Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Launch Guide — Release Date, Global Times, Editions, Price, and Amiibo Details

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is officially launching on December 4, 2025, and fans finally have a complete guide for release times, editions, performance, amiibo features, and gameplay details.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond | Image: Nintendo via Gaming Amigos

After an 18-year wait since Metroid Prime 3 and a famously long development cycle, we’re finally just days away from stepping back into Samus Aran’s visor. Nintendo confirmed the release date during its recent Nintendo Direct, and if you’re planning to jump in on day one, we’ve put together a full launch guide so you don’t miss anything — whether you play on Nintendo Switch or the more powerful Nintendo Switch 2.

Global Release Times for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

The game launches worldwide on December 4 at 17:00 UTC, meaning your region’s exact timing will differ. Here’s the full regional breakdown:

• Los Angeles (PDT): 9:00 AM – Dec 4

• Mexico City (CST): 11:00 AM – Dec 4

• Chicago (CDT): 11:00 AM – Dec 4

• New York (EDT): 12:00 PM – Dec 4

• São Paulo (BRT): 2:00 PM – Dec 4

• London (UTC): 5:00 PM – Dec 4

• Berlin (CEST): 6:00 PM – Dec 4

• Cape Town (SAST): 7:00 PM – Dec 4

• Riyadh (AST): 8:00 PM – Dec 4

• New Delhi (IST): 10:30 PM – Dec 4

• Kuala Lumpur / Singapore (MYT/SGT): 1:00 AM – Dec 5

• Tokyo (JST): 2:00 AM – Dec 5

• Sydney (AEST): 4:00 AM – Dec 5

• Wellington (NZST): 5:00 AM – Dec 5

Available Editions, Prices, and Pre-Order Details

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launches with one standard edition, but in two forms:

• Standard Edition (Nintendo Switch) – $59.99

• Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – $69.99

If you’ve bought the Switch version but later move to Switch 2, you can upgrade using a $9.99 Upgrade Pack.

Both physical and digital versions are available, with full game content on the cartridge. Pre-orders are live at retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, and Nintendo's My Nintendo Store.

There aren’t any pre-order bonuses, which is a little unusual for a big release, though some stores in the UK are offering extras like a Samus keyring.

Game Game (estimated):

• Nintendo Switch: 26.3 GB

• Nintendo Switch 2: 31.6 GB

Nintendo Switch vs Nintendo Switch 2 Performance

Let’s talk performance — something a lot of us have been keeping an eye on.

Nintendo Switch (Base Version)

• 60 FPS gameplay

• Likely 900p resolution (based on Metroid Prime Remastered and tech analysis)

• Same gameplay experience as Switch 2, just at lower fidelity

Nintendo Switch 2 (Enhanced Edition)

Two performance modes are offered:

• Quality Mode:

  • 4K docked / 1080p handheld

  • 60 FPS

• Performance Mode:

  • 1080p docked / 720p handheld

  • Up to 120 FPS

Switch 2 also supports Joy-Con Mouse Mode, allowing players to tilt and aim with a PC-like feel. You may not need it thanks to Prime’s classic lock-on system, but it’s a great option if you prefer fast-paced FPS-style aiming.

Nintendo confirmed earlier this year that the experience is identical across both consoles — no exclusive missions, gear, or gameplay changes. Performance is the main difference.

Amiibo Features, Prices, and What You Actually Get

Nintendo announced three new amiibo specifically for the game:

• Samus & Vi-O-La – $39.99

• Samus (Prime 4 series) – $29.99

• Sylux – $29.99

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond amiibo | Image: Nintendo via Gaming Amigos

What Each Amiibo Unlocks

Some might call them “cosmetic extras,” but they do go beyond simple skins:

• Samus & Vi-O-La Amiibo – lets you change Vi-O-La’s color, check mileage, and boost energy regeneration once per day.

• Samus Amiibo – grants a daily shield that blocks 99 damage and restores health, plus the ability to change background music while riding Vi-O-La.

• Sylux Amiibo – unlocks a special post-game movie and plays random Sylux dialogue lines when tapped.

Without the Sylux amiibo, the special video can still be unlocked by 100% item + scan completion.

Older amiibo, such as Smash Bros. Samus, Zero Suit Samus, and Ridley, also trigger small sound effects when tapped.

Some fans pointed out that fully utilizing all extras pushes the total cost over $160 (game + all amiibo), but none of the features are essential to gameplay. These bonuses are strictly optional.

Story and Gameplay Overview

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond features a brand-new story in the Metroid Prime sub-series, independent of the Phazon/Dark Samus trilogy (Prime 1-3). Nintendo confirms no prior games are needed—it's fully accessible to newcomers while tying into the broader Prime timeline (post-Metroid Prime: Federation Force, Cosmic Year 20X9).

Here, Bounty hunter Samus Aran defends a Galactic Federation (GF) base from a Space Pirate assault. During a clash with rival bounty hunter Sylux (from Metroid Prime: Hunters), an unexpected accident transports Samus and scattered GF troopers to the uncharted planet Viewros. 

Stranded, Samus must survive hostile biomes, battle alien creatures, and uncover ancient ruins of the Lamorn, a long-extinct psychic civilization that views her as a prophesied outsider. She aids the Lamorn's lingering tech/AI to "revive" their legacy, rescues GF allies for resources/upgrades, and seeks a way home. Rival Sylux lurks as a key antagonist. 

Key Locations (Interconnected Zones):

• Fury Green - Lush jungle; giant plant boss Carvex (use Control Beam on regrowing tails). 

• Sol Valley - Vast desert hub; summon Vi-O-La motorcycle for traversal/combat. 

• Volt Forge - Thunderous factory.

• Ice Belt - Frozen labs.

• Flare Pool - Molten facilities. 

New Abilities & Mechanics Tied to Lore:

• Psychic Glove: Manipulates Lamorn energy for puzzles, bullet-tracing (scout/combat), and machinery activation. 

• Control Beam: Charged shot hits multiple targets (e.g., boss weak points). 

• Vi-O-La: Ancient Lamorn bike for open areas; summon/dismount seamlessly; boost, counter, smash crystals. 

• Core kit: Scan visor (lore/clues), Morph Ball, Missiles, beams, dash/jump. 

Key Characters & Factions:

• Samus Aran - Lone protagonist; scans lore, aids Lamorn/GF.

• Sylux - Rival hunter

• Myles MacKenzie - GF trooper companion; provides hints/resources but criticized as "chatty/annoying" in previews. 

• GF Troopers - Stranded allies; rescue for upgrades/info.

• Lamorn - Extinct psychics; tech central to progression/prophecy. 

Gameplay retains the classic Metroidvania structure—labyrinthine exploration, gated progression, and backtracking with new upgrades. Expect Morph Ball puzzles, lock-on combat, and traversal across varied biomes. A new addition is Samus’ motorcycle, Vi-O-La, which lets her speed across Viewros’ desert hub, connecting multiple regions.