The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Patch Improves Frame Rates

Despite what you might've heard, The Legend of Zelda: The Breath of the Wild isn't a perfect game. Last night, however, it got one step closer with a patch that drastically improves the game's inconsistent frame rate, especially when Breath of the Wild runs in the Switch's television-connected docked mode.

At least, that's what everyone thinks the patch does. It's hard to tell. The official patch notes only say: "Adjustments have been made to make for a more pleasant gaming experience." That's very "Nintendo," but it isn't all that helpful. However, many players are reporting that the game's frame rates, which tend to drop for a few seconds in crowded areas, have improved post-update.

Exactly how much the patch helps Breath of the Wild's performance is another story. Kotaku's Jason Schreier claims that he's seen massive improvements in the game, particularly in the technically demanding Korok Forest, while the folks over at GameXplain paint a far less rosy picture, identifying a number of lingering trouble spots—including the same Korok Forest.

For the moment, most people seem to be testing the patch on the Switch, not the Wii U. Going by online reports, it's not clear how Breath of the Wild's latest update affects the game on Nintendo's second-newest console (we'd check ourselves but, unfortunately, we don't have access to a Wii U copy of Link's latest adventure either).

Even with fluctuating frame rates, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a great game, and thankfully the graphical hitches don't make hunting down the game's 120 shrines, 900 koroks, or these obscure easter eggs any less fun. After all, we named it one of the best games of 2017 (so far) for a reason.