Skyward Swords New Motion Controls: Will they convince you?

After reading the preview for Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, I realized the reason I couldn’t finish the last Zelda game, Twilight Princess. Motion controls. I am not a hater of motion controls. I do actually quite like motion controls. But, I think that motion controls should be approached like Nintendo’s approach to 3D on its new 3DS. It should be optional.

At least four Zelda games are in my top 10 games of all time; two are in my top five (A Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time). I really like the 3D Zelda games: Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, and Phantom Hourglass. Much to my dismay, I have still yet to play Majora’s Mask or Spirit Tracks. But even with these credentials, I could not get into Twilight Princess. I firmly believe that I should have bought the game on Gamecube. But since I bought my Wii on launch day I needed something to play.

I think Nintendo should follow what Ignition Entertainment (Muramasa: The Demon Blade) is doing with many of their Wii games, which is allowing Classic controller support alongside motion support. I think this is a good way to include everybody in the game. I understand that the controls are made with the Wii in mind, but I am sure that many of the controls could be mapped to a normal controller with little to no problems. Those of us that would like to play Zelda games in an old school way should be given the opportunity to do so. We can even switch to the new control style to see if our tastes have changed since the last game came out.

Nintendo is doing quite a bit with the Motion Plus controller add-on to refine the motion controls for Skyward Sword. I have all the confidence in the world that they will correct the mistakes that were made with the last control scheme, but that does not change the fact that some people just want to play the game on a control pad. Even if we are a minority, and I don’t believe we are a small minority. There is a reason that Ignition Entertainment is doing this with their Wii games; they have been asked to do so by their community.

I know that Nintendo won’t back down from their stance that motion controls are the future and they will change the way the world works. I just wish that they would give us a choice. The only choice that I will have is to rent the game. Then we will see if the choice I make is to support (buy) the game.

(4)

Eddy Fettig

August 18, 2010

From what I've seen of this game, many of the mechanics just wouldn't transfer to a standard controller very well. The whole point of a new Wii Zelda was that people wanted to see the motion controls fully realized, not tacked on and optional. Any control scheme that would allow standard controllers to work wouldn't be truly taking advantage of the motion controls, don't you think?

Some of the best Wii games just wouldn't work with standard controls near as well, that's part of the point, isn't it?

Paul Smith

I think most of the controls could be mapped to a standard controller. For example, using the bow and arrow; you can do that with a standard controller. I really don't need to use the motions for using the bow and arrow. I can easily press the Z target and press the A button.

I really think that games like Mario Galaxy and Zelda would be better without motion controls. I agree that games like Boom Blox and Wii Sports need motion controls are they are better because of them. Each of those games has their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to motion controls.

Rob Savillo

August 19, 2010

I completely agree with this article. I'm dismayed at the lack of classic-controller support in Nintendo titles, and with Capcom's classic controller pro (bundled with Monster Hunter Tri), I see no reason why Skyward Sword couldn't use a traditional input scheme.

I didn't even think to mention that they have released two types of Classic controllers, yet it is only the third parties who have made any tangible uses from these controllers. Smash Bros. is the only game that I can think of that Nintendo developed that uses the Classic controller.