Typographenia
Member
They do?! Holy crap, I'm glad I made a copy of my save before doing all of the final stuff! I need to go back and check this out.
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The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword |OT| Home of Punkin' Chunkin' Champion 2011
- Thread starter Amir0x
- Start date
The Awesomest
Member
Mannnn, my file got saved over with a Hero Quest 
I guess I'll have to play it again to find all that stuff.
I guess I'll have to play it again to find all that stuff.PezDispenser
Banned
Ok, I just finished this game and I'm a little upset.
I'm not sure if this came directly from Nintendo or not, but I remember reading all over the internet (including GAF) in the year before this game's release these two exciting proclamations: that SS would be the "longest Zelda ever made," and that it would have "more dungeons than any other Zelda." I also remember reading it should take 50 hours to run straight through, and around 100 hours to complete everything.
Unless you consider hero mode the second half of the game, (I don't) this is just ridiculous. I completed every sidequest, boss rush, heart piece etc. and beat the game in 48 hours with no guides or anything. I counted 7 dungeons, not as few as Majora's Mask but still not the "most of any Zelda," especially when you consider how short many of them were in comparison to dungeons from the earlier games.
I liked the game overall even if it was a bit dumbed down from previous installments, but I was just bothered by the blatantly false info that had been shoved down my throat about this game. Twilight Princess was a longer game. I didn't just imagine hearing that false marketing, did I?
I'm not sure if this came directly from Nintendo or not, but I remember reading all over the internet (including GAF) in the year before this game's release these two exciting proclamations: that SS would be the "longest Zelda ever made," and that it would have "more dungeons than any other Zelda." I also remember reading it should take 50 hours to run straight through, and around 100 hours to complete everything.
Unless you consider hero mode the second half of the game, (I don't) this is just ridiculous. I completed every sidequest, boss rush, heart piece etc. and beat the game in 48 hours with no guides or anything. I counted 7 dungeons, not as few as Majora's Mask but still not the "most of any Zelda," especially when you consider how short many of them were in comparison to dungeons from the earlier games.
I liked the game overall even if it was a bit dumbed down from previous installments, but I was just bothered by the blatantly false info that had been shoved down my throat about this game. Twilight Princess was a longer game. I didn't just imagine hearing that false marketing, did I?
Typographenia
Member
If there's a way to transfer saves from an SD card online I can get you my save from right before the end whereMannnn, my file got saved over with a Hero Quest
you have to do the temple with the shifting 8 rooms.
SecretMoblin
Member
Game length, of course, is relative. It shocks me when I see how little time it took for some people to 100% Twilight Princess. Never believe game time estimates from publishers, ever. Besides, you're disappointed about 48 hours of playtime?
PezDispenser
Banned
No, in my post I said I liked the game, but was upset that it was half the length claimed by the marketing hype.
48 hours for a game, especially in this day and age, is fantastic. It took me 40 and I didn't do many of the gratitude crystal quests or get all the heart pieces.
I just beat it. It's a great game, but as a Zelda game, I honestly think it's the worst 3D Zelda title. The recycled content was really ridiculous.
However, when it did do something new, it managed to keep me engaged. The dungeons were very well designed and some like Ancient Cistern and the Fire Sanctuary stand out as some of the series' best. Nintendo also managed to keep the items useful throughout the game and had diverse uses for all of them. The beetle is honestly one of my favorite items in the entire series.
The game also excelled with presentation. The cutscenes were all very well directed and the music was fantastic, Nintendo needs to use orchestral pieces more often. I was not a fan of the graphics, but the character designs were very memorable. I have a whole lore hulabaloo I wanna talk about, but I'll mention it in another thread.
I really enjoyed the game, but the Zelda fanboy in me has a lot to nitpick.
I just beat it. It's a great game, but as a Zelda game, I honestly think it's the worst 3D Zelda title. The recycled content was really ridiculous.
Four silent realms, three imprisoned fights, three Ghirahim fights, two walk the plank minibosses, seven dungeons in the same four areas, goddess cubes, gratitude crystals for rewards, and the final dungeon while a lot of fun, was really just a recycling of the past dungeon themes.
The game also excelled with presentation. The cutscenes were all very well directed and the music was fantastic, Nintendo needs to use orchestral pieces more often. I was not a fan of the graphics, but the character designs were very memorable. I have a whole lore hulabaloo I wanna talk about, but I'll mention it in another thread.
I really enjoyed the game, but the Zelda fanboy in me has a lot to nitpick.
1. They never said it was going to have the most dungeons.
2. They only said 50-100, but didn't specify anything. So I guess (as dumb as it sounds) they also counted Hero Mode into this.
I think you'd have to be crazy to not consider this the longest Zelda in the series by a long shot. And 50-100 hours is probably about right for an average player to finish normal. Yeah yeah you're just the best Zelda player ever and you finished it in 20 or whatever, but most people won't even be nearing the end by 40 hours in.
This is a VERY long game for Nintendo (leaving aside JP only stuff like Fire Emblem).
This is a VERY long game for Nintendo (leaving aside JP only stuff like Fire Emblem).
phisheep
NeoGAF's Chief Barrister
Sounds about right to me. I'm at 105 hours now and just about to thwack Demise now I've done my tidying-up. Certainly I'm on the slow leisurely end of the spectrum, and I know a bunch of people who play through a load faster than I do (either by just being way more skilled at the basics or by not fouling up and getting lost as much as I do), but there must be plenty around who aren't that much faster than I am.
Wind Waker was pretty long. Haven't played it in a while though.
Just for perspective, Skyward Sword is almost 3 months old, and the current speed run record is 6 hours 23 mins. Wind Waker is 9 years old now, and even with all the tricks people have learned throughout the years, the record stands at 6 hours 16 minutes.
I remember Wind Waker taking me foreveeeeeerrrrrrrrrr to finish the first time around. Far longer than Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess.
Either way, it's hard to say considering I was younger then. I really need to play Wind Waker again, soon!
Speed run times don't really count towards this, imo. Speed runs are basically a question of how much unskippable content the game has, not how long it takes in practical terms to finish it. You *can* finish Super Metroid in like 40 minutes, but realistically most people have trouble finishing it in under 2 hours and on a first run will probably take between 5 and 10.
The thing about Skyward Sword is that it takes you by the hand through a lot of unnecessary stuff, so that really expands the first playthrough (of someone who isn't using a walkthrough) to a huge degree. Previous Zeldas have let you explore that content at your leisure.
And the *really optional* stuff, like goddess cube hunting and talking to NPCs and the minigames and using the stores are where the game really slows you down. If you spend any time doing that the amount of unskippable content rises drastically.
The thing about Skyward Sword is that it takes you by the hand through a lot of unnecessary stuff, so that really expands the first playthrough (of someone who isn't using a walkthrough) to a huge degree. Previous Zeldas have let you explore that content at your leisure.
And the *really optional* stuff, like goddess cube hunting and talking to NPCs and the minigames and using the stores are where the game really slows you down. If you spend any time doing that the amount of unskippable content rises drastically.
I'm probably a thousand years behind on this one, but I've discovered that the melody of the Lon Lon Ranch theme in OoT goes nicely overtop the Lumpy Pumpkin theme. I hum it aloud every time I wander inside. Also this game is delightful, but for the life of me I can't stab properly when it's actually required in battle.
viciouskillersquirrel
Member
You have to concentrate on not accidentally moving your arm in an arc when you stab. It's harder to do when you're excited though.
That is indeed one damned tricky thing to do. I'm still not very good at it.
AppleBlade
Member
Finally decided to give this game a try. I honestly was not that excited to play this game, and boy was I was wrong. I am absolutely loving this game. This is definitely one of the best games of the year and I am starting to think this game did not get a fair shake at GOTY deliberations around the gaming media. How many of these guys overlook this game the way I overlooked it.
I mean I was totally into the Skyrim bandwagon and while Skyrim is definitely awesome, I am honestly having more fun with Zelda, it sure as hell is more charming and has better gameplay.
I mean I was totally into the Skyrim bandwagon and while Skyrim is definitely awesome, I am honestly having more fun with Zelda, it sure as hell is more charming and has better gameplay.
I expect SD, color, and the refusal to admit steadiness of hand and motor control to the list of things accepted as challenges played a part.
That all said, I also believe it's not The Best. Just very good, and I applaud its many fresh takes on the series.
TheNatural
My Member!
My last update: I stopped playing near the end. Only the second game I've done that with before the end, ever, the other was Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas when I really was at the exact end. And I feel similar about both, both very good games, but the tedium of doing things just completely expended me to the point I didn't want to play anymore and I couldn't do it anymore, even at the very end.
I got to the point where I was at the third
and I said fuck it. I played probably a six hour stretch or so straight up until that point thinking I was imminently close to the end of the game, I was 40 plus hours or so into the game that far, and then I get thrown another "quest of 3's" wrench and that was just it.
I just watched the walkthrough of the parts I didn't finish so I at least got to see how the game ended, but I probably would have went insane even going through those few parts. For every part of the game that has an ingenious puzzle and that Zelda moment when it all comes together, there's two other parts where everything is just an absolute bitch. EVERYTHING is a task in this game. It's a task to manuever through areas to get to the thing you need to get, and then when you get to the thing you need to get they throw you another thing you need to get on top of it, and it goes on and on. People can say it's the "Zelda formula" but it's really not. I haven't played Twilight Princess, but the other games have a lot more ambiance and interaction with towns and things to do like that between lulls in dungeons. This has long arduous collecting tasks and locating areas you have to go to and so on. My favorite parts of the Zelda formula was manning up Link for a dungeon, then going back to relax and do some other side quests and various things with people, then doing it again. Not constantly be pushed into some carrot on a stick in threes formula, or having tedious tasks collecting 100 different things going over and over the same land to do it.
Some people may like that because it's "deep", but I think this is a good example of a game where less is more. They could have cut 15 hours off this game consolidating the amount of times you have to revisit areas and cut out all the pointless silent realm activities and dowsing things and I bet this game would have been more well received and better for it.
Maybe I've just lost it, not having played a major game in a while, but I can't keep up with this type of thing enough to ride out 50-60 hours of this when I have no motivation to do it. I deleted my save data and formatted my Wii to put it up for sale, I'm done for a while.
I got to the point where I was at the third
battle with The Imprisoned/Demise
I just watched the walkthrough of the parts I didn't finish so I at least got to see how the game ended, but I probably would have went insane even going through those few parts. For every part of the game that has an ingenious puzzle and that Zelda moment when it all comes together, there's two other parts where everything is just an absolute bitch. EVERYTHING is a task in this game. It's a task to manuever through areas to get to the thing you need to get, and then when you get to the thing you need to get they throw you another thing you need to get on top of it, and it goes on and on. People can say it's the "Zelda formula" but it's really not. I haven't played Twilight Princess, but the other games have a lot more ambiance and interaction with towns and things to do like that between lulls in dungeons. This has long arduous collecting tasks and locating areas you have to go to and so on. My favorite parts of the Zelda formula was manning up Link for a dungeon, then going back to relax and do some other side quests and various things with people, then doing it again. Not constantly be pushed into some carrot on a stick in threes formula, or having tedious tasks collecting 100 different things going over and over the same land to do it.
Some people may like that because it's "deep", but I think this is a good example of a game where less is more. They could have cut 15 hours off this game consolidating the amount of times you have to revisit areas and cut out all the pointless silent realm activities and dowsing things and I bet this game would have been more well received and better for it.
Maybe I've just lost it, not having played a major game in a while, but I can't keep up with this type of thing enough to ride out 50-60 hours of this when I have no motivation to do it. I deleted my save data and formatted my Wii to put it up for sale, I'm done for a while.
nintendoman58
Member
Exactly. It's one of the worst, but that's not saying much. That's like saying gold is worse than diamond.
Elfforkusu
Member
The final boss is destroying me. 0-3.
I'll presumably beat it if I keep trying, but this is stupid.
I'll presumably beat it if I keep trying, but this is stupid.
He sword lasers my ass every time I try to skyward strike during the lightning part. I can get him on the ground twice, but that's it. If there's something after this, I'm well and truly boned.
Third time and you got him.
Ghirahim Battle Theme 3 is much better:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o--7sKIvOdg
Chorus >>>> castanets
Elfforkusu
Member
I don't have a good enough shield to weather his storm. In any case, don't you have to drop your shield to do the skyward strike? Am I right to presume that's not needed to beat him, then?
Well, you can't block and skyward strike at the same time, but you can still be far enough away from him to charge up and still be out of his range. Typically you should skyward charge right when he does it, it'll take him longer and you can get in a hit. If you want a better shield, do the boss rush from the thunder dragon. I found the shield to be extremely useful in the final two battles.
Yeah, this is where the old Ocarina-style hopping-around-while-Z-targeted skills will help.
I wished I hadn't lost my (Goddess) shield, but I still managed with the help of lots of dodging and a few potions.
Nope. You just need a bit of patience for the first phase. A shield is not needed anywhere in the game.
Castanets forever.
Nah, my shield broke very quickly. It made it exciting but nowhere near impossible. I still had a potion left when I defeated him, and I only had one potion (but supercharged) and a fairy to begin with.
Typographenia
Member
I just realized I never used a single potion in the game. The only time I ever bought/used them was
Was there anything good with the potions?
giving the two that Forge wanted to him.
nintendoman58
Member
There was this one potion that restores your shield gague completely and restores four hearts.
At least I THINK it restores it completley, I only used it once.
Well some people have trouble with having their shield broken especially around the end, so a potion might help with that.
Typographenia
Member
I think I only ever had my first two shields take single units of damage, so I guess I never missed anything with them. Just always went to look at the item shop for new stuff or deposit things in the item storage.
wandering goat
Member
Not sure if people realize this, with all the comments about shields breaking lately, but if you use your shield attack to block instead of just having the shield up, its durability doesn't drop. Once I realized that, I never had to worry about a shield breaking again.
Elfforkusu
Member
Timing is too hard to get right for this to be reliable.
Much like so many things in this game, I'm not sure if I just suck at playing it or if the controls are bad. Probably a bit of both. But after 40+ hours of a Nintendo game, as a player you expect to have been successfully taught some competency along the way. Alas.
Flail, flail, flail, dodge. Flail, flail, flail, dodge.
It really isn't (and I have slow reflexes).
Time attack trials for the last boss:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tC8mxjdKso
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=159wl-fefec
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aKgKoGccFw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWgS3ttycbs
Elfforkusu
Member
Cool, apparently I'm doing it wrong! What's the secret to your success? Are you a robot?
Elfforkusu
Member
Okay, beat the final boss. Not that bad once you get his pattern down.
Zelda games always have excellent endings, so that's nice. Made me forget about all the pain and annoyance I went through to get there! (almost)
(though I couldn't find a counter for that blue sword flame of death :[ )
Zelda games always have excellent endings, so that's nice. Made me forget about all the pain and annoyance I went through to get there! (almost)
After LOTS of problems (i preordered throgh a store but didn't got the gold wiimote...) got the game, i got it on monday
I'm taking it slow, doing as much sidequests as i can between dungeuns ... just finished the 2nd dungeun and i'm with nearly 8 hours with the game
I have to say that i will NEVER understand the problem have with swordfighting in this game ... at least in the meaning of "the wiimote did something wrong"
Also, i love the girahim dude
I'm taking it slow, doing as much sidequests as i can between dungeuns ... just finished the 2nd dungeun and i'm with nearly 8 hours with the game
I have to say that i will NEVER understand the problem have with swordfighting in this game ... at least in the meaning of "the wiimote did something wrong"
Also, i love the girahim dude
Those last two in particular are awesome—shame they're silent.
If you'd watched me do it, it was a bunch of *bash* *hop hop* *bash* OH SHIT MY SHIELD *hop hop hop hop hop* rinse repeat. Much longer than 28 seconds :lol
Yes it ended that @$#@^% beep.
John Harker
Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
9 hours in, about to unlock the door to the temple at Eldin zone.
Thoughts: I think Final Fantasy Crystal Bearers would have done MUCH better if it had released after Skyward Sword.
These games remind me a lot of each other.
(Good thing I like them both).
Thoughts: I think Final Fantasy Crystal Bearers would have done MUCH better if it had released after Skyward Sword.
These games remind me a lot of each other.
(Good thing I like them both).
Zaraki_Kenpachi
Member
What's the cheapest way to get wii motion? Anything cheap with the add-on or is it cheaper to buy a new wiimote?
The bundle netted you a new Remote Plus for $20 over, in case you can still find it in any stores. I saw one the other day at Best Buy.
Otherwise, you might still be able to find Flingsmash cheap somewhere.
Typographenia
Member
If you are needing/wanting another controller for the wii, it'd probably be in your best interest to just get the controller with it built in. The add-on was averaging around $12/15 USD before SS dropped, but it's been around $20/25 on amazon, typically since then.
You might try checking some local stores for a better price, but you might just have to deal with the asking price for the add-on. It's been pretty much the same most places I've looked, but amazon is generally the cheaper option, unless you have to pay for shipping.
Finally got to start this, this week. I was waiting because I had really wanted to move my Wii downstairs but it's just not going to happen so after finishing Arkhum City I decided to start this up.
I am absolutely loving it so far. Just taking my time and enjoying everything. It's also my first time using motion plus. It really adds to the experience so far even if I am having some slight problems with the sword fighting. I usually have no problem whatsoever with the combat in Zelda so this is kind of refreshing to have to use some potions and the fights get kind of tense. The art style is beautiful. I really enjoyed the beginning and liked that it gave me time to explore around and had some nice scenes. I love the whole knighthood ideas and that's where the clothing comes from and every year its a different color. That was pretty neat.
I'm currently inside the 2nd dungeon and having a blast at about the 9.5 hour mark so far. After hearing from some that it gets even better later, I can't wait. So far this has met and exceeded all of my expectations. No one really makes a game like this anymore. Gotta love Nintendo.
I am absolutely loving it so far. Just taking my time and enjoying everything. It's also my first time using motion plus. It really adds to the experience so far even if I am having some slight problems with the sword fighting. I usually have no problem whatsoever with the combat in Zelda so this is kind of refreshing to have to use some potions and the fights get kind of tense. The art style is beautiful. I really enjoyed the beginning and liked that it gave me time to explore around and had some nice scenes. I love the whole knighthood ideas and that's where the clothing comes from and every year its a different color. That was pretty neat.
I'm currently inside the 2nd dungeon and having a blast at about the 9.5 hour mark so far. After hearing from some that it gets even better later, I can't wait. So far this has met and exceeded all of my expectations. No one really makes a game like this anymore. Gotta love Nintendo.