🔗 Share this article

It's hard to believe, however we're approaching the new Switch 2 console's six-month milestone. Once Metroid Prime 4: Beyond releases on Dec. 4, we can provide the console a fairly thorough progress report thanks to its impressive roster of first-party early titles. Heavy hitters like Donkey Kong Bananza will lead that check-in, yet it's Nintendo's two most recent games, the Pokémon Legends installment and recently Age of Imprisonment, that have helped the successor overcome a crucial test in its opening six months: the performance test.

Confronting Power Issues

Prior to Nintendo officially announced the new console, the main issue from users about the rumored system was about power. In terms of components, the company fell behind Sony and Microsoft in recent cycles. This situation became apparent in the original Switch's later life. The hope was that a new model would introduce consistent frame rates, improved visuals, and modern capabilities like 4K. That's exactly what we got when the device was launched in June. At least that's what its specs indicated, anyway. To really determine if the new console is an improvement, it was necessary to observe major titles running on it. We've finally gotten that during the past fortnight, and the assessment is favorable.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A as the Early Examination

The console's first major test arrived with October's Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The Pokémon series had notable performance issues on the initial console, with titles such as the Scarlet and Violet games debuting in very poor shape. The console itself wasn't exactly to blame for that; the game engine powering the developer's games was outdated and being pushed past its limits in the franchise's move to open-world. This installment would be a bigger examination for its creator than anything, but there was still a lot we'd be able to glean from the visual presentation and its operation on the upgraded hardware.

Although the title's basic graphics has opened debates about the studio's prowess, there's no denying that Legends: Z-A is not at all like the tech disaster of its predecessor, Pokémon Legends: Arceus. It runs at a consistent 60 fps on the new console, while the Switch version reaches only 30 fps. Objects still appear suddenly, and you'll find various fuzzy textures if you zoom in, but you won't experience anything like the situation in Arceus where you initially fly and watch the entire ground below transform into a jagged, polygonal surface. This is sufficient to earn the Switch 2 a decent grade, however with limitations considering that the studio has independent issues that exacerbate restricted capabilities.

The New Zelda Game as a More Challenging Tech Test

We now have a tougher hardware challenge, though, due to the new Hyrule Warriors, out Nov. 6. The new Zelda spin-off challenges the upgraded system thanks to its Musou formula, which has gamers battling a literal army of monsters constantly. The series' previous game, Age of Calamity, had issues on the initial console as the console couldn't keep up with its quick combat and sheer amount of activity. It often fell below the desired frame rate and produced the feeling that you were pushing too hard when going too hard in battle.

The good news is that it also passes the tech test. I've been putting the game through its paces over the last few weeks, experiencing every level included. Throughout this testing, it's clear that it's been able to deliver a smoother performance versus its earlier title, actually hitting its 60 fps mark with greater stability. It sometimes drops in the most intense combat, but There were no instances of any time when it becomes a stuttering mess as the framerate chugs. A portion of this may result from the fact that its compact stages are designed to avoid excessive numbers of foes on the battlefield concurrently.

Significant Limitations and General Evaluation

Present are compromises that you're probably expecting. Most notably, cooperative multiplayer sees performance taking a substantial reduction around 30 frames. It's also the premier exclusive release where there's a clear a significant contrast between previous OLED screens and the new LCD display, with particularly during cinematics having a washed out quality.

However generally, the new game is a dramatic improvement over its previous installment, similar to the Pokémon game is to Arceus. If you need evidence that the Switch 2 is delivering on its tech promises, despite some limitations present, these titles provide a clear example of the way the new console is significantly improving series that struggled on old hardware.