Two major additions are coming to the incredible 'Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild' — here's what we know

"The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" is an enormous, excellent game.

Exploring the open world of Hyrule is a massive adventure, with mystery around every corner — and even some mystery flying overhead. 

Even so, many players have spent dozens of hours exploring its every nook and cranny. And for those people, Nintendo has good news: There are two major expansions coming to the game, and the first one arrives this month. 

It's called "The Master Trials," and Nintendo announced on Tuesday morning that it arrives on June 30, with the second arriving in "holiday 2017." Here's everything we know.

You wanna know how much it costs, don't you? Let's start with the bad news up front: You'll have to shell out $19.99 for access to The Master Trials.

Nintendo

But there's good news too! By paying $19.99, you get both of the upcoming expansions to "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild." You're paying for what is called the "Expansion Pass" — essentially a key to unlock both upcoming expansions.

Sadly, there is no way to buy them individually. That said, getting both expansion packs for $10 apiece is a pretty solid deal — many games charge $19.99 for each major addition. 

Now, how about some more good news? The Master Trials looks rad. The best thing might be the new Hard Mode.

Nintendo

I know, I know — "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" is already a pretty difficult game. I get it. But after 50-something hours with the game, that's no longer the case. Hard Mode offers crazy people like myself an option to play more "Breath of the Wild" with a greater challenge than ever before. 

So, what's different? Here's how Nintendo describes the new, more difficult setting:

"In Hard Mode, the 'ranks' of enemies in the game are increased (i.e. Red Bokoblins change to Blue), and players might even encounter higher-ranking enemies they wouldn’t find through normal play. Enemies will also slowly recover health in battle, forcing you to defeat them more quickly. They will also more easily spot Link as he approaches them, making these enemies tougher to sneak up on. In addition, floating planks held aloft by balloons will be scattered around Hyrule. By successfully reaching these planks, players can battle enemies and collect treasure."

Beyond the option of making the game more difficult, there's another new mode called "Trial of the Sword." In this mode, you'll face dozens of waves of enemies. But if you persist, there's a killer reward.

Nintendo

One of the best aspects of "Breath of the Wild" is the excellent combat. There are dozens of ways to take down any given enemy, and "Breath of the Wild" encourages your exploration of those options. 

In the "Trial of the Sword" mode, you'll enter a dungeon with 45 enemy-filled rooms. Another twist: You start "without any armor or weapons," and must figure out how to get through. But, if you survive? "The true power of the Master Sword will awaken and always be in its glowing, powered-up state." Not too shabby!

To be completely clear, that means an end to weapon destructability. No more swapping weapons when one breaks — you can just use the Master Sword in perpetuity. And that is a pretty big deal.

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