Although Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is the hot topic among fans ahead of the Switch 2's launch, 2025 could see another Metroid game if rumors are true. After the triumphant return of 2D Metroid games with the release of 2021's Metroid Dread, the floodgates have been opened for the 2D games to exist alongside the Metroid Prime games. This coexistence could be tested very soon according to a reliable Nintendo leaker who claims a new 2D Metroid game is planned for release in either 2025 or 2026.
Leaker Nash Weedle, who correctly leaked that Metroid Dread would be released for the Switch in 2021, posted another leak on X (formerly Twitter) in 2023 stating that Nintendo has plans to release another 2D Metroid game in 2025. With Metroid Prime 4: Beyond confirmed for a 2025 release, it's possible that this additional game could be pushed to 2026, but a new 2D Metroid game coming so soon after Prime 4: Beyond is an exciting prospect regardless. If this rumored new game is a follow-up to Metroid Dread, then it could be a major turning point in the series that its predecessor cleanly set up.
Spoilers for Metroid Dread ahead.
Metroid's Post-Dread Saga Needs to Fully Explore Samus' Metroid Powers
The Rumored New 2D Metroid Game Could Mark the Start of a New Era of the Franchise
The climax of Metroid Dread saw the culmination of Samus' complicated relationship with the series' titular organism, as the X Parasite vaccine she received at the start of Metroid Fusion allows her latent Metroid DNA to fully awaken. Although players see glimpses of this power throughout Metroid Dread, Samus gaining the full Metroid Suit during the final showdown with Dread's main antagonist, Raven Beak, marks a point of no return for the series. Now that Samus' character has come full circle, and she has embraced the powers granted to her by the Metroid DNA within her, it would be hard for future 2D Metroid games to ever walk those powers back.
Samus' Metroid powers seem to be stabilized after absorbing Quiet Robe at the end of Metroid Dread, but there is room for them to be unleashed again in a future game.
The next 2D Metroid game has the opportunity to completely change the series' formula thus far if it fully commits to Samus' newly awakened Metroid powers. If all of the Metroid games up to Dread were Samus' pre-Metroid power arc, then the ending of Dread should mark the start of a new arc where Samus must learn to master these newfound abilities. The beginning of a new Metroid arc would go hand-in-hand with the series' recent revitalization, and a follow-up to Metroid Dread in the near future would be the best way to usher in this new era.
How Samus' Metroid Powers Could Be Total Game-Changers for 2D Metroid Games
Metroid fans are likely familiar with the staple elements of the 2D games, like an interconnected map where players are required to recover Samus' various weapons and suit upgrades in order to progress further into the game. While these elements are a core part of the Metroid experience, they have never really evolved in a significant way throughout the series' life. However, leaning into Samus' Metroid powers in a future game could be a great way to shake up the series formula while expanding upon the in-universe lore.
With the primary power Samus has gained from her Metroid DNA being the ability to siphon energy from enemies, the next 2D Metroid game could take a page out of The Legend of Zelda's book and give Samus a power similar to Zelda in Echoes of Wisdom. A Metroid game where Samus can briefly use the powers of enemies she absorbs would open the door for a wide variety of new gameplay mechanics and exploration options, potentially flipping the traditional Metroid formula on its head. This type of game could take the traditionally linear Metroid map and open it up to accommodate a variety of play styles based on how players choose to use the abilities they absorb from enemies, marking a dramatic shift in the franchise as a whole.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 95%
- Released
- October 8, 2021
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
- MercurySteam
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Mercury Engine
- Franchise
- Metroid
