The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD leaked prior to release, port uses partial emulation tech

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For those that sail the high seas, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD has leaked onto the internet and is available to be played via emulation or on hacked Nintendo Switch systems, before the game's actual release date, set for July 16th. As usual, interested parties have been poking around in the game's files to find out any interesting tidbits about the port. Twitter user Oatmeal Dome has already uncovered some details about Skyward Sword, such as the fact that despite being recompiled for the Switch, the game emulates some elements straight from the Wii version, which makes sense, as this is what Nintendo did with Super Mario Galaxy's port in Super Mario 3D All Stars. However, this is not the same emulator used for Galaxy. Oatmeal Dome mentioned that a quick look at the files shows that the HD version emulates the Texture Environment Unit of the Wii, and that there are BRRES format files, which were used on the Wii as well.

Please remember that sharing illegal files, or "warez" is against GBAtemp's TOS.

 

RichardTheKing

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honestly, i hope they pump out dozens of games using their emulation and partial emulation technology.
super mario sunshine is so beautiful on the switch version (sm3as) and i've been wanting galaxy on portable with touch screen controls since i got into this scene.
more gamecube games, please... and the occasional wii game for spice!

seriously, who wouldn't buy smash bros melee hd?
...Me? I don't see any point in regressing that far; Brawl had the fantastic, traditional Classic and All-Star Modes, and it also had Subspace Emissary for more singleplayer offerings. Ultimate has the far greater roster.
Melee has...what, Break the Targets? Meh.
 

RichardTheKing

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To those who leak games, fuck off
Why? Leaks help us know what's eventually going to be on sale, know what we'd be thinking of buying.
If the leak reveals some good info, then that's valuable knowledge that can make us feel happy about purchasing the game. If the leak reveals negative info, then we know not to buy the game.
 

Tom Bombadildo

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They barely did anything to make it HD.... Other than, you know, literally making it HD? 480p to 1080p. What exactly more do you want for them to do to "make it HD" than what they literally did make it HD.
Rendering the game at 1080p =/= making it HD. Look at the textures on this and tell me it's "HD"

CExGsy7.png


"HD".

Please.


EDIT: And to be clear, I 100% expected them to produce higher quality textures and models like they did for Twilight Princess/Wind Waker HD. At least those actually had texture overhauls, this is a lazy port.
 
Last edited by Tom Bombadildo,
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Ah, glad to see that some things are always the same. It's basically an universal law that every Nintendo game gets leaked months or weeks before release. I'd really love to see their corporate faces each time this happens, ha.

Good, Ninty got comfortable with the emulators they once they so despised
"It's fine if we do it, but not if YOU do it!! Give us money!!"
 
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samcambolt270

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They should've swapped the way combat and camera movement works, holding L to activate the combat mode and have the camera control naturally with the right stick.

Absolutely agree, and it feels nonsensical for them to have built it that way in the first place. Why do I need instantaneous access to the sword? Combat isn't anywhere near as often as exploration, so camera would obviously be the more used action. Combat is also typically done holding the lock on button anyway, so why not activate sword mode with lock on as well as LB? Just another bizarre nintendo control decision that makes no sense.
 

RichardTheKing

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Regardless of the issues that seem to be present, I am looking forward to playing this game for the first time
If you've played other Legend of Zelda games - aside from BotW, which is a stark departure from previous 3D games - then don't expect this one to be like them. In some basic ways it is, but it also has plenty of extraneous, unnecessary mechanics added in to frustrate the player; limited stamina, for example, which cannot be upgraded, only temporarily increased via potions. A four-to-eight-slot Pouch, needlessly restricting what the player can carry with them (and that arbitrarily includes shields and bottles and ammo bags). Shield fragility, except for the lategame Hylian Shield that can be obtained through a Boss Rush mode if you succeed in enough battles in a row. Resource grinding (bugs and materials, like feathers and blobs of goo and tumbleweed and stuff) to upgrade potions and gear.
 

spriteice

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If you've played other Legend of Zelda games - aside from BotW, which is a stark departure from previous 3D games - then don't expect this one to be like them. In some basic ways it is, but it also has plenty of extraneous, unnecessary mechanics added in to frustrate the player; limited stamina, for example, which cannot be upgraded, only temporarily increased via potions. A four-to-eight-slot Pouch, needlessly restricting what the player can carry with them (and that arbitrarily includes shields and bottles and ammo bags). Shield fragility, except for the lategame Hylian Shield that can be obtained through a Boss Rush mode if you succeed in enough battles in a row. Resource grinding (bugs and materials, like feathers and blobs of goo and tumbleweed and stuff) to upgrade potions and gear.

That doesn't sound too bad to be honest - even though Majoras Mask 3D is my favorite Zelda game to date, I still thoroughly enjoyed BOTW and did not take issue with the grind of it or the weapon fragility.

I have been looking for a new game to play and this will do nicely I think
 

nero99

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Been playing it a bit, pretty disappointed with it. Barely looks like they did anything at all to make it "HD" beyond some antialiasing and 60fps, I think Skyward Sword 4k looks miles better than this lazy ass port.
well no shit a 4K version would look better than 720p/1080p.
 

zerofalcon

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Regardless of the issues that seem to be present, I am looking forward to playing this game for the first time

It's a nice game despite all the love or hate it had when released almost ten years ago on the Wii. At least with the HD version we have another gameplay layout, for gamers who dislike motion controls and stopped playing it at some point. I'm sure many of us will enjoy this singular Zelda game with its new changes.
 
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CeeDee

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Ah, just as I suspected... Not the worst thing in the world or anything, it does make Nintendo's workload not unnecessarily harder, but definitely makes me squint at that $60 price point if we're getting something about on par with 1/3 of a $60 collection.
 

Tom Bombadildo

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well no shit a 4K version would look better than 720p/1080p.
Resolution =/= higher quality. The Skyward Sword 4k I'm referring to is an HD texture pack for Dolphin that actually increases texture resolution and detail, something Nintendo literally didn't do in this port. All they seemingly did was apply a bilinear filter on things, push it at 720p and that's it, and that's fucking disgusting. Look at the comparisons here:

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2021...t-the-35th-zelda-birthday-gift-wed-hoped-for/

And tell me Nintendo gave any kind of a shit releasing this game.
 

fvig2001

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Wow, I mean I'm not surprised. Hope there's a mod to incorporate the changes from here to the Wii version so that we could play it in Dolphin with better controls.
 

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