Review Roundup For The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD releases on July 16, but ahead of that, reviews for the re-release have begun to appear online.

It's the same game you may remember from 2011, but it's been updated with a range of quality-of-life improvements like 60fps gameplay, smoother motion controls, an option for button-only controls, skippable cutscenes, and more.

Here at GameSpot, our The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD review scored the game a 7/10. Reviewer Kevin Knezevic said, "The improvements in this Switch remaster make the overall experience more enjoyable, and the characteristic Zelda magic ultimately outshines the game's faults."

Read on below to see a sampling of other reviews from across the internet, including numbered scores where applicable. For more on the critical reaction to Skyward Sword HD, head to GameSpot sister site Metacritic.

• Game: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch
• Developer: Nintendo
• Release Date: July 16
• Price: $60

GameSpot -- 7/10

"The various quality-of-life tweaks that Nintendo has implemented here, welcome as they are, don't fix Skyward Sword's biggest issues, and it remains the most uneven 3D entry in the Zelda series. Even so, the improvements in this Switch remaster make the overall experience more enjoyable, and the characteristic Zelda magic ultimately outshines the game's faults." -- Kevin Knezevic [Full review]

The Guardian -- 4/5

"Nintendo has done an unconvincing job of trying to position this remaster as a kind of prototype Breath of the Wild, and it sets newcomers up for disappointment--and undersells Skyward Sword's unique charms. It's hard to think of two Zelda games less alike: one a celebration of unbridled freedom and emergent thrills, the other an on-rails rollercoaster built by Nintendo’s brainiest puzzle architects. Somewhere in the middle there is a potent compromise – and the skydiving in the forthcoming sequel to Breath of the Wild suggests it may have been found. But until then, Skyward Sword is doomed to feel less ambitious. After Breath of the Wild, though, what game isn't? A backward step it may be, but Link still holds that sword arm high." -- Matthew Castle [Full review]

The Verge

"This port is improved in all of the expected ways. It runs smooth, the graphics look cleaner (despite a few muddy textures here and there), and the new control scheme makes it a more accessible version of Skyward Sword. There are even some nice little tweaks, like a slightly less chatty talking sword that serves as your guide. The biggest barrier is your expectations. Yes, it can feel dated after Breath of the Wild. But for me at least, the fantastical world, clever puzzles, and challenging dungeons made it worth pressing through." -- Andrew Webster [Full review]

Game Informer -- 8/10

"In some ways, Skyward Sword perfects Ocarina's template, but that formula also feels well-worn and stuffed with unnecessary junk. Despite all the ways Nintendo updated this package, Skyward Sword remains far from my favorite entry in the series, but this is clearly the best way to play this blemished gem." -- Ben Reeves [Full review]

Video Games Chronicle -- 5/5

"Skyward Sword HD is a superb remaster of the decade-old Wii game that not only gives it a much-needed visual upgrade but also throws in so many quality of life improvements (not least of all a free camera) that it immediately makes the original version obsolete." -- Chris Scullion [Full review]

IGN -- Review in Progress

"I still have a ways to go before I’m done, but so far Skyward Sword remains as charming as ever, even if it’s also still dominated by clunky controls and odd gimmicks that are exactly as weird as you remember them. Unsolved control issues aside, this airborne adventure is everything you might expect it to be, for better or worse." -- Travis Northup [Full review]