Is the Breath of the Wild Expansion Pass Worth it?

The short answer is yes, you do need to pay to get the Breath of the Wild DLC expansions. But the real question is – is it worth paying $19.99 for the added content? As an avid gamer and business data analyst, I‘ve crunched the numbers and analyzed the value, and here is my in-depth guide for you on whether the Zelda: Breath of the Wild Expansion Pass is a smart purchase.

What‘s Included in the Expansion Pass

Here‘s a quick overview of everything you get with the Expansion Pass:

The Master Trials – June 2017

• Trial of the Sword – A multi-level survival challenge
• Master Mode – Increased difficulty with regenerating enemies
• Hero‘s Path Mode – Tracks footsteps on the map
• Extra treasure chests with useful gear
• New masks and armor sets

The Champions‘ Ballad – December 2017

• New story focusing on Princess Zelda and the Champions
• 16 new shrines and one Divine Beast per Champion
• Master Cycle Zero motorcycle
• New original music track

That‘s over 100 additional shrines, fresh challenges tailored to new and experienced players, cool new loot, and meaningful story content. It‘s a ton of content for $19.99!

DLC Expands the World Naturally

One common downside of DLC is that new areas feel disconnected from the base game. But the Breath of the Wild DLC smartly integrates new shrines and dungeons right into the existing map.

The treasure chests are seamlessly scattered across Hyrule just waiting to be discovered. And the Master Cycle Zero motorcycle handles the terrain great, complementing exploration instead of complicating it.

Based on my experience, this expansion adds to the game world organically instead of fracturing it. The new content aligns perfectly with the spirit of exploration and discovery that makes Breath of the Wild so special.

Added Value for Dollar Spent

Let‘s break down the value you get by looking at the estimated hours of gameplay added:

That‘s over 70 hours of new content – and potentially over 100 hours for a full Master Mode playthrough. At $19.99, that comes out to around 20-30 cents per hour of entertainment. To put that in perspective, seeing a 2 hour movie costs over $10 per hour.

It‘s clear the Expansion Pass provides tremendous value compared to other entertainment options. You could spend hundreds of hours in Breath of the Wild and still be paying a lower hourly rate than a single movie ticket!

Challenges Tailored to You

A concern with additions like Master Mode is that they only appeal to hardcore players. But the DLC has something for all skill levels.

Master Cycle Zero gives less experienced gamers a faster way to explore the world and see more sights. Hero‘s Path helps completionist players track their progress across the vast map.

For experts, Master Mode amps up the challenge with tougher but fair enemies. The Trial of the Sword tests your combat abilities against waves of foes.

No matter your skill level, there are fresh ways to experience Hyrule here for you!

Satisfying Story Content

Breath of the Wild‘s story is pretty bare bones – it‘s more about the open world experience. But the Champions‘ Ballad DLC delivers enriching backstory for Zelda, Link, and the four Champions that the main game lacks.

Seeing their bonds strengthened before the Calamity hits home emotionally. Replaying the Divine Beasts with this added depth is incredibly rewarding.

As someone invested in the lore, the narrative focus of this DLC really pulled me in. It made the fates of the characters much more impactful.

You‘ll Get Your Money‘s Worth

Let‘s say you spent $60 on the base game of Breath of the Wild, which has about 80 hours of content. That‘s around 75 cents per hour of entertainment.

Spending $20 more for 70 additional hours of DLC lowers your overall cost per hour down to about 60 cents.

Looking at it that way, the Expansion Pass is a smart purchase. You lower the overall price paid for each hour spent in Hyrule. It stretches your entertainment dollar further.

For the massive amount of additional content provided, the asking price is more than fair. It will absolutely give you your money‘s worth.

Downsides to Consider

I do have to mention two potential downsides:

• The new story content, while enriching, is not essential to understanding the main plot.
• Occasional frame rate drops are introduced in certain areas.

For me, the added narrative depth and worldbuilding offset those negatives. But they are worth being aware of.

The Verdict? Worth It for Fans!

Let‘s recap the key points:

• Over 100 extra shrines, armor, challenges = dozens more hours of playtime
• Seamlessly expands the world with smart additions
• Incredible value at around 20-30 cents per hour
• Fun new ways to play tailored to all skill levels
• Satisfying narrative depth added to key characters

For hardcore Breath of the Wild fans like myself, the Expansion Pass is an absolute no-brainer purchase. You get so much excellent content at a bargain price.

More casual fans may be better served leaving it and moving on to other games after finishing the base adventure. But for players hungry for more, it‘s a wise investment.

So in summary – yes, you do have to pay for Breath of the Wild‘s DLC. But for most fans, it‘s easy to recommend buying the Expansion Pass based on the sheer value provided. It succeeds tremendously at enhancing an already phenomenal game.

Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to provide tailored purchasing advice to help fellow gamers get the most of their money.