Having released Friday, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD has topped the UK physical sales charts in its debut week, being only the fourth entry in the Zelda series to accomplish this feat. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is a remaster of the Wii original for Nintendo Switch, which comes with a number of QoL updates like streamlined tutorials and full camera controls.
The visuals in Skyward Sword HD have received an overhaul, with everything now running at 60fps, but those are relatively minor changes compared to the rest of the game. Skyward Sword HD has two control schemes, with motion controls emulating the ones used in the Nintendo Wii version of the game and button controls that mimic the style used in most 3D Legend of Zelda titles. There are also a number of features made in response to feedback from the original game, including speeding up text, the ability to skip cutscenes, and most of Fi's dialogue now being optional.
The critical reception to The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD has been positive, so it's no surprise that the game has quickly shot to the #1 spot in the UK. According to GamesIndustry.biz, Skyward Sword HD debuted at number one in the UK physical sales charts, with F1 2021 taking the runner-up spot. Skyward Sword HD is the fourth entry in the Zelda series to accomplish this feat, with Ocarina of Time making it in '98, Wind Waker in '03, and the remake of Link's Awakening for the Nintendo Switch making it to the top of 2019.
It bears mentioning that The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is also currently #1 on the best-sellers list in the Nintendo eShop. It holds this position in Europe, Japan, and North America. Skyward Sword HD's performance was likely helped by its release date. The only major release within spitting distance of the game is Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin and the only big releases over the next week are Cris Tales (which is coming to Xbox Game Pass) and Pokémon UNITE, which is free-to-play.
The summer months are usually a dry period for video game sales, as many people are busy with outdoor activities and are not sitting at their computers. This is especially true in 2021, following a year of lockdown restrictions. This also means that the few big games that are launched will face little opposition, so it's no surprise that Skyward Sword HD has done so well for itself in the UK and on the eShop.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is available now for Nintendo Switch.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz