It's been interesting to participate in the long-awaited launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, which is already putting up absolutely monstrous sales numbers around the world. This is a console that was relentlessly leaked before being unveiled, and follows one of the most popular devices ever.
It's been doing brilliantly, but it's fair to say that the one thing it doesn't have a huge range of options for is launch games – there are a few, including the extremely fun Mario Kart World, but Nintendo doesn't have another major game until Donkey Kong Bananza next month.
So I know I'm not the only one who's found themself dipping back into the annals of time to replay some older titles on the new hardware. Thanks to the Switch 2 upgraded version packaged in with a new Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership, I've just finished a full replay of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and what a treat it's been.
It's the sort of game that takes dozens of hours to explore the first time around, but which can be breezed through much more quickly once you know its structure and where to go from the outset. Still, it's taken me over 20 hours to beat the main quest, and I've adored every minute, largely because of the staggering visual upgrade that comes with the upgrade pack.
I don't love the fact that Nintendo's charging for these upgrade packs, especially on titles from years ago, but it's also hard to argue with the fact that they feel worth it for £8 or $10. Breath of the Wild, for one, is transformed – a rock-solid 60FPS experience, now, with way crisper visuals.
That means this is the perfect excuse to dive back into a game that's long been sitting pretty on one of the best review score averages ever, with a score of 97 on Metacritic. I found it just as melancholic and compelling as I remember, although it's a little tough going back to its slower pace after more recently playing Tears of the Kingdom, which gave you much better tools for exploration in my view.
In fact, I probably will dive back into TOTK at some point soon, too, since I'm in the camp that finds its layered world, with the added sky islands and depths, to be far more hooking in the long term.
Still, if you've remotely thought about picking Breath of the Wild back up now that you have a Nintendo Switch 2, be sure to follow my lead and do it. You won't regret it, whether you get the upgrade as part of your NSO membership or have to buy it outright – this is a slice of gaming history that still feels brilliant to play today.
