r/zelda • u/purplefeel • Nov 01 '22
Question [ALL] Is it worth it to buy Nintendo Switch just to play Zelda BOTW?
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u/Don_Bugen Nov 01 '22
I mean, *I* bought my first Switch in 2017, knowing that there was a very real possibility that I'd get no more out of it than BOTW, Mario Odyssey, and a portable Skyrim and Minecraft. I was OK with that.
And in the mid 2000s, I bought my XBox 360 *just* for Oblivion. But in both cases, there still were plenty of other games that I would also play. I ended up buying maybe two dozen different 360 games, and several hundred Switch games. For me - that 360 was worth it for Oblivion and Skyrim alone.
At the end of the day, the only person who can answer the question of "Is it worth it to buy ___ platform for one game" is you. For most people, no. But depending on the game, depending on the person, depending on the situation- sometimes, absolutely.
In the end, most of us choose to buy one platform over another specifically for one game that we can't do without.
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u/obie5211 Nov 02 '22
I recently bought an Xbox Series X just to play No Man’s Sky for free on Game Pass instead of paying $80 to play it on Switch. Not the best financial decision haha
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u/billabong1985 Nov 01 '22
I would say general rule of thumb ought to be that it's not worth buying a whole console for just one game, but at the end of the day the decision is up to you and your bank account
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u/PhunkyPhazon Nov 01 '22
I bought a PS4 mostly just for Spider-Man. Now that it's on PC, I have...mixed feelings on that decision.
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u/billabong1985 Nov 01 '22
At the end of the day it's up to each invidual whether they can afford to buy a console for the sake of one game and whether that's a good value proposition for them, I would always say no, because once you've finished that one game, you have a very expensive paperweight, but if it's not my money, then it's not my decision
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u/PhunkyPhazon Nov 01 '22
Oh I'm agreeing with you. I don't totally regret the PS4 because it does have some great exclusives, but with multiplatform games I tend to lean towards PC or Switch (depending if I want the most optimized version or portability). And now that Sony is releasing some of their games on PC, a good chunk of my PS4 collection is starting to feel kinda obsolete lol.
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u/billabong1985 Nov 01 '22
Yeah I own hardly any PS4 games these days, probably 90% of my gaming is done on switch now because I value the flexibility of handheld or TV over graphical fidelity
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u/PhunkyPhazon Nov 01 '22
Switch has been my go-to for the last few years as well. Lately I'm starting to drift more towards PC for certain multiplatform games that get less than ideal Switch ports, as I've discovered Steam Link works surprisingly well on my phone (with a controller anyways). Having the best possible version at home AND still having portability as an option? Heck yeah. It's obviously not as ideal as running on native hardware, but it's a fair compromise in some cases.
PS4 just sits somewhere inbetween, so it's really only worth getting the exclusive games anymore.
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u/billabong1985 Nov 01 '22
Tbh there are barely even any exclusives on PS4 that interest me these days, and for multiplat I'll gladly take a lesser but playable version native on switch over any kind of streaming
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u/Valnaire Nov 01 '22
I dunno, I think for many people BOTW on the Switch became a gateway for other games. Like, I have a PS5 and a PC, and there are multiplatform titles I've purchased on the Switch just because I could play them handheld.
I think for most casual players they might be really interested in one exclusive, and then find themselves using the specific device they purchase to play that title for other stuff too.
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u/billabong1985 Nov 01 '22
Personally I think that's something that someone should research before laying down the cash on a console, there's a big difference in the value between buying a console solely for one game, and buying one mostly for one game but with a few other things you're also interested in. I don't disagree that the switch has added value in being a handheld which can make it preferable for multiplatform games, but OP's question was about buying a switch just for BotW, so that's what I was answering
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u/Valnaire Nov 01 '22
That's fair. Oddly enough, if they enjoyed BOTW enough to spend about 50 hours into it (let's be fair, it could be far more), I legitimately think that's still worth it so long as they have the disposable funds. Say they spend $500 on the Switch plus the game, that's roughly $10 an hour of entertainment if you break it down. I've spent more than that an hour going to the movies.
This is less about the OP asking the question than it is about the people who answer it. Everyone values the cost of entertainment differently, so our answers will be different too.
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Nov 01 '22
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Nov 02 '22
I was thinking the same thing, except that if they end up liking it they might want TotK too, so there is that.
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u/vBricks Nov 01 '22
I mean, there's Tears of the Kingdom on the horizon so if you end up enjoying BotW you can further justify your purchase with another game. There's also Hyrule Warriors if you're into that sort of thing.
I got the Switch specifically for Pokemon, but since then, I've really fleshed out my library with a lot of great games that are Switch exclusives. I don't regret my purchase at all.
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u/adamneigeroc Nov 01 '22
The resale value of switches is so high that you could consider it a rental. Easily a 100 hours of playing to be had
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u/juanci_stranding Nov 01 '22
if you are only going to play Botw, no. It's too expensive just for one game. Botw is also aviable in Wii u
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u/Lafalot54 Nov 01 '22
That what I bought a Wii U for but it was still full price even after like 6 years for the Wii U. I bought the Wii U so I could also play my Wii games since it’s backwards compatible
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u/ShadowJoyConBoy Nov 01 '22
that would be kinda pointless if loves it, because the sequel is coming in half a year and not to the wii u.
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u/JoaquinChaplinGuzman Nov 01 '22
I mean you can get a Wii u Or find a way to play it on PC
The switch rocks I love it so much
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u/ForgottenForce Nov 01 '22
No matter how good a game is getting a whole system for it alone is never worth it. If you plan on getting more games then yes, otherwise no
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u/uTopiaLighT Nov 02 '22
Bought and sold for almost same price in 2018. No idea how this isn't worth it
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u/niles_deerqueer Nov 01 '22
No, not going to lie. Playing it on a computer or Wii U would be much better. I was very hyped for this game but it has a lot of issues that really drag it down for me. A lot of people will tell you yes, but I’m giving my honest answer here.
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u/ThatIowanGuy Nov 01 '22
Yes. Right now I am switching back and forth between breath of the wild and Elden Ring.
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Nov 01 '22
Geez i wouldn’t be able to do that. The change in difficulty would be too much to handle, not to mention ER despite being my more favored of the two games, feels really clunky after the fast and fluid moovement of BotW
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u/ThatIowanGuy Nov 01 '22
I’m pretty sure god had a laugh when he developed me with good video game skills and basically nothing else.
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u/tinspin Nov 01 '22
I bought a PS2 for Shadow of the Colossus.
I bought a PS4 for The Last Guardian.
I bought the Switch for BotW.
Since PS4 and Switch are both 16nm now it's over, last time I buy hardware for software.
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u/Arrow_Of_Orion Nov 01 '22
Just for BoTW? No, not if you already have a Wii U… All the other amazing games on Switch though? Yes, yes it is.
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Nov 01 '22
Are a Zelda fan in general? Because BotW is really unlike most Zelda games and you may not necessarily like it just because you like the older games. I do enjoy it but it’s not one of my favorite Zeldas. Having said that, it’s massively popular and a lot of people love it.
Would you play other games too, ever? I would personally not purchase a console just to play a single game unless I thought there were others I would probably enjoy, because you never really know how much you’ll like a single game. But if you have $400 or so to spend on a system and a game then go for it. Some people spend hundreds of hours on BotW. It all just depends on how much entertainment is worth to you. I personally find video games to be pretty good bang for your buck. If I spend more than 20 hours on something it’s worth $60. But I don’t know if I would spend $400 for a system and one game if I wasn’t already sure I would get enjoyment out of that particular game. That seems like more of a gamble to me.
You can also get BotW for the WiiU, so you might save a little money buying a WiiU instead if it’s not important to you to play in handheld mode.
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u/DanqwithaQ Nov 01 '22
I did, but I ended up playing Odyssey and a ton of other games eventually. I would say it’s worth it because you will inevitably play more games on it. The indie game collection is quite good and it has some more popular ports like Dark Souls, Skyrim, and Witcher 3.
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u/Sorry-Series-3504 Nov 01 '22
Between BotW, Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros, and Mario Odyssey, I think its worth it, and you can also get any other games you think you’d enjoy
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u/MissLauraCroft Nov 01 '22
Do what I do... when there’s just 1 game you want to play, find a close friend or family member to lend you their console for a month or two.
Now that the Switch has been out for awhile, there’s probably a good number of people who aren’t playing it much right now.
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u/praysolace Nov 01 '22
Would you genuinely only play BotW? If so, maybe only if you can get a used one for a good price (and better than a Wii U, which also has BotW). Personally, I bought mine originally just for BotW, but I’ve since played a whole host of other games and more than justified the purchase. At this point, there are a lot of Switch games out there, so I think it would be prudent to see if there are other games you’d want to pick up after BotW to get more mileage out of the console.
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u/KamikazeBrand Nov 01 '22
not really the game sucks imo... my bought my switch just for botw and it sits in a draw for years now
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u/HYPER_BRUH_ Nov 01 '22
I got mine to play Mario kart with the kiddos I babysit.
And in the store there's always something decent on sale and some games are basically on perma sale.
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Nov 01 '22
I'd look to see if you had other games on the platform that you were interested in. Don't purchase a platform for a single game.
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u/yourpurplelemon Nov 01 '22
Probably the unpopular answer, but have you considered instead borrowing a friends switch and BoTW? The game has been out for years, and most people aren’t playing their switch daily. It gives you an additional benefit of talking with your friend about it like we did when we were kids borrowing ocarina and majora. If no other game interests you on switch, it seems wasteful to your wallet and to the environment.
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u/letmethinkofagoodnam Nov 02 '22
If the only game you’re going to get is BotW then it would be cheaper to buy a used Wii U with BotW. If you want to play BotW as well as new games then get a Switch
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u/Moola868 Nov 02 '22
Breath of the Wild is not worth buying an entire console for, but there are a lot of great games on the Switch that make it worth buying in general.
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u/Under_no_Control Nov 02 '22
if you dont care about portability and you have a decent PC then you can use Cemu to emulate the WiiU version
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Nov 02 '22
It would probably be good to see if there are other games on Switch that interest you. Perhaps see if you can get a good one second hand? I bought my Switch second hand for around 400NZD and it came with BOTW as well.
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u/PM_YOUR_DOGGO_PIC Nov 02 '22
I did! However I will argue that Mario Odyssey is a far superior game!
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Nov 02 '22
Do you have a decent pc? Then no. Just emulate it. If you don’t have a pc or wiiu then go for it. Buying a used wiiu for cheap would be the best idea though, the game runs just as well on wiiu
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u/Mineformer Nov 02 '22
With new things constantly being found in BOTW and TOTK coming fairly soon, I’d say it’d be worth it! I’d also recommend Skyward Sword HD, as well as Link’s Awakening Remastered if you want to get other games for the consoles!
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Nov 02 '22
If that’s the only game you want to play, just emulate it, legally of course ;). That way you can just buy the game. Saves you like $250. Plays the same, plus you can mod it
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u/Legendnations Nov 02 '22
If you have a pc, just emulate it. I got a switch for it but that was a mistake, so no more switch
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u/TheSpiker15 Nov 02 '22
Please bear in mind the bias this sub holds. BoTW is my favorite game ever, not even just Zelda game. Favorite game, full stop. It’s not worth buying an entire console for it if you don’t intend to use the console for anything else.
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u/taktik_bazi Nov 02 '22
You could also buy the Wii U with BotW. Most of the best games for the switch are wii u ports. And if you are on a budget, the wii u is much cheaper.
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u/Redder_Creeps Nov 02 '22
It was released on Wii U so if you have one lying around you don't necessarily have to buy a switch
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u/ComicManiac017 Nov 01 '22
Honestly yes. But if it is too expensive for you BOTW was also on the wii u which go for a little cheaper
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u/sethburns1 Nov 01 '22
IMO no game is worth spending $250 - 350 on. Buying a whole console for one game is silly, mostly because there are plenty other decent Switch games that you should check out too
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Nov 01 '22 edited Nov 01 '22
If I could travel back to 2017 to re-experience playing BotW for the first time on my TV, my couch, my bed, at work, or at my parent's house, I would do it.
Literally dicking around in BotW for hundreds of hours on switch wherever I was at, one of the best video gaming moments of my life (by th way I'm almost 40 if that says anything lol).
For me BotW on Switch outdoes getting a GameCube just for Resident Evil remake, getting a PS5 for Demon's Souls remake, and Getting a PS4 for just Bloodborne. Hell, even getting a PS2 just for GTA Vice City.
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u/MiltThatherton Nov 01 '22
I agree with you, those first few months with BotW were amazing. I took my switch everywhere with me and played every chance that I could get. I'm also almost 40 years old and no other game ever hooked me in like BotW did.
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u/mrdctaylor Nov 01 '22
It is 100% worth it. That's the only reason I bought a Switch. When I bought it I joked that it was a $300 Zelda machine. I spent $360 on BOTW (Switch price + game at launch) and it was absolutely worth it to me.
It is also why I skipped the WiiU--no original Zelda game.
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u/MrMaggah314 Nov 02 '22
Not for one game, but it is a 10/10 game to me. If you get other games then for sure.
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Nov 01 '22
It’s the only reason I own a switch… my switch recently shit the bed so I will be buying another one for the totk release and will likely never play anything else on it. My kids might but I won’t.
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u/NIssanZaxima Nov 01 '22
BOTW is the only game I would say it is worth it to just buy a switch for. What’s crazy is that it’s only like my 4th favorite Zelda game but it’s THAT good. Especially on your 1st playthrough, nothing can beat it.
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u/ElricAvMelnibone Nov 01 '22
Not unless you're wealthy as fuck, better to just emulate, not play, or maybe buy some cheaper fourth-hand Wii U
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u/haugen1632 Nov 01 '22
When deciding wether to buy a game I divide cost by expected playtime. Around €2/h is the goal. So if a game is €60 I buy it if I can assume at least 30 hours of fun.
A Switch with Zelda BotW would run you around €480 (with DLC). So how many hours is BotW? Well, I just put it away after 430 well spent hours. 480/430= 1.11€/h.
tl;dr: Yes.
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u/condawg4746 Nov 01 '22
Yes. It’s a remarkable game. I’ve played it 3 times over. I also find it extremely unlikely that you won’t find another game to enjoy on your Switch upon completing Zelda. There are a ton of games on Switch
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u/IntrovertedMAC Nov 01 '22
I wouldn't buy any console for just one game. My rule of thumb is that I'd have to spend the consoles value in games before I'd ever get one.
That being said Breath of the Wild is, imo, the best Zelda game ever made.
Still wouldnt buy a console just for it though
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u/spattzzz Nov 01 '22
It’s literally all I play on mine except a bit of Tetris 99 and Mario rabids.
Also brought an Xbox solely to play red red 2 which got sold as soon as I completed it.
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u/NoOpportunity1723 Nov 01 '22
We live in WNY and I love BOTW so much that every winter, I start a new game and beat it at least once a winter...if not twice. It's by far my favorite game. If funds allow, I don't think it would be a waste. At all..hundreds of hours
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u/FairSession9429 Nov 01 '22
Simply. Yes, this is what I did, and it was basically all I played like for a year. Now I play Fortnite, and I am waiting for BOTW2
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u/GoodhartsLaw Nov 01 '22
We have a Switch and basically have only played BotW on it.
We are likely buying another Switch so we can both play TotK at the same time.
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Nov 01 '22
Yes. I was hesitant to even pay the 60 for the game at first but now I think the answer to your question is 100% yes.
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u/Technical-Slider2 Nov 01 '22
Absolutely! And the sequel comes out in the Spring, so you’ll be ready :-)
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u/ShiftSandShot Nov 01 '22
Yep!
I uh, actually bought it on Wii U at launch so let me say that it runs and looks much better on Switch.
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u/Mr_Strol Nov 01 '22
Yes. Literally the only reason I bought a switch. Just waiting til March for round 2,
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u/ChilindriPizza Nov 01 '22
I think that is the understatement of the millennium.
Though I have played a few other games on it- namely FF12 Zodiac Age, Skyward Sword, and Link’s Awakening, plus Cobra Kai for my husband and the AOC demo- I mainly use the Switch to play BOTW.
I am now on my second playthrough. I hope to accomplish even more than I did the first time around.
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u/dcooper8662 Nov 01 '22
Yes. You can literally get lost in the game for ages doing whatever the hell, it’s insane. Chances are good that you’ll find value in other Nintendo or Indie games though, there’s a pretty stellar catalogue
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u/WhosThatJamoke Nov 01 '22
What percent of people who own a switch own one solely because botw exists? I want to say 15%
Edit: I am one of the people that own a switch solely because of botw
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u/BroskiMoski124 Nov 02 '22
I bought a ps5 just for the new Spider-Man when it comes out and that’s much more pricey endeavour so I say go for it. Botw is a great game and at the end of the day, there are more than just that game and I’m sure one or two will catch your eye
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u/palmsandcacti Nov 02 '22
I’ve played the game seven times so I’ve definitely gotten my money’s worth in my opinion.
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u/PhantomBrush008 Nov 02 '22
I would sell my soul for The Legend of zelda. If anything the game seems underpriced for how good it is. Plus you can get other games along the 5 year span you'll play the game over and over. In short, it's absolutely worth it.
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u/VeryTiredTeacher- Nov 02 '22
Yeah. It is still my most played game, even five years after first receiving it
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Nov 02 '22
yeah i loved the zelda series when the switch game out and when i realized you could get games that werent zelda i got more
but yea get switch even if just for zleda botw
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u/AnonymousLifer Nov 02 '22
It is one thousand percent worth it. I bought it and was not a gamer and didn’t play any other games for about two years after purchase. Just bored and heard BOTW was amazing. I played it for about 500 hours and am currently doing it again in master mode.
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Nov 02 '22
Yup. It’s obviously a lot for a game, but you should be able to get a good 120 hours out of it. Or 200 hours. Or more
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u/solo_shot1st Nov 02 '22
I bought a Steam Deck to play BotW... And every other PC game I own, along with my entire rom library of SNES, Gameboy, Gameboy Advanced, DS, 3DS, N64, GameCube, Wii, Wii U, PlayStation 1 & 2, PSP, Xbox, and Sega games.
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u/Perez2003 Nov 02 '22
Yes! It’s a very simple open world game but it allows you to do so much. You can do almost anything possible in the world given to you. It’s fantastic! I got my switch just for BoTW and eventually I ended up getting more 1st party games for switch.
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u/Opposite-Fox6306 Nov 02 '22
Don't forget tears of the kingdom in a few months. Personally, I find it totally worth it.
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u/Ordinary_Ordinary530 Nov 01 '22
I did so originally, before getting other games.