The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is an action-adventure game in the Legend of Zelda series currently in development by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development. Scheduled for 2011, it will be released for the Wii console and will heavily use the Wii MotionPlus peripheral for sword-fighting, with a revised Wii Remote pointing system used for targeting.
The gameplay of Skyward Sword will depart from the traditional flow of alternating overworld and dungeon exploration. The controls will also be revised, with swordplay based on Wii MotionPlus, allowing one-to-one motion control between the Wii Remote and the in-game sword. In contrast to earlier installments, battles will not be based solely on timing attacks, but also on their location, such as the direction in which enemies are hit. In addition to the sword, there will be items such as a mechanical flying beetle to grab items from a distance and drop them, a whip (as seen in Spirit Tracks) and series staples such as bombs, a slingshot, and a bow, which can also be controlled with the Wii MotionPlus. A stamina meter will allow for sprinting and running up walls. Drinking potions does not interrupt the gameplay anymore and the maps will be easier to read, making it harder to get lost in the game. The HUD within the demo shown at E3 is subject to change and the player will have the option of turning it off.
Skyward Sword is a prequel to Ocarina of Time. The incarnation of Link as he appears in Skyward Sword was born and raised in Skyloft, a group of islands floating above the clouds. Leading an ordinary life there, he one day discovers the Skyward Sword, which leads him to another, previously unknown land beneath, ruled by evil forces. Using the sword to travel back and forth between the two worlds, the mystery of why they became separated is gradually revealed to Link. The Skyward Sword will turn into the Master Sword at some point in the game, and while giving Link advice, it will assume the form of the female figure in the concept art shown at E3 2009.
The development of Skyward Sword started right after Phantom Hourglass was finished and before that of Spirit Tracks had begun. Until the Nintendo DS title was completed and all staff was transferred to work solely on the Wii game, director Hidemaro Fujibayashi and his team developed both games simultaneously. In April 2008, Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed the Zelda team to be "forming again to work on new games", and later clarified at E3 2008 that the development team has been working on a new Zelda title for the Wii. However, the November issue of Official Nintendo Magazine pointed out that the developers were still in the planning stages at that time and considered a first screening at E3 2009 an optimistic prediction.
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