ZELDA BREATH OF THE WILD IS THE NEXT GENERATION OF NINTENDO
This was my third time playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and my first on the Nintendo Switch. When I first played the game at E3 last year, I was in absolute awe. It was my game of the show and it’s honestly been top of mind ever since. It felt like a world that I wanted to get lost in. It felt so familiar, yet brand new. I wouldn’t say it felt like it was what Ocarina of Time was to the Legend of Zelda, but it definitely felt like the next generation of what many Nintendo fans had come to know and love over the last 20+ years.
Throughout my 20 minute demo, I was able to play the game in both portable mode and using the Pro controller on a TV. In all honesty, the Pro controller felt great, but it didn’t feel like I’d need to spend $99 on the controller. The game felt great using the Nintendo Switch tablet in portable mode. In-fact, I realised that this is the way I’ll be playing this game. It looks absolutely stunning in TV mode, but it looks just as incredible on the Nintendo Switch tablet. 
It is this game that will make people realise just how amazing this console is. Whether you see the Nintendo Switch as a portable or home console, it doesn’t matter. The fact that you can take the first truly open-world Zelda game on the go without losing any visual fidelity.
We know that this game is going to be quality, but it’s a very important game for Nintendo. It’s important for them to prove that they can take these beloved franchises to the next level and give them new life in what is an extremely challenging and overcrowded gaming market.
System sellers are rare occurrences. Only behemoth franchises, adored by millions, may amount to such a phenomenon and only then if the game is universally well-received. As the most obviously promising launch title, a lot rides on Zelda Breath of the Wild, but it may not sell systems.
On top of watching the trailers and gameplay clips, I have only gone hands-on with Zelda Breath of the Wild for a mere 20 minutes. Regardless, the magic of this game is apparent. It seems to be the Zelda game fans have dreamt of their entire lives, perfectly blending the elements the franchise pioneered with favoured mechanics found in more recent open-world RPGs. I have little doubt that this will be an exceptional game, and one I would dearly love to play more of, but I understand that sometimes the heart cannot overcome the head.
It is hard to justify spending $469, plus the game’s suggested retail price of $89.95, to play one game on a new console without some confidence you will be playing countless others throughout its lifetime. Gamers are increasingly money-conscious and without seeing a worthwhile investment, it might be hard to warrant dropping the cash for one game. Let’s remember Zelda Breath of the Wild is also coming to Wii U, and comes out three days after the launch of Horizon: Zero Dawn, a Zelda-inspired open-world RPG designed for the more powerful PS4. There may be other ways players can scratch that itch.
You want to play it, but your purchase of the Switch may depend just how desperately you want to play Breath of the Wild.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will release alongside the Nintendo Switch on March 3rd.
