Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – Release Date, Preorders, Gameplay, & Story Details

It’s hard to believe Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is finally coming out! The game was first revealed way back in 2017, but faced many delays. Nintendo even had to start development over in 2019, switching the project from Bandai Namco to Retro Studios, the team behind the original Prime games. Now, with the release date quickly approaching, we’ve gathered all the information you need to get ready for this long-awaited launch.

The game, originally planned for the Nintendo Switch before its title was even finalized, is now launching as a multi-platform title with the release of the new Switch 2. Whether you’re a newcomer to the first-person Metroid games or a long-time fan, here’s a comprehensive overview of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, including its release date, how to pre-order, different versions and their prices, gameplay details, the story, and what to expect if you’re playing on the Switch 2.

December 4, 2025

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will launch on December 4, 2025, after being announced eight years prior and following an 18-year gap since the release of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. This release date applies to versions for both the Nintendo Switch and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. Players can purchase Metroid Prime 4 digitally through the Nintendo eShop or from retailers, or as a physical copy. The box art for the Switch 2 Edition indicates that the physical version includes both the Nintendo Switch game and an upgrade pack to enhance it for the Switch 2, meaning the Switch 2 improvements aren’t built directly into the game cartridge.

Metroid Prime 4 Prices & Preorder Information

Preorders Available Now

You can now preorder Metroid Prime 4 from most stores or the Nintendo eShop – preorders have been available since the game was first announced in 2017. The price depends on which version you choose. The standard Metroid Prime 4 for Nintendo Switch costs $59.99, while the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is priced at $69.99. There’s also an Upgrade Pack for $9.99 that lets you buy the game for Switch now and then upgrade to the Switch 2 version later.

Metroid Prime 4 Gameplay

First-Person Metroidvania

Describing Metroid Prime 4: Beyond as a ‘metroidvania’ is a little unusual, considering Metroid helped create the genre (thanks to games like Super Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night). The core idea behind the original Metroid Prime was straightforward: it took the traditional 2D Metroid gameplay and transformed it into a 3D, first-person shooter. Metroid Prime 4 definitely includes metroidvania elements – it features a complex, interconnected world with areas that are initially blocked off and require Samus to find upgrades to access, such as needing a specific Arm Cannon upgrade to open certain doors.

As you revisit areas, you’ll often find new enemy combinations and need to retrace your steps. The game’s first-person view and lock-on combat system allow for dynamic movement during fights, including strafing, jumping, and dodging. Expect a mix of puzzles and light platforming challenges throughout your adventure. Plus, classic Metroid gameplay returns with sections where you use the Morph Ball to navigate tight spaces, solve puzzles, and overcome platforming obstacles.

In Metroid Prime 4, Samus gains a set of psychic abilities that let her manipulate objects for puzzles and add a new beam to her Arm Cannon. This special beam can temporarily freeze time, allowing players to directly control its path and hit up to three targets. During a preview of Metroid Prime 4, our team used this beam in a boss battle and believes it has significant potential for upgrades as the game progresses.

Metroid Prime 4 Story Details

What Is Sylux Up To?

The Metroid Prime games largely focus on a dangerous, alien substance called Phazon and the environmental catastrophes it creates. It’s currently unclear how the new game, Beyond, will connect to the previous ones, especially since Phazon was seemingly destroyed by the end of Metroid Prime 3. We don’t yet know if Beyond will continue the story involving Phazon, or explore a new threat.

Early looks at Metroid Prime 4 suggest the game begins with a Space Pirate attack on a research facility belonging to the Galactic Federation. Samus Aran, a bounty hunter who works closely with the Federation, is sent to help defend the facility. Once there, she discovers scientists are studying a strange artifact. An accidental interaction with this artifact then unexpectedly sends Samus, along with other people and objects from the facility, to a planet named Viewros.

Details about Samus’s next mission on Viewros haven’t been widely shared. However, Sylux is expected to be the main villain, as hinted at in the trailers for Prime 4. Sylux hasn’t played a significant role in the Metroid series so far. He originally appeared in Metroid Prime Hunters as a competing bounty hunter, and made brief appearances in the endings of both Metroid Prime 3 and Metroid Prime: Federation Force. In Prime 3, he just follows Samus in her ship, and in Federation Force, he’s shown creating a Metroid egg.

As a huge Metroid fan, I’ve been poring over everything about Metroid Prime 4, and it looks like Sylux has somehow figured out how to control Metroids! We’ve seen him with two of them in a lot of the promotional material. It’s interesting though – they only seem to have one nucleus each, which makes me think they might actually be Mochtroids, those imperfect Metroid copies the Space Pirates made. We first meet Sylux in Beyond at that research facility, and it seems like he ends up on Viewros too, but honestly, what he’s up to is still a total mystery!

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Switch 2 Edition Differences

Better Performance, More Control Options

Because Metroid Prime 4 is launching on both current and next-generation consoles, the two versions will have some key differences. While the story and gameplay are the same in both versions, the Switch 2 Edition will offer several improvements. The most obvious upgrades, even in early previews, are higher resolutions and smoother frame rates, whether you’re playing handheld or on a TV.

We’ve had a chance to try out Metroid Prime 4 on the new Switch 2, and can confirm it offers two graphics options: a focus on visual quality and a focus on performance. The quality mode delivers a sharp 4K image at a smooth 60 frames per second. If you prioritize speed, performance mode runs at up to 120 frames per second, but at a lower 1080p resolution. To get the full benefit of the higher frame rates when playing on a TV, you’ll need a display that supports them. The version of the game on the original Switch will likely have lower resolutions and frame rates.

Another key improvement with the Switch 2 is its support for a new control method. Players can use mouse-like controls in Metroid Prime 4 by holding the right Joy-Con on its side for aiming. This offers greater precision, although the game’s lock-on system makes it optional. However, fans of mouse controls in first-person shooters will appreciate this feature in Metroid Prime 4.

2025-11-23 15:12