'Metroid 4' Switch release date even further away, remake rumors suggest

Switch owners will soon be able to spill alien blood with their favorite galactic bounty hunter, Samus, for the first time on Nintendo’s latest console. But it won’t be in the highly anticipated Metroid Prime 4.

The sequel to Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (2007) has yet to receive a new release date since Nintendo announced it would be delayed earlier this year. However, Samus stands might get a flurry of remastered Metroid classics to fill the Ridley-sized hole in their hearts, according to a Nintendo leaker.

Twitter user LeakyPandy claimed the company plans to re-release the Metroid Prime Trilogy (2009) optimized for the Switch and a remake of Super Metroid (1994) over the next two fiscal years. That means the Switch will have two fresh Metroid titles by April 2022 to make up for Metroid Prime 4’s postponement. But fans expecting a brand-new adventure with Samus will need to strap in for a long wait.

“Nintendo is planning 2 new Metroid titles that will release in the next two fiscal years respectively,” LeakyPandy tweeted Monday. “One is a re-release of Metroid Prime Trilogy HD, the second one is a Super Metroid Remake that mimics Samus Returns in style and scope.”

The leaker has a decent track record for inside scoops on Nintendo, having correctly predicted that Banjo & Kazooie would join the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster a week before the company announced it at E3 2019. What’s more, the cadence of these Metroid releases make a lot of sense.

The Metroid Prime Trilogy was originally released for the Wii and features Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. LeakyPandy seems to suggest that Nintendo plans to enhance the bundle’s graphics for the Switch, which should take less time than a complete remake. Meanwhile, it seems Super Metroid could get a complete overhaul, much like The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening did this year.

The remastered version of the iconic Zelda title received rave reviews across the board for staying true to the original while expertly fine-tuning its mechanics and graphics. Nintendo could aim to recreate the same magic with Super Metroid.

Sadly, both titles will serve as only atonements for Metroid fans that have been hyped about Metroid Prime 4 since Nintendo teased it at E3 2017. Shinya Takahashi, the company’s senior managing executive officer, stated the company was essentially starting from scratch. The title was initially being produced by Bandai Namco Studios but was restarted under Retro Studios in January.

If LeakyPandy’s claims prove to be accurate, don’t expect Metroid Prime 4 to hit shelves until at least late 2022, or maybe even 2023. But at least Samus might get her first Switch titles a couple years in advance.