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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Metroid Prime 4: Beyond can deliver the atmospheric exploration and polished combat that made the series compelling, but its open hub and companion interruptions make it a disappointment for players hoping the long-awaited sequel would build on Prime’s tightly focused design. Calling it the most disappointing Switch 2 game of 2025 is a personal verdict, not a consensus: the available reviews range from an enthusiastic 9/10 to criticism of the overworld and unmet expectations.
Why Beyond disappointed me
The disappointment is not that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond abandons the series. Its strongest moments are recognizably Prime: scanning unfamiliar surroundings, uncovering routes, fighting through detailed environments, and facing substantial bosses. The problem is how often the new structure pulls attention away from that satisfying loop.
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Nintendo’s September 19, 2025 announcement describes Samus being transported to the mysterious planet Viewros, where she uses weapons, equipment, scanning, and new psychic abilities, and travels on the Vi-O-La bike. The added ingredients give the game a fresh surface, but for this reviewer the larger hub and the interruptions that accompany it do not consistently deepen the exploration. Tom’s Guide likewise praised the core 3D Metroid experience while finding the overworld less compelling than the intricately designed dungeons (Tom’s Guide review).
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Nintendo Life’s Switch 2 review praised the art direction, discovery, boss encounters, music, collectibles, Vi-O-La traversal, and Federation characters, awarding the game 9/10 (Nintendo Life Switch 2 review). That praise makes sense: the game’s best stretches reward curiosity and make its alien spaces feel worth investigating. Combat, visuals, and sound also stood out positively in Tom’s Guide’s assessment.
#1 Best Overall
- Nintendo Switch 2 features Aim with a Joy-Con 2 controller as a mouse Experience enhanced resolution, framerate, and load times in the Nintendo Switch 2 edition of the game
- Explore a mysterious planet to find your way home Deadly sharpshooter Sylux has finally caught up with renowned bounty hunter Samus Aran! After an unexpected accident in the wake of their clash, Samus finds herself transported to Viewros—a mysterious planet once inhabited by an ancient race. Now she must explore this planet, all while battling the strange creatures that inhabit it, to find her way home.
- Scan your surroundings for clues, make the most of your equipment and weapons, and use Samus’s newfound psychic abilities—and her technologically advanced bike, the Vi-O-La—to traverse and explore the environment. Operate mechanisms, control your charge beam, and more—you’ll need every tool at your disposal to survive and escape Viewros!
- Play with mouse controls, enhanced visuals, and two different display modes—only on the Nintendo Switch 2 system Aim with a Joy-Con 2 controller as a mouse! The Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition game also features enhanced resolution, framerate, and load times.
- Two display modes let you choose how to experience the adventure. Enjoy more detail in Quality Mode, which runs at 60 frames per second in 4k while docked and in 1080p while in handheld, or prioritize super-smooth action with a higher frame rate in Performance Mode, which runs at 120 frames per second in 1080p while docked and 720p in while in handheld. Both choices are HDR compatible.
The new structure is the weak link
For players who value the isolated, carefully paced feel of earlier Prime adventures, the hub’s open traversal can feel like connective tissue rather than a compelling destination. Nintendo Life specifically identified Myles interrupting exploration in Sol Valley as a drawback. The complaint is not simply that a companion speaks; it is that interruptions can break the rhythm of a game whose appeal depends on attention, solitude, and gradual discovery.
That tension explains why the sequel can be technically polished and still feel like a letdown. Its classic elements are often strong, yet the newer elements do not always support them. Metacritic’s review excerpts reflect that divide: one critic praised the connection to the original Prime, while another argued that the long wait and series name could leave dedicated fans feeling expectations were not met (Metacritic review page). Those excerpts illustrate disagreement, not a shared verdict.
Rank #2
![Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Nintendo Switch 2 Edition - Nintendo Switch 2 [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/415BEE24o-L._SL160_.jpg)
- 1. Explore the mysterious planet Viewros as the renowned bounty hunter Samus Aran
- 2. Scan your surroundings for clues and make the most of your equipment and weapons to survive
- 3. Use Samus’s newfound psychic abilities—and her technologically advanced bike, the Vi-O-La—to traverse and explore the environment.
- 4. Aim with a Joy-Con 2 controller as a mouse
- 5. Experience enhanced resolution, framerate, and load times in the Nintendo Switch 2 edition of the game
Which version should you play?
If you have a Nintendo Switch 2, that edition is the stronger fit for the game’s visual presentation and convenience. Nintendo lists enhanced resolution, framerate, and load times, plus mouse aiming with Joy-Con 2. It also offers quality and performance modes. The original Nintendo Switch version remains available, so Switch 2 is not required to play the game; however, Nintendo Life’s version comparison found the original Switch image less clear and its loading screens noticeably longer. The reviewer said it generally held its 60 fps target, an individual observation rather than an instrumented benchmark (Nintendo Life Switch review).
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minute| Version | Platform and presentation | Controls and loading | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Switch version | Runs on Nintendo Switch; Nintendo Life’s reviewer reported less clear imagery than the Switch 2 version. | Switch 2 mouse aiming is not listed for this version. The reviewer reported noticeably longer loading screens and generally meeting a 60 fps target. | Players who do not have Switch 2 or prefer to buy the original Switch release. |
| Nintendo Switch 2 Edition | Nintendo lists enhanced resolution and framerate, with quality and performance modes. | Nintendo lists improved load times and mouse aiming with Joy-Con 2. | Players prioritizing the listed presentation upgrades and optional mouse controls. |
| Switch 2 Upgrade Pack | Nintendo lists an Upgrade Pack for owners of the Switch version. | Nintendo Support says launching the Switch version on Switch 2 can lead to the Switch 2 Edition upgrade page. | Existing Switch owners who want to move to the Switch 2 Edition without treating it as a separate game purchase. |
For the current edition details and purchase options, consult Nintendo’s US product listing. Availability and upgrade terms can vary by region and storefront, so check the listing for your account’s region.
Rank #3
- Two display modes let you choose how to experience the adventure.
- Enjoy more detail in Quality Mode, which runs at 60 frames per second in 4k while docked and in 1080p while in handheld, or prioritize super-smooth action with a higher frame rate in Performance Mode, which runs at 120 frames per second in 1080p while docked and 720p in while in handheld. Both choices are HDR compatible.
How long does it take to finish?
Nintendo Life’s reviewer estimated around 10 hours for a story-focused run. That reviewer reported completing a quick run with all items and 97% of logbook scans in roughly 16 hours, and estimated that a slower completionist pace could exceed 20 hours. These are one reviewer’s estimates, not guaranteed completion times; exploration speed and how thoroughly you pursue scans and collectibles will affect your run.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Are the amiibo features necessary?
No amiibo is required to play the game or complete its story. Nintendo Life’s review says the Vi-O-La amiibo unlocks ride skins and radio music, while the Sylux amiibo unlocks a particular cutscene early; the reviewer notes that the scene can otherwise be unlocked by completing the game. These are optional extras, and the amiibo-gated features may frustrate players who dislike tying cosmetic or convenience content to collectibles.
Rank #4
- The next evolution of Nintendo Switch
- One system, three play modes: TV, Tabletop, and Handheld
- Larger, vivid, 7.9” LCD touch screen with support for HDR and up to 120 fps
- Explore a mysterious planet to find your way home
Nintendo Support’s version 1.1.0 update, released December 3, 2025, added amiibo use from the pause menu, rumble effects in cinematics, an in-game route to the Switch 2 Edition upgrade menu, adjusted conditions for some Gallery cinematics, a Hard-mode enemy difficulty adjustment, and general gameplay fixes (Nintendo Support update history). That is the update history cited here; consult Nintendo Support for any later entries.
Is Metroid Prime 4: Beyond worth the wait?
It depends on what you wanted from the wait. If your priority is a polished return to scanning, combat, atmospheric environments, music, and boss fights, the praise from Nintendo Life and Tom’s Guide points to a game that can satisfy. If you expected a focused evolution of Prime’s isolation and environmental storytelling, the open hub and interruptions can make the sequel feel less cohesive than its best moments deserve.
That is why I consider it one of the year’s most disappointing Switch 2 releases: not because it is without quality, or because reviewers agree, but because its strongest ideas are sometimes undercut by the structure built around them. Nintendo announced the game for both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 on December 4, 2025; its premise and platform features are outlined in the Nintendo release announcement.
Quick Recap
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