{"id":135625,"date":"2026-01-11T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-11T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/#article-196012"},"modified":"2026-01-11T16:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-11T16:00:00","slug":"opinion-metroid-prime-4-does-this-one-thing-better-than-any-other-nintendo-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2026\/01\/11\/opinion-metroid-prime-4-does-this-one-thing-better-than-any-other-nintendo-game\/","title":{"rendered":"Opinion: Metroid Prime 4 Does This One Thing Better Than Any Other Nintendo Game"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"media_block\"><a href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/d62809ea0d92c\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/d62809ea0d92c\/small.jpg\" class=\"media_thumbnail\"><\/a><\/div>\n<figure class=\"picture\" data-uuid=\"d62809ea0d92c\"><a class=\"scanlines\" title=\"Metroid Prime 4 Switch 2 and Box\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/d62809ea0d92c\/metroid-prime-4-switch-2-and-box.large.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/d62809ea0d92c\/metroid-prime-4-switch-2-and-box.900x.jpg\" width=\"900\" height=\"506\" alt=\"Metroid Prime 4 Switch 2 and Box\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption\"><em class=\"credit\"><span class><\/span> Image: Jim Norman \/ Nintendo Life<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The long-awaited <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch-2\/metroid-prime-4-beyond-nintendo-switch-2-edition\">Metroid Prime 4: Beyond<\/a> finally released in December, and well, not everyone is happy with it.<\/p>\n<p>The game\u2019s focus on NPCs and a literal desert of an open world did not resonate with gamers as well as Retro Studios had hoped. I hate to admit it, but I agree with the loud people on the internet. None of the people complaining about the dialogue better be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/xenoblade_chronicles_definitive_edition\">Xenoblade<\/a> fans, though. I\u2019d rather listen to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/features\/poll-so-now-the-dust-has-settled-how-did-you-find-myles-mackenzie\">Myles MacKenzie\u2019s unprompted advice<\/a> than the childish blathering of the Nopon or inane technobabble that makes <strong>Star Trek<\/strong>\u2019s sound like Shakespeare.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s not what I\u2019m writing about today, however. I\u2019m going to explain what Prime 4 does better than any other Nintendo-developed game. This isn\u2019t about the game\u2019s gorgeous visuals or silky smooth frame rate; it\u2019s about its accessibility features.<\/p>\n<p>If any of you can remember <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/features\/soapbox-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-straight-up-fails-in-just-one-respect-accessibility\">my piece about<\/a> <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/features\/soapbox-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-straight-up-fails-in-just-one-respect-accessibility\">Tears of the Kingdom<\/a><\/strong>, I\u2019m paralysed from about the chest down with no finger movement. It\u2019s obviously not ideal for gaming, but I\u2019ve played thousands and thousands of hours worth of games across multiple genres without any adaptive equipment. Except for one genre, first-person shooters.<\/p>\n<p><!-- cache: html:nintendolife.com\/ssl\/metroid\/related-articles:149509 @ 1768214553 --><\/p>\n<aside class=\"block object-related\"> <\/aside>\n<p>The Prime games are different than standard action-focused FPSs and instead focus on exploring. They also feature a lock-on similar to the Zelda series. I would have never even attempted playing Prime 4 if not for that. The controls would still need to be remapped in my Switch 2\u2019s system settings so I could tap the shooting and jump buttons while still holding the lock-on, though.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"picture\" data-uuid=\"6be3a2a9f0a22\"><a class=\"scanlines\" title=\"Switch 2 Pro Controller\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/6be3a2a9f0a22\/switch-2-pro-controller.large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/6be3a2a9f0a22\/switch-2-pro-controller.900x.jpg\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Switch 2 Pro Controller\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption\"><em class=\"credit\"><span class><\/span> Image: Zion Grassl \/ Nintendo Life<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I began hatching my plan of attack while downloading my brother\u2019s digital game card onto my system. What I came up with was moving the lock-on to &#8216;A&#8217; so I could jump with &#8216;B&#8217; and shoot the power beam and missiles with &#8216;X&#8217; and &#8216;Y&#8217;, respectively.<\/p>\n<p>I didn\u2019t have to do that, though. Did I magically regain movement I have been without for over 15 years? No, something even more unlikely happened: a Nintendo-developed game had in-game remapping.<\/p>\n<p>It might not sound like much, but the difference between changing remaps at the system level and doing it in-game is huge. This meant I didn\u2019t have to delete one of my saved layouts (you only get five per controller) or deal with button prompts that contradicted my remaps. I can\u2019t tell you how many times I failed taming horses in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/legend_of_zelda_breath_of_the_wild\">BOTW<\/a> and TOTK because of the button prompt tricking me into pressing &#8216;L&#8217; when I remapped that input to &#8216;ZL&#8217;.<\/p>\n<p>Prime 4 also separates control schemes for the morph ball and Vi-O-La, so they could be remapped independently. That\u2019s another thing that doesn\u2019t sound like a big deal but actually is. Imagine how annoying it would be having to change the controls every time Samus morph-balled or jumped on her motorcycle. Even thinking about that is giving me a migraine.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gallery\"><figcaption class=\"caption\"><em class=\"credit\"><span class><\/span> Images: Hilliard Hendrix<\/em><\/figcaption><\/aside>\n<p>So after remapping everything to my liking and some trial and error with the camera and reticle controls (I settled on dual stick plus gyro), I set off for adventure. I swallowed my pride and played on casual mode which did some heavy lifting while I built up my energy tank collection. My progress took off after the initial struggles and I cleared the game right under 16 hours. I probably would have beaten it an hour quicker if Myles had just told me where Tokabi was in the desert. The one time I wanted some direction on where to go and I got nothing. What a dork.<\/p>\n<p>A thought occurred to me while watching the credits: Do I think Prime 4\u2019s inclusion of in-game remapping will lead to it being in other Nintendo-developed games? It wasn\u2019t in Prime Remastered, so they must be rethinking the matter. Right?<\/p>\n<p>The answer is obviously no. This was just Retro Studios acting on its own. No other game developed by any other Nintendo-owned studio will have it during the Switch 2\u2019s lifetime. You might think that\u2019s a pretty bold statement but high-ranking Nintendo officials have made it clear they aren\u2019t going to do it. Read this back and forth from <a href=\"https:\/\/kotaku.com\/breath-of-the-wild-is-getting-a-sequel-because-the-team-1835624233\">Jason Schreier\u2019s interview<\/a> with the master of the Zelda franchise, Eiji Aonuma, from 2019:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong>Aonuma:<\/strong> When we have a button arrangement, we very much put thought into how we do it, because there\u2019s a specific way we want players to feel. In some ways, if we freely let players do customizations on key assignments and such, I feel like we\u2019re letting go of our responsibility as a developer by just kind of handing everything over to the users. We have something in mind for everybody when we play the game, so that\u2019s what we hope players experience and enjoy as well. But we understand also that players have a desire for free customization.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Schreier:<\/strong> Also, physically disabled players might not be able to play the way developers intended.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Aonuma:<\/strong> Definitely, that\u2019s a very good point, and that\u2019s something we\u2019ll keep in mind going forward, thinking about that.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>So Aonuma-san thought about it and then decided to not include a remapping option in the two Zeldas released after this interview, Tears of the Kingdom and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/legend_of_zelda_echoes_of_wisdom\">Echoes of Wisdom<\/a>. He didn\u2019t even allow it in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/hyrule_warriors_age_of_calamity\">Age of Calamity<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch-2\/hyrule-warriors-age-of-imprisonment\">Age of Imprisonment<\/a>! The lack of it in Age of Imprisonment is incredibly damning, as you can remap the controls in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch\/fire_emblem_warriors_three_hopes\">Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes<\/a>, which was built in the exact same engine (Koei Tecmo\u2019s Katana Engine) three years prior.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"gallery\">\n<div class=\"cols cols-2\">\n<div class=\"col col-1 col-width-50\"><a title=\"TOTK\" class=\"scanlines\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/5910eed583fcd\/totk.large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/5910eed583fcd\/totk.445x250.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"250\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"TOTK\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"col col-1 col-width-50\"><a title=\"Echoes of Wisdom\" class=\"scanlines scanlines\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/a5837f3d760ff\/echoes-of-wisdom.large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/a5837f3d760ff\/echoes-of-wisdom.445x250.jpg\" width=\"445\" height=\"250\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Echoes of Wisdom\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"caption\"><em class=\"credit\"><span class><\/span> Images: Nintendo, Nintendo Life<\/em><\/figcaption><\/aside>\n<p>Aonuma-san has since been promoted from Deputy Manager to Senior Officer at Nintendo EPD (home of Nintendo\u2019s software development groups), which means his belief that developers shouldn\u2019t allow players to remap their controls in-game is likely echoed throughout every team there. Metroid Prime 4\u2019s development was only \u201coverseen\u201d by Production Group 6, which perhaps explains why Retro was able to get away with it.<\/p>\n<p>Why Nintendo\u2019s leadership is so weird about accessibility features when their peers do include them is beyond me. Sony and Microsoft wouldn\u2019t make games more accessible unless the effort to do so was profitable. You\u2019d think the company <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/features\/dont-let-nintendo-ruin-the-entire-industry-is-usd80-for-mario-kart-world-a-bridge-too-far\">leading the charge<\/a> on higher game prices would know that.<\/p>\n<p>This isn\u2019t about money for Nintendo, though; it apparently is one of its core design philosophies. Retro Studios\u2019 efforts in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond prove it\u2019s a dumb ideal. The team&#8217;s inclusion of incredibly basic accessibility features in Prime 4 did not negatively affect the gameplay at all. It was no different than any other Prime game in that regard. The actual mistakes Retro made were the momentum-killing open world, straight-as-an-arrow level design, and bad writing. None of those were related to making the game more accessible, plus, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2025\/12\/nintendo-suggests-metroid-prime-4s-tortured-development-meant-it-was-divorced-from-the-changing-of-times\">according to a recent Famitsu interview<\/a>, the open-world idea might have been forced on Retro.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"picture\" data-uuid=\"8b46fe00d63c3\"><a class=\"scanlines\" title=\"Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Accessibility\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/8b46fe00d63c3\/metroid-prime-4-beyond-accessibility.large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/8b46fe00d63c3\/metroid-prime-4-beyond-accessibility.900x.jpg\" width=\"900\" height=\"506\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Accessibility\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption\"><em class=\"credit\"><span class><\/span> Image: Hilliard Hendrix<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It makes me almost sad that the most accessible Nintendo game I\u2019ve played ended up being disappointing. A real monkeypaw situation for your boy. On top of that, Retro\u2019s next original game may not release this decade based on how long it took to ship Prime 4. We aren\u2019t going to see another Nintendo game with worthwhile accessibility features until then.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s not going to keep me from buying nearly everything Nintendo puts out, because it\u2019s had its hooks in me since I was a little kid, but its choice to be this way gets more frustrating by the day.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><!-- cache: html:nintendolife.com\/ssl\/metroid\/related-articles:195727,195790,194214 @ 1768212796 --><\/p>\n<aside class=\"block object-related\"> <\/aside>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Image: Jim Norman \/ Nintendo Life The long-awaited Metroid Prime 4: Beyond finally released in December, and well, not everyone is happy with it. The game\u2019s focus on NPCs and a literal desert of an open world did not resonate with gamers as well as Retro Studios had hoped. I hate to admit it, but [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-135625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nintendo-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135625"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135625\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=135625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=135625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}