The talented folks over at Digital Foundry have delved into the freshly released Nintendo Switch version of Xenoblade Chronicles X and emerged with some exciting insights. Fans of the original, which pushed the envelope on the Wii U, were left curious about how this revamped edition would harness the Switch's superior capabilities. Fortunately, the results are fantastic: the game not only looks better but delivers an enhanced performance on Nintendo’s latest console. Digital Foundry sums it up perfectly, stating that Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is an "authentic upgrade in every aspect."
“With the transition to Switch, the game now employs dynamic resolution scaling, hitting a max native resolution of 1080p. This makes for a noticeably crisper image compared to the original, while the handheld mode aligns closely with the console’s built-in display, reaching resolutions of up to 720p.”
“When it comes to performance, things have largely remained consistent. The game runs at a relatively stable 30fps, though it's not locked, which means fluctuations can occur. Interestingly, a 60fps flag has been spotted in the game’s coding—could a 60fps version be in the cards for a future Switch 2?”
“I do have a small critique: the pre-rendered cutscenes display elevated black levels, resulting in a somewhat washed-out appearance on Switch, an issue that wasn't apparent on the Wii U. Thankfully, this isn't a major concern given the limited number of such sequences, but it might be an area worth addressing in a future update.”
“Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that the game comes either on a cartridge or as a digital download, removing the need for any supplementary installation. Unlike the original, which required an optional download for disc users to enhance streaming performance—something now inaccessible—this version loads significantly faster right from the start.”
Excited to see how the Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition performs on Switch! 🚀 #gaming
— RetroSpot (@RetroSpot) March 18, 2025