'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild' news: more details on exploration and combat mechanics teased in new gameplay demos

A promotional image for "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" Nintendo

Nintendo surprised "Zelda" fans when it released not one, but two new trailers for its upcoming game. "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" trailers highlight the exploration of Link, the main protagonist, and combat scenes, among other features

The new trailers on the company's YouTube channel give the fans another glimpse of the game's open-world environment. The gameplay demos show how Link runs, hang glides, swims, and even snowboards down the slopes of Hyrule. There are also scenes of cooking and firing arrows in slow-motion. A fitting soundtrack also accompanied the latest sneak peek.

Previously, another clip was also released by Nintendo that showcases the diverse weather system that will come with the game. The four-minute long clip ran through from a typical sunny day, which is great in exploring the surrounding area, to a rain-filled weather complete with lightning bolts.

Meanwhile, the company finally lifted the curtain for its highly anticipated gaming device. It was previously rumored to be called the NX, but now, it is officially known as the Nintendo Switch. It is exactly like how it was rumored to be, a handheld system with detachable controllers and a docking station.

In a statement, the company said: "Introducing Nintendo Switch! In addition to providing single and multiplayer thrills at home, the Nintendo Switch system also enables gamers to play the same title wherever, whenever and with whomever they choose. The mobility of a handheld is now added to the power of a home gaming system to enable unprecedented new video game play styles."

The exact technical specification of the new device remains unknown, but NVIDIA has confirmed that it uses one of their Tegra family system-on-chip. The controllers can be attached to the console and can be used like a Wii U. They can also be removed and used separately in each hand similar to a Wii remote. A wireless standalone gamepad, the Switch Pro Controller, will also be available as an accessory. Up to four players can have hours of fun when using two Switch systems.

"The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" is expected to be released on both the new Nintendo Switch and the older Wii U in March 2017. No exact release date has been mentioned so far.

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