Why That Brief Look at Mario Kart 9 Suggests Nintendo Switch 2 Is 'Significantly More Powerful' Than the Original — According to a Developer

An indie developer with extensive experience creating games for the original Nintendo Switch has offered compelling insights into the Switch 2's enhanced power, based on the brief Mario Kart 9 footage shown during the recent reveal. While Nintendo remains tight-lipped about the Switch 2's technical specifications beyond visual upgrades like new Joy-Cons and a redesigned kickstand, this brief glimpse offers valuable clues.

In a recent YouTube video (via GamesRadar), Jerrel Dulay of Sungrand Studios, a developer with a history of working on Wii U and 3DS titles, shared his expert opinion. Dulay believes the Switch 2 will be significantly more powerful than its predecessor, pointing to several key visual elements in the Mario Kart 9 trailer.

Mario Kart 9 - A Closer Look

25 Images

Dulay highlights the use of physically-based shaders on the karts and environment. These shaders, demanding on the original Switch's hardware, allow for realistic reflections and lighting effects. This, coupled with Digital Foundry's late 2023 report suggesting an Nvidia T239 ARM mobile chip with 1536 CUDA cores (a significant increase from the original Switch's 256), strongly supports his claims. This is further corroborated by leaked Switch 2 motherboard images showing a potential 8nm chip.

The increased CUDA core count isn't the only factor. Dulay also notes the high-resolution ground textures and numerous unique textures used in the trailer. These require substantial RAM, and the rumored 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM in the Switch 2 (a significant upgrade from the original's 4GB) provides the necessary capacity and bandwidth. The potential for much faster RAM speeds (up to 7500MHz compared to the original's 1600MHz) further enhances performance.

Beyond textures, Dulay points to the implementation of volumetric lighting and far-distance shadows, both computationally expensive features. The smooth 60fps performance showcased in the trailer, according to Dulay, strongly indicates the Switch 2's significantly increased processing power. He also notes the high poly-count characters and real-time cloth physics as further evidence of this leap in capability.

In conclusion, while official specifications remain elusive, Dulay's analysis of the Mario Kart 9 footage provides a compelling argument for a substantial power increase in the Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo's upcoming April Direct is anticipated to reveal further details.