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It's astonishing, but we're nearly at the Nintendo Switch 2's half-year mark. Once Metroid Prime 4: Beyond debuts on Dec. 4, we can provide the console a fairly thorough assessment based on its impressive roster of Nintendo-developed early titles. Blockbuster games like the new Donkey Kong game will headline that review, however it's Nintendo's two most recent games, the Pokémon Legends installment and recently Age of Imprisonment, that have helped the new console conquer a crucial test in its opening six months: the tech exam.

Addressing Power Concerns

Before Nintendo officially announced the new console, the main issue from players regarding the hypothetical device was regarding performance. In terms of hardware, the company fell behind Sony and Microsoft over the last few console generations. This situation became apparent in the original Switch's later life. The hope was that a new model would introduce smoother performance, better graphics, and industry-standard features like ultra-high definition. That's exactly what we got when the device was debuted this summer. Or that's what its hardware specifications promised, at least. To really determine if the new console is an upgrade, we required examples of major titles operating on the system. That has now happened in recent days, and the prognosis remains healthy.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A serving as Initial Test

The system's initial big challenge was the October release of the new Pokémon game. Pokémon games had notable performance issues on the original Switch, with releases including Scarlet and Violet releasing in highly problematic conditions. Nintendo's hardware wasn't solely responsible for those issues; the underlying technology powering Game Freak's RPGs was aged and getting stretched beyond its capabilities in the franchise's move to open-world. This installment would be more challenging for its studio than anything else, but there remained much we'd be able to glean from the visual presentation and how it runs on the new system.

While the game's restricted visual fidelity has sparked discussions about the studio's prowess, it's clear that the latest installment is nowhere near the technical failure of its preceding game, Pokémon Legends: Arceus. It performs at a consistent 60 fps on the new console, but the Switch version tops out at 30 fps. Objects still appear suddenly, and you'll find many low-resolution elements if you look closely, but you won't hit anything similar to the situation in Arceus where you initially fly and watch the entire ground below turn into a jagged, polygonal surface. That qualifies to earn the Switch 2 some passing marks, but with caveats since Game Freak has independent issues that worsen limited hardware.

Age of Imprisonment serving as a More Challenging Performance Examination

Currently available is a tougher hardware challenge, yet, thanks to Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, released November 6. This Zelda derivative tests the new console due to its action-oriented style, which has gamers battling a massive horde of creatures at all times. The earlier title, Age of Calamity, performed poorly on the first Switch as the system couldn't handle with its quick combat and sheer amount of activity. It regularly decreased under the intended 30 frames and produced the feeling that you were pushing too hard when being too aggressive.

The good news is that it also passes the performance examination. Having tested the release thoroughly in recent weeks, experiencing every level available. In that time, the results show that it's been able to deliver a more stable framerate versus its predecessor, actually hitting its 60 frames target with better regularity. It can still slip up in the most heated of battles, but I've yet to hit any time when it becomes a stuttering mess as the frame rate suffers. Some of this might be due to the reality that its bite-sized missions are careful not to put too many enemies on screen at once.

Significant Compromises and Final Verdict

Remaining are expected limitations. Especially, cooperative multiplayer has a significant drop around 30 frames. Moreover the initial Nintendo-developed title where I've really noticed a noticeable variation between my old OLED display and the new LCD display, with cutscenes especially looking faded.

However generally, Age of Imprisonment is a dramatic improvement compared to its previous installment, similar to the Pokémon game is to Arceus. Should you require confirmation that the new console is fulfilling its performance claims, even with some caveats still in tow, these titles provide a clear example of the way the new console is markedly enhancing franchises that had issues on old hardware.