Zelda Breath of the Wild: Playtime, Platforms & Guide

There’s a reason players still talk about Breath of the Wild years after its release — it made open-world exploration feel genuinely urgent. Every cliff edge, every weather shift, every crumbling ruin pulled you into the world rather than just displaying it. If you’re deciding where to start your Hyrule journey, here’s what you actually need to know.

Release Year: 2017 · Platforms: Wii U, Nintendo Switch · Developer: Nintendo EPD · Metacritic Score: 97 · Main Playtime: 50 hours

How long is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild?

The honest answer depends entirely on how you approach Hyrule. According to community-sourced data from HowLongToBeat, completing the main storyline takes around 50 hours — but that’s just the main quest, and nobody plays it that way.

Main story completion

The main questline, including defeating Calamity Ganon and finishing the Divine Beasts, typically takes 45 to 55 hours for most players. The game guides you through four main quests — the Rito, Goron, Zora, and Gerudo regions — in whatever order you choose, though many players recommend tackling them in that sequence for smoother pacing (GameFAQs community guides).

100% completion time

Reaching 100% completion — every shrine, every side quest, every Korok seed, all armor upgraded — requires roughly 150 to 200 hours. The exact number varies considerably because some shrines are trickier than others, and finding every Korok seed demands genuine patience. The game’s open design means you won’t hit a wall, but you’ll eventually notice yourself chasing completion rather than exploring.

The catch: Breath of the Wild rewards curiosity over completion. The hours that feel most memorable aren’t the ones spent hunting Korok seeds — they’re the unexpected moments when a mountain storm caught you mid-climb and you slid down a hill into a bokoblin camp you hadn’t noticed.

Should I play BotW before Tears of the Kingdom?

If you have the time, yes — but it’s not strictly necessary. Tears of the Kingdom works as a standalone experience, though it explicitly continues Breath of the Wild’s story and world.

Story connections

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom takes place shortly after Breath of the Wild’s ending, continuing Link’s journey in a Hyrule that has physically and narratively evolved (GameFAQs). NPCs reference events from BotW, relationships have shifted, and the landscape itself has changed in ways that carry emotional weight only if you experienced the first game.

Gameplay improvements in TotK

Tears of the Kingdom introduces the Fuse ability and expands the building mechanic, adding depth that feels like a direct evolution of BotW’s systems. It also corrects some design frustrations — like the limited inventory space — with meaningful quality-of-life changes. If you start with TotK, you might find yourself wishing you could replay BotW with those improvements.

The trade-off: If you plan to play both, playing BotW first makes TotK feel like a refinement. Playing TotK first makes BotW feel like a prototype. Neither path ruins the other, but the intended emotional arc — wonder in BotW, return and discovery in TotK — works better in sequence.

Is Breath of the Wild the best game of all time?

Metacritic’s consensus says it comes close. With a score of 97, Breath of the Wild holds an extraordinary position among critics, earning it mentions alongside all-time greats like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Grand Theft Auto V.

Critical acclaim

The game earned numerous Game of the Year awards in 2017, with critics praising its physics-based world, freedom of approach, and willingness to let players fail and experiment. IGN called it a “masterclass in open-world design,” specifically highlighting how every system — climbing, cooking, combat — interconnected to create emergent gameplay moments (IGN reviews).

Metacritic rankings

On Metacritic, Breath of the Wild ranks among the highest-scoring games of all time, though “best” is ultimately subjective. What the scores capture is consistent, near-universal praise for its design philosophy: reward exploration, trust the player, and build a world that feels alive.

Is Breath of the Wild endless?

Breath of the Wild has a clear ending — but it also genuinely rewards replaying. The main story concludes once you defeat Calamity Ganon, and the credits roll. But unlike games that lock you into a post-game state, Hyrule remains open after that point.

Exploration depth

The world contains 120 shrines, 900 Korok seeds, four Divine Beasts, dozens of side quests, and countless unmarked discoveries. No single playthrough will encounter everything, and the physics system ensures that even well-documented locations can surprise you. Players who try to “complete” the game often find that the world remains surprising long after they thought they’d explored everything.

Post-game content

After the main story, players commonly return to hunt for missing shrines, upgrade weapons, hunt for armor sets, or simply wander the map. The game has no true post-game story content, but the lack of gating means you never feel forced to stop. New Game+ does not exist in Breath of the Wild — each save is a single run — which makes every playthrough feel distinct.

What platforms is Zelda Breath of the Wild on?

As of now, Breath of the Wild is officially available on two platforms: the original Wii U and the Nintendo Switch. There is no official PC version, no PlayStation port, and no Xbox release.

Switch and Wii U

Both games launched simultaneously on March 3, 2017, with the Switch version selling dramatically more copies. The Wii U edition was Nintendo’s final major first-party release for that console, and it’s now widely considered a collector’s item since the Switch version receives all updates and patches. The Switch version runs better, loads faster, and includes the option to play in handheld mode — making it the definitive version for most players (GameRant).

PC options

Breath of the Wild is not available on PC through any official channel. Emulation software like Yuzu and Ryujinx can run the game, but these are third-party tools with varying legal and performance implications. Nintendo has not announced any plans to bring the game to PC, and given their history with legacy titles, it seems unlikely.

Digital purchase

The game is available for digital download on the Nintendo eShop for Switch. Pricing varies by region, and sales occur periodically. Physical copies for both Switch and Wii U are available through retailers, though supply has tightened as the Switch ages.

“Masterclass in open-world design.”

— IGN Reviewer

“Nintendo decided to distance both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom far away from the rest of the timeline, allowing them to explore a new origin.”

— Nintendo official statement