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It's astonishing, but we're already closing in on the new Switch 2 console's six-month anniversary. Once Metroid Prime 4: Beyond releases on Dec. 4, we can provide the system a detailed evaluation thanks to its impressive roster of first-party early titles. Major titles like Donkey Kong Bananza will headline that analysis, but it's the company's latest releases, Pokémon Legends: Z-A and recently Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, that have allowed the successor pass a key challenge in its initial half-year: the performance test.

Confronting Hardware Worries

Before Nintendo formally revealed the successor system, the main issue from gamers around the hypothetical device was about power. Regarding hardware, the company fell behind Sony and Microsoft in recent cycles. That fact began to show in the original Switch's later life. The hope was that a new model would introduce more stable framerates, improved visuals, and industry-standard features like ultra-high definition. Those are the features included when the device was debuted this summer. Or that's what its technical details suggested, at least. To accurately assess if the Switch 2 is an enhancement, it was necessary to observe some key games running on it. That has now happened in recent days, and the outlook is positive.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A serving as Initial Challenge

The system's initial big challenge arrived with last month's Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The franchise had some infamous tech struggles on the original Switch, with games like the Scarlet and Violet games debuting in downright disastrous states. Nintendo's hardware wasn't solely responsible for that; the underlying technology driving the developer's games was outdated and strained beyond its capabilities in the transition to larger environments.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 visual presentation and performance on Switch 2.

While the game's restricted visual fidelity has sparked discussions about Game Freak's technical capabilities, it's clear that the latest installment is far from the tech disaster of its earlier title, the previous Legends game. It performs at a stable 60 frames per second on Switch 2, but the original console maxes out at 30 fps. Objects still appear suddenly, and you'll find various fuzzy textures if you examine carefully, but you won't experience anything similar to the situation in Arceus where you first take to the skies and observe the complete landscape transform into a jagged, polygonal surface. It's enough to grant the new console some passing marks, but with caveats given that the developer has its own problems that exacerbate restricted capabilities.

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

We now have a tougher hardware challenge, yet, because of the new Hyrule Warriors, released November 6. The new Zelda spin-off tests the new console because of its hack-and-slash gameplay, which has gamers battling a massive horde of creatures at all times. The franchise's last installment, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, performed poorly on the original Switch as the console couldn't keep up with its fast-paced action and numerous on-screen elements. It often fell below its target 30fps and created the sensation that you were breaking the game when being too aggressive.

The good news is that it also passes the tech test. After playing the title extensively over the last few weeks, experiencing every level available. Throughout this testing, the results show that it manages to provide a more stable framerate relative to its previous game, maintaining its 60 fps mark with more consistency. Performance can dip in the fiercest fights, but I've yet to hit any moment where it becomes a slideshow as the framerate chugs. Some of this might be due to the reality that its short levels are structured to prevent too many enemies on screen at once.

Significant Compromises and Final Evaluation

Present are foreseeable trade-offs. Primarily, cooperative multiplayer experiences a noticeable decrease closer to the 30 fps range. It's also the initial Nintendo-developed title where there's a clear a noticeable variation between my old OLED display and the updated LCD screen, with particularly during cinematics appearing less vibrant.

Overall though, this release is a dramatic improvement versus its predecessor, like Pokémon Legends: Z-A is to the earlier Pokémon title. Should you require evidence that the Switch 2 is meeting its hardware potential, even with some caveats remaining, these titles provide a clear example of how Nintendo's latest is substantially boosting series that struggled on old hardware.