I've been playing Pokémon Legends: Z-A on my Switch 2 since it was first released and have loved every minute of it. The game takes place entirely in Lumiose City and I've found that it runs beautifully on the new console. Whether you're catching Pokémon in the wild zones or diving into intense battles, everything looks crisp and gameplay is perfectly smooth.
You don't actually need to own a Switch 2 to play Pokémon Legends: Z-A, though. The standard Switch version is now available for $10 less than its Switch 2 counterpart. So if you're a Poké fan who hasn't yet taken the plunge and purchased the latest console, you don't have to miss out on the latest Pokémon adventure. The real question is: How well does the Switch 1 version actually run? IGN had the chance to play the game on both consoles side-by-side and it would seem the older console is quite capable of running the game – with the exception of some frame rate loss. You can check out our comparison below to see for yourself how the two versions of the game stack up against each other.
Should You Upgrade?
Like we noted in our comparison video, the differences between the two versions of the game are noticeable, but not so vast that you really need to upgrade to play the game. If you want the best possible gameplay experience with the sharpest possible visuals, then I'd say it's absolutely worth upgrading to the Switch 2. If you don't want to dish out the $450 for a new console, however, the Switch 1 version of the game will work just fine. The environments will be a little less detailed and some of the Pokémon may look a bit stilted in their movements, but overall the experience will still be fun.
As someone who did upgrade to the Switch 2, I'd say the value in such an upgrade is more about future games than this current in-between period. Nintendo will continue to release upcoming Switch games on both consoles, but eventually the older hardware won't be able to handle the latest releases. This has already been the case for games like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza, which are both Switch 2 exclusives. And while this Pokémon game is available on both consoles, I can almost guarantee that the next mainline game in the series won't be able to run on the original Switch.
This brings some added value to something like the latest Switch 2 bundle because it gets you the Switch 2 version of the game at a slight discount when you buy the bundle alongside it. So even though Pokémon Legends: Z-A doesn't necessarily require an upgrade, it's still a potential reason to purchase the next generation console. This is especially true when you consider that Nintendo has already raised the price of the original Switch and warned that the price of the Switch 2 will also likely increase down the line.
You can always purchase a Switch 2 upgrade later
If you are planning on playing Pokémon Legends: Z-A on the original Switch, it's worth noting that you can choose to purchase the Switch 2 upgrade for the game down the line. If you start playing the Switch 1 version and end up purchasing a Switch 2 later on, all you need to do is purchase the $10 upgrade pack to access better graphics and performance. Considering the cost of the Switch 2 version is only $10 more than the Switch 1 edition, you won't be paying more by taking this route.