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Zelda: Skyward Sword HD Guides, Tips, And Tricks Roundup

The Goddess's chosen hero has a lot on his plate. Here's everything you need to know to find all the secrets hidden in the sky and on the surface in Skyward Sword HD.

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Like any game in the Legend of Zelda franchise, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is brimming with secrets to find. The game world is huge, spanning both a massive surface world and several floating islands in the sky, and mixed across both are collectibles that can aid you in your journey. While some of those items are hidden in the corners of the world or require you to revisit locations you've already seen once you have new items, you'll also need to interact with the game's various characters and help them solve their problems if you want to reach 100% completion.

Apart from that, though, Skyward Sword is unique among Zelda games because of its original focus on motion controls and other mechanical flourishes. While some of those ideas have popped up in other games, they don't quite come together in the same way as in Skyward Sword--and that means you'll need to develop some new skills to handle the game's control scheme and puzzles. We've put together a whole mess of guides to help you on your quest as the Goddess's chosen hero, covering side quests, Goddess Cubes, Pieces of Heart, and the iconic Hylian Shield.

Don't forget to also check out our Skyward Sword HD review to see how it stacks up to the original Wii version.

Essential Beginner's Tips & Tricks

With two possible control schemes and a bunch of big areas to uncover, there's a lot that can be confusing about Skyward Sword.
With two possible control schemes and a bunch of big areas to uncover, there's a lot that can be confusing about Skyward Sword.

Skyward Sword requires a different set of skills for Legend of Zelda players, whether you're new to the franchise or a veteran of fighting Ganon. It's also a game that can bog you down in non-essential content, especially early on, that kills the flow of the game. Our tips will get you into your adventure quicker, keep you alive longer, and help you overcome Skyward Sword's unique puzzles and challenges.

Heart Piece Locations

Pieces of Heart help you seriously boost your health pool throughout your adventure--but they're tough to find. Our rundown will help you get them all.
Pieces of Heart help you seriously boost your health pool throughout your adventure--but they're tough to find. Our rundown will help you get them all.

Every Zelda game is littered with collectible Pieces of Heart that allow you to boost your health pool, survive tougher combat, and become a real hero of legend. But those hearts aren't easy to come by, and you'll have to scour the world to locate them all. We take the pain out of checking every single corner and nook of Skyward Sword with a complete rundown of how you can max out Link's health as you play.

Goddess Cube Locations

Seek out Goddess Cubes and the treasure chests they unlock in Skyloft to earn great upgrades and a whole lot of Rupees.
Seek out Goddess Cubes and the treasure chests they unlock in Skyloft to earn great upgrades and a whole lot of Rupees.

Some of the best rewards in Skyward Sword require you to complete two steps to gather them: First, you'll need to find and activate a special Goddess Cube on the surface, then you'll need to return to Skyloft and locate the chest each cube unlocks. We've got a full rundown of where you can find each cube, what you need to reach it, and where you'll find the chest when you return to the sky.

Gratitude Crystal Side Quests

Gratitude Crystals are part of a lengthy series of side quests with great rewards and a lot of fun story moments.
Gratitude Crystals are part of a lengthy series of side quests with great rewards and a lot of fun story moments.

Most of the side quests in Skyward Sword reward Gratitude Crystals, a special currency that can net you some awesome rewards. Completing each side quest can be involved and confusing in its own right, however, and it all starts with you locating Batreaux, a special character hidden in the depths of Skyloft. We've got a full rundown of how to find all 80 Gratitude Crystals in the game, including the ones that are hidden throughout Skyloft, as well as smaller guides so you can zero in on exactly which side quest you want to know about.

Insects And Potion Infusions Guide

Catching bugs is a great way to get some cash and unlock some powerful potions that can give you a serious edge throughout the game.
Catching bugs is a great way to get some cash and unlock some powerful potions that can give you a serious edge throughout the game.

Skyward Sword is infested with bugs of all types, and once you have a Bug Net, you can go to town catching them. A little later in the game, you can start using bugs in the Bazaar in Skyloft to infuse your potions and make them even more powerful. You can also sell bugs, which is a great way to make some quick cash. Our guide will give you the low-down on all the bugs in the game, including where you can find them and what they're good for.

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