Best 2026 Video Games for load times

#1

Switch 2 load times are repeatedly praised as fast or nearly absent.

#2

The few reviewers who discussed loading found it impressively quick and unobtrusive. Short waits help matches and mode changes keep a brisk pace.

#3

Loading was described as negligible or quick in the reviews that discussed it, including Steam Deck play.

#4

Fast loading makes minecart travel and returning to the action pleasantly painless.

#5

Load times were praised as very quick in both supporting reviews.

#6

Modern hardware all but eliminates the long waits associated with the original release, making transitions quick and painless.

#7

Loading is consistently praised as quick, helping the short adventure maintain a smooth, uninterrupted flow.

#8

Open-world traversal can be nearly seamless, with one long-term tester reporting no loading screens outside fast travel.

#9

On PS5, loading was specifically praised as quick enough to keep movement between activities smooth.

#10

Load times received strong praise for being nearly nonexistent.

#11

Loading is quick and unobtrusive, helping the game maintain its relaxed flow between pages and discoveries.

#12

Load times/install flow receive limited but strong praise for launching quickly before full install completion.

#13

Load times had limited but strong evidence, with Digital Foundry praising nearly instant transitions.

#14

Modern versions generally load faster, with several reviewers calling the improvements noticeable or nicely brisk.

#15

Load-time impressions are very positive because several reviewers noted seamless docking or no loading screens entering cities.

#16

Load times were praised in both scored references for being almost instantaneous when the game ran well.

#17

Load times are praised as minimal or nearly absent in the reviews that discuss them.

#18

Faster loading and menu returns are practical improvements for large libraries.

#19

Load times on Switch 2 were described as very quick, helping travel and repeated battles keep moving.

#20

Transitions between cutscenes and gameplay are described as seamless, and retries after defeat are quick enough to keep difficult fights moving.

#21

Loading is modestly faster, complementing the larger technical improvements in Update 9.0.

#22

Immediate starts and instant puzzle restarts receive praise. One PC experience instead reports an unresponsive black screen during launch.

#23

Loading is generally acceptable to very fast on Switch 2, especially around fast travel and death, though a few reviewers notice longer waits than on more powerful hardware.

#24

Screen transitions can have a small delay on one tested version, while Switch 2 fast travel was praised for being effectively instantaneous.

#25

Loading is generally quick across platforms, aside from Switch 1 and an initial Steam Deck load.

#26

Loading is generally quick and unobtrusive, helping chapters and retries maintain momentum.

#27

One measured review calls the roughly seven-second main-menu load decent. Other mentions of reload speed concern weapon handling rather than game loading.

#28

Load times were praised in the one detailed assessment, with movement between maps described as quick and the longest first-visit shader wait measured only in seconds.

#29

Load times were praised by one reviewer as fast on PC.

#30

The separate digital Switch 2 build can benefit from faster reads than the original cartridge-based release.

#31

Loading experiences vary by review and build; several praise snappy retries, while others report surprisingly long death reloads or frequent loading that feels excessive for a 2D game.

#32

Faster loading is a welcome Switch 2 refinement, though several writers note that the original load times were already acceptable. It improves polish more than it changes the experience.

#33

Loading varies dramatically by platform and edition: older console versions are often criticized for long, frequent waits, while PC and newer Anniversary versions can load extremely quickly.

#34

Travel loading is unobtrusive or pleasantly atmospheric for some players. Others tire of repeatedly crossing loading screens between districts.

#35

One review reports notably quicker loading, while another finds online match loading slower and menus hitchy. Load-time impressions therefore depend on platform and context.

#36

Transitions are generally brief on PC, but the Switch 2 version can suffer noticeably long loading screens alongside its other performance problems.

#37

Load times were platform-dependent: one Switch 2 review reported lengthy loads, while another praised faster loading on Switch 2.

#38

Loading is fast on current consoles and often nearly invisible during ordinary encounters, though Switch 2 can show more noticeable waits between larger scenes.

#39

Load times were mixed, with some reviewers reporting solid loads and others calling them slow or momentum-breaking.

#40

PS5 loading receives praise for being very quick. Switch 2 transitions into pawn rifts and cutscenes are noticeably slower in the port comparisons.

#41

Loading is inconsistent across reports: some large maps load quickly, while others become noticeably slow as saves and simulations grow.

#42

Loading impressions vary sharply: one player found loading fast, while others complained about frequent screens between map sections that interrupt flow.

#43

PC loading is noticeably quicker than last year, while Switch 2 remains much slower, especially around simulation-heavy modes.

#44

Load times were a recurring technical complaint, especially when moving between large customized zones.

#45

Menu navigation can load noticeably faster in some modes, but frozen loading screens also appear in less stable experiences. Speed is improved when the game is behaving properly.

#46

Reviewer evidence is mixed: load times drew both praise and caveats across 1 review(s).

#47

Load times are a weakness on Switch-focused reviews, especially reloads after death that can interrupt flow.

#48

Load times were a recurring platform concern, especially on Switch, though one review balanced the initial wait against smooth movement after loading.

#49

Individual loads can be short, but frequent transitions still interrupt driving and make repeated travel tedious. Their frequency matters more than the wait per screen.

#50

Opinions on load times are mixed, with useful ideas offset by friction that becomes more noticeable during harder stretches.