Switch vs PS4! Dragon Quest Heroes 2 Graphics Comparison + Frame-Rate TestOur first look at the challenges facing developers that opt to target Switch's mobile-orientated chipset. Dragon Quest Heroes 2 is actually a cross-generation game, so while Switch gets PS4's resolution, assets are more likely drawn from the PS3 game. Subscribe for more Digital Foundry: http://bit.ly/DFSubscribe 2017-03-07T18:13:03.000Z

Dragon Quest Heroes 2 is the sequel to 2015’s Dragon Quest Heroes and this version makes its way to the Nintendo Switch as a launch title in Japan.

Digital Foundry looked at how the Nintendo Switch version compares with the PS4 and PS Vita versions.

The Switch versions runs with a 1080p resolution while docked and 720p while handheld. The PS4 version runs at 1080p and the PS Vita runs at a 960×544 resolution, its max resolution.

The Switch version looks comparable to the PS4 graphics wise on the surface while the PS Vita version lags behind. However, Digital Foundry suggests much of the Switch version may be made up of PS3 assets. Things like draw distance and foliage density are clearly superior on the PS4.

The performance is where PS4 takes the commanding lead. The PS4 version targets 60 frames per second while the Switch and PS Vita target 30 fps. In battles, all versions see a drop in performance but PS4 remains the closest to its goal. The PS Vita uses five-year-old mobile hardware so this isn’t too shocking but it should be better on the Nintendo Switch, which uses current hardware.

The Switch version seems like it doesn’t have a problem when you’re exploring the environment but almost every battle will cause a drop in frames which isn’t good for a game that emphasizes hack-and-slash combat. Switching to the handheld mode will cause the game run in an almost always sub-30 fps.

Dragon Quest Heroes 2 released March 3 in Japan and has a worldwide release April 25, 2017.