Zelda Switch vs PC Comparison Shows Which Is the Definitive Experience

Just how much better does Zelda: Breath of the Wild look on PC (via CemU) than Nintendo Switch? This comparison is eye-opening.

[ccgr]

Looks different but good on PC

[Mr Pumblechook]

Besides having a resolution bump does Cemu actually mean you can run the game WELL so it is playable?

[Cobra951]

Everything I've been reading indicates that the game is fully playable now, at decent frame rates with a midrange game PC (or better).

[Razzer]

“make sure you also pick up a legitimate copy of Breath of the Wild so you don’t make Nintendo sad.”

seriously? Pirates don’t care.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

The opinions of pirates don't MATTER either, so there's that.

[EddieNX]

Get this trash off of this site.

[Razzer]

I agree.

[MVGeneral]

I disagree. Nintendo made a crap system that they put absolutely no technology into. Made it easy to emulate and so their suffering for taking the cheap way out. Also majority of pcs can handle this. Nintendo needs to get their act together.

[Razzer]

Your opinion of Switch doesn't matter. This is all about piracy and pirates are just scum thieves. Make believe whatever you want but that is just the truth.

[Big_Game_Hunters]

@MV general
1. This only applies to botW since switch doesn't have an emulator yet.
2. Any comp cannot run this. You need a high end gaming PC for this at settings that justify emulating it.
3.i own BOTW on both wiiu and switch but mainly play it on PC now. however, I don't advocate for emulation articles on this site because 90% of people using emulators are using it to pirate games.

Imagine seeing an article titled" PC is the definitive place to play Persona 5" Sure it's true. but it's basically advertising piracy.

[NohansenBoy]

Pirates who don't reward devs aren't too kind, I agree, but you have nothing to base piracy being a legitimate problem off of. I think that it's rather likely terrible devs blame poor sales on piracy, because they don't want to admit their game is garbage sometimes.

[NohansenBoy]

"No, he is making piracy sound like shoplifting or burglary. It is called a theft. Which is exactly what This about."

Even though emulators allow this, since both you and Eddie haven't provided any proof that piracy enabling solutions actually hurt the industry you're both just operating off of pure baseless emotions. I don't care how you two FEEL as far as emulators go, give me actual facts about piracy crippling or harming the industry in a great way or go cry wolf somewhere else.

Once again from what I said below "Cuphead and A Hat in Time, two games that released recently on PC has sold over 600k copies and 56k copies respectively on Steam and neither has DRM protections. It's almost like people will buy a game if it's good or some crazy thought like that, but I'm sure such an idea is absolute madness to you. A good game selling well." so please don't start a witch hunt just, because you feel you should.

[Razzer]

http://gearnuke.com/video-g...

@nohansenboy

Dude....stop yapping about emotions. I don’t give a shit about what you feel either. Are we clear on that? Ok...good.

Piracy hurts the gaming industry. That is basic common sense. Link above demonstrates. You can turn that around whatever way you want to rationalize criminal behavior, but it is still criminal. The fact there are honest people in the world that actually paid for cuphead and other DRM-free games is NOT an excuse for the low-life idiots who steal. What kind of silly reasoning is that?

You yourself even rationalized that there is harm “if you bought the game”. You know damn well that the vast majority of people playing games on emulators did no such thing. Stop kidding yourself.

[NohansenBoy]

You two are the only ones being emotional here. I'm just going to end this by saying you two are still only being all talk and not giving me any proof. An opinion based article isn't proof. Please stop using scare tactics to get people to think lie you.

[Razzer]

You are delusional. It was an article based on a report made. It is NOT an editorial. You are talking shit.

[SegaGamer]

Why, what's wrong with it ? It's just a comparison video.

[bluefox755]

Eddie REALLY loves Nintendo, and he gets his jimmies rustled at the the idea of people enjoying the game without buying Nintendo hardware. He must own stock or something.

[EddieNX]

1. How does the fake emulated version of Uncharted 4 Compare to the real thing?

2.How does the fake emulated version of Quantum break Compare to the real thing.

3. How does the fake emulated version of BOTW Compare to the real version?

Well how they compare is that most of us bought the real version with out hard earned money, and other people downloaded a fake version.

N4G = Real Game website, not fake.

We don't want to to read about how we can emulate software.

[bluefox755]

@Eddie They're not "fake", they play exactly the same as the original games once the bugs get ironed out. Actually they play a lot better. Who wouldn't want to play Zelda at a higher resolution and 60fps instead of 30?
Also, as far as your "We don't want to to read about how we can emulate software."
You don't speak for everyone. I want to hear about it, I find it interesting.

[choujij]

@EddieNX

Sorry dude, this isn't fake. It's the real thing, running on different hardware. I'm a huge Nintendo fan, and have been since my NES days. You need to come to terms with a couple of things:

1) Emulation has made this game playable with better visuals on different hardware.
2) Emulation being a double edged sword can be used by both those who have and have not purchased a copy of this game. But I certainly wouldn't criticize those who have bought a copy of the game (and thus supported it) and chose to play it on PC instead.

"N4G = Real Game website, not fake. "

Tell me how you like this example:
N4G brings you the news from other websites.
Emulation brings you the games from other platforms. :D

[jmc8888]

@EddieNX
Emulated Quantum Break?

You don't even know there is a PC version?

[Deep-throat]

Emulators trigger Nintendo fans!

[EddieNX]

Well I paid for my version on my Switch, which is £330 of legitimate experience. But please, let's discuss the cracked Wiiu emulated version you guys have.

It's OK though cus your PC is uber powerful. What other fake software do u have? Please let us know. Fake OS, fake firewall, Deep Web drugs and porn. I'm sure N4G is the perfect place to talk about it whilst most of us are here to talk about REAL stuff.

If there was an article about how a fake PC emulated version of GT sport or Uncharted 4 looks on a fake PC version what would you say?

I thought this website was about legitimate, native content, not pirated garbage with loads of bugs.

The integrity of this website is at stake hear. I don't see a section for pirated emulations. It's Insulting. It's like me saying 'I payed for my real clothes' and you saying 'I'm wearing fake, counterfeit clothes' gtfo

[EddieNX]

This article basically says

Which version is better? The real, authentic version you payed for or the fake emulated PC version?

[SegaGamer]

@Eddie
"We don't want to to read about how we can emulate software"

Don't speak for everyone, it just makes you look more like a fool. I actually like emulation, love it in fact, it's given past games new life.

"The integrity of this website is at stake here"

Thanks to rabid fanboy's like you, this website lost any integrity it had years ago. You're quite possibly the worst fanboy on this site. Never have i seen anyone so ultra defensive about a company before. I bet if any reviewer gave a Mario, Pokemon, Zelda or Metroid game a 6 out of 10 you would lose your mind. Get a grip for goodness sake.

[NohansenBoy]

Jesus dude, you're going way off the rails with your comparisons. You're making it sound like emulating video games is like murdering someones family in front of them.

[EddieNX]

So if articles start frequently popping up about emulated PS4 or XB1 games that's fine isn't it? No, the integrity of everything is at stake. Whilst we're at it, let's just make all sorts of articles about FAKE software.

I come to this site for REAL video game news. I don't care what fake stuff people are playing.

If you have an emulated version of GT Sport or Forza 7. Good for you, go discuss it on a dodgey message board

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

It's the other way around; people on this site don't take it seriously at all.
But then again, this is basically a Sony fanboy site and the emulation issues are really only being focused on with Nintendo games, so of course most of them here won't care/will defend the emulation.

But watch what they'll say the moment someone starts emulating/pirating PS4 games.
You won't be able to tell the difference between many of them and Eddie at that point, I guarantee it.

[Razzer]

“You're making it sound like emulating video games is like murdering someones family in front of them.”

No, he is making piracy sound like shoplifting or burglary. It is called a theft. Which is exactly what This about.

[jmc8888]

Most PS4 and XB1 games are on PC already.

Hell most of Switch's games are too, especially the indies.

Emulated Forza 7? Again you don't realize there is already a PC version.

Piracy is illegal and immoral, but it doesn't even compare to shoplifting or burglary. In those crimes you are taking something away and depriving the owner of whatever is shoplifted or burglarized. With pirated games, you are making a copy.

[Cobra951]

"he is making piracy sound like shoplifting or burglary. It is called a theft. Which is exactly what This about."

Razzer, no. It's not like shoplifting or burglary. No one is breaking into someone else's home, locker or car, and taking things away from them that they'll never get back. Piracy is copying. Theft is now you have it, and the owner doesn't have it anymore. Huge frigging difference, like speeding vs wrecking into a school bus.

[Razzer]

Cobra, no it is no different. Did the developer receive the money for the game? Nope. So yes, it is exactly like shoplifting or theft. Delude yourself if you want.

[NohansenBoy]

You're not very well educated on this. Even your moral high ground can be questioned through one point. If you bought the game, then who cares? Emulation allows for open ended options for playing console games on PC. If you're worried about piracy then why not go on a crusade for PC and mobile then? Two of the easiest gaming markets to pirate stuff on. It would be pointless if you did since the former has been flourishing for decades, even during the idiotic and pointless "don't copy that floppy" campaign and by god the latter had gained so much traction in revenue in such a short period of time it isn't even funny.

Cuphead and A Hat in Time, two games that released recently on PC has sold over 600k copies and 56k copies respectively on Steam and neither has DRM protections. It's almost like people will buy a game if it's good or some crazy thought like that, but I'm sure such an idea is absolute madness to you. A good game selling well.

Your concerns are meaningless and you have nothing to base anything you said on. Everything you said is purely driven by emotion with no actual logic or reason to back it up. You sound like a corporate tool. I just don't like it when people like you are either disingenuous or horribly misinformed and try to rally others to your silly ideas.

[generic-user-name]

Eddie with the mental breakdown over here.

[deadfrag]

How much will cost to buil a PC that can run the game at those setting,thats the question!

[SegaGamer]

This person's pc specs are
i7 7700k @4.6Ghz
16gb DDR4 3000Mhz RAM
GTX980ti 6gb
256gb M.2 SSD

So it would cost a fair bit to pay for the parts. But at the same time those specs aren't the requirement, you can go much lower than that. I read the comments in the video and he was saying he could play the game at the same settings on his €400 PC (i7 2600k, 8gbs of RAM , GTX 680)

[bluefox755]

Video card doesn't matter, emulators run off the CPU, you don't need 16gb ram either, or an SSD. That is a high end CPU, but you don't need one nearly that powerful.

[WheatBread]

$400-$500

[septemberindecember]

The definitive experience is however you’d like to play it. Personally, I like being able to take it to work with me, but I can see the appeal of the higher frame rate and clearer visuals.

[higgins78]

The colours via PC emulation look horribly oversaturated. So, what we have in 6 months time (roughly) may be an example of a game the Switch will have been running for near a year at that point...great. Emulation is interesting and an enjoyable (for some) side hobby, I myself enjoy dabbling in it, but original hardware/software is 99.9% better.

[dantesparda]

While the colors on the Switch look horribly washed out, I'll take the colors of the PC anyday. The sh't looks practically grey on the Swicth. And how is the original hardware anywhere near better when its 4K 60fps with much higher details on the PC? Some of you people are so delusional its not even funny.

[higgins78]

Emulation never trumps original hardware/software, that's a basic fact. Also, that rubbish you spouted regarding the Switch version looking grey...garbage! I think you've an awful cheap TV should this be the case, not that I believe for one second you even own or have played said system/game, just bleating from a position of ignorance.

[cartoonx1]

that's the thing, u have choice of playing without saturated colors or tweak to ur liking on PC with 4k resolution rendering, while u dont have much choice on how game look on switch.
this comparison is very specifically done with clarity pack which is not required atall and u can play without it.
in this case it's actualy better on pc and runs at far better frames too.

[justforthecomment]

Why are the colours all washed out on your Switch, I get great colour on mine?
The other version looks like a PS2 game. Luckily Nintendo choose an art style which looks amazing and is able to run on it's moderately powered hardware.

[dantesparda]

Because thats how the system pumps out its colors from its framwe buffers to his capture device. While your tv is supersaturating the colors.

[michellelynn0976]

Looks like the bot is at it again.

[michellelynn0976]

Well, of course the pc is gonna look better. It doesn't matter to me though. I like Nintendo and people like you need to get over yourself. Also good job blocking me. Can't take the truth huh?

[justforthecomment]

Does "how the system pumps out its colors from its framwe buffers to his capture device" apply to both PC and Switch videos?

Do companies like Nintendo know that my TV is 'supersaturating' the colour outputted from their console, and do you think they are dependent on that to provide the image they aim for?

[shauzy]

60fps, im sold

[DarXyde]

"PC version" looks good, but I don't condone piracy. Is it possible that people actually own the game? Sure, but bloody unlikely when we consider that the PC community does have a subculture of piracy; if it didn't, there wouldn't be so much investment in cracking anti-piracy software like Denuvo.

There's an expression: "don't feed the artists. Pay them and they can feed themselves." If you want to play a company's games, support them with a meaningful currency that will encourage them to continue and make the next masterpiece better or of comparable quality: money.

If you own the game and check this out, I have no issues with you. But if you're just pirating, you've got a pretty reprehensible outlook.

[jmc8888]

Every video game device has a subculture of piracy. Every console/handheld is attempted to be cracked.

Hell remember when Nintendo called Tengen games on the NES illegal and basically pirated because they worked around Nintendo's platform and sold games that were not 'authorized' to use on the NES and didn't pay Nintendo the per game fee?

Not just that, but remember the chips you used to be able to buy and put in your consoles? Yeah, all that was around before the internet.

Piracy is everywhere. Movie piracy didn't start with the internet. Hell the companies tried to sue Sony for VCR's... and lost.

People pirate stuff on their smartphones as well.

[DarXyde]

While that is true, it's particularly annoying in the case of Nintendo games. It's frustrating that people say things like they don't buy Nintendo consoles because they're burned out of Mario, Zelda, Metroid, etc., and here's an instance of one of those games they get burned out of. Like I said, I can't really take issue with people who own the game and hardware legally. My Wii U is soft-modded to run Smash mods, but it still requires the hardware and software.

That aside, I wasn't really talking about the internet here. I just frown upon this sort of thing. Back then, with mod chips, you had to buy them (profit at the expense of others). Now, it seems legal since the providers aren't making money on it, BUT you are very much allowed to donate to them. In your opinion, do you think they would continue building emulation software if they received absolutely no donations for their work? Personally, I doubt that, and sadly, it's a matter of being able to prove as much. You can't prove that the donations being made have anything to do with building emulation software, and to me that's pretty sad.

All I'm saying is, if you really enjoy something, do your best to support it. Games are only getting more expensive to produce.

[Enjoigamin]

Switch because you can play it wherever? But I guess if you have a laptop you could too....but switch for sure in my opinion.

[cartoonx1]

that doesnt apply to everyone, i got a pretty poowerfull laptop and i hate playing games on that smal 15 inch screen. just coz something portable doesnt make thm good. i enjoy playing while my laptop plugged to big screen.
zelda at least is not the game to be played on small screen let alone switch's tiny screen.

[jmc8888]

Not everyone cares about portability. You give up something to gain that. Not to mention it costs more for what you get.

[TheKing1397]

Ｄｅｆｉｎｉｔｉｖｅ　Ｅｘｐｅｒｉｅｎｃｅ

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[Captain_Tom]

LOL that was quick, and it is no coincidence that this much work was once again put into making a Nintendo emulator.

The fact is that most gamers don't want to pay ludicrous prices for Nintendo's continually underpowered and overpriced consoles that have awful network support. As such, there are a lot of hobbyist programmers that do still want to play the handful of Nintendo games from every decade at reasonable resolutions who simply put in the effort to bring them to a decent platform.

Wonder if Nintendo will ever take notice...

[XxINFERNUSxX]

I have the ROM just lazy to set it all up :D Just look how awesome Zelda looks on the PC, too bad Nintendo would never make something like this for the PC, so much potential... oh well.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

The Switch/Wii U version, obviously, unless you're just a blatant graphics whore and pirate, because a PC version does not exist outside of pirated software data.
"B-b-but I'm using the actual game disk on the PC!"
Then you're using the Wii U version, champ, albeit on the wrong hardware after having cracked shit so that it runs there when it's not supposed to.
Not a PC version.

If you're using a "PC version", then you're pirating that s***, and you ARE a piece of s***.

Respectable gamers don't use graphical wants as an excuse to pirate games.
That's the bottom like, and **** anyone who makes fun of morals as an excuse.

[zb1ftw777]

There is no difference except the emulated version has colour turned up and brightness turned down.

Honestly look at the video, it literally is deeper colour, and brightness down.

No other differences.

I can get the same effect by turning the colour up and brightness down on my TV in docked mode.

[KingTrash]

The fact is...if we don't pay for AAA games then AAA games won't be possible. How is it hard to understand?!!?

[Yohshida]

PC looks way better, Switch always looked kind of foggy/washed out to me. Plus the solid 60fps makes it the way better version for sure

[Einhander1971]

Don't care for PC can't play portable that's the whole experience with switch, best of both worlds. And what donut says laptops exist, most try and slam the switch saying it's not that portable, what I am I going to do stick my laptop in my pocket. Switch is fantastic these PC emulations you can keep thanks.

[BioDead]

That PC version didn't have that console—feel. Image was more clear and sharp but it looked like a PC game right away.

[Sirk7x]

As gamers, I think we should be supporting the industry we care about. When piracy runs too rampant, studios suffer. I honestly have no problem with emulation of games from generations back, where there's very little profit to be made by a company, seeing all physical copies have been produced years back. Stealing games that have been out for less than a year though, or in a current gen, leaves a poor taste in my mouth.

[TardcoreGamer]

Well it is the WiiU version being emulated. There are no current gen emulators in existence that I know of.

[Sirk7x]

This is true, but the game mentioned is not even 8 months old yet, and available on the Switch as well.

[Many-hat5]

Doesn't seem to increase the definition to me, and I have no axe to grind 'cause I don't have a switch. Then again, I'm watching at 1080, so maybe at 4K. Even then though, you wouldn't create greater definition from textures that can't provide greater definition. It does seem a little less 'blurry', but that could just be the contrast, which to me, seems to be the biggest difference anyway. It's good that they can emulate switch already, but the ethics around this are a little grey. Again, morality and legality are very different animals.

[Tzuno]

Such potential wasted on a retarded handheld.

[jonivtec]

I really want to see what they will do with their next zelda....Dont forget this one was a port from the wii U...pretty sure they can get more out of the switch next time....Im not complaining on the switch version btw ...it does look great!

[Smokingunz]

Looks good, really good. Anybody know the name of that song?

[StormLegend]

Looks amazing on PC

[XStation4pio_Pro]

The pc one looks better but it’s just adding color corrections more than anything else (curves, levels, saturation etc). The textures and geometry don’t seem to be any better. Maybe there are some better lighting scenarios on cemU. Wish the switch was more powerful. Even with the base PS4 or xb1 power could have doubled the fidelity making it a real looker like HZD or even Ori

[wheresmymonkey]

I'm not entirely sure what the point of this is.. A PC with far superior stats is capable of better graphical fidelity than a beefy tablet with a tegra chip... really, wow! Mind blown guys.
Is it that direct capture from a PC produces much better results than through a capture card on the Switch.
or is the point that who ever owns that particualr switch really needs adjust some display settings. because it looks like they need to turn the contrast up and the brightness down a tad.

But then, saying that a half decent PC will render a game better than any console version, is not eye opening, It's not controversial , its just fact.

You could make these puthy videos all day and the results would be the same. Look at sodding destiny 2 it can do 4k,60 with a all the lighting and physics bells and whistles on a PC you could ever want. the console versions can't.

[link2Dpast]

It's Pc, your spending 700$ plus just for a good CPU, no sh!t it's gonna look impressive.

[Psychotica]

$700 for a CPU?? What CPU are you buying? You must mean GPU.. and you don't need to spend that much either

[lellkay]

Sooooooooo much butt-hurt here.

[3-4-5]

Whatever, like maybe 1,000 people will play it online compared to the millions who play it on a Switch.

This is such a try hard article wanting everyone else to feel how they do about something.

Can't believe some of you actually fall for this stuff. smarten up.

[LoveSpuds]

The game looks incredible and I prefer to support Nintendo and pay for the game when I get my Switch in a few months time (I want to wait for a slightly bigger library before I buy).

[Commandacrunch25]

I would say the barrier to entry keeps PC from being definitive. I don't see many people caring enough about Wii U emulation to go through the effort of getting a high end PC if they didn't already have one, making sure they have a disc drive capable of ripping Wii U games, going through the process of ripping the game, installing whatever texture packs and mods you want, and then finally running the game.
For hardcore enthusiasts it's probably worth it because obviously the potential for greater visuals is much higher on stronger hardware for literally any game not just Breath of the Wild. I don't the time to get it up and running is worth it for how minor the improvement seems to be right now. When the improvement is comparable to Gamecube and Wii games running in Dolphin in HD then I'll take notice and put in the effort. Until then I don't see any reason not to just pop it in the Switch and play.

[mad-dog]

A bit too dark on PC but looks much better overaal.
The Switch is a shit home console. But it looks amazing for a handheld.

[clouds5]

Honestly I prefer the switch visuals. Removing the filters does make it look more cartoony and bland... But I would love a higher resolution/framerate version, of course.

[ChristopherJack]

One thing piracy is good for is showing dissatisfaction with the provider, of course, the actual reasons don't always translate well. Not that I'm justifying it, just saying that it's something providers should learn from.

[phoenixwing]

graphics wise it is no contest. the pc wins out. The only problem would be the controller but i'm sure there may be some work around i don't know about. However finding all the required files and executing them correctly without getting a virus has always been a reason i stay away from emulating anything complicated.

[CertifiedGamer]

Definite edition is the Switch because you have access to the dlc and everything. It is authentic but emulator are not illegal and not all gamers who emulate boot leg games.