Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild release date: New game to be launched alongside Nintendo Switch

The game offers a peek at the capabilities of the new system

Nintendo will release its next Legend of Zelda game alongside the Nintendo Switch, its brand new games console.

Nintendo described the new game as the biggest Zelda adventure yet.

"Explore a world of unprecedented size and discover more than 100 puzzle-filled shrines, plus a wide variety of weapons, outfits, and gear," it said in a release. "Players won’t want to stop playing, and they won’t have to, since Nintendo Switch allows them to continue the adventure anywhere, anytime."

The game will cost £59.99 for the standard game. The company will also sell a limited edition for £89.99, which will include a CD and a figure as well as the game.

The Legend of Zelda game will be able to be played in both of the Switch's two modes. The console can either be used like a traditional console, connected to a TV, or disconnected and taken on the move.

The game will play for three hours before the Switch's battery runs out, Nintendo said. The company has given different estimates of how long the battery might last – between around 2.5 hours and 6.5 hours – but as one of the most high-profile games it is likely a useful way of measuring how long the game can last.

The new Zelda game is the headline title of a range of Nintendo games that will be released for the new console. That includes games like 1-2-Switch – which is made to show off some of the console's more unusual features – and other old favourites like Mario Kart.

Third-party developers will also be making games for the console. Fifa and Minecraft have already been confirmed, for instance.