Breath of the Wild was the swansong for Wii U and the killer app for the Switch. Being made on withered hardware for its day, it still managed to stress the next generation Nintendo console at the time. Its Ghibli-inspired art style will keep it looking timeless, but there was always a sense that it could look and run better.
On original hardware, Breath of the Wild ran mostly stable at 30 frames per second at 900p while docked, and 720p while in portable mode. It is still a technical marvel for realizing a massive world with interactions and impressive simulations. Being ported to the Switch 2 on day one makes it available on three Nintendo consoles in a row, but this time with the promise of leveraging improved specs for superior performance and resolution.
With a new Nintendo console comes another Breath of the Wild. Now that it’s running on much beefier hardware, does the weight of Hyrule buckle under modest specs? Find out in our The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Review!
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2
Release Date: June 5, 2025
Price: $69.99
This is the third time The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has been released, and by now, you know the drill. Link wakes up from a 100-year cryo-sleep and is set loose in a post-apocalyptic Hyrule where Calamity Ganon has laid waste to the kingdom.
As a serpentine-like pig dragon, Ganon has corrupted the region’s protectors, and it’s on Link to set out and vanquish the evil. How he does that is entirely on the player to figure out because Breath of the Wild is completely nonlinear and open-ended, set in a massive open world.
With only a handful of tools this time that are earned in the tutorial area, Link should be prepared to handle anything that comes his way. He doesn’t have to take out the Divine Beasts if players want a challenge. Anyone can waltz up to Calamity Ganon’s lawn and try to kick his ass… you’d be likely vaporized or made into a brown stain after 100 paces, but you can always try, and you never know, you might get lucky.
The unrestricted freedom and emergent gameplay were Breath of the Wild’s appeal in 2017, and it still is. How the world reacts to Link’s actions and tools made it so players could approach situations in any way they imagined. While most fans lament the absence of dungeons, the many shrines are meant to replace them. They’re not as satisfying as one large dungeon, but there is merit to a bite-sized chunk that pays off with an upgrade coupon.
Most of the problems fans had with Breath of the Wild will persist with the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition.
The shrines are all still made up of the same boring metallic assets. The soundtrack is still sparse, to nonexistent. The divine beasts are disappointing. The combat is the same Z-targeting, circle-strafe gameplay since 1998. Even the DLC is regrettably not included, which is a shame because that is the only way to fully restore the master sword, so it never needs a cooldown.
The weapon durability was always a contentious issue in Breath of the Wild, and it is not likely to change anyone’s mind in the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition.
The aggressive durability is mostly a problem that’s front-loaded in the game and becomes less of a hassle later. As the link gains more weapon and shield slots and weapons are found commonly, you learn not to be so precious with every piece of gear found. It’s still stupid that Link can’t throw a punch when unarmed.
Despite many of the annoying design choices, Breath of the Wild impresses with its simulation. Any place with a door can be entered. Link can start fires and updrafts.
His glider reacts to the updrafts and can build a makeshift raft using a leaf to create wind. Energy can be conducted through metal objects. Big and small round items cascade down slopes for a neat emergent rockslide. It seems like there is no limit to the games’ systems.
All of these advanced mechanics in Breath of the Wild pushed the Wii U and Switch to their limits. The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition takes full advantage of the new tech and holds nothing back. While docked, the image is a dazzling and crisp 4K. Every edge is razor sharp, and the textures are more detailed.
The draw distance is noticeably further. The effect is marvelous when standing in a windy, grassy field. You can count every blade of grass, and the dithering effect for distant objects is gone.
Areas dense with post-processing effects feel otherworldly with intense crystalic clarity. Players who might not have enjoyed Breath of the Wild will still be taken aback by the majesty of the image quality.
The original game always looked great, even in low quality, but the frame rate was never quite stable. Some areas where the effects were stacked upon each other compounded with the physics and dynamic simulation all happening at once was an easy way to cripple the framerate. The Switch 2 is powerful enough that upgraded Breath of the Wild can hit 60 fps and stay there.
Once you play Breath of the Wild, running this smoothly and fluidly, there is no going back. No matter what you throw at the game, it does not buckle. You can have a bunch of swords lying around with a bunch of Wizzrobes shocking the hell out of Link while getting mauled by Lynels in the middle of a thunderstorm while powder kegs are exploding, and the frame rate will remain steady.
The only new feature that does not work as intended is the Zelda Notes app. This is supposed to make it easier for returning players who wish to speed up the pace of the game by functioning as a player’s guide and GPS. This could have been a helpful feature, but it sucks having to always consult your phone in real life to use it.
Breath of the Wild is supposed to be immersive. How can I get immersed while using my phone? It makes no sense why it isn’t a feature built into the game. At the very least, starting from the beginning is not that painful now that there is a second save slot. Players can keep their original save data and still start a new game now, which is very convenient.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is the definitive experience of a Switch classic. It has its design flaws and can be a little unrewarding at times, but it excels at rewarding players with an extrinsic experience. If you didn’t love it before, you might be more open to it now. If you already loved it, then you’ll fall in love with it all over again.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Nintendo Switch 2 Edition was reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2 using a code provided by Nintendo. Additional information about Niche Gamer’s review/ethics policy is here. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is now available for Nintendo Switch 2.
