The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Load Times Compared on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2

Nintendo’s flagship open-world adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, has been a benchmark for both critical and commercial success since its debut in 2017 on the Nintendo Switch.

As the gaming community looks ahead to new hardware advancements, a recent comparative test by a Japanese user has revealed significant improvements in load times for Breath of the Wild on both the Nintendo Switch and the forthcoming Nintendo Switch 2, particularly when utilizing digital editions and upgrade packs. The test was designed to investigate how quickly The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild responds under various hardware and software configurations.

Four distinct scenarios were evaluated: 1.

Original Switch Game Card running on Nintendo Switch 2.

Switch Game Card running on Nintendo Switch 2 3.

Switch Game Card with the addition of a Switch 2 Edition Upgrade Pack (digital) on Switch 2 4.

Digital Switch 2 Edition installed in system memory on Switch 2 The results underscore the increased efficiency of the Nintendo Switch 2 hardware.

In the baseline scenario with the original Switch Game Card on the Nintendo Switch (Scenario 1), load times to reach the title menu averaged 13.28 seconds, entry into gameplay took 20.18 seconds, and teleportation to a different gameplay area required 12.51 seconds. Upgrading to Nintendo Switch 2 hardware, even without additional enhancements (Scenario 2), shaved valuable seconds from each loading metric: title menu at 10.06 seconds, gameplay entry at 17.43 seconds, and teleportation at 10.16 seconds. When a Switch 2 Edition Upgrade Pack was added digitally to the original game card on Switch 2 (Scenario 3), load times further decreased to 6.63 seconds for the title menu, 13.66 seconds to enter gameplay, and 6.81 seconds for teleportation.

Most notably, the fastest performance emerged from running the fully digital Switch 2 Edition within system memory (Scenario 4).

This scenario achieved a remarkably quick 6.63 seconds to reach the title menu, 11.3 seconds to begin gameplay, and just 5.46 seconds when teleporting to new locations. Reflecting on the results, the test highlights the Nintendo Switch 2’s substantial improvements in load times for existing titles, especially when leveraging digital editions and system memory.

This aligns with Nintendo’s ongoing commitment to optimizing user experiences and providing tangible benefits with hardware advancements.

For fans of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and the Nintendo Switch platform, these findings provide an encouraging preview of what enhanced Switch 2 performance can deliver. Since its launch, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has surpassed over 30 million units sold worldwide, cementing its position as one of the most influential titles in Nintendo’s history.

With further performance gains now evident on new hardware, the legacy and playability of the title are set to endure for the next generation of Nintendo gamers.

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