Mario Kart 9 Hints at Significantly More Powerful Nintendo Switch 2

An indie developer with extensive experience creating games for the original Nintendo Switch offers compelling insights into why the brief glimpse of Mario Kart 9 hints at a significantly more powerful Switch 2. Last week's reveal left many captivated, yet Nintendo remains tight-lipped about the console's technical capabilities beyond the visible upgrades: new Joy-Cons, a redesigned kickstand, and a larger form factor. However, the Mario Kart 9 footage in the reveal video may hold clues. Jerrel Dulay of Sungrand Studios, a developer credited with working on Wii U and 3DS titles, shared his analysis in a recent YouTube video (via GamesRadar).

Mario Kart 9 - A First 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 demanding on the original Switch, often impacting frame rates. The Mario Kart 9 footage, however, showcases extensive use of these shaders, along with detailed material reflections.

Digital Foundry's late 2023 report (and subsequent Switch 2 motherboard leaks) pointed towards an Nvidia T239 ARM mobile chip with approximately 1536 CUDA cores—a significant leap from the original Switch's Tegra X1 chip with only 256. This represents a roughly 500% increase in CUDA core count alone.

Dulay emphasizes the high-resolution ground textures, noting their storage demands and the impact on available RAM. The original Switch's 4GB of RAM is dwarfed by the rumored 12GB in the Switch 2 (indicated by leaks showing two 6GB SK Hynix LPDDR5 modules). The potential for significantly faster RAM speeds (up to 7500MHz compared to the original's 1600MHz) further enhances performance, accelerating texture loading and overall game responsiveness. He also notes the sheer number of unique textures used, exceeding the capabilities of the original Switch.

The trailer also showcases "true volumetric lighting," a computationally intensive feature that considers distance and density to create realistic light rays. Dulay considers this a key indicator of the Switch 2's power, noting its impact on frame rate and the challenges it presented on the original console. He also points to the far-distance shadows, another computationally expensive element, significantly improved in the Mario Kart 9 footage.

Further bolstering his argument, Dulay cites the high polygon count of the characters, the realistic cloth physics on the flags, and the sheer number of textures displayed simultaneously. All these factors, he argues, point to a substantial increase in processing power compared to the original Switch.

While awaiting further details and footage, Dulay's analysis provides a valuable perspective on the potential graphical capabilities of the Switch 2. Nintendo's April Direct promises more information.