For a newcomer who wants the story without starting with the oldest versions, play Metroid: Zero Mission, the three main Metroid Prime games, Metroid: Samus Returns, Super Metroid, Metroid: Fusion, and Metroid Dread, in that order. Add Metroid: Other M between Super Metroid and Fusion if you want the fuller story sequence. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is a special case: post-launch reporting places it after Super Metroid and before Fusion, but it is not needed to follow the numbered 2D saga.
The recommended order for a first playthrough
This route uses Nintendo’s remakes of the first two games as approachable starting points, includes the core Prime trilogy, and then follows the numbered 2D story to Dread. It is an editorial recommendation, not an order Nintendo requires players to follow.
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| Order | Game | Why it belongs here |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Metroid: Zero Mission | A remake of the original Metroid; a practical way to begin the main story. |
| 2 | Metroid Prime | Begins the first-person branch of the series. |
| 3 | Metroid Prime 2: Echoes | Continues the main Prime branch. |
| 4 | Metroid Prime 3: Corruption | Completes the original Prime trilogy. |
| 5 | Metroid: Samus Returns | A remake of Metroid II, the second main 2D chapter. |
| 6 | Super Metroid | The installment Nintendo identifies as METROID 3. |
| 7, optional | Metroid: Other M | Fits between Super Metroid and Fusion for players who want the fuller story sequence. |
| 8 | Metroid Fusion | The installment Nintendo identifies as METROID 4. |
| 9 | Metroid Dread | Nintendo labels it METROID 5. |
In this route, Zero Mission and Samus Returns stand in for the original Metroid and Metroid II: Return of Samus. The originals remain historically important; choosing their remakes is a convenience for a new player, not a claim that the older games have no value. Nintendo describes both newer games as remakes of the first two entries.
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The order also gives you a choice about how much of the series to take on. The five 2D chapters are the most direct path through the numbered story; the Prime games add a first-person branch that the recommended route includes for a broader story-oriented run. If you want to keep your first playthrough shorter, you can skip the branch and return to it later without treating it as a prerequisite.
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- Become intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran and explore an alien planet in this critically-acclaimed first-person adventure
- Use and upgrade abilities like the Morph Ball, Missiles, and an array of beams to survive the harsh environments and lethal creatures of the planet Tallon IV
- Gain abilities and revisit areas to uncover the different routes and secrets hiding in a beautiful-yet-threatening interconnected world
- Scan your surroundings to gather information about the planet’s history and the creatures that call it home or to reveal enemies’ weak points
- Choose from multiple control options and experience revamped graphics, sound, and unlockable art in this remastered classic
Why there is more than one sensible order
“Metroid order” can mean the order games were released, the order their stories take place, or a sequence that makes the series easier to approach today. Those goals do not produce precisely the same list. Remakes revisit earlier chapters, spin-offs expand parts of the setting, and Prime is a first-person branch alongside the main 2D story.
For release order, decide what counts as a release before you start: original games only, or also remakes, remasters, ports, and spin-offs. Story order is concerned with where the events fit, not when players first bought the games. A remake-first route, meanwhile, favors versions Nintendo identifies as remakes of the first two games instead of insisting that a newcomer begin with the original releases.
Story order and the numbered 2D saga
If you mainly want the central 2D story, think in terms of the five numbered chapters: Zero Mission is a remake of the first game; Samus Returns remakes the second; Super Metroid is identified in its opening video as METROID 3; Fusion as METROID 4; and Dread as METROID 5. Nintendo’s Metroid Dread Report Vol. 4, published August 6, 2021, points to those labels. They are a useful guide to the main sequence even though the numbers do not appear in every game’s title.
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The older broad chronology places the Prime games after the opening Metroid chapter and before Metroid II. That is why the recommended route inserts the original Prime trilogy before Samus Returns. A May 1, 2025 chronology guide from Space.com reflects that older sequence, but it predates Prime 4’s release and should not be used for the newer game’s placement.
Where Prime 4: Beyond fits
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launched on December 4, 2025, for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. Post-launch reporting of a Famitsu interview with Nintendo developers places its story after Super Metroid and before Fusion. This differs from the placement of the earlier Prime entries in the broad chronology, making Prime 4 an exception rather than a reason to rearrange the entire series.
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- Become intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran and explore an alien planet in this critically-acclaimed first-person adventure.
- Use and upgrade abilities like the Morph Ball, Missiles, and an array of beams to survive the harsh environments and lethal creatures of the planet Tallon IV.
- Gain abilities and revisit areas to uncover the different routes and secrets hiding in a beautiful-yet-threatening interconnected world.
- Scan your surroundings to gather information about the planet’s history and the creatures that call it home or to reveal enemies’ weak points.
- Choose from multiple control options and experience revamped graphics, sound, and unlockable art in this remastered classic.
For a chronology-focused playthrough, place Prime 4: Beyond after Super Metroid and before Fusion. For a newcomer focused on the numbered 2D plot, treat it as a separate first-person branch: reporting on its other-dimension story indicates that understanding it is not necessary to follow the 2D sequence. Either way, it is not a prerequisite for starting Dread.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThat placement is based on post-launch reporting, so it is worth distinguishing it from the older, broad chronology used for the earlier Prime games. If your goal is simply to follow the five 2D chapter labels Nintendo points out, you can finish the main sequence without inserting Prime 4 at all. If you want to account for the reported chronology, add it in the interval above rather than moving the original trilogy.
Optional games and spin-offs
You do not need to complete every game associated with the series to follow the numbered story. The optional titles make most sense when chosen for a particular interest, rather than treated as mandatory steps on the way to Dread.
For the fullest Prime branch
Add Metroid Prime Hunters between Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, then add Metroid Prime: Federation Force after Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. That fills out the first-person branch beyond its three main trilogy entries. If you are primarily interested in the numbered 2D story, you can leave both out.
These additions change the length of a Prime-focused run, not the recommended order of the 2D chapters. A newcomer can play the trilogy in order, choose the two extra branch titles if interested, or sample the branch later. Do not confuse “the full Prime branch” with “every game required to understand the main story.”
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For the story between Super Metroid and Fusion
Metroid: Other M is an optional stop between those games. Include it if you want the broader story sequence; skip it if you want to move directly through the numbered chapters. It is not one of the numbered main installments identified by Nintendo’s Dread report.
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- STEP BACK INTO THE SUIT Become the bounty hunter Samus Aran once again in Metroid Prime Remastered. The critically-acclaimed, first-person adventure has been revamped for Nintendo Switch
- THE CLASSIC ADVENTURE, REBORN Calm and capable, Samus takes on this solo mission but she is far from alone. Step into her boots as you navigate the winding paths and interconnected environments of an
- With revamped graphics, sound, unlockable art, and updated control schemes, Samus’ 3D debut has reached even greater heights. Use new dual-stick controls, intuitive motion aiming, revert to classic
- EXPLORE THE ALIEN ENVIRONMENTS AND EERIE ISOLATION OF TALLON IV Journey through diverse biomes as you uncover the Space Pirates’ sinister experiments and gather information about the toxic substance
- Region-free compatibility: Region-free/unlocked game works on compatible systems; international version may differ in age rating, labeling or instructions
For release history
Play the original Metroid and continue by release date if you want to see how the series developed as players first encountered it. This is a different purpose from following story chronology: remakes appeared later than the stories they revisit, and remasters, ports, and spin-offs complicate what counts as a complete release list. Decide whether you mean original games only or every distinct version before making a release-order checklist. Nintendo says the original game launched on the Family Computer Disk System in Japan in 1986; its North American and European NES releases followed later. That regional difference is one reason a release-history list should say which market it covers.
Do you need to play the Prime games in order?
For the Prime branch itself, yes: play Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption in that sequence. If you add Hunters and Federation Force, place them in the intervals described above. If you are asking whether you must finish those games before Super Metroid, Fusion, or Dread, no. The first-person titles form a branch; they are not required steps in the numbered 2D sequence.
Likewise, you can start with the 2D games and return to Prime later. For a newcomer who wants both branches in one story-oriented run, the recommended route puts the trilogy after Zero Mission and before Samus Returns. That is a useful way to experience the broader chronology, not a rule that every player must follow.
Which Metroid games can you play on Switch?
Nintendo’s UK Metroid hub lists Metroid Prime Remastered and Metroid Dread as Switch releases. It also lists classic games through Nintendo Switch Online: Metroid on NES, Super Metroid on SNES, and Metroid II on Game Boy. The UK hub lists Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission on Game Boy Advance with an Expansion Pack membership.
These are UK listings, not a guarantee of what appears in every country’s catalogue. Check Nintendo Switch Online’s current catalogue, membership conditions, and regional store before planning a playthrough around a particular classic game. The cited hub’s list also does not establish that every entry in the recommended route is playable on Switch: a listed remaster or classic-game service release is not the same as a complete list of all original platforms and editions.
If you are choosing a Switch starting point, Metroid Prime Remastered is the named current edition relevant to the first-person branch, while Dread is the last numbered 2D chapter in this route. For classic entries, the service tier matters: Nintendo’s UK hub associates Fusion and Zero Mission with Expansion Pack membership. Verify the current regional catalogue and membership details before subscribing or buying a game specifically to follow this order; the listing does not establish a universal price or service lineup.
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Pick your route by what you want from the series
- Best starting route for the main story: Use the recommended sequence at the top, treating Other M as optional and Prime 4 as a separate branch.
- Only interested in the numbered 2D saga: Play Zero Mission, Samus Returns, Super Metroid, Fusion, and Dread in that order.
- Want the full first-person branch: Play the Prime trilogy in sequence, with Hunters between the first two and Federation Force after the third; place Prime 4: Beyond after Super Metroid and before Fusion if following its reported chronology.
- Want to trace the series’ history: Follow original release dates rather than story chronology, and state whether remakes, ports, remasters, and spin-offs count as separate entries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I start with Metroid?
For a story-oriented first playthrough, start with Metroid: Zero Mission, Nintendo’s remake of the original game. Then follow the route above, or play only the five numbered 2D chapters if you want to focus on that storyline.
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Choose story order if you want the events to flow from the opening chapter to Dread; choose release order if you want to experience how the series developed for players over time. Remakes, remasters, ports, spin-offs, and regional release dates complicate a complete release list, so define which versions you are counting.
Do I need to play the Prime games in order?
Play the main Prime trilogy in sequence: Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, then Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. For the broader branch, put Hunters between the first two and Federation Force after the third. You do not need to finish them to understand the numbered 2D sequence.
Do I need to play every Metroid game before Dread?
No. Nintendo identifies Super Metroid, Fusion, and Dread as METROID 3, 4, and 5 in their opening materials or announcement trailer, while Nintendo describes Zero Mission and Samus Returns as remakes of the first two games. The Prime branch and other optional titles are not required steps in that numbered sequence.
Where does Metroid Prime 4: Beyond fit?
Post-launch reporting of a Famitsu interview with Nintendo developers places Prime 4: Beyond after Super Metroid and before Fusion. It launched December 4, 2025, for Switch and Switch 2. It is optional for following the numbered 2D story.
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Nintendo’s UK hub lists Metroid, Super Metroid, and Metroid II through Nintendo Switch Online, and lists Fusion and Zero Mission through the Game Boy Advance library with Expansion Pack membership. Availability and service terms vary by region, so check the current catalogue where you live.
The Bottom Line
For the clearest newcomer route, begin with Zero Mission, play the Prime trilogy, then continue through Samus Returns, Super Metroid, Fusion, and Dread. Treat Other M and the other Prime spin-offs as optional, and add Prime 4: Beyond between Super Metroid and Fusion only if you want to follow its reported chronology.
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