Breath of the Wild: first DLC detailed

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (review diary) is a meaty adventure of note, but Nintendo already confirmed that it was getting downloadable content (DLC). Now, the company has peeled the curtain back on the first DLC pack…

DLC Pack 1, scheduled to arrive “this summer”, adds quite a bit to the base game, starting with a wave-based mode of sorts.

“When you get to a certain sacred location, you can take on the new ‘Trial of the Sword’ challenge. Face an onslaught of enemies, one wave after another. Link starts the challenge without any equipment or weapons. When all the enemies in a room are defeated, Link proceeds to the next. Clear all the trials (about 45 rooms in total), and the true power of the Master Sword will be awakened, and it will always be in its glowing powered-up state while usable,” Nintendo explained on its website.

The second big feature relates to the map, showing gamers the path they’ve taken in the past 200 hours of gameplay. So those on the hunt for shrines and other items can get a better idea of spots they’ve missed. Speaking of map-related shenanigans, we’ve also got a travel medallion item, allowing you to register your location as a fast-travel spot.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has a lot to offer, but DLC Pack 1 delivers a lot more

In the gameplay department, we’ve also got a hard mode, featuring enemies that gradually regain health.

“All enemies are also powered up by one level. For example, Red Bokoblins in Normal mode are now Blue Bokoblins. Enemies can also have higher maximum levels than they would in Normal mode. Look up, and you may also find enemies and treasure chests in the sky!”

As for clothing, we’ve got eight treasure chests to find in Hyrule, containing clothing from previous games in the franchise (including Tingle’s clothes and Midna’s helmet). Another bit of clothing, dubbed the Korok Mask, alerts you to nearby Korok locations.

The expansion pass is available for R260 on the Nintendo eShop, granting you access to this DLC and DLC pack number two.