Skyward Sword HD has some wonderful dungeons. It not only has some of the best dungeons in the franchise but the best puzzles as well, which sets it apart from the rest of the franchise. That, and the superior story, make for an epic game. The motion controls have a large part to play in this, as many of these puzzles would not be possible without them. With that being said, let’s look at how the Skyward Sword HD dungeons rank.
7. Skyview Temple
Skyview Temple is a good start to an incredible journey, but it’s lacking something. It still nets you one of the most useful and innovative items in the game, the Beetle, which can be upgraded multiple times, but the Temple itself is a little lackluster only when compared to the rest of the dungeons in the game, which are some of the best in the Zelda franchise. It is, however, one of the best first dungeons in any Zelda game and it has one of the best bosses in any Zelda game in Ghirahim.
6. Earth Temple
The Earth Temple is a fantastic dungeon in Skyward Sword HD and if it were any other Zelda game it would be praised for its innovation. Unfortunately, so many of the other dungeons are innovative as well, and even moreso. That being said, it’s still a wonderful temple with a climactic boss which can be easy or rather…annoying…depending on what day you decide to play him. There are some great puzzles that can easily be missed and with that being said, the Earth Temple would be a top-five Zelda dungeon in any other game other than Skyward Sword HD.
5. Fire Sanctuary
The Fire Sanctuary is a great dungeon with an epic final boss, but it lacks the “oomph” factor to make it truly great out of a series of excellent dungeons. There are some great puzzles, but the dungeon lacks a cohesive structure. It doesn’t feel like it connects back to where you started which is pivotal in Zelda games. The puzzles, while great, are a bit underwhelming. The main allure is the final boss of the dungeon, but that doesn’t make a dungeon, unfortunately. It’s still above the others, but not by much. There’s a huge drop-off between the next four dungeons and the last three.
4. Sandship
The Sandship is a very a-typical Zelda dungeon. You could make the case that it blurs what is a dungeon and what is not in terms of its setting. That being said, it’s superb. While not as good as the previous Lanayru dungeon, it does not disappoint, with again using the Timeshift Stone mechanic in a different way in order to progress through the dungeon and solve puzzles. You finally get the fabled Bow and Arrow here, which is one of the highlights of the game given the motion controls. While not the greatest dungeon in the game, it is fantastic and ends on a high note, even if the boss appears to be out of Monsters, Inc.
3. Ancient Cistern
Ancient Cistern introduces the whip, which is an excellent item used in ways that you wouldn’t think of. It defines the dungeon and the puzzles, and that, coupled with the Buddhist-like atmosphere, makes for one of the best dungeons in Zelda history. The great thing about the whip is that it’s not just a one-off item, much like the gust bellow in Skyward Sword HD; they’re used throughout the adventure, unlike some very unique items in Twilight Princess. That, coupled with the very unique design revolving around a specific Mechanic with the Buddha’s head, makes it one of the best, and arguably the best dungeon in Skyward Sword HD. The top three are all on par with one another and it is neck-and-neck. It also ends with one of the best boss battles in recent memory.
2. Sky Keep
Sky Keep is not only the most unique dungeon in the history of Zelda. That’s saying a lot. If you love puzzles, this is the dungeon for you. You must re-arrange the rooms of the temple in order to traverse to the rooms with each piece of the Triforce, though this is no easy feat. You have to keep close attention to your map and it can get rather complicated. There’s no “boss” to this dungeon, which is why it isn’t number one, but, it does happen to be one of the best dungeons in Skyward Sword HD, which is why it sits here squarely at number two, neck-and-neck with number one.
1. Lanayru Mining Facility
The Lanayru Mining Facility is the second-best dungeon in all of Zelda just behind The Spirit Temple from Ocarina of Time. Yes, it’s that good. It has excellent puzzles, treacherous enemies, and has one of the most useful items in the game, the Gust Bellow. Another obscure item, it isn’t just used in this dungeon, but throughout the game. The one drawback is that while the boss, Moldarach, is not that difficult (though fighting him with the motion controls is very satisfying), the rest of the dungeon is just that good.
Many of the puzzles revolve around the Timeshift Stone mechanic, like the mini-dungeons in Lanayru, and puts them to such good use. The execution is brilliant. It makes for an extremely satisfying experience that is hard to put into words, which is why this is the best dungeon in the best Zelda game, Skyward Sword HD.