Switch 2's GameCube Emulation: Faster, Sharper, But Is It Lagging Behind?
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Digital Foundry discovered that while the Switch 2's GameCube emulation offers improved visuals and performance, it also introduces input lag and other issues compared to original hardware, particularly affecting timing-sensitive games like *F-Zero GX*.
Right, so the Switch 2 can play GameCube games now, which is brilliant news for anyone who remembers blowing the dust out of those tiny discs. Eurogamer's Digital Foundry (bless their pixel-counting hearts) did some digging, and it turns out this emulation isn't quite perfect, despite the shiny new hardware.
Apparently, while your old GameCube might look like it's been through a war zone, it's actually got one up on the Switch 2 in a key area: input lag. Now, for turn-based strategy games, who cares? But for twitchy racers like *F-Zero GX*, where every millisecond counts, this is actually a big deal. Digital Foundry's Thomas Morgan ran some seriously impressive tests – using cameras filming at 240 frames per second, no less! – and found that there's a noticeable delay between pressing a button and seeing the action on screen compared to the original GameCube. We're talking an extra 50ms or so. That doesn't sound like much, but in *F-Zero GX*, it's an eternity!
It's not just about lag, either. Modern Vintage Gamer, another legend, pointed out issues with the analog stick controls for *F-Zero GX*. Apparently, the steering is just a bit too sensitive on the Switch 2, making it easier to smash into walls. Not ideal when you're trying to break the sound barrier.
And then there's the mystery of the dropped frames. Every 16-17 seconds, there's a single frame drop across all the tested games. Digital Foundry reckons it might be a mismatch between the Switch 2's 60Hz output and the original GameCube's 59.94Hz. It’s a minor annoyance, but it is there!
Now, it's not all doom and gloom, thankfully. The Switch 2 does boost the resolution to 1280x900, making everything look sharper than it ever did on that old CRT. And performance-wise, some games actually run *better*. *F-Zero GX* smooths out those occasional dips the original GameCube suffered. *Super Mario Strikers* also gets a boost.
*The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker* is also present and accounted for, and there is minimal, if any, depth of field effect that was present in the original GameCube version. This is a bonus, as the GameCube's depth of field was, in places, extremely heavy-handed.
So, what's the verdict? Well, the Switch 2's GameCube emulation is a mixed bag. It's a convenient way to play these classics, with improved visuals and, in some cases, better performance. But the added input lag, control quirks, and those pesky dropped frames are something to be aware of, especially if you're a purist or a speedrunner. Will Nintendo fix this? One can only hope. Until then, maybe dust off that old GameCube after all.
Tags: Nintendo Switch 2, GameCube, Emulation, Input Lag, F-Zero GX
Original article: Eurogamer