Stepping deeper into 2025, prospects are looking good forLegend of Zeldafans. Although the Nintendo Switch is passing its torch to the Switch 2, it has had a great streak ofZeldatitles, including the industry-shakingThe Legend of Zelda:Breath of the Wildnear launch,Tears of the Kingdomseveral years later, andEchoes of Wisdomin what may be its last full year. Even if theZeldahits stopped atBreath of the Wild, that would be reason enough for celebration, but it went on to include several Nintendo Switch Online ports and other titles like theLink’s Awakeningremake.
Now that the Nintendo Switch 2 is finally en route, it’s not a bad idea to reflect on the titles that earned the original Switch the rare honor of a numbered Nintendo sequel system.The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wildwas one of the first, and still one of the biggest, games pushing the Switch forward, with it, too, receiving the similarhonor of a directZeldasequel. Chances are good that many Switch owners still have theirBotWcopy lying around, so 2025 should be the perfect time to start a new adventure in this modern classic.
It’s Been A While Since Many Players Last Touched Breath of the Wild
Starting over agame as large asBreath of the Wildsounds daunting, but its size is actually to its benefit. Anyone that playedBotWback when it was new likely hasn’t retained most of their experiences, just a few highlights and low points. Jumping back intoBreath of the Wildnow, even with knowledge of its story, mechanics, and secrets, could feel like playing it again for the first time, just a little smoother.BotWis turning 8 this year, so the process of replacing forgotten memories with new ones should come easily.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Could Improve Breath of the Wild
One potential advantage of starting a freshBreath of the Wildsave file in 2025 will include the Switch 2 itself. According to Nintendo’s early advertising,the Nintendo Switch 2 will be backward compatiblewith most Nintendo Switch games. It’s a given thatBreath of the Wildwill work, but the question on fans’ minds is whether compatible games will benefit from the newer system’s improved hardware. Even Nintendo’s first-party exclusives,Breath of the Wildamong them, suffered from performance issues and low resolution, so experiencingBotWagain without those problems would justify another playthrough.
Tears of the Kingdom Is A Good Comparison To Breath of the Wild
Ironically,BotW’s sequel,Tears of the Kingdom, being released just a couple of years ago could makeBreathfeel fresh again.BotWandTotKdo share their Hyrule overworld, but there are a lot of small changes that make the experience feel different. That’s even before comparing the radically different Zonai arm mechanics to the Sheikah Runes inBreath, or accounting forTotK’s caves, sky islands and Depths accompanying its usual gameplay. Each title has its merits, butBreath of the Wildearned a sequel for a reason, and returning to it now should help clarify why it used to be one of a kind.
Breath of the Wild Still Has Its Own Strengths
Even withTears of the Kingdomaround,Breath of the Wildhas unique points that make it fun. Sheikah Runes remain some of the most versatile tools in theZeldafranchise, all without outshining other mechanics, such as climbing,likeTotK’s game-changing Ultrahand did. Divine Beasts make for a distinct set of dungeons as well, andBotWhas more of an endgame thanTotKthanks to its DLC.The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s fans no doubt have plenty more examples of what made their time with the game so special, and replaying it this year should bring all of those, and more, to light.
