The Metroid franchise is in a very peculiar place for Nintendo right now, but it does not need to be. There seems to be a major drought for all things Samus at the moment. There is no doubt that Metroid Prime 4 has gone through development issues, but that single game is far from the only Metroid weapon in Nintendo’s arsenal. The Switch could use those weapons.
The development issues of Metroid Prime 4 were made apparent. Nintendo first revealed the game at E3 2017 with just an announcement and a logo trailer, but it was obvious that the game was at an early stage. A year and a half later, Nintendo was very forthcoming in explaining that the project basically needed to start over and that Retro Studios (the team behind the original Metroid Prime trilogy) was now in charge. While it is entirely possible that the game is coming along nicely, the restart means a major delay on all fronts. As such, it’s time to pull out the other guns.
The rumors and leaks for Metroid Prime Trilogy on the Nintendo Switch have been darn-near endless ever since the console launched in 2017; part of the reason for this is because the move just seems so logical. One of the common moves in the gaming industry is to release some variation of an HD remake or remaster leading up to a major sequel. Especially with Metroid Prime 4 being pushed back due to development issues, releasing a full trilogy of the Metroid Prime games in a single package to keep players engaged and occupied seems like a wise decision.
The original Metroid Prime Trilogy launched on the Wii in 2007, which was not an HD system, so the port/remaster would not be as quick as perhaps others. Additionally, the first two games had a different control scheme than Metroid Prime 3, so the decision on how to utilize Joy-Cons and make decisions on standard handheld controls as well would need to be made. But all of that also means that the end result could be that much more exciting for fans. Nintendo could also get a third-party team to work on the HD remake, just like Bluepoint worked on the Demon’s Souls remake for PlayStation.
When the remake of the classic Game Boy title was first revealed, many wondered why Metroid Samus Returns was on the 3DS and not the Nintendo Switch. The game was enjoyed by those who played it, it is just that very few did, as the 3DS was at the tail end of its life in terms of excitement. It may have proved true that the decision to put the game on the 3DS instead of the Switch was the wrong one, but it is not too late.
There have again been rumors that Metroid Samus Returns will find its way to the Nintendo Switch. If this were to happen, the game would need updates (just like Metroid Prime Trilogy) for HD resolution, for example. But now, with the Switch having sold 70 million units and people waiting for Metroid Prime 4, the game may find much more success than it did on the 3DS–and even more than it would have in 2017 if it did launch on the Switch then. It would be a bummer to see the game die off completely without ever truly having a shot; Metroid Samus Returns should make another return.
Outside of HD remakes and remasters, Nintendo still has other options thanks to systems and features that it already has in place, like Nintendo Switch Online. Currently, Super Metroid is available via the online subscription, for example, which many consider to be the best Metroid game and one of the better games from the era. But because that service is limited to NES and SNES games, there are other Metroid games that fans cannot currently play on the Nintendo Switch.
Two handheld games are often brought up by Metroid fans as classics, Metroid Fusion and Metroid Zero Mission. The two Game Boy Advance games were beloved by fans and would be great fits on the Switch, even if not upgraded in any way at all. Of course, those would also be great candidates for HD remakes as well. The Metroid series has also tried some off-the-wall spin-offs as well. Other M could easily be ported to the Switch, but the lack of critical success could make it so that Nintendo would rather stay away. Metroid Prime: Federation Force and Metroid Prime Hunters would be two other titles that most would prefer Nintendo de-prioritize.
Perhaps more interesting would be a game like Metroid Prime Pinball. It could seem silly to think of the idea of bringing back this Metroid arcade title, but there are those who truly enjoyed it. And just like Tetris 99 and Super Mario 35 have found success with online play via Nintendo Switch Online, perhaps Metroid Prime Pinball could make a return on the service with players taking down the competition in hectic online action.
The Nintendo Switch is having record-breaking success. Region by region the hybrid console is performing incredibly well, and it has been consistently since it launched in 2017. It is truly unfortunate that Samus has not been able to share in that triumph outside of a few titles on Nintendo Switch Online and a game like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The hope is that Metroid Prime 4 is an absolutely excellent game; a game of the year type candidate even. But if the Switch life cycle comes and goes and the only Metroid game on the catalog is the Metroid Prime 4, then Nintendo has done an injustice to the franchise, and quite frankly the fans.
Metroid Prime 4 is in development for Switch.
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