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It's hard to believe, but we're approaching the Nintendo Switch 2's six-month milestone. When Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launches on Dec. 4, we can provide the system a detailed evaluation due to its solid selection of first-party early titles. Heavy hitters like Donkey Kong Bananza will lead that review, yet it's the company's latest releases, the Pokémon Legends installment and now Age of Imprisonment, that have helped the new console conquer a key challenge in its opening six months: the hardware evaluation.

Tackling Performance Concerns

Prior to Nintendo publicly unveiled the new console, the biggest concern from players around the then-theoretical console was concerning hardware. In terms of technology, the company fell behind competing consoles in recent cycles. This situation became apparent in the original Switch's later life. The desire was that a successor would bring consistent frame rates, smoother textures, and industry-standard features like 4K resolution. That's precisely what arrived when the system was released in June. Or that's what its hardware specifications promised, for the most part. To accurately assess if the Switch 2 is an enhancement, it was necessary to observe important releases running on it. We've finally gotten that over the last two weeks, and the outlook is positive.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A serving as Early Examination

The system's initial big challenge arrived with the October release of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The franchise had notable performance issues on the original Switch, with games like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet launching in very poor shape. The system didn't bear all the responsibility for that; the underlying technology driving the developer's games was old and getting stretched much further than it could go in the franchise's move to open-world. Legends: Z-A would be a bigger examination for its creator than any other factor, but there was still a lot to analyze from the game's visual clarity and its operation on the upgraded hardware.

While the game's restricted visual fidelity has opened debates 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 the upgraded system, whereas the older hardware reaches only 30 frames per second. Some pop-in occurs, and you'll find plenty of blurry assets if you look closely, but you won't encounter anything like the instance in the previous game where you initially fly and observe the whole terrain beneath turn into a jagged, polygonal surface. That qualifies to give the system a satisfactory rating, though with reservations since the developer has independent issues that amplify limited hardware.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment as a Tougher Hardware Challenge

There is now a tougher hardware challenge, though, because of the new Hyrule Warriors, released November 6. The latest Musou title tests the new console thanks to its hack-and-slash gameplay, which has users confronting a literal army of monsters constantly. The earlier title, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, struggled on the original Switch as the console couldn't keep up with its rapid gameplay and numerous on-screen elements. It often fell below the desired frame rate and created the sensation that you were overwhelming the system when going too hard in battle.

Fortunately is that it also passes the tech test. After playing the release thoroughly over the last few weeks, experiencing every level available. In that time, I've found that it achieves a more stable framerate compared to its earlier title, maintaining its sixty frames goal with greater stability. Performance can dip in the fiercest fights, but There were no instances of any situation where it becomes a stuttering mess as the performance struggles. Part of that might be due to the reality that its compact stages are designed to avoid overwhelming hordes on screen at once.

Important Limitations and Overall Evaluation

Remaining are compromises that you're probably expecting. Primarily, splitscreen co-op experiences a significant drop near thirty frames. Moreover the premier exclusive release where it's apparent a major difference between previous OLED screens and the updated LCD screen, with cutscenes especially appearing less vibrant.

Overall though, Age of Imprisonment is a dramatic improvement over its predecessor, like Z-A is to Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Should you require any sign that the new console is delivering on its tech promises, despite some limitations still in tow, the two releases provide a clear example of the way the new console is significantly improving titles that performed poorly on previous systems.