🔗 Share this article

It's surprising, however we're nearly at the new Switch 2 console's six-month milestone. When the upcoming Metroid Prime 4 launches on Dec. 4, it will be possible to deliver the system a detailed progress report based on its impressive roster of first-party initial releases. Major titles like Donkey Kong Bananza will dominate that analysis, however it's the company's latest releases, Pokémon Legends: Z-A and recently Age of Imprisonment, that have enabled the Switch 2 conquer a critical examination in its initial half-year: the hardware evaluation.

Tackling Power Issues

Ahead of Nintendo officially announced the new console, the main issue from gamers about the rumored system was about power. When it comes to technology, Nintendo has lagged behind Sony and Microsoft over the last few console generations. That fact was evident in the original Switch's later life. The hope was that a successor would bring consistent frame rates, smoother textures, and industry-standard features like 4K resolution. That's exactly what we got when the system was debuted this summer. Or that's what its specs indicated, anyway. To accurately assess if the Switch 2 is an upgrade, we required examples of major titles performing on the hardware. We've finally gotten that in recent days, and the prognosis remains healthy.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A as an Early Test

The first significant examination was the October release of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The franchise had notable performance issues on the initial console, with games like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet debuting in very poor shape. Nintendo's hardware didn't bear all the responsibility for those issues; the game engine powering the Pokémon titles was old and being pushed beyond its capabilities in the franchise's move to open-world. The new game would be a bigger examination for its developer than anything, but there remained much to observe from the visual presentation and how it runs on the new system.

Although the title's basic graphics has initiated conversations about the studio's prowess, it's clear that Legends: Z-A is not at all like the performance mess of its predecessor, Pokémon Legends: Arceus. It performs at a smooth 60 frames on the upgraded system, but the Switch version maxes out at 30 fps. Objects still appear suddenly, and there are many low-resolution elements if you look closely, but you won't encounter anything like the situation in Arceus where you begin airborne travel and see the entire ground below become a uneven, basic graphics. That qualifies to earn the Switch 2 a decent grade, however with limitations considering that the developer has separate challenges that amplify restricted capabilities.

The New Zelda Game as a More Demanding Tech Test

We now have a more compelling tech test, yet, because of the new Hyrule Warriors, released November 6. This Zelda derivative tests the new console due to its Musou formula, which has players facing off against a literal army of monsters continuously. The series' previous game, the previous Hyrule Warriors, had issues on the original Switch as the system couldn't handle with its rapid gameplay and numerous on-screen elements. It often fell below its target 30fps and created the sensation that you were pushing too hard when going too hard in battle.

The good news is that it also passes the tech test. After playing the game through its paces over the last few weeks, playing every single mission it has to offer. During that period, it's clear that it manages to provide a more stable framerate versus its earlier title, actually hitting its sixty frames goal with greater stability. It can still slip up in the most intense combat, but I haven't experienced any moment where it becomes a stuttering mess as the performance struggles. Part of that may result from the fact that its bite-sized missions are careful not to put too many enemies on screen at once.

Important Compromises and General Verdict

Remaining are expected limitations. Especially, cooperative multiplayer has a significant drop closer to the 30 fps range. Additionally the premier exclusive release where I've really noticed a noticeable variation between my old OLED display and the new LCD display, with notably in story sequences having a washed out quality.

However generally, Age of Imprisonment is a complete change over its predecessor, like Z-A is to Arceus. For those seeking confirmation that the new console is delivering on its hardware potential, even with some caveats still in tow, these titles show clearly of how the Switch 2 is substantially boosting series that struggled on older technology.