The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Exciting news guys! The next Zelda (or as some people call it, Link) game is coming out soon. Of course it will be released on Nintendo's main console, the Wii.

Super Mario 64

GoldenEye 007

As a matter of fact, many gamers believe this will be the last major game for this console. {Warning: Tangent Bitch Rant} Nintendo high ups have been quoted as saying that they want to focus development more on their handheld platforms, the Nintendo 3DS and the new Wii U. This is disappointing news for me. I don't feel like there have been any real groundbreaking games released on the Wii. Sure they integrated the motion control remote but I don't need all that. I'm a true gamer who is perfectly fine being fat and lazy, thanks. I just seem to pick the wrong systems again and again; the Wii over the Xbox360: FAIL, the Xbox360 over the PS3: FAIL. There's just a vast lack of really great games on these systems. Sure they get a hit every now and then, think Call of Duty, but even a broken clock is right twice a day. At least Xbox finally got a Final Fantasy game. Stupid Sony agreements. I miss the days of GoldenEye 007 and Super Mario 64. Now those were truly great games.

Anyway, back to Zelda. I loved Twilight Princess. I would even venture as far as saying that it is the best game on the Wii. I'm talking call in sick to work love. Therefore I have high hopes for Skyward Sword. So far reactions have been mixed. Some old complaints are still there; Link still gets fatigued if he sprints too far, and shields can still break. Not biggies though. Here's a kicker though, no Ganon. Yep, that's right, the third piece of the tri-force will be absent this time. I have a friend who named his computer Ganon. He will be crushed. Oh well. Another negative is that Skyward Sword will require the Wii MotionPlus expansion device that improves the accelerometer and allows the controller to more accurately capture complex motion. This is needed because apparently the swordplay in Skyward Sword is going to blow our minds. Hopefully, it's better than Red Steel, which to be honest, sucked.

In the grand story line Skyward Sword is a prequel to Ocarina of Time. Ocarina of Time may have been the best Zelda so far. Not surprisingly it came out for the Nintendo64 (see Bitch Rant above). In Skyward Sword, Link is born and raised in Skyloft, a group of islands floating above the clouds. Using the Skyward Sword, which later becomes the Master Sword, Link travels back and forth between the sky world and the land world. He eventually learns why the two worlds are separated. Once the sword transforms into the Master Sword it assumes the form of a female figure who gives Link advice. Hopefully she is more like Navi and less like Midna, who I wanted to drown and/or throw into a volcano. In this game, Zelda is not a princess but a childhood friend of Link. She has been kidnapped by the baddie Lord Ghirahim and Link is searching for her. Sound familiar? *cough* Mario and Peach *cough*

Lord Ghirahim doesn't quite strike fear in your heart like Ganon does.

Skyward Sword is due out November 20, 2011 in the U.S. It will be able either as a stand alone game ($49.99) or as part of a bundle that includes a gold controller with built-in WiiMotion Plus ($69.99). As my eyes glaze over it's evident that I must have the new shiny controller with the Hyrulian decal. Regardless of whether you buy the stand alone or the bundled version, you will also receive the 25th anniversary soundtrack which features "select orchestral arrangements of iconic music spanning the history of the franchise which will be performed at The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony Concert performances in October 2011." Currently I have Saria's Song as my ringtone.  With this new CD I feel like that could change.