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It's surprising, but we're approaching the new Switch 2 console's half-year mark. When the upcoming Metroid Prime 4 debuts on the fourth of December, we'll be able to give the console a detailed assessment based on its solid selection of Nintendo-developed launch window games. Major titles like Donkey Kong Bananza will headline that check-in, however it's two newest Nintendo titles, Pokémon Legends: Z-A and currently Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, that have enabled the new console pass a key challenge in its first six months: the performance test.

Confronting Hardware Concerns

Before Nintendo publicly unveiled the new console, the primary worry from gamers about the hypothetical device was regarding performance. Regarding hardware, Nintendo has lagged behind competing consoles in recent cycles. This situation was evident in the Switch's final years. The expectation was that a successor would introduce more stable framerates, better graphics, and modern capabilities like 4K resolution. That's exactly what we got when the console was released in June. Or that's what its technical details suggested, anyway. To accurately assess if the new console is an upgrade, we'd need to see major titles running on it. We've finally gotten that over the last two weeks, and the prognosis remains healthy.

Legends: Z-A as an Initial Examination

The first significant examination was the October release of the new Pokémon game. The franchise 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 The system wasn't exactly to blame for that; the game engine running the developer's games was outdated and being pushed much further than it could go in the transition to larger environments. The new game would be a bigger examination for its studio than anything else, but we could still learn to analyze from the title's graphics and how it runs on the new system.

While the game's limited detail has opened debates about the developer's skills, it's undeniable that this Pokémon game is not at all like the tech disaster of its preceding game, Pokémon Legends: Arceus. It runs at a stable 60 frames per second on the new console, whereas the older hardware maxes out at thirty frames. Some pop-in occurs, and you may notice various fuzzy textures if you look closely, but you won't encounter anything resembling the instance in the previous game where you initially fly and watch the entire ground below transform into a jagged, polygonal surface. That qualifies to grant the new console some passing marks, however with limitations considering that the developer has its own problems that exacerbate basic technology.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment as a Tougher Hardware Challenge

We now have a more demanding performance examination, however, thanks to the new Hyrule Warriors, out Nov. 6. The latest Musou title challenges the upgraded system due to its hack-and-slash gameplay, which has players facing off against a literal army of monsters continuously. The franchise's last installment, Age of Calamity, had issues on the initial console as the system couldn't handle with its quick combat and numerous on-screen elements. It regularly decreased under the intended 30 frames and produced the feeling that you were pushing too hard when going too hard in battle.

The good news is that it likewise clears the tech test. Having tested the release thoroughly during the past month, playing every single mission it has to offer. In that time, it's clear that it manages to provide a consistent frame rate versus its predecessor, reaching its 60 fps mark with more consistency. It sometimes drops in the most heated of battles, but I've yet to hit any situation where it becomes a slideshow as the performance struggles. Part of that might be due to the reality that its bite-sized missions are structured to prevent overwhelming hordes on the battlefield concurrently.

Important Limitations and General Assessment

There are still foreseeable trade-offs. Primarily, shared-screen play experiences a significant drop closer to the 30 fps range. Moreover the initial Nintendo-developed title where there's a clear a significant contrast between my old OLED display and the current LCD panel, with cutscenes especially appearing less vibrant.

However generally, Age of Imprisonment is a complete change versus its earlier title, like the Pokémon game is to Arceus. If you need any sign that the upgraded system is meeting its performance claims, although with certain reservations remaining, these titles show clearly of the way the new console is significantly improving franchises that had issues on old hardware.