Enhanced Speed for Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom on Nintendo Switch 2

Alright, so I’ve been thinking about this whole Switch 2 thing. I mean, yeah, it’s supposed to be the next big thing after the original Nintendo Switch, and who doesn’t love shiny new gadgets, right? But there’s something about replaying those epic games from the past—and here I go again, reminiscing—like Breath of the Wild and, of course, Tears of the Kingdom. Those titles really snagged a special spot in our hearts, didn’t they? Almost like when you hear a song and suddenly you’re ten years younger, dancing around like a fool. Anyway, where was I?

Right, these games. They’re totally playable, whether it’s your first dive into the world of Hyrule or your fiftieth run. And on the Switch 2? Oh man, it’s like Nintendo finally cracked the code. All the stuff we bellyached about—like slow loading times and, gah, those frame rates—they’ve got that smoothed out now. Seriously, the load times feel like a magician snapping their fingers and—boom!—you’re in the game. Not kidding, it’s wild how much quicker everything is.

We did some tests, just cuz, you know, why not? Five different tests, run them five times each. Because what’s life without a little math, right? Used a Switch OLED for the OG versions, and then the fresh Switch 2 for the new ones. Ran through the usuals: booting up, loading, reloading, fast traveling (because who’s got time to walk?), and hopping into a shrine. The stuff anyone would do like a bazillion times in a normal session. Just trying to keep it real here.

Expectedly, the Switch 2 just laughed in the face of the old Switch. Cut those load times like it was slicing through butter. Or, maybe something less cliché, but you get it. Especially in Tears of the Kingdom, I swear it felt like some warp-speed magic was happening. Why? Maybe it’s just optimized better. Go figure.

So yeah, the Nintendo Switch 2, especially paired with these revamped games, really steps up the Zelda experience. Of course, you could play the originals on the Switch 2—haven’t tried it yet though, so I’ll hold my horses on that one.

But here’s the kicker: these updated versions feel smooth, fluid, like slipping into a warm bath after a long day. Ideal time to delve back into Hyrule if you haven’t done it lately. Only thing—a bit of fine print—you’ll fork over an extra $10 per game, or opt for a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion membership for the pleasure. Worth it? Depends on if those mystical lands are calling your name.