For years, Pokémon has been one of Nintendo’s most beloved franchises, but also one that’s often struggled to match its ambitions with the hardware. Performance dips, flat textures, and limited draw distances have been familiar sights since the move to 3D. But with the Switch 2 now in hand, it feels like we might finally see the world of Pokémon as it was meant to be. One of our viewers, Pierce, reached out to see if we could highlight the differences between the Switch 1 and 2, so thank you for the suggestion, mate. Pokémon ZA does indeed arrive at a fascinating point in the series, launching across both the original Switch and the new Switch 2. That makes it the perfect opportunity to see how the game scales between generations. So in this video, we’re taking a close look at the visual and performance differences between versions to see just how far things have come, and ask the question: what’s it like seeing Pokémon finally take advantage of new hardware?
Visual Upgrades
Now, we’ve already covered the graphics engine shortfalls in my review of the game on this channel. On the Switch 2, the main limitation still comes from the flat textures on buildings, which can make the city feel a bit sterile. We don’t need to revisit that here. Instead, let’s focus on how the two versions run side by side.
The first thing that really stands out is the smoothness of the pop-in. On Switch 2, NPCs and scenery gradually fade into view at a distance. On Switch 1, they simply pop into view. This difference is visible across Pokémon, people, and trees. The density of characters and models remains the same, so Switch 1 players are not missing out on the number of people or Pokémon in the world. Lighting and shadows also look very similar between the two systems.
The second difference is texture quality. On Switch 1, surfaces like stones and tiles on the ground show more pixelation. On Switch 2, these textures are noticeably sharper. The flat building textures do look slightly better on Switch 2, but they remain one of the weaker points in the game’s visuals as mentioned.
It should also be noted that character models and effects hold up well on Switch 1. Game Freak has clearly made an effort to keep the main assets as close as possible to the Switch 2 version. The main difference in character animations is with distant NPCs, which appear slightly janky on Switch 1 until you get up close.
In battle, there’s a leap in quality with the blur effect when the mega Beedrill powers up, outside of that, combat animations and effects seem to stay pretty close between versions.
Performance and Stability
When it comes to performance, the difference between the two systems is night and day. On Switch 1, Pokémon ZA is locked to 30 fps and manages to stick closely to that target. Thankfully, it avoids the stuttering issues that affected previous entries like Scarlet and Violet. There are some very minor frame pacing hiccups, but during my time with the Switch 1 version, it stayed consistently around 30 fps.
Switch 2, on the other hand, runs the game at a locked 60 fps, giving the entire experience a much smoother and more polished feel. Everything from camera panning to exploration flows seamlessly while maintaining the increased draw distance. The result is a world that feels more alive and responsive, making the upgrade immediately noticeable even during casual play.
Art Direction vs Power
Pokémon has long been a franchise defined by its anime-inspired style, and that influence is still very clear in Pokémon ZA. Some players have voiced criticisms about the graphics feeling barebones or underwhelming, particularly when compared to other modern titles.
Even so, there is a sense that the style is moving in the right direction. While the outside environments do feel a little sparse, the character models are strong, and the Pokémon designs remain faithful to the ones many of us grew up with. The balance between staying true to the franchise’s visual identity and taking advantage of new hardware is handled thoughtfully here… but they can definitley take it further. I noted in my review that the Switch 2 verison felt comprimised so the game could run on the Switch 1, and in order to avoid the disaster of Scarlett and Violets performance at launch, Gamefreak played it a bit too safe. I would love to see a more detailed world outside the buildings in future entries, but overall, the visual presentation hits the key points fans care about.
If you’re following the evolution of Pokémon’s visuals, I’d love to hear your thoughts. What would you like to see for the future of Pokémon?
It’s easy to see the two versions side by side and scoff at the Switch 1 version, but when you consider the aging hardware and the history of previous entries, Pokémon ZA is a strong game on both systems. The Switch 2 obviously shines with smoother performance, sharper textures, and longer draw distances, but even on a decade-old console, ZA does a formidable job of bringing the world of Pokémon to life.
Seeing the game run on both systems really highlights how far the franchise has come, while also showing that the core experience remains enjoyable no matter which version you play. Pokémon ZA proves that even with hardware limitations, the series can still deliver a world worth exploring.
