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

An indie developer, well-versed in crafting games for the original Nintendo Switch, has shed light on why the brief glimpse of Mario Kart 9 during the Switch 2's reveal suggests that the new console is "significantly more powerful." The grand unveiling of the Nintendo Switch 2's hardware last week left many in awe, yet Nintendo remained tight-lipped about the technical specifics of its latest handheld. Despite showcasing upgrades like new Joy-Cons, a redesigned kickstand, and a larger form factor, the official word on the Switch 2's power remains elusive.

However, the brief look at Mario Kart 9 in the reveal video might hold some clues. In a new YouTube video, Jerrel Dulay of Sungrand Studios, known for his work on the Wii U and 3DS, shared his insights. He suggested that the Switch 2 could be much more powerful than its predecessor based on the new Mario Kart footage.

Mario Kart 9 - First Look

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Dulay pointed out the use of "physically-based shaders" on cars and other textures in the Mario Kart footage. These shaders, which can be influenced by reflections, lighting, and other effects, indicate a leap in graphical capabilities. A late 2023 report from Digital Foundry suggested that the Switch 2 might feature the Nvidia T239 ARM mobile chip, boasting 1536 CUDA Cores—marking a 500% increase from the original Switch's Tegra X1 chip, which had only 256 CUDA cores.

"Every single piece of geometry I see here is using physically-based rendering for the shaders," Dulay explained. He highlighted that the original Switch struggled with complex shaders, often resulting in framerate drops. The new footage also showcased additional material reflections from various surfaces, further suggesting enhanced graphical power.

Dulay also noted the high-resolution ground textures, which require significant RAM. The original Switch has 4GB of RAM, while the Switch 2 is rumored to have 12GB, as evidenced by motherboard leaks showing two SK Hynix LPDDR5 modules. The potential increase in RAM speed from the original Switch's 1600MHz to up to 7500MHz could significantly boost texture loading and overall performance.

"It's not that they're just high-resolution, but there's a high number of unique textures being used," Dulay added. This, combined with the increased RAM capacity and speed, could lead to visually stunning games on the Switch 2.

Dulay further discussed the presence of "true volumetric lighting" in the Mario Kart teaser, a feature that is demanding on any GPU. He emphasized that the ability to run games at 60 frames per second with such lighting effects indicates a significant increase in power. "This is a massive deal, this is the most important part of the reveal trailer to me," Dulay stated, noting that volumetric lighting was challenging to implement on the original Switch.

The trailer also showcased shadows at far distances, another computationally intensive feature. Dulay explained that the original Switch required developers to reduce the level of detail for shadows, a limitation that seems to be overcome by the Switch 2's enhanced capabilities.

Dulay highlighted the increased number of onscreen textures, high poly-count characters, and real-time cloth physics on flagpoles as further evidence of the Switch 2's power leap. As we await more details and footage from Nintendo, Dulay's analysis provides a compelling glimpse into the potential graphical prowess of the 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.