The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Archives

When it comes to summer, my daughters and I love to find time to be able to engage with one another in unique ways. Sometimes this is through outdoor play, but I am also excited that they love to get into gaming as I truly enjoy this too.

Recently we got to try out the brand new Nintendo Switch gaming system as well as the brand new game that came out for the Switch, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. As a long time fan of Zelda I have to say that I was excited about this as I have been playing Zelda since it first came out on the original NES gaming system.

I had also heard a ton of great things about the graphics, the story and more on Zelda as well as the user-experience on the Nintendo Switch itself and we all wanted to have a first hand experience on some summer gaming with this great new device.

Before I give you my take on both of these, let me share some background on the Nintendo Switch and on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild:

About the Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch is a “hybrid” console; it is designed primarily as a home console, with the main unit inserted onto a docking station to connect to a television. Alternatively, it can be removed from the dock and used similarly to a tablet computer through its LCD touchscreen, or placed in a standalone tabletop mode visible to several players. The Nintendo Switch uses Joy-Con wireless controllers, which include standard buttons and a directional joystick for user input, motion sensing, and high-definition tactile feedback. The Joy-Con can attach to both sides of the console to support handheld-style play, connect to a Grip accessory to provide a traditional home console gamepad form, or be used individually in the hand like the Wii Remote, supporting local multiplayer modes. The Nintendo Switch’s software supports online gaming through standard Internet connectivity, as well as local wireless ad hoc connectivity with other Switch consoles. Switch games and software are available on both physical flash ROM cartridges and digital distribution, and does not use region locking.

Features

Home Gaming System: At home the main unit rests in the Nintendo Switch dock, which connects the system to the TV and lets you play with family and friends in the comfort of your living room.
On-the-Go: Lift Nintendo Switch from the dock and instantly transition to handheld mode for on-the-go gaming. By sharing Joy-Con, players can go head-to-head while away from home. You can also enjoy the same great games in tabletop mode by using the included stand to prop the system up.
New Play Styles Remove the detachable Joy-Con from either side of Nintendo Switch for more play styles:
- One player can use a Joy-Con in each hand
- Two players can each take one
- Multiple Joy-Con can be employed by numerous people for a variety of gameplay options (additional Joy-Con sold separately)
- Slip a set of Joy-Con into a Joy-Con grip accessory, mirroring a more traditional controller. Or, select an optional Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.
- Bring together up to 8 Nintendo Switch systems for local face-to-face multiplayer.

About The Legend of Zelda – The Breath of the Wild

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is an action-adventure video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch and Wii U video game consoles. The game is a part of The Legend of Zelda series, and follows amnesiac protagonist Link, who awakens from a hundred-year slumber to a mysterious voice that guides him to defeat Calamity Ganon before he can destroy the kingdom of Hyrule.

The title’s gameplay and mechanics constitute a departure from the series’ usual conventions, featuring an open-world environment, a detailed physics engine, high-definition visuals, and voice acting.

Breath of the Wild received universal acclaim from critics, who deemed it to be one of the greatest video games of all time.

Features:

Explore the wilds of Hyrule any way you like – Climb up towers and mountain peaks in search of new destinations, then set your own path to get there and plunge into the wilderness. Along the way, you’ll battle towering enemies, hunt wild beasts and gather ingredients for the food and elixirs you’ll need to sustain you on your journey
More than 100 Shrines of Trials to discover and explore – Shrines dot the landscape, waiting to be discovered in any order you want. Search for them in various ways, and solve a variety of puzzles inside. Work your way through the traps and devices inside to earn special items and other rewards that will help you on your adventure
Be prepared and properly equipped – With an entire world waiting to be explored, you’ll need a variety of outfits and gear to reach every corner. You may need to bundle up with warmer clothes or change into something better suited to the desert heat. Some clothing even has special effects that, for example, can make you faster and stealthier
Battling enemies requires strategy – The world is inhabited with enemies of all shapes and sizes. Each one has its own attack method and weaponry, so you must think quickly and develop the right strategies to defeat them
amiibo compatibility – Tap the Wolf Link amiibo (sold separately) to make Wolf Link appear in game. Wolf Link will attack enemies on his own and help you find items you’re searching for. We will also introduce new The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild series of amiibo at E3 this year

Our Take on the Nintendo Switch and The Legend of Zelda – The Breath of the Wild