If you’ve ever worn glasses, then you know this feeling well: Pop on your lenses and, bam, the world is in HD. That’s not a bad way to describe the difference between Metroid Prime 4: Beyond running on the original Switch vs. the new Switch 2.
Having shipped on both consoles, Metroid Prime 4 is a prime opportunity to get a sense of the clear technical differences between Nintendo’s newest console and its last-gen hardware. Sure, we know the Switch 2 is powerful, flexing its GPU muscles with Cyberpunk 2077 and some excellent ports of demanding open-world Ubisoft games. But Metroid is a first-party exclusive, so it’s a great opportunity to see the differences when just Nintendo’s hardware is the target.
Read More: Ubisoft’s Becoming The King Of Switch 2 Ports
The result? The Switch 2 damn sure renders a pretty picture for our gal Samus’ latest adventure. That said, the OG Switch, while it has a softer image, still looks and runs well enough. The load times though…yeesh. This comparison video from ElAnalistaDeBits shows the differences in motion:
Switch 2 has a crisper image, and performance mode looks slick
Switch 2 on both quality and performance modes shows a clear advantage when it comes to a higher resolution and clearer images. The performance mode is a touch softer, but you’re trading a bit of fidelity for 120 frames per second. And if you don’t think a framerate that high is worth it, as a former skeptic of anything higher than 60 FPS being worthwhile, I must tell you that you’re wrong.
© Screenshot: Nintendo / ElAnalistaDeBits / Kotaku
Switch 1 ain’t nothin’ to sneeze at…but you’re gonna wanna grab a coffee while it loads
If you’re like me and all you have laying around is an original Switch, Metroid Prime 4 doesn’t look too terrible. And it runs at 60 FPS, which is swell. But perhaps the worst part of running the game on a classic Switch is you’ll be waiting a long time for it to load. The comparison video above shows a loading sequence that only takes the Switch 2 a mere 24 seconds, while the OG console loads in at over a minute and four seconds. Reminds me of playing The Witcher 3 on PS4 (still had a great time! But man did I do a lotta waiting).
If you’re looking for an excuse to upgrade, Metroid might just be it
Sometimes ya gotta make due with the hardware you have. But if you’ve got some cash burning a hole in your pocket and you’re ready to step into Nintendo’s next generation, and you love Metroid, it seems like the Switch 2 version might make the upgrade worth it. As Nintendo Life puts it in their review of Beyond, once you see the “next-gen” version in motion, it’s hard to go back:
Playing this on Switch 1 when docked feels fine enough, but that crispness, that pop, that ludicrously intricate, high-contrast detail, it’s just a bit fuzzy and pixelly by comparison. I personally feel it’s almost the direct antithesis to Pokémon Legends Z-A, which actually felt as though the art style was more cohesive on the weaker platform. Textures have taken an understandable hit, and models that are further away can look quite smeary, but overall the game still looks good. I just can’t help but compare it unfavourably to Switch 2.
Again, given that the original console runs the game at 60 frames per second, I’d wager the experience of playing the game will still feel good enough, even if it’s a little soft compared to what the latest hardware can deliver. But what are upgrades for if we’re not getting prettier pixels? If you do snag Metroid for the OG Switch and end up acquiring a Switch 2 down the line, you can also upgrade the Switch 1 version to the prettier Switch 2 version for an extra 10 bucks.
