🔗 Share this article

It's hard to believe, yet we're nearly at the Nintendo Switch 2's half-year mark. When the upcoming Metroid Prime 4 launches on Dec. 4, it will be possible to deliver the console a fairly thorough progress report thanks to its solid selection of first-party launch window games. Major titles like Donkey Kong Bananza will dominate that review, yet it's Nintendo's two most recent games, the Pokémon Legends installment and recently the Hyrule Warriors sequel, that have enabled the Switch 2 conquer a crucial test in its opening six months: the tech exam.

Confronting Hardware Worries

Before Nintendo officially announced the successor system, the biggest concern from users around the hypothetical device was regarding performance. In terms of hardware, Nintendo trailed competing consoles in recent cycles. That reality became apparent in the Switch's final years. The expectation was that a Switch 2 would introduce more stable framerates, improved visuals, and modern capabilities like 4K. Those are the features included when the device was released in June. Or that's what its specs indicated, for the most part. To truly know if the Switch 2 is an upgrade, it was necessary to observe major titles operating on the system. We've finally gotten that over the last two weeks, and the assessment is favorable.

Legends: Z-A serving as First Examination

The system's initial big challenge came with October's Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The franchise had notable performance issues on the initial console, with games like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet releasing in highly problematic conditions. The console itself wasn't exactly to blame for that; the game engine running the developer's games was old and being pushed much further than it could go in the franchise's move to open-world. This installment would be more of a test for its creator than any other factor, but we could still learn to observe from the visual presentation and performance on Switch 2.

Although the title's limited detail has sparked discussions about Game Freak's technical capabilities, it's undeniable that Legends: Z-A is not at all like the tech disaster of its predecessor, Pokémon Legends: Arceus. It operates at a smooth 60 frames on the new console, whereas the older hardware maxes out at thirty frames. Some pop-in occurs, and you'll find many low-resolution elements if you zoom in, but you won't experience anything like the moment in Arceus where you begin airborne travel and see the entire ground below turn into a uneven, basic graphics. It's enough to grant the new console some passing marks, however with limitations considering that Game Freak has its own problems that amplify basic technology.

Age of Imprisonment serving as a More Challenging Tech Test

There is now a more compelling tech test, however, because of Age of Imprisonment, launched earlier this month. The latest Musou title pushes the Switch 2 thanks to its action-oriented style, which has players facing off against a massive horde of creatures constantly. The series' previous game, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, had issues on the initial console as the console couldn't keep up with its fast-paced action and density of things happening. It frequently dropped under the intended 30 frames and gave the impression that you were pushing too hard when going too hard in battle.

The good news is that it too succeeds the hardware challenge. I've been putting the game through its paces over the last few weeks, completing all missions included. Throughout this testing, I've found that it achieves a more stable framerate compared to its earlier title, maintaining its 60 frames target with greater stability. Performance can dip in the most intense combat, but I haven't experienced any time when the game turns into a choppy presentation as the performance struggles. Some of this could be because of the fact that its compact stages are designed to avoid excessive numbers of foes on the battlefield concurrently.

Notable Compromises and Final Evaluation

There are still compromises that you're probably expecting. Most notably, shared-screen play experiences a noticeable decrease around 30 frames. Moreover the premier exclusive release where I've really noticed a noticeable variation between older OLED technology and the current LCD panel, with cutscenes especially having a washed out quality.

Overall though, the new game is a night and day difference compared to its predecessor, similar to the Pokémon game is to Pokémon Legends: Arceus. If you need any sign that the upgraded system is meeting its performance claims, despite some limitations remaining, these titles demonstrate effectively of the way the new console is substantially boosting titles that performed poorly on older technology.