Switch 2 graphics are 'closer to an Xbox Series S', says Wild Hearts S developer
Koei Tecmo's Takuto Edagawa had some high praise for Nintendo's new console
🙌 In a recent interview, the producer of the new Wild Heart S title has given the Nintendo Switch 2 some high praise
🆚 Takuto Edagawa has argued the console is closer to an Xbox Series S in power than a PS4, and praised its upgraded LCD screen for “smoother and more precise” graphics
😮 He also stressed the importance of the new GameChat feature for Switch 2 that could “have an impact on gaming culture as a whole”
📆 Wild Hearts S is available for pre-order now, ahead of a planned July 25 launch date
In a recent Q&A, the developer of Wild Hearts S has praised the power of the Switch 2, arguing it's closer to an Xbox Series S than the PlayStation 4 in terms of performance.
Speaking to the folks at WCCFTech, the producer of the game, Takuto Edagawa, spoke about the importance of Nintendo’s console having more power and picked out one key feature that has been integral.
Edagawa focused on the Switch 2's larger, higher-res display, and said: "We were able to handle the graphics quality and performance adjustments within the scope we had imagined. Especially in portable mode, the high quality LCD makes the graphics look smoother and more precise than the actual specs, which helped a lot."
However, when asked outright to summarise the Nintendo Switch 2’s raw computing power, Edagawa said: “There are a lot of characteristics when it comes to raw computing power so it's difficult to generalize, but I think it can be thought as closer to the Series S.”
In addition, he was also questioned on the impact that the upgraded Joy-Con 2 controllers have had with its improved rumble. Edagawa stated that the improvements to HD Rumble "allowed us to implement more nuanced vibration without additional costs for adjustments, so I feel that it is more powerful than the Switch."
Edagawa declined to state the resolution and frame rate options for Wild Hearts S as the game hasn't been released just yet, so we don't know if it'll be one of the Nintendo Switch 2 games that supports 120fps. Moreover, Edagawa noted that Wild Hearts S also isn't taking advantage of Nvidia's DLSS Super resolution for upscaling.
As for software improvements, Edagawa also gave high praise to the GameChat function that's new for Switch 2, arguing that having it integrated into the console had the potential to "have an impact on gaming culture as a whole".
Edagawa isn't the first to praise the importance of the Switch 2's upgrades in both hardware and software against its predecessor, with a roundtable of developers arguing it being “huge” for the games they were making.
Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Mario, has also weighed in and stated that the Switch 2 is “very attractive and exciting” for developers.
Wild Hearts S is available to pre-order both physically and digitally, ahead of its planned July 25 release date.
Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.