Mario was the star of Friday’s Nintendo Direct, but Samus did make an appearance with some important news about the upcoming Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. A new trailer for the game also showed that it will do something new for the series by having an open world to explore.
Metroid Prime 4 will be released on the Switch 2 on Dec. 4, according to the new trailer shown during the Nintendo Direct. Along with the release date, the video showcased Samus’ snazzy new motorcycle that will take her across a new alien world. It marks a big change for the franchise, which usually takes place in underground tunnels, ruins and space stations — enclosed spaces, not a world you can explore.
According to a press release for the game, Samus faces off against a deadly sharpshooter named Sylux and has to land on a mysterious planet called Viewros. She’ll have to use her vast weaponry and new psychic abilities to survive and eventually escape. To help her explore the planet, she’ll drive around on her bike, which is called Vi-O-La.
Metroid Prime 4 has been in development for a long time. It was first announced at E3 2017, and for years, there were minimal updates from Nintendo about the game. Then in 2019, Retro Studios, the developer that created the Metroid Prime trilogy, was brought in to take over development. Nintendo confirmed Metroid Prime 4’s release was upcoming back in June 2024, and it’s now only three months away.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will launch on both the original Switch for $60 and the Switch 2 for $70 on Dec. 4.
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