Summary
Mario Kart Worldis the big launch game that mostSwitch 2fans bought. It’s Nintendo’s only big first-party game until July, and there are other good Switch 2 titles at launch, likeBravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster. Beyond new games, there are also enhanced games from the last generation, likeThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildis still one of thegreatest Nintendo launch games of all time, and now it’s improved on Switch 2. How has it been improved?Let’s go throughthe ways that the Switch 2 has improvedBreath of the Wild,a game that was already a masterpiece, and why it will be hard to go back to either the Switch or Wii U versions ever again.
6The Improved Resolution
Going Full HD
The original Switch output was 720p in both handheld and TV modes.TheSwitch 2 has various system upgrades,including a difference between the handheld and TV modes.Games likeThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildrun natively at 1080p in handheld mode, and then there is a possibility to hit 4K while playing on the TV, as the dock will enhance the game’s visuals.
5Clearer Textures
Just Look At That Water
Better visuals are one thing, but there are more minor details that not everyone will notice. For example, one of the best moments inBreath of the Wildhappens right afterLink awakens in his chamber. When he exits, the game pans across a giant valley. On the Switch and Wii U versions, the draw distance wasn’t particularly impressive, resulting in some blurry textures.
The draw distance is much better on Switch 2, even though the textures can still be blurry in some parts. Lighting has also been improved, and fans can notice it early while standing in the church on the Great Plateau and admiring sunlight coming through the windows. Finally, the water is clearer, allowing Link to see below the surface. Larger bodies of water are still murky, as players aren’t meant to dive deep, but overall, it’s these little texture details that make the game more impressive on Switch 2.
4A Stronger Framerate
Those Explosions Never Stutter
The open-world settingwas a big deal whenThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildlaunched, as it changed the way players interacted with Hyrule. Besides the tutorial on the Great Plateau, players could do anything and go anywhere they liked. Playing with the physics was one of the most enjoyable elements, from setting grass on fire to causing a massive explosion in an enemy camp and watching those bodies fly high.
The more creative players were, the more the game’s framerate chugged, no matter if players got into it on the Wii U or the Switch. The Switch 2 now achieves a solid 60fps framerate, an upgrade from 30fps, regardless of the mode players are in. It’s impressive to see explosions clearer than ever before or to tilt the camera and have it be a smooth experience.
3A New Save Slot
Start Fresh On The Switch 2
Jumping into an old save file to check out DLC or to continue a game long after finishing it can be daunting. What was the point of this quest? How do these controls work? What’s this inventory full of? Those are some thoughts that can go through a player’s head, years after walking away from a game, when it might be better to start anew. With most games, it’s possible to do that witha new save file.
Unfortunately, Nintendo only allowed one save file per account on the Switch, which was a weird choice. That is, until this Switch 2 release, as Nintendo has added one extra save slot. Twenty, ten, or even three save slots would have been better, but at least fans can still keep their original save file forThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildwhile loading up a new one to see the Switch 2’s features with a fresh start.
2Faster Loading
Game Over Isn’t As Punishing
The Wii U version ofBreath of the Wildwas slightly slower than the Switch version, but loading times for both could range from thirty seconds to a minute. The Switch 2 improves loading for most backward-compatible games, but especially withThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The Switch 2 doesn’t havePS5-levels of fast loading, but it is much better than before.
Fast traveling or returning from a Game Over screen can take approximately three to six seconds. The one thing that still takes a bit of time is exiting a Shrine, for whatever reason, and it can reach up to ten seconds of loading. Still, that is much better than the previous two versions of the game, which makes the wait between activities less frustrating.
1Zelda Notes
Plenty Of Random Content To Play With
Instead of implementing a bevvy of new features intoThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Nintendo decided to put most of the new bells and whistles on their Nintendo App. With a linked Nintendo account between the app and the Switch 2, players can engage with Zelda Notes. While exploring the map, an icon will pop up on the corresponding app signaling players about Voice Memories, which go into some of the world’s history. The map can also help with navigation, similar to Google Maps, but it’s not as intuitive as using the in-game map and markers.
Players can view various data markers on their progress, along with how the rest of the world is playing the game. They can get daily bonuses via a lottery wheel similar tothe Amiibo support, except that the prizes are less substantial. There is also an item-sharing function, which can help other players progress, and it’s quite neat, along with the photo editor. There’s not one thing in the Zelda Notes that makes it a must-download, but players can at least make their own fun with it, especially if their friends are also replayingThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
