We get it. Everyone's excited for the very recent Nintendo NX reveal, which is now called the Nintendo Switch. But out of the high-frenzy torrent of Switch-related fanfare online comes the lesser-noticed new Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild trailers, which Nintendo just recently unveiled.
The new trailers feature the breathtaking landscape of the game. Link is seen standing atop a mountain, looking over the vast periphery of mountains and land. He also hand-glides through the air, offering a 360 degree view of the environment.
Other features of Breath of the Wild were also briefly shown, including Link's ability to cook, to snowboard and to fire arrows. Link was also shown climbing up the rugged nether regions of a severed concrete bridge.
The game has a distinct and slightly cartoonish appeal. It's not completely cel-shaded like 2002's Wind Waker, though. It's refined and well-thought art direction that doesn't override the already expansive content, given Breath of the Wild's open world.
"Goodness, this game looks glorious," Kotaku's Brian Ashcraft wrote, and it's hard to argue with that opinion.
The second trailer video featured Link hunting for food with his arrow, swimming, chopping down trees for wood and briefly battling in slow motion. Parts of these trailers have already appeared on the lengthy livestreamed game demo back in E3 so it comes as no surprise to many.
The trailers doesn't seem to feature the specific musical score for that given environment and scene, since the trailer soundtrack sounded very similar to the stock music we've all heard in the first reveal back in E3. That said, Nintendo has done marvellous work again with the soundtrack, as it does with its most memorable games. It's all part of the overall experience.
The official Japanese Nintendo site now lists Breath of the Wild as available for the Wii U and the Nintendo Switch. The trailer reveal for the Nintendo Switch confirmed Nintendo's promise of bringing Breath of the Wild to its new flagship hybrid console. It looks virtually identical to the Wii U version, if not better. Of course, professional reveal videos don't really mirror the exact gameplay, since those are added in post. But we can hear more about the Nintendo Switch in the coming days.
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is due for a 2017 release date, with no specific month. The Nintendo Switch hits shelves in March, so the game might come earlier for the Wii U and slightly after the Switch, or they could be released both at the same time.
