Koei Tecmo’s Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment has been analyzed by Digital Foundry, confirming that the game achieves significant technical improvements over its predecessors, thanks to the enhanced power of the Nintendo Switch 2. Developed specifically for the new console, this latest entry in the Hyrule Warriors series takes advantage of the upgraded Tegra T239 chipset to deliver a smoother, more stable, and visually refined experience than any of the franchise’s prior releases.
According to Digital Foundry’s report, Age of Imprisonment targets a 60 frames per second refresh rate both in docked and handheld modes — a first for the series since its debut on the Wii U. During regular gameplay, the title maintains this target with surprising consistency, even during large-scale battles featuring dozens of enemies on screen. The improved CPU and GPU performance allow for more complex effects, higher enemy density, and detailed particle rendering, all while retaining a fluid sense of motion. However, the analysis notes that frame rates occasionally drop into the mid-to-high 50s during moments of extreme action or when large alpha effects dominate the screen. These dips are brief and well-mitigated by the game’s dynamic resolution scaling system, which prevents major stuttering or visual interruptions.
In docked mode, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment dynamically scales its resolution between 720p and 900p, balancing image quality with performance demands. In handheld mode, the scaling adjusts between 468p and 648p, an expected reduction given the lower power profile of portable play. The use of AMD’s FSR1 upscaling technology helps maintain sharp image quality at these variable resolutions, although some shimmering and aliasing are present in fine environmental details such as grass or character edges. Still, the overall presentation remains clear, offering a substantial improvement over the previous Age of Calamity, which frequently dropped below 30FPS on the original Switch.
Performance in portable mode remains equally impressive. The game sustains its 60FPS target for the majority of playtime, with only occasional dips during the most demanding sequences. Even with these minor fluctuations, responsiveness and fluidity remain intact, which goes on to show how well the title has been optimized for Nintendo’s upgraded hardware. Two-player split-screen mode, however, proves more demanding, reducing the frame rate to 30FPS with some inconsistencies in frame pacing. Fortunately, local wireless play between two Switch 2 units allows each player to enjoy a full 60FPS experience on their respective screens.
Ultimately, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment showcases what the Switch 2 is capable of when developers build directly for its specifications. While not entirely flawless, the game’s performance and image quality mark a substantial leap forward for Koei Tecmo’s Musou-style titles on Nintendo platforms. Its combination of stable frame rates, adaptive resolution, and visual fidelity demonstrates how the series can evolve beyond the technical constraints of past hardware, establishing Age of Imprisonment as the most refined and technically ambitious Hyrule Warriors entry to date.
