An indie developer with extensive experience creating games for the original Nintendo Switch has provided insights into why the brief glimpse of Mario Kart 9 suggests that the Nintendo Switch 2 is "significantly more powerful." During the recent grand hardware reveal of the Switch 2, many were impressed by the new features like updated Joy-Cons, a revamped kickstand, and a larger form factor. However, Nintendo has remained tight-lipped about the technical capabilities of the new console.

In a detailed analysis on his YouTube channel, Jerrel Dulay of Sungrand Studios, who has worked on titles for the Wii U and 3DS, suggests that the brief footage of Mario Kart 9 from the Switch 2 reveal video offers a tantalizing hint of the console's potential power. Dulay pointed out the use of "physically-based shaders" on vehicles and other elements, which are affected by reflections, lighting, and other effects, a feature that was demanding on the original Switch's hardware.

Mario Kart 9 - First Look

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Dulay highlighted the presence of these shaders, noting that every piece of geometry in the footage used physically-based rendering. He also observed additional material reflections from the ground and other elements, indicating a significant upgrade in graphical capabilities. The high-resolution ground textures seen in the footage were another point of interest, as these require substantial RAM to display effectively.

The original Nintendo Switch was equipped with a Tegra X1 chip featuring 256 CUDA cores, whereas the Switch 2 is rumored to have the Nvidia T239 ARM mobile chip with 1536 CUDA cores—a 500% increase. This leap in processing power is expected to handle complex shaders more efficiently. Furthermore, the Switch 2 is rumored to have 12GB of RAM, a significant jump from the original's 4GB, potentially allowing for faster texture loading and more detailed environments.

Dulay also noted the presence of "true volumetric lighting" in the Mario Kart 9 teaser, a feature that is computationally intensive and was challenging to implement on the original Switch. The use of volumetric lighting, alongside high poly-count characters and real-time cloth physics on flagpoles, showcases the enhanced capabilities of the Switch 2. He emphasized that the ability to run these features at 60 frames per second is a testament to the console's power.

The Switch 2's motherboard leaks corroborate these rumors, showing an 8nm chip and two SK Hynix LPDDR5 modules, each potentially offering 6GB of RAM. While the exact speed of these modules is unknown, similar parts from SK Hynix can run at speeds up to 7500MHz, significantly increasing bandwidth and efficiency compared to the original Switch's 1600MHz.

As we await more details from Nintendo, including a dedicated Direct in April, Dulay's analysis provides a compelling look at the potential graphical power of the Nintendo Switch 2. For the latest updates and coverage, be sure to follow IGN's Switch 2 news.