SKYWARD SWORD
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The Legend of Zelda

Skyward Sword

Beyond the clouds, the trial begins. Versions, walkthrough and where to play.

Where to play Watch trailer

Wii 2011Switch HD 2021First in the timeline

Wii · 2011Switch HD · 2021Switch 2 · backward compatible

Sources reviewed:

Three facts before you pick a version

Checked against Nintendo’s US store, Wikipedia, and the Japanese product page on 10 Nov 2026.

Wii releaseEU 18 Nov 2011, NA 20 Nov 2011, JP 23 Nov 2011, AU 24 Nov 20112 sources
Switch HDWorldwide 16 July 2021. US store price $59.99. Japan 6,578 yen tax included.2 sources
Where it sitsThe earliest story in the series timeline, covering the Master Sword’s origin.2 sources

The US store lists the HD edition for Nintendo Switch at $59.99 with an ESRB rating of E10+ for fantasy violence. The Wii game is a disc from 2011. A Wii U copy is the 2016 Virtual Console download, not a new port. I keep those three products separate so a search for “Wii U” does not get answered with the Switch price.

Scores I am willing to quote

Metacritic shows 93 from 81 reviews for the Wii release and 81 from 111 reviews for the HD release. Nintendo’s reported shipments are 3.52 million Wii copies by March 2012, 3.67 million by December 2020, and 4.15 million HD copies by December 2022. I do not fold those into one “about four million” line.

Original illustration of a floating island above a teal cloud sea
Original illustration of the sky islands. Not a game screenshot.
Original illustration of a stone gate with a gold crest and teal flames
Original illustration of a trial gate. Not a game screenshot.

FAQ

Is there a browser version I can play here?

No. The game shipped on Wii and, as Skyward Sword HD, on Nintendo Switch. This page links to the official store instead of embedding a copy.

Which version should I buy in 2026?

The Switch HD release is the one Nintendo still sells new. The comparison of motion controls, saves, and Fi is on the versions page.

Official overview trailer

Sources

Next: Where to play · Versions · Walkthrough