Hot off the presses with today’s trailer and release date for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, we can bring you an exclusive translation of a new Japanese Nintendo article! Published after the Nintendo Direct, it goes into more detail on the Vi-O-La bike that Samus uses to traverse Viewros in Beyond. The bike has offensive capabilities in addition to hyperspeed, and will seamlessly integrate into the world, with Samus able to get off and explore on foot as she pleases. We hope you’ll enjoy this translation!
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is out December 4
Today, during the latest Nintendo Direct, more than eight years after its first announcement in 2017, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond received a release date. We will all finally get to play this long-awaited sequel on December 4, 2025.
The new trailer reveals a brand new mechanic in Beyond: third-person motorcycle gameplay on an open-world plain. The motorcycle is called Vi-O-La and it has offensive capabilities in addition to hyperspeed. There’s more footage of Samus fighting freakish creatures and mechanical enemies in a desert environment, using what looks like a psychic grapple, and another glimpse of Sylux levitating in a new suit!
After the trailer, the Nintendo Today! app revealed that the red suit is called the Vi-O-La Suit, which may indicate it’s needed to ride the Vi-O-La bike.
Alongside the announcement of the release date, Nintendo revealed that Prime 4 will get three new amiibo of Samus, Samus on her motorcycle, and Sylux! The first two will be released on November 6, and Sylux on December 4, same day as the game. The end of the trailer also included a reminder that Metroid Prime 1-3: A Visual Retrospective is due for release on October 28.
We can also confirm a fourth rating for Beyond, PEGI 12 in Europe. This was previously shown as a provisional rating, but is now final.
Lastly, it was announced that Virtual Boy games will be re-released on Nintendo Switch Online starting on February 17th, with a dedicated VR accessory. This is the first time any Virtual Boy games have been re-released since the original console! One of the games coming will be Galactic Pinball, which featured Samus in a cameo.
Source: Nintendo Direct
Nintendo Direct announced for this Friday, September 12
Nintendo have announced that a new Nintendo Direct will air in 46 hours from the time of writing, on Friday September 12. It’s airing at 6:00 am PT/9:00 am ET/2:00 pm UK time/3:00 pm Europe time and will run for an hour.
Should there be any Metroid-related news like, say, a release date for Metroid Prime 4; Beyond (pretty please with cheese on top!), we will bring you the announcement as it happens.
Source: Nintendo
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has been rated 14+ in Brazil
We can report that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has received another rating from a worldwide gaming review board! Diário Oficial da União (Official Diary of the Union), the official gazette of the Government of Brazil, has recorded a 14+ rating for the game. Nintendo had sought a 12+ rating, but received 14+ due to “violence”, which means Beyond can be printed in physical form in Brazil. It’s already received ratings of 12+ in South Korea and T for Teen in the United States, so this is its third rating.
We’ll keep you informed of any further developments. Thus far, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is still scheduled for release in 2025.
Source: Necrolipe
August 2025 News Roundup
Now that September 2025 is here, Shinesparkers has prepared a roundup of the Metroid news we had in July. See below:
August 4 – Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will be playable at Fan Expo Canada this month
August 8 – Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will be playable at Gamescom this month
August 8 – Chip Tanaka recalls debugging the original Metroid
August 14 – Metroid Prime-themed earbuds will be released imminently
August 15 – More PowerA Metroid merchandise is on the way
August 21 – Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has been rated by the ESRB – What it means
August 27 – Metroid Dread ‘Load Remover’ in the works
In addition, we published the results of our annual Your Favorite Metroid Game poll, which Metroid Prime won this year! It ended Metroid Dread’s three year winning streak in doing so.
We have more content planned throughout September and the rest of the year, and we will continue to share any Metroid news that comes up (including, we hope to Chozo, a release date for Metroid Prime 4). See you next mission!
Metroid Dread ‘Load Remover’ in the works
Metroid Dread speedrun community member jayena has created a tool called ‘ZDCurtain’, which detects when the game is loading using computer vision algorithms, and this tool will be used to bridge the gap between Switch and Switch 2 loading times.
This is amazing news for the many that bought the game physically! There is currently a huge difference in loading time when compared to a digital copy, that is further emphasized on a Switch 2 as physical copies didn’t get faster loading times, which we have reported on a separate post. This also equalizes speedruns that have randomly extended load times on certain rooms, which can often occur on some parts in Dairon, or right before boss encounters.
Its functionality is somewhat limited as of now, being unable to work on most VODs or YouTube videos as it requires a game feed without any overlays, as well as the default brightness settings on Dread and the RGB Range set to ‘limited’ on the Switch / Switch 2 systems.
Further refinement is to come, and it has proven to be useful for automatically detecting game loads while also timing the length of those loads accurately. Mac and Linux versions of this tool are on the table as well!
The intention is for the community to use this tool to create a competitive leaderboard regardless of the console or type of copy, and it will be used for every category and game version, save for Boss Rush, which uses the In-Game Timer instead of Real-Time Attack timing.
We appreciate jayena for taking her time to create a tool like this, and we hope to see more physical runners take part in this game’s speedrun history!
Source: ZDCurtain / Metroid Dread speedrun Discord
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has been rated by the ESRB – What it means
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has been rated T for Teen by the ESRB! This rating is consistent with the Metroid Prime games before Beyond, sans Metroid Prime Pinball (rated E).
According to ESRB, the rating for Teen Content is generally suitable for ages 13 and up. May contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling and/or infrequent use of strong language.
On Nintendo’s page for Prime 4, the content descriptors include ‘Animated Blood, Violence’, and the interactive elements include ‘In-Game Purchases’. ESRB describes In-Game Purchases as follows:
‘Contains in-game offers to purchase digital goods or premiums with real world currency, including but not limited to bonus levels, skins, music, virtual coins and other forms of in-game currency, subscriptions, season passes and upgrades (e.g., to disable ads).’
Beyond does have an upgrade for the Switch 2 system, which may explain the inclusion of that label, though we do not know the extent of which In-Game Purchases is applicable.
ESRB rates physical games according to content disclosed by the publishers in two key ways:
- A completed questionnaire detailing any relevant content (violence, sex, language, gambling, etc.), and other factors such as context, reward systems and player control.
- A video showing typical gameplay, missions, and cutscenes, including the most “extreme” content. Unplayable content (i.e., “locked out”), if it is pertinent to a rating, must also be disclosed.
ESRB’s FAQ page claims that ESRB raters don’t play-test games during the rating process, but may play-test games after release to ‘help ensure all pertinent content was disclosed during the rating process.’ If content isn’t fully disclosed during this process, the publisher may be fined up to $1 million. Presumably, Beyond is content complete at this stage to avoid such fine, but we do not know that as of now.
The release date for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has yet been revealed, but is scheduled to be released later this year.
More PowerA Metroid merchandise is on the way
A few days after their officially licensed Metroid earbuds were announced, PowerA has revealed two new accessories: first, a Nintendo Switch Enhanced Wireless Controller, which works with the Nintendo Switch 1, Switch Lite, OLED Model and Switch 2. The controller features Samus in the center, along with the iconic Screw Attack symbol on the left handle and a galaxy on the right.
The second accessory is a Crossbody Bag meant for carrying a Nintendo Switch 1, Lite or OLED Model. This one unfortunately does not appear to be compatible with Switch 2. It has pouches to store your Switch itself, two extra Joy-Con controllers and up to eight game cartridges. Three renders of Samus from each of the original Metroid Prime games are on the front of the bag. Additionally, the bag has a front phone or wallet-size pocket, a removable and adjustable crossbody strap.
Both items will be released on August 27 via Amazon, the controller for $69.99 US, and the bag for $24.99 US.
You can buy the Wireless Controller here, and the Crossbody Bag here.
Metroid Prime-themed earbuds will be released imminently
PowerA, a manufacturer of accessories for video game consoles including Nintendo Switch 2, is releasing a pair of officially licensed Metroid Prime-themed earbuds on August 17th. Available for $25 U.S., they have a blue and black color scheme with the Screw Attack symbol on the left earbud, and the Zero Suit chest symbol on the right. They also come in a drawstring bag with renders of Samus in each Metroid Prime game. Although PowerA says the earbuds are designed to use with the Switch, they will also work with any technology that has a 3.5mm jack. The earbuds are available for preorder on Amazon.
Source: Amazon
Chip Tanaka recalls debugging the original Metroid
This week, the Metroid franchise celebrated its 39th anniversary on August 6th, 2025. To mark the occasion, the composer of the original Metroid on NES, Chip Tanaka, has shared his memories on Twitter about the debugging phase of the game. Our translation of his tweets, courtesy of Darts, is below.
One part of Metroid’s development that was particularly memorable to me was the final debugging phase.
There was one staff member who was much older and not actively involved in the production. The entire team was gathered in a single room, watching intently and cheering him on as he tried to beat the game. I composed the ending theme with that person in mind, sincerely wishing that he would be moved upon finishing it.
True story!
I think people who have played the game will agree, even after beating Mother Brain, the escape is surprisingly tough lol
The alarm is ringing loudly, you get stressed out and end up falling down, and so on.
So for that one tester, we kept making the monitor larger and the sound louder, which made it all the more impactful!
Everyone on the team had a lot of fun debugging the game.
Back in 2018, we had the privilege of being able to interview Tanaka-san about his work on Metroid. You can read our interview with him here.
Happy anniversary Metroid!
Source: Chip Tanaka