One of Switch 2's best Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom upgrades wasn't included in the Direct – new "voice memories" are being added, but they're tied to a mobile app

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You'll be able to hear commentary from "Princess Zelda and other characters"

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
(Image credit: Nintendo)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are both getting big upgrades in their Nintendo Switch 2 Edition releases, but one of their most exciting additions wasn't even included amongst the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct news. It turns out that the two open-world Zelda games are getting all-new "voice memories" in June, although they'll only be accessible via a mobile app.

As detailed in a longer overview trailer of the two upgraded games after the Switch 2 Direct, voice memories are fresh additions that'll allow you to "listen to commentary about your surroundings from Princess Zelda and other characters" as you "visit certain locations." This is obviously huge for replayability – you could have explored the maps in their entirety before, but this offers a fantastic new reason to dive in for fresh content. Based on the trailer, it sounds like you'll just hear Zelda in Breath of the Wild, whereas Tears of the Kingdom will also feature Rauru and Master Kohga.

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These memories won't play within the games themselves like the memory cutscenes we know and love, as they're part of the upcoming Zelda Notes service, usable within the Nintendo Switch Online app (soon to be renamed to the Nintendo Switch app). This same service is how you'll access the games' new achievements, which are also bound to pull completionists back in for more.

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Thankfully, you don't have to be subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online in order to use Zelda Notes, although there is, of course, the upgrade fee for the Switch 2 Edition games to contend with even if you own the originals. That is unless you're subscribed to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service, anyway, but either way, that means you're not going to access the upgrades without spending some money.

Be sure to check out our roundup of other upcoming Switch 2 games to see what else is on the way to Nintendo's new console.

Catherine Lewis
Catherine Lewis
Deputy News Editor

I'm GamesRadar+'s Deputy News Editor, working alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield's student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming's news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you're sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.

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