Next in line after the stale Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword seemed like a breath of fresh air, featuring warm characters, a lighter aesthetic, and upgradeable tools. But its funhouse focus on motion controls felt worn out long before it was over (with the exception of a literally tiring sword-and-shield final duel -- an idea that needs revisiting).

In any case, Skyward's most damning legacy will be its theme park treatment of every space, both interior and exterior. The original exploratory ethos of Zelda is so absent here that it's hard to stomach the thought of ever replaying this prescriptive, tutorial-heavy entry in the series.