This year, Nintendo is bringing The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD to the Switch, a game that originally released (in standard definition) on the Wii in 2011. Although the Wii was five years old at the time, Skyward Sword heavily relied on the upgraded motion controls of the Wii MotionPlus, a peripheral that could be attached to the bottom of a Wii Remote to give the Wii's sensor bar another point of reference. Although this made the motion controls significantly more accurate than that of say, Twilight Princess, the cumbersome need for motion controls is still a common critique of Skyward Sword.
Much of Skyward Sword's gameplay, including puzzles, is tied directly to the motion controls. Even the combat makes use of the Wii MotionPlus to simulate swinging Link's sword in precise directions. Many viewers had their interest piqued when it was announced that Skyward Sword HD would have button control options so that it was compatible with the Switch's handheld mode. Link's sword can now be controlled with the right control stick, instead of swinging a Joy-Con.
Despite this change, Nintendo seems adamant that Skyward Sword HD should be experienced with motion controls. In preparation for new players jumping into the re-release, Nintendo uploaded an overview trailer for Skyward Sword HD, which shows off the game's setting and controls. The button controls are mentioned only as an afterthought, though, which seems like a missed opportunity on Nintendo's part.
Skyward Sword HD's Button Controls Are Marketable
The inclusion of a button-only control scheme is a major change for Skyward Sword. The original release's identity was heavily tied to the fact that the Wii MotionPlus would provide more precise movements. Including an option to play without motion controls is a big deal for multiple reasons, including personal preference, accessibility, and just a general quality-of-life improvement for Skyward Sword HD. Making sure prospective buyers know they have options seems like a smart move, but Nintendo has shown that it's still all in on Skyward Sword being a motion control game.
In the section of the overview trailer that explains the controls, it only mentions that button controls have been added to support handheld mode and those who play on a Switch Lite. The trailer doesn't note that button controls can be used with Joy-Cons in docked mode, or even that the game is playable with a Switch Pro controller. Nintendo frequently attempts to show that its games are for everyone, which makes the overt promotion of Skyward Sword HD's motion controls very odd now that the game is more accessible than ever.