The 2017 title Breath of the Wild holds a visual appeal that requires little to shine; although it often operates at a rather standard 30fps on the Switch, the captivating open world offers a fantastical experience that isn’t significantly hampered by the limitations of the console’s CPU. However, it would be beneficial for Nintendo to enhance its own flagship titles, which leads to exciting news: the game looks remarkably different on the Switch 2.
During today’s Treehouse live stream (timestamp here), amidst the chorus of frustrated gamers in the chat chanting “DROP THE PRICE“, Nintendo showcased an eye-opening side-by-side comparison of Breath of the Wild on both the Switch and the Switch 2, highlighting what could be described as a stunning transformation.
On the original Switch, the colors in Breath of the Wild seem subdued, and details are somewhat blurred on the edges, akin to viewing the game through fogged-up glasses. Despite this, the fact that Link’s journey occurs in a vibrant fantasy realm is unmistakable, especially with the dramatic sunlight illuminating his figure and casting enchanting shadows on the lush grass. Nonetheless, the Switch tends to dull the vividness of the fantasy setting.
In contrast, the Switch 2 plays to the game’s strengths. Breath of the Wild’s dreamy depiction of Hyrule now showcases a richer array of colors; the grass displays various shades of green instead of the overwhelming lime tone. Even the softer elements, like dust and mist, appear with added depth.
Furthermore, it’s clear that the Switch 2 delivers a significant performance upgrade. As the Treehouse team demonstrated identical scenes from Breath of the Wild on both consoles, it was revealed that loading times on the Switch 2 are approximately five times swifter than on the original Switch, which struggles with stuttering frames.
It’s also evident that Link glides with fluid motion on the Switch 2, a stark contrast to the choppy movement experienced on the Switch. Rather than requesting a price drop, perhaps it’s time to drop the workout routine instead.
After immersing myself in the exhilarating races of Mario Kart World, I’m convinced that the 24-player Knockout Tour represents a groundbreaking shift in racing.