I've been playing Pokémon Legends: Z-A on my Switch 2 since it was first released and have loved every minute of it. The game takes place entirely in Lumiose City and I've found that it runs beautifully on the new console. Whether you're catching Pokémon in the wild zones or diving into intense battles, everything looks crisp and gameplay is perfectly smooth.
You don't actually need to own a Switch 2 to play Pokémon Legends: Z-A, though. The standard Switch version is now available for $10 less than its Switch 2 counterpart. So if you're a Poké fan who hasn't yet taken the plunge and purchased the latest console, you don't have to miss out on the latest Pokémon adventure. The real question is: How well does the Switch 1 version actually run? IGN had the chance to play the game on both consoles side-by-side and it would seem the older console is quite capable of running the game – with the exception of some frame rate loss. You can check out our comparison below to see for yourself how the two versions of the game stack up against each other.
Should You Upgrade?
Like we noted in our comparison video, the differences between the two versions of the game are noticeable, but not so vast that you really need to upgrade to play the game. If you want the best possible gameplay experience with the sharpest possible visuals, then I'd say it's absolutely worth upgrading to the Switch 2. If you don't want to dish out the $450 for a new console, however, the Switch 1 version of the game will work just fine. The environments will be a little less detailed and some of the Pokémon may look a bit stilted in their movements, but overall the experience will still be fun.
If you are planning on playing Pokémon Legends: Z-A on the original Switch, it's worth noting that you can choose to purchase the Switch 2 upgrade for the game down the line. If you start playing the Switch 1 version and end up purchasing a Switch 2 later on, all you need to do is purchase the $10 upgrade pack to access better graphics and performance. Considering the cost of the Switch 2 version is only $10 more than the Switch 1 edition, you won't be paying more by taking this route.
Meta AI’s app downloads and daily users spiked after launch of ‘Vibes’ AI video feed