The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD Complete Guide For Dungeons, Items & Collectibles

Though many regard it as the black sheep of the series, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword still offers an excellent adventure, both in terms of its fantastic main story and its many enjoyable side activities. The newly-released high-definition remaster for the Nintendo Switch is undoubtedly the best way to experience this epic adventure, with the game now looking sharper and controlling better than ever before.

The clunky motion controls that at times blighted the original release have been completely reworked, and there's now an option to turn them off completely should players wish to play with a regular controller. The remaster also features Amibo support and the frequency with which Link's annoying companion Fi chimes in with useless information has been cut down dramatically too. This complete guide will talk players through some of the other big changes, while also providing key information and walkthroughs for some of the game's toughest sections.

Updated on July 30, 2021 by Tom Bowen: Two weeks on from its initial release, and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD has already posted some incredibly impressive sales figures. The game has now sold more than 200,000 copies in Japan alone and, perhaps even more remarkably, is the third best-selling video game of 2021 on Amazon.com. Not bad at all, really, for what is effectively a ten-year-old title with a new coat of paint and a few tweaks to the control scheme. With so many new players picking up the game, it stands to reason that there'll also be a lot of people looking for Dungeon Guides, information about the game's many Side Quests, and walkthroughs explaining how to find every single item and collectible in the game. This comprehensive guide for Skyward Sword HD offers all of those things and more.

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Getting Started In The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

As is often the case with Zelda games, Skyward Sword HD really eases players into the action. When they first start playing, they won't even have a sword, but, slowly but surely, they'll start to acquire powerful new items to assist them on their quest. The time between acquiring each new weapon and tool gives players plenty of time to familiarize themselves with each one, as too do the many puzzles that they'll need to solve as they make their way through the game's seven dungeons.

In terms of controls, players can either use the motion of their Joycons to control Link's sword or instead assign it to the right analog stick. Movement is handled by the left one, while items and tools are tied to the right bumper and right trigger respectively. The left trigger allows Link to lock onto enemies or adjust the camera, while A and B can be used to jump, climb and dash whenever the situation calls for it. There are a few other things that players will need to know before diving into the game though, particularly when it comes to mastering some of Link's more powerful attacks.

How To Guides

General Tips, Tricks & Trivia

Frequently Asked Questions

The Main Quest In The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

Skyward Sword is one of the very few Zelda games in which Ganon doesn't appear. Instead, Link and Zelda are up against a new villain known as Demise as well as his faithful demon lord servant, Ghirahim. Some of the game takes place on the floating island of Skyloft, but the bulk of the action occurs far below on the surface of a planet scarred by an ancient war between the forces of good and evil.

With those evil forces now threatening to return, Link must prove himself to be the hero of legend by conquering numerous dungeons and keeping his childhood friend Zelda out of harm's way. There are seven dungeons in total, with each one full of dangerous enemies, useful items, and challenging puzzles for players to figure out. Each one also has its own boss, which players will need to defeat before they can move on to the next section of the game.

Dungeon Guides

Puzzle Guides

Side Quests In The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

It can be nice to take a break from a game's main storyline from time to time, and Skyward Sword definitely has players covered in this regard. There are numerous mini-games to enjoy, but the main attraction is arguably the game's many side quests. Not only do these offer some unique rewards, but they also give players a chance to get to know some of the people of Skyloft and its surrounding islands a little better than they otherwise would.

There are 12 main side quests to complete, each of which will reward players with Gratitude Crystals. The rewards for some of the additional side quests are a bit less desirable, although one or two of them will provide Link with extra pieces of heart, so they're definitely worth tackling at some point. As with other games in the series, different quests become available at different points in the story, so players will need to keep checking in on Skyloft to find out when new ones have opened up.

Main Side Quests

Additional Side Quests

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Items & Upgrades In The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

Zelda games are renowned for their extensive selections of tools, weapons and items, and Skyward Sword is no exception. Link begins his adventure with nothing but a sword and his trusty green tunic, but finds new and powerful equipment as he makes his way through the game's realms and dungeons. Like some of the other games in the series, it's also possible to upgrade some of these items, either to increase their effectiveness or durability or expand their capacity.

One or two of the game's key items, like Link's Goddess Sword, will actually be upgraded as part of the main story. To upgrade everything else though, players will need to collect special crafting components from down on the surface. These can sometimes be found in chests or won as prizes in mini-games, but the majority will come from defeating enemies out in the field. Once players have the necessary components, they'll then need to visit Gondo in the Skyloft Bazaar, who'll make the required changes for a nominal fee.

Item Guides

Upgrade Material Guides

Collectibles In The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

Like most modern video games, Skyward Sword features plenty of collectibles to keep players busy when they're not tackling the main story or completing side quests. As well as bugs and crafting components, players will need to constantly be on the lookout for Gratitude Crystals, Goddess Cubes, and, perhaps more than anything else; Pieces of Heart.

Series regulars should already know all about Heart Pieces, with every four of them that Link collects providing the young adventurer with an additional heart of health. There are 24 of them in total, meaning that it's possible for Link to gain an additional six hearts by collecting them all. Those who are having trouble surviving can bring this up to an even ten by obtaining and equipping the game's two Life Medals.

Goddess Cubes, on the other hand, are a brand new addition to the Zelda franchise and can be found in numerous locations down on the surface. Hitting them with a Skyward Strike will cause them to blast up into the air, which will unlock a corresponding Goddess Chest on Skyloft or one of the many surrounding islands. Most of them contain highly desirable items, so they're definitely worth hunting down.

The game's final main collectibles, Gratitude Crystals, are another new addition in Skyward Sword. There are 80 of them in total, with players able to obtain a number of unique rewards from the friendly monster Batreaux by collecting them. They're mainly obtained by completing side quests, but can also be found up on Skyloft and some of the game's other floating islands during nighttime hours.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD News, Rumors & Opinions

Though nowhere near as exciting as the upcoming Breath of the Wild sequel, the Skyward Sword remaster has certainly helped to rejuvenate interest in the Zelda franchise. A lot of people are talking about the game right now, with most players and critics responding positively to the changes made by Nintendo. One major criticism, however, surrounds the game's Amibo, with shipping delays preventing many players from getting their Amibos on time. This guide will feature updates on the Amibo situation, as well as any other relevant news, rumors, and opinions regarding the game itself.

News

Rumors

Opinions

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