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It's hard to believe, yet we're nearly at the new Switch 2 console's six-month anniversary. By the time Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launches on the fourth of December, we'll be able to give the console a detailed progress report thanks to its impressive roster of exclusive initial releases. Heavy hitters like Donkey Kong Bananza will lead that analysis, but it's two newest Nintendo titles, the Pokémon Legends installment and currently the Hyrule Warriors sequel, that have helped the successor pass a key challenge in its initial half-year: the performance test.

Confronting Hardware Concerns

Before Nintendo formally revealed the successor system, the main issue from users around the then-theoretical console was about power. When it comes to components, Nintendo has lagged behind competing consoles for several generations. That fact was evident in the end of the Switch era. The hope was that a Switch 2 would introduce smoother performance, better graphics, and modern capabilities like 4K. That's exactly what we got when the device was launched in June. Or that's what its hardware specifications promised, at least. To truly know if the Switch 2 is an enhancement, it was necessary to observe some key games running on it. We've finally gotten that over the last two weeks, and the assessment is favorable.

Legends: Z-A serving as Initial Challenge

The console's first major test came with October's Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Pokémon games had notable performance issues on the initial console, with titles such as Scarlet and Violet debuting in very poor shape. Nintendo's hardware wasn't solely responsible for those problems; the underlying technology powering the Pokémon titles was old and strained much further than it could go in the transition to larger environments. Legends: Z-A would be more of a test for its creator than anything, but we could still learn to observe from the game's visual clarity and performance on Switch 2.

Despite the release's limited detail has sparked discussions about Game Freak's technical capabilities, it's clear that the latest installment is nowhere near the tech disaster of its predecessor, Pokémon Legends: Arceus. It operates at a stable 60 frames per second on the upgraded system, but the Switch version maxes out at thirty frames. Some pop-in occurs, 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 begin airborne travel and watch the whole terrain beneath transform into a rough, low-poly terrain. That qualifies to grant the new console a satisfactory rating, but with caveats considering that the developer has independent issues that amplify restricted capabilities.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment as a Tougher Tech Test

We now have a more compelling tech test, yet, due to Age of Imprisonment, out Nov. 6. The latest Musou title tests the new console due to its Musou formula, which has players facing off against a huge number of enemies continuously. The franchise's last installment, Age of Calamity, performed poorly on the original Switch as the hardware struggled with its fast-paced action and numerous on-screen elements. It often fell below the desired frame rate and created the sensation that you were overwhelming the system when going too hard in battle.

The good news is that it also passes the tech test. After playing the release thoroughly over the last few weeks, completing all missions available. During that period, the results show that it achieves a more stable framerate compared to its predecessor, reaching its 60 fps mark with better regularity. Performance can dip in the most intense combat, but I haven't experienced any situation where the game turns into a stuttering mess as the framerate chugs. Part of that may result from the fact that its bite-sized missions are structured to prevent too many enemies on the battlefield concurrently.

Notable Compromises and General Evaluation

There are still expected limitations. Primarily, splitscreen co-op has a substantial reduction around 30 frames. Additionally the premier exclusive release where it's apparent a major difference between previous OLED screens and the current LCD panel, with cutscenes especially having a washed out quality.

But for the most part, this release is a complete change compared to its previous installment, similar to Pokémon Legends: Z-A is to Arceus. Should you require evidence that the new console is fulfilling its performance claims, although with certain reservations present, both games show clearly of how the Switch 2 is markedly enhancing series that struggled on old hardware.