Enhanced Technical Features Completely Transform Pokémon Scarlet & Violet on Nintendo Switch 2

I can barely wrap my head around a game getting the ol’ technical axe like the original Pokemon Scarlet & Violet on the Switch. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen worse—from the land of the broken and glitchy—but a gem like this getting tripped up over its own heels, that’s a head-scratcher.

That grumpy 2022 review I penned—remember that? Called the game a “super-effective new vision” but, man, did I give its performance a good smack. Those windmills looking like stop-motion flicks from a bygone era and cliffsides appearing straight out of an N64 fever dream. Honestly, Scarlet & Violet deserved something shinier.

Fast forward three years, and we’ve got the Switch 2 update coming in hot. Trust me, this thing’s like a storm in a barn. A good one, I mean. Like, if it was great before despite the hiccups, now? On Switch 2? It’s like they finally gave it legs to run with.

So, The Pokemon Company waved me over for a sneak peek at the Switch 2 version—bit of a bold move, considering I wasn’t shy about critiquing the original. Long story short: wow. Just wow. Night vs. day kinda wow. If you’ve ever poked fun at frame rates, this is your “I dare you” moment. Try the new version and jump back to the old—if you can stomach it.

Watch the Serebii preview on YouTube if you don’t believe me—that’s Joe’s take there, and it’s spot on.

Okay, picture this: the game’s got this crisp, high-def shine now, mostly locked at 60fps. It used to feel like a nauseating rollercoaster; now it’s smooth sailing. Those embarrassing windmills? Fixed!

But hey, it’s not just a flex about technical nerd stuff. This fresh performance flips the whole game vibe. Scarlet & Violet are like the Pokemon equivalent of wandering through Skyrim or Breath of the Wild—but better, ’cause now it doesn’t hitch when you spin the camera to catch a sneak peek of some wild critter or distant view.

Things like menu navigation? Snap and you’re there. Wild Pokemon? More of ’em, and they pop in like they’re supposed to. Frame rate used to choke on some flashy move animations during battles, and now? It’s all zippy.

Not to say it’s perfect—don’t get your hopes too high. Details still pop in as you zoom along, flowers practically appearing like magic. Plus, maybe now the art style kinda needs a tweak now that we see it all fancy in HDR.

But hey, minor quibbles, right? This is the Scarlet & Violet we all should’ve had. Maybe the most polished Pokemon adventure yet? At least in 3D. Playing at 60fps feels almost naughty, like it shouldn’t be allowed. But it’s here, and it’s glorious.

Oh, and with the Pokemon games running this smooth now, I’m all sorts of hyped for this year’s Pokemon Legends Z-A. It’s gonna be wild.