The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Review

One of the best games of all time just got better. Much like the original Nintendo Switch before it, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild arrives alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 at launch–now new and approved!

While the original release will always be lauded as a bona fide classic, the Nintendo community could collectively tell that the hardware of the Nintendo Switch severely handicapped Breath of the Wild's performance even all the way back in 2017. Mind you, this was the same year that brought us impressive game worlds such as those seen in NieR: Automata, Horizon Forbidden Dawn, and even a year prior with the likes of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End.

All of these titles pushed the PS4 to its limits and offered a beefy gaming experience that could only be experienced on the PS4, which still receives games to this day. With a wave of new improvements and more to discover, find out how Nintendo made this exceptional title even better in our review for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Switch 2 Edition.

When The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild released for the Nintendo Switch back in 2017, it sent shockwaves throughout the gaming community. This was not only a game-changer for the Zelda franchise but also for gaming as a whole.

In its wake, many games such as Genshin Impact, Tunic, and Immortals Fenyx Rising would adopt many of Breath of the Wild's motifs, such as the stamina wheel, immense freedom to explore the game world, and combat mechanics. I'll never forget the magic of booting up Breath of the Wild for the very first time. I knew from the moment Link made his way toward the cliff from the room of awakening that this was a once-in-a-generation title.

The piano notes play with a graceful elegance, panning over the new sandbox in front of us. The lengthy development time, the delays, and the updates from Shigeru Miyamoto and Eiji Aonuma all pointed towards a game grand in scope and size. You could imagine my surprise when a sequel was announced (now known as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom).

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Switch 2 Edition improves upon the original in a host of different ways. To the delight of fans everywhere, Breath of the Wild now runs at a silky smooth 60 frames-per-second–enhancing the overall gameplay experience with improved responsiveness.

One of the most infamous locales in the original release was the Korok Forest. The Korok Forest was known for tanking the frame rate whenever you would enter this area, as it was quite busy with many moving elements that the original Switch just could not keep up with. In the Switch 2 edition, slowdowns and other disruptions are a thing of the past, as you can traverse this area as it was originally intended.

The Korok Forest is now even more breathtaking and one of the stand-out areas of the game world. It seems even textures look improved overall. New to the Switch 2 Edition is HDR support and, for the first time in series history, true 4K support!

Journey through the new and improved Hyrule in stunning detail like never before. My first few steps on the Great Plateau left me in shock and awe all over again, as Hyrule has never looked so gorgeous. This is exactly how Breath of the Wild was meant to be played.

I fully enjoyed my time spent in the original release, but the Switch 2 Edition brings the gameplay experience to a whole new level. No longer is any part of the environment muddy to look at, as Switch 2 turbocharges the experience with greater detail. Booting up The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Switch 2 Edition gave me close to the same goosebumps on Switch 2 launch day as it did back when the original version launched.

There is not a lot that can be said differently from the pack in regard to the story and original gameplay mechanics. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Switch 2 Edition still features that addicting blend of puzzle solving/combat that you come to love from the original release. It can't be understated, though, just how well the original mechanics still hold up.

Rune abilities are still a blast to experiment with–finding out all sorts of tricks and offensive utility to solve puzzles and take down foes, respectively. I can't stress it enough just how much of a relief it was to see Breath of the Wild receive such an update like this. With smoother, more dynamic animations, combat flows better than ever before.

Taking down Moblins, Keese, and Hinox never felt so good! One of the most noticeable drawbacks of Breath of the Wild, aside from visual-related issues, was the loading times. For the large scope of the game, Nintendo was able to optimize as best as they possibly could when it came to load times in the original release.

In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Switch 2 Edition, loading times are dramatically quicker thanks to the harnessed power of the Switch 2 hardware. It could be a pain to have to fast travel between so many different points, and having to wait as the game would take a while to load. This is now a thing of the past and one of the most welcome upgrades.

New to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Switch 2 Edition was the inclusion of Zelda Notes–a brand-new feature that works in conjunction with the new and improved Nintendo Switch app, allowing for added functionality.

The Zelda Notes app serves as a companion or strategy guide, if you will– allowing you to see the location of shrines, Korok seeds, and many more goodies you may have missed along your journey. This saves a lot of time as you don't have to constantly go back and forth looking for specific details like where shrines are located, as it is all on the app!

That is not all, either. If you are hungry for even more Zelda lore, the new Zelda Notes app also includes fully voiced memos from Princess Zelda herself! Depending on where you are on the map, a prompt will appear, allowing you to hear new insights about the specific location you are currently in!

Zelda Notes also features a robust GPS that is voice-guided–letting you know what direction to head in to discover new landmarks. Overall, Zelda Notes is a worthy inclusion that beats having to constantly check online for multiple different sources for bits and pieces of what you are looking for.

If you find yourself in a pinch for materials, the Zelda Notes app also has a daily bonus for you to pull certain items. If this is your first rodeo or umpteenth playthrough of Breath of the Wild, I implore you to discover all the bells and whistles of this incredible companion for yourself.

Who needs a Nintendo Power subscription, right? Fans of the original release may remember that you could only have one save slot per profile. Fret no more, as the Switch 2 Edition includes an additional save slot, a feature that should have been there from the start, but alas. This was especially helpful when making content for a fresh playthrough or for those who just want to relive the journey from beginning to end once again.

If you want to hop back on the saddle of where you left off, you can do that, too! The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Switch 2 Edition allows you to transfer your original save data with every part of your adventure still intact. That's right, no reason to scramble looking for your old save, everything transitions seamlessly.

If you hold a current subscription for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion pack, members gain access to the Switch 2 version at no additional cost. Unfortunately, if you are a first-time buyer, it will set you back $69.99, which is the new standard in the gaming industry, but a hefty jump from the original $59.99 price point, all the same.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Switch 2 Edition is the same game that you know and love, but with additional bells and whistles that somehow make a perfect game even better. With a feature-rich companion app, true 4K visuals, buttery-smooth 60fps, and an extra save file, what's not to love?

What I love most about The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Switch 2 Edition is that the soul of the original game remains intact without one hair out of place. The shrines are still a treat to conquer. The gameplay is refined in a way that enhances player immersion and responsiveness without losing what made the original so fun to play. It is time once again to pick up the Master Sword in all its glory to take down Calamity Ganon–now in 4K.