🔗 Share this article

It's hard to believe, but we're already closing in on the Nintendo Switch 2's six-month milestone. When the upcoming Metroid Prime 4 launches on the fourth of December, we'll be able to give the device a fairly thorough assessment thanks to its strong lineup of exclusive early titles. Heavy hitters like Donkey Kong Bananza will headline that analysis, yet it's Nintendo's two most recent games, the Pokémon Legends installment and now Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, that have enabled the successor conquer a critical examination in its first six months: the hardware evaluation.

Addressing Power Concerns

Ahead of Nintendo formally revealed the successor system, the biggest concern from users regarding the rumored system was regarding performance. In terms of components, Nintendo trailed PlayStation and Xbox in recent cycles. This situation began to show in the end of the Switch era. The hope was that a new model would bring smoother performance, better graphics, and modern capabilities like 4K resolution. That's precisely what arrived when the device was released in June. At least that's what its hardware specifications promised, for the most part. To accurately assess if the upgraded system is an enhancement, we'd need to see some key games performing on the hardware. That has now happened in recent days, and the prognosis remains healthy.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A as the Initial Challenge

The console's first major test came with October's Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Pokémon games had some infamous tech struggles on the first Switch, with titles such as Pokémon Scarlet and Violet debuting in highly problematic conditions. The system wasn't exactly to blame for those issues; the actual engine powering the Pokémon titles was outdated and strained beyond its capabilities in the series' gradual open-world pivot. Legends: Z-A would be more challenging for its developer than any other factor, but we could still learn we'd be able to glean from the game's visual clarity and its operation on the upgraded hardware.

Although the title's basic graphics has opened debates about Game Freak's technical capabilities, it's clear that the latest installment is nowhere near the performance mess of its preceding game, Arceus. It operates at a stable 60 frames per second on Switch 2, while the Switch version maxes out at 30 fps. Pop-in is still present, and you may notice many low-resolution elements if you examine carefully, but you won't encounter anything similar to the instance in the previous game where you first take to the skies and watch the complete landscape turn into a rough, low-poly terrain. It's enough to earn the Switch 2 some passing marks, but with caveats considering that the studio has independent issues that exacerbate limited hardware.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment serving as a More Demanding Hardware Challenge

We now have a more demanding performance examination, though, because of the new Hyrule Warriors, launched earlier this month. The new Zelda spin-off challenges the upgraded system because of its hack-and-slash gameplay, which has gamers battling a huge number of enemies continuously. The earlier title, the previous Hyrule Warriors, performed poorly on the original Switch as the system couldn't handle with its rapid gameplay and density of things happening. It frequently dropped under the intended 30 frames and produced the feeling that you were breaking the game when fighting intensely.

The good news is that it too succeeds the hardware challenge. Having tested the game through its paces in recent weeks, playing every single mission it has to offer. In that time, I've found that it's been able to deliver a consistent frame rate relative to its previous game, reaching its 60 fps mark with greater stability. Performance can dip in the most intense combat, but I haven't experienced any moment where the game turns into a stuttering mess as the frame rate suffers. Part of that could be because of the situation where its bite-sized missions are structured to prevent too many enemies on screen at once.

Notable Limitations and General Assessment

There are still expected limitations. Primarily, cooperative multiplayer experiences a substantial reduction around 30 frames. Moreover the premier exclusive release where it's apparent a significant contrast between previous OLED screens and the current LCD panel, with particularly during cinematics appearing less vibrant.

Overall though, this release is a complete change versus its earlier title, like Pokémon Legends: Z-A is to Arceus. Should you require confirmation that the Switch 2 is delivering on its performance claims, although with certain reservations remaining, the two releases provide a clear example of how Nintendo's latest is markedly enhancing titles that performed poorly on older technology.