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It's hard to believe, however we're nearly at the new Switch 2 console's six-month milestone. Once the upcoming Metroid Prime 4 releases on the fourth of December, we can provide the system a fairly thorough evaluation based on its solid selection of Nintendo-developed launch window games. Major titles like the new Donkey Kong game will dominate that review, yet it's the company's latest releases, Pokémon Legends: Z-A and recently the Hyrule Warriors sequel, that have helped the Switch 2 pass a key challenge in its initial half-year: the tech exam.

Addressing Power Worries

Ahead of Nintendo publicly unveiled the Switch 2, the biggest concern from users around the hypothetical device was concerning hardware. Regarding components, Nintendo trailed competing consoles for several generations. That fact began to show in the original Switch's later life. The desire was that a successor would introduce more stable framerates, smoother textures, and industry-standard features like 4K resolution. Those are the features included when the device was launched in June. That's what its specs indicated, for the most part. To truly know if the Switch 2 is an improvement, we'd need to see important releases operating on the system. We now have that evidence in recent days, and the outlook is positive.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A as an First Examination

The console's first major test was October's the new Pokémon game. Pokémon games had well-known technical problems on the original Switch, with titles such as the Scarlet and Violet games debuting in downright disastrous states. Nintendo's hardware wasn't solely responsible for those problems; the actual engine running Game Freak's RPGs was old and getting stretched much further than it could go in the transition to larger environments. The new game would be more challenging for its developer than anything else, but there remained much to observe from the visual presentation and performance on Switch 2.

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 performs at a consistent 60 fps on the new console, whereas the Switch version maxes out at 30 fps. Some pop-in occurs, and there are plenty of blurry assets if you examine carefully, but you won't encounter anything like the instance in the previous game where you initially fly and watch the entire ground below turn into a uneven, basic graphics. That qualifies to earn the Switch 2 some passing marks, but with caveats considering that Game Freak has independent issues that amplify limited hardware.

The New Zelda Game as a More Challenging Tech Test

Currently available is a more compelling tech test, however, because of the new Hyrule Warriors, out Nov. 6. This Zelda derivative pushes the Switch 2 due to its action-oriented style, which has users confronting a literal army of monsters at all times. The series' previous game, the previous Hyrule Warriors, performed poorly on the first Switch as the hardware struggled with its fast-paced action and sheer amount of activity. It regularly decreased below its target 30fps and created the sensation that you were breaking the game when being too aggressive.

Thankfully is that it too succeeds the tech test. Having tested the title extensively over the last few weeks, completing all missions available. In that time, it's clear that it's been able to deliver a consistent frame rate relative to its earlier title, actually hitting its 60 frames target with greater stability. It can still slip up in the fiercest fights, but I haven't experienced any situation where it becomes a choppy presentation as the performance struggles. Some of this may result from the reality that its short levels are careful not to put too many enemies on the battlefield concurrently.

Important Trade-offs and Overall Evaluation

Remaining are compromises that you're probably expecting. Most notably, shared-screen play experiences a substantial reduction closer to the 30 fps range. It's also the first Switch 2 first-party game where I've really noticed a significant contrast between my old OLED display and the new LCD display, with cutscenes especially looking faded.

Overall though, this release is a dramatic improvement versus its previous installment, just as the Pokémon game is to the earlier Pokémon title. If you need any sign that the new console is meeting its hardware potential, despite some limitations present, both games provide a clear example of how the Switch 2 is significantly improving series that struggled on old hardware.