Did you know that water slowly dries out after rain in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild? If you didn't, you're not alone. A post over on the social media platform Twitter has reminded fans just how amazing the 2017 release still is - highlighting a unique water effect in the game.
Below is the full tweet (which has generated over 13K Likes at the time of writing), courtesy of the Twitter account @DaysBotw. The image itself was originally shared on the Zelda subreddit about five years ago and showcases how puddles of water form and evaporate over time.
Many players mentioned how they had "never noticed" this even though they had spent hundreds and thousands of hours exploring the game. This sort of attention to detail stretches to all areas of Breath of the Wild. For example, not long ago, we reported on how Link could get sunburned if he ran around shirtless in certain areas of extreme heat.
If this all sounds familiar - yes, we ran a similar story here on Nintendo Life a number of years ago. It seems though that fans continue to rediscover just how great this title is in the lead up to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2, which is currently targeting a 2022 release.
What do you think of this attention to detail in Zelda: Breath of the Wild? Were you aware of this water one? Comment below.
Comments 83
Wow this game is the strongest out of the series, and I can see why. (we still need a Wind Waker remake for switch btw NINTENDO C'MON NO ONE PLAYS WIIU ANYMORE [except the people who do and I respect you 100 or so ppl])
It's great that players keep finding and exposing these cool details so that whenever the sequel comes out I could appreciate these details more.
Wow the amount of detail in this game, heads down towards the developers (small and big)
No i am even more hyped about BTW 2
I can't wait for BOTW 2, so we can keep talking about the crazy stupid detail's they will have all the way up to the next gen.
I love that IGN made this the top game of all time. And with details like this it’s easy to see why. This game deserves all the praise it can get.
Yes, I was already aware of this detail, because you posted almost the exact same article over four years ago: https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/04/realistic_puddles_are_reason_243_that_zelda_breath_of_the_wild_is_awesome
@Fantasia i guess when you have 10,000 articles it's hard to keep track of them all, lol
Game design creativity is not a matter of hardware power or big money marketing. It's all about developers hard work. Take notes Sony.
Yeah, I remember reading about it around the launch of the game. Cool detail for sure.
Then you look at the rain in GTA or Cyberpunk 2077. Sometimes it feels AAA is just rushing and getting ahead of itself.
Well it is only logical to do that when you know that puddles and larger bodies of water are formed when it is raining in the game.
For once I knew a feature in the game that no one knew about or never took notice, feels pretty good ngl.
Breath of the Wild is my favorite open world game because of little details like this. But as a Zelda game it is a bit lacking. The best part of a Zelda game for me are the dungeons and you don't really have those here. The Devine Beasts are fun but way too short and the same is true for the shrines.
But imagine what they can do with BotW 2 now that they have the first game as a baseline and can fully concentrate on the level design!
That's awesome. Love how the game is almost five years old and things are still being discovered.
@countzero i agree. The world is amazing to explore, as is the audio and i liked the cooking element in it but far too often i found myself having to use poor weapons due to better stuff breaking far too quickly. I also didnt like the trade off for divine beasts and small shrines with similar aesthetics vs the classic elemental/themed big dungeons. Also the bosses absolutely sucked. 2 major things that makes a zelda game a zelda game. Thats only my oppinion tho.
And yet I still try every month or so to make myself make some progress in the game but after an hour I'm always bored. Really wish I could get into it but I guess playing Genshin Impact first spoiled me and BoTW just feels so empty in comparison.
I already knew this. But great that more people have found out about this.
No "beached" fishies?
I noticed that right away the first time I experienced rain in-game. I'm more surprised people didn't notice it at all.
@Friendly "10 out of 10, water evaporates" - IGN
@noobish_hat An engine that uses physical and natural logic over pre-programmed solutions is not part of what improves the gameplay? The fact that you can link electrical current by laying a connection of metal items including swords, that fire brings warmth in the cold areas, that the wild actually "breathes" in a game called "breath of the wild",... The world itself is a main character with more and longer lasting "life" to it than most other games have combined.
Maybe not to you, but clearly to a lot of people, and they keep the sales going and breathing life into the game. It's genius, and a VERY important aspect of what makes the game one of the best ever. It also shows how capable the developers are, and how much love they put in it, again raising how much people can get out of it.
@Snow-Dust Same here! Finally an article where I can say "yeah, of course I noticed that".
I mean, I have yet to save Hyrule after owning this game for almost five years, but at least I noticed that puddles dry up. Hardcore gamer over here, yo.
I did know about this - probably read your original article 4-5 years ago - but probably never noticed in-game during my original play-through.
The detailed environment and physics Nintendo programmed into this game really are amazing. It’s only natural they’d want to utilize these assets again in the sequel, now with more flight! I’m excited to try next Xmas (if somehow they can stay on schedule).
Is it safe to say that this is one of, if not the best game engines ever made? It's just little insane details like this that make me appreciate the game more and more. It also makes me super excited for the sequel, to see how they expand on the already insane physics.
@StarPoint One of the reasons BOTW had such hideous delays was that they rebuilt the engine from scratch when it wasn't doing everything they wanted it to. People say they delayed it so it could be a Switch game, and sure, that was probably one of the delays, but the reason it wasn't ready in time to save the Wii U in the first place was the delay from building a whole new engine for better physics.
I'm sure it was annoying as hell for Wii U fans at the time, but safe to say all that work REALLY paid off in the end.
@Kreko so true, this game is still crap anyways 😂😂😂🥱🥱
Ya I remember reading about this on nintendolife a while ago
@countzero
Yeah indeed, by looking at the trailer it looks much darker (majoras mask style) and underground dungeons. So i hope they build upon that more.
The shrines where fun but didnt fill my need for real dungeons. I also want to see that link has more powers that have more to do with the Triforce (like ocarina of time) where Link had Dins Fire, Farores wind and nayrus love.
Wow thats nuts. I just wish the game had more of a story.
As much as I hate this game, you gotta stop to appreciate details like that.
NINJA APPROVED
For Nintendo it's another drop of rain (money) in the bucket of water... 💰 💰 💰
@Fantasia upon reading the headline I was certain they posted this before and here you are with the source. Good job!
Also yeah I noticed this on my first playthrough already.
@noobish_hat you must be really fun at parties.
Drop 1 appel 1 bananna, 1 grain 1 karrot and one eyeball. After that drop nearby wood and set in on fire wait 10 days , run 10 circels around the fire and after that wistle 10 times in total.
you will see a glowing tree, cut it down it will give 10 senzu beans, eat those it will make you immortal for 1u.
When you tried first steps let me know 😂😂😂
Yes. I remember this.
I knew about this when the game first released.
It's nice though, seeing all these new people experiencing it.
Twilight Princess did the same thing!
2000 hours. Geez i don't think that's necessary unless they replayed it which i hope is the reason.
@Spider-Kev ok that i didn't know. Where was it in the game because I replayed that game many times and l haven't seen it.
That miiverse guy would be proud
Very cool and can’t wait for the next go around. I like botw, but I really would like a return to the dungeons in Zelda. I like most all things Zelda but my favorites include dungeons and the key items you get in each area.
I knew about it because I would use it to farm guardian parts at fort hateno. If you use cryonis on these small water puddles formed under guardians they flip over and drop goodies. Good for getting a ton of materials for ancient gear quickly.
Removed - disrespecting others
@DK-Fan Check my comment and try again. If anyone is being toxic here, you sure fit the bill. I actually stopped to give it a positive nod, despite my dislike for the game. Thanks for lumping me into the anonymous group of Nintendo fans. News flash: I’m not a Nintendo fan. I enjoy the Switch, I like the old Mario games and such, but I’m not part of some strange group-think.
@Shambo well, details like this actually influence the gameplay. With fire, updraft, electricity, freezing mechanics, etc. It impacts your strategy and your experience, especially when there are tons of details layered on top of each other.
This game man...
Im so exited about BOTW 2, and maybe this time they can put some enemies to fight…
@DK-Fan the best zelda game of all time? Nah, I still prefer A Link to the Past, thank you.
I loved BOTW, but I dont think it as the best zelda ever. 🤷🏻♂️
@BloodNinja hated? Really? It has many flaws, but I though it was a very, very enjoyable game.
Maybe you where expecting too much, it was very hyped.
Good game but once you do all the shrines it is hard to go back to. It is the opposite of ocarina. I play that five times a year and still have fun.
@Spyyd thanks! I just played my Wii U yesterday in fact (where else am I supposed to play Metroid Fusion on the big screen?)
@Zequio I wasn’t expecting anything. What happened is that playing hours of Skyrim on PC fulfilled anything this game could have done for me. I mean, I had already been on Skyrim for 6 years, Oblivion for a number of years before that, and Morrowind for a few years before Oblivion. So by the time BOTW came out, I think I had played open world RPGs for about 12 years! I really wasn’t expecting much out of it, but I did catch the reveal to see if it innovated open worlds or not.
So when I saw the reveal, watched gameplay, and saw how basically annoying it looked with the constant text pop ups and weird Nintendo quirks, I knew it wasn’t for me and have never been interested. I’m not a fan of Nintendo’s weird, post-Ocarina of Time quirkiness.
@Yodalovesu Yep there are still a good collection of games on WiiU. And in two years every one of them will be ported to Switch. Not complaining or anything, it's just that the WiiU and Switch both have almost exactly the same hardware, and it's like porting a pc game to ps4 or something. It's basically the same thing. We still don't have an original Mario Kart, 2D Mario, or Mii game for Switch, and I think those would be nice to have. But I'm just ranting on, so sorry for that ^^;;
@BloodNinja fair enough, but still, “hate” sounds kind of exagerated for a game you are not interested.
I did not know. I love this game.
@Kreko I think the main problem with the unnecessary hate the game is getting here is that this is very clearly a Breath of the Wild article. If you dislike the game so much, why even click on it? And once you have clicked on it, why even bother commenting?
@Zequio I'm not exaggerating how I feel about the game. Thanks for asking. Need anything else?
@Kreko It is in no way a crime, but in an article clearly aimed at fans of the game who might like a cool little detail found there, negative comments are a bit out of place. If this was a article about whether or not breath of the wild is a good game then negative comments and light debate would be both accepted and appreciated in the circumstances.
@BloodNinja my little brother “hated” carrots with out trying them… such a whinner, but then he grew up. Surely your case is totally different
BOTW is the gift that keeps on giving. I picked it back up again after a year or two...my god there are still so many things I'm discovering.
@noobish_hat I don't think you understand the difference between pre-programmed (which of course everything is, in a way, if they program metal to pass on electricity) and 'natural'. I also don't see why you're getting upset that people enjoy being surprised, and that maybe, but probably not, the developers thought about every possible outcome of everything.
Let's also be glad not everything catches fire instantly. Have you ever tried to make fire? Even with the most raging flame you can't make a house of wood instantly catch fire. Luckily, because I live in a house entirely build out of wood, in 'the woods', and my heating is a wood stove. Wood needs to be kept dry for years, and even then you need heat, oxygen flow, smoke channeling, and a constant flame, not just a flaming arrow.
Enjoy the harmless little things, and let others do so as well.
As with Snowrunner, the world just reacts in pre-programmed 'natural' ways to unpredictable player input. It makes it feel natural and alive, it is indeed pre-programmed in a way, but it IS unpredictable and a reaction, not 'have item, be at location, and press button when prompted to interact, now watch animation'. That's the difference between 'natural' and 'pre-programmed'. Between getting emotional when someone dies and when something 'clicks', or quick time events and robotic solutions - which have their own time and place in other games. Were you around when the early 'physics engines' were introduced? When Half Life 2 showed of its see saw weight puzzles? When the environment changed shape after blowing up walls in Red Faction? None of that would have been the same with 'collect five bricks and press interact' or 'press interact to place explosives in specific spot'.
Yes, I did know that.
@noobish_hat Valid points, and I see how the example of chopping down poles and tree fortresses is disappointing but both an understandable logical approach AND limitation in gameplay (it would have been nice, but chopping down a tree takes a lot of time and makes a lot of noise. Too much for its use in game to remain quick and easy, and too much for it to be a sneaky way to level a guard tower or whatever). I've cut down dead trees in my forest (never living ones), with an axe, and it's a day's work and noisy and tiring. I've cut down hunting towers as well, couldn't do that unnoticed or quick enough when a hunter was inside them. So it makes sense that they had to make it less logical there, or not apply the same level of logic everywhere more likely.
I'd say if someone does praise the game for being more than they expected, their points aren't less valid, they just had different expectations, and their joy should not make you bitter. Be happy that they enjoy something so harmless. Or not, I can't tell you what to do or be or feel like, only my perspective, and why I do, am, or feel some way. You feeling bitter is your 'thing', I just think that something as easy as sharing my different perspective could help. You don't have to like the game or even lower your expectations, but you might feel less bad about it this way. Just like you said the developers should do, you too can put your energy in something that matters and improves your quality of life.
Of course, all meant in a good way, and I sincerely wish you a good day.
@Spyyd To be honest, I’m the Switch biggest fan, but I’m always gonna play those games on the Wii U for the gamepad features. I recently replayed both WW and TP, and you have no idea how boring it is to open the menu every 2 seconds. Botw would also be a Wii U only if they didn’t remove these features later on.
@Johnion what a world we live in that our ability to enjoy a game depends on a failed console with a bulky gamepad.
I enjoyed tp on Wii with terrible controls. It was better on Wii U. And I am looking forward to playing it at work on my lunch break in my switch someday, even if I have to hit a button to open a menu.
Just the fact I can play botw on the go make it better then the Wii U even if it kept all the features they axed.
@Zequio If you're just here to shame me because I don't like your favorite thing, you can buzz off.
This isn't like eating carrots; something that contains vitamins and nutrients for the body. It's a video game; a piece of entertainment that nobody needs. Trying it does nothing for my life, sort of like this conversation.
Can you be done, please? I'm getting close to opening moderation against you, but I at least want to give you the courtesy of attempting to leave me alone before I do.
@Donutman What a world we live in when you need to buy a game a second time at full price to play at work to enjoy it?
Removed - flaming/arguing
Best game ever.
@Johnion I will willingly pay full price, for a third time, to have twilight princess on my switch, so I can enjoy it while on lunch breaks just as I have with my switch since launch. Putting some time into Witcher 3 right now. It’s nice to not be tied to a console hooked to a tv at home. And my Wii U is still there waiting for those occasional gaming sessions, that are getting further between since, well, since switch continues getting games.
@Donutman then you should refrain from judging people playing on Wii U, ‘cause it’s much weirder to play games on your lunch break than it is enjoying this system
@Johnion That sounds like something that someone who doesn't have a grueling job would say. I'm not gonna say that statement applies to you, though.
But having your favorite game with you on the go, where you can play it even a little bit at the time to progress through it when you don't have the luxury of time to play in front of a big screen, is absolutely nothing to mock and makes no sense to me. That's literally one of the core tenants of the Switch design: a console you can take on the go
Going on topic though, I did not know this BotW detail! It's neat, doesnt really change my overall perception of the game, but the details are cool nonetheless
@Johnion I know, using a hybrid system meant to be played anywhere, is weird. I forget that I am talking to a bunch of kids sometimes. Some people have lives that do not let them play 8 hours a day, suiting home in front of a tv and have more to worry about then if I can enjoy a game on a particular system. Some, like me, have been gaming for near 40 years and it’s great that I can still fit it into my life because of systems like switch, and even Wii U. Stopped plenty of arguments with the wife about me playing ps3 on the tv when I could use my Wii U.
@UsurperKing:
If you had a grueling job, you'd be better off resting than playing a game.
There are a couple of lookout outposts that are able to be chopped down.
They are the tall single ones with a ladder.
@Mr_Persona
I'm in the middle of packing for moving, if you message me, I can tell you aftery WiiU/Wii/GameCube gets unpacked.
@Spider-Kev okay
@UsurperKing I absolutely agree with you, Switch is wonderful. I was just trying to show him his vision is subjective and I’m allowed to enjoy the gamepad features, something he doesn’t like, as much as he’s allowed to like taking his Switch at work.
I’m a big fan of the quality of life the gamepad adds to a game like Wind Waker. To me, that’s worth more than being able to take the game anywhere.
@Johnion Ah, fair play then. My bad for misunderstanding. I do agree that the gamepad made Wind Waker so much more enjoyable for me as well
@Kidfunkadelic83 I'm not trying to be annoying or offensive and I know that I'm talking about a glitch, but have you heard of durability transfer?
https://youtu.be/K6scWwZmMSU
(Not my video, but I watched it through and it's pretty good!)
@cym1 i didnt know about this, no. Its actually pretty cool. Thanks.
Yes, how can you not notice this if you spend hundreds of hours playing it? I guess the same way i didn't know about the sunburn mechanic...? I paid close attention to many things in this game, & it's what made me fall in love with it early on, to overtake twilight princess as my favorite Zelda game (Zelda is my favorite gaming franchise, FWIW). I'm glad others are finally noticing things like this. The 1 thing i wish was possible is to turn off the weapon degradation, even if only after finishing it, because it would attract many other players (that's the biggest complaint that people i know who didn't like it or finish it had). It didn't bother me, but i know lots of ppl who wouldn't play through it for that reason.
@Donutman i enjoyed TP on GameCube with amazing controls. Never owned a Wii U & as long as they bring the best games to switch, I will never regret it.
Um yep, I knew it days after the game was released, an example of amazing attention to detail (!)
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