We Go Hands-On With ASTRO Gaming’s New Breath of the Wild Headset
Posted on June 19 2018 by Rod Lloyd
Late last month, video game equipment manufacturer ASTRO Gaming revealed a brand new gaming headset inspired by Breath of the Wild, as part of the company’s new partnership with Nintendo. This special edition Nintendo Switch A10 Headset got us really excited with designs and iconography drawn from the latest Zelda title, as well as the quality we’ve come to expect from ASTRO. We recently got a closer look at ASTRO’s new line of products at E3 2018, including a hands-on demonstration of the legendary Breath of the Wild headset.
To us Zelda fans, the most striking elements of this new A10 headset were its Zelda-inspired designs. In addition to striking gold highlights, each side of the headset is ordained with a different symbol from Breath of the Wild, with the Zelda series “Z” logo on the right and the Sheikah Eye symbol on the left. Both speaker tags even feature an Ancient Shrine design as a background, which gives them a slightly textured feel.
ASTRO actually drew inspiration from Breath of the Wild‘s open-air game design in the visual design of the headset. Just as Link discovers many secrets in the vast kingdom of Hyrule, you’ll discover minor details and Zelda-inspired flourishes across the device. A winged Triforce symbol subtly sits on the headband (ASTRO chose not to make anything too garish), and traditional headset features like the headband adjustments and “Left” / “Right” markings have a Breath of the Wild flavor. Switch users will still need to use the Nintendo Switch Online app for voice chat, so ASTRO also included a chat cable and adaptor featuring the Zelda “Z” logo.
ASTRO Gaming champions three priorities with their A10 line of headsets: they must be comfortable, they must be durable, and they must sound good. The company’s new Breath of the Wild-themed headset was clearly built with that philosophy in mind. The memory foam ear-cushions and adjustable headband made for a comfortable fit, even on my big head. And we noted that the headband is extremely flexible, which is quite a boon for the on-the-go nature of the Switch. I’d bet this headset would be great for traveling.
ASTRO admittedly left out some of the fancier features seen in other modern gaming headsets — such as lights, customizable parts, and noise reduction — but such decisions were made to keep the headset affordable and to maintain its durability.
But how does it sound? If our hands-on session with Splatoon 2 is any indication, the Breath of the Wild A10 Headset sounds pretty dang good. While I wish there were a few audio adjustment options (I don’t like my bass too high), the A10 seems like one of the best choices for quality sound on the Switch. ASTRO has also thrown in an omnidirectional microphone, so the headset should be chat ready when it finally releases.
ASTRO Gaming’s Breath of the Wild A10 Headset for the Nintendo Switch is scheduled for release Holiday 2018. The price of the headset has not yet been announced, but ASTRO seems to be keeping it in the same price range of other members of the A10 family, at approximately $59.99. You can find more information right here.
ASTRO Gaming has also announced a series of new speaker tags inspired by classic Nintendo games, including The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros., and Super Mario Bros. 3. As part of their partnership with Nintendo, the company plans to release more products celebrating Nintendo’s biggest properties.
Are you excited about ASTRO’s Breath of the Wild headset? Let us know in the comments below!
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Rod Lloyd is the Editor-In-Chief at Zelda Dungeon, overseeing the news and feature content for the site. Rod is considered the veteran of the writing team, having started writing for Zelda Informer in 2014 as a Junior Editor. After ZD and ZI officially merged in 2017, he stepped into the Managing Editor role and has helped steer the ship ever since. He stepped up to lead the writing team as Editor-In-Chief in 2023.
You can reach Rod at: rod.lloyd@zeldadungeon.net
