The World Databook – Localized

• by

At launch, we reported on the fact that Nintendo of Japan released an “official” instruction manual for Metroid Prime 4 Beyond and even allowed folks to download it as a pdf and even provided printing instructions for hobbyists who enjoy having full manuals in their Switch cases.

 

It wasn’t until a few weeks after Prime 4’s launch that Nintendo released an English version, but it was only viewable through their proprietary Nintendo Today App. Fortunately, we have compiled together the images from this localized version – BUT THAT’S NOT ALL! The Nintendo Today app version was strangely missing pages from the Japanese version – descriptive images of Prime 4’s control scheme. I have personally taken apart the Japanese version and created our own special localized version of those missing 6 images that describe the game’s controls:

 

You can view the fully compiled pdf file here:

Metroid Prime 4 The World Databook

Media, Website

0

Prime 4 Section Content

• by

I have added the entire unlockable art gallery from Prime 4. There are 140 items total in the game’s gallery, but 123 of those are static images and other 17 are FMV sequences. As of right now, we are choosing not to host the FMV – I’m sure you will be able to find them elsewhere.

Metroid Prime 4 Art Gallery

While all of them are top tier illustrations and definitely worth looking at, here’s a few of my favorite pics from this gallery:

 

 

I also uploaded the entire Metroid Prime 4 OST.

Metroid Prime 4 OST

Special shoutout to RezyMania for providing us with the files.

Please bear with us as we are still sorting out some (continuous) bugs on our site.

Media, Website

0

Famitsu Developer Interview

• by

UPDATE 12/29: Famitsu has published a web version of the interview below. It can be translated into English using a webbrowser like Chrome. https://www.famitsu.com/article/202512/60211

Yesterday, user Dinoman96 posted a new 4-page interview with key development staff members on Metroid Prime 4 in the latest Famitsu magazine. They provide great insight into the game’s rocky development history and might shed some light on why the game turned out the way it did.

There’s a lot of eye-opening content in that interview. I think one of the important takes to understand is when the game was started, open world games were all the rage, and by the time it released, “gamers’ tastes had changed,” and they weren’t about start development over yet again. They had to stick to the plan and run with it.

You can read the (AI translated) version of it here: https://famiboards.com/threads/new-famitsu-interview-with-nintendo-staff-regarding-metroid-prime-4-beyond-its-development-history-origins-its-placement-within-the-timeline-etc.16091/

Here’s the original scans:

Or, you can watch this great video by Nintendo Forecast breaking it all down:

I’ll say one last thing about this:
We will likely never hear what happened behind the scenes at Retro Studios during the game’s seemingly tumultuous development cycle. There will be tons of speculation, sure, but in the end, they did the best they could in the time they were given with their resources. They were unable to change the original design. They had to work with what they were given. Tanabe, et al. had to see it through to the very end. People also like to mention that Prime Remastered was in simultaneous development as Prime 4, and while that may be true, the game was outsourced/subcontracted to 9 other studios working on various tasks and asset development, so no, the game was not created entirely in-house by Retro, and neither was Prime 4.

Media, Metroid News, YouTube

0

Metroid Prime 4 Beyond Review

• by

As everyone was scrambling to insert their own reviews and opinions of this game online, I chose to take my time with Metroid Prime 4 Beyond, the latest entry of the 1st (and sometimes 3rd) person adventure game series by Nintendo and their subsidiary, Retro Studios. I beat the game twice, and looking back now I feel I am confident enough to give my thoughts on it.

Here’s my review of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.

As a whole, Beyond  seems to make longtime fans of the series (like myself) take a backseat, and caters to new gamers, and also those who may not have enjoyed first person games in the past.

 

This may be a difficult pill to swallow, but Prime 4 isn’t simply a game that was released in 2025, it’s a late teens/2020 game that restarted development, was delayed and eventually came into existence after 5-7 years. Back in 2012/13, maybe Retro should have made one less Donkey Kong Returns title and immediately re-focused their efforts on Prime 4. If Nintendo was currently developing the Switch hardware during that period, they could have allowed Retro to work on it and eventually showcase its power with a new Prime title. Maybe that was originally Nintendo’s intent. But by now, that intent is long gone because they waited, and they delayed, and they focused on porting the game to the new console, and along the way lost their vision on why the Prime series is so beloved.

 

Nintendo lost their chance to show off what could be done on Switch 1 during its heyday. The Switch 1 era ended at least a year ago. Nowadays, no one really cares about the Switch 1’s potential. We’ve all moved on. The game’s now-antiquated design sensibilities doesn’t absolve it of many of its sins, but further, it seems the internet-using gamer public forgets that it is a Switch 1 game, and does that often, because they are unrelentingly abrasive, sometimes trollish in their criticism of this game. Some of it may be deserved, and some of it may not. At the end of the day, for better or for worse, Nintendo released yet another Metroid game that is quite polarizing among the fans.

Reviews, Website

0

MP4B Unused Dialogue

• by

User “Bearborg,” also known for his contributions to Wikitroid, has uncovered nearly 33 minutes of unused GFed trooper dialogue found in Prime 4.

A lot of the exchanges are quite hilarious, so definitely worth checking them out in the timestamped link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXkXBIabO04&t=458s

Or watch them all below:

Media, Metroid News, YouTube

0

MP4B OST Full Rip

• by

UPDATE: We were able to get in touch with RezyMania and we now host all the files right here on our site!

Get ’em here.

As what should be a surprise to no one, the full OST of Prime 4 has been ripped and put on YouTube by the channel “RezyMania.” Full disclosure: I haven’t checked whether *ALL* the tracks heard in the game are there, but I will assume at this point that it’s at least 99% of them.

 

I will warn you: THERE ARE SPOILERS in the thumbnail artwork. So listen at your own risk!

 

Go to the playlist here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLltD0VqVxLyOPiac5XqTe-_2dKUdEO4By

Community, Media, YouTube

0

New Free Fan-Comic: Metroid Hero Mission

• by

In all the hubub regarding Prime 4, I forgot to share this new free Metroid fancomic that released on December First!

You can access the comic by clicking on the image below OR head on over to Omar’s website and scrolling down a bit here: https://theforcemedia.com/

Press release:

In the grand SciFi tradition of ALIEN, follow intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran from Nintendo’s METROID franchise with one-shot-comic adventure from writer Omar Morales and artist Mau Mora. It drops for all to read on December 1st at TheForceMedia.com, just in time for the release of the highly anticipated game, Metroid Prime 4 on Nintendo Switch systems. This project marks the third and final story in a trilogy of Metroid fan fictions by Morales and Mora, two hard-core fans of the beloved video game franchise. The characters and situations in this story are the trademark and copyright of Nintendo Co., Ltd. of Koyoto, Japan.

 

You can also read their other works here:

Fan Stuff

0

Prime 4 Goods

• by

Got it.

After a long 18 years, we finally have our hands on Metroid Prime 4. I am super excited and will be playing it non stop over the next few days.

Due to the launch Nintendo worldwide has pushed a literal fuckton of new merchandise out and made tons of announcements. Let’s get started.

Nintendo Switch Online profile icons

Starting yesterday, you can now purchase new Prime 4 profile icons. They are 10 Platinum points each. Yes, you need a NSO subscription (or be on a Family Plan) to access these. There are currently 6 new ones available, along with new backgrounds and frames, but that’s not all! After December 10th, they will launch Wave 2 of these with 6 more new icons. There are 4 Waves planned, so make sure you’re farming those Platinum points to collect ’em all!

See the schedule in the image below. 

Official Nintendo Merchandise

Yesterday also unveiled an incredible swath of new Metroid-themed merchandise for fans. Currently (and incredibly aggravatingly) this merchandise is exclusive to Japan and Europe, with no announcement for being released in America. Fingers and toes are crossed for this to change.

 

For you lucky Europeans, here is a link to the UK Pop-up store, but you can change countries in the upper right corner.

Metroid Arm Cannon Cushion

Metroid Ice Cube mold

Metroid Drinking Glass Set

Infant-Metroid Keyring

Metroid Gadget Organiser Case

Metroid Morph Ball Pouch

Metroid Prime 4 Beyond Pin

Samus Aran by Chogokin

Chogokin is a Japanese brand owned by Bandai Namco and is part of their “Bandai Spirits” department. The name is derived from a fictitious material which first appeared in the Mazinger Z manga and anime and is the name of a line of die-cast metal robot and character toys sold in Japan. The figurine manufacturer announced their new absolutely gorgeous, fully poseable, 8.3″ Prime 4-style Samus Aran figurine. The figurine comes with a weighty pricetag – Â¥30,800 which equates to ~$200, but over in the states they are selling it for $290.00 (must be due to tariffs). To note, she is made out of diecast metal, comes with a posing stand, and 7 different left hand poses.

If you live in Japan, you can preorder it here. Americans can actually get their hands on this, preorder here through the IGN store.

Display at select retail locations in Japan:

Japanese Instruction Manual

Japan is once again showing they care about pushing Metroid by releasing an official Instruction Manual dubbed the Metroid Prime 4 Beyond The World Databook.

They even released a printable version where you can fold it up like an accordion and place it in your Switch case.

Yes, it’s 100% in Japanese, but we may be translating it into English if Nintendo doesn’t release an officially localized version. Stay tuned for that.

 

That’s it, happy Prime 4 day everyone and enjoy exploring Planet Viewros. See You Next Mission!

Merch, Metroid News

0
Archive...
MENU