Should you play the previous games before Metroid Prime 4 Beyond?

Metroid Prime 4 Beyond stands on its own two feet. You don't need to play any of the older games to understand what's happening. Nintendo made this clear that Prime 4 starts a brand new story that doesn't require knowing anything about the previous three games. If you're new to the series, you can jump right in without feeling lost.

That said, there’s some value in knowing a bit of the series’ past, depending on what kind of experience you want.

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Metroid Prime 4 Beyond can be enjoyed as a standalone title

Nintendo has officially confirmed that Metroid Prime 4 Beyond begins a completely fresh narrative arc. This means you don't need to play the first three Prime games to jump in and understand what's happening. Phazon and Dark Samus, which were major parts of the original trilogy, aren't coming back.

The game is designed for both groups. New players get a fresh entry point. Old fans get a continuation of a series they love, with some references sprinkled in (Image via Nintendo)

This game goes in a completely different direction, which means veterans and newcomers are basically starting from the same place.

Nintendo wants everyone to be able to play this game. They're not gatekeeping it behind years of backstory or expecting you to remember plot points from games that came out decades ago. You can grab Prime 4 and just play it.

That said, longtime fans will spot some references and connections to earlier games. These are just bonus details though, not stuff you need to understand the main story.

The Sylux connection

There's a character called Sylux who appeared in two other games: Metroid Prime Hunters and Federation Force. Some of that story apparently connects to Prime 4. If you really want to know every little detail, you could track down those games and play them.

However, the main story in Prime 4 will work fine without them. These connections are just extra stuff for hardcore fans who want to dig deeper.

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Difficulty options make Metroid Prime 4 Beyond even more accessible

When Prime 4 launches, you'll have difficulty choices right from the beginning. Casual mode is there for people who've never played a Metroid game. Normal mode works for fans who know the series. And Hard mode exists too, but you have to beat Normal first to unlock it.

The amiibo support is pretty straightforward this time. Instead of unlocking Hard mode early or anything like that, it gives you access to a complete movie that's normally shown in bits and pieces while you play. You don't need to get 100% completion to see it either, which is nice.

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