Home News Why That Brief Look at Mario Kart 9 Suggests Nintendo Switch 2 Is 'Significantly More Powerful' Than the Original — According to a Developer

Why That Brief Look at Mario Kart 9 Suggests Nintendo Switch 2 Is 'Significantly More Powerful' Than the Original — According to a Developer

Author : Isabella Update:Mar 16,2025

An indie developer with extensive experience creating games for the original Nintendo Switch has offered compelling reasons why the brief glimpse of Mario Kart 9 hints at a significantly more powerful Switch 2. Last week's hardware reveal generated considerable excitement, yet Nintendo remains surprisingly tight-lipped about the Switch 2's technical capabilities. While upgrades like new Joy-Cons, a redesigned kickstand, and a larger form factor are evident, the console's raw power remains unconfirmed.

However, the Mario Kart 9 footage in the reveal video may offer clues. In a recent YouTube video (via GamesRadar), Jerrel Dulay of Sungrand Studios, a developer with a history of working on Wii U and 3DS titles, suggests a substantial power increase.

Mario Kart 9 - First Look

25 Images

Dulay points to the use of "physically-based shaders" on the cars and textures as evidence. These shaders, affected by reflections and lighting, were resource-intensive on the original Switch, often impacting frame rates. The Mario Kart 9 footage, however, showcases numerous shaders alongside detailed material reflections.

A late 2023 Digital Foundry report (and subsequent motherboard leaks) suggested the Switch 2 utilizes an Nvidia T239 ARM mobile chip with approximately 1536 CUDA cores—a significant jump from the original Switch's Tegra X1 chip with only 256. This represents a 500% increase in CUDA core count alone.

Dulay emphasizes the high-resolution ground textures, noting their memory demands. The original Switch's 4GB of RAM is dwarfed by the rumored 12GB in the Switch 2 (indicated by leaked motherboard images showing two 6GB SK Hynix LPDDR5 modules). The potential for significantly faster RAM speeds (up to 7500MHz compared to the original's 1600MHz) further enhances performance, leading to faster texture loading and the ability to utilize a higher number of unique, high-resolution textures.

Furthermore, Dulay highlights the presence of "true volumetric lighting," a computationally expensive effect that accounts for distance and density. The inclusion of this feature, along with far-distance shadows (also demanding to render), strongly suggests a substantial power increase. The combination of increased CUDA cores, RAM capacity, and speed mitigates the performance challenges associated with these features on the original Switch.

The high texture count, high-poly character models, and real-time cloth physics on flagpoles all point to a considerable leap in processing power. Dulay's analysis provides a valuable perspective on the Switch 2's graphical capabilities, suggesting a significant upgrade over its predecessor. While more details are expected in Nintendo's April Direct, Dulay's observations offer a compelling preview of the Switch 2's potential.

What do you think of the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal? --------------------------------------------------

AnswerSee Results

Trending Games More +
0.3 / 1230.00M
0.8.0 / 94.00M
v4.1.4.291 / 145.03M
Latest Games More +
Action | 105.0 MB
Swing, shoot, and splat your way through monstrous Emotions with Symbiote Hero! In Symbiote Hero: Inside Emotions, imagine a world where the chaotic and destructive Symbiote Hero finds himself unexpectedly trapped within the vibrant and colorful world of Inside Out. Embark on an extraordinary advent
Action | 111.8 MB
Abandoned places are the new battleground in this unique post-apocalyptic war setting! Last Wasteland Year 2022 is a new Post-Apocalyptic First-Person Shooter game, now available for mobile! Join one of two futuristic teams and fight your battles in abandoned towns and old factory mines! Create cus
Puzzle | 142.90M
Looking to challenge your brain and have fun simultaneously? Look no further than Wordly: Link Together Letters! This interactive word puzzle game offers a uniquely engaging experience for players of all skill levels. Whether you're a word search pro or just starting out, Wordly presents a captivati
Action | 72.00M
Dive into the delightful world of Ice Cream Stack Games Runner, a sweet treat of a game that's sure to satisfy your cravings! Create mouthwatering ice pops and popsicles, customizing them with a rainbow of juicy fruits, rich chocolate, and colorful sprinkles. This isn't your average ice cream game
Puzzle | 75.79M
Dive into the captivating world of TripleMatch, a thrilling blend of matching games and object collecting! Experience the fun and challenge of matching delightful items to conquer progressively difficult levels. Test your sorting and observation skills as you navigate a myriad of intricate puzzles
Casual | 930.2 MB
Ready for a brain workout that's surprisingly relaxing? Meet Greedy Cat! This isn't about speed; it's all about strategic thinking. Outsmart tricky puzzles with clever tactics, guide the hungry cat to collect floating treats, and navigate it safely back to the black hole! Heroes of the Three Kingd
Topics More +
Feb 26,2025 A total of 10
More
Jan 01,2025 A total of 10
More
Jan 02,2025 A total of 10
More