{"id":24517,"date":"2025-12-31T05:42:37","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T21:42:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=24517"},"modified":"2025-12-31T05:42:37","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T21:42:37","slug":"beyond-fits-in-the-timeline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=24517","title":{"rendered":"Beyond Fits in the Timeline"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Nintendo has officially shared where <strong><em>Metroid Prime 4: Beyond<\/em><\/strong> falls in the franchise&#8217;s overarching timeline, clearing up the position of the newest game in the series. The long-awaited return of the <em>Metroid Prime<\/em> series brought a multitude of changes to the franchise&#8217;s standard formula, between Samus&#8217;s new psychic powers and an open-world environment for players to explore. <em>Metroid Prime 4: Beyond<\/em> introduces a massive desert hub within the franchise&#8217;s new world, allowing players to traverse the desert and gather resources while moving throughout Viewros&#8217; different environments. <em>Metroid Prime 4: Beyond<\/em> also brought in some new elements for the progression of its story.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<p><em>Metroid Prime 4: Beyond<\/em>&#8216;s premise, while following similar beats to past games, makes some notable changes to its progression. The game introduces a new companion character in Myles Mackenzie, helping Samus to establish a base camp on Viewros to explore the undocumented planet. Samus also got some new transportation within the game, piloting the Vi-O-La motorcycle to navigate the vast deserts of Viewros. Now, Nintendo has officially confirmed where <em>Metroid Prime 4: Beyond<\/em> fits into the overall timeline of the series.<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card  article article-card small  no-badge  active-content                      \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"metroid-prime-4-beginner-tips-start-best-help-faq-mp4\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/mp4-beginner-tips-featured.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/mp4-beginner-tips-featured.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=140&amp;h=98&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"440\" height=\"364\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"MP4-Beginner-Tips-Featured\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/mp4-beginner-tips-featured.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=182&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/mp4-beginner-tips-featured.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=182&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<p>                    <span data-field=\"label\" class=\"article-card-label\"><label>Related<\/label><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \">\n<p>\t\t\tMetroid Prime 4: Beginner Tips &amp; Tricks<\/p>\n<\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-excerpt\">With such a long gap between entries, both old and new players may need some help getting started with Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"metroid-franchise-timeline\">\n                        Metroid Franchise Timeline<br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n                                        Metroid\/Metroid: Zero Mission\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n                                        Metroid Prime\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n                                        Metroid Prime Hunters\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n                                        Metroid Prime 2: Echoes\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n                                        Metroid Prime 3: Corruption\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n                                        Metroid Prime: Federation Force\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n                                        Metroid 2: Return of Samus\/Metroid: Samus Returns\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n                                        Super Metroid\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n                                        Metroid: Other M\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n                                        Metroid Prime 4: Beyond\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n                                        Metroid Fusion\n                        <\/li>\n<li>\n                                        Metroid Dread\n                        <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A recent statement from Nintendo in popular gaming publication Famitsu has fully revealed where <em>Metroid Prime 4<\/em> takes place in the franchise. Nintendo revealed that <em>Metroid Prime 4: Beyond<\/em> is positioned after <em>Super Metroid<\/em> in the overarching story of Samus, but notably being before 2002&#8217;s <em>Metroid Fusion<\/em>. Nintendo has re-stated that <em>Metroid Prime 4: Beyond<\/em> takes place in &#8220;another dimension,&#8221; not having an impact on the timeline of the 2D games in the series. The studio has also billed <em>Metroid Prime 4: Beyond<\/em> as being a fresh start for the franchise that new players can jump into without having any prior experience with the <em>Metroid Prime<\/em> games.<\/p>\n<p><em>Metroid Prime 4: Beyond<\/em>&#8216;s long-awaited release comes after the game went through a tumultuous development cycle. <em>Beyond<\/em> was first announced back in 2017, not long after the original Switch&#8217;s release, with Bandai Namco Studios originally working on the game. Information was relatively light about <em>Metroid Prime 4<\/em>&#8216;s development for the first two years under Bandai Namco, before it was revealed that development on the game would be handed off to Retro Studios. <em>Metroid Prime 4: Beyond<\/em> went through a full restart under Retro Studios, spending the next six years in development before its eventual release in December 2025.<\/p>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape mobile-optimized\">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  image-expandable  img-article-item\" style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metroid-prime-4-samus-glowing-arm.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;Image via Nintendo&quot;\">\n<figure><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metroid-prime-4-samus-glowing-arm.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metroid-prime-4-samus-glowing-arm.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metroid-prime-4-samus-glowing-arm.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metroid-prime-4-samus-glowing-arm.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metroid-prime-4-samus-glowing-arm.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metroid-prime-4-samus-glowing-arm.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"1650\" height=\"928\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"metroid prime 4 missile expansion locations\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metroid-prime-4-samus-glowing-arm.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metroid-prime-4-samus-glowing-arm.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture><small class=\"body-img-caption\">Image via Nintendo<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<h3 id=\"metroid-prime-4-beyond-39-s-big-changes-have-not-seen-glowing-reception\">\n            Metroid Prime 4: Beyond&#8217;s Big Changes Have Not Seen Glowing Reception<br \/>\n    <\/h3>\n<p>While <em>Metroid Prime 4: Beyond<\/em> has been one of Nintendo&#8217;s most anticipated games of the year, the game has not seen quite the landing the developer may have hoped. Reception to <em>Metroid Prime 4<\/em> has largely been mixed among fans and critics, particularly taking issue with the game&#8217;s new NPC companions and the open-world segments. The previously-mentioned Myles Mackenzie has been a particular sour spot for many fans, with players feeling he does not fit well with the franchise&#8217;s overall atmosphere. <em>Metroid Prime 4: Beyond<\/em> did take the top spot on the North American eShop in its launch week for Switch 2 games, while performing well in other regions.<\/p>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape mobile-optimized\">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  image-expandable  img-article-item\" style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metroid-prime-4-myles-and-samus.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;&quot;\">\n                                                                                            <picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metroid-prime-4-myles-and-samus.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metroid-prime-4-myles-and-samus.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metroid-prime-4-myles-and-samus.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metroid-prime-4-myles-and-samus.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metroid-prime-4-myles-and-samus.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metroid-prime-4-myles-and-samus.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"1650\" height=\"928\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"metroid prime 4 myles and samus\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metroid-prime-4-myles-and-samus.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/metroid-prime-4-myles-and-samus.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> Despite its lackluster early reception, <em>Metroid Prime 4<\/em> experimented with plenty of bold new elements for the franchise. <em>Metroid Prime 4<\/em>&#8216;s highly-touted psychic powers were a particularly popular aspect of the game, praising the unique application of Samus&#8217; new tools. The actual dungeon environments were also a hit amongst fans and critics, with each setting maintaining the <em>Metroid Prime<\/em> franchise&#8217;s touted sense of isolation amidst the more frantic action sequences. <em>Metroid Prime 4: Beyond<\/em>, while not being a perfect game, looks to be a fresh outing in the franchise that pushes <em>Metroid<\/em> in a bold new direction.<\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card type-video-game large\" data-show-streamrentbuy-links=\"true\" data-include-community-rating=\"true\" id=\"0cd0-4b8f-821245267331\">\n<div class=\"display-card-main-content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"display-card-main-content\">\n<div class=\"display-card-content image-column\">\n<p>                        <!--    Rating block community and brand ratings --><br \/>\n                        <!--  Image --><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-img  has-image-group\" data-stnl=\"%7B%22category%22%3A%22Click%20Interactions%22%2C%22name%22%3A%22Display%20Card%22%2C%22action%22%3A%22Fullscreen%20Image%20Load%22%2C%22once%22%3Atrue%7D\" data-stnl-group-once=\"MIhPQzBorx\">\n<div class=\"body-img portrait \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  img-article-square\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/metroid-prime-4-beyond-tag-page-cover-art.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;&quot;\">\n                                                                                                                                                            <picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/metroid-prime-4-beyond-tag-page-cover-art.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=300&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/metroid-prime-4-beyond-tag-page-cover-art.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=300&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/metroid-prime-4-beyond-tag-page-cover-art.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=400&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/metroid-prime-4-beyond-tag-page-cover-art.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=400&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/metroid-prime-4-beyond-tag-page-cover-art.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=320&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/metroid-prime-4-beyond-tag-page-cover-art.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=320&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"960\" height=\"1440\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Metroid Prime 4 Beyond Tag Page Cover Art\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/metroid-prime-4-beyond-tag-page-cover-art.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=480&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/metroid-prime-4-beyond-tag-page-cover-art.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=480&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                        <!-- User Rating widget --><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"display-card-content info-column\">\n<div class=\"w-display-card-highlight-info\">\n                            <!--  Display card tags widget --><\/p>\n<p>                            <!--  Display card system widget --><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-pills-group\">\n                                        <span class=\"pills-group-title\">Systems<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"pill-group-items\">\n<p>                                                                                                                                                                                    <img width=\"100\" height=\"100\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"super greyscale 8-bit logo\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2024\/07\/super-greyscale-8-bit-logo.png?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=50&amp;h=50&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2024\/07\/super-greyscale-8-bit-logo.png?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=50&amp;h=50&amp;dpr=2\"\/><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                        <!--  Display card community and brand rating widget --><br \/>\n                                                                         <!--  Display card open critics widget --><\/p>\n<p>                                        <!--  Display card main info widget --><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-info main-info\">\n<dl>\n<p><dt>\n                                            <strong>Released<\/strong>\n                                        <\/dt>\n<dd>\n                                            <span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDecember 4, 2025<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n                                        <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<p><dt>\n                                            <strong>ESRB<\/strong>\n                                        <\/dt>\n<dd>\n                                            <span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\tTeen \/ Animated Blood, Violence<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/span>\n                                        <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<p><dt>\n                                            <strong>Publisher(s)<\/strong>\n                                        <\/dt>\n<dd>\n                                            <span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNintendo<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/span>\n                                        <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<\/dl><\/div>\n<p>                                        <!--  Display card main info widget end --><\/p>\n<p>                    <!--  Display card media widget start --><\/p>\n<p>                                        <!--  Display card media widget end --><\/p>\n<p>                    <!-- Where to play button preview --><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-listing-generic-cta w-where-to-watch\">\n<div class=\"preview-links\">\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>                                                                                                                                                                                                <img width=\"100\" height=\"100\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"eshop\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2024\/08\/eshop.png?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=50&amp;h=50&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.gamerantimages.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/sharedimages\/2024\/08\/eshop.png?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=50&amp;h=50&amp;dpr=2\"\/><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p>                                <!-- Where to watch button start --><\/p>\n<p>                                    <!-- Where to watch button end -->\n                                <\/div>\n<p>                    <!-- Where to play preview end --><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <!-- Extra content section, display hidden by default --><br \/>\n            <input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"extra-content-0cd0-4b8f-821245267331\" name=\"extra-content-0cd0-4b8f-821245267331\" class=\"expand-extra-info-checkbox css-menu-checkbox\"\/> <!-- Checkbox: control the expandable behavior  of the extra info --><\/p>\n<p>            <!-- Display card footer --><\/p>\n<p>            <!-- PROS and CONS section --><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Source: NintendoLife<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/gamerant.com\/metroid-prime-4-beyond-timeline-placement-chronology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article At Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nintendo has officially shared where Metroid Prime 4: Beyond falls in the franchise&#8217;s overarching timeline, clearing up the position of the newest game in the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24518,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[7608,6226],"class_list":["post-24517","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tech-gadgets-reviews","tag-fits","tag-timeline","wpcat-32-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24517","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=24517"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24517\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/24518"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=24517"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=24517"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=24517"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}