Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Switch 2 demo draws mixed reactions as game still lacks exact release date

Even without Metroid Prime 4: Beyond release date clarification, Nintendo continues to showcase the Switch 2 game. Gamescom 2025 is the latest opportunity to experience the Retro Studios project. However, some testers are leaving the demo booth less than impressed. Krysta from the Kit & Krysta podcast found the mouse mode awkward while sharing concerns about the scarcity of updates.

Former Nintendo PR Manager Krysta Yang found using the Joy-Cons as mice to be uncomfortable. Especially for gamers with small hands, reaching for the controller’s buttons while it's gliding on a surface is a struggle. Although the Switch 2 mouse mode enables precise aiming in Metroid Prime 4, it may also have drawbacks.

The Gamescom demo booth also offered a large tracking area, which isn’t practical in many living rooms. Still, one recent Fan Expo Canada attendee found the controls to be much more natural. Players aren’t forced to use mouse mode in the Switch 2 game, with the Switch version not even having the capability.

Yang had more issues with the upcoming Nintendo game than its controls. The podcaster explained how the demo fails to capture the loneliness of Samus, a common theme in the series. Chatty soldiers disturb any suspense while exploring. Also, while other players praise the game’s smooth visuals, Yang believes that the graphics look faded.

Nintendo is keeping many Metroid Prime 4 secrets

Kit Ellis is far more hopeful than his co-caster about the future of the game. Still, some fans wonder if a Metroid Prime 4 release date delay is still possible. As Yang points out, Nintendo has presented the same demo for several months. Since a March Nintendo Direct trailer, gamers haven’t seen many signs of progress.

Buyers can take comfort that the expected 2025 title has been recently ESRB-rated. Also, the Kirby Air Riders Direct proved that Nintendo can provide a complete overview of a game on short notice. Nevertheless, with Retro Studios perfecting Metroid Prime 4 since 2019, the developers move at their own pace.