Nintendo has finally given us our best look yet at Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and the new gameplay deep-dive makes one thing clear: Samus’ long-awaited return is shaping up to be the series’ biggest leap since the original Prime.
The trailer opens with a familiar setup – Samus responding to a distress call after the Galactic Federation’s UTO research centre is attacked by her long-time rival, Sylux, but things quickly escalate. She regains consciousness on a mysterious planet called Viewros, setting the stage for a classic Prime-style solo expedition with a far more ambitious scale.
From the footage, Viewros looks dense and varied, with four major biomes: lush jungles, a storm-thrashing industrial factory, a frozen research lab, and a volcanic facility hiding remnants of an extinct civilisation.
Exploration once again revolves around the Scan Visor, which surfaces environmental lore and helps uncover the route forward through its maze-like map design.
The trailer also confirms a long list of returning abilities – rapid-fire and charged Power Beam shots, ability to jump, homing missiles, the Morph Ball, and lock-on dashing – but introduces one of the game’s biggest new mechanics: psychic powers. Samus can now bend the trajectory of the Control Beam with her mind and manipulate machinery using a psychic glove, opening new traversal paths and puzzle solutions.
Traversal opens up even further in the central desert hub known as Sol Valley, where Samus can summon and ride Vi-o-la, an ancient machine that lets her cross the otherwise roadless expanse. Vi-o-la isn’t just transportation; you can counter ambushes, smash crystals for energy, and dismount seamlessly back into first-person exploration.
Another surprise twist is the presence of surviving Galactic Federation troopers, who have also been stranded on Viewros. You can track distress signals, fight alongside them, and even earn useful upgrades, a rare bit of teamwork in a series that usually leaves Samus completely isolated.
The trailer ends with a major technical flex aimed at the Switch 2. Prime 4: Beyond supports 4K at 60fps, or 1080p at 120fps, both with full HDR. Switch 2 players also get optional mouse-style controls using the Joy-Con 2, plus an upgrade path if they own the standard Switch version. Three new amiibo figures are also on the way.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will launch on December 4 for both the Nintendo Switch 2 and the original Switch. Following its latest showcase, it finally feels like the wait has paid off.
