Skyward Sword was a divisive game. Many loved it, others hated it. With its new iteration though, Skyward Sword HD, with improved motion controls and excellent button controls, Skyward Sword HD has surpassed Breath of the Wild and is the best Zelda game of all-time. It’s not like Breath of the Wild was even a top-five Zelda game to begin with, but, it is heralded by many as not only the best Zelda game of all-time, but the greatest game of all-time, which is ludicrous. There are many reasons why Skyward Sword HD is superior. The controls are more immersive, motion or otherwise, the story is superior, the side characters are more developed and interesting, the sidequests are actually rewarding, and the dungeons and puzzles put Breath of the Wild to shame. Skyward Sword HD for the Nintendo Switch is the definitive Zelda game, and there are so many reasons why Skyward Sword HD is better than Breath of the Wild.
Story
Whereas Breath of the Wild had a non-existent story, Skyward Sword HD boasts the best story in the entire franchise. Out of every single Zelda game, Skyward Sword HD has the best story. It is excellent in all aspects, but its story is where the game really shines. Nintendo did a top-notch job with it, and it is the origin story for the entire saga that is The Legend of Zelda. Without giving away spoilers, it not only follows the creation of the Master Sword, a staple of the series, but the origins of Link, Zelda, and the Demon King. It’s accompanied by excellent music where Breath of the Wild is lacking in all these aspects; the story is non-existent, the music is just okay, and it doesn’t give you a reason to care about what you are doing. In Skyward Sword HD, there is a clear motivation from the get-go. Not only that, there is an end goal which is revealed roughly two-thirds into the game. It’s a mystical journey with the two best iterations of Link and Zelda. Breath of the Wild cannot boast any of these things. Link isn’t expressive in the least bit and is boring. He shows no emotion. Zelda is missing for the entire game and even in flashbacks in incredibly unlikeable. Both the story and characterization of Link and Zelda in Skyward Sword HD is superior to Breath of the Wild.
Side Characters and Sidequests
Skyward Sword HD has plenty of characters that are both memorable and have plenty of development, but the two that stand out are Groose and Fledge. Groose starts out as your typical bully and despises Link, to the point where he has Link’s face on a punching bag in his room. Over the course of time though, he proves his courage and becomes a true hero. Fledge starts out as a coward and a weakling who slowly learns how to be strong by Link’s example. One of the most rewarding sidequests in the game, which is actually a sub-set of a larger sidequest, is helping Fledge become stronger. Once you finish the quest, you unlock one of the game’s staple minigames, which is a lot of fun, especially with the motion controls. These characters are fully fleshed out and develop throughout the course of the game. This is non-existent in Breath of the Wild. There is no character development. There are only several scattered towns and the sidequests don’t give you much in terms of rewards, unlike Skyward Sword HD. Skyward Sword HD is the quintessential Zelda game and this is one of the main reasons that it is, including the dungeons, bosses, and puzzles.
Dungeons and Bosses
The dungeons in Skyward Sword HD are superb. In fact, they are the best in the Zelda franchise. The Lanayru Mines, The Fire Sanctuary, Ancient Cistern, and Skykeep all stand out as the greatest dungeons in all of Zelda. The puzzles are superior when compared to every other Zelda game. The introduction of timeshift stones is a very interesting gameplay mechanic and makes the Sandship and the Lanayru Mines two of the best dungeons in the game. Skykeep is much more puzzle-oriented. The atmospheres of the Fire Sanctuary and the Ancient Cistern blow every other dungeon from any other Zelda game out of the water, and that’s not even taking into account the excellent puzzles they hold. Breath of the Wild has four dungeons that have no enemies, are hollow, and have bosses that are carbon copies of one another. Skyward Sword HD, on the other hand, has a variety of bosses, some of the most memorable in modern Zelda history.
Skyward Sword HD is superior to Breath of the Wild. It has a better story, better characters, and better dungeons, and a variety of bosses. The HD version of Skyward Sword only propels it into new heights, cementing it as the greatest Zelda game of all-time, even surpassing Ocarina of Time for the top spot. In many ways, with all of the improvements, Skyward Sword HD is a brand-new game. While Breath of the Wild may be heralded as the greatest game of all-time, it’s not even the best Zelda game; in fact, it’s not even in the top five. It’s a solid game, but not a great game. Skyward Sword HD is an excellent game in every facet and deserves its place atop the Zelda franchise.