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

The Nintendo Switch 2's hardware reveal has left fans buzzing with excitement, but details about its technical capabilities have remained under wraps. While we've seen clear upgrades such as new Joy-Cons, a redesigned kickstand, and a larger form factor, Nintendo has yet to disclose the full extent of the Switch 2's power. However, a brief look at Mario Kart 9 in the reveal video might hold the key to understanding its potential.

In a recent YouTube video, indie developer Jerrel Dulay from Sungrand Studios, known for his work on the Wii U and 3DS, shared his insights into the Switch 2's capabilities. Dulay's analysis of the Mario Kart 9 footage suggests that the new console could be significantly more powerful than its predecessor.

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, which can be affected by reflections and lighting. These shaders, which were demanding on the original Switch, indicate a substantial increase in processing power. A late 2023 report from Digital Foundry suggested that the Switch 2 might be powered by the Nvidia T239 ARM mobile chip, boasting 1536 CUDA Cores—a 500% increase over 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 also noted additional material reflections from various surfaces, which further demonstrate the Switch 2's enhanced capabilities. The high-resolution ground textures seen in the footage are another sign of increased power, as they require more RAM. The original Switch had just 4GB of RAM, while the Switch 2 is rumored to have 12GB, with potential speeds up to 7500MHz, significantly improving texture loading times.

Dulay highlighted the presence of "true volumetric lighting" in the Mario Kart teaser, a feature that is demanding for any GPU. "It takes into account the distance, the height, you can have certain areas be more dense, you can have light rays," he explained. This capability suggests that the Switch 2 can handle games running at 60 frames per second, showcasing its power.

The presence of shadows at far distances and real-time cloth physics on flagpoles further illustrate the Switch 2's leap in power. These elements, which were challenging to implement on the original Switch, are now more feasible thanks to the increased CUDA cores, RAM capacity, and speed of the new console.

As we await more details and footage from the Nintendo Switch 2, Dulay's analysis provides a compelling look at what we can expect in terms of graphical power. Nintendo is set to reveal more about the Switch 2 in a dedicated Direct in April, and you can stay updated with all the latest news and coverage on IGN.