Mario Kart 9 Glimpse Hints at 'Significantly More Powerful' Nintendo Switch 2, Developer Says

The reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2's hardware last week has sparked significant excitement, yet Nintendo has remained tight-lipped about the exact specifications of its new handheld. While we've seen clear upgrades like new Joy-Cons, a redesigned kickstand, and a larger form factor, the technical capabilities of the Switch 2 remain a mystery. However, a brief glimpse of Mario Kart 9 in the reveal video may offer some clues about the console's power.

In a new YouTube video, indie developer Jerrel Dulay from Sungrand Studios suggests that the Switch 2 is set to be much more powerful than its predecessor. Dulay, who has extensive experience working on titles for the Wii U and 3DS, analyzed the Mario Kart 9 footage to draw his conclusions.

Mario Kart 9 - First Look

25 ImagesDulay pointed out the use of physically-based shaders on cars and other textures in the new Mario Kart footage. These shaders, which can be affected by reflections and lighting, indicate a higher level of graphical fidelity. He noted that using such complex shaders on the original Switch would have been challenging and could lead to performance issues.

A late 2023 report by Digital Foundry suggested that the Switch 2 might feature the Nvidia T239 ARM mobile chip, with 1536 CUDA Cores—marking a 500% increase from the original Switch's Tegra X1 chip, which had only 256 CUDA cores. This information was supported by leaks of the Switch 2's motherboard, which showed an 8nm chip.

Dulay also highlighted the high-resolution ground textures seen in the footage, which require significant RAM. The original Switch has just 4GB of RAM, whereas the Switch 2 is rumored to have 12GB, as indicated by the presence of two SK Hynix LPDDR5 modules in the motherboard leaks. These modules could offer speeds up to 7500MHz, a substantial increase over the original Switch's 1600MHz, allowing for faster texture loading and potentially more detailed visuals.

Dulay further noted the presence of true volumetric lighting in the Mario Kart teaser, which is a demanding feature for any GPU. He believes that the ability to run these graphics at 60 frames per second is a testament to the Switch 2's significant power upgrade. Additionally, the trailer showed shadows at far distances, another feature that was challenging to implement on the original Switch due to hardware limitations.

The combination of increased CUDA cores, higher RAM capacity, and faster RAM speed suggests that the Switch 2 will provide developers with much more headroom to create visually stunning games. Dulay's analysis points to a considerable leap in graphical capabilities, from the number of onscreen textures and high poly-count characters to real-time cloth physics on flagpoles.

As we await further details and footage from Nintendo, Dulay's insights offer a promising glimpse into the potential of the Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo is set to reveal more in a dedicated Direct in April, and you can stay updated with all the latest Switch 2 coverage on IGN.