Breath of the Wild | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Fri, 08 Sep 2023 09:18:44 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png Breath of the Wild | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Switch 2 demo included upgraded Zelda, Unreal Engine 5 and DLSS https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/switch-2-demo-included-upgraded-zelda-unreal-engine-5-and-dlss/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/switch-2-demo-included-upgraded-zelda-unreal-engine-5-and-dlss/#respond Thu, 07 Sep 2023 16:30:24 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=629571 This afternoon, it was reported that multiple developer sources had seen the Nintendo Switch 2 during a behind-the-scenes demo session at Gamescom last month. Now, we have some more details about what was specifically shown and it would appear that the Switch 2 will ship with the features we've been hoping to see in an …

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This afternoon, it was reported that multiple developer sources had seen the Nintendo Switch 2 during a behind-the-scenes demo session at Gamescom last month. Now, we have some more details about what was specifically shown and it would appear that the Switch 2 will ship with the features we've been hoping to see in an updated Switch model for years. 

A report from VGC corroborates the earlier report that developers had seen the new-gen Switch at Gamescom. However, we get a bit more detail about the demo itself. Nintendo reportedly showed an updated version of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild running on the new hardware, achieving higher frame rates and resolutions compared to the original Switch version. However, we do not know if this updated Switch 2 version of the game will ever see the light of day, it may have just been a quick and easy demo to put together to showcase new hardware capabilities.

Aside from the updated version of Breath of the Wild, the Switch 2 demo also included a showing of the Matrix Awakens tech demo. This demo arrived on Xbox Series X/S and PS5 consoles two years ago, developed by Epic Games to showcase new features of Unreal Engine 5. The demo was said to have been using Nvidia's DLSS technology for upscaling.

If true, this confirms that Nintendo's next console will be capable of running next-gen games developed with Unreal Engine 5. It also confirms that DLSS will be utilised on the console, something we had been hoping to see in a Switch Pro in recent years.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: We've seen bursts of fake Nintendo console rumours multiple times over the last few years. Just two years ago, many trusted sources were convinced that a Switch Pro was finally coming, only to be met with the Switch OLED, which uses the same hardware as the original model. With that in mind, any leaks about future Nintendo systems should be taken with a grain of salt.

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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom gets impressive final trailer https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-gets-impressive-final-trailer/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-gets-impressive-final-trailer/#respond Thu, 13 Apr 2023 14:25:22 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=611533 A few weeks ago, Nintendo aired a Zelda-focused Direct, showcasing new gameplay for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Now, Nintendo has released the third and final trailer for the game ahead of its launch next month.  The trailer is roughly three and a half minutes long and honestly, it is a really …

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A few weeks ago, Nintendo aired a Zelda-focused Direct, showcasing new gameplay for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Now, Nintendo has released the third and final trailer for the game ahead of its launch next month. 

The trailer is roughly three and a half minutes long and honestly, it is a really good trailer. We get a good look at Hyrule and the many floating islands above, before Link soars down from the sky, making for a very cinematic introduction.

From there, we get straight into the open world. If you were thinking this would just be more Breath of the Wild, you'd be wrong as judging by the trailer, this game goes much further and has a very different open world to the first game.

Given how ambitious the game is in scale and mechanics, I do have to wonder how well the game will run on the Nintendo Switch at launch. Breath of the Wild had some jitters at launch too but the developers also have much more experience developing for the Switch hardware now, so hopefully any early problems can be avoided.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a direct sequel to Breath of the Wild. It releases exclusively on Nintendo Switch on the 12th of May.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I wasn't very hyped for Tears of the Kingdom initially, but last month's gameplay and this final trailer have really turned that around. This is likely going to be a day-one purchase for me at this point. Are many of you planning on picking this one up? 

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Breath of the Wild has outsold all other 3D Zelda games combined https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/breath-of-the-wild-has-outsold-all-other-3d-zelda-games-combined/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/breath-of-the-wild-has-outsold-all-other-3d-zelda-games-combined/#respond Wed, 11 May 2022 09:30:49 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=560107 2017’s The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild certainly rejuvenated a franchise which was beginning to feel somewhat stale at the time. This new and ambitious title paired with a brand new system made for the best selling Zelda game at the time. Now, it has outsold all other 3D games in the franchise …

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2017’s The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild certainly rejuvenated a franchise which was beginning to feel somewhat stale at the time. This new and ambitious title paired with a brand new system made for the best selling Zelda game at the time. Now, it has outsold all other 3D games in the franchise combined…sort of.

Nintendo recently released their latest Fiscal numbers, showing a strong and healthy year for the console manufacturer on the software front. One of the most impressive feats is the fact that with 28.24 million units sold across the Switch and Wii U (though the latter only contributed 1.69m copies), The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild has managed to outsell every other 3D Zelda game (excluding remasters).

Breath of the Wild represents the 6th mainline 3D Zelda title since the franchise’s jump to the 3rd dimension in 1998. The other 5 games – Ocarina of Time; Majora’s Mask; The Wind Waker; Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword – in combination have sold a total of 27.91 million copies.

Of course, if you include these games’ many re-releases and remasters then BOTW is outnumbered, but even so, the sheer bulldozing of all other Zelda games by this latest release is impressive.

With the continued success of Breath of the Wild, it will be interesting to see how many more units the game will have managed to sell by this time next year when its sequel will have (hopefully) finally released.

KitGuru says: Are you surprised by BOTW’s success? Do you think the upcoming sequel will surpass it? What is your favourite Zelda game? Let us know down below.

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Nintendo delays The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel to 2023 https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/nintendo-delays-the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-sequel-to-2023/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/nintendo-delays-the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-sequel-to-2023/#respond Tue, 29 Mar 2022 14:42:01 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=555414 While Nintendo was initially planning to launch the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in late 2022, the developers need more time. As of today, Breath of the Wild 2 has been delayed to Spring 2023.  The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild began development as a Wii U title …

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While Nintendo was initially planning to launch the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in late 2022, the developers need more time. As of today, Breath of the Wild 2 has been delayed to Spring 2023. 

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild began development as a Wii U title and went through a couple of delays before eventually releasing as a Switch launch title in March 2017. Now with the sequel delayed, Breath of the Wild 2 will release five years after the original and may be one of the last major exclusives left in the Switch life-cycle.

The Legend of Zelda series producer, Eiji Aonuma, explained in the announcement that the delay will allow the developers “to make this game's experience something special”, and the entire team will be working diligently to ensure this.

While many of us refer to this game as Breath of the Wild 2, that is not the official title. Officially, Nintendo refers to this game as “the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild”, claiming that the actual title would be a spoiler. We should get a new trailer, a new 2023 release date and the official title announcement later this year.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: We'll have to wait a little bit longer to explore the skies above Hyrule and unravel the next major mystery. Hopefully Spring 2023 translates to a March 2023 release date, although it could slip into Q2 next year. 

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Genshin Impact hit 10 million pre-registrations https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/genshin-impact-hit-10-million-pre-registrations/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/mustafa-mahmoud/genshin-impact-hit-10-million-pre-registrations/#respond Tue, 29 Sep 2020 11:02:59 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=487936 Genshin Impact quickly drew people’s attention when the game was first announced. Developed by MiHoYo, the game offers a free-to-play open world action adventure title with co-op elements and RPG mechanics. What garnered people’s interest the most however was the game’s comparisons to Nintendo’s Breath of the Wild. Whether the clear inspirations soured the taste …

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Genshin Impact quickly drew people’s attention when the game was first announced. Developed by MiHoYo, the game offers a free-to-play open world action adventure title with co-op elements and RPG mechanics. What garnered people’s interest the most however was the game’s comparisons to Nintendo’s Breath of the Wild. Whether the clear inspirations soured the taste of fans, or whether it led to further excitement, Genshin Impact appears to be off to a great start, amassing over 10 million pre-registrations.

Having finally launched yesterday after a number of closed beta tests, Genshin Impact is now available on PlayStation 4, PC, and mobile devices, with a Switch port announced for some time in the future. It appears as though the game is off to a promising start, as MiHoYo, the game’s developers, announced that “Genshin Impact has already surpassed 10 million pre-registrations across all platforms and regions!”

As it is free-to-play, Genshin Impact does include some gacha elements and microtransactions, but early impressions seem to indicate that there is plenty to do without needing to engage in these practices. Furthermore, while the game will not live or die on its player count – due to the game having no major multiplayer – Genshin Impact does offer 4-player co-op gameplay with cross-play.

As the game only launched yesterday, there are no comprehensive reviews, but impressions from the betas, and early launch impressions seem positive. With the game seeing such a high level of buzz pre-launch, it’ll be interesting to see whether Genshin Impact can keep the attention of its players in the long-term, especially as the developers appear to have big plans.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Have you downloaded Genshin Impact? What do you think of it? Are the comparisons to Breath of the Wild fair? Let us know down below.

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Nintendo announces new Hyrule Warriors prequel to Zelda Breath of the Wild https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/nintendo-announces-new-hyrule-warriors-prequel-to-zelda-breath-of-the-wild/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/nintendo-announces-new-hyrule-warriors-prequel-to-zelda-breath-of-the-wild/#respond Tue, 08 Sep 2020 14:38:54 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=484865 Nintendo's holiday game release plans are beginning to take shape. Last week, we received the announcement of Super Mario 3D All-Stars, a collection of remasters for some of the best 3D Mario games to date. There will be something for Zelda fans this holiday too, with Nintendo today announcing a prequel to Breath of the …

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Nintendo's holiday game release plans are beginning to take shape. Last week, we received the announcement of Super Mario 3D All-Stars, a collection of remasters for some of the best 3D Mario games to date. There will be something for Zelda fans this holiday too, with Nintendo today announcing a prequel to Breath of the Wild. 

At this point, Nintendo is hard at work on the sequel to Breath of the Wild, which was announced via a short teaser. It is going to be a while before that game is ready, so in the meantime, we'll be heading back to Hyrule 100 years before the events of Breath of the Wild to experience the Great Calamity.

This is a Hyrule Warriors game, continuing Nintendo's partnership with KOEI TECMO. This is also a separate title to the original Hyrule Warriors, which released on the Wii U back in 2014 before heading to the Nintendo Switch as part of a ‘Definitive Edition'.

Given the type of game this is, you can expect similar gameplay, with players taking on the role of key Zelda heroes battling hordes of Ganon's army one level at a time. At the moment, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is expected to release worldwide on the 20th of November.

KitGuru Says: This is an unexpected announcement, but anything that expands the story put forward in Breath of the Wild is welcome in my book. Hopefully by November next year, we'll be getting our hands on Breath of the Wild 2. 

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Nintendo’s Breath of the Wild sequel apparently won’t be out in 2020 https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/nintendos-breath-of-the-wild-sequel-apparently-wont-be-out-in-2020/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/nintendos-breath-of-the-wild-sequel-apparently-wont-be-out-in-2020/#respond Sat, 01 Feb 2020 13:55:38 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=449670 One of the biggest surprises from E3 2019 was Nintendo's announcement for a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. So far, all we've had is a short teaser and confirmation that the game is in the works. Rumours have risen expectations for a release date this year but according to one …

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One of the biggest surprises from E3 2019 was Nintendo's announcement for a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. So far, all we've had is a short teaser and confirmation that the game is in the works. Rumours have risen expectations for a release date this year but according to one notable leaker, the game is taking longer than expected. 

The unofficially titled Breath of the Wild 2 apparently won't be Nintendo's big holiday season game for this year, according to regular Nintendo leaker ‘Sabi' on Twitter.

Instead, there seems to be some buzz around a new Paper Mario game, or possibly even an official sequel to Mario Kart 8.

Of course, we don't have anything official on Nintendo's big releases for the second half of the year. A new Nintendo Direct is supposed to take place in Q1, during which we should get some new announcements, but the biggest teasers as always will arrive during E3.

The next Nintendo Switch exclusive will be Animal Crossing: New Horizons, which is launching in March.

KitGuru Says: I wasn't expecting Breath of the Wild 2 to release in 2020, so it is easy for me to buy in to this leak. Of course, nothing is confirmed yet though, Nintendo might have some official news to share later in the year. 

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Breath of the Wild sequel targeting 2020 release date, leaker claims https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/mustafa-mahmoud/breath-of-the-wild-sequel-targeting-2020-release-date-leaker-claims/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/mustafa-mahmoud/breath-of-the-wild-sequel-targeting-2020-release-date-leaker-claims/#respond Tue, 12 Nov 2019 16:36:11 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=435836 When Nintendo announced that a sequel to the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was in the works at its E3 press conference this year, many fans began to speculate on when they would be able to get their hands on the game. Journalist and leaker “Sabi”, is now claiming that Nintendo is aiming for …

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When Nintendo announced that a sequel to the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was in the works at its E3 press conference this year, many fans began to speculate on when they would be able to get their hands on the game. Journalist and leaker “Sabi”, is now claiming that Nintendo is aiming for the game to be released in 2020, perhaps sooner than many would have expected.

When the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild released in 2017, it quickly became the best-selling Zelda game of all time, selling over 15 million copies, and becoming one of the highest rated video games of all time. The news of its sequel at E3 2019 was therefore accompanied by great anticipation. With Breath of the Wild being first revealed in 2013, and not coming out for another 4 years, many fans expected to be waiting a long time for the release of its sequel.

According to Sabi however, the game is currently being developed with 2020 as the set target for its release date. This would put the release of the Breath of the Wild sequel around 3 years after the first game’s release, and around 1 year after its official announcement. While this may sound like pure speculation, Sabi has acquired a reputation for being accurate, to the extent that Nintendo themselves sent her a cease and desist letter in order to prevent her from leaking information during the previous E3.

Sabi does point out however that “Zelda release dates are historically delayed, internally or publicly”, so while the game may be targeting a 2020 release date, it might not hit it. Regardless, Nintendo’s aim of a 2020 release date is much sooner than what was perhaps expected. With Nintendo having no plans to reduce the cost of the Switch, perhaps a Breath of the Wild sequel is exactly what the console needs to maintain its sales throughout 2020, when the PS5 and Xbox Scarlett are releasing.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of Nintendo’s target of 2020 for the Breath of the Wild sequel? Do you think they will be able to hit it, or will the game suffer a similar fate as the original Breath of the Wild, in being delayed multiple times? Let us know down below.

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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is getting a sequel because DLC wasn’t enough https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-is-getting-a-sequel-because-dlc-wasnt-enough/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-is-getting-a-sequel-because-dlc-wasnt-enough/#respond Wed, 19 Jun 2019 08:18:44 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=416004 During E3 last week, one of Nintendo’s biggest surprise announcements was that a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is now in development. Then teaser gave us a rough idea of where things are heading this time around but now series producer, Eiji Aonuma, has spoken a bit more on why …

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During E3 last week, one of Nintendo’s biggest surprise announcements was that a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is now in development. Then teaser gave us a rough idea of where things are heading this time around but now series producer, Eiji Aonuma, has spoken a bit more on why the team decided to return to Breath of the Wild instead of starting over again with something entirely new.

The Legend of Zelda is a series known for reinventing itself with almost every new addition. With Breath of the Wild though, the team had so many additional DLC ideas for its open world version of Hyrule, which eventually convinced them to work on a bigger sequel instead.

Speaking with Kotaku, Aonuma said: “Initially we were thinking of just DLC ideas, but then we had a lot of ideas and we said, ‘This is too many ideas, let’s just make one new game and start from scratch’.”

Some of these ideas were larger in scope and would require deeper technical changes to the game, so it was decided that “DLC is not enough” and that a full sequel would be a better fit. We’ve seen this line of thinking previously at Nintendo, with Super Mario Galaxy 2 being born out of left-over ideas the team had for the first game.

KitGuru Says: Breath of the Wild is an excellent game and is certainly deserving of a sequel. It will be interesting to see what new ideas the developers bring to the table next time around. Did many of you play the first game? Are you looking forward to the sequel?

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Nintendo quietly sped Switch loading times up with its 8.0.0 update https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/damien-cox/nintendo-quietly-sped-switch-loading-times-up-with-its-8-0-0-update/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/damien-cox/nintendo-quietly-sped-switch-loading-times-up-with-its-8-0-0-update/#respond Mon, 29 Apr 2019 14:01:09 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=411888 Nintendo released its 8.0.0 update for the Switch two weeks ago, introducing a range of new features including a VR Mode and the ability to transfer saved data between systems. It seems as though the developer has snuck in another hidden feature that didn’t make the official changelog, as analysts are noting a decrease in …

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Nintendo released its 8.0.0 update for the Switch two weeks ago, introducing a range of new features including a VR Mode and the ability to transfer saved data between systems. It seems as though the developer has snuck in another hidden feature that didn’t make the official changelog, as analysts are noting a decrease in loading times for some flagship titles.

It was first noticed in the latest 1.6.0 update to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which saw loading times slashed up to 10 seconds. GBATemp user Brawl345 revealed that loading the game from the main menu had been reduced from 31 seconds to 21 seconds, fast travel speeds had improved from 19 seconds to 11 seconds and shrines were now 3 seconds quicker to enter.

According to a comparison made by speedrunner Alexis de Champris, a physical copy of Breath of the Wild now runs about the same on Switch as it does on Wii U, making run-throughs significantly easier. The same can be said for Super Mario Odyssey since its version 1.3.0 update, which similarly saw Labo VR Goggle compatibility added and loading times reduced, although no exact times have been revealed.

Enthusiasts are stating that this is due to a feature dubbed ‘boost mode’ that temporarily cranks the CPU clock from 1GHz to 1.75GHz at certain intervals. This helps the system work harder when loading to help cut times down, but games will require an update before they can make use of the oddly hidden feature.

It’s not too surprising that Nintendo is currently thinking about boost clocks, as rumours detail potential budget and premium Switch consoles in the works. Since the firm has denied that it will be unveiling anything new at this year’s E3, an added boost to the current system is definitely welcome.

KitGuru Says: It is a mystery as to why Nintendo would keep a lid on the feature though, especially given that it improves the experience for everyone. Still, I’m not complaining as it means more time to explore the many different, rich gaming worlds out there. Are you currently playing anything on Switch? Have you noticed improved loading times?

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Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey are getting VR support https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-tech-news/matthew-wilson/legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-and-super-mario-odyssey-are-getting-vr-support/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/featured-tech-news/matthew-wilson/legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-and-super-mario-odyssey-are-getting-vr-support/#respond Fri, 05 Apr 2019 10:00:33 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=409440 Last year, a hidden VR mode was discovered within the Nintendo Switch OS. For a while, we were all left wondering what Nintendo could have planned, or if this feature would ever be put to use publicly. That changed a few weeks ago with the announcement of Labo VR, a kit that lets you turn …

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Last year, a hidden VR mode was discovered within the Nintendo Switch OS. For a while, we were all left wondering what Nintendo could have planned, or if this feature would ever be put to use publicly. That changed a few weeks ago with the announcement of Labo VR, a kit that lets you turn the Switch into a VR headset. We already knew that there would be a bunch of mini games to try out but today, Nintendo also announced that Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild will also be playable in VR mode.

Of course, the Nintendo Switch is limited on power and the Labo kit is all constructed out of cardboard, so this won't be a premium VR experience. Still, the ability to explore Breath of the Wild's excellent open world in full should be quite enticing.

While Breath of the Wild will have VR support for all playable sections of the game, cutscenes will still be displayed normally. Super Mario Odyssey will also get VR support but you won't be able to play the full game in VR mode, instead, you will get three ‘bite-sized' missions to try out.

Both games will get a free update on the 25th of April that will add in these VR features. So if you own the game and then pick up the Labo VR kit, you'll be able to try this out.

KitGuru Says: Playing Breath of the Wild in VR sounds like an awesome idea, although this will be a very basic, entry-level VR experience. With that in mind, I do have some concerns about performance and optimisations to combat things like motion sickness. Nintendo's Labo VR kit launches on the 25th of April, so we don't have to wait much longer to see how it all holds up. 

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Breath of the Wild’s second DLC, The Champions’ Ballad, has landed https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/damien-cox/breath-of-the-wilds-second-dlc-the-champions-ballad-has-landed/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/damien-cox/breath-of-the-wilds-second-dlc-the-champions-ballad-has-landed/#comments Fri, 08 Dec 2017 19:42:58 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=357260 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s second DLC has been pegged for a December release since July, however Nintendo has kept hush about exactly when players can get their hands on it. That was until it appeared during last night’s The Game Awards 2017, in which the company announced the surprise release that …

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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s second DLC has been pegged for a December release since July, however Nintendo has kept hush about exactly when players can get their hands on it. That was until it appeared during last night’s The Game Awards 2017, in which the company announced the surprise release that it would be made available today, the 8th December.

The Champions’ Ballad DLC has already been revealed as a story addition to the main game, centring around the four Champions that died in battle 100 years prior to Link’s awakening (pun intended), as well as Zelda herself.

Alongside its story elements, we’ve known that it was set to come with new outfits, such as Wind Waker’s classic blue lobster shirt. It turns out Twilight Princess’ Zant will be lending his armour for the DLC too.

The trailer also showcases a “one-hit obliterator” that looks like an oddly shaped tuning fork. What this does is trade all but a quarter of Link’s hearts to grant it the power to kill any monster in one hit. This isn’t the only trade off you will have to deal with, as the obliterator only has a limited number of charges before it loses the power to kill in a single hit, forcing the player to back off and wait a little, or risk switching to another weapon while at such low health.

These new quests are only available for season pass holders, and will activate for the player once all respective Divine Beasts are completed, prompting a voice from Zelda to call Link back to the Shrine of Resurrection, where it all began.

If you manage to complete all of the quests, Link will be granted something akin to “his own Divine Beast” in the form of an ancient motorcycle. This is intended to help Link traverse the large landmass with ease on his quest to, presumably, find the remaining Korok seeds as most content will likely be completed by this point. That is unless Nintendo plans to give us a second season pass worth of content.

KitGuru Says: Here’s hoping Breath of the Wild does receive some more content after The Champions’ Ballad, as Nintendo is known for long development times on the series. Of course, as we’ve witnessed, it does pay off in grand ways. Will you be jumping back into Breath of the Wild?

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Modded characters make their way to Breath of the Wild https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/damien-cox/modded-characters-make-their-way-to-breath-of-the-wild/ https://www.kitguru.net/tech-news/damien-cox/modded-characters-make-their-way-to-breath-of-the-wild/#respond Tue, 26 Sep 2017 16:17:10 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=347853 Cemu developers have worked tirelessly to make Breath of the Wild as optimised as it can be on the platform and it looks to have created a ‘Buzz' in the modding community. Recently we've seen a bunch of characters from other franchises make their way over, and while some fit better than others, Toy Story's …

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Cemu developers have worked tirelessly to make Breath of the Wild as optimised as it can be on the platform and it looks to have created a ‘Buzz' in the modding community. Recently we've seen a bunch of characters from other franchises make their way over, and while some fit better than others, Toy Story's Woody is a surprising fit.

While the character isn't known to wield a sword in any traditional sense, it's Pixar's timeless artstyle that just so happens to gel flawlessly with the latest Zelda's vibrant world. If anything, the sheer size of the world in Breath of the Wild is enough to feel like you're but a small toy in the first place.

Mods such as this seemed to be popping up all over the place, starting last week with CJ following the wrong damn train in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and ending up in Hyrule. Wandering into the wrong neighbourhood, CJ is forced to swap an armoury of guns for swords and bows to teach these fools a lesson.

This was followed shortly after with Minecraft's Steve, Mario's Waluigi and loose inspiration taken from The Witcher series in making Link look a lot like Geralt. While not heroic, Breath of the Wah starring Waluigi did crack me up a bit.

Unfortunately these mods can't be found for the vanilla version on the Nintendo Switch, but hopefully there's more to come from the modding community as Breath of the Wild's potential is limited only to the imagine of the creator.

KitGuru Says: Now, if Tom Hanks or even Jim Hanks could just come out and voice Woody for a Breath of the Wild/Toy Story crossover, that would be fantastic. What crazy mods and characters would you like to see make their way to the game?

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Breath of the Wild director reveals details on DLC 2, The Champions’ Ballad https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/damien-cox/breath-of-the-wild-director-reveals-details-on-dlc-2-the-champions-ballad/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/damien-cox/breath-of-the-wild-director-reveals-details-on-dlc-2-the-champions-ballad/#respond Fri, 07 Jul 2017 19:29:09 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=339854 With Breath of the Wild’s first DLC already out, fans are looking ahead to the next big add-on that launches at the end of the year. The Champions’ Ballad will be the final add-on included within the current expansion pass, with series producer and manager, Eiji Aonuma clarifying that Link will remain the playable character …

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With Breath of the Wild’s first DLC already out, fans are looking ahead to the next big add-on that launches at the end of the year. The Champions’ Ballad will be the final add-on included within the current expansion pass, with series producer and manager, Eiji Aonuma clarifying that Link will remain the playable character throughout despite speculation indicating otherwise.

Previously it was confirmed that DLC 2 would contain an original story that would explore more of the four Champions and Zelda herself, leading to speculation that characters other than Link would be playable. Speaking at Japan Expo in Paris, Aonuma confirmed that Link will still be the playable character, but you would learn more about Zelda along the way. The Champion’s Ballad is to be set after the events of the main game, specifically after the cutscene presented to players that collect all of the scattered memories.

Nintendo will be releasing Amiibos based on the other four Champions alongside the DLC but the in-game content related to them is currently unknown.

While much of the new dungeon, challenges and items of The Champions' Ballad are yet to be revealed, Aonuma did reveal that the lobster shirt that debuted in The Wind Waker will be making a comeback.

While separate to the details Nintendo officially confirmed that a new Breath of the Wild centred book will follow on from the popular Hyrule Historia and Zelda: Art and Artifacts, focusing entirely on the making of the game.

KitGuru Says: Although there is a long wait until the release of The Champions’ Ballad in the winter, DLC 2 is sure to pack more nostalgic items from the series’ past. What items would you like to see come to Breath of the Wild?

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Zelda: Breath of the Wild Trials DLC is out now, and already beaten https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/damien-cox/zelda-breath-of-the-wild-trials-dlc-is-out-now-and-already-beaten/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/damien-cox/zelda-breath-of-the-wild-trials-dlc-is-out-now-and-already-beaten/#respond Fri, 30 Jun 2017 20:24:02 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=339382 The first of two Zelda Breath of the Wild DLCs launched for the Switch and Wii U today, adding new items, modes and the Trial of the Sword. The Master Trials has also seen its first victor, beating the 45-floor dungeon in just over 4 hours. The Master Trials comes as a part of the …

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The first of two Zelda Breath of the Wild DLCs launched for the Switch and Wii U today, adding new items, modes and the Trial of the Sword. The Master Trials has also seen its first victor, beating the 45-floor dungeon in just over 4 hours.

The Master Trials comes as a part of the Breath of the Wild Expansion Pass as DLC 1, adding harder difficulties, handy tools and nostalgic armour. The Hero’s Path Mode allowing you to track where you’ve walked for the last 200 hours, helping you explore areas you might have missed. Master Mode makes the game harder with enemies that regenerate their health and powered up by one level each, so that red Bokoblins are now blue and so on. the Travel Medallion allows you to place one fast travel location on the fly and is hidden in a chest somewhere on the map. And you can get your hands on more armour that harkens back to previous titles such as Majora’s Mask, Twilight Princess and unfortunately, Tingle if you ever wanted to look like him in the first place.

The most significant of the bunch is the added dungeon, Trial of the Sword in which the player is to leave all of their items at the door to take on 45 floors worth of enemy waves. Items must be procured on site similar to the Eventide Island challenge. The reward for such an arduous challenge? An upgraded Master Sword that maintains its higher 60 damage and becomes unbreakable. YouTube streamer AbdallahSmash026 broadcasted his experience with the challenge staying up until 3am just to be one of the first in the world to conquer the DLC. Completing it in just over 4 hours, he appreciates his newly powered Master Sword before glossing over what else the DLC has to offer.

The Expansion pass costs £17.99/$20 and will grant immediate access to DLC 1, The Master Trials with DLC 2, the Champions’ Ballad pack coming late 2017. DLC 2 will include a story chapter centred around the four champions from Link’s era, as well as a new dungeon and more challenges.

KitGuru Says: Most players felt that the Master Sword should have been unbreakable in the core game, but as Abdallah rightfully points out, it would devalue some of the core mechanics as everyone would use it all the time. Have you been playing The Master Trials?

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Cemu users are able to run Zelda Breath of the Wild in 4K now https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/cemu-users-are-able-to-run-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-in-4k-now/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/cemu-users-are-able-to-run-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-in-4k-now/#comments Tue, 04 Apr 2017 08:36:32 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=328637 After a month or so of tweaking and preparing, the Cemu emulator is now fully capable of running Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The issues present a few weeks ago have been fixed, with physics, powers and camera controls now working correctly. Players have already managed to get the game running smoothly in …

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After a month or so of tweaking and preparing, the Cemu emulator is now fully capable of running Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The issues present a few weeks ago have been fixed, with physics, powers and camera controls now working correctly. Players have already managed to get the game running smoothly in 4K too.

Cemu has been around for some time, offering Wii U emulation to PC owners. At first, the Wii U version of Breath of the Wild couldn't boot past the main menu but a lot of progress has been made in just a few weeks, leading us to the point where PC owners can run the game smoothly in 4K.

In the video above, you can see the game running close to its 30 frames per second target at all times. There are some dips here and there but overall, the experience should be solid enough to get through the game. However, it is worth noting that with emulation, having a powerful CPU is key.

The uploader of the video above was running a Core i7 6700K at 4.3 GHz and a GTX 1070, so that should give you a rough idea of the spec required to get the game running this well at 4K.

KitGuru Says: There are apparently still a few bugs with this game in the latest version of Cemu but still, the fact that so much progress has been made in such a short space of time is quite the technical achievement. Still, emulation shouldn't be used as an excuse for piracy. Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a brand new and readily available game, so supporting it legally should be encouraged. 

 

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New Zelda: Breath of the Wild patch improves frame rates https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/new-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-patch-improves-frame-rates/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/new-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-patch-improves-frame-rates/#comments Fri, 31 Mar 2017 14:16:09 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=328171 As fantastic as Zelda: The Breath of the Wild is, the game does suffer from poor frame rate at times, particularly when the Nintendo Switch is running in docked mode. This has been a widely reported issue that for some reason, is not present on Switch in handheld mode. Fortunately, it looks like Nintendo has …

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As fantastic as Zelda: The Breath of the Wild is, the game does suffer from poor frame rate at times, particularly when the Nintendo Switch is running in docked mode. This has been a widely reported issue that for some reason, is not present on Switch in handheld mode. Fortunately, it looks like Nintendo has found the root cause and has improved performance in a new patch.

This week, Nintendo began pushing out patch 1.1.1 for Breath of the Wild and from the looks of it, frame rates are improved quite a bit while the Switch is docked. Nintendo didn't officially note performance fixes in its patch but the notes do state that “adjustments have been made to make for a more pleasant gaming experience”.

Above, you will find a comparison video from YouTuber ‘ElAnalistaDeBits', showing some gameplay from version 1.1.0 and gameplay from the new 1.1.1 patch. While specific numbers aren't given, the newly recorded footage is much smoother post-patch.

KitGuru Says: I have been avoiding playing Zelda: Breath of the Wild with the Switch docked due to the inconsistent frame rate. However, from the looks of it, this new patch should make that a non-issue going forward. Are any of you guys still playing through the latest Zelda? Have you tried out the new patch yet?

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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is running much better on PC now https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-is-running-much-better-on-pc-now/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/the-legend-of-zelda-breath-of-the-wild-is-running-much-better-on-pc-now/#comments Wed, 22 Mar 2017 09:37:42 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=326394 Two weeks ago, we got our first look at The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild running on the PC inside of a Wii U emulator. It didn't take long for the Cemu developer to get the game running but the game did run at a very low frame rate and things like physics …

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Two weeks ago, we got our first look at The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild running on the PC inside of a Wii U emulator. It didn't take long for the Cemu developer to get the game running but the game did run at a very low frame rate and things like physics were completely broken. Now, less than a month later, a ton of progress has been made.

In an update on the Cemu subreddit, a new video was posted showing how far Zelda has come with the new 1.7.4 update. Physics work a lot better now, frame rate is more stable and some of Link's powers are now working.

The video is cut together to draw direct comparisons from the original video a couple of weeks ago. The improvements are immediately apparent upon first viewing. However, there is still work to be done as the game suffers from freezes in combat, alongside some other bugs.

That said, if the Cemu team managed to get this far in just two weeks, then I imagine we can expect even more improvements in a few weeks time.

KitGuru Says: Given how complicated emulation is, I am surprised that the Cemu team has managed to get Breath of the Wild running so well just a couple of weeks after launch. 

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Zelda: Breath of the Wild is already running on PC but there’s a catch https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/zelda-breath-of-the-wild-is-already-running-on-pc-but-theres-a-catch/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/zelda-breath-of-the-wild-is-already-running-on-pc-but-theres-a-catch/#comments Tue, 07 Mar 2017 16:36:24 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=324267 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild finally released on both the Nintendo Switch and the Wii U last Friday and since then, the game has gone on to get plenty of praise from fans and critics alike. However, it looks like the developer behind the Cemu Nintendo Wii U emulator has also been …

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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild finally released on both the Nintendo Switch and the Wii U last Friday and since then, the game has gone on to get plenty of praise from fans and critics alike. However, it looks like the developer behind the Cemu Nintendo Wii U emulator has also been busy with the game and has already managed to get the Wii U version successfully running on PC. Unfortunately, ‘running' and being ‘playable' are two different things in this case.

With the current public version of Cemu, people can get to the main menu of Breath of the Wild. However, the developer behind the emulator is already working on a future update, which has managed to unlock the game, allowing movement around the world with basic character functions working correctly.

The game was recorded running on a system featuring an Intel Core i7-4790K and a GTX 780. As you can see, it's running at a very low frame rate right now. There are other problems present too though, sound comes through as just white noise, physics are broken and the Rune mechanic in this game can't be used at all. It is certainly a work in progress.

As the developer of Cemu points out in a Reddit discussion, the emulator here is mostly CPU-bound, so a better GPU won't brute force the game into running any better. The issues currently present will take a while to fix and while performance optimisations are possible, there is no ETA on when the game will be considered ‘playable' via emulation.

KitGuru Says: I'm actually impressed that the developer behind Cemu could even get this far so soon after the game's initial launch. However, this level of success may end up attracting Nintendo's attention, which could lead to some unfortunate legal issues

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Nintendo Switch hands on: Zelda, Mario Kart, Arms and more https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/nintendo-switch-hands-on-zelda-mario-kart-arms-and-more/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/jon-martindale/nintendo-switch-hands-on-zelda-mario-kart-arms-and-more/#comments Mon, 16 Jan 2017 15:46:38 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=317697 Nintendo invited KitGuru to London last week to have a hands-on session with its upcoming Nintendo Switch console and we were more than happy to oblige. While we weren't hugely impressed with the games on show, there were still a few interesting titles that we think are worth taking a closer look at and we …

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Nintendo invited KitGuru to London last week to have a hands-on session with its upcoming Nintendo Switch console and we were more than happy to oblige. While we weren't hugely impressed with the games on show, there were still a few interesting titles that we think are worth taking a closer look at and we captured some footage just for you guys.

The Nintendo Switch is launching with a few exciting games, most prominently Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, though we also got to play some post-launch titles like the enhanced Mario Kart 8, Splatoon 2 and Arms, among others. In this extended look at some of those games, I talk you through my experiences with them and what the more interesting features of them are.

Apologies for some of the video quality, the event was packed, it was very hot and sticky and our camera seemed to be overheating, so there are little ‘judders' a few times in the video.

00:00 – Intro
00:18 – Mario Kart 8
01:54 – FAST RMX
04:12 – Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
24:24 – Splatoon 2
25:27 – Just Dance 2017
26:03 – Arms
28:41 – 1-2 Switch
31:44 – Snipperclips

This is designed as a companion piece for my more in-depth written coverage of the hands-on, so be sure to read through that if you want a little more information on specific games, as well as the hardware and what it's like to use.

KitGuru Says: What do you think of the games Nintendo had available at the hands-on and are set for the launch of the new system? I can't help but feel that I would have liked to have seen a couple more high-end or Nintendo AAA titles. 1-2 Switch should be bundled with the system too, though Nintendo claims it will be a full-price launch title instead.

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