Is the Breath of the Wild DLC Worth It? A Detailed Look at the Expansion Pass Content

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Expansion Pass DLC adds approximately 15-20 hours of gameplay, depending on your playstyle. That extends the core experience by 25-50%, making it a worthwhile investment for most gamers.

In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll analyze the key details on gameplay length, content additions, and value to help you decide if purchasing the DLC is worthwhile.

DLC Pack 1: The Master Trials

The first expansion, The Master Trials, provides the following additions:

Trial of the Sword

This challenging new mini-game takes 1-2 hours to complete. It unlocks the true power of the Master Sword.

Hero‘s Path Mode

A handy map feature that tracks your last 200 hours of exploration. It adds no direct gameplay time but helps guide future play.

Master Mode

This remixes the entire game with tougher enemies and floating enemy camps. Completing the game again in Master Mode takes 30-60 hours.

Travel Medallion

Creates one custom fast travel point, allowing more convenient travel. Saves small amounts of time traversing the world.

New Armor Sets

8 new armor sets to find and upgrade. Finding all the pieces takes 1-3 hours.

Added Challenge

Enemies rank up more quickly in the normal game. Provides a minor challenge increase.

In total, Pack 1 adds:

• 1-2 hours for Trial of the Sword.
• 30-60 hours to replay game in Master Mode.
• 1-3 hours to acquire new armor.
• Slight time savers from Quality of Life improvements.

For most players, it provides 8-10 hours of meaningful new content.

DLC Pack 2: The Champions‘ Ballad

The second DLC pack includes:

New Story Chapter

Approximately 5 hours of fresh story content and missions.

16 New Shrines

With puzzles of medium length, estimate 30 minutes per shrine, so 8 hours total.

Master Cycle Zero

This motorcycle offers a speedy new transportation option after completing the story content. It saves small amounts of travel time.

Ancient Horse Gear

Customizable horse gear provides minor time savings on horseback.

Nine New Armor Sets

Finding all these hidden armors takes around 3 hours.

For the average player, Pack 2 adds:

• 5 hours for new story chapter.
• 8 hours for the 16 new shrines.
• 3 hours to acquire new armor sets.
• Minor time savings from Master Cycle Zero and horse gear.

Total gameplay time is approximately 16 hours.

Combined DLC Gameplay Duration

Taking both Expansion Packs together, here is how much gameplay time they add:

DLC Pack 1	8-10 hours
DLC Pack 2	16 hours
Total	24-26 hours

Factoring in some overlap, the average total gameplay added is approximately 15-20 hours.

For context, completing Breath of the Wild‘s core content takes around 40-60 hours for most gamers.

So the DLC provides a 25-50% boost in playtime, adding as much as half again of the base game‘s duration.

Gameplay Duration Effects on Value

This expanded gameplay length significantly impacts the value calculation of the Expansion Pass.

Priced at $19.99, the DLC provides entertainment at approximately $1 per hour.

Comparatively, a new $60 AAA game would equate to $3-$4 per hour of entertainment.

So the Expansion Pass offers extra gameplay time at 2-3x cheaper than standard pricing.

Qualitative Factors on Value

Beyond pure gameplay hours, the DLC also enhances Breath of the Wild with:

• High quality additions that meaningfully complement the core game.
• A well-written new story chapter that expands the characters and narrative.
• Fun new challenges like Trial of the Sword and Master Mode.
• Helpful gear, such as the Travel Medallion and Ancient Horse Gear.

These qualitative factors also substantially contribute to the value proposition.

Recommendation

Given the sizable additional content and excellent value per hour, we highly recommend the Expansion Pass DLC for most Breath of the Wild fans.

The additional 15-20 hours of high quality gameplay makes the DLC a worthwhile purchase for all but the most budget-conscious gamers.