‘The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild’ Switch Wii U Comparisons Reveal Which Version Is Best

The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild releases on Switch and Wii U in a matter of hours, so lots of gamers are asking the same question. Should I buy Nintendo’s new console to try Link’s latest quest, or is the Wii U build good enough? New comparisons from MasterKillua on YouTube help us offer an answer.

On the subject of general graphics fidelity, the experience appears almost identical despite a few deeper shadows on the Switch build. This might be related to the differing resolution between systems. On Wii U, Breath of The Wild renders at 720p. On Switch, that quality bumps up to 900p when docked and reverts to 720p in portable mode. What that means is you’ll see slight clarity differences here and there with a stationary Switch, but the best results won’t be revolutionary.

Considering the visuals have strong parity, what might that say about framerates and load times? In those regards the results appear a bit mixed. In cutscenes that return Link to the same area, the Switch has about a half-second edge in performance. However, this advantage is counteracted by the Wii U version that loads new areas slightly faster off its disc. Both TV iterations of the game have noticeable lost frames in grassy areas and high-combat situations. With its reduced 720p resolution, Switch portable mode exhibits these problems to a lesser degree.

All in all, it appears The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild will perform almost the exact same no matter which version you buy. If you plan on getting a Switch for the portable experience you’ll see some enhancements there. That being said, what’s on show isn’t enough to warrant the purchase of $299 hardware if you’re on a budget. The folks on Wii U will be just fine, and they’ll be in no way left out of the basic content that’s also coming to Switch.

It’s worth noting that Nintendo has advertised “higher-quality environmental sounds” on Switch, but no outlet has commented on that discrepancy yet.

The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild comes to Nintendo Switch and Wii U March 3.

Will you be playing The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild on Switch or Wii U? Are you surprised both versions are so similar? Tell us in the comments section!