Donkey Kong Bonanza and Switch 2 Games Lack DLSS Support — Reviewers Criticize Nintendo’s Stance on Technology

One thing that’s got everyone buzzing about the Nintendo Switch 2, whether you’re a hardcore gamer or just overheard it at a coffee shop, is that sweet Nvidia DLSS magic. Now, DLSS, if you haven’t been keeping up, has been like the superhero of graphics upscaling. Kinda like when your phone makes all your blurry photos look sharp—except for games. Makes total sense, right? Anyway, this powerhouse tech could really give the Switch 2 a good punch where it’s needed. Or so they say.

Now, you’d think with something this big, developers would be all over DLSS like kids on candy. But nope, not everyone’s buying it. Some of the big shots in game development seem to be on their own wavelength. Take, for example, Nintendo’s latest spectacle, Donkey Kong Bananza. Digital Foundry — bless them for always getting into the nitty-gritty — peeled back layers, banana style, to see what was up with that missing DLSS support. Funny enough, DLSS isn’t around.

Oh, before I forget—shifting gears a bit—there were rumors, actual whispers on the internet grapevine earlier, about some rough spots in Donkey Kong Bananza. People experiencing what you might call… hiccups? Yeah, like those awkward drops in performance that catch you off guard. Apparently, the game’s been brewing for years, which might explain why DLSS isn’t part of the mix. Instead, the game seems to be riding on AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR 1) like a trusty sidekick, with some good old SMAA to smooth things out.

Then there’s Mario Kart World. I mean, come on, of all games, you’d expect Mario Kart to be giving us the works, right? But nope, DLSS didn’t get the invite to this party, either. And the HDR? Let’s just say it didn’t exactly light up the room. Hopes were high, what with anticipation running wild, but the reality check was real.

Now — or later, who knows? — other biggie titles might surprise us. There’s this buzz about Metroid Prime 4: Beyond getting its DLSS groove on, but no confirmations yet. So, anyone’s guess is as good as mine about what Nintendo has up its sleeve.

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