HalBailman

Boxed codes are an insult. I can at least live with key cards because they are an actual item, include some benefits like easy to share, and are, on average, $20 than games on data cards. Boxed codes would be cheaper too.The bonus of that is the same lower price gets reflected in the eshop due to the requirement of a standardised price for mainstream published games. I would just download instead of buying a boxed code.

In saying that, none of these games are of much interest. I've never liked sprawling RPGs or adventure games in the third person (unless the topic is of interest, like Star Wars). Happy to see the Switch 2 get such major third party support, so that bodes well for the future.

4K and 120fps is quite remarkable, even for a relatively basic game. I'm one such person who can't really feel 120 over 60 frames, and that was with Fast Fusion. Metroid Prime 4 was even less so.

In saying all that, no, I won't be trying Hollow Knight again. I'm one of the rare people that simply doesn't like it. I played the demo and something felt off with the entire game. The poll needed an option for, "Tried it, didn't like it, and the upgrade won't entice me to try it again", so answered "Never played and I don't intend to play it". For the question about noticing the upgrade, I answered, "No, too many bugs". The bug being the game itself. 🤭

Edit:
Thanks to the comment from "Darthmoogle" earlier, the graphics are 4K OR 120fps, not 4K and 120fps. At 120fps, resolution is 1080p.

Even though there wasn't too much exciting for me, objectively it was an outstanding Partner Showcase. From Resident Evil Requiem to the triple shot from Bethesda, and then to my three personal favourites of Turok Origins, Super Bomberman Collection and eFootball Kick Off, it oozed quality and quantity!

If I had one gripe, I hoped to see something classic and iconic from years passed, like the Halo series or, for some personal ultra drooling, the updated Perfect Dark from the XB360 and Perfect Dark Zero.

Edit:
I'd like to echo the sentiment from PurpleG above. Yes, the Switch 2 is a phenomenal device. I won't dive into the supremacy debate, except to say these Nintendo Directs are primarily for those owning only a Switch 2, or Switch. That's probably most people! Whether a particular game is better on Switch 2 or PS5 or PC, who cares! If you have the luxury to choose, great for you! Many of us don't. Same scenario for Cyberpunk and Star Wars Outlaws. Yes, older games for people with multiple options. New and exciting games for Nintendo players (I bought both). In this broader context, I can't see how this Partner Showcase wasn't a great one for Nintendo. It also portends well for future partnerships.

Pro Evolution Soccer were initially very fiddly games (started as ISS Pro on PS), and I much preferred the regular and more responsive International Superstar Soccer series, which started on the SNES as Perfect 11 (ISS) and Fighting 11 (ISS Deluxe) in Japan (if I accurately recall), with full lineage back to Hyper Soccer on the NES. The N64 versions introduced an exciting through ball and played up the search pass, which made them quite a jarring contrast for those coming from PES, now on PS2. ISS was a mess once it arrived on Game Cube while PES thrived on PS2. I recall the even numbered games were often the best, like PES2 and PES4. Ironically, my favourite PES game arrived on the Game Cube as Winning 11 6 Final Evolution, ostensibly PES2.5 with sexy GC controls, so it was really refined! Note that PES and WE numbers were not aligned until years became the suffix in 2008.

I played a few PES games over the years on PS3 and PS4 without getting too excited about any. I'm a Nintendo gamer at heart and still have a huge soft spot for Konami soccer games, so I am interested in eFootball and at least hope it plays well. Otherwise, I'll stick to FC 24, which is actually really good for a EA/FIFA game! Typically I find them fiddly and unresponsive too.

As much as graphics aren't everything, they should at least be something. This looks like a hard No.

Curiously, PC Gamer, in their most recent Top 100 PC Games, included Caves of Qud in the top 10, which I mocked severely because I never heard of it and they left so many universally renowned PC games off the list entirely. In fact, 90% of the comments ridiculed the list. At least I now have some idea about COQ! That's more than I can say about a game that lends its name to a genre. Instead of roguelike, how about we go qudlike?

Edit:
Replying to Mr Awkward (ironic name!) below, I'll mock anything I like, and that's actually with broad understanding of the list in question, so please don't insinuate trash about other people. Show some basic courtesy when replying to people. As I said, 90% of comments ridiculed the list. COQ is simply NOT the 7th best PC ever on the basis of so many universally renown exemplary PC games around (as was my stated rationale). That's all you need to know. It was there as a fanwank exercise and good, old recency bias. Balatro at 8 was another absurdity.

The roguelike term also deserves complete mockery. Fact is that very few people have heard of Rogue, much less can describe anything about it, so to name a genre after it is preposterous. I actually call them re-run games! At least it tells you something about the type of game, just like the names of other genres do.

Not much of interest except for, perhaps, Claire Obscure. I primarily play Nintendo systems for Nintendo games. I'm hoping for an actual Nintendo Direct later in February as they often are.

If I was hoping for something, I'm thinking Xbox games like the Halo series and even the updated Perfect Dark.

Edit:
Regarding Larry's reply below, I referred to the "updated Perfect Dark" (past tense). There was a version on Xbox that I'd like to see on Switch or Switch 2.

As to the cancelled Perfect Dark, I know nothing about it. I don't follow Xbox news and only catch anything incidentally.

Again, the "leakers" find a date and guess the rest. Later in the week we learnt it would be a Partner Showcase. Disappointing anyway! I primarily play Nintendo systems for Nintendo games. If we don't get an actual Nintendo Direct early in the year (they often are a bit later in February), then we lost that predictability of Nintendo too.

@dustinprewitt Regarding the requirement of a Virtual Boy prop, I would not have replied if I could unravel the double negative of this reply: "I wouldn't be shocked if it doesn't actually check to see if you have the appropriate hardware".

Simple answer is you need a prop to play the Virtual Boy games. The Switch 2 uses its light sensor to detect if it is in the prop. Obviously the environment will be very dark! Theoretically, you could tape over the light sensor and trick the Switch 2.

When I saw "takeaways" in the headline, I was thinking pizza, hamburgers, tacos, fried chicken, or even Chinese. If only I could be so lucky! Any of those would be preferable to this ridiculous contraption. As much as I often effusively praise Nintendo for their decisions, especially with the Switch 2 and the launch period of games, they lost the plot here. Sitting on a stool at a bench is ridiculous and the antithesis of any sort of console gaming I know. If I want a backache or RSI, I'll play PC games on an uncomfortable chair. I want to sit or recline comfortably on a couch for my game time, and there should be a option to play these Virtual Boy games without the need of burying your face into a prop. Something as basic as showing one of the images expanded on screen and alternative colour options, like black and white, would suffice. Perhaps Nintendo will update the app in time. Once they exhaust all sales of the props, of course!

Edit:
Regarding the question if a prop is required, the simple answer is Yes. The Switch 2 can detect a prop in use via its light sensor. Theoretically, you could tape over the sensor to emulate the darkness inside the prop.

Ultimately, Sonic Cross Worlds lacks character and isn't that much fun in multi player mode. Even the single player, which offers much more longevity to the perpetually limited and non challenging trash in the Mario Kart series, gets mundane.

For all the "critical" response, they don't capture the intangibles of a game's appeal and are often captured by their biases and agenda. I've said often on these pages in defending Mario Kart World as the correct launch title for the Switch 2 because Mario Kart is Nintendo's biggest series by far, which was amplified by an 11 year wait since MK8 and 8 years since the ported version on Switch. That was especially so when the narrative ran that the "critically acclaimed" DK Bonanza should have been the launch title. As if!

Critics often don't understand people, and many approached Mario Kart World as it's still MK, so focused on the bonus Free Roam like it's meant to me Forza Horizon. As if! At IGN, they ranted for 90 seconds about no music player. Give me a break! No, you compare Mario Kart against the core content of previous games. Therefore the tracks, the weapons, the characters, and any new driving mechanic, and how it all integrates. On that level, MKW compares among the best, if not is the best, of any original MK game. Only against the ported MK8D is there a significant debate. Then you consider new stuff like the phenomenal Knockout Mode, and view Free Roam as a bonus, and it's easy to see MKW in a new, and more appropriate, light. Furthermore, MK is ostensibly a multi player game. While I lament the trash single player experience for veterans, multi player eats Sonic Cross Worlds and just about every other game alive. That's why MKW is a raging success and Sonic Cross Worlds isn't.

Never bought it. Not that I should say "Get rid of it." What a strange pairing of sentences for an answer! I can see that many people enjoyed their time with Labo, so it was a worthwhile endeavour from Nintendo even if it lacked interest for me.

Edit:
I have no interest in the Virtual Boy nonsense of holding a cardboard prop against your face or even using the expensive plastic device. This is Nintendo being too weird for their own good, and these games should be playable without any contraption. A basic 2D emulation option of showing one of the VB screens expanded and a different colour option (like black and white) can't be that hard, either technically or in inclination.

Mario Tennis Fever is the main game of interest for me. I've never played a Resident Evil game before, so interesting to see so many people keen for it, even with the key card situation. I hope to try RE one day, perhaps via a demo, to experience the hype. I don't like horror movies, which is why I've always lacked interest. Of course, I hate golf, yet love Mario Golf games. Poketopia I will watch! I'm a minor fan of Pokemon and a major fan of Animal Crossing, so it could be interesting.

I've accepted the key card situation is not changing unless cheaper, smaller data cards arrive or the cards themselves get cheaper over time. Right now, I'm happy to save the average $20, which also materialises in the eshop due to the policy of aligned prices for mainstream published games.

Thanks "Discostew" above for the link to a PS5 comparison. I'm bored of PS4 comparisons. We've known since day 1 and Cyberpunk 2077 that the Switch 2 should always look better. Still, DF said it's "nice" that Grid Legends does looks better. Why? If it didn't, shame! Let's see the Switch 2 against the PS5. After all, that is the measuring stick to determine if the Switch 2 can handle ports of contemporary games. The PS4 is so 2013.

I've never regarded analog triggers in racing games, or even in any game, as all that necessary. Mostly they are a gimmick and, in racing games, I'm always all gas anyway. In fact, I typically change button configurations so the gas and brakes are face buttons! I like the triggers for manual gearbox operation. I'm used to that since all the way back to Top Gear on the SNES, and will revert to it if possible. If I can't, I drive automatic.

The more problematic area for me is no split screen option. All racing games should include that. It seems even online multiplayer is limited too. Over the decades I've played so many racing games that none of them are of much interest to me anymore unless racing friends. They need to offer something special, and Grid Legends is clearly lacking in that department.

Am I the only one who thinks Nintendo dropped the ball with NSO Virtual Boy? Who really (and I mean REALLY) wants to play these ugly red and black games with the Switch 2 strapped into an expensive prop or even into a cardboard option that you hold against your face? Nintendo should have offered some sort of basic conversion to play regularly (without any 3D effect) on TV. It could be as simple as showing only one of the two images (centred and expanded) and with some colour options, like a black and white option. As it stands, NSO Virtual Boy is just Nintendo being weird and dumb.

It looks like a whoopsie by Nintendo. As much as I hoped, I don't see the rest of the Metroid Prime series remastered. Pikmin 2, yes it's available on Switch. The distinction is it's free in the GC app if already subscribed, and aimed at those not interested in buying it or they merely want to try it.

As we now learned, these "leakers" are generally accurate about finding a date. As to its purpose, often they guess it and are wrong. The last two such "leaks" were the Switch 2 revealed in January 2025 (it was only a basic announcement with the reveal actually in April) and the Switch 2 revealed in late 2024. That proved to be Alarmo! Let's not forget the "Switch Pro" debacle, which proved to be the red box and OLED updates.

As so many comments have noted, there's historically a Nintendo Direct early in the year, so the "sources" are likely speculating or, again, found a date and ascribing a purpose. With Mario Tennis Fever due on 12 February, that automatically portends some sort of Direct the week before.

The d-pad looks ridiculous and the price is insane. I'll wait for a Hori Split Pad Pro 2! I'm still rocking the original one on my Switch. It's so good and superior to the Pro Controller that it made me play almost exclusively in handheld mode since the day I got it. That it's still performing well after 8 or so years is further testament to it.

@The_Nintendo_Expat DK Bonanza could be considered as something scrappy or, at least, a little adventurous. When games media lamented there wasn't a Mario Odyssey 2, that mentality keeps Nintendo in their box. Even Mario Kart World, which added Knockout Mode (the first new racing mode ever in the series), tried a world environment with connected sections, and added Free Roam, they got trashed because it's still Mario Kart. What do people want - skydiving? In the current environment, there's no room for experimentation. Nintendo could have been lazy and delivered Mario Kart 9 with just the core 32 tracks from MKW and the usual races modes, and probably got better reception. They try a world option (that many media hoped would be the foundation of the next MK), and get trashed because people didn't want sections and Free Roam could be better. Give me a break! I'm glad they tried some variation, even if some parts didn't completely hit.

Anyway, Nintendo will probably deliver surprises over time. Then I might see you as the Repat! 🤣🤗

I'll probably get the Bellabel Park upgrade in the future. I still need to finish the main game of Super Mario Wonder first.

No more amiibo for me unless it's for a game series I truly love. I bought all those for Metroid Prime 4, and, previously Metroid Dread. Castlevania was the only other series in which I recently bought amiibo.

Edit:
Where's the article about Talking Flower on this site? Nintendo posted a video over a day ago.

@The_Nintendo_Expat Hey, Costanza, I prefer you as the Pendant than the Expat! 🤗

I think us gamers or enthusiasts (whatever we want to call ourselves) are trapped in our little bubble and constantly misread the market. In contrast, Nintendo don't. They fully know their market. Did I think something like a Zelda BOTW Switch 2 Edition was a daft idea and would only get niche support? Yes. Am I surprised that such games actually sell so well? No. The central appeal for Nintendo consoles will always be Nintendo games. Even old ones, recycled ones, or rejuvenated ones. As a collective, we are suckers! 😁

These sales further show that Nintendo delivered so much early supply that they fully met early demand for the Switch 2, which obviously meant the sales rate would slow later in the year. They could never sustain 3 million sales a month for long. To be double the Switch and 35% more than the PS4 after 7 months is amazing. Of course, the Switch was released 3 months earlier in its year, so we will likely see a surge for the Switch in the 9 months sales comparison. Nintendo still project 19 million Switch 2 sold at the completion of the fiscal year, which compares to 17.8 for the Switch with 3 extra months of sale time.

Not sure why media still talk about tariffs and supposedly "grappling" with them, unless it's just something to throw into an article for the sake of saying something. These were settled 6 months ago and the Nintendo president recently said tariff absorption was dispersed into the global market and via small price increases for accessories. In that same speech, he allayed concerns about price increases in 2026 due to memory prices. Nintendo would have their production schedule and component purchases set well in advance. They are also not a company that fiddles with prices based on cost fluctuations. They'll assess the memory situation later in the year before thinking about the price. Right now, they want to sell as many Switch 2's as possible at the current price.

Yes, very low imagination art. On the other hand, it nails its purpose if you think about it. First, it's a wavy line, not straight line, separating the respective content, so the delineation looks fine. Second, and most important, especially when adding the incredibly long title into the equation, Nintendo want you to clearly know there's ostensibly a second game in the Switch 2 Edition. For those considering a Switch 2 purchase or those still on the Switch and never bought Wonder, Nintendo are saying that here's more reason to buy or upgrade to the Switch 2.

The upgrade is good. The price is bad. Of course, I understand it. $5 to us is nothing. If one million people buy it, $5 million to Nintendo is something. These little bits here and there help maintain profitability and keep the console at $450. Also, as a free update, I probably would not bother trying the update and playing Animal Crossing. For $5, heck, I want my money's worth!

Amazing to think Mario Kart World has sold via download, just in 2025, about 40% of MK8 Deluxe's sales (obviously MK8D sold many more physical copies) and selling at about 80% of Switch 2 sales. Even though MKW was offered in a bundle, who's to say it wouldn't sell as well if sold separately? Also curious, Switch 2 sales are at about 11% of Switch lifetime sales and already over 50% of PS5.

Amazingly, I have never played a Resident Evil game. I'm not a fan of horror and early games looked really clunky. Now, I would try one via a demo or a free one. I'm always interested to read about the success of this series. For the record, I scored RE Deadly Silence an 8. 🤣 That's the range for most people anyway. 🥳

From the response of "48cylemmulo" to me:
"I'd argue lite is more needed this time around. Switch 2 is much larger and kids still got tiny hands."
Perhaps so! I just don't see a Switch 2 Lite happening so soon (within a year compared to 2.5 years of the Switch). At this stage, Nintendo probably says a Switch option is the choice for kids, especially with the vast games library, and games like Pokemon ZA are available on it. The current Switch 2 is the model for the immediate future and meant for adults, teenagers or as the family console. The Lite is seen as a secondary purchase for household. That won't be an appealing option until the Switch 2 library builds, all Switch development ceases, and Nintendo want to inject a boost into its hardware sales. Note that 1 in 6 Switch sales in Japan were the Lite, so it's not a significant market to attract. At least not yet!

From some of the newer comments, a dedicated home console sounds interesting! I still say it's way too early. Nintendo want us buying the current, full, hybrid model. They could, instead, be thinking longer term and preparing for something cheaper (current price) if forced to raise prices. Remember our epic failures with the Switch Pro rumours! One proved to be the red box update (mostly a better battery) and the other the OLED. The red box Switch still took over 2 years to emerge. It's simply not feasible to quickly modify factories for new models, especially concurrent ones. That's when we get the strongest rumours too. New hardware models are not like dying your hair and done on a whim. Production runs are probably already set for the next year!

So ends the doom and gloom following the alleged stock price crash (it was actually a correction following a mid year surge). Amazingly, the Switch 2, in 7 months, has already sold about 60% of all PS5 models in that console's entire life. Around 3 in 4 Switch 2 owners bought Mario Kart World. Obviously the bundle helped!

To those saying the Switch 2 is cheap in Japan. Yes it is compared to elsewhere. In the Japanese context, Nintendo consoles are always cheap, as are electronics in general. The Switch launched at 30k yen. Switch 2 is 50k. That's a greater price jump than Americans received ($300 to $450). Likely, the weak yen caused that. The multi language version at 70k only exists to stop the existing practice of foreign purchases. The local Japanese market are not getting a cheaper option. They are getting their usual option.

If you look at the American price, it's around $120 more on direct exchange rate. When you consider shipping, import duties, distribution costs, possibly higher retail markup, and even the expectation of a tariff, Americans are getting a fair deal. Not sure about Europe!

Edit:
I concur with those saying the Switch 2 had an epic first 7 months. Admittedly I'm biased as a Metroid fanatic and not the greatest Zelda fan. Mario Kart World, DK Bonanza and Metroid Prime 4 steamrolls the Switch (Zelda BOTW, MK8D and Mario Odyssey), especially if also considering Kirby Air Riders and stellar third party support (Cyberpunk 2077 and Star Wars Outlaws, to name two). I understand that there's an obvious lull now for some people, so can only say to look ahead! Nintendo are likely preparing something huge. A Nintendo Direct can only be weeks away.

Remember people, the Switch Lite arrived after 2.5 years and the Switch OLED arrived after 4.5. Let's use our brains for these things. Nintendo want to sell as many of the current Switch 2 units as possible. Then they will release a cheaper option for those on a budget or for children. Then release an iterative upgrade like the OLED to try get us to buy another unit. They are a slow and methodical company and very predictable. Even hinting at a new model this early will slow sales. At most, the product code is a colour or themed variant. More likely, it's nothing.

Remember, that "short Metroid jingle" caused the internet rage machine to froth into another epic meltdown! While most of it was ragers raging for attention, it did create an interesting discussion as to what should be unlocked by an amiibo. I'm perfectly fine for new skins and other cosmetic effects because they don't affect the game and are somewhat meaningful for the money spent on the amiibo. I draw the line if the feature is integral to the game or harms the game without it in some way. The short jingle certainly doesn't qualify. It adds nothing to the experience. As for a story scene, that would be nice for everyone to see. Even as a reward for completing the game, I don't like that if the feature is important. If trivial, sure, lock it behind game completion or unlocked by an amiibo.

I played 33 games in total and played for 437 hours.

My most played games:
1) World of Tanks Blitz at 359 hours
2) F-Zero 99 at 43 hours
3) Mario Kart World at 17 hours

WOTB is close to 3755 hours in total and F-Zero 99 is 210 hours in total. Tetris 99, which had a quiet year (I typically only play the Maximus Cups these days), is still my second most played overall at 590 hours.

Generally, I played for 50 hours a month unless on holidays or something (just 13 hours in September). WOTB was the most played game in every month. In July, 47 of the 50 hours played was WOTB. In June, when the Switch 2 launched, 24 of the 38 hours were WOTB. December was also a noticeable difference with only 20 of the 36 hours taken by WOTB. The other 16 hours would be Metroid Prime 4, some Mario Kart World, and dabbling in a few other titles.

Edit:
I would have played a lot of WOTB on my tablet and some on PC. When in Hong Kong and Japan in September, I used the tablet then (I don't take the Switch on holidays). I have 2213 hours logged there over 2.5 years. PC is probably near 2000 hours too (since April 2021). Probably nearing 8000 hours on one game since October 2020. 🤭

As long as I can eject Neelix through a plasma vent and Seven can explore her humanity with me, I'm all in.

Seriously, I'm not sure how to react to Voyager: Across The Unknown. Managing energy and other systems doesn't seem too exciting. I'll definitely try the demo.

A ridiculous abundance of supply meant everyone could buy a Switch 2 during the launch period. Total sales, as the article said, are astronomical and it wasn't so long ago that Nintendo increased first fiscal year projections by 3 million.

A second explanation is no major holiday game. While Nintendo perhaps hoped Metroid Prime 4 would be it, the reaction to the preview destroyed any chance of that, and Metroid is never a mega seller anyway. In contrast, the Switch went into the holiday period with Mario Odyssey after launching with Zelda BOTW and MK8D in its first six weeks. Switch 2 went in with nothing of that calibre. This situation could even be planned, especially with 3 fewer months of operation for the Switch 2 compared to the Switch, and Nintendo hoped the Switch 2 would steamroll ahead regardless. With some introspection and the knowledge of a huge tease or announcement in the probable February Direct, Nintendo are likely content with the situation.

A complete beat up. The peak in August 2025 was obviously caused by the rabid sales success of the Switch 2. Now there's an adjustment back to reality, and that reality is the stock price is currently almost DOUBLE the long term 6000 average into May 2023 and 20% higher than 2 years ago. Looking at the stock price fluctuation over just 6 months as some sort of futures prediction is ludicrous. If you started the 6 months' chart from February 2025, you see a 50% increase. Now we have a flood of comments thinking there's doom and gloom and trying to explain it.

I'm amazed that so many people don't understand Nintendo. They live on long term planning and pacing their hits to ensure periodic surges of high interest and excitement while lesser titles fill the void in between. The Switch 2 itself and Mario Kart World were strike one. DK Bonanza was a booster to keep the Switch 2 hype going. Titles like Kirby Air Riders and third party games kept players engaged. Nintendo probably hoped Metroid Prime would be strike 2. Alas, the reaction to the preview destroyed it, and December 2025 was the wrong time to launch it anyway. MP4 should have been the swansong game for the Switch in early 2025, and then get boosted with the 4K upgrade in December.

Given their history, a Nintendo Direct is coming soon, so prepare for some big announcements and teasers, and probably a stock price surge. Nintendo are almost deliberately in a lull now and calculating their future, which, to me, spells danger to the doubters. Never underestimate Nintendo. They know their business, and they know their fans.

A mega company like Nintendo would have their ducks lined up 6 months to a year in advance. Fluctuations in certain costs would have zero impact. These would need to be permanent, and could still take 6 months to ripple through. If we know one thing about Nintendo is that they are stubborn with pricing. They like to set it once and leave it. That component costs (at least, historically) get cheaper over the years is how they reap in most profits. If there is a pice increase, often that's seen in an updated model like the New 3DS or Switch OLED. I can imagine the Switch 2 OLED might be $550, rather than $500, to deal with any higher input costs.

Any American tariff effect would already be felt by now. In that article, Nintendo said it was mitigated through its entire international market. That was via a modest price increases on accessories and even on the Switch, and simply absorbing anything left. They really want the Switch 2 console itself to stay affordable.

Please note, I said "historically" about cheaper component costs. Obviously now we live in weird times.

Welcome! Mai the Force be with you! 🤣🤗

I hope, eventually, you become powerful and strong enough to end this site's policy of background music in conversation videos. It drives me crazy, and I boycott such videos anywhere. Therefore, and unfortunately, I doubt I will hear or see much from you beyond the one minute I just saw.

I write "if you are on the younger side.... Classic controls will feel weird. Modern controls are a necessity and a rightful default". Yet, someone (who somehow is even whinging about the graphics in Metroid Prime 4) interprets that as "Classic controls were bad for this game [Metroid Prime Remastered]". No, I said the exact opposite! If modern controls were "a necessity and a rightful default", that clearly states that classic controls, even as a default option, would be bad. That acknowledges they are archaic and would not sit well with most people. I only lament that the OPTION to use classic controls was not part of Metroid Prime 4 to relive the "classic" feel as I could in Metroid Prime Remastered (modern controls immediately felt wrong there). This entire article is about controller options and mapping, so classic controls is a fair discussion point. To try shut it down with a false representation of a prior comment is incredibly rude. It seems some people just don't want to hear anything nice said about Metroid Prime 4.

Regarding 78% on Metacritic as mentioned above. Considering the hit job by the internet rage machine and some media on Metroid Prime 4, 78% sounds phenomenal! I assumed a 60% score. IGN scored MP4 an 8, which, according to them is "great", so 78% approximates that. Perhaps I'm interpreting the "Yikes!" wrong? I'm not sure anyone thinks criticism of the game is "unwarranted" (re "mctrials" above); only that much of it was excessively exaggerated to almost deranged levels. Scores like 8 or 78% acknowledge there are some fair points of criticism.

The real question is if the controls can be mapped to recreate classic controls from the original Prime on Game Cube! For all the talk that Metroid Prime 4 doesn't feel like classic Prime because of a chatty computer character and a desert section (sorry, they are not "the focus" of MP4 either), the real villain for me is the game uses generic twin stick first person shooter controls. Boring! I changed to classic controls in Metroid Prime Remastered to relive the classic game as I remembered, and it's a shame that option isn't available in MP4.

The actual focus of MP4 is classic MP game play. The exploring, the discovery, the scanning, and, yes, the back tracking. It's all there. Some of the new ideas, at most, could be deemed as annoying or unnecessary. In terms of breaking the Metroid Prime feel and totally wrecking the game as the "loud people on the internet" suggest, not even close. If Metroid Prime 4 feels anything like your generic FPS or a non-faithful Prime experience, it's due to modern controls.

Please note, if you are on the younger side, then this comment does NOT apply to you. Classic controls will feel weird. Modern controls are a necessity and a rightful default. I merely lament that there's no option for classic controls and that hurts the classic Metroid Prime than anything else.

For those unaware, with classic controls, the left stick moves Samus in a 360 direction. If you tilt Left, she turns and moves left. She does not strafe. Strafing occurs upon locking onto an enemy by pressing L. The right stick selects weapons by default. If pressing R, then it's used to look around or for manual aim. There's actually an elegance to its apparent clumsiness!

Comments suggest Japanese one is better. The actual poll shows USA/NA as 70% preferred. That further proves the notion of the silent majority and to never trust internet comments as a metric for broader society. Human nature loves notoriety, and that typically drives us to comment. Voting for the obviously superior box art is non controversial!

The Fever racquets that we saw in the Nintendo Direct last year look interesting. I'm looking forward to the game. The main problem with Aces was the new mechanics (trick shots, zone plays, special shots and gauge management) made it difficult for casual players to pick up. We would play on simple rules, as a consequence. Otherwise, I personally loved Aces. If the new Fever skills are easy to learn and they provide an addictive new quality to Mario Tennis, the game should be excellent.

Replying to "hcfwesker", yes, minor assistance. As I said, that's a staple of the series. I recall the original Metroid Prime highlighting a specific part of the map to next visit. That's much more egregious than anything in MP4 and such help was on by default. There's nothing in Metroid Prime 4 that's bothersome to ME. In fact, I appreciate some of it because it fits the character of the game and typically isn't something I care to work out myself. There's so much exploration and discovery in the game to satisfy me anyway. The one assistance I especially like are the reminders of controls. I believe that's a tutorial setting to switch that off anyway.

I'm pleased to read more people loving the game. I'm really done with the petty criticism. I'm not even taking it seriously anymore. Most of it is the usual internet rage machine doing its thing.

Thanks to InfamousOrange recommending Prime 3. One day I hope to play it. Nintendo will need to bring it to the Switch or Switch 2, of course.

I guess the haters got their wish! The epic tantrums from the preview over a computer character manifested into some ridiculous reviews of the full game and overall negative publicity. Metroid Prime 4 could never get a fair critique from people with grudges and, especially in this era, people too stubborn to moderate an initial opinion, much less admit that they were wrong and behaved like turnips. Criticism of back tracking, scanning, and even minor assistance, which are staple of the Prime series, showed an unhinged, if not deranged, mentality in approaching the game. For this site's credit, they got someone else to do the review while Digital Foundary approached it completely fresh. Both gave fair reviews as a consequence, even if I disagree with some aspects of their commentary.

I concur with so many comments that MP4 is an excellent game. I'm loving every bit of it and it is exactly the game I wanted. My last experience was Prime 2 on the Game Cube (I boycotted the Wii and WU era), so I was craving the same formula with a few little additions, of course! I didn't want some open world monstrosity or a weird experiment. Save that for the next game or even a new line in the series.

Edit:
Oh, yeah. People whinging about music locked behind an amiibo or completing the game is more lunacy. We're talking music in the desert area, not entire sections of the game missing! I own the amiibo and haven't scanned it. There's actually a blissful wisp of eeriness to the desert area that I really like. Reactions like this are endemic of people never interested in the game. I refuse to accept any legitimate Metroid fan, who waited 8 years for MP4, really says, "Damn it. I'm boycotting it because an eerie desert environment is the end of the world in video game history. If I can't get music there, F the 99% remainder of the game!"

Yes, Nintendo's lack of promotion hasn't helped. Everything about MP4's release seems like an afterthought. Perhaps they saw all the negativity and saw general interest was low, so gave up. I maintain the release timing was wrong. As a Switch game at heart, MP4 should have been released in early 2025 where there was a dearth of games about and be the Switch's major swansong title. December 2025, with so much more competition around and higher expectations for Switch 2 games, it's all a bit lost. Sad.

@OnlyManWhoCan I love your comment!
Especially this: "Genuinely feel that all the journalists who threw their toys out of the pram about Miles should feel ashamed of themselves."
🤣🤣🤣

The problem these days is people are stuck in binary thought and completely intransigent. That includes the media. They could never give the full game an honest and fair critique and conclude they were wrong. I even take umbrage that even if the preview felt terrible, to at least consider it as potentially a minor part of the game, not symbolic or the entire game, and moderate your reaction. At least this site used a separate person for the review from that who did the hyper ridiculous preview. IGN used the same degenerate, and while they scored it 8 (allegedly meaning "great"), it was littered with petty complaints that were clearly residual bad taste from the preview. Digital Foundary did the fairest review after approaching it with no preconceptions.

Definitely, Myles is fine. The meltdowns from the preview were absurd. Unfortunately, they tarnished any chance of Metroid Prime 4 getting a fair review at most places. People were bitter and held grudges, and for what? A bit of annoying chatter to begin with, a very short game section of fighting aliens with him, and then he does the job of the odd helpful hint that previous Prime games did. In fact, I recall their radio alerts pointing you to specific points on the map. The assistance in MP4 seems less. Once I even asked Myles for help and he had nothing. As to the open world, hell no. I wanted a traditional Metroid Prime with a few novel additions. Nintendo delivered. The open world experiment can wait for the next game.

Edit:
Learning about the Federation Force, as per the comment above, has been fascinating. Do you want to know more? I do! We live in this delusion that Samus is some autonomous being constantly on personal missions. No, she's part of something bigger and I want to know more about her context in the Metroid universe, especially in the Federation Force.

Much better to cover the full year! Looking forward to seeing mine again.

I enjoy viewing my wish list during sales and see the games I added as far back as 2017 and admiring my resilience in waiting for that damn, hefty discount! One such game was Double Dragon 4. After 5 years, finally it was 50% off. I jumped and played it to the end over and over. A game that was easily worth the wait and an excellent addition to the series.

Just over the Christmas period, I finally got Horizon Chase 2 for 50% off. Apparently I missed a couple of prior times it was on sale, so I was rapt to finally get it. The original (Horizon Chase Turbo) is one of my favourite racers ever.

I'm not familiar with any Metroid time line. There's no real obvious distinction within the games, and I simply presumed the Prime series was wholly contained either before or after the main series. Anyway, back to the game! I'm loving every bit of it.

Mario Kart World still is the pinnacle of fun and chaos for me. No other game puts you through insane levels of excitement and humiliation, and often multiple times through one race. The Knockout Mode takes that formula to a new level. Kirby Air Riders is fun. It's just a different sort of fun. Sonic Cross Worlds is best of the three for single player racing. Multi player falls short.

I remain perplexed about some of the reaction towards MKW. At its base, it delivers everything from previous games, notably 32 circuits and the usual race modes. Some of these tracks are the best ever. Then it adds a brand new racing mode for the first time ever (Knockout Mode), 24 racers, the new railing mechanic, the connected sections (even if they are too long, at least they tried something new), and Free Roam as a bonus. Perhaps the simple answer is people are bored of Mario Kart! I was actually bored of the series many years ago due to the paltry challenge and limited options for single players. For multi player shenanigans, it's the first port of call.

I put MKW as my second favourite Nintendo game of the year. Metroid Prime 4 is my favourite. Before I cop "hate", for me, it's authentic Metroid Prime. The meltdown over the computer characters I don't see as rational. There's so much in MP4 to love, that if you don't, perhaps you're bored of that formula too. I'm not. I'm lapping it up. For third place, pobably DK Bonanza, just ahead of Kirby Air Riders.

Kirby Air Riders beat DK Bonanza? That's a huge shock given the fawning publicity, including 10/10 reviews from some sites, by so much of the media. Perhaps Japan was a little different anyway. Not to suck up, the NL review got the balance right with a 9, while I found it somewhat repetitive and would score it 8. Kirby got 8, which would be my score too.

As to comments about no Metroid Prime 4 anywhere near the top, Japan has never been strong for Metroid. Beyond Japan, the media hit job on MP4 about the computer characters won't see strong sales anywhere. The bias and animosity built from the preview could never see MP4 get a fair review. Again, NL was an exception, especially by choosing someone different to do the review. Others, notably IGN, used the same prat that had the initial meltdown, which manifested as you'd expect. IGN a petty 8; NL a fair 9.

Further problematic for MP4 was the horrible release timing. As a Switch game at heart, it should have been the swansong game for the Switch and released early this year, especially when there was nothing else around. For the Switch 2, in December, with higher expectations, and so many other games available, MP4 got lost. As a devotee of the Metroid series, I really hoped to see MP4 get a huge push in almost complete isolation, not released almost as an afterthought. So disappointing.