Metroid Prime 4 Looks Like It Really Was Worth The 7-Year Wait In New Trailer

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At the June 2024 Nintendo Direct, has finally re-emerged seven years after its initial announcement. The long-awaited sequel to 2007's has had a notoriously rocky path to release, with development being entirely restarted in 2019 when the project returned to the original series developer, Retro Studios. The wait appears to have been worth it, though, as the trailer is a promising first glimpse of Samus' next mission.

The announcement trailer premiered at the Nintendo Direct on June 18, 2024, almost exactly seven years after it was first teased at E3 2017, promising a release window of 2025. The trailer sees Samus landing her iconic ship at a Galactic Federation Research Facility that appears to be under attack from Space Pirates.

The trailer showcases a bit of 's signature first-person gameplay, with lock-on combat and Samus' trusty scanner to provide details on creatures and the environment. A Morph Ball track makes an appearance right before the game's mysterious villain is teased, seemingly in control of a couple of Metroids. The final shot of the trailer teases the as yet unknown planet takes place on, with massive trees growing out of a dense jungle.

Although the announcement trailer is brief, it runs the gamut of the series' gameplay, perhaps to assuage fans worried about the long development cycle. It begins with a shot familiar to the series: Samus emerging from the top of her spaceship before jumping to the ground to begin this latest mission. The lock-on combat, Morph Ball segment, and scanner are all touchstones of gameplay, creating a trailer that isn't necessarily astounding, but sincerely comforting after radio silence for so many years.

The series has begun making something of a comeback, and appears poised for greater success on the Nintendo Switch 2, or whatever the new console happens to be called. was an incredible modernization of the series, and served as the even-longer-awaited sequel to 2002's. Samus' most recent outing was , however,