Why Metroid Dread stands among the best Nintendo Switch games

Metroid Dread remains one of the strongest games on Nintendo Switch because it combines fast exploration, responsive combat and tense pursuit sequences. Released in late 2021, it continued the story of Metroid Fusion, nearly two decades after that game.

The campaign takes about four hours when rushed, while collecting every item can take around ten hours. Its compact scale supports replaying: the game includes alternate routes, sequence breaks and opportunities for speedruns.

Upgrades and boss encounters

Samus gains classic abilities such as Screw Attack alongside newer options including Flash Shift. These upgrades expand movement and steadily increase her power, which becomes especially clear in battles against Corpius, Kraid and the other major bosses.

Opening and closing scenes add more personality to Samus. The game presents her as powerful and rebellious, while the article describes its conclusion as especially satisfying.

E.M.M.I. drive the tension

Seven E.M.M.I. robots originally served Samus but were hacked for an unknown reason. They are immune to her weapons until she finds Central Units in dedicated zones and temporarily upgrades her cannon to destroy them.

Until then, an E.M.M.I. encounter usually means running: a robot can kill Samus in one hit unless the player hits a very narrow counter window. Checkpoints are generous, including placements directly outside boss rooms.

Story and accessibility

Samus travels to planet ZDR to investigate the return of the X Parasites, which can copy any life form. She encounters the main antagonist Raven Beak, loses the ensuing battle and must confront the E.M.M.I.; the opening recaps Metroid Fusion for newcomers.

The article identifies the music as the game’s main weakness, arguing that most new tracks are atmospheric but forgettable. Rookie Mode offers an easier experience for players who find the standard difficulty too demanding.

Metroid Ravenous is set after Metroid Dread and will likely refer to its events, although the source provides no details about the upcoming game. The physical edition of Dread had been out of print for a long time when the article was written, so copies may cost more than the digital version.