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It's surprising, yet we're nearly at the new Switch 2 console's six-month anniversary. When Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launches on December 4, we'll be able to give the console a detailed evaluation due to its solid selection of exclusive launch window games. Blockbuster games like Donkey Kong Bananza will headline that review, but it's Nintendo's two most recent games, Pokémon Legends: Z-A and now Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, that have allowed the new console overcome a critical examination in its opening six months: the tech exam.

Addressing Power Concerns

Prior to Nintendo formally revealed the successor system, the main issue from gamers about the rumored system was regarding performance. Regarding components, Nintendo trailed Sony and Microsoft for several generations. That fact began to show in the Switch's final years. The desire was that a Switch 2 would deliver more stable framerates, better graphics, and modern capabilities like ultra-high definition. That's exactly what we got when the system was released in June. Or that's what its hardware specifications promised, anyway. To really determine if the upgraded system is an enhancement, it was necessary to observe some key games performing on the hardware. We now have that evidence over the last two weeks, and the assessment is favorable.

The Pokémon Title as an Early Challenge

The system's initial big challenge arrived with the October release of the new Pokémon game. The franchise had some infamous tech struggles on the first Switch, with titles such as Pokémon Scarlet and Violet launching in highly problematic conditions. Nintendo's hardware wasn't exactly to blame for those issues; the actual engine powering the Pokémon titles was outdated and strained past its limits in the series' gradual open-world pivot. Legends: Z-A would be a bigger examination 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.

While the game's limited detail has opened debates about the developer's skills, there's no denying that the latest installment is far from the technical failure of its predecessor, Pokémon Legends: Arceus. It runs at a stable 60 frames per second on the new console, whereas the original console maxes out at thirty frames. Objects still appear suddenly, and you may notice many low-resolution elements if you examine carefully, but you won't hit anything resembling the instance in the previous game where you begin airborne travel and observe the entire ground below transform into a jagged, polygonal surface. This is sufficient to give the system some passing marks, though with reservations considering that the developer has its own problems that exacerbate basic technology.

Age of Imprisonment as the More Demanding Tech Test

We now have a more compelling tech test, yet, due to Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, out Nov. 6. This Zelda derivative challenges the upgraded system because of its hack-and-slash gameplay, which has gamers battling a massive horde of creatures at all times. The earlier title, the previous Hyrule Warriors, struggled on the original Switch as the console couldn't keep up with its quick combat and numerous on-screen elements. It often fell below the desired frame rate and produced the feeling that you were breaking the game when being too aggressive.

Thankfully is that it too succeeds the tech test. Having tested the release thoroughly during the past month, playing every single mission available. In that time, I've found that it's been able to deliver a smoother performance compared to its predecessor, maintaining its 60 fps mark with more consistency. It can still slip up in the most intense combat, but I haven't experienced any situation where the game turns into a stuttering mess as the frame rate suffers. Part of that may result from the fact that its compact stages are designed to avoid excessive numbers of foes on the battlefield concurrently.

Significant Trade-offs and Overall Assessment

Remaining are expected limitations. Primarily, cooperative multiplayer sees performance taking a noticeable decrease around 30 frames. It's also the first Switch 2 first-party game where I've really noticed a noticeable variation between previous OLED screens and the new LCD display, with cutscenes especially having a washed out quality.

Overall though, the new game is a complete change compared to its predecessor, similar to Pokémon Legends: Z-A is to Arceus. Should you require any sign that the Switch 2 is fulfilling its tech promises, even with some caveats still in tow, both games demonstrate effectively of how the Switch 2 is markedly enhancing franchises that had issues on older technology.