Metroid Prime Remasteredwas officially unveiled for the Nintendo Switch and will be available for digital download today. The announcement came during the most recent Nintendo Direct. TheMetroid Prime Remasteredannouncement came after months of rumors and leaks reporting that a remaster was in the works.
Metroid Primewas originally released for the Nintendo GameCube in 2002 before being re-released on the Nintendo Wii. At the time of its release, the game received near-universal critical praise and went on to sell over 2.2 million copies worldwide. It was the first game in the franchise after an eight-year hiatus and was also the first to be a first-person shooter. Nintendo would follow the game up withMetroid Prime 2: EchosandMetroid Prime 3: Corruptionbefore a full trilogy edition was released on the Nintendo Wii. Originally it was speculated thatMetroid Prime Trilogywould release on the Switchbefore the rumors and leaks pointed towards the company only remastering the first game.
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For some timerumors of an impendingMetroid Primeremasterhave been floating around the internet. This was finally confirmed during today’s Nintendo Direct where it was revealed that the remaster was coming to the Nintendo Switch. The digital version of the game will be available for the system today while a physical version will be released on February 22nd. The game will feature updated controls compatible with the Switch’s dual stick control but gives the player options for a more classic experience.
After the release ofMetroid Prime 3: Corruption, the series' output began to slow down. The controversial installment,Metroid: Other M, was released in 2010 before the series underwent another hiatus. The next game would be released in 2016, titledMetroid Prime: Federation Force, before the franchise went back to its 2D Metroidvania roots withMetroid: Samus Returnsin 2017 andMetroid Dreadin 2021.Metroid Dreadwould go on to become the best-selling gamein the entire franchise.
Currently, it isn’t clear when Nintendo will release anotherMetroid Primegame though a fourth installment has been in development for some time.Job listings forMetroid Prime 4have been postedas early as January 2022, indicating that there is still some work to be done on the game. However, theMetroid Prime Remasteredannouncement will likely give players hope that a new installment is on the horizon. Whether Nintendo fulfills these hopes later in the year remains to be seen.
Metroid Prime Remasteredis now available on the Nintendo Switch for digital download with physical copies coming on February 22nd.
