Metacritic has just put every Metroid entry in its database under the microscope — and the results remind you how scattered, cherished and occasionally baffling this franchise has been for nearly four decades.
After years of whispers and an 18-year gap in the Prime line, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond finally arrived in 2025. To mark the release, the aggregator rounded up scores for the series (from remasters to spinoffs) and produced a snapshot of critical consensus that’s equal parts predictable and telling.
The numbers that matter
The metascore list (critics only) places the GameCube original Metroid Prime at the peak with a 97 — followed by Metroid Prime Remastered (94), Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (92) and Metroid Fusion (92). Here are the headline entries that Metacritic is showing right now:
- Metroid Prime (GameCube) — 97
- Metroid Prime Remastered (Switch) — 94
- Metroid Prime 2: Echoes — 92
- Metroid Fusion (GBA) — 92
- Metroid Prime 3: Corruption — 90
- Metroid: Zero Mission — 89
- Metroid Dread — 88
- Metroid Prime Hunters — 85
- Metroid: Samus Returns — 85
- Metroid Prime 4: Beyond (Switch 2 edition) — 80
- Metroid: Other M — 79
- Metroid Prime Pinball — 79
- Metroid Prime: Federation Force — 64
Worth noting: several foundational titles — notably the original Metroid (NES, 1986), Metroid II: Return of Samus (Game Boy, 1991) and Super Metroid (SNES, 1994) — don’t appear in Metacritic’s list because they predate the site’s tracking window. That absence skews the aggregate view a bit; Super Metroid, for example, still sits near the top of most retrospective “best of” lists even if it lacks a metascore on Metacritic.
What critics are saying about Prime 4 — and why opinions split
Across features and reviews (from outlets that dug into the game), a consistent picture emerges: Metroid Prime 4 is rarely boring and often gorgeous, but it’s not the canon-rewriting return some hoped for. Praise centers on an exceptionally realized world — Retro Studios leaned into lush visuals and ambitious biome design — and the Switch 2 edition’s technical polish. That aligns with the Metacritic placement: good, not untouchable.
Criticisms crop up in predictable places. Several writers said Prime 4 swings between excellent dungeon-like set pieces and emptier open-world hubs that feel underpopulated. The game’s narrative and use of returning elements — Sylux in particular — left some reviewers wanting: a teased villain with big franchise implications gets relatively little payoff, which left story beats feeling either dangling or inconsequential. Those mixed strengths are why many outlets rank Prime 4 below the original Prime trilogy and Super Metroid in their lists.
Different outlets come to similar conclusions using different language. Some praise Corruption and Echoes for refining Prime’s design; others still place Super Metroid and the first Metroid Prime as the series’ high-water marks. If you want a quick taste of the build-up to Prime 4’s release, Retro’s trailers — the hype cycle included the 'Survive' trailer that reignited interest — did a lot of the heavy lifting in reminding the audience what was at stake (and you can revisit the trailer coverage for a sense of that momentum) Survive trailer.
Rankings versus legacy: numbers don’t tell the whole story
Aggregate scores are useful as a snapshot: they tell you where critics landed at launch. But Metroid is a franchise where design choices age in strange ways. Super Metroid and the original Metroid Prime keep surfacing on top-10s because their level design and pacing have proven generational.
User-run lists and fan rankings often diverge from critic aggregates — for example, community polls will usually elevate Super Metroid even though it doesn’t have a Metacritic entry. And hardware matters: several reviews make the simple point that the Switch 2 edition of Prime 4 is the best way to play the latest Prime, a factor that also tracks with Nintendo’s broader platform momentum and renewed interest in the Switch 2 ecosystem Switch 2 sales surge.
So where does Prime 4 land in the series?
If you’re sorting Metroid titles by influence and near-universal acclaim, the original Metroid Prime and Super Metroid still claim top billing. If you’re grading on technical ambition or how current-gen hardware is utilized, Prime 4 is a noteworthy step forward: beautifully rendered locales, some standout bosses and moments of genuine exploration. Where it stumbles is in pacing, hub design, and an undercooked usage of a villain that many fans expected to be central.
That middle-ground placement — a solid, imperfect entry with high peaks and occasional troughs — is reflected in the Metacritic 80 for the Switch 2 edition. The score says it’s a worthwhile game that doesn’t dethrone the classics.
If you’re a completist or a newcomer wondering how to approach the series: start with Super Metroid and Metroid Prime to understand the DNA; play Dread and Samus Returns if you like modern 2D design; and try the Switch 2 edition of Prime 4 if you want the latest take on first-person Metroid exploration.
Where do you stand? Is Prime 4 a worthy heir to Retro’s early work, or a cautious step that leaves too much unresolved? Drop your pick and why — the debate over which Metroid rules is still one of the franchise’s best fan traditions.