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The story
It’s come to light that Nintendo’s “Switch 2 Edition” of Pikmin 4 actually has longer load times than the original version, sparking discussion on 5ch’s Hardware/Industry (Geha) board. The issue was raised alongside the lack of mouse control support and the game sticking with 30fps, with some speculating that increased data size from higher-resolution graphics could be the cause. Thread reactions split between those willing to accept it as a trade-off for improved visuals and those questioning Nintendo’s quality control altogether.
What people said
Seems like people are pissed off about all this
Is nobody here actually Japanese?
Wait, it's still 30fps even in the Switch 2 Edition?
Makes no sense
Probably prettied up the graphics, so the file size got bigger as a result, right?
No matter how tough it is, slacking on this could be fatal
Are the people complaining about load times seriously prioritizing loading over image quality? Don't knock the evolution of gaming
Let's thank Nintendo for even bothering to put out an upgraded version of such a boring, unpopular game
Let's stop conveniently forgetting about handheld mode whenever it's inconvenient
Oh yeah, that's right
I just assumed it was only the Dandori Challenge mode that got added
Don't underestimate Nintendo!
If it were free, fine, but charging money for this is a letdown
They probably can't change the fps because it would skew scores
It's been one mess after another ever since the Switch 2 launched
You think so? I thought Bananza and the Pokémon game were fun though
Both of their DLCs turned into a disaster though
Guess you could say the post-launch follow-through has been sloppy
I actually like Bananza's DLC, it's pretty satisfying
The Z-A DLC though… yeah, well
If you're speedrunning on the Switch 2 Edition, aren't other players under the same conditions anyway?
What exactly is "over"?
It's not a driving game like GTA, 30 is plenty
As long as it's not an RPG or something, 60fps is better, right?
In terms of good vs. bad, sure, 60 is better, but it's not really the kind of game where that matters much
If it were a driving game like GTA or a fighting game like Street Fighter 6, it'd be a dealbreaker though
That might be true if you're just clearing the story normally, but if you're going for serious Dandori runs, it's got to be 60fps
Wish the Nintendo fanboys (5ch slang "buta"/"pigs" for diehard Nintendo fans) would say the same about GTA6
That's just because they were bashing 30fps unconditionally back in the Switch days, so now it's coming back to bite them
Just let the dog fight solo at this point
The fact that you *can* do that if you want to is exactly why it's a genuinely great game lol😆
Now if it were an RPG or competitive action game eating up 100+ hours, that'd be a different story
Back in the N64 and GameCube days, when they had the best hardware in the industry, Nintendo was aiming for zero-second load times, so yeah, there's clearly been a real decline
Background and Key Points of the Debate
Pikmin 4 originally launched for the Switch in 2023, and the “Switch 2 Edition” at the center of this discussion is a separately purchased upgrade with enhanced visuals for the Switch 2. Re-releases for new hardware usually come bundled with quality-of-life improvements like shorter load times, which is exactly why the claim that this version is worse than the original drew attention — it runs against that very assumption. The thread split mainly over two points. The first was whether sticking with 30fps is acceptable: some argued the impact is minor given Pikmin’s low-action gameplay (unlike fighting or racing games), while others called it lazy for a paid upgrade. The second was the cause — several posters speculated that increased data size from higher-resolution graphics was to blame, but no official statement or verification data backing this up was presented in the thread, so it should be treated as speculation only. The thread also brought up the poorly received DLC for both Donkey Kong Bananza and Pokémon Legends Z-A, released around the same time, framing this less as an isolated incident and more as broader frustration with Nintendo’s overall quality control.
*This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary from the 5ch (Hardware/Industry [Geha]) thread “[Bad News] Pikmin 4’s 2nd Edition Has Longer Load Times Than the Original, Sparks Huge Backlash lol“.
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