X
CNET logo Why You Can Trust CNET

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement

Metroid Prime 4 for Switch 2 Delivers the Biggest Evolution the Franchise Has Seen

The next chapter in the Metroid saga lands in December with a major shift for the series. Here's everything we know.

Headshot of Oscar Gonzalez
Headshot of Oscar Gonzalez
Oscar Gonzalez Contributing writer
Oscar Gonzalez is a Texas native who covered video games, conspiracy theories, misinformation and cryptocurrency.
Expertise Video Games | Misinformation | Conspiracy Theories | Cryptocurrency | NFTs | Movies | TV | Economy | Stocks
Oscar Gonzalez
2 min read
samus from metroid prime 4
Nintendo/Screenshot by CNET

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond seemed like it would never come out since it was first teased in 2017, but the newest adventure featuring Samus Aran is less than a month away. Nintendo released a trailer Friday that highlights the biggest changes coming to the series.

In Metroid Prime 4, Samus responds to a distress call from the Galactic Federation, which is under attack by a bounty hunter known as Sylux. A disaster happens, transporting her to the planet Viewros, and now she has to use her new psychic powers and some help from allies to survive the planet in order to find her way home. 

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Trailer

When does Metroid Prime 4 come out? 

Metroid Prime 4 will be released on Dec. 4. 

What consoles will Metroid Prime 4 be released on? 

Metroid Prime 4 will be available for the original Switch for $60 and on the Switch 2 for $70. For those with the original Switch now, but who think they might get a Switch 2 for the holidays, the Switch version can be upgraded to the Switch 2 version for $10. 

What's new in Metroid Prime 4? 

The biggest change in Metroid Prime 4 is the open world. Previous Metroid Prime games usually confined Samus to caverns, temples or a ship, but this time around, she'll be able to explore the world of Viewros. To help her traverse across the world, Samus can ride her bike called Vi-O-La. 

Samus is known for her arsenal of powerful weapons, but in Metroid Prime 4, she will have new psychic abilities. These abilities will let her manipulate energy and activate machinery with just her mind. 

Scattered across Viewros are Galactic Federation troopers, whom Samus will rescue but also fight alongside. This marks one of the few times when Samus isn't battling alien forces on her own. 

Will the Switch 2 version have any unique features?

A new feature only available with the Switch 2 version of the game is mouse controls. Players can use a Joy-Con 2 as a mouse by placing it on a hard surface, which some gamers insist is the proper way to play FPS games. If that isn't of interest, both Metroid Prime 4 versions will make use of the Joy-Cons motion controls or a compatible gamepad, such as the Switch 2 Pro Controller.Â