Nintendo has announced Metroid Dread for the Nintendo Switch, which will become the first original 2D Metroid entry in roughly 19 years.
The new 2D side-scrolling shooter looks to feature some of the most popular features in the series, such as an arsenal of weapons, various boss encounters and Morph Ball platforming sections.
The new trailer also showed Samus using a stealth cloak to hide from seemingly indestructible enemies, emphasising that there will be lots of variety to the gameplay.
This looks to be a successor to the GameBoy Advance’s Metroid Fusion from 2002. This makes Metroid Dread the fifth instalment in the 2D series. Keep reading on for more information, and keep this page bookmarked for future updates.
Release date
Nintendo confirmed the new Switch title, Metroid Dread, will arrive as soon as 8th October 2021, which is only a few months away.
A new Metroid Amiibo was also announced to launch alongside Metroid Dread, although the feature it unlocks was not revealed.
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Trailer
Nintendo revealed a new trailer for Metroid Dread during the E3 2021 presentation. We’ve embedded the video below so you can watch for yourself.
The trailer showed Samus fighting against seemingly indestructible robotic enemies, forcing the protagonist to flee.
A lot of gameplay footage was also shown, with explosive combat, Morph Ball centric platforming and even some stealth levels.
Nintendo has been showing off even more gameplay footage over at the Treehouse event if you fancy seeing more.
The Trusted Take
Wow, that was a shock. While I’m still disappointed we haven’t got more details on the upcoming Metroid Prime 4, it’s great to see the franchise getting some attention with Metroid Dread.
This is the first 2D Metroid game in roughly 19 years, so to say this was a shock reveal would be an understatement. It looks like Nintendo is more confident there’s a market for 2D shooters compared to previous years, with the success of Metroid: Samus Returns likely contributing.
I’m really excited to see more of this game, but it’s not the big E3 surprise I was personally hoping to see at the Nintendo E3 event. Let’s hope it’s enough to keep Switch owners happy until Breath of the Wild 2 drops in 2022.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.