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It's hard to believe, but we're nearly at the new Switch 2 console's six-month anniversary. By the time the upcoming Metroid Prime 4 releases on the fourth of December, we'll be able to give the device a fairly thorough assessment due to its solid selection of Nintendo-developed launch window games. Heavy hitters like Donkey Kong Bananza will lead that review, however it's the company's latest releases, the Pokémon Legends installment and currently Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, that have helped the Switch 2 pass a crucial test in its opening six months: the performance test.

Tackling Performance Concerns

Ahead of Nintendo formally revealed the new console, the biggest concern from users about the then-theoretical console was concerning hardware. When it comes to technology, Nintendo has lagged behind competing consoles for several generations. That reality was evident in the original Switch's later life. The expectation was that a new model would bring consistent frame rates, better graphics, and standard options like 4K. Those are the features included when the device was released in June. That's what its specs indicated, for the most part. To truly know if the upgraded system is an enhancement, we'd need to see some key games running on it. We've finally gotten that over the last two weeks, and the assessment is favorable.

Legends: Z-A as an Initial Challenge

The system's initial big challenge came with the October release of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Pokémon games had some infamous tech struggles on the original Switch, with games like Scarlet and Violet launching in highly problematic conditions. Nintendo's hardware wasn't exactly to blame for that; the actual engine powering Game Freak's RPGs was outdated and being pushed beyond its capabilities in the series' gradual open-world pivot. The new game would be more challenging for its studio than anything, but there remained much we'd be able to glean from the visual presentation and how it runs on the new system.

While the game's restricted visual fidelity has initiated conversations about the developer's skills, it's clear that the latest installment is not at all like the performance mess of its preceding game, Arceus. It performs at a stable 60 frames per second on the new console, while the Switch version reaches only thirty frames. Pop-in is still present, and you'll find many low-resolution elements if you zoom in, but you won't experience anything similar to the instance in the previous game where you begin airborne travel and see the complete landscape transform into a uneven, basic graphics. It's enough to give the system a satisfactory rating, though with reservations given that Game Freak has its own problems that worsen basic technology.

Age of Imprisonment as a More Challenging Tech Test

We now have a more compelling tech test, however, due to the new Hyrule Warriors, out Nov. 6. This Zelda derivative challenges the upgraded system due to its action-oriented style, which has players facing off against a massive horde of creatures continuously. The series' previous game, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, performed poorly on the first Switch as the system couldn't handle with its rapid gameplay and numerous on-screen elements. It often fell below the desired frame rate and produced the feeling that you were overwhelming the system when going too hard in battle.

Thankfully is that it too succeeds the performance examination. Having tested the release thoroughly during the past month, completing all missions available. In that time, I've found that it's been able to deliver a more stable framerate versus its earlier title, actually hitting its 60 frames target with better regularity. It can still slip up in the most heated of battles, but I've yet to hit any moment where it becomes a stuttering mess as the framerate chugs. Some of this may result from the reality that its compact stages are structured to prevent excessive numbers of foes on the battlefield concurrently.

Notable Limitations and Final Verdict

Remaining are foreseeable trade-offs. Most notably, splitscreen co-op sees performance taking a substantial reduction near thirty frames. Additionally the premier exclusive release where there's a clear a significant contrast between previous OLED screens and the new LCD display, with cutscenes especially looking faded.

However generally, this release is a night and day difference versus its earlier title, like the Pokémon game is to Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Should you require evidence that the Switch 2 is meeting its performance claims, despite some limitations still in tow, both games show clearly of how the Switch 2 is significantly improving franchises that had issues on old hardware.