According to Wccftech, Kirby Air Riders has become the first proper Nintendo first-party game to utilize ray tracing capabilities on the Switch 2 hardware. The discovery came from a ResetERA user who found RTXGI SDK mentioned in the game’s license readme within the Switch 2 menu system. This means the Kirby racing title implements ray-traced global illumination, a significant visual enhancement technology. Despite the advanced lighting effects, the game reportedly maintains a smooth 60 FPS performance even during chaotic track moments. The implementation suggests Nintendo is finally leveraging the NVIDIA-powered RTX technology that’s been available since the Switch 2 launch. Third-party titles like Star Wars Outlaws had already used ray tracing, but this marks Nintendo’s own studios catching up.
Nintendo catches up
Here’s the thing about Nintendo – they’ve always prioritized gameplay over cutting-edge graphics. And honestly, that strategy has worked pretty well for them. But with the Switch 2’s NVIDIA hardware supporting DLSS and ray tracing out of the box, it was starting to look a bit odd that their own games weren’t using these features. Kirby Air Riders breaking that barrier is actually a bigger deal than it might seem at first glance.
What’s really impressive here is that they’re managing ray-traced global illumination while keeping that buttery 60 FPS. Global illumination isn’t some subtle RT effect – it fundamentally changes how light behaves in a scene. For a fast-paced racing game with colorful Kirby characters and chaotic tracks, that’s no small technical achievement. I’m curious whether they’re using NVIDIA DLSS to help maintain performance while pushing these visual enhancements.
What this means for future games
Now that the floodgates are open, we’ll probably see more Nintendo titles adopting ray tracing in smart ways. Don’t expect them to turn every game into a graphics showcase – that’s not their style. But imagine what this could do for the next Zelda or Metroid. Subtle ray-traced lighting in dark dungeons? Realistic reflections in water surfaces? The potential is there without sacrificing that classic Nintendo polish.
The fact that third-party developers were already using these features while Nintendo held back is telling. It suggests they were waiting until they could implement the technology in a way that felt natural to their development philosophy. Basically, they won’t add fancy graphics just because they can – it has to serve the gameplay experience.
Looking ahead, this could signal a new era for Nintendo visuals. They’re famously conservative with technology adoption, but once they commit, they typically execute brilliantly. If Kirby Air Riders can deliver both visual enhancements and solid performance, it sets a precedent for what’s possible on the hardware. And that’s exciting for everyone waiting to see what Nintendo’s top studios can really do with modern rendering techniques.
