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It's surprising, but we're nearly at the Nintendo Switch 2's six-month anniversary. By the time Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launches on Dec. 4, we can provide the system a fairly thorough evaluation due to its strong lineup of exclusive launch window games. Major titles like Donkey Kong Bananza will lead that analysis, but it's Nintendo's two most recent games, Pokémon Legends: Z-A and now the Hyrule Warriors sequel, that have helped the new console pass a key challenge in its first six months: the hardware evaluation.

Confronting Hardware Concerns

Before Nintendo formally revealed the new console, the primary worry from users regarding the rumored system was about power. Regarding components, Nintendo has lagged behind Sony and Microsoft for several generations. This situation was evident in the original Switch's later life. The expectation was that a new model would deliver consistent frame rates, improved visuals, and standard options like ultra-high definition. That's exactly what we got when the device was launched in June. That's what its hardware specifications promised, at least. To accurately assess if the Switch 2 is an upgrade, we required examples of major titles running on it. That has now happened over the last two weeks, and the outlook is positive.

Legends: Z-A as an Early Test

The system's initial big challenge was last month's the new Pokémon game. The franchise had some infamous tech struggles on the initial console, with titles such as Scarlet and Violet launching in downright disastrous states. Nintendo's hardware wasn't solely responsible for that; the underlying technology powering the developer's games was old and strained beyond its capabilities in the franchise's move to open-world. Legends: Z-A would be more of a test for its studio than anything else, but we could still learn to analyze from the visual presentation and its operation on the upgraded hardware.

Despite the release's limited detail has opened debates about the studio's prowess, it's undeniable that this Pokémon game is nowhere near the tech disaster of its predecessor, the previous Legends game. It operates at a consistent 60 fps on the upgraded system, whereas the older hardware reaches only 30 fps. Objects still appear suddenly, and you'll find many low-resolution elements if you zoom in, but you won't experience anything resembling the situation in Arceus where you first take to the skies and observe the whole terrain beneath become a jagged, polygonal surface. This is sufficient to grant the new console some passing marks, but with caveats since the developer has its own problems that amplify restricted capabilities.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment as the More Challenging Tech Test

Currently available is a more compelling tech test, however, due to Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, released November 6. This Zelda derivative tests the new console because of its Musou formula, which has gamers battling a massive horde of creatures at all times. The franchise's last installment, the previous Hyrule Warriors, struggled on the first Switch as the system couldn't handle with its rapid gameplay and numerous on-screen elements. It regularly decreased below the desired frame rate and gave the impression that you were pushing too hard when fighting intensely.

The good news is that it too succeeds the hardware challenge. I've been putting the title extensively in recent weeks, completing all missions it has to offer. Throughout this testing, I've found that it manages to provide a consistent frame rate versus its previous game, actually hitting its sixty frames goal with better regularity. It sometimes drops in the fiercest fights, but I've yet to hit any moment where it becomes a slideshow as the framerate chugs. Part of that could be because of the reality that its compact stages are structured to prevent overwhelming hordes on the display simultaneously.

Important Limitations and General Verdict

Present are expected limitations. Primarily, cooperative multiplayer has a substantial reduction around 30 frames. Additionally the initial Nintendo-developed title where there's a clear a major difference between my old OLED display and the new LCD display, with particularly during cinematics looking faded.

But for the most part, this release is a dramatic improvement versus its predecessor, just as Z-A is to Arceus. For those seeking any sign that the new console is meeting its hardware potential, although with certain reservations remaining, both games demonstrate effectively of how Nintendo's latest is markedly enhancing titles that performed poorly on previous systems.