Pokémon Scarlet, Violet Upgrade Hints at Legends Z-A Boost

The Nintendo Switch 2 launch is just around the corner, bringing free next-gen upgrades for over ten games from the original Switch library. Among them are Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, two titles widely criticized for their subpar performance on the original hardware. I spent thirty minutes playing the updated Pokémon Scarlet on the Nintendo Switch 2, and the enhancements are strikingly apparent.

According to the official Nintendo website, the free Switch 2 upgrades for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet include:

"Visuals: Optimized for the Nintendo Switch 2 screen and high-resolution televisions for a clearer picture." "Frame rate: Enhanced for smoother motion on Nintendo Switch 2."

While the initial description felt rather vague, I can now confirm Pokémon Scarlet and Violet run at 4K and 60FPS on the Switch 2. I didn't have tools to verify a locked 60FPS, but to the naked eye, the improvement is evident. The moment the game loaded on a large 4K display, I was taken aback by the crisp visuals. Gone were the jagged edges on grass or Pokémon.

The Switch 2 update also increases both the number of Pokémon on screen and the draw distance. Gliding over Casseroya Lake felt completely different from the Switch version: I spotted many Pokémon swimming in the distance, with no stuttering as I approached and joined them in the water. Even when rain started falling, the game performance held steady, as if the weather effects were always intended to run smoothly.

Even when it began to rain, Pokémon Scarlet on the Switch 2 still didn’t struggle even a little.“

The smoother frame rate is especially noticeable when observing distant moving objects, such as the windmills near West Province (Area One) - Central, or far-off Pokémon and characters. I experienced no hitches or graphical errors during raid battles or when Terastalizing. I didn't test online or co-op modes, so it remains to be seen if those problematic areas have been addressed.

Visual quality is subjective, so words can only do so much to highlight the clear difference, but you can watch the side-by-side video on this page. I also recorded some loading time comparisons for your own assessment.

These are approximate comparisons between Pokémon Violet running on a V2 Switch (the Monster Hunter Rise edition) at 1080p, and Pokémon Scarlet running on a new Nintendo Switch 2 at 4K.

Loading from title screen:

19 secondsSwitch 2: 5 seconds

Fast travel from North Province (Area One) to Casseroya Lake:

9 secondsSwitch 2: 4 seconds

Fast travel from Blueberry Academy to Paldea:

17 seconds Switch 2: 5 seconds

In addition to faster loading screens, the menus are significantly more responsive. Character models in menus appear almost instantly, a welcome change from the frustrating delays on the original Switch when browsing clothing, hairstyles, or accessories in shops.

To be frank, the original performance issues didn't stop me from enjoying these games initially. I still valued the new open-world design, deeper characters, and the new Pokémon, technical lag notwithstanding. Yes, I avoided swapping my team members sometimes due to the painfully long menus, but overall, I had fun with Scarlet and Violet. Now, having experienced the Switch 2 version, the flaws of the original are far less easy to overlook, and I'm glad I won't have to go back.

As Rebekah Valentine aptly stated in IGN’s original Pokémon Scarlet and Violet review: “Let’s address the Donphan in the room: these games run terribly.”

I'm happy to report this is no longer true on the Switch 2. They aren't flawless–I noticed one stutter while dashing on Koraidon, and some texture issues and pop-in remain–but the visuals and performance are a world away from "terrible." In fact, the improvement is so substantial that the free update feels more like a light remaster than a simple optimization, though it really should have performed this well from the start. I'm genuinely impressed, though I admit my expectations were modest–how much could a basic update fix a game that struggled so much at 1080p on the original Switch?

Seeing how well Scarlet runs on the Switch 2 even makes me wonder if this Pokémon generation was always meant for the more powerful hardware. This level of improvement, and it's free? Suspicious.

Conspiracy theories aside, if the original Switch performance put you off Scarlet and Violet, they are absolutely worth revisiting on the Switch 2. I plan to dive back into The Indigo Disk DLC with these upgrades enabled. The games feel perfectly suited to the Switch 2, as if this is where they belonged all along, and it makes me optimistic for the performance of the upcoming Pokémon Legends: Z-A on the new console.

Which Nintendo Switch 2 Game Are You Most Excited For?

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AnswerSee Results

These are my initial observations from a brief thirty-minute session, so there might be issues I didn't catch or that appear later. However, I encountered vastly fewer problems in these thirty minutes on the Switch 2 compared to the original hardware, which I used to capture comparison footage. You can judge the differences for yourself when the free updates release on June 5, coinciding with the Switch 2 launch. Just connect your Switch 2 online and perform a system update to download them.

We will also be publishing a mini review update for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet on the Switch 2, so watch for that more extensive evaluation after further playtime!

If you decide to explore Paldea on the Switch 2, be sure to use our comprehensive Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Guide, featuring a convenient Scarlet and Violet story walkthrough, a full Scarlet and Violet Pokédex, and more.