‘Zelda: Breath of the Wild’ will get better audio on Switch, same frame rate

By Gabe Gurwin January 18, 2017

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo Switch Presentation 2017 Trailer

Though it will also be available on the Wii U, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild looks like it will be best played on the Nintendo Switch, not just because of the console’s control options, but also its increased horsepower and higher-resolution output. Speaking to IGN, Nintendo has outlined all the improvements and differences you can expect to see on the upgraded version of the game, including improved audio.

The Wii U version of Breath of the Wild will be at 720p resolution, while the Nintendo Switch version will be rendered at 900p. Both consoles are technically capable of running games at 1080p resolution.

Both versions of the game will also run at 30 frames per second, and producer Eiji Aonuma was adamant that the Switch would not see an advantage in this department — though loading times on the Switch would be reduced due to its cartridge-based games.

The claimed parity in frame rate could be a point of contention, as pre-release videos of the Wii U version appeared to show some slowdown and other hiccups not seen in any Switch demonstrations.

One curious difference between the two versions of the game is sound quality. The Nintendo Switch has “higher-quality environmental sounds” that give a more realistic feel to the water, grass, and other surfaces that Link will come across.

Regardless of which version you decide to pick up, you’re going to want to make sure there is some spare storage space on your system. The physical Wii U version will still require about 3GB of free space, while the digital version is 13GB. On Switch, the digital version will take up 13.4GB, but it doesn’t appear that any extra data will have to be stored on the system’s flash memory.

Both versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will release on March 3. A special edition and “Master Edition” for the Switch will also be available, but the Wii U will only receive the standard edition.

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Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…

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Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is almost perfect, but it could use these tweaks

Link looking shocked holding rice.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a monumental game. It unleashes player creativity with Ultrahand and Fuse, features three vast open worlds for players to explore, and still tells a rich and enthralling story that expands the mythology of The Legend of Zelda series. Still, no game is perfect. While Tears of the Kingdom will likely go down as my game of the year for 2023 and potentially one of my favorite games ever, there are still a few things that the game could do better.

And no, I’m not talking about removing weapon degradation. After spending hours upon hours with Tears of the Kingdom, some user experience quirks became more annoying and noticeable. None of them are game-breaking, but they are still areas where Nintendo can stand to improve as it updates and expand upon Tears of the Kingdom or potentially do another game in this style. Here's what I hope to see change to make this version of Zelda an even smoother and more seamless experience.
Make disconnecting Ultrahand creations easier
Ultrahand is a revelation for Tears of the Kingdom that allows players to create some really creative things and solve puzzles in any way their minds can imagine. That said, one aspect of its controls still baffles me: the only way to "Unstick" objects stuck to each other is by moving the right stick back and forth or shaking a Joy-Con remote. It's a bafflingly clunky way to do things for what is otherwise such a delicate and precise building system.

Gaming

Where to farm Zonite in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Link with a created mining rig in Tears of the Kingdom.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild introduced many survival elements into the Zelda formula, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom only expands on those concepts. Things like cooking and crafting return in new-and-improved forms, but what hasn't changed much is the need to gather tons and tons of resources. From food to materials, weapons, and ores, Link's pockets will quickly become jam-packed with these materials. Zonite is a new form of resource that is vital for anyone who is enjoying the new Ultrahand ability and creating all types of wacky vehicles and contraptions. If you're hitting the limit on your creations due to a lack of Zonite, here are the best places to farm it in Tears of the Kingdom.
What is Zonite?
Zonite is tied to the ancient Zonai and their technology, which you will be using to build various machines in Tears of the Kingdom. Zonite itself is a material you can collect that, when you have enough, can be used with a Forge to make one of two things: Zonite Charges or Crystallized Charges. Zonite Charges are used to immediately refill any Energy Cell's power, while Crystallized Charges expand those Energy Cells' maximum capacity.
Best places to find Zonite

The best places to find Zonite, like any raw material, are down in the Depths. Here are a few hotspots we've found to have a good supply for you to plunder.
Great Abandoned Central Mine
The Great Abandoned Central Mine is an easy spot to recommend for farming Zonite since it is quite easy to access. You can find it at coordinates -0728, -1860, -0503. Simply drop inside with a hammer or explosives and break the deposits to gather up the Zonite.
Lindor Canyon Mine
If you've drained the Central Mine clean, Lindor Canyon Mine is another spot rich in Zonite. You can find it at the coordinates -2004, 1310, -0715.
Enemies in the Depths
If you're not as much into mining, another method for getting Zonite is to collect it from enemies in the Depths. While not every enemy drops this material, plenty do, so fighting off these tougher enemies can be worth your time. Korok Grove, found at 006, 2521, -0623, has two encampments to raid if you're feeling up to the challenge.

Gaming

Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s new update removes item duplication glitch

Link aims a Ruby tipped arrow while riding a horse.

Two weeks after its release, Nintendo has patched out one of the most helpful exploits in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom: a popular item duplication glitch.
When Tears of the Kingdom launched on May 12, it felt surprisingly polished considering how complex its open world and systems like Fuse and Ultrahand are. That said, it wasn't entirely free of bugs. Some of these glitches prevented progression, including one that was solved in the Ver. 1.1.1 update, but others were much more helpful, like item duplication. As Digital Trends' guide on the exploit details, players could duplicate items by fusing materials with arrows and then dropping two identical bows within a short timeframe.
According to players, Tears of the Kingdom update Ver. 1.1.2, which was released on May 25, removes this item duplication glitch from the game. Interestingly, this specific exploit isn't detailed in the patch notes, which simply say that "several issues have been addressed to improve the gameplay experience," among other audio and quest fixes.

You can check out the full list of Ver 1.1.2 patch notes below.