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It's hard to believe, but we're nearly at the new Switch 2 console's six-month anniversary. When the upcoming Metroid Prime 4 releases on Dec. 4, it will be possible to deliver the system a detailed progress report thanks to its strong lineup of exclusive early titles. Heavy hitters like Donkey Kong Bananza will dominate that review, however it's the company's latest releases, the Pokémon Legends installment and recently Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, that have helped the new console pass a critical examination in its first six months: the hardware evaluation.

Addressing Performance Issues

Ahead of Nintendo formally revealed the successor system, the biggest concern from users about the hypothetical device was regarding performance. In terms of hardware, the company fell behind competing consoles in recent cycles. That fact became apparent in the Switch's final years. The expectation was that a Switch 2 would introduce consistent frame rates, smoother textures, and modern capabilities like 4K resolution. That's precisely what arrived when the device was launched in June. Or that's what its hardware specifications promised, for the most part. To really determine if the upgraded system is an enhancement, we'd need to see important releases running on it. That has now happened during the past fortnight, and the prognosis remains healthy.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A as the First Examination

The system's initial big challenge came with last month's Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Pokémon games had well-known technical problems on the first Switch, with releases including the Scarlet and Violet games releasing in downright disastrous states. The system wasn't solely responsible for that; the actual engine driving the Pokémon titles was old and getting stretched past its limits in the series' gradual open-world pivot. This installment would be more challenging for its studio than anything, but there remained much to observe from the visual presentation and its operation on the upgraded hardware.

Despite the release's limited detail has sparked discussions about Game Freak's technical capabilities, it's undeniable that Legends: Z-A is nowhere near the tech disaster of its preceding game, Arceus. It runs at a stable 60 frames per second on the upgraded system, while the Switch version tops out at thirty frames. Pop-in is still present, and there are many low-resolution elements if you zoom in, but you won't experience anything like the situation in Arceus where you initially fly and watch the complete landscape turn into a rough, low-poly terrain. That qualifies to earn the Switch 2 some passing marks, but with caveats given that the studio has separate challenges that exacerbate basic technology.

Age of Imprisonment as the More Challenging Tech Test

There is now a more demanding performance examination, however, due to Age of Imprisonment, released November 6. The latest Musou title tests the new console due to its hack-and-slash gameplay, which has users confronting a massive horde of creatures continuously. The earlier title, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, had issues on the original Switch as the hardware struggled with its quick combat and density of things happening. It regularly decreased below the desired frame rate and produced the feeling that you were pushing too hard when going too hard in battle.

The good news is that it too succeeds the performance examination. I've been putting the title extensively over the last few weeks, completing all missions it has to offer. In that time, the results show that it achieves a more stable framerate relative to its earlier title, reaching its 60 frames target with greater stability. It sometimes drops in the most heated of battles, but I haven't experienced any situation where I'm suddenly watching a stuttering mess as the performance struggles. Some of this could be because of the situation where its bite-sized missions are careful not to put excessive numbers of foes on the battlefield concurrently.

Significant Trade-offs and Overall Evaluation

Present are foreseeable trade-offs. Primarily, shared-screen play experiences a noticeable decrease closer to the 30 fps range. It's also the premier exclusive release where there's a clear a major difference between older OLED technology and the new LCD display, with particularly during cinematics appearing less vibrant.

But for the most part, this release is a complete change versus its predecessor, similar to Pokémon Legends: Z-A is to Arceus. If you need any sign that the Switch 2 is delivering on its performance claims, even with some caveats present, these titles show clearly of how the Switch 2 is markedly enhancing titles that performed poorly on previous systems.