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It's astonishing, however we're already closing in on the new Switch 2 console's six-month anniversary. Once Metroid Prime 4: Beyond releases on December 4, it will be possible to deliver the system a comprehensive progress report due to its impressive roster of first-party early titles. Major titles like Donkey Kong Bananza will headline that review, however it's Nintendo's two most recent games, Pokémon Legends: Z-A and recently Age of Imprisonment, that have enabled the new console pass a key challenge in its opening six months: the hardware evaluation.

Confronting Performance Issues

Prior to Nintendo officially announced the successor system, the primary worry from players about the hypothetical device was regarding performance. In terms of hardware, the company fell behind competing consoles over the last few console generations. That reality was evident in the original Switch's later life. The hope was that a successor would deliver more stable framerates, better graphics, and modern capabilities like ultra-high definition. That's precisely what arrived when the console was released in June. At least that's what its hardware specifications promised, for the most part. To accurately assess if the new console is an upgrade, we'd need to see important releases operating on the system. That has now happened over the last two weeks, and the outlook is positive.

The Pokémon Title serving as Early Examination

The system's initial big challenge came with the October release of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The franchise had some infamous tech struggles on the original Switch, with titles such as the Scarlet and Violet games debuting in very poor shape. The console itself wasn't exactly to blame for that; the game engine running the developer's games was aged and strained beyond its capabilities in the transition to larger environments. Legends: Z-A would be more challenging for its creator than anything else, but we could still learn we'd be able to glean from the visual presentation and its operation on the upgraded hardware.

While the game's limited detail has sparked discussions about Game Freak's technical capabilities, there's no denying that the latest installment is nowhere near the tech disaster of its earlier title, Arceus. It operates at a consistent 60 fps on Switch 2, whereas the Switch version tops out at 30 frames per second. Objects still appear suddenly, and there are various fuzzy textures if you look closely, but you won't hit anything resembling the situation in Arceus where you first take to the skies and observe the entire ground below become a rough, low-poly terrain. That qualifies to give the system some passing marks, though with reservations since the developer has separate challenges that exacerbate limited hardware.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment as the Tougher Hardware Challenge

There is now a more demanding performance examination, however, thanks to Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, launched earlier this month. This Zelda derivative challenges the upgraded system due to its hack-and-slash gameplay, which has users confronting a massive horde of creatures constantly. The franchise's last installment, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, performed poorly on the original Switch as the hardware struggled with its quick combat and sheer amount of activity. It often fell below its target 30fps and created the sensation that you were pushing too hard when fighting intensely.

The good news is that it too succeeds the hardware challenge. After playing the game through its paces over the last few weeks, playing every single mission it has to offer. In that time, I've found that it achieves a more stable framerate relative to its predecessor, reaching its 60 fps mark with greater stability. It sometimes drops in the fiercest fights, but There were no instances of any situation where I'm suddenly watching a choppy presentation as the performance struggles. Part of that might be due to the situation where its bite-sized missions are careful not to put overwhelming hordes on the battlefield concurrently.

Significant Compromises and Final Verdict

Present are expected limitations. Primarily, cooperative multiplayer sees performance taking a noticeable decrease closer to the 30 fps range. It's also the first Switch 2 first-party game where there's a clear a major difference between my old OLED display and the new LCD display, with cutscenes especially looking faded.

However generally, Age of Imprisonment is a night and day difference compared to its previous installment, similar to Pokémon Legends: Z-A is to the earlier Pokémon title. For those seeking confirmation that the Switch 2 is delivering on its hardware potential, even with some caveats present, both games show clearly of how Nintendo's latest is significantly improving titles that performed poorly on old hardware.