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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 debuts on Dec. 4, we'll be able to give the console a comprehensive progress report due to its impressive roster of first-party launch window games. Blockbuster games like Donkey Kong Bananza will headline that check-in, yet it's two newest Nintendo titles, Pokémon Legends: Z-A and now Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, that have allowed the Switch 2 conquer a crucial test in its initial half-year: the performance test.

Confronting Hardware Worries

Before Nintendo formally revealed the new console, the biggest concern from users around the hypothetical device was about power. Regarding hardware, Nintendo has lagged behind Sony and Microsoft for several generations. That reality began to show in the original Switch's later life. The expectation was that a new model would deliver more stable framerates, improved visuals, and modern capabilities like 4K resolution. That's exactly what we got when the console was released in June. At least that's what its specs indicated, at least. To really determine if the upgraded system is an enhancement, we required examples of important releases operating on the system. We now have that evidence in recent days, and the assessment is favorable.

Legends: Z-A serving as First Test

The system's initial big challenge was October's Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Pokémon games had some infamous tech struggles on the initial console, with games like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet launching in downright disastrous states. The system wasn't solely responsible for that; the game engine running the Pokémon titles was aged and being pushed past its limits in the franchise's move to open-world. Legends: Z-A would be more of a test for its creator than anything, but there remained much to analyze from the game's visual clarity and how it runs on the new system.

Despite the release's basic graphics has opened debates about the studio's prowess, it's undeniable that the latest installment is not at all like the performance mess of its predecessor, Pokémon Legends: Arceus. It performs at a stable 60 frames per second on Switch 2, but the original console tops out at thirty frames. Pop-in is still present, and there are plenty of blurry assets if you zoom in, but you won't encounter anything similar to the situation in Arceus where you first take to the skies and watch the complete landscape turn into a rough, low-poly terrain. This is sufficient to give the system a satisfactory rating, but with caveats since Game Freak has independent issues that exacerbate limited hardware.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment as the Tougher Performance Examination

Currently available is a more demanding performance examination, however, due to Age of Imprisonment, released November 6. The latest Musou title pushes the Switch 2 due to its hack-and-slash gameplay, which has players facing off against a huge number of enemies at all times. The earlier title, the previous Hyrule Warriors, performed poorly on the initial console as the system couldn't handle with its rapid gameplay and sheer amount of activity. It frequently dropped below the desired frame rate and created the sensation that you were pushing too hard when fighting intensely.

Thankfully is that it likewise clears the hardware challenge. Having tested the game through its paces during the past month, playing every single mission included. Throughout this testing, it's clear that it manages to provide a consistent frame rate 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 time when I'm suddenly watching a stuttering mess as the framerate chugs. Part of that could be because of the reality that its compact stages are careful not to put too many enemies on the display simultaneously.

Important Trade-offs and Final Assessment

Present are compromises that you're probably expecting. Most notably, shared-screen play sees performance taking a noticeable decrease closer to the 30 fps range. Additionally the first Switch 2 first-party game where I've really noticed a major difference between my old OLED display and the updated LCD screen, with cutscenes especially looking faded.

However generally, Age of Imprisonment is a night and day difference versus its previous installment, just as Z-A is to the earlier Pokémon title. Should you require evidence that the upgraded system is meeting its tech promises, despite some limitations present, these titles demonstrate effectively of how the Switch 2 is significantly improving franchises that had issues on old hardware.