One of the biggest additions to the Nintendo Switch 2 is the introduction of GameCube titles to the Classics collection. GameCube titles, as well as 64, SNES, NES, and GBA titles, are available via emulator on the console itself. Even with a limited library, Nintendo Switch 2 owners have been loving the GameCube titles, however, recently it has been revealed that there’s a good amount of latency affecting the games. Digital Foundry did a deep dive on how drastic the latency is and whether it’ll make a significant difference in gameplay, as well as other factors.
Digital Foundry started out their tests with F-Zero GX, figuring this title would be the most affected with latency issues. They started off by filming at 240 fps and measuring the time between a button press and the vehicle moving.
- On the GameCube itself, input latency averaged around 71.8ms.
- On the Switch 2, different tests were made for the different modes and control types. While docked, input latency with a wireless Pro Controller averaged around 124.1ms, which is significantly higher.
- Using a wired GameCube controller wasn’t much different, coming in at 123.5ms.
- In undocked mode, input latency with a Pro Controller was slightly better, at 113.1ms.
Disclaimer: Different monitors and aspects of the game may cause different results.
Controller accuracy is a major issue. Players are reporting analog stick sensitivity, which was not found in the original games. Even using original hardware will bring up the same issues.
Frame rates are also a problem across the board. Digital Foundry found single frame drops that occur every 16 to 17 seconds, dropping from a stable 60 fps to slightly below for a split moment. It is currently not known why these drops are occurring in the emulator.
There are some positives for the emulator, however. All titles run at 1280 x 900 resolution at all times, a significant upgrade from the original GameCube hardware. Also, in Wind Waker, the depth of field effect has been reduced or removed. As for performance, F-Zero, and Soulcalibur are relatively stable at 60 fps with the aforementioned frame drops being the only issue. Wind Waker is capped at 30 fps and doesn’t take advantage of the Switch 2 hardware. Strikers was the game in need of the fps boost, with frame rate dropping to 30 for cutscenes and a significant amount of drops during gameplay on the GameCube. On Switch 2, the game mostly runs at 60 fps, again dropping to 30 for cutscenes.
GameCube titles have been rumored and heavily requested by Nintendo fans for years now and it’s exciting to finally have these games readily available! While some issues are significant, I feel like most players won’t be affected or won’t necessarily notice or care about them. We’ll see if Nintendo improves the issues with later updates — we’ve still only had the new system in our hands only a month after launch.
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Written by Roberto Diaz
Embark on a gaming odyssey with a passionate player deeply immersed in pop culture. Roberto not only conquers virtual realms but also dominates the pop music scene, turning life into a harmonious adventure filled with gaming triumphs and cultural insights.
