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The Nintendo Switch 2 needs to launch with this iconic action game

The Nintendo Switch 2 is so close we can practically feel it in our fingers, but what games will release with the much-anticipated handheld?

nintendo switch with blue and red joycons with gameplay footage of metroid prime 4: beyond superimposed onto the screen, on a blurred gameplay background

The Nintendo Switch 2 is coming, and although we don’t know exactly when, we do know that it’s likely going to be sooner rather than later. So, this got us thinking about what games could possibly release at the same time, and what we’d want to see the Switch 2 come out with.

There was a lot of speculation surrounding the Metroid Prime 4: Beyond trailer, with many of you taking to Reddit to discuss whether the gameplay footage was actually recorded from the upcoming Switch 2. It was an exciting prospect, but one that was shut down fairly quickly by Digital Foundry through IGN, who confirmed that the gameplay we saw in the teaser was from the first iteration of Nintendo’s handheld gaming console.

But that doesn’t mean we won’t see Samus and Sylux make a triumphant re-debut on the Switch 2. Considering the fact Metroid Prime 4: Beyond was confirmed way back in 2017 at E3, and we then heard nothing but whispers on the project until June 2024 when we got the trailer, there’s a high possibility that Nintendo could select the franchise as one of its launch titles for the Switch 2. The game is confirmed for a 2025 release, so it makes sense, right?

Metroid hasn’t been a launch title for over two decades, and the last time we saw it take pride of place was with Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt, which released alongside the Nintendo DS back in 2004 – don’t worry, we feel exceptionally old thinking back to simpler times, too. Even then, the title was only a demo of the full game, so it’d be great to see Samus and her mech suit back on the boxes for the Switch 2.

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Sure, there are far more lucrative franchises that Nintendo could choose from when it comes to launching the new console. The obvious choices would be the likes of Mario or Zelda, heavy-hitting video games that always perform well and are synonymous with Nintendo. We get it, money makes the world go round, and although Metroid isn’t exactly an unknown franchise, there are just bigger fish swimming in Nintendo’s pond.

But everyone knows the Switch 2 is going to launch successfully. We all know that any new Mario or Zelda games will also launch successfully. So wouldn’t it be nice to put a classic, and still very well-loved RPG franchise, back into the spotlight? Nostalgia is a gentle, nurturing creature, and we’d be chomping at the bit to get our hands on a Switch 2 and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond bundle. Wouldn’t you?

If you’re after some metroidvania games you can pick up now, you can check out our Hollow Knight review and our Blasphemous II review while you’re here. Or, if you’re checking out some mobile games while you wait for news on the Switch 2, we have a bunch of freebies waiting for you, including the latest AFK Journey codes, Zenless Zone Zero codes, and Genshin Impact codes.