Nintendo Switch N64 lag issues may not be as bad as you think

(Pocket-lint) - Nintendo launched its Expansion Pass tier for Switch Online yesterday and with it introduced a postulation of N64 games playable done emulation.

There has been a question of complaints ever since.

However, portion immoderate are warranted, it seems plentifulness are not. That's particularly existent erstwhile it comes to input lag. Many Twitter users pointed retired that determination was a noticeable lag betwixt fastener presses successful immoderate games and the enactment connected screen.

This made them "unplayable", they cried.

But, it's not needfully an existent contented with the emulation. Nor does it mean games cannot beryllium played.

Chris Scullion from Video Games Chronicle is somewhat a Nintendo expert, having worked for the Official Nintendo Magazine for galore years and writer of respective retro games encyclopedias, including a forthcoming 1 connected the N64. He claims that the lag connected N64 games moving connected Switch are straight comparable to their equivalents moving connected the archetypal console: "As idiosyncratic who's been playing astir thing but Nintendo 64 games for the past six months, I've got to archer you, they aren't precisely the pinnacle of responsiveness," helium tweeted.

He besides shared a video of himself investigating the latency.

I'm alert of the assorted reports of issues with the N64 emulation connected Switch and I'm trying to constitute a study but it's tricky due to the fact that there's truthful overmuch hyperbole and disinformation retired there. Saw idiosyncratic saying Mario 64's lag is "unplayable" and "disrespectful". Come on. pic.twitter.com/e2jsZ1sJzR

— Chris Scullion (@scully1888) October 26, 2021

We've heard elsewhere excessively that determination is, astatine worst, betwixt 1 and 2 frames quality betwixt the Switch emulation and the controller lag connected the archetypal N64.

Of course, this doesn't excuse immoderate of the different issues - specified arsenic the deficiency of Controller Pak enactment that disables redeeming connected WinBack and ghosts connected Mario Kart 64. There's besides a request for controller remapping for mean Switch Joy-Cons and gamepad.

Hopefully, those volition beryllium addressed soon.

Writing by Rik Henderson. Originally published connected 27 October 2021.