Is a Skyward Sword port without motion controls feasible?

Gold Arsene · Sep 28, 2020

With Zelda's 35th coming up and constant rumors about a SS port I'm generally really hoping this game comes out. Despite the games mixed reception I really want to try it for myself as it's one of the few games in the series I've not played.

My question is what'll be done about the controls? Will they keep the motion controls,pretty much making it impossible to play on the Switch Lite, or do you think they'll work it to have a more "normal" control scheme?

Just one of those things I've been wondering about as I'm trying to get new Joycons soon.

sredgrin · Sep 28, 2020

Given Mario Galaxy didn't bother with adapting some of the motion control stuff (and it could have relatively easily) I'm guessing it's gonna be a "Lite owners, you can try, but good luck" situation, especially if it's part of a collection.

Maybe if it is its standalone thing.

BasilZero · Sep 28, 2020

I cant wait to swing my future Switch like a Sword.

Orayn · Sep 28, 2020

Portions of the game would need to be reworked significantly. Some stuff like the big could just be regular gyro or analog controls, but certain puzzles, sword combat, the whip, etc. wouldn't be very similar at all.

Platy · Sep 28, 2020

They can map most sword attacks to the right stick

But they won't

ghibli99 · Sep 28, 2020

I haven't looked into it in detail, but I feel like they could be adapted to traditional controls, especially since you have more buttons and the additional analog stick to use.

Professor Beef · Sep 28, 2020

Platy said:
They can map most sword attacks to the right stick

But they won't

Metal Gear Rising paved the way!

skeezx · Sep 28, 2020

in the absract... yes, i guess. but it probably wouldn't be "fun"

Nostremitus · Sep 28, 2020

Should be pretty easy, honestly, like using the control stick for W101 inputs instead of the touch screen, or using the control stick inputs for Metal Gear Revengence...

Right stick - Aim blade (press fully in a direction and release to slash)

Professor Beef said:
Metal Gear Rising paved the way!

exactly

Spring-Loaded · Sep 28, 2020

This and Star Fox: Zero were doomed to be trapped to their original console which is for the best

Nostremitus said:
Should be pretty easy, honestly, like using the control stick for W101 inputs instead of the touch screen, or using the control stick inputs for Metal Gear Revengence...

Right stick - Aim blade (press fully in a direction and release to slash)

This seems feasible, but sounds like it'd be a really miserable experience in practise. Doing that for every swing of the sword ...

WrenchNinja · Sep 28, 2020

It really would not work well.

Video Games Are Dumb · Sep 28, 2020

Nostremitus said:
Should be pretty easy, honestly, like using the control stick for W101 inputs instead of the touch screen, or using the control stick inputs for Metal Gear Revengence...

Right stick - Aim blade (press fully in a direction and release to slash)

That was my first answer too. Plus I've experienced it emulated to do just that. It works! With some acceleration modifiers at the ready, of course.

Nostremitus · Sep 28, 2020

Spring-Loaded said:
This and Star Fox: Zero were doomed to be trapped to their original console which is for the best

not at all, see above... other games have already done exactly what SS needs to do for Switch

Professor Beef · Sep 28, 2020

skeezx said:
in the absract... yes, i guess. but it probably wouldn't be "fun"

using the motion controls already wasn't fun

fixing the game to get rid of them would only be a positive

DiipuSurotu · Sep 28, 2020

Feasible? Yes.

Plausible? No

Nostremitus · Sep 28, 2020

You can tell who never played Revengence.

Doskoi Panda · Sep 28, 2020

Feasible and plausible, using something like Dead Island's analog combat as a starting point.

It'd be functional but they'd lose the accessibility and novelty that comes from those ingame functions actually being controlled using actual motions and gestures.

Nostremitus · Sep 28, 2020

Solid said:
Feasible and plausible, using something like Dead Island's analog combat as a starting point.

It'd be functional but they'd lose the accessibility and novelty that comes from those ingame functions actually being controlled using actual motions and gestures.

yes, the accessibility that requires full use of ones arm and wrist as opposed to just the thumb... Some of us can't really play like that anymore.

BasilZero · Sep 28, 2020

Nostremitus said:
You can tell who never played Revengence.

Loved it - actually beat it a week ago.

That last boss though....(music was good though).

If emulation can allow people to play Skyward sword - I'm sure it will be possible to play it on the Switch...providing Nintendo even bothers with it.

joe1138 · Sep 28, 2020

I feel like it would require a re-working from the ground up which, given the work Nintendo put into 3D All Stars, I'm not sure the interest is there to do so.

I've been hoping for a version of that game without motion controls but I think they're so baked-into that game's being that it's not likely to happen. Shame since that's the only home console Zelda entry that I've yet to complete.

DinoBlaster · Sep 28, 2020

Probably but we just saw Nintendo do almost jack shit for Galaxy 1 and nope'd out of reworking Yoshi for Galaxy 2. So don't hold your breath.

Nostremitus · Sep 28, 2020

joe1138 said:
I feel like it would require a re-working from the ground up which, given the work Nintendo put into 3D All Stars, I'm not sure the interest is there to do so.

I've been hoping for a version of that game without motion controls but I think they're so baked-into that game's being that it's not likely to happen. Shame since that's the only home console Zelda entry that I've yet to complete.

nah, just mapping sword swipes to flicking the right stick...

Zemst · Sep 28, 2020

Spring-Loaded said:
This and Star Fox: Zero were doomed to be trapped to their original console which is for the best

This seems feasible, but sounds like it'd be a really miserable experience in practise. Doing that for every swing of the sword ...

We already have this in astral chain. It'll be fine.

Lord Azrael · Sep 28, 2020

I think it's doable but there's no chance Nintendo would do it

Deleted member 11626 · Sep 28, 2020

Feels like the sort of game that will have to get reworked. That was always my problem with the Wii and Wii U (and to a much smaller extent the 3DS I suppose). Games utilizing unique schemes were always going to have trouble making the jump to future consoles.

Digital Dinosaur · Sep 28, 2020

As others said it could be done Metal Gear Rising style. The main issue is it would require a significant amount of game development and testing for playability and balance. The whole game feel would be different and Nintendo, most of the time, is a stickler for polish.

skeezx · Sep 28, 2020

Professor Beef said:
using the motion controls already wasn't fun

fixing the game to get rid of them would only be a positive

i didn't particularly have a blast with the motion controls myself but it's so fundamental to the combat

if you're just dying to play SS again without it sure there's fixes around that but does joe schmoe want to play zelda mapping out sword patterns analogue. maybe i dunno

Rodney McKay · Sep 28, 2020

They'll just do the minimum effort required like with 3D Allstars and map the sword slashing to the touch screen for handheld mode, like they did with collecting star bits or other motion controlled stuff in Mario Galaxy.

Ideal? No, but if you have shield on the left bumper button it should be playable: lock-in (left shoulder) defense (left bumper), movement (analog stick), and sword attacks (touch screen), even if you might need to cradle the console in your lap or something.

Maybe they'll give you a "regular" attack on one of the face buttons (like how they mapped the spin move in Galaxy to be a button), or at best one button for horizontal swings and one for vertical, but for more specific directional attacks I bet it'll be all touchscreen.

This way all they need to do is get the game looking and running well on their emulator, and they don't need to redesign anything beyond basic button prompt changes.

Nostremitus · Sep 28, 2020

skeezx said:
i didn't particularly have a blast with the motion controls myself but it's so fundamental to the combat

if you're just dying to play SS again without it sure there's fixes around that but does joe schmoe want to play zelda mapping out sword patterns analogue. maybe i dunno

nothing stopping them from keeping waggle controls intact if you're using Joycons...

mikeys_legendary · Sep 28, 2020

Why wouldn't you be able to use the Joycons for Skyward Sword?

Maybe you wouldn't be able to play in handheld mode but the Switch has a dock. Or it can be played in tabletop mode. One game that isn't compatible with a handheld mode isn't going to kill it off. Especially not when its a Zelda game.

Realistically, I can't see them doing this however, a lot of people out there with the Switch Lite probably wouldn't be too thrilled at having to buy Joycons to make the game work.

julia crawford · Sep 28, 2020

Melee in analog sticks suuuuuuuuuuuucks

mute · Sep 28, 2020

They made how many Zelda games without motion controls?

It can be done. Question is, do they want to (I don't think they do. It will require joycons or not exist).

Deleted member 29691 · Sep 28, 2020

sredgrin said:
Given Mario Galaxy didn't bother with adapting some of the motion control stuff (and it could have relatively easily) I'm guessing it's gonna be a "Lite owners, you can try, but good luck" situation, especially if it's part of a collection.

Maybe if it is its standalone thing.

So wait are parts of Galaxy unplayable on the lite?

skeezx · Sep 28, 2020

Nostremitus said:
nothing stopping them from keeping waggle controls intact if you're using Joycons...

sure but begs the question how you do "undocked" SS which i assume is OP's premise

Spring-Loaded · Sep 28, 2020

Nostremitus said:
You can tell who never played Revengence.

In MGR, you only use blade mode during special moments or as an optional means of recovering health, and there were only two instances where you had to cut in a certain direction to hit multiple markers (Sundowner explosive shield+Armstrong debris throw). Blade Mode also slowed down time

As someone who platinumed that game and all its DLC, I can confidently say aiming swing direction with the joystick was not good enough to be something you do more frequently, especially in real-time/without slow-motion like you do in Skyward Sword.

Button commands for horizontal/vertical/diagonal would be much better and more reliable. it's not like the sword attacks themselves were 1:1 with your swings—it was either 90 or 45 degree angles. At that point, may as well have discreet button inputs.

skeezx said:
sure but begs the question how you do "undocked" SS which i assume is OP's premise

You swing the entire console around for that authentic experience

eseqko · Sep 28, 2020

There could be a couple of solutions after playing Super Mario 3D All Stars:
1. Allow joycons and Pro controller, but reserve a button to refocus the pointer.
2. Using touch screen (worst option)
Personally, I'd like to see utilizing "hold R+ Right Analog Stick" to swing the sword as an option, but that may not be appealing to many.

AncientReptileBrain · Sep 28, 2020

mikeys_legendary said:
Why wouldn't you be able to use the Joycons for Skyward Sword?

it's possible -- the big problem is recentering without the sensor bar. the motion plus tech is (for the purposes of this conversation) more or less the same as the joycon gyro tech, but the software that converts the accelerometer/gyro readings into a 3d-rotation (used to position, for eg, link's sword) relied on the sensor bar to recenter that rotation automatically at all times. without it, the drift over time from the gyro lead to to the 3d-rotation tracking falling out of sync over time, especially if you're wildly swinging the damn thing around like in skyward sword.

you can probably get away with an manual recenter button like in most switch games with gyro, but it's a little bit less intuitive.

HylianMaster2020 · Sep 28, 2020

Go get a Wii U cmon op

Jon God · Sep 28, 2020

It's doable, it would also let others realize that Skyward Sword is the least good 3D Zelda game.

Gold Arsene · Sep 28, 2020

HylianMaster2020 said:
Go get a Wii U cmon op

I have one. I'm not digging it out of my closet and then hunting down SS and Wii Motion plus to play one game.

I have Wind Waker HD too but I'd still rather have it on my Switch.

JaggiBaggi · Sep 28, 2020

Everyone saying it's possible hasn't played Skyward Sword.

Seriously, this is a TWEWY Switch situation. If you remove the motion controls you'd have to basically make a different game. There's parts that won't work. Like, not "need to be reworked", but outright replaced.

...not that Skyward Sword couldn't use a lot of replacing stuff, though. Seriously instead of a remaster they should make an abridged version.

Rez said:
it's possible -- the big problem is recentering without the sensor bar. the motion plus tech is (for the purposes of this conversation) more or less the same as the joycon gyro tech, but the software that converts the accelerometer/gyro readings into a 3d-rotation (used to position, for eg, link's sword) relied on the sensor bar to recenter that rotation automatically at all times. without it, the drift over time from the gyro lead to to the 3d-rotation tracking falling out of sync over time, especially if you're wildly swinging the damn thing around like in skyward sword.

you can probably get away with an manual recenter button like in most switch games with gyro, but it's a little bit less intuitive.

Hmmm, it's less simple than that. Skyward Sword didn't actually use the sensor bar that much, and it's actually possible to play it without the sensor bar at all. It also used stuff like the Skyward Slash (The one you had to aim upwards to charge your sword) to recalibrate where up was, for example.

Spring-Loaded · Sep 28, 2020

I've got it: Skyward Sword VR

KamenRiderEra · Sep 28, 2020

Its feasible. On Dolphin emulator is already playable with a traditional controller.

ReyVGM · Sep 28, 2020

Platy said:
They can map most sword attacks to the right stick

But they won't

And how exactly do you plan on attacking if your thumb pushing the right stick? You can't expect people to do the claw position the entire game.

poptire · Sep 28, 2020

I loved the motion controls in SS. It'd be weird playing it without them but I reckon they could find a way.

Professor Beef · Sep 28, 2020

ReyVGM said:
And how exactly do you plan on attacking if your thumb pushing the right stick? You can't expect people to do the claw position the entire game.

...move the right stick vertically or horizontally

AncientReptileBrain · Sep 28, 2020

JaggiBaggi said:
Hmmm, it's less simple than that. Skyward Sword didn't actually use the sensor bar that much, and it's actually possible to play it without the sensor bar at all. It also used stuff like the Skyward Slash (The one you had to aim upwards to charge your sword) to recalibrate where up was, for example.

this isn't true, sadly. start playing skyward sword, then turn your sensor bar around, jiggle your wiimote around for ten seconds, then point it in front of you. (observe drift.)

then turn the sensor bar around again (or have someone else do it so you don't have to move the wiimote), and watch as the sword's position instantly corrects itself

ShinJohnpv · Sep 28, 2020

Nostremitus said:
You can tell who never played Revengence.

You can tell who never played Skyward Sword.

The two games aren't comparable at all. Only having to direct sword cuts in slowed down time vs real time are two really different things.

If it happens it'll be 2 joy con play only.

steviestar3 · Sep 28, 2020

noisetank3000 said:
So wait are parts of Galaxy unplayable on the lite?

No, the whole game is playable. No idea what that guy is on about.

Nostremitus · Sep 28, 2020

ShinJohnpv said:
You can tell who never played Skyward Sword.

The two games aren't comparable at all. Only having to direct sword cuts in slowed down time vs real time are two really different things.

If it happens it'll be 2 joy con play only.

No, I've beaten Skyward Sword, and honestly, using thumbsticks would be easier than motion controls... The game was designed around giving people time to get their arms in position for directional swipes, it takes much less time to move a thumbstick in the required direction.

Is a Skyward Sword port without motion controls feasible?

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account

Official ResetEra™ Chao Puncher

Official ResetEra™ Chao Puncher

One Winged Slayer

User requested account closure

Took the red AND the blue pills

▲ Legend ▲

User requested account closure

alt account

Author - NES Endings Compendium

Official ResetEra™ Chao Puncher

One Winged Slayer