A lush but divisive remake of a much-loved GameCube classic.
Was that the right move, or is it too severe of a cut?
We’ve tested the opening chapters to deliver an early verdict.
Aesthetic and game design blend into a beautifully cohesive whole.
There’s a huge amount of extra detail layered in.
Sometimes it makes sense, and other times it appears bolted on.
I’d suggest the original GameCube version, sans SSR, often looks more ‘paper-like’ as a result.
On that point, Switch uses much more detailed shadow maps all-round.
Every shadow cast from characters and objects has a pleasing diffused edge.
In handheld mode, that drops to a lower native figure of 1138x640.
Finally, let’s tackle that drop from 60fps on GameCube to 30fps on Switch.
The visual upgrades are extensive and generous, but the cost in performance is a noticeable one.
Looking back at the GameCube original, it’s refreshing to see the game run at 60fps.
It was perfectly optimised for 60fps for its day, and target spec.
Jumping to Switch today, running at 30fps affects the game in two key ways.
Firstly, there’s the lateral 2D motion while running through towns and dungeons.
The mitigating factor here is that Nintendo’s timing window for landing these abilities is often quite generous.
I’m also surprised by the extent of the visual overhaul.
Even if there is a trade-off in performance, it can’t be faulted for its ambition.
For context, this newPaper Marioremake has a few parallels with theSwitch release of Super Mario RPG.
