Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is finally seeing a release after years of anticipation from hardcore Nintendo fans. First announced at Nintendo’s E3 2017 showcase, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond went through a long period of radio silence before finally re-emerging at a Nintendo Direct last year. Expected to release sometime in 2025, Nintendo fans will finally get their chance to play the next chapter in Samus Aran’s story, one that should serve as a fantastic swan song for the Nintendo Switch.
In its first proper gameplay showing last year, much attention was placed on Metroid Prime 4: Beyond’s major villain, Sylux. Previously appearing at the end of the last entry, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, gamers will finally get the chance to see Samus face off against this evil bounty hunter. That said, Sylux should not be the only villain to appear in this upcoming game, and the developers at Retro Studios shouldn’t forget about the franchise's most iconic foe.
Sylux Shouldn’t Be Metroid Prime 4’s Only Big Bad
Metroid Prime 4 Should Bring Ridley Into The Fray
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond should feature some appearance from the Metroid franchise’s most notorious villain, Ridley. One of its most common recurring characters, Ridley has become arguably the biggest enemy of the Metroid franchise even though he’s always been a secondary antagonist in each of his appearances. Ridley’s iconic villain status largely comes because he was responsible for the death of Samus’ parents and the destruction of her childhood planet, K-2L.
Samus’ defeat of Ridley in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption may seemingly put him off the table for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, but there’s still reason to believe he could return in this new game. After all, Ridley has continued to appear in games that follow Corruption in the Metroid timeline, such as Metroid: Samus Returns and Super Metroid. Thus, it’s not impossible for Nintendo and Retro Studios to bring this vicious Space Pirate back in the new game.
Ridley Is Too Iconic To Be Forgotten In Metroid Prime 4
Part of the reason Ridley could return in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is that, quite frankly, he’s just that iconic in the franchise. Ridley has appeared in almost all of the previous Metroid games and has appeared in each numbered Metroid Prime game save for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. He’s one of those characters that seems to always come back, thus leaving a precedent for him to make a return in this new game.
Even with the idea of Ridley being defeated in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, the character has been cloned numerous times across the franchise's other entries. Even in the Metroid Prime titles, Ridley appeared as Meta Ridley in the first game before a Phazon infusion turns him into Omega Ridley in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. There’s no reason to believe Ridley can’t be cloned into a new form when this new game comes along.
Samus’ defeat of Ridley in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption may seemingly put him off the table for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, but there’s still reason to believe he could return in this new game.
Ridley’s Return In Metroid Prime 4 Doesn’t Need To Be A Boss Fight
Ridley may not even need to have a proper boss fight in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, as the game could instead add to his lore. Given that the game takes place before Ridley’s appearances in Metroid: Samus Returns and Super Metroid, Retro Studios could use Samus’ pirate scanning to explain how Ridley survived post-Phazon. There’s plenty of room to expand on the story of the franchise with Ridley, even if he doesn’t properly appear in the game.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will finally showcase Samus’ battle with Sylux teased at the end of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, but he shouldn’t be the only villain in this new game. Whether it’s in a proper boss battle or background lore integration, Retro Studios shouldn’t forget about Ridley.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 80%
- Released
- December 4, 2025
- ESRB
- Teen / Animated Blood, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Retro Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
WHERE TO PLAY
- Engine
- RUDE engine
- Franchise
- Metroid, Metroid Prime
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
