After my article on the Tales of series, I am now delving into the Monster Hunter franchise, providing an overview for each playable title on the Nintendo Switch. This encompasses Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, and Monster Hunter Stories. Although many of these games initially launched as Nintendo or Nintendo Switch exclusives, not all of them delivered optimal experiences at their debut.
Re-exploring these titles again and having the ability to resume my progress on hardware that ensures a consistent frame rate has been quite enjoyable. Similar to other articles in this retro compatibility series for Switch 2, I will discuss performance, graphics, load times, and my expectations for any potential update.
How does Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak run on Nintendo Switch 2?
As a gamer, I found Monster Hunter Rise (and Sunbreak) on Switch to be quite impressive for its hardware capabilities, but during multiplayer sessions in certain maps, like the Flooded Forest, it stumbled so much that hunting became a chore. In Sunbreak, some monsters were just too much for the system, with various effects and an expansive scope. Shagaru Magala and Amatsu are the ones I remember having the most fun hunting, despite the significant performance issues. On Nintendo Switch 2, performance has noticeably improved across the board, providing a more stable experience with faster load times. Although visually it remains largely the same, as the gamer who invested the most time in this game, I’m thrilled to have Sunbreak run at a smoother frame rate and with quicker load times.
Regarding loading speeds, in the experiment that follows, I pressed ‘A’ button simultaneously on both Switch and Switch 2 to accelerate the process. The game was installed in the internal storage of Switch 2 as well as the SD card. This particular setup has been utilized for testing all the games mentioned ahead.
| Test condition | Nintendo Switch | Nintendo Switch 2 |
| Launching game from dashboard to game title screen | 72 seconds | 49 seconds |
| Loading a Sunbreak save from the title screen to in-game control | 24 seconds | 11 seconds |
| Fast travel from Elgado Outpost (Sunbreak hub) | 13 seconds | 4 seconds |
| Loading a quest to the shrine ruins from Elgado Outpost | 21 seconds | 8 seconds |
What we want from a Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade
I hope we could upgrade the resolution to 1080p on handheld devices and 1440p when docked, with the option for mouse control on certain weapons. Additionally, improved backward compatibility is currently helping us maintain a smoother frame rate and faster loading times.
This version retains the original meaning while using simpler language and a more conversational tone, making it easier to read and understand.
How does Monster Hunter Stories 2 run on Nintendo Switch 2?
In my opinion, Monster Hunter Stories 2 remains the most impressive Capcom title on the original Nintendo Switch due to its stunning visuals, despite occasional frame rate instability. The game truly shines on the Switch OLED and serves as a testament to the system’s capabilities, much like the original game did on the 3DS.
On the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, Monster Hunter Stories 2 experiences a significant boost in frame rate, often reaching 60fps. While it isn’t consistently locked at 60fps due to some minor hitching I’ve observed during testing, it offers an excellent performance for portable gaming.
Graphically, the game retains its original appearance, but it lacks the softness seen in Rise. Lastly, regarding load times, here are my findings:
[Insert table with load time results]
| Test Condition | Nintendo Switch | Nintendo Switch 2 |
| Launching game from dashboard to game title screen | 24 seconds | 16 seconds |
| Loading a save file from the title screen to in-game control | 12 seconds | 7 seconds |
| Fast travel | 10 seconds | 5-6 seconds |
What we want from a Monster Hunter Stories 2 Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade
In a perfect scenario for Monster Hunter Stories 2, we could enhance the graphics significantly. This would mean playing in 1080p resolution when handheld, and stepping up to 1440p when docked. As it stands, Monster Hunter Stories 2 is already an eye-catching game on the Switch, and I’m thrilled that it now runs smoothly at a consistent frame rate. However, I can’t help but wish for a visual upgrade as well.
How does Monster Hunter Stories run on Nintendo Switch 2?
You may be curious as to why testing this game is necessary, considering it’s a remastered version of a 3DS game with additional content. However, you should know that on the Nintendo Switch, it didn’t maintain a steady 60 frames per second. But, on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, any minor performance problems or unstable frame rates have been addressed and fixed. To sum up, there isn’t much else to add other than showing you the significant reduction in loading times below.
| Test Condition | Nintendo Switch | Nintendo Switch 2 |
| Launching game from dashboard to game title screen | 14 seconds | 10-11 seconds |
| Loading a save file from the title screen to in-game control | 7-8 seconds | 4 seconds |
What we want from a Monster Hunter Stories Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade
In an upgraded Nintendo Switch 2, I’d particularly appreciate the addition of anti-aliasing. While it’s expected that the resolution would increase in any potential upgrade, smoothing out those jagged edges with anti-aliasing would significantly enhance the gaming experience, even on the current Switch model.
How does Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate run on Nintendo Switch 2?
As a dedicated fan, let me tell you that Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate holds a special place in my gaming collection, evident by the three physical copies I own. Admittedly, I wished it could run at 60fps on the original Nintendo Switch, but despite being capped at 30fps, it remains an enjoyable experience for me.
However, there’s a minor issue that has always bugged me – the somewhat blurry UI elements. On the newer Nintendo Switch, these issues still persist, making them even more noticeable. The load times, on the other hand, have not seen a significant change, but I found Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate to already load fairly quickly on the original console.
| Test Condition | Nintendo Switch | Nintendo Switch 2 |
| Launching game from dashboard to game title screen | 14-15 seconds | 10-11 seconds |
| Loading a save file from the title screen to in-game control | 12 seconds | 10 seconds |
What we want from a Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade
As a dedicated gamer, I’m asking Capcom to uncap the frame rate in Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate or, even better, give us an upgrade for Switch 2 when they release the game anniversary edition. Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate deserves a smoother gaming experience than being stuck at 30fps with pixelated assets that leave much to be desired.
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2025-06-19 22:26