Samus Aran will return on 4 December 2025 on the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 consoles. What can we expect from this long-awaited sequel, given that the previous game was released over 15 years ago?
It has been a long time since Metroid Prime 3: Corruption was released for the Wii in 2007, completing the trilogy. Apart from Metroid Prime: Trilogy (2009), things quietened down around the first-person action-adventure series until Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was announced at E3 in 2017. As with the previous Metroid Prime games, this game was produced by Kensuke Tanabe; however, unlike the previous games, it was not developed by Retro Studios. In January 2019, Nintendo announced that development had restarted with Retro Studios and Tanabe, as the previous studio had not met Nintendo's standards.
Following an unexpected incident, Samus Aran finds herself stranded on the mysterious planet Viewros. There, the bounty hunter must fight to survive and find a way to escape. This is especially difficult since Sylux, a rival bounty hunter who harbours a deep-seated grudge against the Galactic Federation and Samus, is hot on her heels. As usual, players control Samus from a first-person perspective. To master this adventure, they must scan the environment for clues and use their equipment and weapons skilfully. They also have access to Samus's new psychic powers, which enable her to guide shots and operate environmental mechanisms. Another new feature is the technologically advanced Vi-0-La motorcycle, which Samus can use to explore more expansive areas. While riding it, she can fire projectiles to fight enemies. However, the motorcycle can only be called upon in 'permitted' areas, and dismounting seamlessly returns the player to first-person exploration on foot. The game therefore retains the tried-and-tested exploration and combat formula of its predecessors, building on it with new abilities and the addition of a motorbike.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond; Nintendo
Incidentally, only one official remaster of the first game in the trilogy has been released so far, for the Switch in 2023. Nintendo has not officially announced any remastered versions of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes or Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is set to launch on both the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch 2 on 04 December 2025. The Switch 2 Edition will offer enhanced graphics and performance, as well as supporting both traditional controls and the Joy-Con 2 controller's mouse mode, providing a PC-like experience and enabling players to control Samus' weapon arm with greater precision. Players can choose between quality and performance modes depending on their preferences and play style; both modes support HDR. They can explore the world in 4K at 60 fps, or experience action at 1080p resolution at 120 fps on TV. The handheld mode features 1080p at 60 fps (quality) or 720p at 120 fps (performance).
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond skilfully combines the tried-and-tested with some exciting new concepts.
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