The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Review

This review is for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. It focuses solely on the changes and new features included in the upgrade pack for the original Nintendo Switch game. Our original review still applies to the majority of the game.

When I reviewed The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild back in 2017, it’s safe to say I had a really good time with it — I called it possibly the best game of all time — and that sentiment still holds true all these years later. After pouring another couple of hundred hours into it post-release, I felt I’d done everything I ever wanted to do with the game. I haven’t really touched it since, mostly because I didn’t want to risk tainting those memories.

At the time, playing that game on a handheld or even docked — despite the muddy graphics and lower frame rate — it didn’t matter it was just amazing to see on something so small. But when Nintendo announced an upgrade for it on the Nintendo Switch 2, I knew I was ready to go back.

There are two main parts to this update: the graphical improvements to the game, and the Zelda Notes web app, available through the newly updated Nintendo Switch app — more on that in a second.

While the game now runs at 1080p in handheld mode and 4K when docked — and that’s great, giving it a polish for the modern era — the bigger change for me personally is the upgrade to 60fps. It’s amazing how much that improves the experience. Sure, there were spots like the Korok Forest where the frame rate used to tank — everyone remembers that — but now the buttery smooth frame rate across the board makes the game feel brand new. I’ve even gone back to using guides to help remember where things are, and seeing how the game used to look… it’s like seeing it with new eyes.

Then there are the load times. Happen to die? No worries — you’re back in the action in no time. You can now warp around the map in seconds. Not every load time is dramatically faster, but it all adds up. It almost feels like, with a little more work, they could have removed the loading screens entirely.

The game still has some lower-quality textures, and certain effects are definitely showing their age — but I truly envy anyone experiencing this for the first time in this upgraded form.

Speaking of memories, that’s part of the second big feature in the Switch 2 Edition. Zelda Notes is part of the Nintendo Switch app on your phone. It includes newly recorded voice memories that provide more detail about locations in the game, as well as extensive gameplay stats, amiibo tracking, item and photo sharing, and more.

The best addition is probably the navigation feature, which shows you where everything is on the map — even if you haven’t found it yet. I wouldn’t recommend using it from the start, as it kind of spoils the fun of exploration and discovery. But for me, after so many hours, it’s the perfect way to wrap things up and finally see the last few things I’ve missed in the world.

I’m not one of those people constantly whining about, “What happens when they turn the servers off?” — but all of these features will eventually disappear into the cloud server in the sky when the Switch era is over. It’s a bit sad that they couldn’t have built this functionality directly into the game itself.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is still a phenomenal game, and it’s now best played on the Nintendo Switch 2, with improved loading times, higher-resolution graphics, and that silky-smooth frame rate. Zelda Notes is entirely optional if you want to ignore it — and hopefully that sort of addition isn’t the main reason upgrades cost more (or anything).

Rating: 5/5

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is available at retail as a separate release; the Upgrade Pack for the Nintendo Switch 2 will download automatically when the game card is inserted. You can also purchase the Upgrade Pack separately for $20 AUD, or if you’re a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscriber, the Upgrade Packs are included free for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.