The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has received several updates since its release, with the major ones being:
As for "top" piece, it could refer to a piece of armor or equipment. The game features numerous items and armor sets that Link can collect and use. One notable piece is the "Top" from various armor sets, like the "Zelda's Robes" or the "Brave's Uniform."
If you are referring to a specific piece of gear or an update that added new content, here are a few possibilities:
To get more precise information, could you provide more context or clarify what you mean by "160 update" and what "top piece" refers to in your question?
Verdict: If you were hoping for a "Breath of the Wild 2" style update, this wasn't it. 1.6.0 was the final polish before Nintendo shifted full focus to Tears of the Kingdom.
While Update 1.6.0 offered almost nothing new in terms of gameplay, it became the definitive baseline for the Breath of the Wild experience. It is the version speedrunners use, the version modders build upon, and the version that runs the smoothest on high-end hardware.
When someone searches for the "top" of BOTW 1.6.0, they aren't looking for Nintendo’s patch notes—they are looking for the peak experience that the community has built on top of a stable foundation.
Bottom Line: If you have BOTW on version 1.6.0, you have the best version for mods, performance, and glitches.
The notification pinged at 2:13 AM, a singular, sharp digital chime that cut through the silence of the apartment. Ethan stared at the screen, his thumb hovering over the 'Update' button.
System Update Required: Version 1.6.0.
It had been years since he touched The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. He had conquered every Divine Beast, found every Korok seed (a painful, mind-numbing 900 of them), and mastered Hyrule Castle’s interior geometry like a second home. He had put the game down, satisfied, a "Completed" badge forever etched onto his save file.
But tonight, insomnia and curiosity were a dangerous mix. The patch notes were vague. "General stability improvements and bug fixes." Standard boilerplate. Yet, the file size was large—nearly 4 gigabytes. For a game that hadn't seen meaningful DLC in half a decade, 1.6.0 felt like a ghost knocking on the door.
Ethan tapped 'Update.' The progress bar crawled. He watched the little spinning icon until his eyelids grew heavy, drifting into a hazy sleep before the console screen dimmed to black.
When Ethan woke, the room was bathed in the pale blue light of the television. The update was finished. The title screen music—a slow, melancholic piano piece—drifted through the speakers.
He picked up the controller. Press any button.
The screen faded in. Ethan expected to see the slate, the inventory, the familiar face of Link standing on the Great Plateau. But as the world rendered, the colors were... muted. The vibrant greens of the grass were dull, like dried herbs. The sky wasn't its usual azure; it was a bruised, twilight purple.
He loaded his completed save file—Slot 1: 160 hours played.
Link spawned on the cliff overlooking the Temple of Time. Ethan nudged the joystick forward. The movement was heavy. Link didn't trot; he trudged. The animation was different. The character’s usual boundless stamina seemed drained.
Ethan opened the Sheikah Slate inventory to see his arsenal. It was empty.
No Master Sword. No Hylian Shield. No ancient arrows. Just a single, rusted Traveler's Sword and a worn-out shirt.
"Glitched save?" Ethan muttered, heart racing. He scrambled to the home menu to back out, but the button inputs didn't register. The game forced him back into the world.
A text box appeared on the screen. It wasn't the usual narrator. It was simple white text, no background.
>> Time waits for no one, even the Hero.
Ethan paused. This wasn't Nintendo's writing style. He pushed Link forward toward the Ruins. Usually, this area was populated by Bokoblins or perhaps a wandering Stalhorse at night.
It was empty.
He made his way to the edge of the Plateau, intending to paraglide down to the stable. But as he approached the ledge, Link stumbled. A stamina wheel appeared, but it was cracked, red and jagged.
Link collapsed to his knees.
>> The blood moon has passed. The cycle is broken.
Ethan leaned forward, his skepticism melting into a cold, intrigued dread. This was a mod, surely. An incredibly sophisticated, injected mod. But who could access his console? zelda botw 160 update top
He guided Link to stand up. Instead of the paraglider, Link simply peered over the edge. Down below, the horses at the stable weren't moving. They stood in perfect, statue-still rows. The wind didn't blow the grass.
Then, the music changed. It wasn't the exploration theme. It was a reversed, distorted version of the 'Guardian' battle music. It sounded like a heartbeat.
Ethan looked at the map. Every shrine icon was gone. Every tower icon was greyed out. Except one.
A small, yellow dot pulsed in the center of Hyrule Castle. It wasn't a quest marker; it looked like a localized anomaly.
"Okay," Ethan whispered into the quiet room. "Show me what you got."
He fast-traveled. He didn't select a shrine—he couldn't—but a prompt appeared: Warp to Source.
The screen washed white.
When the world reloaded, Link was standing in the Sanctum of Hyrule Castle. But the Calamity Ganon cocoon was gone. The throne was empty. The gloom that usually permeated the floor was replaced by a clean, sterile light.
In the center of the room stood a figure. Not an enemy. It was another Link.
But this Link wore the "Top" armor—the rare, bright green cap and tunic of the Hero of the Wild, fully upgraded. It was the armor Ethan had spent weeks grinding Dragon parts to acquire. The figure stood with his back turned.
Ethan circled the character. The camera locked onto the doppelgänger. There was no health bar.
The double turned. His face was shadowed by the hood, but the eyes glowed—a piercing, digital blue.
>> UPDATE 1.6.0: ARCHIVE LOADED.
The double drew a weapon. It wasn't a sword. It was a glitched, purple cube—a corrupted mesh that buzzed like static electricity
The 1.6.0 update for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, released in April 2019, introduced Nintendo Labo VR compatibility and significantly reduced loading times by utilizing CPU boost mode . Technical analysis and community testing showed that this patch enhanced overall performance, providing faster travel times and impacting speedrunning strategies . For more information, visit Nintendo Everything.
The "1.6.0" update for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
was a significant technical patch released in April 2019, primarily known for adding VR Labo support and significantly reducing loading times. Key Features of the 1.6.0 Update
Nintendo Labo VR Integration: This update added a "VR Goggles" mode in the Game Settings. It allows players to experience the entire game in VR using the Nintendo Labo VR Kit.
Faster Loading Times: While not explicitly detailed in the official patch notes, technical analysis (such as from Digital Foundry) confirmed that the update utilized the Switch's "boost mode." This increased the CPU clock speed during loading screens, resulting in significantly faster travel between shrines and regions.
Bug Fixes: Various minor gameplay and stability fixes were implemented to improve the overall user experience. Technical Impact Post-1.6.0 Temple Loading ~15-18 seconds ~10-12 seconds Fast Travel (Open World) ~30+ seconds ~20-25 seconds Resolution/FPS
The 1.6.0 update for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
(released April 2019) is best known for introducing support for the Nintendo Labo VR Kit.
Here are the top "helpful" details and features associated with this specific version:
VR Mode Support: Players can play the entire game in VR (excluding cutscenes) by toggling the "VR Goggles" option in the in-game System menu.
Significantly Faster Load Times: Despite not being officially listed in the patch notes, this update introduced "Boost Mode," which increases the Switch's CPU clock speed during loading screens. This drastically reduced load times for entering shrines, fast-traveling, and loading saves.
Speedrunning Benefits: Because of the improved load times, the Switch version became the fastest platform for speedruns with this update, surpassing the Wii U version in several categories.
Glitch Compatibility: Popular glitches like the Bow of Light glitch and various item duplication methods remain functional in version 1.6.0.
Minor Fixes: It addressed a Switch-exclusive physics glitch involving Lizalfos at the Dako Tah Shrine. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
v1.6.0 update The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (BotW) is a significant technical patch released to support Nintendo's VR hardware and improve core performance. Top Content & Features of v1.6.0 VR Mode Integration
: This update added a dedicated VR toggle in the Options menu, allowing you to play the entire game using the Nintendo Labo VR Kit
. It offers an immersive, fixed-camera perspective of Hyrule. Substantial Load Time Reductions
: One of the most praised hidden features is the use of "Boost Mode." The update allows the console's CPU to overclock temporarily during loading screens, resulting in significantly faster transitions between areas and shrines compared to previous versions like 1.5.0. Performance Stability
: Along with faster loading, this patch included minor bug fixes and "technical improvements" to ensure a smoother experience while playing in the newly added VR mode. Recent Legacy Updates (2025–2026 Context)
While v1.6.0 was a core Switch 1 update, recent developments for the franchise include: Switch 2 Enhancements
: Recent editions of BotW for the newest hardware (released around 2025) feature enhanced resolution, improved frame rates (targeting 60 FPS), and new features like "Zelda Notes" and voiced directions. v1.9.0 Patch (2026)
: A newer legacy update, v1.9.0, was released in early 2026, primarily providing localized text updates and minor quest guidance refinements for Kakariko Village. 40th Anniversary (2026)
Here’s a helpful, story-driven explanation of what the "Zelda: Breath of the Wild 1.6.0 update top" likely refers to, especially if you’ve seen discussions online.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – The Tale of the 1.6.0 Update (And Why "Top" Matters)
In the quiet era after Tears of the Kingdom’s release, few travelers returned to the older shrine of Breath of the Wild. But whispers spread across Hyrule’s digital campfires: a new patch, Version 1.6.0, had appeared. Players asked, “What new power does it bring? A new sword? A secret boss?”
The truth was simpler, yet more helpful than any legend.
The 1.6.0 Update: What Actually Happened
Nintendo released Ver. 1.6.0 on April 26, 2023 — just two weeks before Tears of the Kingdom launched. It was small in size but mighty in purpose:
"Now you can play the 'Nintendo Switch Game Voucher' eligible software."
This meant you could redeem vouchers for Breath of the Wild if you hadn’t already. Useful for digital collectors, but not a gameplay change.
"General stability improvements."
The classic Nintendo phrase. It fixed minor crashes and data loading quirks, especially for players still exploring every corner of the Great Plateau.
Removal of the "News" button glitch?
Some data miners noticed the update quietly closed a loophole that allowed early access to certain DLC items via the News channel.
But what about "Top"?
Now, here’s the helpful part for any player searching "zelda botw 160 update top" :
The Hero’s Verdict: Is 1.6.0 worth installing?
The Real "Top" Takeaway
If you see someone say “I’m on 1.6.0 top” in a forum, they probably mean: “I’m running the final, most up-to-date, stable version of Breath of the Wild on my Nintendo Switch — the one just before Tears of the Kingdom took over.”
No new armor. No new quest. But a smooth, crash-free journey across Hyrule until the very end.
Helpful Tip: If you’re trying to perform a specific speedrun trick and it’s not working, check your version number on the Switch home screen (Options > Software Information > Version). If it’s 1.6.0 and the trick requires 1.5.0 or earlier, you’ll need to find a version-specific guide or avoid updating if possible.
So rest easy, Link. The 1.6.0 update won’t steal your memories — it just polishes the looking glass through which you view them.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild version 1.6.0, released on April 25, 2019, is a landmark update primarily known for introducing Nintendo Labo VR Kit Go to product viewer dialog for this item. support and drastically improving load times. 1. Official Nintendo Labo VR Support
The headline feature of the 1.6.0 update was the addition of a VR mode compatible with the Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit
Full Game Access: Unlike other VR "experiences," this update allows players to experience the entire main game through VR goggles, though cutscenes remain in standard 2D. Version 1
Enabling VR: You can toggle the feature on or off via the System > Options > VR Goggles menu within the game.
Visual Experience: While immersive, reviewers noted that the mode can lead to frame dips and pixelated models due to the Switch's hardware limitations when rendering for VR. 2. Drastic Reduction in Load Times
Hidden in the "general fixes" of the official patch notes was a significant technical optimization: the implementation of CPU overclocking during loading screens.
Warping Improvements: Teleporting between locations can be up to 37% faster than in version 1.5.0, sometimes saving nearly 6 seconds per warp.
Shrine Entry: Entering a shrine saw a speed increase of roughly 21%. 3. Key Fixes and Performance Tweaks
Engine Stability: The update addressed several issues to ensure a smoother experience, including a Nintendo Switch-exclusive glitch where physics would break when interacting with Lizalfos at the Dako Tah Shrine.
Language Support: While not as extensive as the earlier 1.5.0 Chinese/Korean update, 1.6.0 maintained the global unified language settings for the Switch version. Historical Context: Updates Beyond 1.6.0
While 1.6.0 was considered the final major update for years, Nintendo unexpectedly released version 1.8.0 in June 2025 to add support for the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition, including 60fps performance and the Zelda Notes companion app. The current latest version is 1.9.0, which added Thai language support in early 2026. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild/Version History
Beyond the Shrines: Exploring the Breath of the Wild 1.6.0 Update The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (BotW) remains a masterpiece of open-world gaming, and its Version 1.6.0
update, originally released on April 25, 2019, continues to be a top discussion point for fans returning to Hyrule. While the official patch notes were brief, the actual impact on gameplay—especially regarding technical performance—was massive.
Here is everything you need to know about why this update is a game-changer for the Switch experience. 1. Entering a New Dimension: Nintendo Labo VR Support
The headline feature of the 1.6.0 update was the introduction of VR compatibility . By integrating with the Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit
, players can experience the entire game through VR Goggles. How to enable it:
Navigate to "Options" under the "System" menu in-game to toggle the VR Goggles setting. The Experience:
While the standard third-person camera remains, the VR mode allows you to look around Hyrule by moving your head, providing a much deeper sense of scale for landmarks like Hyrule Castle and the Divine Beasts. 2. The Secret Buff: Drastically Faster Load Times
Perhaps the most significant "hidden" update was the dramatic improvement in loading speeds
. Nintendo didn't explicitly mention this in the primary notes, but technical analysis revealed a new "Boost Mode" that increases the Switch CPU’s clock speed during loading screens. Fast Travel:
Players reported that travel times were cut nearly in half. For instance, some tests showed loading screens dropping from 26 seconds down to just 14 seconds Shrine Entry/Exit:
Entering and exiting shrines became noticeably snappier, a huge quality-of-life win for completionists hunting all 120 Shrines. 3. Stability and "Other Issues"
As with most Nintendo updates, the 1.6.0 patch included various minor adjustments to "improve the gameplay experience". Glitch Fixes:
While many helpful speedrunning glitches were preserved, the update addressed specific Switch-exclusive issues, such as physics-breaking bugs in certain shrines like Dako Tah. Performance:
General framerate stability was subtly touched up, helping maintain a smoother 30fps in dense areas like the Korok Forest. Should You Update? Absolutely. Even if you don't own the Labo VR Kit, the loading speed optimizations
alone make Version 1.6.0 the definitive way to play the original BotW on Nintendo Switch. It turns a notoriously slow part of the game into a much more seamless adventure across the Wilds.
Are you planning a new playthrough to see these changes in action, or are you too busy hunting for those final Korok Seeds? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
To achieve the "top" performance, follow this checklist for Cemu 2.0+ with BOTW v1.6.0:
0.1875 (30/160) to correct this.Result: Buttery smooth 160fps exploration of Hyurle, provided you have a 160Hz+ monitor. The difference between 30fps and 160fps is staggering—archery becomes a dream, parrying Guardian lasers feels effortless, and shield-surfing down Hebra Mountain is hypnotic.
While controversial, the top downloaded QoL mod for 1.6.0 removes weapon breaking. It makes all weapons (from Tree Branches to the Master Sword) indestructible. This version patch is the most stable for this mod due to the 1.6.0 memory addressing.