

Unlike The Wind Waker HD, normal and Hero modes cannot be switched between once a file has been created. Hero Mode is featured in the game, which is available from the start. The game also features off-TV play and is compatible with the Wii U Pro Controller. The GamePad screen can also be tapped to instantly transform between Link's human and wolf forms without having to talk to Midna, once the ability has been unlocked. It also enables the use of the GamePad's gyroscope to aim items such as the Gale Boomerang or the Bow. The GamePad screen can display a separate map screen for dungeons, and can be used to instantly equip items without having to pause and bring up the inventory menu. Like in The Wind Waker HD, the game makes use of certain features of the Wii U GamePad to streamline gameplay. The mini-map has been shrunk and now features a translucent black background. The Right Stick can be used to move the camera freely. Items can now be equipped to three slots - X, Y, and R, while the L Button calls Midna. Similar to The Wind Waker HD, Twilight Princess HD uses the larger resolution to display a less-intrusive HUD during gameplay. Twilight Princess HD uses the world orientation of the GameCube version in normal mode, in which Link is left-handed, which had previously been reversed on the Wii version to better accommodate players.

Like The Wind Waker HD before it, Twilight Princess HD is not a complete graphical remake as most of its character models and geometry are left untouched in terms of polygon count. The game also sports brighter lighting and less intense bloom than the original releases. These textures look less muddy and blurred than in the original.

Some textures have been changed entirely, including grass in Hyrule Field and a stone Triforce symbol in the Sacred Grove. Most textures in the game are touched up with added details, with notable examples including Link's hair, Zant's armor, and several background textures. This provides for six times the number of pixels, resulting in additional clarity, especially for faraway objects and precise aiming. As opposed to the 480p resolution of the GameCube and Wii versions, Twilight Princess HD uses the 1080p resolution that is standard on Wii U. Twilight Princess HD features reworked graphics with primarily new textures, giving the game a cleaner and higher-definition look.
