Botw Update 160 Extra - Quality

Nintendo set AF to Low (2x-4x) to save bandwidth. "Extra Quality" forces 16x, meaning the path in front of Link stays sharp all the way to the horizon instead of turning into a muddy smear.

First, let’s separate fact from fiction. Version 1.6.0 (often written as 1.60) is the final official patch released for Breath of the Wild. Contrary to rumors, Nintendo did not suddenly add ray-tracing or 4K textures in 2023. The 1.60 update was rolled out primarily to address two things:

File Size: Approx. 45MB (Small, because it was strictly a stability patch).

The Reality Check: Nintendo did not increase the resolution or frame rate via this patch. On standard hardware, BOTW still runs at 900p (TV) / 720p (Handheld) on Switch, and 720p on Wii U.

So, where does "Extra Quality" come from? botw update 160 extra quality

To summarize the impact of the "Extra Quality" setup running on the 1.6.0 architecture, one only needs to compare the draw distances.

Standard Quality (Switch Native): You stand on the Tower of Resurrection. The world below is a muddy blur. Trees pop into existence 50 meters in front of you as you paraglide. Shadows flicker and vanish when the camera moves.

Extra Quality (v1.6.0 + Mods): You stand on the tower. You can see the individual torches in Hyrule Castle miles away. The grass sways with wind physics visible in the distance. The shadows are crisp and static. The resolution is so high that you can read the texture of the Sheikah Slate runes on Link’s hip without the camera zooming in. The game runs at a smooth 60 frames per second, making combat feel responsive and fluid.

| Aspect | Pre-1.6.0 | Post-1.6.0 | |--------|-----------|-------------| | Korok Forest frame rate | Drops to ~20 FPS | Stable 25–30 FPS (Wii U) / 30 FPS (Switch) | | Master Mode enemy regeneration tick | Every 0.5 sec (aggressive) | Every 1 sec (fairer) | | Blood Moon reset lag | 2–3 sec stutter | <1 sec stutter | | Menu inventory load (300+ items) | 1.2 sec | 0.7 sec | Nintendo set AF to Low (2x-4x) to save bandwidth

These aren’t “new features,” but the quality improvement is unmistakable.

Official BOTW Update 1.60 is just a stability fix. If you are playing on a stock Nintendo Switch, updating to 1.60 changes nothing visually. Do it anyway for the cloud saves.

"Extra Quality" is the gateway to the ultimate Breath of the Wild experience. If you own a gaming PC or an overclocked Switch, pairing Update 1.60 with the Extra Quality graphics pack transforms a 2017 game into a competitor for 2024 AAA titles.

The magic of Hyrule was always there—Update 1.60 simply provided the stable foundation for the community to scrape away the hardware limitations. Whether you are fighting a Lynel on the Great Plateau or shield-surfing in the Hebra Mountains, "Extra Quality" makes you stop and look at the horizon. File Size: Approx

Should you install it?

Have you tried BOTW 1.60 with Extra Quality? Share your performance specs and settings in the comments below.

Title: The Definitive Breakdown: Understanding the "Breath of the Wild" Version 1.6.0 and the Pursuit of "Extra Quality"

In the modding community, specific terminology often evolves to describe the pinnacle of performance for a specific game. For The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (BOTW), the phrase "Update 1.6.0 Extra Quality" has become a touchstone for enthusiasts looking to push the game beyond its original Nintendo Switch limitations. This usually refers to the specific game version required for the most stable high-end mods, running on PC emulators, to achieve a "Definitive Edition" experience.

Here is a detailed piece exploring what Update 1.6.0 is, why it is crucial for high-quality modding, and how it transforms the game.