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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchNeither game is better across the board. Breath of the Wild is the stronger pick if you want the original, discovery-led journey through Hyrule with a focused set of exploration tools. Tears of the Kingdom is the better fit if building contraptions, combining objects with weapons, and exploring Hyrule’s skies are what draw you in. The choice comes down to which of those experiences you want.
Release order and what each game is
Breath of the Wild came first. Nintendo lists its Nintendo Switch release as March 3, 2017. Tears of the Kingdom is the sequel, listed by Nintendo as a Nintendo Switch release on May 12, 2023. Playing in release order gives you the original’s world and mechanics before the sequel builds on them, but Tears of the Kingdom is written as a continuation rather than a requirement, so starting with it is a valid choice if its features appeal to you more.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda | $70.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - World Edition | $56.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
The Legend of Zelda™: Breath of the Wild – Nintendo Switch™ 2 Edition | $69.00 | Buy on Amazon |
What Breath of the Wild offers
Nintendo describes Breath of the Wild as the story of Link waking after a 100-year slumber and setting out to explore Hyrule and recover his memories. Its exploration is built around a small, clearly defined toolkit:
- Towers: climbing them reveals map areas and points of interest.
- Shrines: puzzle-style challenges that you solve to earn rewards.
- Sheikah Slate runes: the device’s runes are the main way Link interacts with the world’s puzzles and terrain.
- Traversal: Nintendo lists horse riding, rafts, shield-surfing, and the paraglider as the ways you move across Hyrule.
Nintendo’s US product page lists more than 100 Shrines of Trials and over 180 weapons. These are Nintendo’s listed counts for the game, not totals measured by an independent party, and the product page does not give a separate publication date for them beyond the game’s 2017 Switch release.
#1 Best Overall
- A collectible Game & Watch system packed with Legend of Zelda classics
What Tears of the Kingdom adds
Tears of the Kingdom expands the setting to Hyrule’s land and sky and introduces four named abilities. Nintendo’s descriptions of each are below.
Ultrahand
Ultrahand lets Link move, rotate, and attach objects. This is the core of the game’s construction system, and it is what most players will use to build vehicles, bridges, and other contraptions.
Fuse
Fuse combines objects with weapons, shields, or arrows. Nintendo presents it as the way to experiment with item combinations, which changes how you approach both combat and problem-solving.
Rank #2
- Discover Hyrule as never before: by making your own path, choices, and consequences
- Ingenuity is the key to survival: find multiple solutions to tons of dynamic puzzles
- Surprises hide around every corner: scavenge weapons, armor, plants, animals, and more
- Live off the land: find weapons and armor, cook food, and brew elixirs
- Utilize special technology: the in-game Sheikah Slate controls, objects and enemies in fun ways
Ascend
Ascend lets Link pass through certain overhead surfaces. It is the ability that makes the sky exploration practical from below.
Recall
Recall reverses an object’s movement. Nintendo lists it as a way to undo an object’s path, which opens up its own set of puzzle approaches.
How the two games compare
| Reader priority | Better match | Basis in Nintendo’s descriptions |
|---|---|---|
| The original Hyrule exploration journey with a focused ability set | Breath of the Wild | Nintendo emphasizes towers, Shrines, Sheikah Slate runes, traversal, and survival. |
| Building contraptions and experimenting with item combinations | Tears of the Kingdom | Nintendo specifically describes Ultrahand and Fuse for construction and combining items. |
| Exploring regions in the sky as part of the main premise | Tears of the Kingdom | Nintendo describes the sequel’s exploration of Hyrule’s land and sky. |
| Playing in release order | Breath of the Wild first | Nintendo describes Tears of the Kingdom as the sequel; the order is a context choice, not a required play order. |
| Performance on Nintendo Switch 2 | Either Switch 2 Edition | Nintendo lists the same broad upgrade categories for both. This compares platform editions, not whether one game performs better than the other. |
Which game to pick
- Choose Breath of the Wild if you want an open-ended exploration experience built around towers, Shrines, and traversal, and you prefer a smaller set of tools to master.
- Choose Tears of the Kingdom if building objects, combining items with weapons, and moving through sky regions is the appeal, or if you want the more recent of the two games.
- Play Breath of the Wild first if you want the story and world in the order Nintendo released them.
Check the edition before you buy
Nintendo lists both games as original Nintendo Switch releases and also offers separate Switch 2 Editions. Nintendo describes the Switch 2 Editions as adding higher resolution, improved frame rates, HDR, faster loading, an additional save slot, and Zelda Notes. Each Switch 2 Edition is playable only on Nintendo Switch 2, so a Nintendo Switch original will not run it. Availability and pricing vary, so check Nintendo’s store listing for your region before you buy.
Rank #3
- Step into a world of adventure—now enhanced for the Nintendo Switch 2 system!
- Use your ingenuity to survive and thrive in Hyrule
- Support your journey with ZELDA NOTES on the Nintendo Switch app
Nintendo also lists amiibo support for both games. It is optional and does not affect which game suits you.
What these sources can and cannot establish
This comparison relies on Nintendo’s official US product descriptions and edition pages. They establish publisher-stated features, release dates, platform details, and the counts Nintendo publishes. They do not establish which game is more enjoyable, longer, more difficult, or better overall, and this article does not rank them on those points. The only numerical figures available for comparison are Nintendo’s Breath of the Wild counts. Nintendo’s pages do not provide a comparable Tears of the Kingdom count, so the two games cannot be measured against each other on size.
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Nintendo’s pages do not attribute any of their copy to a named developer or spokesperson, so the descriptions above paraphrase the official text rather than quoting a person.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
