The wait is finally over. Nearly ten years after its original announcement in 2017, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is launching on December 4, 2025, for both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. But the real story here isn’t just that the game exists after years of development hell and restarts. It’s that Nintendo has crafted two distinct versions, with the Switch 2 Edition showcasing what next-generation hardware can do for Samus Aran’s latest adventure.
The enhanced edition brings support for mouse controls via Joy-Con 2, up to 4K resolution in TV mode, frame rates reaching 120fps, and HDR support. These technical improvements transform the game from a solid shooter into a showcase piece that demonstrates the Switch 2’s considerable power boost over its predecessor.
Two Versions, One Epic Journey
Nintendo is releasing Metroid Prime 4: Beyond as a cross-generation title, meaning it works on both the original Switch and the new Switch 2 hardware. If you buy the physical Nintendo Switch 2 Edition game card and insert it into an original Switch console, you’ll play the standard Switch version without the enhanced features. However, the reverse compatibility ensures everyone can experience Samus’s journey regardless of which console they own.
Players who already purchased the standard Switch version don’t need to buy the game twice. Nintendo is offering an upgrade pack that lets existing owners access the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition’s enhanced features. This consumer-friendly approach acknowledges that many fans preordered the game before Switch 2 details emerged, ensuring nobody gets left behind in the generational transition.
Switch 2 Edition Enhancements
- Support for Joy-Con 2 mouse controls for precision aiming
- Up to 4K resolution when playing in TV mode
- Frame rates reaching up to 120fps for ultra-smooth gameplay
- HDR support for enhanced visual depth and color
- Quality Mode and Performance Mode options based on preference
- Enhanced visuals and improved graphics fidelity
Psychic Powers Change Everything
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond introduces a fascinating new wrinkle to Samus’s arsenal through psychic abilities. After crash-landing on the mysterious planet Viewros, Samus encounters Lamorn technology that grants her supernatural powers tied to an ancient civilization. These aren’t just cosmetic additions but fundamental gameplay mechanics that reshape how players interact with the environment and enemies.
The new Psychic Visor serves double duty as both the traditional scanning visor from previous Metroid Prime games and the interface for manipulating objects with telekinesis. When using psychic powers, you control objects with your line of sight rather than your arm cannon. Samus even raises her left hand to her temple in a classic Professor X gesture, selling the mental manipulation fantasy. Other characters in the game comment on how objects seem to move by themselves from their perspective, reinforcing the supernatural nature of these abilities.
New Psychic Arsenal
As with previous Metroid games, Samus loses most of her weaponry early in the adventure. What makes Beyond different is that instead of simply retrieving her old equipment, she gains psychically enhanced versions that work differently enough to create fresh gameplay possibilities. The Psychic Beam and Psychic Hyper Beam replace traditional weapons, while the Morph Ball returns with psychic twists.
The Psychic Bomb exemplifies this new approach. Instead of the traditional Morph Ball Bomb that explodes where placed, Samus can now drop Psychic Bombs and then move them telekinetically to different locations inaccessible to the Morph Ball itself. You can grasp psychic motes of light with your mind and toss them into receptacles to power doors, or manipulate environmental elements to activate machinery and solve puzzles.
Players can also steer beam projectiles after firing, adding a tactical layer to combat encounters. The D-pad has been reorganized to accommodate missiles and three vacant slots instead of beam switching, suggesting weapon systems may accumulate differently than in previous Prime games. These psychic abilities aren’t just gimmicks but core mechanics that feel right at home in Samus’s suite of powers.
Meet the Vi-O-La Motorcycle
Perhaps the most surprising addition to Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is Samus’s new ride: the Vi-O-La, a advanced motorcycle invented by the Lamorn civilization. This vehicle enables swift travel across the vast expanses of Viewros, Nintendo’s answer to the open-world traversal problem that comes with larger, less linear environments.
The Vi-O-La isn’t just transportation. Special actions can be performed while riding to combat enemies and destroy ore deposits scattered across the planet’s surface. You can summon the motorcycle at any time within available areas, and dismounting instantly returns you to Samus’s first-person perspective for on-foot exploration. This seamless transition between vehicle and personal exploration ensures the pacing stays tight while giving players freedom to approach objectives from multiple angles.
The inclusion of the Vi-O-La confirms suspicions that Beyond features more open-world elements than previous Metroid Prime games. The vast hub world connecting different regions requires faster traversal methods, and the motorcycle provides that while maintaining the series’ focus on atmospheric exploration and environmental storytelling.
Joy-Con 2 Mouse Controls
One of the most technically impressive features of the Switch 2 Edition is support for Joy-Con 2 mouse controls. This innovation allows players to use their Joy-Con 2 controllers as precision pointing devices similar to traditional mouse aiming on PC. For a first-person shooter, this represents a massive improvement over analog stick aiming, especially for players who value accuracy.
The mouse controls work by placing the Joy-Con 2 on compatible surfaces, with adjustable sensitivity settings available in the System Settings menu. Players must attach Joy-Con 2 straps before using mouse controls for safety. The implementation gives console players access to precision aiming previously exclusive to PC shooters, potentially changing how people approach combat encounters and exploration.
Quality Mode and Performance Mode offer additional customization. Quality Mode prioritizes visual fidelity with higher resolutions and enhanced graphical effects, while Performance Mode focuses on maintaining higher frame rates for smoother gameplay. Both modes support HDR output, allowing players to choose based on their preferences and playstyle without sacrificing visual quality entirely.
The Long Road to Release
Metroid Prime 4’s development has been anything but smooth. Nintendo first announced the game at E3 2017 for the original Switch, but in January 2019, series producer Kensuke Tanabe announced development had restarted from scratch. The project was handed to Retro Studios, the American developer behind the original Metroid Prime trilogy, after the initial version failed to meet Nintendo’s quality standards.
That restart proved worthwhile. Early hands-on impressions from journalists who played the game ahead of release consistently praise the psychic abilities as more than gimmicks and highlight how technically polished the experience feels. Metroid has always positioned itself as a technical showcase even on limited hardware, with Metroid Prime Remastered demonstrating how good a GameCube game from 2002 can look on modern systems.
Development Timeline
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| June 2017 | Initial announcement at E3 for Nintendo Switch |
| January 2019 | Development restarted from scratch with Retro Studios |
| September 2025 | Release date announced during Nintendo Direct |
| November 2025 | Hands-on previews reveal psychic abilities and Vi-O-La |
| December 4, 2025 | Official launch on Switch and Switch 2 |
What to Expect From Viewros
Samus’s mission on Viewros centers on finding a way home after being stranded on this mysterious planet. The galaxy’s greatest bounty hunter must explore labyrinthine environments, battle alien threats and formidable bosses, and discover new abilities and upgrades to uncover Viewros’s secrets. Scanning stone statues and ruins provides clues about the ancient Lamorn civilization and how to progress forward.
The game retains the first-person adventure gameplay that defined previous Metroid Prime titles. Non-linear environments encourage exploration and backtracking as new abilities unlock previously inaccessible areas. Combat emphasizes careful observation of enemy patterns and weaknesses rather than overwhelming firepower. The scanning mechanics return, letting players catalog alien life forms and extract environmental lore that enriches the worldbuilding.
Three new Metroid Prime 4: Beyond series amiibo figures will launch alongside the game, unlocking additional features when tapped against the console. Nintendo hasn’t detailed what these features include, but previous Metroid amiibo have provided extra resources, difficulty modifiers, or cosmetic enhancements.
FAQs
When does Metroid Prime 4: Beyond release?
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launches on December 4, 2025, for both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. The game is available in standard and enhanced Switch 2 Edition versions.
What are the main differences between Switch and Switch 2 versions?
The Switch 2 Edition includes Joy-Con 2 mouse controls for precision aiming, up to 4K resolution in TV mode, frame rates up to 120fps, HDR support, and enhanced visual fidelity. The standard Switch version offers the complete game experience without these technical enhancements.
Can I upgrade from the Switch version to the Switch 2 Edition?
Yes, Nintendo offers an upgrade pack that allows players who own the standard Switch version to access the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition’s enhanced features without purchasing the full game again.
What are psychic abilities in Metroid Prime 4?
Psychic abilities are new powers Samus gains on Viewros that let her manipulate objects with telekinesis, steer beam projectiles, and interact with Lamorn technology. The Psychic Visor serves as both a scanning tool and the interface for these supernatural powers.
What is the Vi-O-La in Metroid Prime 4?
The Vi-O-La is an advanced motorcycle invented by the ancient Lamorn civilization that Samus uses to traverse the vast open areas of Viewros. Players can perform special actions while riding to combat enemies and destroy obstacles, and can summon it at any time within available areas.
How do Joy-Con 2 mouse controls work?
Joy-Con 2 mouse controls allow players to use their Joy-Con 2 controllers as precision pointing devices for aiming, similar to mouse controls on PC. The controllers work on compatible surfaces with adjustable sensitivity settings, providing more accurate aiming than traditional analog sticks.
Is Metroid Prime 4 open world?
While not fully open world in the traditional sense, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond features larger, more expansive environments connected by a hub world that Samus traverses using the Vi-O-La motorcycle. The game maintains Metroid’s signature non-linear exploration while offering more freedom than previous Prime titles.
Will the Switch 2 Edition game card work on original Switch?
Yes, if you insert a Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Nintendo Switch 2 Edition game card into an original Nintendo Switch console, you can play the standard Switch version without the enhanced Switch 2 features.
Conclusion
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond represents both a triumphant return for the series and a bold step forward for Nintendo’s hardware ambitions. After nearly a decade of waiting and a complete development restart, Retro Studios has crafted what early impressions suggest is a worthy successor to the beloved trilogy. The psychic abilities add meaningful gameplay depth without betraying the series’ core identity, while the Vi-O-La motorcycle solves traversal challenges in larger environments. Most importantly, the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition demonstrates that Nintendo’s new hardware can deliver technical experiences that compete with modern gaming expectations. Whether you’re playing on original Switch or upgrading to the enhanced edition, December 4 marks the moment Samus Aran reclaims her place among gaming’s elite franchises. The galaxy’s greatest bounty hunter is back, and she’s brought psychic powers and a motorcycle to prove it.