Games

Hollow Knight: Silksong graphics comparison — which version looks and feels best?

17 September 2025
Nintendo Switch 2Nintendo Switch
9 min.
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Hollow Knight: Silksong graphics comparison — which version looks and feels best?

Summary:

Hollow Knight: Silksong finally arrived on every major platform, and we’ve all seen the flurry of “which version should I buy?” debates. We break it down in plain language. On Switch 2, there’s a slick 120Hz TV Mode for buttery motion, plus a higher-resolution option for people who favor sharpness over sheer speed. On modern big-screen consoles like PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, the experience leans into clean 4K presentation and near-instant loads with VRR smoothing the ride. PC is the playground for higher frame caps, ultrawide, and granular graphics toggles; if you have a fast display and decent GPU, it’ll sing. Switch 1 still delivers the art beautifully at 60fps with lower resolution and longer loads, and it remains a solid way to play if you value portability on a tighter budget. We’ll walk through what’s actually different in motion, how input feel can change at 120Hz, and which settings are worth toggling. By the end, you’ll know exactly which version fits your setup and play style—no fluff, just practical advice rooted in real-world behavior.

Hollow Knight Silksong and where we can play it today

Silksong landed on a packed slate of systems, which is great news if you’re picky about image quality or you already own multiple machines. The rollout spans PC (Steam and other storefronts), PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X|S, plus both Nintendo Switch models. That wide net means performance targets aren’t identical; the same hand-drawn scene will scale to very different resolutions and frame rates depending on hardware. We’re also seeing platform-specific perks: high-refresh options on the newest Nintendo hardware, VRR smoothing on capable TVs, and the usual PC niceties like ultrawide and flexible input settings. Pricing is friendly, and there are upgrade paths that make it easier to move between devices if you start on older hardware and step up later. Bottom line: you have genuine choice, and that means picking the right combo of clarity, fluidity, and convenience for your setup.

Why visuals differ in a 2D hand-drawn game like Silksong

At first glance, it’s tempting to assume a 2D game should look identical everywhere—sprites are sprites, right? Not quite. Silksong’s aesthetic is built from crisp linework, layered parallax, particle effects, soft depth cues, and lots of sub-pixel motion. Resolution affects how clean those inked edges look, how stable fine textures appear when you run, and how readable the UI remains when the camera pulls wide. Frame rate changes how animations “breathe”: at 60fps you get snap and confidence, while 120Hz adds an extra polish to motion clarity, especially with fast dashes and diagonal strikes. Add in display tech (OLED vs LCD), VRR support, and even controller latency, and you’ll notice that the same scene can feel sharper or more immediate depending on where you’re playing. None of this alters the art direction we love—but it absolutely changes how it lands on your eyes and hands.

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Video credits; ElAnalistaDeBits

Switch 2: why the 120Hz TV Mode matters and when to pick the sharper option

On Switch 2, there are two big levers: a higher-frame-rate TV Mode that targets 120Hz on supported displays, and a sharper presentation mode that favors higher resolution at 60fps. The 120Hz option is fantastic for boss arenas packed with particles, because motion looks cleaner and your inputs feel a hair more immediate—great for tight pogo windows and needle counters. The trade-off is resolution; if you sit close to a large 4K panel, you’ll notice the image softens in the high-refresh mode. Prefer crisp HUD text and razor-clean line art? Flip to the higher-resolution option in TV play and enjoy a rock-solid 60fps feel that still showcases the art. In handheld, Switch 2 keeps a high refresh feel with excellent responsiveness and far quicker loads than legacy hardware, so roaming Pharloom on the couch or train finally feels as fluid as you imagined back in the day.

Practical tip: sit-distance and your TV decide the “best” mode

If you’re three meters from a 55–65″ screen, the 120Hz mode’s lower resolution is harder to notice than you’d think, while the smoothness is immediately obvious during fast traversal. If you’re desk-gaming on a 42–48″ OLED at one meter, the sharper 60fps mode can win for text legibility and edge definition. Try both, then stick with the one your eyes and thumbs prefer—there’s no wrong answer here.

Switch 1: still a strong way to play, with saner expectations

The original Switch holds up surprisingly well given its age. Expect 60fps gameplay with a lower resolution than newer machines and longer loads between areas. The art direction carries it: silhouettes remain readable, animations land with weight, and the orchestration pairs beautifully with handheld play. If you mostly play undocked and value battery life and comfort, it’s still a cozy way to explore Pharloom. Do keep storage headroom in mind and consider clearing space for smoother patching. If you’re sensitive to blur on a big TV, you’ll notice the difference versus other platforms, but in handheld the softer image is less distracting. For occasional docked sessions, sit a bit farther back and lean into the atmosphere—the vibe remains intact.

PS5 & Xbox Series X|S: big-screen clarity, VRR smoothing, and instant loads

On modern PlayStation and Xbox hardware, Silksong plays to the strengths of your 4K display. Expect crisp presentation with stable performance on PS5 and Series X, rapid restarts after a tough encounter, and VRR keeping camera pans and particle bursts looking clean on compatible TVs. Haptics on PS5 add subtle flavor to movement and impact, and both platforms benefit from strong controller latency and quick boot-to-boss turnaround times. Series S holds its own with a balanced target that favors consistency on 1080p-class screens. If your living room is anchored by a good 4K set and you prefer a couch experience with zero tinkering, these versions are easy to recommend: you plug in, you play, it feels great.

Small but welcome perks for the living room crowd

Features like VRR and fast SSD streaming don’t make screenshots prettier, yet they matter minute-to-minute. VRR reduces tiny hitching during heavy effects, and NVMe-class storage means reloading after a miss takes seconds. The net effect: more attempts, less downtime, and a smoother rhythm while you’re learning tricky patterns.

PC: higher ceilings, more toggles, and the best path for high-refresh monitors

PC opens the taps if your rig can keep up. Uncapped or high frame rate targets pair beautifully with 120–165Hz monitors, and you can right-size resolution scaling to keep the art crisp without overtaxing your GPU. Ultrawide works well for players who love seeing a little more environment, and input options let you fine-tune dead zones or swap between keyboard-mouse and a low-latency pad. If you’re chasing maximum motion clarity, enable your display’s high-refresh mode, keep V-Sync off in favor of driver-level VRR/G-Sync/FreeSync, and use a modest sharpening pass after scaling. You’ll get that “buttery” traversal feel while preserving line art fidelity. It’s the enthusiast’s playground, and yes, it makes speedrunning routes feel extra clean.

Quick PC setup checklist that actually helps

Match your monitor’s refresh rate in-game or via driver, use borderless-window or exclusive-full-screen to avoid OS compositing, and cap your frame time with VRR to reduce micro-stutter. If you notice shimmering, bump internal resolution or apply a gentle upscaler with minimal sharpening. Keep background apps light—browser video overlays can add latency you’ll feel on tight boss trades.

Input latency: why 120Hz feels “snappier” even when you already hit 60fps

Silksong’s combat rewards micro-adjustments and quick confirms. At 120Hz, the display scans new frames twice as often, which nicks a chunk off total end-to-end delay. You can’t see latency, but you feel it as tighter jump windows or cleaner dashes through hazards. Controllers and TVs also play a role: a low-lag display mode plus a wired or high-quality wireless pad trims additional milliseconds. On Switch 2’s 120Hz TV Mode, that adds up to a touch more confidence in aggressive plays. If you prefer the sharper 60fps mode, don’t sweat it—Silksong was clearly tuned to feel great at 60, and it does. The key is matching your display, distance, and reflex comfort.

Load times & storage: what changes the most day to day

Fast storage transforms the loop. On PS5, Series X|S, Switch 2, and SSD-equipped PCs, reloads and fast travel are zippy, which invites bolder routing and more experimentation with crests and resources. Switch 1’s slower I/O is workable but noticeable in back-to-back retries. If you bounce between platforms, this is the quality-of-life area you’ll feel most. For PC, put the game on an NVMe if you can; for consoles, keep at least a few gigabytes free to avoid patch hiccups. If you started on Switch 1 and later move to Switch 2, the upgrade path smooths that transition so you don’t repurchase just to enjoy those faster loads and high-refresh options.

Handheld play: where Switch 2 still has a unique advantage

Silksong thrives in handheld. Switch 2’s portable experience benefits from higher refresh behavior and quicker loads, making short sessions genuinely satisfying. The screen’s pixel density keeps the art punchy, and the audio mix shines on good earbuds. If you travel or couch-hop, portability is priceless—no capture card, no desk setup, just snap and go. PC handhelds are viable too, but Switch 2’s out-of-box behavior, UI clarity, and battery-aware performance are especially friendly for this style of game. If handheld time is a key part of how you play, this alone can trump pure pixel peeping on a living room TV.

Which version should you buy? Straight answers by use case

If you own a 120Hz-capable TV and want the smoothest motion with minimal fuss, grab it on Switch 2 and use the 120Hz TV Mode for bosses and challenge rooms. If your priority is big-screen sharpness with fast restarts and VRR, PS5 or Xbox Series X is your sweet spot; both are couch-friendly and consistent. If you love tinkering or have a high-refresh monitor at your desk, PC gives you the most freedom and the highest ceilings. If you’re on a budget or gifting a younger player who loves portable play, Switch 1 still delivers a beautiful, stable journey at 60fps—just expect softer docked output and longer loads. None of these choices are wrong; they simply favor different types of play.

Settings checklist: easy wins for clarity and comfort

On Switch 2, toggle between the 120Hz and higher-resolution TV options and stick with the one that feels right for your room. On PS5/Xbox, enable your TV’s game mode and VRR, and keep system-level HDR calibrated if your display supports it. On PC, match your monitor’s refresh, use adaptive sync, and right-size internal resolution to keep motion clean without chewing through GPU headroom. Across every platform, keep brightness calibrated so shadow detail doesn’t crush—Silksong’s mood thrives on contrast, but you still want to read enemy tells. And don’t sleep on controller comfort; a good pad makes long sessions easier on your hands and steadies those precise aerial slashes.

Post-launch notes: upgrades, pricing, and what’s been happening since release

The launch was huge—so huge it briefly knocked storefronts around the globe—and player counts spiked into the hundreds of thousands on day one. On the Nintendo side, a free Switch 2 upgrade path makes it painless to move up from the original Switch and unlock that high-refresh TV mode. Elsewhere, performance has been praised for stability on new-gen consoles and PC, and there’s been attention on language support as the team fine-tunes localization. The headline for visuals is steady: each platform plays to its strengths, and the new high-refresh option on Nintendo’s latest hardware gives you a genuine choice between fluidity and extra pixel clarity, which is exactly the sort of flexibility this kind of action-platformer benefits from.

Conclusion

If you love motion clarity and fast retries, Switch 2’s 120Hz TV Mode and modern SSD-class load times feel fantastic. If you prefer max sharpness and set-and-forget comfort on a big OLED, PS5 or Series X gets you there with VRR smoothing and near-instant reloads. If you want to tweak every variable and push frame rates sky-high, PC is the obvious pick. And if handheld convenience is everything or you’re staying budget-first, Switch 1 still delivers the art and music we came for at a steady 60. Same world, different flavors—choose the one that matches how you actually play.

FAQs
  • Does Switch 2 really support 120Hz?
    • Yes—there’s a TV Mode designed for 120Hz displays, trading some resolution for smoother motion. If you value clarity over refresh, a higher-resolution 60fps mode is available on TV.
  • Is PS5 or Series X the sharpest?
    • On a 4K TV, both deliver a crisp presentation with fast loads and VRR support. If you already own one, stick there; differences are small in practice on equivalent displays.
  • What about PC ultrawide and high refresh?
    • PC supports high frame rates and ultrawide nicely. Match your monitor’s refresh, use VRR/G-Sync/FreeSync, and tune resolution scaling for clean linework with smooth motion.
  • Is Switch 1 still worth it?
    • Absolutely. You get stable 60fps, lovely art, and the cozy handheld vibe. Expect lower resolution and longer loads versus newer hardware.
  • Can I upgrade from Switch 1 to Switch 2 without rebuying?
    • Yes—a free Switch 2 upgrade unlocks the enhanced features, including the 120Hz TV Mode, once you move to the newer system.
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