01. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Nintendo)
Once again, the Legend of Zelda will perform the final act on a Nintendo console.
And what an act it’s shaping up to be.
Five years after Twilight Princess launched the console, its successor will bring it to a close. A colorful new chapter in the beloved 25-year-old franchise, the Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is a fitting farewell to Nintendo’s most successful system in history.
Of course, Skyward Sword is also an important step for its iconic series. The game’s gorgeous graphics are sheer Impressionism magic, as if Monet found a way to bring the worlds of Wind Waker and Twilight Princess together in perfect visual harmony. And as intoxicating as the game’s vivid colors and animations can be, Skyward Sword is even more interesting when the controller is in your hands.
Played using either a Wii Remote Plus or a MotionPlus attachment, swordplay gets a major refinement in Skyward Sword. Link’s pedigree with the blade is more impressive than ever, as the added controller precision gives him the ability to swing a sword with unprecedented accuracy for a Zelda game.
Be ready to be precise. Because in Skyward Sword, you have to be.
In addition to the new visual style and motion controls, the game also promises story elements unlike anything we’ve ever seen in a Zelda title. And all that and more comes your way before the end of the year, when Zelda finally returns to a home console.
And we give the Wii one last hurrah.
What do you think, Infendo? Did we miss an important Wii game you’ve been looking forward to, or have you given up on the Wii already? Let us know in the comments.