How Long is “Zelda: Breath of the Wild”? A Deep Dive into Hyrule’s Length
Zelda: Breath of the Wild offers a sprawling open world adventure; the average main story completion time is around 50 hours, but dedicated completionists can easily spend over 100 hours exploring every nook and cranny.
A World of Immense Scale: Understanding Breath of the Wild‘s Scope
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (often abbreviated as BotW) redefined open-world gaming upon its release. Unlike more linear Zelda titles, Breath of the Wild allows players to tackle the main quest – defeating Calamity Ganon – almost immediately. However, the allure of Hyrule lies in its vast landscapes, intricate dungeons (Shrines), and countless side quests, collectibles, and secrets. This freedom directly impacts how long is “Zelda: Breath of the Wild”.
The Main Quest: A Straight Shot to Calamity Ganon?
While technically possible to rush the main quest, doing so would mean missing out on the core experience. The main quest tasks players with:
- Activating the Sheikah Towers to reveal the map.
- Completing the four Divine Beasts (Vah Ruta, Vah Rudania, Vah Medoh, and Vah Naboris).
- Gathering equipment and upgrading abilities.
- Confronting Calamity Ganon in Hyrule Castle.
Even focusing solely on these objectives can take 40-60 hours for a first-time player, depending on skill and familiarity with the game’s mechanics.
Beyond the Main Quest: Side Quests, Shrines, and Exploration
The true depth of Breath of the Wild lies beyond the main quest. Hyrule is brimming with:
- Shrines: 120 puzzle-filled mini-dungeons. Completing these provides Spirit Orbs, used to increase Link’s health or stamina.
- Side Quests: Numerous NPCs offer quests ranging from simple fetch quests to multi-stage storylines.
- Korok Seeds: 900 hidden Korok Seeds reward players with inventory upgrades. Finding them all is a completionist’s dream (or nightmare!).
- Discoveries: Hidden landmarks, rare enemies, challenging combat encounters, and unique items abound.
These optional activities can easily double or triple your playtime, making how long is “Zelda: Breath of the Wild” vary wildly.
Factors Influencing Playtime
Several factors impact how long is “Zelda: Breath of the Wild”. These include:
- Player Skill: Experienced gamers will naturally progress faster.
- Difficulty: The game does not have selectable difficulty, but self-imposed challenges (e.g., using only specific weapons) can increase playtime.
- Playstyle: Completionists, explorers, and those who enjoy experimenting will spend far more time in Hyrule than those focused solely on the main quest.
- Familiarity: Replaying the game allows you to optimize your route and strategies, significantly shortening completion time.
The following table illustrates typical playtimes for different playstyles:
| Playstyle | Estimated Playtime |
|---|---|
| Main Story Only | 40-60 hours |
| Main Story + Shrines | 80-100 hours |
| Completionist | 100+ hours |
The Allure of the Open World: Why So Many Hours?
Breath of the Wild‘s open-world design is a key factor in its longevity. The game encourages exploration and experimentation, rewarding players with stunning vistas, intriguing encounters, and a sense of discovery. The interconnected systems, such as the physics engine and environmental interactions, create emergent gameplay opportunities that keep players engaged and coming back for more.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours does it take to beat Breath of the Wild without doing any side quests?
Focusing solely on the main quest and skipping all optional activities can take 40-60 hours on average. However, even skipping side quests, you’ll likely encounter some detours and exploration simply due to the game’s open nature.
Is Breath of the Wild longer than other Zelda games?
Generally, yes. Breath of the Wild is significantly longer than most other Zelda titles due to its expansive open world and numerous side activities. While older Zelda games might offer a more linear experience with a concentrated story, BotW prioritizes exploration and player agency, resulting in a vastly longer playtime.
What is the fastest anyone has beaten Breath of the Wild?
Speedrunners have completed Breath of the Wild in under 30 minutes using various glitches and techniques. However, these speedruns are highly optimized and require extensive knowledge of the game’s mechanics and exploits.
Do the Divine Beasts affect the length of the game significantly?
Completing the Divine Beasts is a key component of the main quest and is required to weaken Calamity Ganon. Each Divine Beast typically takes several hours to complete, adding a significant chunk to your overall playtime.
Does the Master Sword affect the gameplay time?
While the Master Sword is a powerful weapon, obtaining it is an optional side quest. Having it makes combat easier, but it doesn’t drastically change the overall length of the game, unless you specifically dedicate time to obtaining it early on.
Is Breath of the Wild‘s story worth playing through even if I skip the side quests?
While the main story provides a narrative framework, the full experience of Breath of the Wild relies heavily on exploration and side quests. Skipping them entirely will result in a shallower understanding of the world and its characters.
How does the Master Mode difficulty impact the playtime?
Master Mode increases the difficulty of enemies and adds floating platforms with stronger foes, making combat more challenging. This can increase your playtime as you’ll likely need to spend more time gathering resources and upgrading your equipment.
Does the Breath of the Wild DLC add to the game length?
Yes, the DLC packs (The Master Trials and The Champions’ Ballad) add several hours of new content, including new challenges, quests, and story elements.
What is the point of finding all 900 Korok Seeds?
Finding Korok Seeds rewards you with inventory upgrades, allowing you to carry more weapons, shields, and bows. However, the reward for finding all 900 is arguably underwhelming – a golden poop. The real reward is the journey and the exploration itself.
Is it possible to 100% Breath of the Wild?
Yes, it is possible to 100% Breath of the Wild, but it’s a massive undertaking that involves completing all quests, finding all Korok Seeds, defeating all bosses, upgrading all armor, and filling the Hyrule Compendium. This can easily take over 200 hours.
Is Tears of the Kingdom longer than Breath of the Wild?
Tears of the Kingdom is generally considered to be longer than Breath of the Wild due to its even larger world, more complex systems, and greater number of quests and activities.
What are some tips to reduce the time it takes to complete Breath of the Wild?
To reduce completion time, focus on the main quest, utilize fast travel, avoid unnecessary combat, prioritize stamina upgrades, and consult online guides for optimal routes and strategies. However, remember that rushing through the game will diminish the overall experience.