I was simply taken aback when I first played The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in 2017, on my very original Nintendo Switch. It felt amazing, it felt special, but even at that stage, I knew the hardware was holding it back. The frame drops, the prolonged loading times, and some sections just felt heavier to run.
With the Nintendo Switch 2, Breath of the Wild gets another spin. It is the same game that I loved a few years back, but the performance is really much smoother, the visuals are a bit sharper, and it comes with some other little benefits.
I still recall the first time I stepped out of the Shrine of Resurrection and looked out over Hyrule stretching out ahead of me. That soft piano theme playing in the background made it feel more magical. The ability to go anywhere, climb anything, and discover secrets at my own pace was unlike anything else I had played before. Many other games like Genshin Impact and Immortals Fenyx Rising later borrowed ideas from it, but this was the first.
The game now runs at 60 frames per second in Switch 2 Edition. That alone makes a great difference, especially when it comes to combat. The Korok Forest, which used to be a notorious spot for frame drops, now runs smoothly. Everything in the forest feels more alive, and the improved textures make it one of the nicest areas to explore.
The combination of HDR and true 4K resolution is just a boon to the eyes. Walking again through the Great Plateau offered the sensation of experiencing it for nearly the first time. It was sharper in landscapes, richer in lighting, and smaller details in the environment stood out more.
Nintendo also did a lot to reduce loading times, such that fast travel just felt like waiting on some cosmogony. Really used to avoid this on the original Switch without a travel necessity; nowadays, the speed allows full use of it.
There is also something new called Zelda Notes that connects with the Nintendo Switch app. This relates to shrines, Koroks, and all sorts of things, even ones you might miss. You even get voice memos from Princess Zelda to give some extra lore depending on where you are. I actually found myself opening this app quite a lot because it definitely saved me from constantly looking these things up.
Another small but useful change is the extra save slot. I wish this had been in the original release, but at least it’s here now. You can also transfer your old save data, so if you want to continue your old adventure, you can do that without starting over.
The gameplay has not changed, though, which is positive. I’m still totally impressed by combat, puzzles, and exploration holding up perfectly. It’s still fun using rune abilities for problem-solving or enemy-solving, and fights feel better than ever with smooth animations.
If you have a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription, then you can get this Switch 2 Edition at no extra cost. If not, it is 69.99-like a bit more than the original price, but that seems to be the norm today.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Switch 2 Edition retains the spirit of an early game for me, clad in shiny new looks and feel. Same open-world adventure I fell heads over heels in love with now runs the way it always should have. Picking up the Master Sword again in 4K to face Calamity Ganon feels like the perfect excuse to return to Hyrule one more time. You may also be interested in: Resident Evil Requiem Leak Hints at The Last of Us Style Combat, Motorcycles, and Open-World Elements
