Metroid Prime 4 on Switch 1: A Surprisingly Strong Run Despite the Downgrade
There’s no shortage of excitement around Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, especially on Switch 2 where it serves as a technical showcase. For those still using the original Switch, however, a deeper look into how Samus’ latest adventure performs on that hardware is worth your time. Digital Foundry recently examined the Switch 1 release and arrived at conclusions that align with our own impressions: the game holds up surprisingly well, even on the older hardware. Their full thoughts are available on their revamped site, or you can hear their analysis in this week’s DF Direct Weekly episode (linked above).
Retro Studios deserves credit for what they’ve accomplished. Yes, the Switch 1 version suffers a performance and resolution hit, as expected on older hardware. Yet Digital Foundry’s tools reveal a positive story: this is one of Switch 1’s prettiest projects, with a smooth presentation that still manages to preserve the core experience.
A standout detail is the game’s solid 60fps performance. Digital Foundry confidently categorizes the experience as a locked 60fps title across all Switch models, with only a few rare dips occurring during open-world bike sequences. While the image quality takes a hit—pixel counts hover around 504p for geometry and 576p for Samus’ visor, lower than Metroid Prime Remastered on Switch—the overall presentation feels remarkably faithful to the Switch 2 version.
In practice, this means you’ll notice reduced pixel density, coarser texture filtering, and a lack of anti-aliasing in some areas. Yet the environmental detail, shadows, and many effects appear virtually indistinguishable from the Switch 2 build, making the downgrade a trade-off worth accepting for many players.
If you’re watching price and performance rather than eye candy, the Switch 1 version delivers a compelling experience. As we noted last week, upgrading isn’t strictly necessary to enjoy Samus’s latest adventure—there’s a lot to love here on the older console.
That said, the Switch 2 version remains the go-to option, and Digital Foundry praised that release extensively. In short: you’ll get a strong, enjoyable game on either platform; the choice mostly comes down to how much you value higher visual polish.
Are you playing Metroid Prime 4: Beyond on Switch 1? Share your thoughts below and tell us how the game feels to you in practice.
