Valve’s announcement of its handheld gaming PC, the Steam Deck, has certainly caught the attention of a vast range of gaming and tech companies – even Valve’s rivals. Epic Games CEO, Tim Sweeney, has chipped in with some positive comments about the platform.
Sweeney seems incredibly supportive of the new hardware, calling it an “amazing move”. The comments come from Sweeney’s Twitter account, where he made the following statement: “Amazing move by Valve! A handheld PC/console hybrid running the SteamOS fork of Arch Linux, and it’s an open platform where users are free to install software of their choosing—including Windows and other stores.”
Amazing move by Valve! A handheld PC/console hybrid running the SteamOS fork of Arch Linux, and it’s an open platform where users are free to install software or their choosing – including Windows and other stores. https://t.co/jf5TWUWGP5
These positive comments are likely to have something to do with the fact that the Steam Deck can run and utilise the Epic Games Store, which means Epic’s Steam competitor will have a new platform to grow on. Not only can users bring over their entire Steam libraries, but they can also access their content from the Epic Games Store, GOG and other PC gaming storefronts.
The Steam Deck also comes at a time when the ongoing lawsuit between Epic and Apple rages on in the background. Apple has historically not allowed companies to install their own apps and services on Apple products externally from the App store, which means that organisations cannot use their own payment processing systems either. This has led to Epic attempting to sue Apple in order to allow for more versatility over how payments are made, so that not every payment has to go through Apple.
The open nature of the Steam Deck effectively eradicates that issue for Epic, as Valve is very comfortable with allowing other users, developers and companies to use their OS however they want. It’s an approach completely at odds to how Apple wants to control what goes through their devices, and could well be used to attempt to bolster Epic’s case in future trials.
The Steam Deck will be available this holiday season, with reservations starting soon. In the meantime, be sure to check out our exclusive hands-on, and our rapid-fire FAQ with the Steam Deck development team.
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Liam Wiseman is a Freelance Writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @liamthewiseman
With PS5 stock shortages still ongoing, restock scams continue to proliferate on social media. A recent case of PS5 scamming happened on actress Tatum O’Neal’s verified Twitter account, Variety reports, with the scam appearing to have gone unaddressed for some time.
Recent screenshots show O’Neal’s verified account with a bio reading “PlayStation & Xbox Enthusiast. Verified Salesman Page on PS5 & Xbox One.” The account now seems to have been restored to O’Neal or her management, but the Variety report claims the hack may have dated back as early as the start of June. Screenshots of now-deleted tweets show O’Neal’s account posting regularly about Sony’s PlayStation 5.
Some Twitter users report being scammed by the account, while others have been blocked after calling it out as a scam or a hack. One user said that the they were blocked after sending $600 for a PS5.
After the Variety report was published, Twitter finally appeared to take action on the situation. O’Neal’s account now only contains three tweets–a political retweet, a reply to another tweet, and a pinned tweet saying that “Management” has now recovered the account.
This Twitter has been recovered by Management and we are doing our best to fix and solve what has already been done
If you’re still looking for a PS5 yourself, it bears repeating that most people supposedly selling the consoles on Twitter are operating scams. Instead, keep an eye on our restock tracker for a chance to buy a console from a reliable stockist.
Steam’s newly announced portable PC gaming device, the Steam Deck, has already gotten gamers talking. Whether you’re excited for the gaming portable or not, the Steam Deck already has one unlikely fan–Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Steam’s major competitor Epic Games.
As picked up by PC Gamer, Sweeney tweeted about Steam’s new device, calling it an “amazing move.”
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Amazing move by Valve! A handheld PC/console hybrid running the SteamOS fork of Arch Linux, and it’s an open platform where users are free to install software or their choosing – including Windows and other stores. https://t.co/jf5TWUWGP5
Of course, one of the main reasons it has a fan in the Epic CEO, whose Epic Games Store competes directly with Steam, is that the Steam Deck is potentially as platform-neutral as a regular PC. “You can also install and use PC software, of course,” the Steam Deck’s official website encourages users. “Browse the web, watch streaming video, do your normal productivity stuff, install some other game stores, whatever.”
It’s no surprise Sweeney is a fan of the Steam Deck’s approach to software, considering Epic Games is currently embroiled in lawsuits against both Apple and Google, targeting the companies’ monopolistic control over software installed on their mobile platforms. Steam’s open-platform approach may even end up being used as an example to strengthen Epic’s case in further trials.
Preorders for the Steam Deck open on Friday July 16 at 10AM Pacific / 1PM Eastern on Steam’s website. The portable devices are due to start shipping in December 2021.
Like any game in the Legend of Zelda franchise, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is brimming with secrets to find. The game world is huge, spanning both a massive surface world and several floating islands in the sky, and mixed across both are collectibles that can aid you in your journey. While some of those items are hidden in the corners of the world or require you to revisit locations you’ve already seen once you have new items, you’ll also need to interact with the game’s various characters and help them solve their problems if you want to reach 100% completion.
Apart from that, though, Skyward Sword is unique among Zelda games because of its original focus on motion controls and other mechanical flourishes. While some of those ideas have popped up in other games, they don’t quite come together in the same way as in Skyward Sword–and that means you’ll need to develop some new skills to handle the game’s control scheme and puzzles. We’ve put together a whole mess of guides to help you on your quest as the Goddess’s chosen hero, covering side quests, Goddess Cubes, Pieces of Heart, and the iconic Hylian Shield.
Don’t forget to also check out our Skyward Sword HD review to see how it stacks up to the original Wii version.
Essential Beginner’s Tips & Tricks
With two possible control schemes and a bunch of big areas to uncover, there’s a lot that can be confusing about Skyward Sword.
Skyward Sword requires a different set of skills for Legend of Zelda players, whether you’re new to the franchise or a veteran of fighting Ganon. It’s also a game that can bog you down in non-essential content, especially early on, that kills the flow of the game. Our tips will get you into your adventure quicker, keep you alive longer, and help you overcome Skyward Sword’s unique puzzles and challenges.
Heart Piece Locations
Pieces of Heart help you seriously boost your health pool throughout your adventure–but they’re tough to find. Our rundown will help you get them all.
Every Zelda game is littered with collectible Pieces of Heart that allow you to boost your health pool, survive tougher combat, and become a real hero of legend. But those hearts aren’t easy to come by, and you’ll have to scour the world to locate them all. We take the pain out of checking every single corner and nook of Skyward Sword with a complete rundown of how you can max out Link’s health as you play.
Goddess Cube Locations
Seek out Goddess Cubes and the treasure chests they unlock in Skyloft to earn great upgrades and a whole lot of Rupees.
Some of the best rewards in Skyward Sword require you to complete two steps to gather them: First, you’ll need to find and activate a special Goddess Cube on the surface, then you’ll need to return to Skyloft and locate the chest each cube unlocks. We’ve got a full rundown of where you can find each cube, what you need to reach it, and where you’ll find the chest when you return to the sky.
To help you in your journey to obtain maximum health in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD, we’ve compiled the locations of every piece in the Sky region. Note that some Heart Pieces are linked to Goddess Cubes, which are artifacts that reveal a treasure chest in the Sky region containing a treasure upon striking them. In this guide, we’ve noted the cube’s location, as the corresponding chest it reveals will always be identified by Fi with a little icon on your map.
The next piece of heart to obtain is waiting inside the Lumpy Pumpkin, on an island east of Skyloft. It’s no wonder the proprietor of the Lumpy Pumpkin is so proud of his chandelier; it’s littered with rupees and a piece of heart! Run upstairs and roll into the banister closest to the chandelier to get to the piece. After two successive rolls, the chandelier (and the piece of heart) will come crashing to the ground.
Skyloft: Reward From Completing Batreaux’s Gratitude Crystal Questline
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When Link places the tablet obtained from Skyview Temple within the secret chamber of the Goddess Statue, he will be prompted to find a little girl, Kukiel, by her mother. Go to sleep, wake up at night, and head to the cemetery. Hit the last stone on the left to make it glow, and then push it toward the far row to open the path to Batreaux, a fearsome, ugly, and friend of young Kukiel. To become human, he requires that you collect gratitude crystals by helping people with tasks. When you reach certain milestones, he will award you with various prizes. At 10 gratitude crystals, he will present Link with a piece of heart.
And that’s all the heart pieces you can get from the Sky region for now, as the next you’ll get is located on some platforms near a skeleton bridge in the Eldin Volcano region. Otherwise, if you’ve already got what it takes to get the next heart pieces in the region, then keep reading.
Once you’ve acquired Scrapper, during your quest to retrieve the fallen propeller from Eldin Volcano, you can also assist Dodoh, the ever-so-sad clown, located on the colorful Fun Fun Island. He needs you to retrieve the Party Wheel from the desert. Navigate to the Desert Entrance of the Lanaryu Desert, and if you haven’t already, use your bombs to blow up a rock near the nearby minecart. This reveals a Timeshift Stone that you can hit that’ll open a pathway leading to the Party Wheel.
Once you return the Party Wheel to Dodoh, he will activate a skydiving mini-game. Navigate through each of the multiplier rings and land in the 50 rupee zone to net Link a piece of heart.
Don’t forget that you owe the shopkeeper at the Lumpy Pumpkin a few favors to repay for the damaged chandelier. The first requires Link to deliver soup to Eagus at the sparring hall in Skyloft. The second involves carrying a large stack of pumpkins to a shed behind the Lumpy Pumpkin. Lastly, Link must use the harp unlocked after completing the game’s third dungeon, the Lanaryu Mining Facility, to entertain the patrons of the pub. Completing these challenges will earn Link a piece of heart.
And that’s the end of your time spent looking for heart pieces in the Sky region again. Next, you’ll want to head to the Faron Woods region to use your bombs on a cracked wall you passed by. Otherwise, if you’ve already got what it takes to get the next heart pieces in the region, then keep reading.
After acquiring the clawshot, return to Skyloft and use them to access the Knight Academy’s roof via the chimney. Enter, and you’ll find yourself in Zelda’s room, with a piece of heart in the cabinet.
After helping Fledge boost his workout with two stamina potions over the course of two nights (you can sleep in his bed to move time forward–a series of encounters that you can’t wrap up until after clearing the Ancient Cistern), you will unlock his Pumpkin Pull mini-game near the sparring hall. If you can reach a score of 600, he will reward you with a heart piece. Of course, the only way to play the mini-game is with the bow, which you get after completing the Sandship.
With these two heart pieces out of the way, you’ll find your next piece at the Fire Santuary in the Eldin Volcano region. Otherwise, if you’ve already got what it takes to get the next heart pieces in the region, then keep reading.
If you’ve managed to purchase every item from Beedle’s shop, he will have one last item for sale, the coveted, final piece of heart. We’ve saved this one, in particular, for the end of this guide, as it’s likely you won’t have unlocked the ability to buy this piece until then.
Regardless, this heart piece doesn’t come cheap, so make sure you’ve got a wallet big enough to carry 1600 rupees, and you will have completed your collection of heart pieces. However, if you complete Beedle’s Gratitude Crystal quest, he gives you 50% off one item, so we highly recommend you do that first before breaking the bank on the Heart Piece.
Bonus: How To Get The Final Life Medal (Goddess Cube)
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To expand your health further, you can acquire what’s called Life Medals–special items that can increase your total health when stored in your Adventure Pouch. If you’ve purchased every item in Beedle’s stock, then you’ve already picked up one in your quest to buy every item from Beedle’s Airshop. The last one is located in a Goddess Chest.
To get to the Goddess Cube that’ll be on the way to the chest, travel to the “West Desert” Bird Statue in the Lanaryu Desert region. There is a clawshot target nearby that will lead you to the Goddess Cube in question. Strike it and head to the skies to collect your prize on an island north of Fun Fun Island.
Lanaryu Desert also has quite a number of Goddess Cubes. To help you get them all, we’ve compiled their locations below for your reference. If you’re curious about other Goddess Cube locations, read our comprehensive Goddess Cube roundup. For more guides, be sure to check out our Zelda: Skyward Sword guide roundup. Otherwise, read our Zelda: Skyward Sword HD review.
Locations: Lanayru Desert > Island in the northeast corner of map
Reward: Silver Rupee
There is a goddess cube in the southwest sector of the desert, and reaching it requires you to cross a vast expanse of sinksand. You can’t normally cover that much ground, so use the enemies’ shells nearby as a resting platform to regain some stamina before making the final sprint.
Locations: Temple of Time > Beedle’s island at night
Reward: Piece of Heart
When you are near the Temple of Time in the Lanayru Desert, there is a minecart near the north end of the entrance wall. Activate the time shift stone nearby and push the cart into the timeshift radius. Jump in and start charging your sword. As you pass the cube, simply unleash your strike towards the cube. To get to Beedle’s island at night, simply sleep in the bed in his shop and choose the option to wake up at night, rather than the morning.
After striking this Goddess Cube, you’ll once again have to wait a while until the next available one in the Sky region. If you’re finding them in order, the next Goddess Cube you’ll encounter is in the Faron Woods region. However, if you’ve already got what it takes to get the next Goddess Cube in the region, then keep reading.
That’s all the Goddess Cubes you can find for now in the Lanaryu Desert region. If you’re finding them in order, you’ll encounter the next one in the Faron Woods region. However, if you’ve already got what it takes to get the next Goddess Cube in the region, then keep reading.
Locations: Lanayru Desert > Beneath Fun Fun Island
Reward: Heart Medal
Once you have the Clawshot, you can reach several locations in the Lanayru Desert that were previously out of reach. One of these is the raised stone walkway at the northeast end of the desert. You’ll find something of an alcove here with the cube up on the stone wall to your left. Follow the path on the map so you don’t sink into the sand and look for a crack in the wall to blow up. It’ll create a path you can follow that’ll lead you to targets you can hit with the Clawshot to reach the cube. In Skyloft, look for the small island directly beneath the colorful Fun Fun Island to find the unlocked chest.
Locations: Lanayru Desert > Northwest of Fun Fun Island
Reward: Life Medal
Head to the southern portion of Lanayru Desert, where you found the Timeshift Stone in a cage. Look up for a Clawshot target that’ll carry you up to the nearby stone wall, where you’ll find the Goddess Cube in plain view. When you return to Skyloft, you’ll find this chest on an island not far to the northwest of Fun Fun.
When you first get to the Sand Sea, you’ll be on a dock full of cargo containers. Instead of heading down to where you meet the Skipper, climb up on the containers and face north to find a Clawshot target. That’ll take you to a path where you can reach a cavern and the cube beyond. Look inside the Bazaar on Skyloft to find the chest.
Locations: Skipper’s Retreat > Island northwest of Fun Fun Island
Reward: Potion Medal
This is another cube you’ll need to make extensive use of the Clawshot to reach. When you hit Skipper’s Retreat, climb up until you reach a bridge guarded by a Moblin with a metal shield. Past him, look off to the sides for a spire with dry vines running up the side and use your Clawshot to reach it. That should put you in position to use your Clawshot to reach another platform with the Goddess Cube on it. Back in the sky, head northwest of Fun Fun to find a small island with a metal gate covering an interior cave. Use your Clawshot through the hole at the top of the cage to hit a patch of vines, which will carry you inside to reach the chest.
Locations: Pirate Stronghold > Top of the Skyloft waterfall
Reward: Piece of Heart
After you complete the Pirate Stronghold, exit through the door that puts you on a path that passes between two wrecked ship masts. Turn around and look above the door you just left to find a Clawshot target. That’ll put you in range of a second target, which will take you to the location of the cube. Back in Skyloft, head to the waterfall on the eastern side of the island. Use the Clawshot on the small islands floating just behind the waterfall to climb some ivy and reach the waterfall’s source, an island floating just above the main island of Skyloft. The chest is at the edge of the small lake there.
The next Goddess Cube you’ll encounter can be found in the Skyview Temple in the Sky region. However, if you’ve already got what it takes to get the next Goddess Cube in the region, then keep reading.
Locations: Lanayru Gorge > Small island southwest of the Isle of Songs, Thunderhead
Reward: Small Quiver
The last Goddess Cube is also one you’ll find as you pursue the Hero’s Song. When you reach Lanayru Gorge, look for the cube behind the Tree of Life. Find the chest on the same island southwest of the Isle of Songs in the Thunderhead. You’ll have to kill or avoid the centipede inside the tunnels you can access through the Mogma hole, which will allow you to reach another exit and the final chest.
And that’s every Goddess Cube in the Lanaryu Desert region found! If you’re getting them in order, then rest easy. This particular Goddess Cube is the last one you’ll find in the game.
There are several Goddess Cubes to find in the Eldin Volcano region. Below we detail how to find all nine of them. If you’re curious about other Goddess Cube locations, read our comprehensive Goddess Cube roundup. For more guides, be sure to check out our Zelda: Skyward Sword guide roundup. Otherwise, read our Zelda: Skyward Sword HD review.
Locations: Eldin Volcano > Island far north of Skyloft, next to Bamboo Island.
Reward: 100 Rupees
When you drain the lava around the entrance to the Volcano proper, ignore the air geysers, and run to the other side of the entrance to spot the cube in question. If you’re coming at this one later on, then teleport to the “Volcano Entry” Bird Statue and run ahead until you encounter a pathway that splits into three directions: one to the right, one to the left that drops to a lower level, and one that goes straight ahead. Run straight ahead, and you’ll see the Goddess Cube in question.
After entering the volcano via the access referenced in the last cube’s description, you will find yourself looking down a vast cavern. Jump down and use your Sailcloth to direct Link to the Goddess Cube atop one of the tiny platforms. Be careful to land next to it, as the cube will cause Link to slide, and the platform it is on doesn’t provide enough room to recover your footing. If you mess up, you can drop down and take the northern air geyser exit to return to the surface and try again.
When you reach the entrance to the temple, just prior to (or during) the hunt for the key shards, examine the corner west of the temple. You’ll find numerous dirt patches that look ripe for digging with your Mogma Mitts. One reveals an air geyser. Toss a bomb into it, and it will take out a destructible wall overhead. Behind it lies a cube o’ the goddess.
Locations: Eldin Volcano > Island northeast of Skyloft
Reward: Treasure Medal
There is a series of huts belonging to the Bokoblin horde, which are located east of the Earth Temple entrance. And to the east of the watchtower that you need to topple with a bomb is a goddess cube awaiting the kiss of a Skyward Strike. We wouldn’t want to disappoint the goddess, or her cubes, now would we?
Locations: Eldin Volcano > Storage Shed in Skyloft
Reward: Treasure (random material)
There is an unmistakable sand slide that you will reach during your hunt for the temple key. Take the path to the left, utilizing the air geyser immediately after you slide outside from the cave. You should see the goddess cube across two platforms. The projected slash of Skyward Strike from the platform in front of the cube will suffice.
With all of these Goddess Cubes taken care of, you won’t have to worry about the next one until you reach the Lanaryu Desert region. But if you’re mostly sweeping the area for all the Goddess Cubes you missed and have what it takes to get the rest, then keep reading.
Locations: Volcano Summit, waterfall spring > Bug Island, Thunderhead
Reward: Piece of Heart
The path to this cube is a bit tough to spot. In the Volcano Summit, head to the outside room where you can gather water in a bottle to feed to the frog statue that opens the first door blocked by flame. Near that waterfall is a spot where you can jump off, with rock spires towering over a bottomless pit. Leap off the edge and nudge Link toward the rock furthest away, straight from the cliff you leapt off of. On the back side of it is a spot where you can land, where the cube sits. From there, use the Clawshot to make your way up the other nearby spires until you reach a platform just above the waterfall. The chest is inside the Thunderhead on the island in the southwest corner.
Locations: Volcano Summit > Isle of Storms, Thunderhead
Reward: Small Bomb Bag
When you hit the entrance to the Fire Sanctuary, turn left. You’ll see a window you can climb through. Past it, you can use your Clawshot to carry you to a distant platform. Continue along the path with your Clawshot until you get to the cube. The chest is in the Thunderhead on the Isle of Storms, where you can find it on the roof of the building there.
Locations: Volcano Summit > Small island southwest of the Isle of Songs, Thunderhead
Reward: Bottle
You can grab this Goddess Cube when you return to the Fire Sanctuary in search of the Hero’s Song. You’ll see this cube after the volcano’s eruption; to reach the Fire Dragon, you’ll need to float on a rock through the lava current, and you’ll pass the cube along the way, so make sure to hit it as you go by. Find the corresponding chest in the Thunderhead, on the small island southwest of the Isle of Songs. There’s only a small piece of land where you can drop onto it, and you’ll need to dig into a Mogma hole to find the chest on the other side.
Congratulations! That’s all of the Eldin Volcano region’s Goddess Cubes taken care of. If you’re going in order, you’ll find the next back at the Lanaryu Desert region.
When you first meet Gorko after crossing the tightropes in the Deep Woods, he seems puzzled by a large, mysterious cube. He’ll give you a briefing on the nature of the cubes. Fi steps in to give you the rest of the info. Strike the cube, and claim your prize on Pumpkin Landing.
This goddess cube isn’t quite in plain sight. Once you defeat Ghirahim and enter the spring, run behind the Goddess Statue platform to discover the lonely cube. If you missed this one the first time around, you can always re-enter the temple and get to the boss chamber again to get it.
Once that one is activated, the next Goddess Cube you can get won’t be until you reach the Eldin Volcano region. However, if you’ve already got what it takes to get the next Goddess Cube in the region, then keep reading.
After you’ve cleared the Silent Realm trial in Faron Woods and acquired the Water Dragon’s scale, swim inside of the Great Tree and cross the swinging platforms using the Gust Bellows. Exit the tree and drop down from the left side of the platform to the outcropping below to reach the Goddess Cube. The chest you activate will contain a Silver Rupee worth a whopping 100.
Locations: Faron Woods > Volcano shaped island east of Lanaryu portal
Reward: Piece of Heart
This Goddess Cube is situated on a giant root on the eastern side of the Great Tree. The easiest way to reach it is to return after you’ve acquired the Clawshots and grapple up to the root, but you can also reach it by carefully leaping off the pathway near the top of the tree. Regardless of how you get there, the reward for activating this cube is a good one: a Piece of Heart.
Locations: Faron Woods > Northern area of the Thunderhead
Reward: Rupee Medal
Like the previous few Goddess Cubes, this one is also located on a hard-to-reach ledge around the Great Tree, separated from another ledge by a tightrope. You can spot the cube in question from the top of the tree, near the area where you meet Yerbal, the old Kikwi. You’ll need to carefully leap down to the ledge and walk across the tightrope to reach the cube.
This Goddess Cube comes up as you’re passing through Lake Floria, although you’ll need the Clawshot to actually access the chest it unlocks. You’ll eventually find a chamber with banks of land where you can climb out of the water, and a Bird Statue where you can save. From the statue, spin a 180 and head to the far end of the cavern. You’ll find the cube waiting not far away, behind some purple rocks. To get to the chest, head to the left side of the waterfall in Skyloft and look for the nearby floating islands; you can start to climb them using the Clawshot on the ivy on their sides.
And that’s the last Goddess Cube you can get in the Faron Woods region for now. The next is located in the Lanaryu Desert region. However, if you’ve already got what it takes to get the next Goddess Cube in the region, then keep reading.
Locations: Skyview Temple > Beedle’s island at night
Reward: Rupee Medal
You’ll need to return to the first dungeon you cleared in the game to find this Goddess Cube, but you’ll also need the Clawshot to do it. Facing the front of the Skyview Temple, walk to the right side and look up for ivy you can nail with your Clawshot. That’ll carry you up to the roof and the Goddess Cube. The chest can be found on Beedle’s Island, which is best reached by sleeping in the bed in Beedle’s shop.
Locations: Lake Floria, just before Ancient Cistern > Small island southwest of Fun Fun Island
Reward: Gold Rupee
With the Clawshot, head to the entrance to the Ancient Cistern area, but stop before going through the entrance. Look up to the sides of the area for a Clawshot target that’ll take you to a high platform where the Goddess Cube waits. You’ll find the chest on a small island near Fun Fun to the southwest, but look for it at a lower altitude than Fun Fun is.
Congratulations! You’ve hit every single Goddess Cube in the Faron Woods region. If you’re finding them in order, the next one is located at the Volcano Summit in the Eldin Volcano region.
Goddess Cubes are one of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD‘s more intriguing collectibles. Essentially, they’re magical cubes you hit with a Skyward Strike. Upon hitting them, a Goddess Chest will appear in the Sky region. These chests contain useful items, such as heart pieces and rupees.
The great thing about Goddess Cubes is that the chests they spawn into the world are labeled on your map and become easily accessible, providing you have the necessary equipment. The crappy thing about Goddess Cubes is that they are not always in plain sight. Even when they are, it can be impossible to reach them until later in the game. Fear not, trepid explorer. Use our guide below to find the cubes you seek in the most optimal order. We’ve also specified their location and where they lead.
If you’ve played one game in the Legend of Zelda franchise, you probably have a pretty good idea of how the rest work, and what you need to know to succeed. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD has a few of its own little quirks, though. Because the game was originally released for the Nintendo Wii, it uses motion controls, both for combat and for the puzzles you’ll face along the way. It also segments portions of the game between the floating islands of Skyloft and the surface world below, and you’ll need to spend time in each to get your full potential.
For players who are new to Skyward Sword, the game can be a little confusing. It’s not quite as reliant on equipment and durability systems as Breath of the Wild, but it’s not nearly as straightforward about some of its systems as earlier Zelda games, such as Ocarina of Time. Check out our tips below to help you get into the swing of Skyward Sword, hit the ground running in the surface world, and minimize any irritation as you get through the game’s earlier tutorial portions in particular.
Skyloft is full of distractions early on, but the quicker you get out of here the first time, the more fun you’ll have.
The opening of Skyward Sword is infamous for being long, slow, and a bit boring. With Skyward Sword HD, the opening couple of hours of the game have been significantly improved, with the game wasting a lot less time dispensing useless tutorial information and grinding you to a dead halt to listen to characters repeat the same lessons over and over. Still, though, Skyloft is a boring place to be in the early part of Skyward Sword, and the best thing you can do is quickly move on from there to get your adventure started. You’ll be back to Skyloft a lot through the course of the game, so don’t worry about missing out on anything. Plus, you can access a lot more of the sky area once you’ve progressed a bit in the game, which will make exploring all the smaller sky islands more efficient and fruitful. In short: get to the surface as quickly as possible.
Practice Your Sword Controls
Whether you’re playing with motion or button controls, the direction of your sword slashes always matters, so you’ll want to spend some time getting used to how Skyward Sword’s unique controls work. It’ll save you frustration later.
When Skyward Sword was first released, it relied heavily on motion controls for everything in the game. That’s still true of the HD remaster, with the caveat that if you’re not into the motion controls, you can use new button controls that give you the same amount of fine-tuned precision. Either way, spend some time practicing with each control scheme to really get the hang of it. Much of Skyward Sword requires you to deftly use your sword to slice at enemies from a specific direction to avoid their guard–if someone raises a sword to block a vertical sword slash, for instance, you need to get in with a horizontal one. Later in the game, enemies start blocking you with electrified weapons or countering you when you’re blocked, so making sure you can reliably hit enemies without nailing their guards will keep you alive and make you a more effective fighter. The requirement to reliably make directional attacks is constant throughout Skyward Sword, so pick a control scheme and spend some time getting the hang of it.
Get A Bug Net
Nab the bug net early, as you’ll pass a lot of bugs on your adventure that you can capture and sell for quick cash.
Once you’ve cleared your first section of the surface in the Faron Woods, you’ll unlock the flying Beetle item. Return to Skyloft and you can use that item to hit the bell hanging from Beedle’s flying shop. He’ll lower a rope, allowing you to climb up and see what he’s offering. One of the first items you can snag from Beedle’s shop is the bug net. You can use that net to catch bugs all over the world, both in Skyloft and on the surface. Later, you’ll find a character in the Knight’s Academy at night who will buy your bugs for a premium, providing a quick way to make some money. Bugs can also allow you to infuse potions at the potion shop to make them more effective. Finally, you can also use the bug net to catch wasps that would otherwise swarm and chase you in the forest. It’s a handy item to have, and you’ll want to grab it as early as you can.
Focus On Side Quests
Completing sidequests is a great way to get more Adventure Pouches, Pieces of Heart, and other upgrades.
On your first return to Skyloft, you’ll be able to talk to various people in town and pick up a few side quests. One of the first you’ll want to do is to find a missing girl, which requires you to sleep in a bed until nighttime and then investigate the cemetery. Once you’ve completed that quest, you’ll unlock a pipeline for earning rewards from a character called Batreaux. He’ll give you all kinds of stuff in exchange for Gratitude Crystals, which you’ll usually get from completing side quests. These are some of the best rewards in the game, so it’s a good idea to start spending a little more time in Skyloft once you’ve found Batreaux and can start earning rewards from him. Make sure you check around Skyloft at night for characters to be in different places and potentially give out different quests.
Invest In Bigger Wallets
Running out of space for Rupees makes it tough to buy better equipment, so make sure to invest in your purse.
One of the rewards you can get from Batreaux is a better wallet for carrying rupees, but you’re actually going to need several upgrades to your wallet over the course of the game. You’ll want to start grabbing these upgrades early, as Link’s default capacity for carrying money is actually pretty low. A lot of items you’ll want to purchase are going to be costly, and it’s a bummer to run out of space for more money when you’re out in the field and could potentially be earning more. Head to Beedle’s shop to find wallet upgrades periodically, and grab them as soon as you can. They’ll help you buy the things you really want more quickly.
Keep A Shield (And A Potion To Repair It)
You don’t absolutely need a shield for combat, but it’s nice to have one–and it’s annoying when one breaks.
Unlike, say, Breath of the Wild, you’ll use most of the same gear throughout Skyward Sword, with one exception: shields. Early in the game, you’ll only have access to vulnerable wooden shields; later, you can find tougher metal ones, but they still can only take so much punishment before those shields break. Still, not having a shield in Skyward Sword is a pretty big disadvantage in a lot of situations. You’re a lot less vulnerable in duels with tough enemies, for a start, and your shield can reflect attacks and stun enemies as you fight. To keep your shields from breaking, make sure to pack some Revitalizing potion, which allows you to repair your shield in the field. You’ll be happy you have it (and annoyed when your shield breaks midway through a dungeon).
Clear Out All The Goddess Cube Chests You Can In Skyloft
Goddess Cubes unlock chests all over Skyloft, and it’s worth your time to track down and open all of the ones you’ve found each time you return to the sky.
As mentioned, you’ll pop back up to Skyloft pretty frequently. Every time you clear a dungeon, you’ll have to head back to the sky to open the path to the next area. You’ll find Goddess Cubes on the surface that unlock special chests in Skyloft, which are marked on your map when you return. Spend the time with each return to find and open all the cube chests, because they usually have some extremely good rewards–like high totals of rupees or pieces of heart. They’ll give you a big leg up early in the game, so prioritize unlocking them whenever you can. Just note that some chests will be in places you can’t get to until later in the game.
