The Legend of Zelda - Skyward Sword (Wii)

What happens when you take a storied fantasy/puzzle-solving franchise and pair it with the fun mobility of Wii's motion controls? The Legend of Zelda - Skyward Sword. The series' protagonists, Link and Zelda live in Skyloft, a village in the clouds. Link wants to be a Knight and much of the series revolves around his adventures to this end. The Legend of Zelda - Skyward Sword involves Link's acquisition of the Skyward Sword and, more importantly, his relationship with the spirit guiding the sword, Fi. Just like with previous Zelda titles, the game revolves around exploration and puzzle-solving.

What makes this iteration different is the puzzles are more deeply integrated into gameplay - some puzzles are definitely challenges for your brain and this takes the game above the usual fantasy game-themed combo of hack, slash, and explore. Link can now also dash which gives the game greater mobility. Wii's motion controls gives the problem solving tasks a different dimension and makes them more physically engaging and fun.

As always, the puzzle design for the Zelda series keeps fans and newbies alike engaged. They are very well-crafted and truly guide the game forward. While some excitement can be found with the boss fights, the physical controls and brain teasing of the puzzles truly make this game. Indeed, the sword combat also incorporates key tactical problem solving which elevates the combat from the standard hack and slash of other fantasy games.