Nintendo Switch 2 Delivers Transformative Upgrades for Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom

The Nintendo Switch 2 has revitalized two of the most acclaimed titles in the Zelda franchise—The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom.

With enhanced hardware capabilities, Switch 2 delivers significant upgrades in resolution and performance for both games.

Originally released on the Nintendo Switch, both titles have amassed critical acclaim and formidable sales milestones, with Breath of the Wild notably surpassing 30 million units worldwide as of 2023.

Now, these classics are experiencing a new surge in popularity as players revisit them on Nintendo’s latest console. Digital Foundry, a respected authority in game technology analysis, recently highlighted the quality of these upgrades, describing the visual and performance improvements as 'transformative,' especially for the 2023 release, Tears of the Kingdom.

According to their assessment, the transition to Switch 2 offers a marked improvement in both frame rate stability and resolution, making the new experience 'worth it' for fans and newcomers alike.

These upgraded versions are available as part of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription, providing added value to the service and ensuring accessibility for a broader audience. A core highlight is dynamic resolution scaling.

While this feature was already present on the original Switch hardware, the Nintendo Switch 2 elevates it further by increasing the upper limits to support 4K displays.

On Switch 1, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom targeted a peak resolution of 1600x900 in docked mode.

With Switch 2, the maximum output jumps dramatically to 2560x1440, delivering sharper and more immersive visuals.

Digital Foundry noted that fluctuations below this threshold are rare, and the overall presentation remains highly stable. Frame rate improvements are particularly notable.

Digital Foundry reports that Tears of the Kingdom maintains a mostly consistent 60 frames per second (fps), even during demanding sequences such as open-world battles or using intricate mechanics like Ultrahand.

They observed only a minor dip when constructing vehicles during their six-hour test period—a stark contrast to the more frequent slowdowns on Switch 1.

Meanwhile, Breath of the Wild demonstrates even greater consistency, maintaining a locked 60fps across busy regions like Kakariko Village and Zora’s Domain, even under stress from explosive effects. Other notable improvements include halved loading times and upgraded shadow quality, both of which contribute to a smoother, more visually pleasing experience.

However, Digital Foundry pointed out that anti-aliasing remains limited in effectiveness, leaving some jagged edges visible despite the higher resolution and improved textures. Overall, the technical experts recommend these enhanced releases, acknowledging minor 'rough points' but emphasizing the quality-of-life improvements made possible by the Nintendo Switch 2's upgraded hardware.

As enthusiasts continue to dive back into Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom—now more visually stunning and fluid than ever—the Switch 2 firmly establishes itself as a must-have platform for both legacy titles and new adventures.

Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Switch Breath of the Wild Tears of the Kingdom Nintendo Switch 2 Digital Foundry Switch Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack