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

An indie developer, well-versed in creating games for the original Nintendo Switch, has provided compelling insights into why a brief look at Mario Kart 9 suggests the Nintendo Switch 2 is "significantly more powerful." The recent grand hardware reveal of the Switch 2 has captured the attention of gamers worldwide, yet Nintendo has remained tight-lipped about the technical specifics of its new handheld. While we've seen clear upgrades such as new Joy-Cons, a redesigned kickstand, and a larger form factor, the actual power of the Switch 2 remains a mystery—until now.

In a detailed YouTube video (via GamesRadar), Jerrel Dulay of Sungrand Studios, who has extensive experience working on titles for the Wii U and 3DS, suggests that the brief glimpse at Mario Kart 9 during the Switch 2 reveal video offers significant clues about the console's capabilities. Dulay's analysis focuses on several key aspects of the new Mario Kart footage that hint at a substantial leap in hardware power.

Mario Kart 9 - First Look

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Dulay highlights the use of "physically-based shaders" on cars and other textures, which can be affected by reflections and lighting. These advanced shaders indicate a level of graphical sophistication that was challenging for the original Switch to handle. According to a late 2023 report by Digital Foundry, the Switch 2 is rumored to house the Nvidia T239 ARM mobile chip, boasting 1536 CUDA cores—a 500% increase over the original Switch's Tegra X1, which had only 256 CUDA cores. This was further supported by motherboard leaks showing an 8nm chip.

Dulay notes that "every single piece of geometry" in the footage uses physically-based rendering for shaders, a feature that could cause frame rate drops on the original Switch due to its demanding nature. The new footage also shows material reflections from the ground and other surfaces, indicating enhanced graphical capabilities.

Another telling detail is the high-resolution ground textures. Dulay explains that these textures, which take up significant space, require ample RAM to function smoothly. While the original Switch operates with 4GB of RAM, the Switch 2 is rumored to have 12GB, with two SK Hynix LPDDR5 modules potentially offering up to 6GB each. Although the specific speed of these RAM modules remains undisclosed, they could reach up to 7500MHz, a substantial improvement over the original Switch's 1600MHz when docked, enhancing texture loading speeds and overall efficiency.

Dulay also points out the use of "true volumetric lighting" in the Mario Kart teaser, a feature that is notoriously demanding for GPUs. This inclusion suggests the Switch 2's ability to handle complex lighting effects at 60 frames per second, showcasing its significant power. Volumetric lighting, along with detailed shadows at far distances, were challenging for the original Switch, often requiring developers to compromise on level of detail. The Switch 2's enhanced CUDA cores, RAM capacity, and speed appear to alleviate these challenges, allowing for more detailed and immersive gaming experiences.

The number of onscreen textures, high poly-count characters, and real-time cloth physics on flagpoles further demonstrate the leap in power that the Switch 2 represents. As we await more details and footage from Nintendo, Dulay's analysis provides a valuable preview of what to expect in terms of graphical prowess from the new console. Nintendo is set to reveal more about the Switch 2 in a dedicated Direct in April. For continuous updates, stay tuned to IGN's Switch 2 coverage right here.