The experts at Digital Foundry recently took a close look at the Nintendo Switch version of Xenoblade Chronicles X and their findings are notably positive. Initially launched on the Wii U, many fans were curious to see if the Switch would offer any major enhancements leveraging its advanced hardware capabilities. Fortunately, the remake not only performs better but also boasts improved visuals compared to its predecessor. Digital Foundry concludes that Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition represents “a genuine improvement across the board.”
“With the upgrade to Switch, the game employs dynamic resolution scaling, reaching a crisp native 1080p, which is clearly a step up from the original. In handheld mode, it generally aligns with the built-in display resolution, clocking in at up to 720p.”
“In terms of performance, the game largely maintains a consistent 30fps, although it is not completely locked at this frame rate. Interestingly, a 60fps flag has been discovered in the game’s code, hinting at the possibility of a future 60fps update for Switch 2?”
“One minor grievance: the pre-rendered video sequences appear to have elevated black levels, resulting in a washed-out look on the Switch—a flaw that wasn’t present on the Wii U. Although this isn’t overly problematic due to the limited number of video sequences, it’s a detail that might benefit from a patch in the future.”
“Additionally, it’s noteworthy that players can enjoy the game right off the cartridge or downloaded directly to flash memory, eliminating the need for any extra installation. As many may recall, the original version required an optional download for physical disc users to enhance streaming performance, and that download is no longer available as the Wii U shop has closed. Now, there’s no hassle with loading times, as the Switch version runs significantly faster right from the start.”