Metroid Could Be Starting 2025 with a Bang if Rumors Are True

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As a seasoned gamer who has traversed through countless galaxies and defeated numerous alien creatures, I can confidently say that the resurgence of the beloved Metroid franchise is nothing short of miraculous. After years of waiting and anticipation, it seems Nintendo is finally ready to deliver the goods.

For several years, it seemed as though the iconic video game series Metroid was being overlooked by Nintendo. In the 2010s, fans of the franchise had little to anticipate in terms of new releases. The only mainline entry during this decade was Metroid: Other M, a third-person shooter developed by Team Ninja that launched on the Wii in 2010. Unfortunately, this game wasn’t warmly received. It managed to sell moderately and gain decent reviews from critics, but it was ultimately deemed a disappointment by Nintendo. Over the following ten years, Nintendo released only two more Metroid games: the critically panned spin-off Metroid: Federation Force, and the well-received remake Metroid: Samus Returns.

Fortunately, the Metroid series has seen significant improvement lately. Last year, Nintendo unveiled and launched “Metroid Dread”, a 2D Metroid game that was initially canceled and had been under development for quite some time. Subsequently, they covertly released “Metroid Prime Remastered” during a Nintendo Direct event in early 2023. Earlier this year, Nintendo also announced that the much-anticipated “Metroid Prime 4: Beyond” is set to be launched in 2025. It seems like this game won’t be the only Metroid title coming to the Switch next year, as whispers suggest possible releases of remasters for “Metroid Prime 2: Echoes” and “Metroid Prime 3: Corruption” in the near future too.

Nintendo May Release Both Metroid Prime 4 and Metroid Prime 2+3 Remasters in 2025

A New Rumor Suggests That Metroid Prime 2 and 3 Will Come to Switch Early Next Year

In response to a tweet about the new Metroid Prime 1-3 art book from a Nintendo news account, someone known as Samus Hunter shared their thoughts on the future of the Metroid series on what used to be Twitter. They hinted that all three games in the Metroid Prime trilogy might become playable on the Nintendo Switch before summer 2025. Additionally, they mentioned that a remaster of Metroid Prime 2 was initially intended to be sold separately, but due to some setbacks, it is now expected to release early next year. However, it seems that the remastered version of Metroid Prime 2 will no longer be available as a standalone purchase; instead, it’ll likely be bundled with the anticipated remaster of Metroid Prime 3.

Initially, [Metroid Prime 2 Remastered] was intended to be released independently, but it has been rescheduled multiple times and is now expected to come out in the early part of next year. This timeline might place it somewhere between Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze HD and Xenoblade Chronicles X on the release calendar.

It isn’t certain when (or even if) these rumored remasters will be revealed or launched, but Samus Hunter has some speculations. Based on an inside source, it seems probable that the Metroid Prime 2 Remastered (and possibly Metroid Prime 3 Remastered too) might drop somewhere between the launches of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD and Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. The former is slated for release on January 16, 2025, while the latter is planned for March 20. Samus Hunter suggests that an announcement for the Metroid Prime remasters might happen at The Game Awards, although they don’t have any details about this.

Metroid Prime 2 and 3 Are Still Great, But Remasters of Them Would Be Very Welcome

The Metroid Prime series continues to deliver an engaging gaming experience and compelling storyline, but it’s no longer fresh off the press. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes debuted as a GameCube exclusive back in 2004, while Metroid Prime 3: Corruption followed suit for the Wii in 2007. If there are plans to bring these games to the Switch like Samus suggests, it would be fantastic if they received the same level of enhancement that the initial Metroid Prime remaster did. The 2023 release of Metroid Prime Remastered was primarily a facelift, but it felt more like a full remake due to its significantly improved graphics compared to the original game. Instead of just minor upgrades, a remastering treatment similar to this for Metroid Prime 2 and 3 would be preferable.

The Nintendo-owned Metroid franchise has not been fully exploited in the past, but things are looking promising for its future. With the upcoming release of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond next year and rumors of remastered versions of Metroid Prime 2 and 3 on the horizon, 2025 could very well be the most significant year for the Metroid series since 2004.

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2024-11-30 16:35