Beyond Early, But There's a Catch

Some fans of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond may get a special chance to try out the game early, though there is a big catch attached to its availability. With the long-awaited launch of the Metroid franchise’s newest entry less than two weeks away, Nintendo has given fans plenty of teasers about the game. Nintendo has already shown off an early look at some of the early bosses featured within Metroid Prime 4, alongside the new weapons and powers Samus can wield. Now, a select group of fans will have a chance to play the game early.

Nintendo has built up Metroid Prime 4: Beyond with plenty to live up to for the long-awaited return of one of the developer’s classic franchises. Metroid Prime 4 was stuck in development hell for years after its 2017 reveal, changing hands to Retro Studios and even seeing a full restart in 2019. Nintendo has also billed the new Metroid as an example of the Switch 2’s potential, with Metroid Prime 4 said to run at 120 FPS and showing the console’s graphical capabilities. Some fans will now be able to play an early demo of the game before its release.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond File Sizes Revealed

Nintendo confirms how much storage space players should set aside on their consoles for the digital versions of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.

Some Metroid Prime 4 Fans Can Try Out the Game Early

Nintendo has reportedly begun to roll out demos of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond ahead of its release, though the scope of the demo’s availability is limited. The demo is available for fans to play on Switch 2 kiosks at select retailers, with the demo currently confirmed to be available at some Walmart locations. The demo sports a 20-minute time limit and features a small portion of Metroid Prime 4‘s prologue, set within a Federation base, said to be the same demo offered for the game at Gamescom. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is scheduled to release on December 4.

The rollout of the demo for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is far from the first time Nintendo has offered fans an early chance to try out its games. Nintendo similarly rolled out an early demo of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment at specific retail locations, allowing fans to try out the Zelda spin-off before its official release. The developer will also occasionally release demos of its first-party games through the Switch and Switch 2’s eShop, recently featuring a free demo of Donkey Kong Bananza.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond looks to serve as a triumphant return for a franchise that has been largely dormant for several years. The last fully new Metroid game launched four years ago with Metroid Dread as a return to the franchise’s side-scrolling roots, while Metroid Prime would receive a remaster in 2023. Recent rumors have also suggested that Retro Studios may have more Metroid remasters in the works, with Metroid Prime 2 and Metroid Prime 3 potentially coming to the Switch. Metroid fans should have plenty to be excited about with the newest game’s launch less than two weeks away.