What's New

    
                               
Link and Zelda flying on their Loftwings

Skyward Sword HD is the 2021 Nintendo Switch remaster of Skyward Sword, the Wii game from 2011. The adventure, dungeons and collectibles are all where they were; what changed is how it plays. You no longer need motion controls, the camera is free, the game runs at 60 frames per second on a TV, and the constant interruptions players complained about are gone. Sections marked New are not in the Wii version, Changed means it works differently, and Gone means it was removed.

Controls

Sword practice with the new button controls: the on-screen stick shows which way Link will swing
  • New Button controls: you can play without motion controls. Swing the sword by flicking the right stick in the direction you want to slash. This is what lets you play in handheld mode and on the Nintendo Switch Lite.
  • Changed Motion controls are still there with the Joy-Con, and the higher frame rate makes them feel more precise. Re-center the cursor now and then by pointing at the screen.
  • New Free camera: turn the camera with the right stick. With button controls, the stick also swings the sword, so hold L to move the camera.

Less Waiting

  • Changed Fi waits to be asked. Most of her advice is optional now; call her up when you want a hint, a summary or a reminder of your objective.
  • New Skip cutscenes and dialogue: speed up dialogue with A, skip it with B, and skip cutscenes too (in the Wii version only Hero Mode allowed that). Some characters show a speech bubble instead of stopping you to talk.
  • Changed Item descriptions only appear the first time you pick something up (Gratitude Crystals still show theirs every time).
  • Changed Faster opening: parts of the Skyloft tutorial are shorter; for example, you no longer have to report back to Horwell during the climbing lesson.

Saving

  • New Autosave: the game saves to a separate autosave slot as you pass Bird Statues. You can still save by hand at a statue, and now to any of your three files.
  • Changed Hero Mode gets its own save slot when you unlock it by finishing the game.
  • Gone The option to save after finishing a dungeon, since autosave covers it.

amiibo

New The Zelda & Loftwing amiibo, released with the game, lets you travel straight between the sky and the surface. Without it you still fly up and dive down at Bird Statues as in the original.

Graphics

Changed The game runs at 1080p and 60 frames per second when docked, and 720p and 30 frames per second in handheld mode. The Wii version ran at 480p and 30 frames per second.

Smaller Changes

  • Changed Only two interface styles, Normal and Simple, available from the start; the Goddess Harp, Map and Gear buttons are no longer on screen.
  • Changed Character names now show during dialogue (Fi, Ghirahim and Impa only once you learn their names), and the map has new character icons.
  • Changed Horwell gives you a Red Rupee for rescuing Mia the cat from the Knight Academy roof.
  • Gone Sheikah Stone: the hint stone and its video hints were removed.
  • Changed Fixed: the Wii version's game-breaking bug that needed a special Wii channel to repair saves is gone. See our Wii glitches page for that story.