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  1. Games
  2. Action

Here's the differences between the Switch and Wii U versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

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By Louise Blain published 18 January 2017

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It was bound to happen. We knew there was going to be differences between The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on Nintendo Switch and Wii U and now Nintendo has explained exactly what those are. In a statement received by IGN, the company has outlined the key changes between the two. Be ready to throw a little more fuel on your 'I-need-a-Switch' fire. 

So whether you buy on Switch or Wii U, Breath of the Wild is out on March 3 and both games run at 30fps. And, don't worry, all game content will be the same so you won't be missing out on anything in the world if you stick to the console you already own. There's absolutely no difference when it comes to content. 

Now let's look at the differences. The Switch version renders at 900p while the Wii U sticks to 720p and the Switch version also has "higher-quality environmental sounds." These will apparently enhance the "Open-Air feel" of the game and improve the sounds of steps, water and grass in the open world. That's the end of the differences in game other than the fact that some icons, such as onscreen buttons, will be different between the two versions.

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Ninty's also noted that the physical copy on Wii U needs 3GB of memory available and that, unlike on Switch, there will be no Special Edition or Master Edition available for Wii U. Let's face it, you're buying the Switch version, aren't you?

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Louise Blain
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Louise Blain is a journalist and broadcaster specialising in gaming, technology, and entertainment. She is the presenter of BBC Radio 3’s monthly Sound of Gaming show and has a weekly consumer tech slot on BBC Radio Scotland. She can also be found on BBC Radio 4, BBC Five Live, Netflix UK's YouTube Channel, and on The Evolution of Horror podcast. As well as her work on GamesRadar, Louise writes for NME, T3, and TechRadar. When she’s not working, you can probably find her watching horror movies or playing an Assassin’s Creed game and getting distracted by Photo Mode.

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