One of the moderators for Reddit’s Gaming Leaks and Rumours sub occasionally receives direct messages from one of the sub’s users who creatively leaks video gaming news, just before it is officially announced. The person has previously creatively leaked to the moderator the official name of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD on Switch, Splatoon 3 and Wario Ware, before they were officially announced in an Nintendo Direct. The Reddit moderator says that the user has “an undefeated record” when it comes to leaks and that the user DM’ed the Reddit moderator today saying “Do you think everyone is primed and ready?” possibly hinting at Metroid Prime news, most likely the Metroid Prime Remake which Venture Beat and Games Beat journalist, Jeff Grubb, insisted earlier this year is real.
In the ‘90s, Pokémon Blue and Red broke onto the scene as an innovative series of monster-collecting RPGs. Those were followed by Gold and Silver versions, which built upon everything that made the first versions great and added a ton of new creatures and features. But with the release of the gen-III games, Ruby and Sapphire, which came out in 2002 in Japan and the following year everywhere else, Pokémon cemented itself as a series that wasn’t going anywhere. Based on the sheer amount of spin-offs, sequels, and remakes that have followed, yeah, I think Pokédomination is here to stay. — Ari
It’s one of those rumours that feels like it’s been around for years because, well, it has, but Jeff Grubb of the Giant Bomb parish has once again gone on record with updated information regarding a Metroid Prime remaster — and this time there’s even a release window attached.
As discussed by Grubb on his Game Mess Mornings show broadcast earlier today (thanks, Nintendo Everything), his sources tell him that the long-rumoured remaster is being lined up for the GameCube game’s 20th anniversary. Yes, Metroid Prime will be two decades old on 18th November and Nintendo is supposedly looking to launch the game around that time. If you’re wondering, 18th November 2022 is a Friday.
Here’s exactly what Grubb had to say on the subject:
“I could say that I’ve been told pretty definitively that Metroid Prime Remastered is going to be one of their big holiday games. In the past this is something I’ve heard is in the works, they’ve had things happening with that game. Now I’ve been told that their plans are to release that game this holiday, I think almost certainly to line up with the 20th anniversary in November. So that’s happening and they need to tell us when that release date is.”
He also thinks that the remaster will feature dual analogue controls and gyro aiming to help prepare gamers for those ‘new’ elements in the upcoming Metroid Prime 4, which we still haven’t heard about (in any official capacity) since its development was restarted nearly three-and-a-half years ago.
Grubb went on to detail further plans for remasters of both Metroid Prime 2 and Metroid Prime 3, which he believes will launch at a later date.
“They’re also pretty much done it sounds like, but Nintendo being Nintendo is going to hold on to them and will likely drop them later along the road. However Nintendo decides and what order to release their games, they are going to do that, but they’re going to do it separately it sounds like.”
According to his sources, Grubb also thinks that while the first game is getting the “big remaster treatment”, the second two entries might see more modest updates:
“And Metroid Prime 1, my understanding is that’s getting the big remaster treatment, and then Metroid Prime 2 and Metroid Prime 3 are sort of getting – they’ll probably get like updated controls and things like that – but they’re not getting quite the same overhaul that Metroid Prime 1 is getting.”
You can check out the entire discussion in the video below.
Are you eager to get your hands on this long-rumoured remaster? Would you rather wait for the second or third entries? Let us know your thoughts on JG’s comments in… the comments.
While the Nintendo 64 never got a Metroid game, two fans are working on showing the world what a Metroid 64 could have looked like.
As reported by Nintendo Life, Luto Akino took to Twitter to share his Unity 3D project that aims to create what Metroid 64 could have been.
Instead of opting for a first-person camera a la Metroid Prime, this version features a third-person perspective and shows Samus running around a purple cave area, using her arm canon, and even using her Morph Ball form and bombs.
At last working in #Metroid64 I adjusted small details, and placed a test texture. There is a bug with the beams direction when Samus is flat against the wall that I need to fix #metroid #F2P #n64 #lowpoly #Nintendo64 #Zelda #unity #unity3d #madewithunity #gamedev #3dmodeling #3D pic.twitter.com/sWBYoTbove
— Luto Akino (@LutoAkino) April 26, 2022
There are currently no enemies besides static blocks, but it gives a good glimpse into Akino’s vision and what a Metroid game on the N64 would play and look like. Akino is working on this project with a friend and has revealed no plans as to when they would make this available to the public.
You can check back through Akino’s Twitter to see even more updates on this Metroid 64 project.
Super Metroid was released for the SNES in 1994 and it took eight years for fans to get a new entry. While Samus did show up in the original Super Smash Bros., she never had a proper entry on the N64.
The wait may have been tough, but fans were treated to two new adventures – GBA’s Metroid Fusion and GameCube’s Metroid Prime – just days apart in 2002.
Nintendo tried to make Metroid happen on N64, but it revealed it “couldn’t come up with any concrete ideas or vehicle at that time.” Metroid co-creator Yoshio Sakamoto also said he couldn’t imagine how the N64 controller could be used to control Samus.
Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
Back in February, Nintendo and MercurySteam announced Metroid Dread for the Switch would be receiving two new updates.
The first update adding “Dread” and “Rookie” modes was released on the same day as the announcement and now the second update has finally been released – adding in a Boss Rush Mode.
There are also a number of modes – including Survival Rush and Dread Rush. Last but not least are some general fixes. Below are the official patch notes, courtesy of Nintendo’s official support page:
Ver. 2.1.0 (Released April 7, 2022)
New Modes Added
Three different boss rush modes have been added to the game. Press the R Button on the “Samus Files” screen to move to the Boss Rush selection screen.
Boss Rush
A mode where players fight 12 continuous boss battles, and aim for the best time.
Any damage received is carried-over into the next fight. Weapons are fully-restored between battles.
If Samus is defeated, players may select “Retry” to continue playing from the start of the battle they lost. There is, however, a time penalty for being defeated.
Bosses fought in Boss Rush can be fought one-on-one at any time by selecting “Practice”.
*Unlocked by clearing the main game a single time. (In the event that a player has completed the game before the update was released, they will be able to play Boss Rush immediately after updating).
Survival Rush
Dread Rush
The basic rules are the same as in Boss Rush, but if Samus is hit by a boss, her energy drops to zero and she is defeated.
Bosses fought in Dread Rush can be fought one-on-one at any time by selecting “Practice”.
*Unlocked by clearing the main game using Dread Mode. (In the event that a player has completed Dread Mode before the update was released, they will be able to play Dread Rush immediately after updating).
General Fixes
Fixed an error where the Game Over screen would not display properly when Samus takes damage and is defeated immediately after destroying a central unit.
Have you downloaded this update yet? Notice anything else? Leave a comment down below.
I love Metroid, but being a longtime fan does weird things to you. Take, for example, the latest kerfuffle over Retro Studios updating its Twitter banner. Where a normal person might see a cool piece of Samus Aran concept art, the ravenous Metroid fan, their hunger unsatiated by Metroid Dread, imagines a portal hiding all manner of Metroid Prime 4 secrets.
This change was first spotted earlier today and quickly spread across the internet like a Phazon corruption, prompting Metroid fans on Twitter, Reddit, and ResetEra to begin weighing in on the new image’s significance. Many are convinced this is our first, true look at Metroid Prime 4 after years of having only a simple logo to tide us over.
“Are we looking through a visor here? Sylux’s visor perhaps?” wrote Twitter user Biotank, name-dropping a major Metroid character, set up as a foil to Samus Aran throughout the Prime series, who many consider underutilized. “I’ve been waiting for the triple Sylux payoff from Metroid Prime Hunters, Metroid Prime 3, and Metroid Prime: Federation Force for so long.”
“She appears to be in some sort of abandoned duct,” wrote Justin Bailey, an appropriately named ResetEra member. “The ‘feel’ of the setting here might be hinting that the game will be more dark and desolate than previous titles. Maybe they will go back to the creepy nature of the original Metroid.”
“The contrast between the dark parts of the picture and the light parts are hinting at two different dimensions! Ing dimension return confirmed!” Reddit user Moose_Cake wrote on r/Metroid, a joking reference to the reality-hopping escapades of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes.
While the new banner isn’t explicitly labeled Metroid Prime 4, it’s understandable why folks would feel a twinge of excitement over this image, what with the game having had zero public exposure after its June 2017 reveal. Since then, issues behind the scenes saw Nintendo scrap Bandai Namco’s early work on Metroid Prime 4 and shift responsibility for its development to Retro, the original creators of the Prime series, in 2019. Kensuke Tanabe, a veteran Nintendo employee who produced several previous Metroid Prime games, still oversees the project.
“The current development progress has not reached the standards we seek in a sequel to the Metroid Prime series,” Shinya Takahashi, Nintendo’s senior managing executive officer, explained at the time. “[W]e have determined that the current development status of the game is very challenged, and we had to make a difficult decision as a development team. We have decided to reexamine the development structure itself and change it. By collaborating and developing with Retro Studios, we believe we can make this game something that will meet our fans’ expectations.”
Whether or not Retro’s new Twitter banner holds any grand secrets about Metroid Prime 4, the wild response to so simple a social media update should further prove just how high anticipation is for the upcoming game and, really, the franchise in general. If I were Mr. Nintendo, I’d honestly be a little worried about the insatiable monsters I’ve created with my hit, sci-fi franchise.
Try not to get too excited now, but the Metroid Prime 4 developer Retro Studios has just updated its banner on Twitter.
Yes, it’s perhaps the most significant update we’ve got in some time from the Nintendo studio working on what’s arguably one of the most important upcoming first-party releases. Until now, we’ve not really heard much from the team – apart from the fact it’s been on a recruitment drive for all sorts of talent. Its HQ was also remodelled last year to aid the development of MP4.
The new banner on display shows a character – who appears to be Samus Aran – in some sort of dimly lit alien-like corridor. We guess it has some sort of link to the fourth entry. The previous banner was an image of Retro’s company logo.
Retro Studios’ new Twitter banner (via @Doctor_Cupcakes on Twitter)
While a banner update on a social media profile normally wouldn’t be big news, considering all the setbacks Metroid Prime 4 has suffered and the amount of silence from Retro during development, this has certainly generated some buzz online.
Last month marked three years since Metroid Prime 4’s development had been scrapped and restarted. And last June marked four years since the game was first announced. When do you think we’ll see Samus Aran’s next outing or just the return of Metroid Prime series in general? Leave your thoughts down below.
There are plenty of fantastic games headed to Nintendo Switch this year – more than we’ll ever find the time to play, no doubt – but even with all of those on the way, our minds can’t help thinking about another game. You know the one. Well, you should know the one given the headline of this article.
Yes, Metroid Prime 4 is still sadly nowhere to be seen following several years of development. Today marks the third anniversary of Nintendo’s announcement, presented by Shinya Takahashi, that revealed the game’s progress would be completely scrapped and restarted. Of course, the game was initially announced even earlier than that, back in June 2017.
Nintendo’s been keeping pretty quiet since the delay announcement, only offering a quick “we’re working hard” update at last year’s E3 show, although plenty of exciting staff hires give us reason to believe that the team at Retro Studios could be cooking up something very special. As we always say, we’re more than happy to wait as long as the final product is as good as it can be, so here’s hoping things are going smoothly behind the scenes.
We’re sure it won’t be another three years before we’re given a fresh update (or at least, we hope not), but do you think we’ll hear about Metroid Prime 4 this year?
Do you think it’ll release in 2022? 2023? Beyond? Share your thoughts in the comments.
It’s hard to believe 2021 is already coming to a close, but the year brought Nintendo Switch players a number of video games they won’t soon forget. Many were recognized with nominations and wins at this year’s Game Awards. But what are some of the best Nintendo Switch games to come out in 2021?
‘Metroid Dread’
Official art for ‘Metroid Dread’ | Nintendo
Metroid Dread took home the honor for Best Action/Adventure Game at the 2021 Game Awards, and there’s a good reason for that. The newest addition to the Metroid series, this release was greeted with praise from longtime fans of the franchise and newcomers alike. It even received a Metascore of 88 on Metacritic.
Players waited a long time for this addition to the Metroid franchise, and it didn’t disappoint. It takes Samus Aran — and players — on an engaging and action-packed journey, and it does so in 2D. It’s repeatedly been listed among the best releases of the year. Needless to say, it’s worth picking up if you haven’t already.
[Isabelle] Season’s greetings, everyone! Is it too early to say that? Toy Day IS right around the corner… We put up the plaza tree yesterday and decorated the cedar trees around the island with ornaments. Feel free to shake a few loose to use in DIY projects! pic.twitter.com/iEztwQjgs2
— Isabelle (@animalcrossing) December 16, 2021
Of course, the best Nintendo Switch games of 2021 can hardly be summarized in a five-item list. There are plenty of noteworthy releases from the past year, and all of them deserve a round of applause heading into 2022.
One of the best-reviewed releases of the year was The House in Fata Morgana, which landed a nearly perfect Metascore thanks to its top-notch storytelling and design. Meanwhile, Death’s Door also found itself on many round-ups for 2021.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons continued to dominate the Switch scene with its Happy Home Paradise DLC. The game was a massive hit in 2020, and it seems players were still eager to dive into new content in 2021.
For a more in-depth list of 2021 games that received impressive reviews, check out Metacritic. The site’s round-up will keep players occupied well into 2022.
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Resident Evil Village is a great game! It’s easily one of my favorite games of 2021. But it’s also a game that can, at times, be scary or tricky to get through. So, I was surprised to see stats showing it as the most completed video game released in 2021.
As spotted by Axios Gaming, you can see the most completed games of 2021 according to users on the site HowLongToBeat.com. This is a site that primarily tracks how long it takes various players to complete games, letting folks quickly look up how long it takes to finish a game before starting it. (I use this site a lot to help plan out what games I’ll play next, so I’m not jumping into too many big games in a row.)
According to stats from the site, here are the top five most completed games released in 2021:
1. Resident Evil Village
2. Metroid Dread
3. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
4. It Takes Two
5. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
I find it interesting how a large chunk of the most completed games are fairly family-friendly until you reach the very top and M-rated RE Village is number one.
Another interesting bit of data is the top games that users stopped playing for whatever reason. At the top of this list are Valheim, 12 Minutes, and Loop Hero. The site also tracks the games that are sitting in the most player backlogs, so the games a lot of people want to eventually get around to beating… one day. At the top of that list is NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… followed by Resident Evil Village and Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
Oh and perhaps the oddest bit of data I found while digging around HowLongToBeat.com and all of its stats was the overall most completed game by all of its users.
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Logitech StreamCam
It’s time to start streaming bigger The camera streams at 1080p and 60 fps, and it has a natural-looking video with smooth motion. The auto framing and intelligent exposure keep you in the middle of the shot even as you move around.
Wanna take a guess?
Well, then I’ll ramble for a bit so you don’t see the answer right away and so you don’t accidentally see it and okay that’s enough let’s get to the answer. Portal! Yup, Valve’s first-person puzzle-platformer, and its sequel are the top two most completed games according to the site’s stats. At number three? The 2013 Tomb Raider reboot. The more you learn!
Of course, keep in mind that all of these stats—while very interesting and fun to look at—are just a small sample of the millions of people playing games every year. Still, this is a nice bit of insight into what people are playing.
