Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will be the first games I play on Switch 2, even though the new console has a killer lineup of launch titles. While it would be cool to play Street Fighter 6 or Mario Kart World, the curious gamer in me wants to see what this free upgrade fixes.
These two games contributed to Pokémon’s mixed legacy on Nintendo’s original Switch, due to their performance issues and middling graphics. It will be interesting to see if the new console can make this game more playable for fans who couldn’t take the bad performance. As a fan of both games, I want to see how much the upgrade improves these RPGs.
Fans were excited to see Pokémon Scarlet and Violet listed as part of the Switch games that are getting free upgrades on Switch 2. Nintendo confirmed that these changes would mostly fix performance and increase the resolution. In theory, this is everything fans wanted fixed in these two games, so this update has our attention.
Gamers who have emulated these games on more powerful hardware know that they can achieve a more stable frame rate. Admittedly, emulation can only do so much, as this method still won’t improve the game's appearance or eliminate the constant pop-in. We’re not sure if the Switch 2 update will completely fix these problems, but given this system’s power, it looks possible.
It will be interesting to see if the visual fixes will make fans appreciate the gameplay of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. While many were mixed on the open-world gameplay, this writer always thought it complemented the series’ traditional gameplay loop. Exploring vast areas with Koraidon and Miraidon, while finding items and battling other trainers, is pretty satisfying.
Scarlet and Violet also had one of the better-structured campaigns in the entire franchise. Rather than just going through one story with various sub-chapters, these two games let players progress through three storylines in their own way. They could travel far and wide to fight the strongest gym leaders with their level 5 starter, even if it won’t end well for them.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet also have some of the best supporting characters in the franchise. Arven and Penny have surprisingly great arcs in the game, focusing on found family and redemption, respectively. Nemona is also a pretty fun rival, thanks to her love for battling. The final villain reveal is also excellent, and we won’t spoil that for anyone, at least not yet.
I understand that the original Switch versions of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are unplayable for some, due to their performance issues and bland visuals. Hopefully, the Switch 2 fixes will let people see how great these games have always been, even with their faults.