Is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Worth It For Nintendo Switch? Absolutely.

Let me be clear up front – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is not only worth it for the Nintendo Switch, it‘s probably one of the top three reasons to own Nintendo‘s hybrid console in the first place. The first Zelda game released for the Switch instantly became an absolute must-own title, earning acclaim as one of the greatest video games ever made. In the five years since launch, nothing has changed – Breath of the Wild remains one of the highest-rated, most award-winning, and most beloved games you can experience on the Switch.

In this guide, we‘ll dive deep on why Zelda: Breath of the Wild is such a masterpiece, take a look at what makes it a perfect match for the Switch, analyze why it‘s a system-seller, and explain why it‘s an essential game that every Switch owner should absolutely play. Let‘s get started!

Why Breath of the Wild is Considered an All-Time Great Game

It‘s no exaggeration to say Breath of the Wild revolutionized the Zelda series and completely reimagined what an open world adventure game could be. Developers reinvented the Zelda formula from the ground up to deliver the most ambitious title in the franchise‘s history. Here are just some of the highlights that explain why BOTW is considered one of the greatest games ever made:

The Massive Open World is a Masterclass in Design

Nintendo created their most impressive open world ever in Breath of the Wild – an utterly massive and living landscape filled with mystery and freedom. Step out of the opening area and you‘re immediately struck by the scope and possibilities presented by the fields, forests, mountains, and deserts of Hyrule. Nintendo put immense care into hand-crafting every inch of the world with:

• Diverse biomes like lush jungles, snowy peaks, misty lakes, and sun-baked deserts make exploration exciting. There‘s always a new vista on the horizon.
• Dynamic weather affects the world, with sudden storms or clear nights illuminating the stars.
• A full day/night cycle brings the world to life over 24 hours. Enemies get more active at night.
• Wildlife fills the world, with herds of deer, flocks of birds, schools of fish, and more roaming about.
• The physics system allows for creative problem solving – roll boulders down hills, float objects in rivers, chop down trees to cross gaps. Anything goes!

Rather than following set paths, you‘re free to climb any surface and paraglide anywhere at the start. The world is completely open for you to uncover at the pace you desire. Crest a hill and spot an interesting landmark? Just head straight for it, no barriers stopping you. See a mountaintop shrouded in fog? Climb to unveil its secrets. This freedom to explore rewarded players with a constant sense of discovery and adventure that made the world feel truly alive.

Over 100 Hand-Crafted Shrines Provide Endless Puzzles

Dotted all throughout the world are over 120 physics-based puzzle rooms known as Shrines. These compact dungeons provide a steady stream of bite-sized brain teasers to solve, each centered around ideas like manipulating metal objects, redirecting light beams, or maneuvering balls through tilting mazes. With so many shrines, the variety stays fresh and forces creative thinking. Big puzzle fans, like myself, can spend hours happily absorbed in these intricate Zelda-flavored logic challenges.

On top of shrines lie four massive themed dungeons with multi-stage bosses that go back to Zelda basics. With mechanics tied to giant flying stone beasts and sand manipulation, the dungeons are intricately designed and make wonderful use of the elemental rune abilities. Each one feels carefully hand-crafted.

Runes Give You Creative Options in Solving Puzzles

The ancient Runes you acquire early on provide versatile abilities central to exploration and puzzle solving. Freezing time, building bombs, and manipulating metal objects completely change the way you can interact with the world. Nintendo exercised immense creativity in designing puzzles and challenges around these abilities.

The Cryonis rune that freezes water into ice blocks opens so many possibilities – navigate frozen rivers, reach heights by stacking blocks, or lift sunken treasures. Every encounter and puzzle has multiple solutions depending on clever use of rune abilities. This freedom empowered players to feel like heroic problem solvers.

The Open World is Filled With Engaging Content

Beyond just looking pretty, the open world is absolutely packed with meaningful things to discover and intriguing challenges await around every corner. Here‘s a taste of the content you‘ll uncover through exploring:

• Enemy camps and puzzle shrines pepper the map, encouraging you to detour from the path.
• Fairy fountains enhance equipment if you complete their ring challenges.
• Lost ruins provide backstory on Hyrule through paintings, diaries, and architecture.
• Whimsical towns like lakeside Zora Domain or Rito Village expand the worldbuilding.
• Leviathan skeletons and soaring dragons populate the world with majestic creatures.
• Mazes like the Lost Woods or labyrinths test navigation skills.
• Mini-games like shield surfing or horseback archery provide fun diversions.

I couldn‘t help but venture off the beaten path, tempted to see what engaging content lay over the next hill. It made the world exciting to traverse and felt wonderfully unpredictable.

An Intuitive Physics System Allows Endless Experimentation

The in-game physics lend themselves to boundless experimentation and "Eureka!" moments both in puzzles and open-world gameplay. As you discover creative combinations, it becomes intoxicatingly fun to test the limits of the simulation. You feel like a mad scientist seeing what you can get away with. For example:

• Chop down a tree so it falls on enemies as a makeshift bridge.
• Set the grass ablaze and let the wind carry the fire to enemy camps.
• Float enemies into the sky using Cyronis blocks and Octo Balloons.
• Roll round bombs down hills at moblin camps to set off hilarious chain reactions.

This freedom to improvise and tinker with creative strategies made every encounter and puzzle unique. You become an inventor assembling solutions from Hyrule‘s building blocks.

Why Breath of the Wild is a Killer App for Nintendo Switch

Beyond being an extraordinarily well-designed game, Breath of the Wild showcases the Switch‘s strengths:

Portability enables quick play sessions: The Switch‘s handheld mode is perfect for squeezing in short bursts of BotW. Seek out new shrines during a commute, attempt to scale a mountainside while in line, or battle enemies during a lunch break. The flexibility accommodates any lifestyle.

TV mode brings Hyrule to life: When docked on a big screen TV, Breath of the Wild looks absolutely gorgeous with vivid colors and sweeping vistas. Exploring the wilderness and battling adversaries is thrilling when projected large.

Motion controls add immersion: Optional motion controls made actions like aiming the bow & arrow, steering rafts, or throwing bombs more tactile and immersive. The Joy-Cons capture your movements accurately.

Freedom for big adventures: The sprawling world and 100+ hours of gameplay make Breath of the Wild perfect for epic weekend gaming binges on the couch. You can lose yourself saving Hyrule for hours without interruption.

Breath of the Wild shows off the Switch‘s talents for versatility, beautiful visuals, unique controls, and grand adventures. It‘s a game elevated by the Switch‘s hybrid nature – the definitive Zelda experience.

Why Breath of the Wild is a Must-Own Game for Switch

While Breath of the Wild would be incredible on any system, it‘s especially compelling as a Switch exclusive and an essential game for every owner. Here are some key reasons why:

It‘s One of the Highest Rated Games Ever Made

The critical acclaim for Breath of the Wild is overwhelming, with the game sitting as one of the highest-rated titles in history on sites like Metacritic and OpenCritic. Critics praised it as a masterclass in open world design and a new pinnacle for the Zelda series.

It also won numerous Game of the Year awards, including the coveted prize at The Game Awards. Over five years later, critics still point to Breath of the Wild as the standard that open world games aspire to match.

Breath of the Wild Drove Hardware Sales

Nintendo reported Breath of the Wild sold over 1.5 million copies within its first month for the Switch, meaning nearly 1 in 2 Switch owners also bought Zelda. This makes it system-seller driving Switch hardware adoption. Breath of the Wild was a must-play title convincing gamers to buy the console. The game‘s enormous critical praise and popularity made it a key reason to own Nintendo‘s latest device.

It Defined What the Zelda Series Could Be

For over 30 years, Zelda adhered to a predictable formula. While the games were excellent, Breath of the Wild‘s radical open world innovations thrust Zelda firmly into the modern era. Nintendo took a bold risk that paid off tremendously, and now Breath of the Wild defines the future of the storied franchise. Every upcoming Zelda will borrow elements from this groundbreaking title, making Breath of the Wild a landmark moment.

The Joy of Exploration is Unparalleled

As a longtime gamer, Breath of the Wild gave me a profound sense of wonder and adventure I haven‘t felt in decades. I‘d wander the map amazed at the wildlife, ambiance, and environmental details that made the world feel alive. Each new biome brought intrigue – what secrets lie in those ruins? What will I find atop that snow-capped mountain? Cresting each hill revealed new possibilities limited only by my curiosity. Hours disappeared as I explored castles, found Korok seed puzzles, and uncovered shrines just over the horizon. That pure joy of discovery is rare and magical.

It Represents Nintendo Magic at its Finest

Breath of the Wild represents decades of Nintendo craftsmanship and game design principles at their peak. Every inch of the sprawling map feels hand-crafted with care and respect for the player‘s time. Charming touches surprise you everywhere, from helpful creatures to funny NPCs. Intuitive gameplay constantly empowers player creativity. The entire package demonstrates why Nintendo remains the gold standard in first-party gaming experiences even decades later. Breath of the Wild encapsulates that Nintendo magic.

As both a historic milestone for the Zelda franchise and one of the medium‘s crowning achievements, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is absolutely essential for any Switch owner. Its peerless sense of adventure, genius open world design, and sheer craftsmanship cement it as a masterpiece. Five years later, exploring its hills and forests remains an unrivaled joy. For new players yet to experience Hyrule‘s wonders on Switch, an awe-inspiring journey awaits.