3 New Switch 2 Games Are All Releasing on the Very Same Day, Including Metroid Prime 4

The Switch 2 is set to have one of its busiest days since the console launched last June, thanks to a trio of titles that are all set to release at once. The Switch 2 got off to an impressive start with a large library of launch titles led by the popular open world racing game Mario Kart World. Nintendo has kept a steady release cadence for the Switch 2 ever since, ensuring a steady stream of new game releases for fans to play on the home console/handheld hybrid.

Since the Switch 2’s launch, some highlights include Donkey Kong Bananza, to date the highest-rated Switch 2 exclusive, Dynasty Warriors meets Zelda musou action game Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, and most recently, the quirky racing game Kirby Air Riders. Exclusives are just part of the story when it comes to the Switch 2, however. Nintendo has also released enhanced Switch 1 games on the Switch 2 to bolster the console’s lineup, with Nintendo Switch 2 Editions for games like Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom, Super Mario Party Jamboree, Pokemon Legends: Z-A, and soon, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.

Some Metroid Prime 4 Early Copies Are Out in the Wild

Early copies of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond appear to be out ahead of schedule, raising questions as the sequel approaches its December launch.

Metroid fans have been waiting eight years since its reveal to play Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and the wait is nearly at an end. The long-awaited first-person Metroidvania game is set to launch on Thursday, December 4, effectively closing out an all-around incredible year for Nintendo. Metroid Prime 4 will be available for the original Switch, but the Switch 2 version of the game includes significant performance upgrades and support for the Joy-Con 2 mouse controls. If you want the best-looking, best-performing, most fully-featured version of Metroid Prime 4, then the Switch 2 version is the way to go.

Metroid Prime 4 reviews are now live, with the game currently earning a respectable 82 overall rating on review aggregate site OpenCritic. Metroid Prime 4 reviews seem to agree that while the game is a solid adventure for Samus Aran, it falls short of its predecessors.

New Switch 2 Games Releasing on December 4

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
Octopath Traveler 0
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds

Metroid Prime 4 launching on December 4 is enough by itself to make that an exciting day for Switch 2 gamers, but it’s not coming alone. There are two other high-profile Switch 2 games releasing that very same day, making December 4 an unusually busy time for the platform. The same day that Metroid Prime 4 hits store shelves, Switch 2 gamers can look forward to Square Enix’s massive RPG Octopath Traveler 0 and Sega’s popular racing game Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.

Octopath Traveler 0 is a prequel to Square Enix’s HD-2D Octopath Traveler games, boasting over 100 hours of content for fans to sink their teeth into. Octopath Traveler 0 features a huge cast of characters and town-building mechanics, and the latter should go a long way in making sure the game stands out from its predecessors. The jury is still out on Octopath Traveler 0, but the franchise’s track record (84 and 85 overall critic scores, respectively), speaks for itself.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds already has a Switch 1 version available and so it technically has been playable on the Switch 2 for months, but the native release should mean better performance and visuals. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds has earned mostly positive reviews from fans and critics alike, and is in fact one of the highest-rated games of the year by user score. The first six months of the Switch 2’s life has been racing game-heavy, but genre fans still craving something to play should definitely consider checking out Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.