Nintendo is upgrading the Switch’s best Zelda games with Switch 2 Editions

Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are both getting upgrades for smoother gameplay, higher resolution, and HDR support.

by Chris Welch

Apr 2, 2025, 1:49 PM UTC

Chris Welch is a former senior reviewer who worked at The Verge from 2011 until May 2025. His coverage areas included audio, home theater, smartphones, and more.

During its Switch 2 event today, Nintendo confirmed that both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom will be offered as enhanced “Switch 2 Edition” titles. The critically acclaimed games will feature “enhanced resolution and frame rates” and HDR support. Nintendo didn’t go into specifics on those upgrades, but the titles were running at a perfectly smooth 60fps during the stream.

Both titles pushed the original Switch hardware to its limits with occasional frame rate drops, so if Nintendo is able to deliver buttery-smooth gameplay on the new console, many early buyers will be happy to replay these classics.

The company also demonstrated a new second-screen experience in its Nintendo Switch app for Android and iOS. A “Zelda’s Notes” feature will be able to show your location on a map in the massive world of either game, and it can help guide you to shrines and koroks that you haven’t yet discovered. “It’s a game-specific service that’s exclusive to the Switch 2 Editions of these titles,” the company said.

If you already own the original games, the upgrades will be available as separate purchases or at no additional cost if you have a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription.

The Nintendo Switch Online app will be renamed to a simpler “Nintendo Switch” at the end of May, Nintendo confirmed during the stream.

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