That's cool - I didn't think sprites turned on the "3d engine" but I'm definately learning all the time like you are I'm sure
Have you done any tests ... tried to make a 2d game?
One thing I know is that sometimes its better to develop on a slow machine - because you can't afford to have SLOP so you try to do things in a manner that executes and performs as fast and smooth as possible. (Don't forget to learn/use timer based movement though!) Like I don't have a great 3d card and I wrote this code that is special in that it tries REALLY hard to efficiently only render things in the camera view - and EXCLUDES 3d Objects from the scene that "wouldn't be on screen" ... this sounds silly but it made my Frame Rates go WAY UP.... Now when someone plays my stuff on a newer PC - it just PURRS.... they just see snappy and smooth.
Alot of times when people make games on fast systems... Like that Racing game that made a newsletter a bit ago - some go cart thing - it was SLOW Slow on my PC - it was unbearable - note that my PC plays the FPS game FarCry no problem - but this little go cart (cartoony) thing was AWFUL! Likely it was made on a fast machine where speed wasn't a factor to be concerned with. (This is why Microsoft has so much software bloat - they may figure it'll be fine - EVERYONE has a 5000$ PC on their desk ...RIGHT?)
anyway - to answer your original question for this THREAD...
WHO KNOWS?!?!? Will you PC do it? Only one way to find OUT!
Start making your game bro!