The February 2023 Nintendo Direct presentation was packed full of surprises. During the show's 40-minute runtime, fans were given updates on upcoming titles, such as Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Kirby's Return to Dreamland Deluxe, and Pikmin 4, as well as the surprise addition of Gameboy and Gameboy Advance games to Nintendo Switch Online. The day's most significant reveal was Nintendo's announcement of the long-rumored Metroid Prime: Remastered, a redesigned version of the original Gamecube classic for the Switch. However, the end of this announcement held the Direct's biggest surprise for fans, as Nintendo pulled a Hi-Fi Rush and shadow dropped the digital version of Metroid Prime: Remastered later that day.
Metroid Prime was one of the most popular Gamecube games ever released, taking the treasured 2D-platformer and evolving it into a modern first-person shooter. The success of Metroid Prime led to two sequels: 2004's Metroid Prime 2 and 2007's Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Since the launch of the Switch, fans have been requesting a remastered release of the series. Few could have predicted that the first of those remasters would be revealed and shadow dropped during Wednesday's Nintendo Direct presentation.
Nintendo's Shadow Drop of Metroid Prime Differs From That of Hi-Fi Rush
Last month, Microsoft shadow dropped Hi-Fi Rush after its announcement at the Xbox Developer Direct. The move shocked the industry, as Hi-Fi Rush was kept entirely hidden prior to its release. More shocking was how great the game was received, once fans got their hands on it. Hi-Fi Rush received positive reviews across the board, and was an absolute hit with fans, making it not only notable for its release, but for providing Xbox gamers one of the best titles of 2023 so far.
Nintendo's shadow drop of Metroid Prime: Remastered brings to mind that of Hi-Fi Rush, as both are notable early 2023 releases for their respective consoles. However, the release of the two games differ in that Metroid Prime: Remastered is a long-rumored entry in one of Nintendo's biggest first-party franchises, whereas Hi-Fi Rush is an original IP. Nintendo's shadow dropping of such a huge game, one which fans have been requesting for so long, makes Metroid Prime: Remastered feel more like a direct gift to gamers. Nintendo knows how much Metroid Prime means to its fans, and making it digitally available upon its announcement - with a physical release coming February 22, 2023 - shows some much-needed love from Nintendo to its community.
Metroid is enjoying a bit of a renaissance on the Switch. The original Metroid and Super Metroid have been available via the Nintendo Online service for quite a while, with the newest entry in the franchise, Metroid: Dread, launching last year. The Nintendo Direct also revealed that Metroid 2 will be included in Nintendo Online's Gameboy and Gameboy Advanced library, making its release, alongside Metroid Prime: Remastered, a shadow drop of its own. However positive, the addition of these titles to the Switch library could call into question the status of Nintendo's next entry in the Metroid Prime series, Metroid Prime 4.
Nintendo's Shadow Drop of Metroid Prime: Remastered May Indicate A Larger Shift In Focus
Nintendo's fans know the company has been working on Metroid Prime content. Metroid Prime 4 was announced in 2017, though it is still without a release date. Therefore, it comes as a huge surprise that the company would shadow drop a complete remaster of the original game during a Nintendo Direct, without revealing a single detail about either game's development. This points to another potential reason for Metroid Prime: Remastered's shadow drop release, a much longer wait for Metroid Prime 4.
After such a long period of silence, some fans think Metroid Prime 4 may not release on the Switch, instead targeting a launch alongside Nintendo's next console. Metroid Prime: Remastered's development and shadow drop may point to this being the case, as fans of the series are given a reason to focus on the past, rather than the future. If so, remasters of the game's sequels may follow in an effort to bridge the gap of time fans will need to wait before Metroid Prime 4 is available.
Nintendo's pulling a Hi-Fi Rush with its shadow drop of Metroid Prime: Remastered could have a variety of origins. However, one thing is for sure: Metroid Prime: Remastered, like Hi-Fi Rush, is a gift to gamers. The trend of shadow dropping may be an indicator of a larger movement in the gaming industry, one in which fans take center stage. Bethesda Gameworks decided to shadow drop Hi-Fi Rush, stating that “it’s fun to have some positive surprises.” With Nintendo's release of Metroid Prime: Remastered this week, it appears the company hopes to provide some positive surprises of their own. While fans of Metroid Prime eagerly await news of the series future, Nintendo is giving them plenty of reasons to return to its past.
Metroid Prime Remastered is available on the Nintendo Switch for digital download with physical copies coming on February 22, 2023.
