Pokemon Winds And Waves Finally Ends The Series' Graphics Problem

"and , released in 2022, were the last Switch-exclusive games, and were heavily derided for not only being a buggy mess, but for looking like a GameCube tech demo. They had a big map that had no real texture or life to it. When they got a Switch 2 update, they ran at a buttery smooth 60 frames-per-second, but they still looked really rough and old."

"and , meanwhile, have a notable technical and graphical leap, with much more dynamic lighting, shading, and water physics. The Pokémon themselves have a bit of texture to them similar to and 's models, but beyond that, any direct comparisons we might make work in and ' favor."

"The 'hate' was totally earned and valid. People are happy they're finally making the effort and hopefully will keep holding them to this higher standard."

The newest Pokémon game demonstrates marked graphical improvements compared to recent Switch entries, which were criticized for poor technical performance and outdated visuals resembling GameCube-era graphics. The new title features enhanced dynamic lighting, shading, and water physics, with Pokémon models showing improved texture quality. While the game still doesn't look exceptional by current standards, it represents the most visually dynamic entry in the series recently. However, longtime critics remain skeptical, viewing the improvements as overdue rather than exceptional. The gaming community is cautiously optimistic but insistent that Game Freak maintain these higher standards going forward rather than reverting to previous technical shortcomings.

Read at Kotaku