The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was released in 2011 on the Nintendo Wii. It added new motion controls to shake up the combat and told a brand new story high above the clouds. The game was re-released 10 years later with an HD graphics update and modified controls for the Nintendo Switch, allowing it to be played without motion controls.
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The game takes around 50 hours to complete fully including the optional quests and extra collectibles. With a relatively short completion time by the standards of many open-world games, there can be a few things that players may not realize they can do in-game.
Playing With Remlits
The Remlits of Skyloft are an adorable species of cat-like ears, with the ability to flap their ears like wings – if they happened to 'fall' off the island. These cute little critters do turn aggressive during the night due to Batreaux's demonic presence on the island.
When Link has unlocked the Clawshots, he can access an area to the right of the goddess statue, a small field with lots of Remlits in it. Here, Link can gather a crowd of Remlits, which will sing, or meow, along with him if he plays the Goddess harp in their vicinity.
Restore Hearts On A Seat
In previous games in the series, Link was able to adventure for a seemingly endless amount – climbing, rolling, and sprinting everywhere. In Skyward Sword, Link gained a stamina gauge which drained as he over-exerted himself. Many players may have noticed various seats dotted around the world, that Link can sit on to take a quick breather.
While sitting on a seat, Link will recover hearts after a small while, allowing him to fully recover before he carries on adventuring. Although if Link sits for too long, a fun animation will play, showing Link beginning to fall asleep.
Creatively Use Glittering Spores
Within the Faron woods, Link can come across many different types of plant life. The most interesting of these is a type of mushroom that glitters – one of which can be found near the east entrance to the woods. Slashing the mushroom with a sword allows Link to collect the spores in an empty bottle.
These spores can then later be released from the bottle and have a variety of uses, such as stunning enemies during combat. It can also slow bugs down, making them much easier to catch. If emptied onto a heart flower, the flower will become a fairy. The spores can also transmute rupees into a higher value.
Messing With Gossip Stones
Once Link has gained the Goddess harp, he can play it around a swarm of blessed butterflies to cause a gossip stone to appear from the ground. These stones also bring up a small treasure and will give Link some helpful advice about where more treasure can be found or perhaps a clue to a puzzle.
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These stones also interact strangely with many of Links items. If attacked with a sword the sword will jiggle around but if shot with a projectile it will eject green rupees. Gust bellows will cause the stone to shrink, whereas a bomb will cause the stone to launch off into the sky. Playing the harp for the stone will make it dance along to the tune.
Playing Harp Through The Credits
Unfortunately, all games must come to an end. Typically when they do, it's followed by an unskippable scrolling wall of text that lasts longer than the rest of the game and forces players to sit through the tedious act of acknowledging the achievements of everyone in the credits.
Luckily, Skyward Sword thought about this and added a secret little feature. Using the usual controls, players can play the Goddess harp along with the incredible soundtrack that plays behind the credits. This music is enough alone to keep people enjoying the work of the development team as the names scroll past.
Finishing All The Side Quests
There is a peculiar character hiding within Skyloft that Link can help out through the course of the game. The demon Batreaux wants to be turned into a human and requires 80 gratitude crystals from Link to do so. Batreaux will hand out rewards for doing so if the player needs more incentive.
These gratitude crystals are earned by completing all the sidequests and other small objectives. Once Link has collected them Batreaux can finally walk freely around Skyloft, and all the Remlits cease being aggressive at night.
Visiting The Sky Islands
Many of the Sky Islands will be visited during the course of the game as the player tries to collect all 80 gratitude crystals, however, there are hidden secrets on almost every island that warrant further exploration, including hidden Pieces of Heart.
Some islands contain fun little mini-games, like the Clean Cut Challenge on Bamboo Island. Additionally, once Link learns about the Goddess Cubes, he can venture between islands opening the Goddess chests that are unlocked after his trips down to the surface opening the Goddess Cubes.
Interact With Characters
There are many interesting and unique characters throughout the world of Skyward Sword, all of which have slightly different opinions toward Link. Some characters can elicit different responses if Link does various things. Link can sit near characters for some new dialogue, including the Old One in the sealed ground who makes fun of Links laziness.
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Link can also use his items on different characters, including the Gust Bellows. One of the more unique reactions to the unending gust of wind is Groose, who will shield his hair from the gale and then adjust it once the breeze ends.
Enter Zelda's Room
During the opening section of the game, Link is allowed to roam around the Knights Academy where he can enter various people's rooms. However, once the Clawshots have been unlocked, Link can enter Zelda's room by climbing into the chimney of the Academy. While inside the chimney Link can also watch the Headmaster take a bath during the night.
Within Zelda's room, Link can find a gratitude crystal on the floor at night, and a piece of heart inside her cupboard. On her desk, she keeps a journal and a picture of her and her father, as well as a doll of the flamboyant fairy Tingle.
Bugging Demise With A Net
The final boss of Skyward Sword may seem daunting at first, especially since he bears a striking resemblance to Links archnemesis Ganondorf. However, the flaming red hair and angry face aren't the only things the two villains have in common – their weakness is a net.
During the final battle with Demise, in the early phases, Demise can be distracted by the bug net, much like Ganondorf from Twilight Princess. In the later stages when Demise starts throwing beams out of his sword, the net can be used to deflect them back at him.
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