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It's astonishing, but we're approaching the new Switch 2 console's six-month anniversary. Once Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launches on the fourth of December, we can provide the console a fairly thorough assessment based on its impressive roster of exclusive initial releases. Heavy hitters like Donkey Kong Bananza will headline that analysis, but it's Nintendo's two most recent games, Pokémon Legends: Z-A and recently Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, that have allowed the Switch 2 overcome a critical examination in its first six months: the tech exam.

Addressing Performance Issues

Prior to Nintendo publicly unveiled the Switch 2, the primary worry from users regarding the hypothetical device was concerning hardware. Regarding technology, Nintendo trailed Sony and Microsoft over the last few console generations. This situation was evident in the end of the Switch era. The hope was that a Switch 2 would deliver smoother performance, improved visuals, and modern capabilities like ultra-high definition. That's exactly what we got when the console was released in June. At least that's what its hardware specifications promised, at least. To truly know if the new console is an improvement, we required examples of some key games running on it. We've finally gotten that during the past fortnight, and the prognosis remains healthy.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A serving as Initial Challenge

The first significant examination arrived with last month's the new Pokémon game. Pokémon games had well-known technical problems on the original Switch, with titles such as Pokémon Scarlet and Violet launching in very poor shape. The console itself didn't bear all the responsibility for those problems; the underlying technology running the Pokémon titles was aged and getting stretched past its limits in the series' gradual open-world pivot. This installment would be a bigger examination for its creator than any other factor, but there was still a lot to observe from the visual presentation and performance on Switch 2.

Despite the release's restricted visual fidelity has sparked discussions about the studio's prowess, it's clear that the latest installment is not at all like the tech disaster of its preceding game, Arceus. It runs at a smooth 60 frames on the new console, but the older hardware maxes out at 30 fps. Pop-in is still present, and you may notice plenty of blurry assets if you zoom in, but you won't experience anything similar to the instance in the previous game where you initially fly and watch the complete landscape become a uneven, basic graphics. This is sufficient to earn the Switch 2 a decent grade, though with reservations given that Game Freak has separate challenges that amplify basic technology.

Age of Imprisonment as the Tougher Tech Test

There is now a more demanding performance examination, though, because of Age of Imprisonment, launched earlier this month. The new Zelda spin-off challenges the upgraded system due to its Musou formula, which has players facing off against a literal army of monsters at all times. The series' previous game, the previous Hyrule Warriors, performed poorly on the initial console as the hardware struggled with its fast-paced action and sheer amount of activity. It often fell below the desired frame rate and created the sensation that you were breaking the game when going too hard in battle.

Thankfully is that it also passes the performance examination. I've been putting the game through its paces in recent weeks, completing all missions it has to offer. In that time, it's clear that it achieves a consistent frame rate relative to its previous game, actually hitting its 60 fps mark with greater stability. Performance can dip in the fiercest fights, but I've yet to hit any moment where it becomes a slideshow as the performance struggles. A portion of this may result from the situation where its short levels are designed to avoid overwhelming hordes on screen at once.

Important Limitations and General Verdict

There are still compromises that you're probably expecting. Especially, splitscreen co-op has a noticeable decrease closer to the 30 fps range. It's also the first Switch 2 first-party game where I've really noticed a major difference between older OLED technology and the current LCD panel, with notably in story sequences appearing less vibrant.

But for the most part, the new game is a dramatic improvement over its previous installment, like Z-A is to Arceus. Should you require evidence that the upgraded system is delivering on its hardware potential, even with some caveats present, the two releases demonstrate effectively of how Nintendo's latest is significantly improving series that struggled on old hardware.