During the Nintendo Switch 2’s gameplay reveal, there were plenty of fresh experiences to get excited about. Yet, for me, one of the standout moments was reconnecting with an old favorite: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.
The demo of Metroid Prime 4 felt incredibly nostalgic, especially if you’re a fan like me. It showcased what appeared to be an early game segment, stripped of any serious upgrades. My guess is it’s right before Samus dons her enhanced power suit with telekinetic upgrades.
In the snippet I got to play, I found Samus equipped with her classic gear: the arm cannon, missiles, scanner, morph ball, and bombs. Familiar, right? While it made this installment feel like a straightforward continuation of the series, other footage hints at an array of new features and mechanics that weren’t part of this hands-on session.
It was clearly a strategic choice by Nintendo and Retro Studios to spotlight this particular section. The simplicity of the gameplay meant the focus stayed on what was important—showcasing how the core Metroid Prime experience feels on the new Switch 2 hardware.
“You’re looking at 120 frames per second,” the Nintendo rep eagerly told me as I geared up to dive in. It’s unusual for Nintendo to spotlight performance figures, but here it was justified.
The new Metroid Prime 4 is reimagined for Switch 2—a system purportedly ten times more powerful than its predecessor, at least if Nvidia’s numbers hold water. The game runs at full HD with options for 4K at 60fps, and it’s buttery smooth at 120fps. It’s a step up from the original, based on the stream comparisons since the OG version wasn’t on hand. The frame rate here is what steals the show, which is not very typical for Nintendo.
And then there’s the surprise with the controls. As discussed in my coverage of the Switch 2 and its unique mini-games, a standout feature is using the Joy-Con like a computer mouse. Position it correctly on a surface, like your lap, for some titles, to enjoy a PC-like experience. Metroid exploits this feature brilliantly.
At the event, Civilization 7 exemplified this feature beautifully, making use of mouse controls as you’d expect on a PC. Metroid Prime, despite its genre blending, benefits greatly from this control scheme as well. Though it’s a metroidvania-style game, the first-person shooter roots shine through with this new control option.
What’s fascinating is how seamlessly the mouse controls have been integrated into Metroid Prime 4. There’s no clunky toggle—just ease the right Joy-Con onto a surface, and the transition to mouse control happens instantly. It’s intuitive and enhances the gameplay significantly.
You know what great mouse control feels like, and trust me, Prime 4 nails it. It’s responsive and lively, just as it should be. But the true magic is in how you can fluidly switch between control styles.
In the demo, combat took center stage, with less emphasis on the puzzle-solving elements Metroid is so beloved for. Still, I found myself settling into a rhythm over a half-hour of gameplay. For standard tasks like scanning or morph ball navigation, I kept the Joy-Con 2 grip. But as soon as things heated up in combat, I’d switch to mouse mode, leveraging my reflexes honed on PC shooters.
The positive impact of this became even clearer in a boss fight. The boss had traditional glow-weak points, only periodically vulnerable, and using mouse control, I could target them with impressive accuracy, outperforming others who stuck to traditional controls.
That, coupled with the slick 120fps, felt like a game changer—almost too good, as though it was bending the rules. Previously, to achieve such precision and performance in a Nintendo game, one might have strayed into dubious territory. Now, with better frame rates and control, the Switch 2 tackles past performance issues head-on. And if Metroid Prime 4 hints at future releases, I’m eager to embrace what’s next—whether it’s older games revamped for better performance or new titles built to make the most of these advancements.
When Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launches later this year, there may be an OG Switch version. But honestly, given today’s climate, if it’s within your means, the Switch 2 is where this game truly belongs. After all, isn’t that the essence of a next-gen leap forward?
