Metroid Could Be Starting 2025 with a Bang if Rumors Are True

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home November 30, 2024 32 Views 7 Min Read
Metroid Could Be Starting 2025 with a Bang if Rumors Are True



Metroid is undeniably one of the most influential video game franchises of all time, but for a while, it felt like it was being neglected by Nintendo. During the 2010s, Metroid fans had barely anything to look forward to. The only new mainline entry in the series that was released in this decade was Metroid: Other M, a Team Ninja-developed third-person shooter that came out on the Wii in 2010. As many may know by now, the reception to Metroid: Other M wasn’t exactly glowing. While it did garner modest sales and decent reviews from critics, the game was considered a resounding failure by Nintendo. After its debut, the Japanese company released a mere two Metroid games over the next 10 years: the critically panned spin-off, Metroid: Federation Force, and the well-received remake, Metroid: Samus Returns.




Luckily, things have gotten a lot better for the Metroid franchise in recent times. In 2021, Nintendo announced and released Metroid Dread, the once-canceled 2D Metroid game that had been lingering in development for several years. Afterward, it shadow-dropped Metroid Prime Remastered during a Nintendo Direct in early 2023. Nintendo also announced earlier this year that the long-awaited Metroid Prime 4: Beyond would finally come out sometime in 2025. Apparently, this game won’t be the only Metroid title hitting the Switch next year because, if recent rumors are to be believed, remasters of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption may be released in the coming months, as well.

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Nintendo May Release Both Metroid Prime 4 and Metroid Prime 2+3 Remasters in 2025


A New Rumor Suggests That Metroid Prime 2 and 3 Will Come to Switch Early Next Year

In response to a tweet from a Nintendo news account about the recently-announced Metroid Prime 1-3 art book, an insider named Samus Hunter made a post on X (formerly) Twitter discussing the future of Metroid. In this tweet, they alleged that the entire Metroid Prime trilogy would be playable on the Nintendo Switch sometime before summer 2025. They then claimed that a remaster of Metroid Prime 2 was meant to come out as a standalone title, but it was hit by a few delays and is now planned for release early next year. Samus Hunter’s use of the phrase “was planned as a standalone release” suggests that the Metroid Prime 2 remaster is no longer going to be sold separately. Instead, it’ll be bundled and released alongside the rumored Metroid Prime 3 remaster.

…[Metroid Prime 2 Remastered] was planned as a standalone release but got moved a couple of times and now is planned for early next year, likely between DKCRHD and Xenoblade Chronicles X.


It’s not exactly clear when these rumored remasters will be announced or released, assuming they even exist, but Samus Hunter does have some theories on the matter. According to the insider, it’s likely that Metroid Prime 2 Remastered (and presumably Metroid Prime 3 Remastered, as well) will be released sometime between the launches of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD and Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition. The former of these two games is scheduled to debut on January 16, 2025, while the latter is meant to come out on March 20. Samus Hunter says that they “wouldn’t rule out an announcement” of the Metroid Prime remasters at The Game Awards, but they state that they “have no information on that.”


Metroid Prime 2 and 3 Are Still Great, But Remasters of Them Would Be Very Welcome

The Metroid Prime games still hold up in terms of gameplay and narrative, but they’re definitely not new. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes launched as a GameCube exclusive in 2004. Meanwhile, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption was released for the Wii in 2007. If these games are being planned for the Switch, as Samus Hunter says, then it would be great if they get the same treatment that the first Metroid Prime installment received in its modern re-release. 2023’s Metroid Prime Remastered was labeled as a simple remaster, but it felt like more of a remake since its graphics were greatly improved compared to the base game. Instead of slightly upgraded ports, “remasters” of Metroid Prime 2 and 3 in this manner would be ideal.

The Metroid series has long been underutilized by Nintendo. However, with Metroid Prime 4: Beyond scheduled to release next year, and remasters of Metroid Prime 2 and 3 reportedly on the horizon, 2025 has the potential to be the greatest year in Metroid history since 2004.

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