I can barely wrap my head around how Pokemon Scarlet & Violet were hamstrung by their performance on the original Nintendo Switch. Sure, there are tons of games that tank worse—total disasters, really—but I struggle to find a game so darn good yet so held back by how it ran.
That was the gig in my 2022 review. I called it a “super-effective new vision” for the series, even as I cursed how it stuttered. Folks, those stop-motion windmills? Those faraway cliffs looking like something out of Nintendo 64? Yeah, unfortunately unforgettable. Scarlet & Violet deserved way more with their vibrant design and upbeat spirit.
Fast forward—three years zoom by—and now Scarlet & Violet’s getting a Switch 2 glow-up. Can I just say? It’s going to blow your socks off. If the game’s design was killer in 2022, then with Switch 2, it’s finally gonna pack the punch it was meant to.
So, I got an invite. Yep, The Pokemon Company wanted me to take an early look at this buffed-up version. And you know, given my rather loud critiques before, that’s them betting big on what they’ve got.
Here’s the deal: It’s like night and day. No joke. For those out there saying frame rate is no big deal, I throw down a challenge. Play on Switch 2, then try going back to the original. Bet you can’t. Even Joe from Serebii said it—you just can’t.
Picture this: shiny graphics, crisp resolutions, and that steady 60fps? It’s a new universe compared to the old, stomach-churning coaster ride of the original. No more slideshow Pokemon and scenery. Heck, those windmills are working now!
And this isn’t just about tech talk. The way this thing runs changes the whole vibe. Scarlet & Violet were meant to be the most free-spirited, expansive Pokemon adventures, pulling vibes from giants like Skyrim and Breath of the Wild. But, if every camera spin meant frame rate dives, it just yanked you out of the magic. Now, everything’s stable, and it’s like a totally new ball game.
Oh, and some real perks too. Wild Pokemon rove around like they should. That awkward pause when meeting a wild one? Poof, gone. Menus? Snappy and quick, not the sluggish beasts they were. Even those box sprites are instant now.
These tweaks, tiny as they seem, snowball into something epic. Battles hit a better stride now—previously slow-mo due to animation struggles. Though, let’s not get too starry-eyed. Detail settings still kinda aggressive—sprinting at that awesome 60fps, and flowers pop up as you go. Not great. Plus, with all this power, it reveals the art style could use a bit of tightening up. But dang, HDR does make Paldea shine like a rainbow.
All told? Total win. This is how Scarlet & Violet should’ve hit the shelves. Arguably, this might be the snazziest main-line Pokemon game tech-wise, period. Playing these at 60fps feels rebellious. Now that we’ve cracked this performance nut, I’m hyped for whatever Pokemon Legends Z-A throws our way. Can’t wait.
