Summary
Weeks after the initial reveal ofMetroid Prime 4: Beyond, a developer from Retro Studios explained how he created the UI and HUD elements for Samus' iconic visor for the upcoming Switch game. After nearly five years sinceMetroid Prime 4: Beyondrestarted its development in 2019, the game was finally re-revealed for the first time during the June 2024 Nintendo Direct. The game is currently slated for a 2025 release date.
Thefirst look atMetroid Prime 4shows a lot of strides that Retro Studio has made in the past few years, especially compared to prior entries. The most recent release in the series wasMetroid Prime Remastered, which was praised for its incredible graphical fidelity, with the same amount of shine and attention to detail being present inMetroid Prime 4. One strong point of thePrimegames that has also been retained forPrime 4is the HUD through Samus' visor, which gives players a full first-person view from the bounty hunter’s eyes, as opposed to the side-scroller view of 2D games. One of Retro Studios' lead UI artists, Jon Wofford, recently shared some insight about the development ofPrime 4and his work on Samus' visor.
These details were shared on Wofford’sArtStation page, which included some short videos of the elements he worked on. He noted thatMetroid Prime 4: Beyond’s UI was a “true labor of love” and that he was finally glad to share his work with everyone. He shared high-quality screenshots of the HUD during combat, with the goal being to update the visor to something modern that honoredtheMetroid Primetrilogy. Wofford was incredibly humbled by the ability to work onPrime 4, stating he learned a lot from working at Retro Studios.
What Has Wofford Worked on for Metroid Prime 4?
Wofford also shared various scanning animations, transitions, and other small details in the reveal trailer. He also showed off some of the UI elements after shifting intoSamus' iconic Morph Ball mode, which shows the bomb counter and Samus' current health at the top. Wofford also revealed that he helped work on the UI for the computer screens seen in the area where the Space Pirates attack.
Jon Wofford previously worked as a UI artist for 2023’sMetroid Prime Remastered, andMetroid Prime 4appears to be a natural evolution of its UI elements. Thegraphics ofMetroid Prime 4have been praised by many fans, as it was on par with the 2023Primeremaster. While the game is still a bit off from launch, many fans and the people working on the game are excited about the long-awaited sequel.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
The galaxy’s greatest bounty hunter Samus Aran will embark on a new mission in Metroid Prime™ 4: Beyond, coming to Nintendo Switch in 2025.
