Metroid Prime 4 Cross Gen

Am I the only one that is a little disappointed that Metroid Prime 4 is a cross gen game? I know it's been promised for years, and Switch 1 owners have been waiting ages, but I wish they had just bit the bullet and upgraded it completely to a Switch 2 project. The game already looks freaking amazing, but I can't help but be a little disappointed that it isn't a pure Switch 2 game.
 
Not really, I think it's fair to Switch owners, many who would have purchased a Switch 1 with the promise of MP4 (remember it was announced in 2017) to still have a great version of the game.

Also I think it's better for the game overall. I imagine as an expensive Switch 2 exclusive this holiday up against Mario Kart and DK Bananza it would probably sell less than a million units. With the whole Switch 1 userbase it should be the best selling game in the Prime series.
 
If anything, I don't get why Yoshi and the Mysterious Book isn't cross-gen.
I think it has something to do with how long MP4 was in development, and it's Nintendo doing right by the switch owners. Not because it's the right thing to do, but for sales. Metroid isn't the money maker like other series, so having it on both gens makes sense.
 
Twilight Princess, Breath of the Wild... Nintendo has been doing it for almost twenty years now.
 
Last edited:
I'm gonna be honest, I've never understood the vitriol around cross gen games. It is what it is, there's no evidence it would be "something more" if it was a Switch 2 exclusive.

By that logic, we should wish all games be PC exclusive and only run on 5090s so that consoles won't hold back the game.
 
Metroid is not nearly as popular a franchise, it needs as much install base as it can get to be successful. That means cross-gen. We'll know in a couple weeks, but from what we've seen so far I'm not concerned.
 
I love amazing graphics and new tech but I've conditioned myself to not have any graphical expectations with Nintendo since the Wii.

I've been much happier once I accepted it. I look forward to gameplay and art styles instead.

60 fps is a nice bonus at this point with anything Nintendo.
 
Am I the only one that is a little disappointed that Metroid Prime 4 is a cross gen game? I know it's been promised for years, and Switch 1 owners have been waiting ages, but I wish they had just bit the bullet and upgraded it completely to a Switch 2 project. The game already looks freaking amazing, but I can't help but be a little disappointed that it isn't a pure Switch 2 game.
no because it was always a Switch 1 game.
 
Every single major Switch 2 release so far started as a Switch 1 game. This one just happens to release on both.

I don't think we'll see a game made from the ground up for Switch 2 in quite a while.
 
I'm gonna be honest, I've never understood the vitriol around cross gen games. It is what it is, there's no evidence it would be "something more" if it was a Switch 2 exclusive.

By that logic, we should wish all games be PC exclusive and only run on 5090s so that consoles won't hold back the game.
I'm not to the level of vitriol, just somewhat disappointed. Look, if they had started about half-way through and re-designed it purely for the specs of the Switch 2, I think we would have a level of design and graphics that would take our breath away (similar to how Prime originally hit...). Or perhaps, we won't be as wowed, because there are obviously much more powerful systems out there.
 
Every single major Switch 2 release so far started as a Switch 1 game. This one just happens to release on both.

I don't think we'll see a game made from the ground up for Switch 2 in quite a while.
The next big Zelda with a completely new style or back to the Wii U tech demo style made fully only the Switch 2 would look absolutely amazing.

Metroid Prime 5: Sylux's Revenge on the Switch 2 only would also be amazing.
 
It has a high frame rate mode so no.

Graphics just does have that wow factor for me anymore since it usually comes with poor frame rates and noisy image quality. I rather have a solid frame rate and clean graphics every time.
 
Every single major Switch 2 release so far started as a Switch 1 game. This one just happens to release on both.

I don't think we'll see a game made from the ground up for Switch 2 in quite a while.

that's basically every launch period game ever.
it's very rare that a game actually starts out as a next gen game only. it's almost always a game that began development for one console, and then was shifted to the next.

Metroid Prime 1 was an N64 game originally...
Ryse was an Xbox 360 kinect game...
Perfect Dark Zero was a GameCube game, then an Xbox game, and finally a 360 launch title, and
Kameo went through the same journey basically.
 
It's disappointing somewhat, but it is what it is. The game still looks good graphically, IMO.

Let's just hope that 4 is a banger and that 5 comes within this generation as a Switch 2 native title. I really want to see how much better it can look not fundamentally limited by the antique specs of the Switch 1.
 
that's basically every launch period game ever.
Yeah.
But Switch 2 is an unique case as it's the first console launch I see where most 1st games are just blatantly prior gen games running at higher framerates and resolutions.

There's no definitive game at launch that shows a definitive generational leap like Luigi's Mansion, Rogue Squadron, Pikmin 4... All those game you listed started in prior plaforms but they would not run straight up on them just by cutting framerate and resolution in half.

That's what Mario Kart World, DK Bananza, Hyrule Warriors AoI, and Kirby are. Switch 1 games with power overthead.

The rest of the Switch 2 games like Pokemon or Metroid come out on both. An then there's the Swicth 2 editions of old games that further drive this point home.
 
Honestly i couldnt care less. It runs better on the switch 2 and thats what matters to me.

The game's been in development hell for nearly a decade, being cross-gen was all but guaranteed even before the switch 2 launched
 
Yeah.
But Switch 2 is an unique case as it's the first console launch I see where most 1st games are just blatantly prior gen games running at higher framerates and resolutions.

There's no definitive game at launch that shows a definitive generational leap like Luigi's Mansion, Rogue Squadron, Pikmin 4... All those game you listed started in prior plaforms but they would not run straight up on them just by cutting framerate and resolution in half.

That's what Mario Kart World, DK Bananza, Hyrule Warriors AoI, and Kirby are. Switch 1 games with power overthead.

The rest of the Switch 2 games like Pokemon or Metroid come out on both. An then there's the Swicth 2 editions of old games that further drive this point home.

uh, Pikmin 4 absolutely would run on Wii U. the Switch was not really a generational jump over the Wii U.
it has around a 2X GPU power increase, which is essentially nothing. enough to bring Wii U quality games up to 1080p sometimes... or 900p... but that's about it.
 
uh, Pikmin 4 absolutely would run on Wii U. the Switch was not really a generational jump over the Wii U.
it has around a 2X GPU power increase, which is essentially nothing. enough to bring Wii U quality games up to 1080p sometimes... or 900p... but that's about it.
I meant Pikmin 3, sorry. Talking about launch games.
 
Nintendo is a fucking trash company but they promised it for Switch 1 and we're getting it on that, so at least they are keeping their promise with it.

I'll be playing it on that, because I sure as shit am not purchasing a Switch 2 any time soon.
 
It's Retro Studios, you are lucky it's not a Wii U exclusive.
ljQbYdKO2FxQ2XiR.gif

Fuck does thst mean?
 
Obviously not serious about the Wii U. But Retro Studios takes forever to finish anything. I knew when they decided to make a Switch 2 version, it was going to be while before it came out. It's a big ask for them. Keep in mind the game has been in the works since 2019 (even longer with Bandai), and was intended as a Switch game from the start.
 
Nintendo is a fucking trash company but they promised it for Switch 1 and we're getting it on that, so at least they are keeping their promise with it.

I'll be playing it on that, because I sure as shit am not purchasing a Switch 2 any time soon.
I think they're the best really. I must have put in hundreds of hours with The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, Duck Hunt, Metroid, Super Metroid, Advance Wars, F-Zero GX, RE4 (when it was exclusive), etc.... Then had kids and played New Super Mario Brothers, Nintendo Land, etc. with them.

Gave me more memories than all the other game companies combined (well with the exception of Sega).
 
Last edited:
Am I the only one that is a little disappointed that Metroid Prime 4 is a cross gen game? I know it's been promised for years, and Switch 1 owners have been waiting ages, but I wish they had just bit the bullet and upgraded it completely to a Switch 2 project. The game already looks freaking amazing, but I can't help but be a little disappointed that it isn't a pure Switch 2 game.
I am so disappointed too, the game is falling short of my expectations, but then again, Switch 2 is not that powerful, i have not seen anything really impressive on the machine. After this I am ready to sell it.
 
I'm happy it's cross gen. The switch 1 install base should help with sales, and good sales will mean we won't have to wait 18 years for a sequel again.
…sounds logical but …

The Switch showed games basically do not need any previous install base at all to sell at record levels.
 
I'm gonna be honest, I've never understood the vitriol around cross gen games. It is what it is, there's no evidence it would be "something more" if it was a Switch 2 exclusive.
This is correct, Nintendo only invest the bare minimum to produce games, Even if Retro would like to create a game with a higher budget and state of the art tech, this wouldn't be allowed by NCL, that is why we get the subpar games from Nintendo. They are so behind in game creation that is scary and sad.
 
I am so disappointed too, the game is falling short of my expectations, but then again, Switch 2 is not that powerful, i have not seen anything really impressive on the machine. After this I am ready to sell it.
I don't know, Cyberpunk looks outstanding. I can see the Switch 2 with an absolutely gorgeous Zelda game in three years.
 
I think it has something to do with how long MP4 was in development, and it's Nintendo doing right by the switch owners. Not because it's the right thing to do, but for sales. Metroid isn't the money maker like other series, so having it on both gens makes sense.
That's exactly what I think about Yoshi and the Mysterious Book as well, though. It's especially odd since Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream and Rhythm Heaven Groove are releasing on Switch 1 just fine.
 
I don't know, Cyberpunk looks outstanding. I can see the Switch 2 with an absolutely gorgeous Zelda game in three years.
are you talking about art direction or high fidelity ?

cause Nintendo usually don't go for high fidelity so, your chances to see a absolutely gorgeous Zelda game in three years are really really high, but i would expect nothing on the high fidelity department.
 
Last edited:
are you talking about art direction or high fidelity ?

cause Nintendo usually don't go for high fidelity so, your chances to see a absolutely gorgeous Zelda game in three years are really really high, but i would expect nothing on the high fidelity department.
Fidelity, Nintendo's art design is always pretty great. But they and Retro are pretty good at squeezing out nice performance and fidelity from their hardware. To me BOTW is freaking magic on the Wii-U
 
Last edited:
Twilight Princess, Breath of the Wild... Nintendo has been doing it for almost twenty years now.
Twilight princess made great use of GameCubes resources, and having played breath of the wild on the Wii U, and TOTK on the switch Nintendo has every right to release newer games on older consoles, the thought that the games will be better isn't always true
 
I don't disagree, but it's been in development for Switch (1) specifically way too long for any major things to change. The only difference would be that the version we're seeing now would only be available on Switch 2.

The limitations of the Switch (1) in terms of scope etc. would still be here either way.
 
I don't know about you, but my main concern with Nintendo games is the art design and gameplay. If your chasing performance and pushing hardware, your backing the wrong developer.

Part of me is just fucking thankful we are finally getting Metroid 4 after all the delay's and reboots. I am sure it's going to better than most sludge out there, Switch 1 or 2.

Other developers would most likely have shelved the project. Also isn't the Switch 1 user base close to 150M? Why would you give that up.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom