Tokyo, Japan – The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, a game synonymous with the Nintendo Switch’s success, almost had a different fate. Originally intended for the Wii U, the game’s delay shifted its release to 2017, coinciding with the launch of the Switch. This move not only impacted the quality of the game but also altered the trajectory of the console itself.
Unlike its predecessor, Twilight Princess, which straddled two consoles with noticeable differences, Breath of the Wild was meticulously optimized for both the Wii U and the Switch. While the Wii U version suffered from performance issues and lacked certain features, it still managed to capture the essence of the game that would later become a runaway success on the Switch.
Playing Breath of the Wild on the Wii U offers a different perspective on the game’s evolution. Despite its limitations, the Wii U version still showcases the potential of the console’s dual-screen functionality, a feature that Nintendo ultimately decided to forego for parity with the Switch version. The Wii U’s innovative design, though poorly received at the time, laid the groundwork for the Switch’s seamless gaming experience.
As players reflect on their time with the Wii U version of Breath of the Wild, they are reminded of the console’s forward-thinking design that paved the way for the Switch’s portability and versatility. The Wii U may have been overshadowed by its successor, but its legacy lives on in the transformative impact it had on Nintendo’s hardware development. The game may have performed better on the Switch, but its roots in the Wii U era remain a testament to Nintendo’s commitment to innovation.