Nintendo Has Once Again Proven That Graphics Don't Matter

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Nintendo is like the Disney of video games. You can turn your nose up at many of the things it does, but when it pulls out all the stops and really delves into what makes it shine, the result is pure magic. This week's Direct was exactly that, and I still remain spellbound.

We saw reveals for Mario & Luigi: Brothership, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, the long awaited return of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and so many others. It was an unending list of bangers that lit up the tailend of an already jam-packed year, while also acting as a loving reminder of what video games can achieve when they set aside sky-high budgets, photorealistic graphics, and instead pursue relentless creativity. Most of these games are running on dated hardware that has been lagging behind since 2017, but that ultimately doesn't matter.

The Nintendo Switch Is Going Out With A Bang

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Regardless of how powerful a Nintendo console is, the company will always put art design and player experience above visual fidelity, because that's what we remember when it comes to its games. We hardly complain about performance and visuals on Nintendo Switch right now, so why bother improving upon the foundations?

But Nintendo isn't going to waltz up with a Nintendo Switch 2 destined to rival the power of PS5 or Xbox Series X, and I'm not sure if it will ever present a competitor like this, because it doesn't need to. The GameCube, Wii, Wii U, and Nintendo Switch might not match up with technological industry standards as third-party releases fall behind what we'd expect, but if the first-party offerings continue to be as frequently incredible as they are, none of that will matter.

My prediction is that the Nintendo Switch 2 will be more powerful and likely bolster the performance and visuals of games we already know and love, but it won't be anything more. It will get the job done, and give the best developers in the world a little more fuel to the fire when it comes to Mario, Zelda, Fire Emblem, Metroid, and all its other classics. Maybe one day Pokémon will shine again.

Nintendo Is Never Going To Catch Up With PlayStation And Xbox

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When it comes to titles like Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Link's Awakening that struggle with visuals and performance on the Switch, they end up feeling like minor footnotes when put up against the wider experience. We look past these struggles for good reason, but on PS5 and Xbox, gamers are far less forgiving because the bar has been set so high. Studios have spent millions of dollars and several years creating games like The Last of Us Part 2 that are designed to push visual and mechanical boundaries, but in the end pale in comparison to an adorable game about a rebellious elven twink saving the world after a century-long nap in a game whose framerate rarely struggles to stay at 30. But the core experience of a Nintendo game is so brilliant that most of us don't care, and that's where the Nintendo magic comes in and never leaves.

This week's Direct was crystal clear proof of that. Games were constantly announced then showered in mountains of praise and anticipation, and whenever visuals were mentioned, it was to praise the graphical execution or how they brought previously beloved concepts to life. Mario & Luigi: Brothership feels like the box art of the original games have come alive, and Echoes of Wisdom does even more with Link's Awakening and its Sylvanian Families look. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond seems slick and familiar, while Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is updating an already revered classic with new bells and whistles that already look great.

In The End, Nintendo Doesn't Need To Compete

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I only noticed lacking visuals or glaring performance issues in third-party titles like Horizon Adventures or Funko Fusion, both of which will be launching on other platforms and have clearly been scaled down for the Switch. When Nintendo is building experiences meant for its hardware, it is able to push them so much further in ways that continually blow me away. Stray looks like absolute trash on the Switch, but that's not what I'm coming to the console for, and it's these types of games that will benefit most from the inevitable upgrade.

When it comes to the games that are vintage Nintendo, I know that the company will put art design, mechanical innovation, and pure imagination over trying to make the best looking game in the world like everyone else, and it's that ambition that will ultimately help us make memories that last far longer. Resolutions and framerates don't matter if a beating heart sits underneath spreading the Nintendo magic we know is going to hit every single time.