Improved Speed for Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom on Nintendo Switch 2

Switch 2, huh? Seems like it’s trying to outdo its older sibling, the regular Nintendo Switch. And maybe it actually pulls it off, especially when you’re diving into legendary games like Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. These games, oh man, they hooked us years ago with their massive worlds and wow-factor gameplay—first came out in 2017 and 2023, respectively. Honestly, doesn’t matter if you’re a newbie or a seasoned pro, trying out the Switch 2 version? It’s like stepping into a dream. These games used to snag on low resolution—like, really, can’t believe we put up with those load times. But with Switch 2? It’s like someone decided we deserved a break, especially in terms of, wait for it, loading speed. And I’m talking serious speed-up here.

So, we got curious and did some experiments—I know, total nerd move. Ran the games through some tests again and again until my brain was basically a stopwatch. Used a Switch OLED for the originals, jumped to Switch 2 for the new editions. What did we test? You know, stuff like booting up from the home screen, loading your save file, fast traveling, the works—basically the grind you repeat every time you play. Makes sense, right? Those seconds add up.

Not shocking news, but the Switch 2 totally outshines the old Switch. It’s like comparing a cheetah to, I don’t know, a turtle. Load times? Practically sliced in half. Sometimes more. Tears of the Kingdom really sped things up too, probably ’cause it’s better fine-tuned. It’s like the game’s just built smarter.

Putting Switch 2 and these editions together? Pure magic for Zelda fans. You could, in theory, play the old versions on Switch 2—didn’t get around to testing that, though. But hey, the new editions feel smoother and more snappy. Haven’t jumped into the latest Hyrule Kingdom adventure yet? Kind of a perfect moment now, assuming you’re okay with forking out an extra ten bucks per game or snagging a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion membership for that sweet, sweet upgrade only available on Switch 2.