Metroid Prime 4 players stunned as music locked behind $30 toy

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A recent clip from Metroid Prime 4 highlighted its incredibly quiet desert environments. Players found that music only plays in those areas if you use the new Samus amiibo figure.

On December 3rd, Andre Segers from GameXplain shared a video of Samus driving her Vi-O-La motorbike across a desert landscape. The video is almost completely silent, with only the sound of the motorbike and brief bursts from its boosters audible.

Players discovered the quiet atmosphere isn’t intentional – it’s not a bug or a deliberate design choice. The silence can be broken by buying the new $30 Samus amiibo. When scanned on the Switch 2, this toy lets you unlock different background music while exploring the desert areas.

Metroid Prime 4 music locked behind $30 amiibo

According to the official Japanese amiibo website, using the Samus amiibo while riding the desert bike unlocks special music. It also provides a powerful shield that can absorb up to 99 damage and completely refills Samus’s health once each day.

If you don’t buy the special figure, you’ll have to drive without music. But if you do purchase it, it unlocks a radio feature with different music tracks, letting you pick the perfect tune for your drive.

I really believe the desert area would have been three times more impressive with a great soundtrack. As it is, it just feels a little empty and lacks impact. #MetroidPrime4

— André (@AndreSegers) December 3, 2025

The new additions are proving divisive among fans. Some see them as fun, optional extras, but others are critical, with one person calling them expensive microtransactions disguised as downloadable content. Another fan pointed out a quirky detail: a motorcycle named after a musical instrument doesn’t actually make any sound.

As if the game wasn’t tempting enough, they’ve released another amiibo – Samus & Vi-O-La – for $30! It unlocks the full versions of these cool little movie clips you find throughout the story. Basically, if you want the full experience and listen to the music while you’re exploring, especially during the desert parts, you’ll need to grab this new amiibo. Otherwise, you’re stuck with silence! It’s a bit frustrating, but I’m a collector anyway, so I’ll probably get it.

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2025-12-04 15:48