The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword announced for Wii. Coming in 2011

Zelda: Skyward Sword release date is 2011 artwork
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword releases in 2011 exclusively for Wii Nintendo announced and demonstrated at their E3 2010 Press Conference!

The game uses the Wii Remote with Wii MotionPlus and Nunchuck to re-invent Zelda for the first time since the series went 3D with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on the Nintendo 64.

To show the game off, Nintendo brought out Zelda’s creator, Shigeru Miyamoto himself. He demoed the game on-stage in front of the show audience. Below is TONS of details on the new game and a step-by-step account of exactly how the game was demoed.

Zelda: Skyward Sword gameplay screenshot

  • ZELDA IS SHOWN RIGHT OFF THE BAT. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword announced for Wii. Miyamoto comes on screen and discusses how he can change Zelda without using the standard items … His answer is using the Wii Remote and Nunchuck as the weapons themselves! So in Zelda: Skyward Sword you use the Nunchuck to raise your shield and the Wii Remote with Wii MotionPlus to swing your Master Sword as if it was a real sword! This makes using items natural. You use B to use your items.
  • Miyamoto then appears from the screen and burst onto the stage by “slicing” open a curtain with his Wii Remote! He comes to help Bill Trinen show off gameplay of Zelda: Skyward Sword!
  • In the game you shake your Wii Remote to unsheathe the sword! You can swing at any angle by moving and pointing the Wii Remote where you want to swing thanks to the Wii MotionPlus. Pressing Z will target in front of you. B is used to use items. You can swing top to bottom, up or down. Miyamoto performs a spin attack. The only way to defeat a Baba plant enemy is to cut horizontally or vertically in orientation with his head!

  • Here you can see Miyamoto playing and demonstrating the game on-stage. Full press conference footage will be posted soon.

  • Miyamoto attacks the enemies by using Link’s sword and cutting a certain direction. Hold the sword up and it charges, then you can shoot sword beams by swinging! Swing both Wii Remote and Nunchuck in the same direction to do a Spin Attack. Miyamoto goes up to a door with an eyeball. He slices it but it closes. Trying to think how to solve this puzzle, he notices that the eye is following the tip of his sword. He rotates his sword around to confuse the eye and make it dizzy! He enters the door. Quick shake of Nunchuck holds the shield out to block (while you move around) and he uses it to deflect rocks from Octorocks.
  • Some enemies will block attacks, you gotta swing the sword a certain way to defeat them. He takes a break and uses a potion to heal. In battle you use A to jump. You hold A to run and shake to roll. You can also run up cliffs and walls and Link climbs automatically.
  • Miyamoto talks about how typically items in Zelda were assigned to button presses (like the four C Button directions for Ocarina of Time on N64). For this game all the items are in a “pocket”, you put your hand into it with B. You use your hand to pick an item from the wheel (think: Turok 2) and Link pulls that item out of his “pocket”. But instead of pointing at the screen, you simply move the Wii Remote in the direction the item is on the wheel. So hold B and swing diagonal down will pull out a certain item. This allows you to switch items easily.
  • Zelda: Skyward Sword Spin Attack screenshot

  • Now Miyamoto shows off individual items. He shows off the Slingshot. Youd on’t point at the screen to aim you just move the Wii Remote in front of you and press A. Takes a while to get used to since people are used to pointing at the screen, and not moving their hands!
  • Next he shows off Bombs. Pressing the A button sets them on the ground. Once you use B to take out the Bombs, you can move the Wii Remote up to raise the Bomb overhead and use Wii Remote to throw it. You can even roll a bomb like a bowling ball by making a bowling motion!
  • Then he shows off the Bow and Arrow. Hold down C while pulling back on the Wii Remote to shoot an arrow. Next item is a Beetle. He then shoots a beetle and uses the Wii Remote to control it.
  • Graphically the game has a cartoony look to it and resembles watercolor or other kind of painting effects in certain spots. Although it’s not necessarily noticeable at first.
  • Zelda: Skyward Sword Whip Item screenshot

  • Miyamoto then shows the Whip item. It changes it’s movement depending on how you whip it out. I.e. how you pull it out with the Wii Remote and B. Miyamoto can’t defeat an enemy with the whip, so he easily and quickly switches to the Sword and cuts it down. This shows how fast and easy it is to switch items and combo them essentially since you no longer have to enter a menu. He fights Keese bats and takes them out with the whip.
  • Miyamoto Has some technical difficulties while on-stage with the game, but it will be shown on the show floor and will be much better there. Development on Zelda: will take through the end of the year. But it will be released in 2011!
  • Here is the official E3 2010 Zelda: Skyward Sword for Wii trailer.

    Here is the official description of the game and key features list:

    The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword marks a turning point for The Legend of Zelda franchise. The introduction of full motion control enabled by the Wii MotionPlus accessory synchronizes player movements with Link’s actions while offering the most intuitive play control of any game in The Legend of Zelda franchise to date.

    * Thanks to the required Wii MotionPlus accessory, every movement of Link’s sword matches the player’s motion with exact precision. If players motion left to right, Linkâ„¢ swings from left to right. The precision play control is applied to enemies as well, as players must contemplate strategy when battling opponents that actively try to defend against attacks.
    * Wii MotionPlus puts an arsenal of items at the player’s disposal. It offers a multitude of actions with just simple, intuitive motions. Players will try their hand at firing a bow, tossing bombs and using a whip to battle enemies and solve puzzles.
    * The game will also introduce a distinct new graphical style perfectly suited to the franchise’s fantastical universe, like a painting come to life.
    * The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will offer a multitude of new game-play mechanics, giving it a refreshingly different feel from all of the past titles in the series.