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It's hard to believe, however we're nearly at the new Switch 2 console's six-month milestone. When Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launches on Dec. 4, we can provide the console a comprehensive evaluation thanks to its strong lineup of Nintendo-developed early titles. Heavy hitters like Donkey Kong Bananza will dominate that review, however it's the company's latest releases, Pokémon Legends: Z-A and now Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, that have allowed the Switch 2 conquer a crucial test in its first six months: the hardware evaluation.

Addressing Performance Concerns

Before Nintendo publicly unveiled the Switch 2, the main issue from players around the rumored system was regarding performance. When it comes to components, Nintendo trailed PlayStation and Xbox over the last few console generations. That reality became apparent in the Switch's final years. The hope was that a successor would deliver more stable framerates, improved visuals, and modern capabilities like 4K resolution. That's exactly what we got when the device was released in June. Or that's what its specs indicated, anyway. To accurately assess if the Switch 2 is an upgrade, we'd need to see important releases operating on the system. That has now happened in recent days, and the prognosis remains healthy.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A serving as Initial Challenge

The console's first major test arrived with the October release of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The franchise had some infamous tech struggles on the initial console, with releases including Scarlet and Violet releasing in highly problematic conditions. The console itself didn't bear all the responsibility for that; the actual engine powering the developer's games was old and being pushed much further than it could go in the franchise's move to open-world. Legends: Z-A would be more challenging for its developer than anything, but there was still a lot we'd be able to glean from the game's visual clarity and its operation on the upgraded hardware.

While the game's limited detail has sparked discussions about the studio's prowess, it's undeniable that the latest installment is nowhere near the performance mess of its preceding game, Pokémon Legends: Arceus. It operates at a stable 60 frames per second on Switch 2, whereas the Switch version maxes out at 30 frames per second. Objects still appear suddenly, and there are various fuzzy textures if you zoom in, but you won't experience anything like the moment in Arceus where you initially fly and see the entire ground below transform into a jagged, polygonal surface. This is sufficient to give the system a satisfactory rating, however with limitations considering that the developer has independent issues that amplify restricted capabilities.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment as the More Challenging Hardware Challenge

We now have a tougher hardware challenge, however, due to Age of Imprisonment, released November 6. This Zelda derivative tests the new console because of its Musou formula, which has users confronting a huge number of enemies continuously. The franchise's last installment, the previous Hyrule Warriors, had issues on the first Switch as the hardware struggled with its rapid gameplay and sheer amount of activity. It often fell below its target 30fps and produced the feeling that you were breaking the game when going too hard in battle.

The good news is that it likewise clears the performance examination. Having tested the release thoroughly over the last few weeks, completing all missions available. In that time, I've found that it achieves a more stable framerate versus its earlier title, actually hitting its sixty frames goal with greater stability. It can still slip up in the most heated of battles, but I've yet to hit any time when I'm suddenly watching a slideshow as the frame rate suffers. A portion of this might be due to the fact that its bite-sized missions are structured to prevent overwhelming hordes on screen at once.

Important Limitations and Overall Assessment

There are still compromises that you're probably expecting. Especially, shared-screen play experiences a substantial reduction near thirty frames. Moreover the premier exclusive release where I've really noticed a major difference between older OLED technology and the updated LCD screen, with particularly during cinematics appearing less vibrant.

However generally, this release is a complete change versus its earlier title, just as Z-A is to the earlier Pokémon title. If you need evidence that the upgraded system is meeting its performance claims, despite some limitations still in tow, the two releases show clearly of how the Switch 2 is significantly improving titles that performed poorly on old hardware.