🔗 Share this article

It's surprising, but we're already closing in on the Nintendo Switch 2's six-month milestone. By the time Metroid Prime 4: Beyond debuts on Dec. 4, we'll be able to give the console a comprehensive evaluation thanks to its strong lineup of first-party launch window games. Heavy hitters like the new Donkey Kong game will dominate that analysis, but it's the company's latest releases, Pokémon Legends: Z-A and now the Hyrule Warriors sequel, that have allowed the Switch 2 conquer a crucial test in its first six months: the performance test.

Tackling Power Concerns

Ahead of Nintendo officially announced the Switch 2, the primary worry from users about the then-theoretical console was regarding performance. In terms of components, the company fell behind Sony and Microsoft over the last few console generations. That reality became apparent in the Switch's final years. The hope was that a Switch 2 would deliver smoother performance, improved visuals, and modern capabilities like 4K. That's exactly what we got when the console was debuted this summer. At least that's what its technical details suggested, anyway. To accurately assess if the Switch 2 is an improvement, it was necessary to observe important releases running on it. We've finally gotten that over the last two weeks, and the assessment is favorable.

Legends: Z-A serving as Early Examination

The first significant examination was October's Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The franchise had well-known technical problems on the first Switch, with titles such as the Scarlet and Violet games debuting in very poor shape. Nintendo's hardware didn't bear all the responsibility for that; the actual engine driving the Pokémon titles was old and getting stretched beyond its capabilities in the transition to larger environments. Legends: Z-A would be more of a test for its creator than anything, but there was still a lot we'd be able to glean from the game's visual clarity and how it runs on the new system.

Although the title's restricted visual fidelity has initiated conversations about Game Freak's technical capabilities, it's clear that this Pokémon game is far from the technical failure of its earlier title, the previous Legends game. It runs at a consistent 60 fps on the new console, but the older hardware tops out at thirty frames. Objects still appear suddenly, and there are various fuzzy textures if you zoom in, but you won't hit anything resembling the situation in Arceus where you initially fly and observe the whole terrain beneath turn into a uneven, basic graphics. This is sufficient to earn the Switch 2 a satisfactory rating, but with caveats since the developer has separate challenges that worsen limited hardware.

The New Zelda Game serving as a Tougher Tech Test

There is now a more compelling tech test, yet, because of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, out Nov. 6. The new Zelda spin-off challenges the upgraded system because of its action-oriented style, which has players facing off against a literal army of monsters continuously. The series' previous game, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, struggled on the original Switch as the console couldn't keep up with its quick combat and sheer amount of activity. It frequently dropped below its target 30fps and created the sensation that you were breaking the game when fighting intensely.

Fortunately is that it likewise clears the performance examination. Having tested the title extensively over the last few weeks, completing all missions available. In that time, the results show that it manages to provide a consistent frame rate relative to its previous game, actually hitting its 60 fps mark with greater stability. It can still slip up in the fiercest fights, but I haven't experienced any time when I'm suddenly watching a choppy presentation as the framerate chugs. Some of this could be because of the reality that its bite-sized missions are structured to prevent excessive numbers of foes on the display simultaneously.

Significant Trade-offs and General Assessment

Remaining are expected limitations. Most notably, shared-screen play sees performance taking a substantial reduction closer to the 30 fps range. Additionally the first Switch 2 first-party game where there's a clear a significant contrast between my old OLED display and the current LCD panel, with notably in story sequences having a washed out quality.

However generally, the new game is a night and day difference compared to its predecessor, like Z-A is to Pokémon Legends: Arceus. For those seeking confirmation that the new console is fulfilling its tech promises, despite some limitations remaining, the two releases show clearly of how the Switch 2 is substantially boosting titles that performed poorly on previous systems.