Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's Switch 2 Upgrade Is Massive – and it Bodes Well for Legends Z-A

The Nintendo Switch 2’s motorboat is imminent, and with it, escaped Switch 2 updates for much than 10 existing games from the archetypal Switch’s library. A brace of these are Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, which are beauteous wide criticized for their comparatively mediocre show connected the Switch. I got to play the recently updated Pokémon Scarlet connected the Nintendo Switch 2 for 30 minutes, and the Switch 2 upgrades are incredibly clear.

The authoritative Nintendo website says the escaped Switch 2 updates for Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet include:

• “Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 show and high-resolution TVs for improved representation quality.”
• “Frame rate: Improved for smoother question connected Nintendo Switch 2.”

The vague statement decidedly enactment maine disconnected astatine first, but present I cognize Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet connected the Nintendo Switch 2 tally successful 4K astatine 60FPS. Or, astatine least, those are the settings–I didn’t person the instrumentality to measurement if that 60FPS is so steady–but by the bare eye, I tin inactive admit it arsenic markedly improved. As soon arsenic I loaded into the game, connected a immense 4K TV, I was stunned by however bully everything looked. No jagged pixelated edges connected blades of grass, oregon adjacent Pokémon, here.

The Switch 2 updates person besides accrued the fig of Pokémon that tin look connected screen, and from a further distance. For instance, flying implicit Casseroya Lake connected the Switch 2 was a drastically antithetic acquisition compared to connected the Switch: I saw galore Pokémon aquatics on the aboveground from a region and didn’t acquisition immoderate noticeable stuttering erstwhile I began to swim. Even erstwhile it began to rain, Pokémon Scarlet connected the Switch 2 inactive didn’t conflict adjacent a little. In fact, it continued playing similar normal, arsenic if the upwind effects were meant to just… work.

The framerate improvements are particularly instantly evident erstwhile viewing faraway moving objects, similar the windmills by West Province (Area One) - Central, oregon distant Pokémon and people. I besides didn’t acquisition stalling oregon glitches erstwhile successful a raid conflict oregon erstwhile Terastalizing. I didn’t get to play online oregon co-op, however, truthful we’ve yet to spot if the updates improved those aspects (that desperately request it.)

Visuals are subjective, truthful there’s lone truthful overmuch I tin accidental to stress that the quality is surely noticeable, but you tin ticker the examination video connected this page. I tin besides study connected immoderate favorable loading clip comparisons that volition fto you justice for yourself.

These approximate comparisons are betwixt Pokémon Violet moving connected a V2 Switch (the Monster Hunter Rise peculiar edition, specifically) successful 1080p, and Pokémon Scarlet moving connected a marque caller Nintendo Switch 2 successful 4K.

Loading from rubric screen:

• Switch: 19 seconds
• Switch 2: 5 seconds

Fast question from North Province (Area One) to Casseroya Lake:

• Switch: 9 seconds
• Switch 2: 4 seconds

Fast question from Blueberry Academy to Paldea:

• Switch: 17 seconds
• Switch 2: 5 seconds

Besides the accelerated question loading clip improvements, the menus are besides so overmuch snappier. Models successful menus load successful beauteous overmuch immediately, a stark opposition to the agonizing seconds you’d person to hold connected the archetypal Switch betwixt trying connected apparel successful the menu; oregon hairstyles oregon accessories successful stores.

Nintendo Switch 2 screenshot.

To beryllium wholly honest, the show of these games didn’t forestall maine from enjoying them the archetypal clip around. I inactive appreciated the caller open-world format, much fleshed-out characters, and never-before-seen caller Pokémon friends, lag beryllium damned. I surely was frustrated capable that I avoided switching retired Pokémon due to the fact that of however long it took, sure, but overall, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet were amusive for maine regardless. However, present that I’ve played it connected the Switch 2, the show and ocular issues of the archetypal are surely little ignorable, and thankfully I ne'er request to play it connected an archetypal Switch again.

To neatly sum it up, Rebekah Valentine successful IGN’s archetypal Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet reappraisal said: “Let’s speech astir the Donphan successful the country here: these games tally similar garbage.”

Nintendo Switch 2 screenshot.

This, I’m relieved to say, isn’t the lawsuit connected the Switch 2. Sure, they’re inactive not perfect–I did acquisition one stutter erstwhile dashing connected Koraidon, and determination are inactive texture issues and texture pop-ins–but the visuals and show are acold from garbage. They’re truthful overmuch better, successful fact, that I’m tempted to accidental the escaped Switch 2 updates are person to a light remaster than conscionable an optimization – adjacent though it truly should’ve conscionable tally amended to statesman with. I’m that impressed, but to beryllium fair, I did spell successful with somewhat debased expectations–how overmuch amended could a elemental update marque a crippled that ran with truthful galore issues successful 1080p connected the archetypal Switch?

Just however good Scarlet runs connected the Switch 2 makes maine question if this iteration of Pokémon was planned for the Switch 2 each along. The update does this overmuch and is free? Suspicious.

Conspiracy theories aside, if the show of Scarlet and Violet connected the archetypal Switch turned you disconnected from playing, it’s perfectly worthy giving them different changeable connected the Switch 2. I’m surely going to spell backmost and play much of the Indigo Disk DLC with these updates intact. These games are close astatine location connected the Switch 2 and consciousness similar they should person been present each along, and this gives maine truthful overmuch anticipation for the show of the Switch 2 mentation of Pokémon Legends: Z-A aboriginal this year.

These were my archetypal impressions from conscionable 30 minutes of hands-on play, truthful determination could surely beryllium issues I missed oregon that uncover themselves later, but I encountered significantly less issues successful these 30 minutes connected the Switch 2 compared to the 30 minutes connected the archetypal Switch I spent capturing the examination footage. You’ll beryllium capable to spot the differences betwixt the Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Switch versions for yourself erstwhile the escaped updates are retired connected June 5, alongside the motorboat of the Switch 2. Simply link your Switch 2 to the net and execute a strategy update to download escaped updates.

We’ll besides statesman a mini reappraisal update for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet connected the Switch 2, truthful look retired for that valuation aft playing for overmuch longer successful the adjacent future!

If you bash determine to leap into Paldea connected the Switch 2, don’t miss our thorough Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet Guide, with a useful Scarlet and Violet golden-path walkthrough, a implicit Scarlet and Violet Pokédex, and more.

Casey DeFreitas is simply a lawman exertion connected the guides squad astatine IGN who has ever loved Pokémon. Catch her connected socials @ShinyCaseyD