is quite literally The Legend of Zelda. Its story is unparalleled in the series, as well as its characters and interactions. Breath of the Wild lacks all of this. It still maintains a form of combat that has been present since Ocarina of Time. Although the same can be said of Skyward Sword, the 1-to-1 swordplay changes everything, along with the rest of the motion controls. The dungeons are more varied and the puzzles are far more intricate, especially with the use of the Wii Remote, which opens up brand new possibilities. Breath of the Wild lacks all of this.
The most pertinent difference between the games and what truly sets Skyward Sword apart as an elite game is both Link’s expressiveness and his growth as a character. By comparison, his Breath of the Wild counterpart, again, feels hollow and empty, which is puzzling, as Link was so expressive in both Wind Waker and Twilight Princess as well.
Skyward Sword is an unsung masterpiece and if it were released for the Nintendo Switch in HD, which it should be, gamers will realize the unsung masterpiece it is. While so much in Breath of the Wild feels like a chore, Skyward Sword is a true adventure from beginning to end, brimming with impeccable characters and a story for the ages.
If only Breath of the Wild had a story…