The Nintendo Switch has become a haven for the Metroid series, as many classic entries in the franchise can be played on the system, while new entries are also being released, such as Metroid Dread and the upcoming Metroid Prime 4. But it’s not all sunshine and roses for Samus on the Switch, as some of her best adventures are missing from the console.
Related: Metroid Dread leaker claims that MercurySteam is working on a new Metroid game
Metroid Prime 2 & 3
The surprise release of Metroid Prime Remastered on Nintendo Switch was one of the biggest reveals of the February 2023 Nintendo Direct, and it could be a sign of things to come, as two more entries in the series are ripe for remasters — Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Many assumed that a remaster would involve the existing Metroid Prime Trilogy on Nintendo Wii, so it’s surprising that only the first game has been ported.
There’s a strong possibility that Metroid Prime 2 is next in line for the remaster treatment, as it’s close to the first game in terms of its visuals and controls. But the same isn’t true for Metroid Prime 3, as that integrated the Wiimote into its control scheme, which means it would be more challenging to port.
Metroid: Zero Mission
The original Metroid is currently available on Nintendo Switch Online, but it’s one of the clunkier entries in the series. Luckily, Nintendo remade Metroid on the Game Boy Advance as Metroid: Zero Mission, with a superior version in every single way, and includes new segments where Samus must survive without her suit.
Metroid: Zero Mission is by far the most likely entry on this list to jump to Nintendo Switch in the future, simply because it won’t take much effort, as Game Boy Advance games are part of Nintendo Switch Online’s Expansion Pack. This means Nintendo only has to upload a ROM to bring Metroid: Zero Mission to the service.
Metroid Prime: Federation Force & Blast Ball
Metroid Prime: Federation Force was a Nintendo 3DS game slammed by fans for having little to do with the series, as it was a co-op multiplayer first-person shooter starring a team of Federation Maries rather than Samus Aran. This isn’t to say Federation Force was a bad game, as some critics enjoyed its gameplay — it just wasn’t the Metroid experience that fans were looking for.
Metroid: Blast Ball has even less in common with the mainline games than Federation Force, as it’s essentially a battle soccer game in the vein of Rocket League. While it’s possible that Nintendo could port these two games to the Switch, the company might want to forget this franchise era.
Metroid: Other M
Metroid: Other M is often considered the worst game in the franchise, which isn’t fair from a technical or gameplay standpoint, as it received lots of positive reviews at launch. Unfortunately, Metroid: Other M is still harshly criticized by fans due to the changes to Samus’ character and the endless cutscenes bogging the story down.
Nintendo and Team Ninja could bring Other M to the Switch if they wanted to, as it needs an HD coat of paint and some fine-tuning for its controls, but the hostile reception to the game will likely prevent that from happening. The Metroid franchise is gaining momentum on the Switch, and no one needs Other M dragging it back down into the pit with F-Zero and Kid Icarus.
The Metroid Flash games
Some Metroid games are classed as lost media, thanks to the death of Adobe Flash Player, which killed a lot of browser games from the 2000s. In Metroid’s case, there are Flash games called Metroid Buster, Metroid Prime, and Special Mission, which were basic shooter titles that existed to promote upcoming titles in the series, all of which can no longer be played.
Metroid Prime Pinball
It seems like every first-party Nintendo franchise has an oddball spin-off, and in the case of Metroid, it’s Metroid Prime Pinball, where Samus acts as the pinball in her Morph Ball form, rolling around the board and racking up points. While Nintendo could theoretically bring Metroid Prime Pinball to the Switch, creating a sequel better suited to the hardware would make more sense than porting a twin-screen handheld game.
Metroid Prime Hunters & First Hunt
Metroid Prime Hunters and the First Hunter demo were first-person shooters for the Nintendo DS that helped show off what the system could do, proving that it would be able to handle 3D shooters. Unfortunately, the Nintendo DS didn’t run them well, as Metroid Prime Hunters had low-quality character models, and it used an awkward control scheme involving the touch screen, which encouraged hand cramps, so it’s not as well-remembered as other entries in the series.
Metroid: Samus Returns
Metroid II: Return of Samus is now available on the Nintendo Switch’s Game Boy app, but it’s a game that hasn’t aged well due to the limitations of the hardware it was released on. Thankfully, the game received an incredible remake on the Nintendo 3DS, called Metroid: Samus Returns, which adds a ton of content to the game.
Many fans expected Samus Returns to be an early 3DS port on the Switch, but it remains locked on Nintendo’s previous platform. Luckily, all is not lost for this amazing game, as the recent success of Metroid Dread and Metroid Prime Remastered might cause Nintendo to take a second look at one of the best entries in the series.
