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It's astonishing, however we're already closing in on the Nintendo Switch 2's half-year mark. When Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launches on Dec. 4, we can provide the device a detailed progress report based on its solid selection of exclusive early titles. Heavy hitters like Donkey Kong Bananza will headline that check-in, yet it's Nintendo's two most recent games, Pokémon Legends: Z-A and now Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, that have allowed the successor conquer a crucial test in its first six months: the tech exam.

Addressing Performance Concerns

Prior to Nintendo formally revealed the new console, the primary worry from players regarding the rumored system was concerning hardware. In terms of components, Nintendo has lagged behind Sony and Microsoft for several generations. That fact was evident in the original Switch's later life. The desire was that a Switch 2 would bring smoother performance, improved visuals, and standard options like 4K. That's exactly what we got when the device was released in June. Or that's what its hardware specifications promised, for the most part. To really determine if the Switch 2 is an enhancement, we required examples of some key games performing on the hardware. We've finally gotten that in recent days, and the outlook is positive.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A as the Initial Test

The first significant examination was last month's Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The franchise had well-known technical problems on the first Switch, with titles such as Scarlet and Violet debuting in downright disastrous states. The console itself wasn't exactly to blame for those problems; the actual engine powering Game Freak's RPGs was old and getting stretched much further than it could go in the transition to larger environments. Legends: Z-A would be more challenging for its studio than any other factor, but there remained much we'd be able to glean from the title's graphics and its operation on the upgraded hardware.

Although the title's restricted visual fidelity has initiated conversations about the studio's prowess, it's undeniable that this Pokémon game is far from the performance mess of its preceding game, Pokémon Legends: Arceus. It performs at a consistent 60 fps on the upgraded system, but the original console maxes out at 30 frames per second. Some pop-in occurs, and there are many low-resolution elements if you examine carefully, but you won't experience anything like the moment in Arceus where you first take to the skies and observe the whole terrain beneath become a rough, low-poly terrain. This is sufficient to earn the Switch 2 a satisfactory rating, but with caveats given that the studio has its own problems that amplify limited hardware.

Age of Imprisonment as a More Demanding Performance Examination

There is now a more demanding performance examination, yet, thanks to the new Hyrule Warriors, launched earlier this month. The new Zelda spin-off pushes the Switch 2 because of its hack-and-slash gameplay, which has users confronting a literal army of monsters at all times. The franchise's last installment, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, struggled on the initial console as the system couldn't handle with its rapid gameplay and numerous on-screen elements. It often fell under the intended 30 frames and gave the impression that you were breaking the game when going too hard in battle.

Fortunately is that it also passes the performance examination. I've been putting the title extensively over the last few weeks, playing every single mission it has to offer. In that time, the results show that it's been able to deliver a smoother performance versus its predecessor, actually hitting its 60 frames target with more consistency. It sometimes drops in the most heated of battles, but I haven't experienced any situation where it becomes a choppy presentation as the performance struggles. A portion of this could be because of the situation where its compact stages are designed to avoid overwhelming hordes on the display simultaneously.

Important Trade-offs and Final Verdict

There are still compromises that you're probably expecting. Most notably, splitscreen co-op experiences a noticeable decrease near thirty frames. Moreover the first Switch 2 first-party game where it's apparent a significant contrast between older OLED technology and the updated LCD screen, with cutscenes especially having a washed out quality.

However generally, this release is a night and day difference compared to its previous installment, like Pokémon Legends: Z-A is to Pokémon Legends: Arceus. For those seeking evidence that the new console is fulfilling its tech promises, despite some limitations remaining, the two releases show clearly of how the Switch 2 is markedly enhancing series that struggled on previous systems.