Nintendo Switch 2 demonstrates immense performance upgrade for previously near-unplayable games as well as shorter loading times
The Nintendo Switch 2 is compatible with most, but not all, games originally released for the first-generation Nintendo Switch. Nintendo utilizes a a combination of hardware compatibility and emulation to achieve better performance than pure software emulation.
As the video from Digital Foundry embedded below impressively demonstrates, this approach pays off, especially for games that previously struggled on the first-generation Nintendo Switch. The frame rate of Batman Arkham Knight drops to just 15 fps in some scenes, half the targeted 30 frames per second, with individual frames lasting up to 180 milliseconds (0.18 seconds) on the screen, resulting in severe stuttering.
On the Nintendo Switch 2, all these problems are a thing of the past since the game runs at a rock-solid 30 frames per second on the new console. Without an update, however, Switch players will have to make do with the very low-resolution textures of the Switch version, even on the faster console
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has a similar story, running at a stable 30 frames per second on the Nintendo Switch 2, while the first-generation Nintendo Switch could only display demanding sequences at around 20 fps. Moreover, the game's resolution has increased noticeably on the Switch 2 thanks to dynamic resolution, which can be reduced when the frame rate drops in order to stabilize performance.
YouTube channel GVG tested several other Switch games on the Nintendo Switch 2 and provides some interesting insights. Dragon Quest Builders 2, for example, runs consistently at 60 frames per second on the Nintendo Switch 2, instead of the 20 to 40 fps it achieved on the original Switch. Challenging online levels, which run at barely more than 10 fps on the original Switch, reach almost 30 frames per second on the Switch 2.
Games such as Bayonette 3, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Super Mario RPG, and Hyrule Warriors also run at a smooth 60 frames per second on the Switch 2, while The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild achieves a stable frame rate of 30 fps even without upgrading to the Switch 2 Edition. The video also compares loading times, with very promising results:
| Loading time on Nintendo Switch | Loading time on Nintendo Switch 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dragon Quest Builders 2 (Game start) | 01:58 minutes | 01:04 minutes |
| Donkey Kong Country HD* (Level start) | 16.2 seconds | 13.1 seconds |
| Zelda: Breath of the Wild* (Fast travel) | 11.9 seconds | 8.8 seconds |
| Tomb Raider Angel of Darkness (Level start) | 8.5 seconds | 1.9 seconds |
The games marked with a star were tested on a game cartridge and so cannot benefit from the console's faster flash storage, so the faster loading times in these cases are probably and mostly due to the processor.
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