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It's surprising, but we're already closing in on the Nintendo Switch 2's half-year mark. Once Metroid Prime 4: Beyond debuts on the fourth of December, we'll be able to give the device a comprehensive assessment due to its strong lineup of Nintendo-developed launch window games. Major titles like Donkey Kong Bananza will headline that analysis, yet it's two newest Nintendo titles, Pokémon Legends: Z-A and recently Age of Imprisonment, that have allowed the successor overcome a crucial test in its opening six months: the hardware evaluation.

Confronting Hardware Concerns

Prior to Nintendo officially announced the new console, the primary worry from players regarding the then-theoretical console was concerning hardware. Regarding hardware, Nintendo trailed PlayStation and Xbox in recent cycles. That fact began to show in the Switch's final years. The expectation was that a successor would introduce smoother performance, improved visuals, and modern capabilities like 4K resolution. That's exactly what we got when the system was launched in June. That's what its hardware specifications promised, anyway. To accurately assess if the upgraded system is an enhancement, we'd need to see major titles running on it. We've finally gotten that in recent days, and the prognosis remains healthy.

The Pokémon Title as the Early Test

The console's first major test came with last month's Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The Pokémon series had well-known technical problems on the original Switch, with releases including Pokémon Scarlet and Violet releasing in downright disastrous states. The system didn't bear all the responsibility for those issues; the game engine running Game Freak's RPGs was outdated and getting stretched past its limits in the transition to larger environments. The new game would be more of a test for its creator than anything, but there was still a lot to analyze from the visual presentation and performance on Switch 2.

While the game's limited detail has opened debates about the studio's prowess, it's clear that the latest installment is not at all like the performance mess of its earlier title, Pokémon Legends: Arceus. It performs at a smooth 60 frames on the new console, whereas the older hardware reaches only 30 fps. Pop-in is still present, and you'll find various fuzzy textures if you examine carefully, but you won't experience anything similar to the instance in the previous game where you initially fly and see the complete landscape transform into a uneven, basic graphics. This is sufficient to grant the new console a decent grade, however with limitations given that the developer has separate challenges that exacerbate basic technology.

The New Zelda Game serving as a More Challenging Hardware Challenge

Currently available is a more compelling tech test, however, thanks to Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, out Nov. 6. This Zelda derivative tests the new console because of its Musou formula, which has gamers battling a literal army of monsters at all times. The earlier title, the previous Hyrule Warriors, struggled on the initial console as the hardware struggled with its quick combat and numerous on-screen elements. It regularly decreased below its target 30fps and gave the impression that you were overwhelming the system when going too hard in battle.

The good news is that it too succeeds the tech test. I've been putting the game through its paces over the last few weeks, completing all missions included. Throughout this testing, the results show that it's been able to deliver a consistent frame rate compared to its earlier title, maintaining its 60 fps mark with greater stability. Performance can dip in the fiercest fights, but I've yet to hit any time when it becomes a stuttering mess as the framerate chugs. Part of that might be due to the reality that its short levels are designed to avoid overwhelming hordes on the battlefield concurrently.

Important Compromises and Final Verdict

Remaining are foreseeable trade-offs. Especially, splitscreen co-op has a noticeable decrease closer to the 30 fps range. It's also the first Switch 2 first-party game where it's apparent a significant contrast between previous OLED screens and the current LCD panel, with particularly during cinematics looking faded.

Overall though, the new game is a complete change compared to its previous installment, just as Z-A is to the earlier Pokémon title. Should you require evidence that the Switch 2 is meeting its performance claims, although with certain reservations remaining, the two releases provide a clear example of the way the new console is markedly enhancing franchises that had issues on previous systems.