God, Nintendo can be an annoying company. Not 24 hours ago, I was writing about how it made Mario Kart World’s music volume options a toggle that only let you choose between “normal” and “louder,” and now Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is out today and has its own obnoxious music options for players to contend with. At least Mario Kart World’s nonsense came at no additional cost to you. Metroid has paywalled basic options and features behind $30 amiibo figures.
One of the big additions to Metroid Prime 4 is an open-world hub space that Samus travels through on a super cool motorcycle. Unfortunately, this area is pretty lifeless, and you only really have the rattle and hum of Samus’ bike to accompany its desolate, isolating vibes.
There’s some ambient music in the background, but it’s certainly not doing much to make these sections exciting. Some open-world games, like Grand Theft Auto or Cyberpunk 2077, let you turn on a radio station while traveling to make driving segments more stimulating, but Metroid Prime 4 has no such option…unless you buy the Metroid Prime 4 Samus amiibo.
Let me get this straight: If you pay $29.99 for the collectible Samus amiibo in #MetroidPrime4 you get to play/select music while driving the Vi-O-La bike in the otherwise quiet desert… In other words: They locked MUSIC while riding through a desert behind a $30 paywall… Am… https://t.co/qmFRbvdNhR
— Luke Stephens (@LukeStephens) December 3, 2025
The figure allows you to change the music while riding your motorcycle, and paywalling such a basic feature would be maddening if it weren’t also one of the most Nintendo-ass decisions the company could have made. I think I’m more impressed by the new ways it finds to be obtuse than anything.
Amiibo figures, small figurines of characters that unlock things when you tap them on a Nintendo game system were first introduced in 2014 for the Wii U and 3DS, and have always come with bonus in-game rewards that were, often items or cosmetics. Gating features that would be standard in most games is so weirdly hostile that I’m surprised Nintendo gets away with it.
For whatever it’s worth, the Samus amiibo looks great, but do keep in mind it’s not to be confused with the other Samus figure that includes her bike. That one won’t let you change the music; instead, it will let you change the motorcycle’s color and see how much you’ve traveled on your chopper. Good thing these things look pretty on a shelf. I’m trying to imagine what would happen if any other company charged $30 for baseline functionality. It probably wouldn’t go well!
