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Resurrecting the 2011 Wii release for the Nintendo Switch, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD controls hold onto some of what made it so well-suited to the Wii, while also adapting it for gaming on the go.
As not everyone will want to use the somewhat gimmicky motion controls, in this Skyward Sword HD controls guide, you’ll find out how to play regardless of if you’re using buttons or the gyro in the Joy-Con.
For these Skyward Sword HD button controls, (L) and (R) represent the left and right analogue. Up, Down, Left, and Right denote the buttons on the d-pad. L3 and R3 are used to indicate the button activated when you press either analogue.
| Action | Controller / Handheld Button Controls |
| Move | (L) |
| Snap Camera | ZL |
| Dash | B (hold) |
| Jump, Climb, Vault | Dash towards wall, gap, small wall |
| Roll | L3 (while Dashing) |
| Interact | A |
| Lock On | ZL |
| Draw Sword | (R) in any direction |
| Vertical Slash | (R) left or right |
| Side Slash | (R) up or down |
| Thrust | R3 |
| Sideward Spin Attack | (R) quickly left, right, left |
| Upward Spin Attack | (R) quickly up, down, up |
| Fatal Blow | ZL (to target), (R) up, down, up |
| Activate Skyward Strike | (R) hold upwards |
| Activate Shield | L3 |
| Draw Bow | ZR (hold) |
| Aim Bow | (L) |
| Fire Arrow | Release ZR |
| Aim Bomb | ZR (hold), (R) to direct |
| Throw Bomb | Release ZR |
| Sheathe Weapons | B |
| Open Pouch | R (hold) |
| Equip from Pouch | R (hold), (R) to select, release R |
| Call Loftwing | Down (in midair) |
| Steer Loftwing | (L) |
| Ascend Loftwing | (L) upwards |
| Descend Loftwing | (L) downwards |
| Speed Up Loftwing | Ascend, and then descend |
| Charge Loftwing | X |
| Grab while mounted on Loftwing | A |
| Slow Down Loftwing | B |
| Select Dowse | Up, hold Up to see Dowse dial |
| Direct your Fall | (L) |
| Use Sailcloth | ZR (hold) |
| Pick-up and Place Objects | A, A |
| Pick-up and Throw Objects | A, (R) upwards, ZR to throw |
| Move Heavy Items | A (hold), (L) to move |
| Hang Down from Ledge | B |
| Drop from Ledge | B |
| Climb Up from Ledge | (L) upwards |
| Shimmy Across Ledge | (L) left or right |
| Leap while Climbing | A |
| Target and Talk | ZL, A |
| Crawl into Opening | (L) towards the opening |
| Quick Use Potion | R, A |
| Talk to Fi | Down |
| Look Around | L + (R) / Up |
| Help | Right |
| Map | – |
| Map Navigation | (R) to zoom, (L) to move |
| Place / Move Beacon on Map | A |
| Inventory | + |
| Skip Text | B / A (hold) |
| Skip Cinematic | -, – |
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD motion controls
| Action | Dual Joy-Con Motion Controls |
| Move | (L) |
| Snap Camera | ZL |
| Dash | B (hold) |
| Jump, Climb, Vault | Dash towards wall, gap, small wall |
| Roll | Flick Left Joy-Con (while Dashing) |
| Interact | A |
| Lock On | ZL |
| Draw Sword | Move Right Joy-Con in any direction |
| Vertical Slash | Right Joy-Con left or right |
| Side Slash | Right Joy-Con up or down |
| Thrust | Right Joy-Con forwards |
| Sideward Spin Attack | Flick both Joy-Cons horizontally |
| Upward Spin Attack | Flick both Joy-Cons vertically |
| Fatal Blow | ZL (to target), both Joy-Cons up, down |
| Activate Skyward Strike | Hold Right Joy-Con upwards |
| Activate Shield | Left Joy-Con forwards |
| Draw Bow | ZL (hold) and pull back Left Joy-Con |
| Aim Bow | Right Joy-Con |
| Fire Arrow | Release ZL |
| Aim and Throw Bomb | ZR (hold), Right Joy-Con throw forwards |
| Sheathe Weapons | B |
| Open Pouch | R (hold) |
| Equip from Pouch | R (hold), Right Joy-Con to select, release R |
| Call Loftwing | Down (in midair) |
| Steer Loftwing | Right Joy-Con tilt |
| Ascend Loftwing | Flick Right Joy-Con upwards |
| Descend Loftwing | Hold Right Joy-Con downwards |
| Speed Up Loftwing | Ascend, and then descend |
| Charge Loftwing | X |
| Grab while mounted on Loftwing | A |
| Slow Down Loftwing | B |
| Select Dowse | Up, hold Up to see Dowse dial |
| Direct your Fall | Right Joy-Con tilting |
| Use Sailcloth | ZR (hold) |
| Pick-up and Place Objects | A, A |
| Move Heavy Items | A (hold), (L) to move |
| Hang Down from Ledge | B |
| Drop from Ledge | B |
| Climb Up from Ledge | (L) upwards |
| Shimmy Across Ledge | (L) left or right |
| Leap while Climbing | Flick Right Joy-Con |
| Target and Talk | ZL, A |
| Crawl into Opening | (L) towards the opening |
| Quick Use Potion | R, A |
| Talk to Fi | Down |
| Look Around | Up + Right Joy-Con |
| Help | Right |
| Map | – |
| Place / Move Beacon on Map | A |
| Inventory | + |
| Skip Text | B / A (hold) |
| Skip Cinematic | -, – |
How to turn off motion controls in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
To turn off motion controls in Skyward Sword HD, you need to:
- Press + to bring up the Inventory menu;
- Go to the ‘Gear’ page and select ‘Options’ in the bottom-left corner;
- Change the ‘Control Mode’ option to ‘Button-Only Controls;’
- Change the ‘Aiming’ and ‘Camera’ controls options to ‘Off;’
- Press B to save your new controls settings.
So, those are the Skyward Sword HD controls that you need to know to play Link’s remastered adventure. While the button controls are easier, the game was made for motion controls, offering a distinct experience from other Legend of Zelda titles.
FAQ
Here are some quick answers to some more commonly asked questions about the Skyward Sword HD controls.
How to save in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
To save your game in Skyward Sword HD, you need to find one of the bird statues shown above, interact with it (A), and then choose to ‘Save’ option.
How to reset the gyro
To reset the centre aim of your Joy-Cons, thus reset the gyro, in Skyward Sword HD, you can:
- Press Y when using motion controls to centre the gyro to the aim of your Right Joy-Con.
- Press + to open the Inventory menu and then press Y to reset the gyro.
- Press – to open the Map and then press Y to reset the gyro.
Whenever you reset the gyro by pressing Y, the centre will become wherever you’re aiming the top (R and ZR button) of your Right Joy-Con.
How do you skip nighttime?
To skip the nighttime, when many enemies are around, you need to find a bed and select to go to sleep. You can sleep in just about any bed that you find in Skyward Sword HD.
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