Metroid Ravenous, the next 2D side-scrolling adventure for Samus, launches exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 on January 28, 2027. The game comes in two editions, plus a pair of new amiibo figures. Here’s what you get in each package, along with everything else we know about the upcoming release.
Special Edition Contents
The Special Edition of Metroid Ravenous costs $119.99 at the Nintendo Store. It includes the game, a Steelbook case, and a Samus (Metroid Suit) amiibo. That amiibo is exclusive to this edition and is not available separately.
For collectors, this is the only way to get that particular figure. The Steelbook case is also exclusive to this package. The $119.99 price point puts it in line with other premium Nintendo releases, which have increasingly shipped with physical extras like steelbooks and exclusive figures.
Standard Edition Options
The Standard Edition comes in two formats. Physical copies cost $69.99 at Nintendo, and digital copies cost $59.99. The physical version includes the game on a cartridge. That matters for Switch 2 owners, because not every first-party title ships on a cartridge these days.
Per usual for recent Nintendo releases, physical copies cost $10 more than digital. Amazon and Walmart have been known to knock $10 off physical copies, so it’s worth checking both if you want a cartridge. Those discounts have appeared for past Nintendo releases, but they are not guaranteed.
For players who just want the game itself, the $59.99 digital copy is the cheapest entry point. The $10 gap between physical and digital is standard now, but the cartridge format is a meaningful difference for anyone who prefers owning their games on a physical medium.
Amiibo Launch Lineup
Two additional amiibo figures launch alongside the game: Samus and Chozo Statue. The Samus (Metroid Suit) amiibo that comes with the Special Edition is separate from the standard Samus figure.
That means there are three amiibo figures tied to Metroid Ravenous in total: the Samus (Metroid Suit) figure in the Special Edition, plus the standard Samus and Chozo Statue figures releasing separately. Nintendo has not detailed what the amiibo do in-game.
The Story So Far
Metroid Ravenous is a follow-up to Metroid Dread. It’s a new 2D side-scrolling adventure for Samus, the space-faring bounty hunter. The trailer opens with Samus in rough shape.
“I was attacked by unknown assailants and sustained grave injuries,” she says. “I don’t know where I am, getting back to the surface won’t be easy. My chances of getting off this moon are slim at best. Still… I will survive. And I will make it home. Even if I have to feed on my enemies to do so. It’s eat or be eaten.”
“It’s eat or be eaten.”
That is a grim setup, even for Metroid. The series has always put Samus through harsh situations, but the voiceover here suggests a survival angle that goes beyond the usual bounty hunter work. The line about feeding on enemies is particularly striking for a character who has typically relied on her arm cannon and missiles rather than anything more primal.
Dread’s Legacy
Metroid Dread earned a 9/10 in its IGN review. It was a tough game, but fair. That score is worth keeping in mind when considering what Ravenous might deliver, since it follows directly from Dread’s events.
The trailer confirms the 2D side-scrolling format. That format has been a staple of the Metroid series for decades, and Dread was one of the strongest recent examples of it. The moon setting in Ravenous is a new location for Samus, though the source does not specify whether it is entirely new to the series or simply a new area within the established Metroid universe.
Nintendo has not shown extended gameplay footage yet. The trailer focuses on Samus’s voiceover and her injured state, leaving the actual gameplay systems largely under wraps. The “feed on my enemies” line suggests a survival mechanic, but that is speculation. Nintendo has not confirmed any gameplay systems beyond the 2D side-scrolling format.
Preorder Availability
Nintendo is taking preorders now. The Special Edition is the only way to get the Steelbook and the Metroid Suit amiibo, so collectors will want to move fast. The Standard Edition is available at Nintendo, Amazon, and other retailers.
The source provides purchase links for the Special Edition at the Nintendo Store, the physical Standard Edition at Nintendo and Amazon, and the digital Standard Edition at the Nintendo Store. It does not explicitly state that preorders are live across all retailers, but the links are active and available for purchase.
For physical copies, the $10 discount at Amazon and Walmart is worth watching. Those discounts have appeared for past Nintendo releases, but they are not guaranteed. If you want to secure a cartridge copy at the lowest possible price, checking both retailers before committing is a sensible move.
Other Preorder Guides
A number of other preorder guides are live across the site, covering titles for multiple platforms and publishers. Here is what else is available:
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
- Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse
- Control Resonant
- Fable
- Final Fantasy Resonance
- Final Fantasy VII Revelation
- Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave
- Gears of War: E-Day
- Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered
- Grand Theft Auto 6
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Switch 2
- Marvel’s Wolverine
- Metroid Ravenous
- Minecraft Dungeons 2
- Nintendo Switch Sports Resort
- Persona 4 Revival
- Rayman Legends Retold
- Silent Hill: Townfall
- Star Wars: Galactic Racer
- Stranger Than Heaven
- Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis
That is a heavy lineup, and Metroid Ravenous sits alongside remasters, sequels, and new entries across the industry. The list includes some major franchises, from Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto to Zelda and Final Fantasy, which gives a sense of the range of titles currently in the preorder pipeline.
Price Breakdown
$119.99 for a Special Edition is steep. The Steelbook and exclusive amiibo are the extras that justify the cost for dedicated fans. For anyone who does not care about physical extras, the $59.99 digital Standard Edition is the most economical choice.
The physical Standard Edition at $69.99 sits in the middle, offering the cartridge without the premium extras. The $10 difference between physical and digital is consistent with recent Nintendo releases, and the potential $10 discount at Amazon or Walmart could bring the physical copy down to $59.99, matching the digital price.
That would make the physical version effectively the same cost as digital for anyone who catches the discount. It is not guaranteed, but it has happened before, so it is worth watching.
What We Know So Far
Metroid Ravenous launches on January 28, 2027. The trailer provides the voiceover quote and confirms the 2D side-scrolling format. The two editions and the amiibo lineup are confirmed.
The rest — how Samus moves, fights, and feeds on this new moon — remains to be shown. Nintendo has not revealed extended gameplay footage, and the source does not specify what the amiibo figures do in-game. The voiceover sets a darker tone than the series has typically used, with Samus injured and stranded, but the actual gameplay systems are still a mystery.
Metroid Dread earned a 9/10 in its IGN review, so Ravenous has a lot to live up to. The early trailer is promising, and the survival angle hinted at in the voiceover could give the 2D formula a fresh twist. For now, the preorder options are clear, the release date is set, and the wait begins.
Source: ign.com
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.