Zelda’s Ballad Is An Impressive Return To The Wilds Era

The Legend of Zelda has been through so many eras as a franchise that it really is difficult to pick one out that really stands above the rest. That said, the Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom run has undoubtedly been a major high, and it’s set the stage for whatever Nintendo decides to do next with the beloved series.

In the meantime, they are always there to return to as a bit of a warm embrace, and mods have advanced that cause even further. Though those fan-made downloads are usually aimed at those emulating the game via PC, the market for Switch mods has been growing, and there’s one download in particular that’s drawing a lot of attention right now.

Step Into Zelda’s Boots For This Adventure

Over on Game Banana, you should be able to find the download page for Zelda’s Ballad, which allows players to step into the shoes of the titular Princess for their next adventure in Breath of the Wild. Bundled in with that original download is the Girly Animation Pack v6.3 and Dialogue and Cutscene-Audio Adjustments v2.0, offering a nice little overhaul of some key features of the game.

Playing as a different character in the game isn’t really anything more than a bit of fun, but the dialogue, animation, and cutscene changes are a lot more tangible, and should make a difference to how it all feels to play.

Previously only available for the unofficial PC port of the game, it has now been brought over the Switch in what is actually a genuinely impressive technical achievement. As you therefore might expect, it’s a lot more tricky to set up than the usual approach you’d take on other platforms, as the Switch is generally less accommodating, but it’s all relatively doable if you follow the instructions on the download page closely.

As is often the case with downloads like this, it’s also entirely free, so there really is no risk to giving it a go the next time you fancy a little open-world Zelda.

Breath Of The Wild Modders Are Incredible

Breath of the Wild’s modders continue to give the game longevity far beyond what it would otherwise have, and they do it all for free in a world where that’s so rarely the case. It also gives us plenty to do while we wait for more announcements around the 40th anniversary of the franchise, so let’s just hope those don’t disappoint whenever they arrive.

Released

March 3, 2017

ESRB

E for Everyone: Fantasy Violence, Use of Alcohol, Mild Suggestive Themes

Developer(s)

Nintendo EPD

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Engine

Havok

Cross-Platform Play

no

Cross Save

no

Steam Deck Compatibility

yes