Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment Supports the Switch 2 Pass Its Most Biggest Test Yet

It's astonishing, however we're already closing in on the new Switch 2 console's six-month anniversary. Once Metroid Prime 4: Beyond releases on December 4, we'll be able to give the console a comprehensive evaluation thanks to its impressive roster of first-party early titles. Heavy hitters like Donkey Kong Bananza will lead that check-in, yet it's Nintendo's two most recent games, the Pokémon Legends installment and currently the Hyrule Warriors sequel, that have helped the new console pass a critical examination in its initial half-year: the tech exam.

Addressing Power Worries

Before Nintendo officially announced the Switch 2, the biggest concern from gamers regarding the hypothetical device was regarding performance. In terms of components, Nintendo has lagged behind PlayStation and Xbox over the last few console generations. This situation was evident in the original Switch's later life. The hope was that a Switch 2 would bring more stable framerates, improved visuals, and industry-standard features like 4K resolution. That's exactly what we got when the system was debuted this summer. That's what its specs indicated, anyway. To truly know if the new console is an enhancement, it was necessary to observe major titles performing on the hardware. That has now happened during the past fortnight, and the outlook is positive.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A serving as Early Challenge

The console's first major test arrived with the October release of the new Pokémon game. Pokémon games had some infamous tech struggles on the initial console, with titles such as Scarlet and Violet debuting in downright disastrous states. The console itself wasn't solely responsible for those issues; the game engine running Game Freak's RPGs was old and being pushed beyond its capabilities in the transition to larger environments. This installment would be more challenging for its creator than anything, but we could still learn we'd be able to glean from the title's graphics and how it runs on the new system.

While the game's basic graphics has opened debates about the developer's skills, it's undeniable that the latest installment is not at all like the tech disaster of its predecessor, Arceus. It performs at a consistent 60 fps on the new console, whereas the older hardware reaches only 30 frames per second. Pop-in is still present, and there are plenty of blurry assets if you zoom in, but you won't experience anything similar to the instance in the previous game where you initially fly and observe the entire ground below become a uneven, basic graphics. That qualifies to grant the new console some passing marks, though with reservations given that the developer has independent issues that worsen restricted capabilities.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment serving as a More Demanding Tech Test

We now have a more demanding performance examination, though, because of the new Hyrule Warriors, launched earlier this month. This Zelda derivative tests the new console due to its Musou formula, which has gamers battling a huge number of enemies constantly. The franchise's last installment, the previous Hyrule Warriors, struggled on the first Switch as the hardware struggled with its quick combat and density of things happening. It frequently dropped under the intended 30 frames and produced the feeling that you were breaking the game when being too aggressive.

The good news is that it too succeeds the tech test. After playing the release thoroughly over the last few weeks, playing every single mission available. Throughout this testing, I've found that it achieves a consistent frame rate relative to its previous game, reaching its sixty frames goal with greater stability. It can still slip up in the most intense combat, but I haven't experienced any time when it becomes a slideshow as the performance struggles. Some of this may result from the fact that its short levels are designed to avoid overwhelming hordes on the battlefield concurrently.

Notable Compromises and General Verdict

Remaining are compromises that you're probably expecting. Most notably, splitscreen co-op sees performance taking a substantial reduction around 30 frames. Additionally the initial Nintendo-developed title where it's apparent a significant contrast between my old OLED display and the new LCD display, with cutscenes especially appearing less vibrant.

But for the most part, Age of Imprisonment is a night and day difference over its earlier title, like the Pokémon game is to the earlier Pokémon title. Should you require evidence that the Switch 2 is fulfilling its hardware potential, even with some caveats still in tow, both games provide a clear example of the way the new console is significantly improving series that struggled on old hardware.