An indie developer with extensive experience creating games for the original Nintendo Switch has offered compelling reasons why the brief glimpse of Mario Kart 9 strongly suggests a significant power boost in the upcoming Switch 2.
Last week's unveiling of the Nintendo Switch 2 generated considerable excitement. However, Nintendo has remained surprisingly tight-lipped about the console's technical capabilities. While upgrades like new Joy-Cons, a redesigned kickstand, and a larger form factor are clear, the Switch 2's raw processing power remains undisclosed.
But could the fleeting Mario Kart 9 footage in the reveal video offer clues? In a recent YouTube video (via GamesRadar), indie developer Jerrel Dulay of Sungrand Studios, a veteran of Wii U and 3DS development, argues for a substantial power increase in the Switch 2. His intimate knowledge of Nintendo hardware lends significant weight to his analysis.
Mario Kart 9 - A Closer Look
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Dulay highlights the use of "physically-based shaders" on the karts and environments. These shaders, responsive to lighting and reflections, were computationally expensive on the original Switch, often impacting frame rates. The Mario Kart 9 footage, however, showcases extensive use of these shaders without apparent performance issues.
Late in 2023, Digital Foundry published a detailed report (link) on the Switch 2's purported Nvidia T239 ARM mobile chip. This chip, reportedly featuring 1536 CUDA cores, represents a significant leap from the original Switch's Tegra X1 chip with only 256 CUDA cores—a 500% increase. This aligns with leaked Switch 2 motherboard images suggesting an 8nm chip.
Dulay emphasizes the high-resolution ground textures and numerous unique textures in the footage, noting the significant RAM demands of such assets. While the original Switch boasted 4GB of RAM, the Switch 2 is rumored to have 12GB (supported by leaks showing two 6GB SK Hynix LPDDR5 modules). The potential for significantly faster RAM speeds (up to 7500MHz compared to the original Switch's 1600MHz) further enhances performance, accelerating texture loading and overall visual fidelity.
Beyond shaders and textures, Dulay points to the presence of "true volumetric lighting" and far-distance shadows in the Mario Kart 9 trailer. Both are computationally intensive features that presented challenges for developers on the original Switch. The ability to render these effects smoothly suggests a considerable increase in processing power. Additionally, the high polygon count of characters and real-time cloth physics on flags further underscore the performance leap.
In conclusion, Dulay's analysis, informed by his extensive experience, suggests the Switch 2 represents a substantial graphical upgrade over its predecessor. The Mario Kart 9 footage, in his view, serves as strong evidence of this enhanced capability. Further details are expected from Nintendo's April Direct.
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