Mina the Hollower is excellent on Steam Deck and Switch, but amazing on Switch 2 and PS5

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Yacht Club Games’ Mina the Hollower is releasing worldwide later this week! I’ve had a chance to play it on several platforms – including Switch 2, Switch, Steam Deck, ROG Ally, PS5, and PS5 Pro – to see how well it runs on each one. If you’d like to know what we think of the game, you can read our full review here. Because Mina the Hollower uses pixel art and is very efficiently made, the graphics look similar across all platforms, but there are differences in how smoothly it runs, the visual settings available, and how long it takes to load.

Mina the Hollower Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch impressions

As a big fan of Mina the Hollower, I’m so excited about the Switch 2 version! The best part is, if you already own it on the original Switch, you can get a free upgrade on the eShop! And don’t worry about losing your progress – your save data will transfer over seamlessly. The original Switch version aimed for 1080p at 60fps when docked and 720p handheld, but the Switch 2 version takes things to a whole new level. Handheld, you can play at 1080p at 60fps or even 120fps! Docked, you have a choice between stunning 4K at 60fps or a super smooth 1440p at 120fps – though the Switch 2 has a slight limitation there. Honestly, when playing handheld, there’s no need to stick with 60fps, but docked, you can pick between incredible visuals and a super high frame rate!

Mina the Hollower Switch 1 docked gameplay





During my testing, the Switch 2 generally maintained a smooth frame rate, with only a few instances of dips below 120fps. I primarily played in handheld mode, and the VRR feature probably helped keep things stable. However, I did notice more frame rate drops when playing docked and targeting 120fps in certain areas. These drops were most apparent during screen transitions, as the game Mina the Hollower smoothly runs at either 60 or 120fps, making dips to around 90-100fps quite noticeable – something I’ll discuss further in the PC section. When playing docked and set to 60fps, I didn’t experience any significant frame rate issues.

Aside from a few minor problems, the Switch 2 version of Mina the Hollower supports HDR, a feature not available on the original Switch or PC. The game offers two display options: ‘Fill’ and ‘Fit’. When played handheld at 1080p, ‘Fit’ leaves some borders around the image, while ‘Fill’ stretches the picture slightly to maximize screen space. On the original Switch, both options display the game in full screen. I primarily played Mina the Hollower on the Switch 2 using ‘Fit’ mode at 120fps with the pixel scale set to automatically adjust.

Mina the Hollower Switch 2 docked gameplay





I spent most of my time testing the game on the newer Switch model, but I also played it on the original Switch and everything seemed to run smoothly. The original Switch version aims for a stable 60 frames per second and feels very well-optimized. The only downside I noticed on both Switch models was the absence of HD rumble, aside from some minor performance hiccups in certain parts of the game.

Mina the Hollower PS5 and PS5 Pro impressions

Mina the Hollower looks and runs great on PlayStation 5, hitting 4K resolution at 120 frames per second on both the standard PS5 and PS5 Pro. The game doesn’t have any special features just for the PS5 Pro, as it already achieves top performance on the base model. During my time playing, I didn’t notice any slowdown or long loading screens. While I was a bit let down by the lack of advanced controller vibration (similar to the Switch versions), I was happy to see support for HDR and the light bar. The light bar actually changes color to reflect the environment you’re in and even responds to the animations on the title screen.

You usually wouldn’t notice this detail on a standard PS5 controller unless you glanced down during gameplay, but it’s clearly visible when playing on the PS Portal, as shown in the first image. It would be great if Yacht Club Games could add full DualSense haptic feedback with a future update.

Mina the Hollower PS5 gameplay





I enabled auto-scaling and was able to play at 4K resolution with a smooth 120 frames per second on my PlayStation 5. During my testing, which lasted several hours, I didn’t experience any performance problems. I haven’t completed the game on any platform yet, so I can’t say if the frame rate drops later on, but I’ve spent roughly 10 hours playing each version.

Mina the Hollower Steam Deck impressions

Mina the Hollower is confirmed to work well on the Steam Deck. It displays beautifully on the screen without any black bars, unlike on some other handhelds. I prefer this sharp, pixel-perfect look, so I used black bars on devices like the Switch 2 and ROG Ally instead of stretching the image to fill the screen. While the demo ran flawlessly on the Steam Deck, the full game needs a small adjustment to look its best on the Steam Deck OLED model.

As a big fan of Mina the Hollower, I was excited to try it on my Steam Deck OLED. I noticed that if I tried to run the game at 120fps, things didn’t look quite right – some of the transitions and menus felt choppy. Apparently, the game is designed to run at either 60 or 120fps, and the Deck’s 90hz screen doesn’t play nicely with the higher framerate. Yacht Club Games told me the best experience is to lock the game to 60fps, which matches the Deck’s 60hz refresh rate, and honestly, it looks much smoother that way!

Mina the Hollower Steam Deck gameplay








While Mina the Hollower looks fantastic on the Steam Deck OLED, the PC version currently doesn’t support HDR like the PS5 and Switch 2 versions do. This also means that on the Steam Deck OLED, the game is limited to 60 frames per second instead of potentially higher with HDR. Hopefully, these issues can be fixed with future updates, but even as is, the game runs perfectly and looks amazing on the OLED screen.

Like the PlayStation 5 version, the PC version can run up to 4K resolution at 120 frames per second, but it doesn’t support HDR. Currently, I’ve only confirmed HDR support on the PS5 and the Switch 2. I expect the Xbox version to have it as well, but I haven’t been able to test that yet.

Mina the Hollower ROG Ally impressions

Playing Mina the Hollower on the ROG Ally can achieve a smooth 1080p at 120 frames per second. To get a perfectly sharp image, you might need to accept some small black bars around the edges of the screen, similar to what you’d see on the Switch 2. The ROG Ally’s screen technology smoothed out any slight drops in frame rate – I only occasionally saw it dip to 118 or 119 fps during my playtime. Overall, Mina the Hollower runs more consistently on the ROG Ally than it does on the Switch 2.

Mina the Hollower ROG Ally gameplay


Which is the best version of Mina the Hollower?

Despite being a beautifully refined game on every system, Mina the Hollower has a few small drawbacks depending on how you play. Each handheld version offers something unique, but also has a limitation. The Switch 2 provides a great experience with HDR visuals, but its d-pad is unfortunately poor. Specifically, the split d-pad on the Joy-Con 2 controller feels awkward to use. If you prefer using the left analog stick, this won’t be a problem.

Mina the Hollower runs smoothly at 60 frames per second on the Steam Deck, though it doesn’t use HDR. Even without HDR, the Steam Deck OLED’s colors look better than those on the Switch 2 screen, even when HDR is turned on in the game. On the ROG Ally, Mina the Hollower is more stable than on the Switch 2 and has a better directional pad, but the screen is smaller. The game feels good and looks great on the original Switch, especially on the Switch OLED model.

I’d choose to play Mina the Hollower on the Steam Deck OLED if both devices ran at the same speed, but right now I prefer playing it on the Switch 2 when I’m on the go. When connected to a TV, the Switch 2 sometimes struggles to maintain a smooth 120fps, which isn’t a problem on PC. However, for handheld play, it’s my top pick. Ultimately, these differences are small and won’t bother most players. It’s important to note that Mina the Hollower plays well on all portable devices; you just might need to adjust a few settings on certain handhelds to get the best experience.

For the best experience, especially if you’re playing on a TV or monitor, the PS5 version of Mina the Hollower is the way to go. It’s technically flawless and supports 4K resolution at 120 frames per second with HDR. The PC version doesn’t offer HDR and doesn’t run noticeably better, as the game is currently optimized for 60 or 120fps. The Switch 2 version can achieve 4K at 60fps or 1440p at 120fps, though the faster frame rate has some minor issues in certain areas, but overall performs well.

My platform comparison articles usually highlight big differences between versions, but with Mina the Hollower, every platform offers a solid experience. Overall, it plays best on Switch 2 and PlayStation 5.

Mina the Hollower load times compared across PS5, Switch 2, Steam Deck, PS5 Pro, ROG Ally, and Switch

To check how quickly the game loads, I timed how long it took to get to the title screen and then load a saved game. I tested ‘Mina the Hollower’ on several platforms: PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro (using their built-in storage), Nintendo Switch OLED (with an SD card), Switch 2 (using its internal storage), Steam Deck OLED, and ROG Ally (both with internal storage). The load times shown below are measured in seconds.

Platform Dashboard to title Loading save
Switch 1 7-8 <1
Switch 2 2 <1
PS5 2 Instant
PS5 Pro 1-2 Instant
Steam Deck 2-3 <1
ROG Ally 3-3.5 <1

Loading times in Mina the Hollower are generally quick. While the Switch version takes a bit longer to start up, it’s a minor delay compared to other games on that platform. All versions, especially the PS5 version which is nearly instantaneous, load saved games very rapidly. It’s a game you can easily pick up and play, and Yacht Club Games has done a great job delivering a smooth experience.

What I want to see in Mina the Hollower patches

Besides the cool HD rumble on Nintendo Switch and DualSense features on PlayStation 5, I’d love to see Yacht Club Games improve how the game runs at higher frame rates like 90fps and 144fps. Currently, it doesn’t feel very smooth when played at those refresh rates. It would also be great if they added HDR support to the PC version.

Mina the Hollower color palettes

I’m really loving the color palettes in Mina the Hollower! I even used a modifier to cycle through them while jumping, just so I could quickly show off a few of my favorites. Here they are:

Mina the Hollower color palettes








Which version of Mina the Hollower should you buy today?

Since everyone values different things, I’ll wrap up this article by outlining the pros and cons of each pre-release version of Mina the Hollower I’ve played.

  • Mina the Hollower on Switch 2 or Switch: I have played Shovel Knight on every platform, but I spent the most time with it on Switch. I’m glad that Mina the Hollower on Switch delivers a competent and well-optimized version of Yacht Club Games’ newest, and it looks superb on the Switch OLED screen. Just keep in mind the Joy-Con controller split d-pad is not great for this kind of game. You will need to use the left stick for movement. If you have a Hori Split Pad Pro or Compact like I do or even a Switch Lite, that takes care of the d-pad issue. Load times are a bit long initially, but it isn’t too bad.
  • Mina the Hollower on Switch 2: On Switch 2, Mina the Hollower feels superb at 120fps handheld with HDR as an option, but the d-pad is again not great. If you are ok with the stick for movement, Mina the Hollower on Switch 2 is amazing and I hope the minor performance issues can be resolved in updates. Mina the Hollower on Switch 2 is a Switch 2 Edition with a free upgrade for Switch 1 owners as well. If you have a third party Joy-Con replacement or play with a Pro Controller, you will not have any issue with the d-pad here. This is my most-played version of the game now alongside the PS5 release. 
  • Mina the Hollower on Steam: Mina the Hollower on PC is fantastic at 60fps or 120fps, but it has some scrolling issues at other frame rates. The lack of HDR is a bit disappointing as well, but Mina the Hollower plays perfectly on Steam Deck at 60fps, and at 120fps docked or on PC in general. Hopefully it is updated to properly support 144hz, 90hz, and 100hz. If you play on a Steam Deck LCD or ROG Ally, there are no issues here, but keep in mind the scrolling issue at 90fps on Steam Deck OLED. The Steam verison on PC handhelds is also better since all three handhelds I own have better d-pads than the Joy-Con controllers. 
  • Mina the Hollower on PS5: Mina the Hollower on PS5 loads faster than other versions and has great light bar support on the DualSense controller. It also runs at 4K 120fps without any issues. Hopefully it is patched to add in haptic feedback in the future, but this is a superb version of the game and the one I put the most time into alongside the Switch 2 release. Being able to start with a different weapon helped keep things fresh for both playthroughs.

After a long wait, Yacht Club Games has really delivered with Mina the Hollower. As a huge fan of Shovel Knight – I’ve bought it on almost every platform! – I’m already enjoying Mina the Hollower even more, and I haven’t even finished it yet. I’m excited to keep playing this week.

Mina the Hollower will be available on May 29th for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (via Steam), Nintendo Switch, and the new Nintendo Switch 2.

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2026-05-27 16:33