Is Breath of the Wild different on Wii U?

The Nintendo Switch and Wii U versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild offer the same content, with the main differences being the resolution and environmental sounds. The Switch version renders in 900p with higher-quality environmental sounds, while the Wii U version renders in 720p.

FAQs about Breath of the Wild on Wii U and Switch

General Information

1. Is the Wii U version of Breath of the Wild better?: Both versions have the same content and framerate, but the Switch version has a higher resolution (900p vs 720p) and better environmental sounds.
2. What resolution is Botw on Wii U?: The game is 720p native on Wii U, but it will upscale to 1080p.
3. Is it better to emulate Botw on Wii or Switch?: For BOTW specifically, you’re better off playing on CEMU (Wii U emulator) as it’s the exact same game, but significantly faster.

Graphics and Performance

4. What is the difference between Wii U and Switch?: The main difference is that the Wii U GamePad can’t be taken on the go, while the Switch is a handheld system.
5. Is Breath of the Wild 60fps on Switch?: The game runs at 30fps on the original Switch, but the upcoming Switch 2 may be able to run it at 4K 60 FPS.
6. Is Breath of the Wild good on CEMU?: Yes, as long as your specs aren’t terrible, you can get 60fps at 1080p or above on CEMU.

Backwards Compatibility and Game Library

7. Why is the Wii better than Switch?: The Wii surpasses the Switch when it comes to backwards compatibility, as it can play any GameCube game.
8. Can you play Tears of the Kingdom on Wii U?: No, Tears of the Kingdom is not available on Wii U, as it is officially not supported by Nintendo anymore.

Emulation and Legality

9. Can you get banned for using CEMU?: If you don’t use cheats or hacks or share your online files, it’s unlikely you’ll get banned.
10. Is it illegal to use CEMU?: CEMU and other emulators are legal, but downloading and playing a game through ROMs is a legal grey area.
11. Will I get in trouble for using CEMU?: Emulators are not illegal, but the ROM you are playing may be, so be cautious.

Nintendo Switch 2 and Future Developments

12. Will Nintendo Switch 2 have 4K?: The Switch 2 may have advanced features like Ray tracing and DLSS, allowing it to potentially run games at 4K or 60+ frames per second.
13. Is the Wii U or Switch more powerful?: The Switch is roughly as powerful as the Wii U, but with some improvements.

Miscellaneous

14. Do they still make the Wii U?: No, Nintendo formally announced the end of Wii U production on January 31, 2017.
15. Is the Wii U more powerful than the Switch?: No, the Switch has a moderately more powerful GPU and CPU than the Wii U.