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It's hard to believe, yet we're already closing in on the new Switch 2 console's six-month anniversary. By the time Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launches on December 4, we can provide the device a comprehensive evaluation due to its strong lineup of exclusive early titles. Blockbuster games like the new Donkey Kong game will lead that review, however it's Nintendo's two most recent games, the Pokémon Legends installment and now Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, that have enabled the successor overcome a key challenge in its first six months: the hardware evaluation.

Addressing Hardware Concerns

Prior to Nintendo publicly unveiled the Switch 2, the biggest concern from users around the hypothetical device was concerning hardware. Regarding technology, Nintendo trailed Sony and Microsoft over the last few console generations. This situation became apparent in the Switch's final years. The desire was that a successor would deliver more stable framerates, smoother textures, and industry-standard features like ultra-high definition. That's exactly what we got when the device was debuted this summer. Or that's what its technical details suggested, for the most part. To really determine if the upgraded system is an improvement, we'd need to see important releases operating on the system. That has now happened over the last two weeks, and the outlook is positive.

Legends: Z-A as the Initial Examination

The first significant examination arrived with October's the new Pokémon game. Pokémon games had some infamous tech struggles on the initial console, with games like Scarlet and Violet releasing in very poor shape. Nintendo's hardware didn't bear all the responsibility for those issues; the actual engine running the developer's games was aged and strained beyond its capabilities in the franchise's move to open-world. Legends: Z-A would be more of a test for its developer than anything else, but we could still learn we'd be able to glean from the title's graphics and its operation on the upgraded hardware.

While the game's restricted visual fidelity has opened debates about the studio's prowess, it's undeniable that Legends: Z-A is nowhere near the technical failure of its earlier title, Pokémon Legends: Arceus. It performs at a consistent 60 fps on Switch 2, but the original console reaches only thirty frames. Objects still appear suddenly, and there are plenty of blurry assets if you look closely, but you won't encounter anything similar to the instance in the previous game where you initially fly and see the entire ground below turn into a uneven, basic graphics. That qualifies to grant the new console a decent grade, however with limitations considering that the developer has its own problems that worsen basic technology.

Age of Imprisonment as the More Challenging Tech Test

There is now a more demanding performance examination, yet, thanks to the new Hyrule Warriors, released November 6. The latest Musou title tests the new console because of its hack-and-slash gameplay, which has gamers battling a literal army of monsters at all times. The earlier title, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, had issues on the first Switch as the hardware struggled with its quick combat and sheer amount of activity. It often fell under the intended 30 frames and created the sensation that you were breaking the game when fighting intensely.

The good news is that it too succeeds the tech test. I've been putting the game through its paces during the past month, playing every single mission available. In that time, it's clear that it achieves a more stable framerate versus its previous game, actually hitting its sixty frames goal with greater stability. Performance can dip in the most heated of battles, but I haven't experienced any situation where the game turns into a slideshow as the framerate chugs. Some of this may result from the situation where its short levels are careful not to put overwhelming hordes on the display simultaneously.

Important Compromises and Overall Verdict

Remaining are expected limitations. Most notably, cooperative multiplayer has a significant drop around 30 frames. Moreover the premier exclusive release where there's a clear a significant contrast between previous OLED screens and the updated LCD screen, with cutscenes especially looking faded.

But for the most part, this release is a dramatic improvement versus its earlier title, like the Pokémon game is to Arceus. Should you require evidence that the Switch 2 is delivering on its tech promises, even with some caveats present, the two releases provide a clear example of the way the new console is significantly improving series that struggled on older technology.