Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Seven Metroid games are currently identified in Nintendo’s Nintendo Switch listings. Two are standalone Nintendo Switch releases: Metroid Dread and Metroid Prime Remastered. Five more are available through Nintendo Classics collections: Metroid, Metroid II – Return of Samus, Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission.
The two Game Boy Advance games require a paid Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership. The NES, Game Boy and Super NES titles require access to the relevant Nintendo Switch Online classic library. Catalogs can differ by country and can change, so check your region’s Nintendo listing before buying a game or subscribing.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
![Metroid Dread - Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51P6S+gwsJS._SL160_.jpg)
|
Metroid Dread - Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code] | Buy on Amazon | |
| 2 |
|
Metroid Prime Remastered - Nintendo Switch | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Every Metroid game Nintendo lists for Nintendo Switch
Nintendo’s current overview covering Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 names two games sold as dedicated Switch releases and five older games in Nintendo Classics applications. That produces a practical list of seven titles, although they are accessed in different ways.
| Game | How it is accessed | Original or Switch release information |
|---|---|---|
| Metroid Dread | Standalone Nintendo Switch game | Released October 8, 2021; Nintendo describes it as a side-scrolling adventure. |
| Metroid Prime Remastered | Standalone Nintendo Switch game | Released February 8, 2023; Nintendo lists remastered visuals, audio, controls and bonus content. |
| Metroid | NES – Nintendo Classics | Requires Nintendo Switch Online access to the NES collection. |
| Metroid II – Return of Samus | Game Boy – Nintendo Classics | Listed in Nintendo’s current Switch overview. |
| Super Metroid | Super NES – Nintendo Classics | Requires Nintendo Switch Online access to the SNES collection. |
| Metroid Fusion | Game Boy Advance – Nintendo Classics | Requires the paid Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack tier. |
| Metroid: Zero Mission | Game Boy Advance – Nintendo Classics | Requires the paid Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack tier. |
The five-game classic count comes from Nintendo’s 2024 Australia/New Zealand magazine and is repeated in Nintendo’s January 2026 overview. It means five Metroid titles are named in the classic-service catalog, not that only five classic Metroid games have ever existed.
#1 Best Overall
- Join Samus Aran in the first new 2D Metroid story in 19 years
- Explore planet ZDR’s many environments as you investigate a mysterious transmission
- Deadly E.M.M.I. robots, research machines, pose a threat more intense than ever
- Feel Samus’ power grow as you gain maneuvers and abilities like the new Spider Magnet
- Power up and return to previous areas to find new paths and secrets
The two standalone Nintendo Switch games
Metroid Dread
Metroid Dread is the direct-purchase option for players who want a modern Metroid game designed for Nintendo Switch. Nintendo classifies it as a side-scrolling adventure and lists its release date as October 8, 2021. Because it is a standalone game rather than a Nintendo Classics app title, access does not depend on the NES, SNES, Game Boy or Game Boy Advance catalog.
When checking a store listing, confirm that the product is the Nintendo Switch version. Nintendo’s overview also covers Nintendo Switch 2, so platform labels matter when several editions appear in search results.
Metroid Prime Remastered
Metroid Prime Remastered is the other standalone Switch release. Nintendo lists February 8, 2023, as its release date and describes remastered visuals, audio, controls and bonus content. It is presented as a first-person Metroid experience, making it a different format from the side-scrolling Dread.
Like Dread, Prime Remastered is obtained as its own Nintendo Switch game rather than through a Nintendo Switch Online classic library. Check the platform designation on the individual product page before purchasing, particularly when Nintendo Switch 2 editions are shown alongside original Switch products.
The five classic Metroid games in Nintendo Classics
Metroid — Nintendo Entertainment System
The original Metroid is listed in the NES Nintendo Classics collection. It is part of the subscription-based classic library rather than a separate modern Switch release. Access therefore depends on having Nintendo Switch Online and on the NES application being available in your territory.
Metroid II – Return of Samus — Game Boy
Metroid II – Return of Samus appears in Nintendo’s current Switch overview under the Game Boy Nintendo Classics catalog. The listing identifies its original Game Boy platform. Its availability is tied to the Game Boy classic service, so it should not be confused with a standalone Switch purchase.
Super Metroid — Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Metroid is included in the Super NES Nintendo Classics collection. Nintendo’s classic-library information treats the SNES application as a Nintendo Switch Online benefit. If the game does not appear in your application, verify that you are using the correct regional account and that your Nintendo Switch Online membership is active.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsMetroid Fusion — Game Boy Advance
Metroid Fusion is listed in the Game Boy Advance Nintendo Classics service. Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance service page states that “A paid Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership is required to use this service.” A standard Nintendo Switch Online membership is therefore not enough for this title.
Metroid: Zero Mission — Game Boy Advance
Metroid: Zero Mission is the second Game Boy Advance Metroid title named in Nintendo’s current catalog. It uses the same Game Boy Advance application and the same paid Expansion Pack requirement as Metroid Fusion.
Rank #2
- Become intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran and explore an alien planet in this critically-acclaimed first-person adventure
- Use and upgrade abilities like the Morph Ball, Missiles, and an array of beams to survive the harsh environments and lethal creatures of the planet Tallon IV
- Gain abilities and revisit areas to uncover the different routes and secrets hiding in a beautiful-yet-threatening interconnected world
- Scan your surroundings to gather information about the planet’s history and the creatures that call it home or to reveal enemies’ weak points
- Choose from multiple control options and experience revamped graphics, sound, and unlockable art in this remastered classic
Membership requirements at a glance
| Classic library | Metroid titles listed | Access requirement |
|---|---|---|
| NES – Nintendo Classics | Metroid | Nintendo Switch Online membership, subject to regional availability. |
| Game Boy – Nintendo Classics | Metroid II – Return of Samus | Nintendo Switch Online membership, subject to regional availability. |
| Super NES – Nintendo Classics | Super Metroid | Nintendo Switch Online membership, subject to regional availability. |
| Game Boy Advance – Nintendo Classics | Metroid Fusion; Metroid: Zero Mission | Paid Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership. |
Nintendo does not establish a single worldwide catalog in the material covering these games. The five-title list is supported by Nintendo Australia/New Zealand publications, while Nintendo US pages support the standalone-game and NES/SNES membership descriptions. Treat the list as a current guide, not a guarantee that every country displays identical titles.
How to find and play the games on your console
- Identify your territory. Open the Nintendo site or eShop associated with your Nintendo Account and search the title there. Nintendo Classics availability can vary by region.
- Separate purchases from subscriptions. If the listing is for Metroid Dread or Metroid Prime Remastered, it is a standalone Nintendo Switch product. If it is one of the five older games, look for the named NES, Game Boy, Super NES or Game Boy Advance Nintendo Classics application.
- Check the required membership tier. NES, Game Boy and Super NES access requires Nintendo Switch Online. Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission require the paid Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack tier.
- Confirm the platform label. Nintendo’s overview includes both Switch generations. A listing marked “Nintendo Switch 2 Edition” is not automatically an original Nintendo Switch release.
- Use the matching Classics application. Launch the NES, Game Boy, Super NES or Game Boy Advance Nintendo Classics app associated with your membership and search its current catalog for the title.
- Recheck the catalog if a title is missing. A missing game can reflect regional availability, a membership-tier mismatch or a catalog change rather than a problem with the console.
Which Metroid game should you choose?
The most useful dividing line between the two standalone games is presentation and control style. Nintendo describes Dread as a side-scrolling adventure, while Prime Remastered updates a first-person game with remastered presentation and controls.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →| If you want… | Start with… | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A current side-scrolling Switch adventure | Metroid Dread | It is Nintendo’s 2021 standalone side-scrolling release. |
| A first-person presentation with updated audiovisuals and controls | Metroid Prime Remastered | It is Nintendo’s 2023 remastered standalone release. |
| The original NES-era entry | Metroid | It is available through the NES Nintendo Classics catalog. |
| The Game Boy entry | Metroid II – Return of Samus | It is listed in the Game Boy Nintendo Classics catalog. |
| The Super NES classic | Super Metroid | It is included in the Super NES Nintendo Classics collection. |
| Both Game Boy Advance titles | Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission | Both are in the Game Boy Advance service, which requires Expansion Pack. |
This comparison is about access and the formats Nintendo identifies; it does not imply that one game replaces another. A player interested in the series’ different eras may reasonably use the standalone releases and the classic applications together.
Do not confuse Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 editions
Nintendo’s current Metroid overview covers both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. Individual product pages can therefore show more than one platform label. Nintendo separately labels Metroid Prime 4: Beyond as a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition in its US store. That edition should not be added to a list of original Nintendo Switch games.
For an original-Switch list, retain the two standalone titles named above and the five classic-service titles. Whenever a search result mentions Switch 2, open the product details and verify whether the listing is for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, or a Switch 2 Edition.
Regional availability and changing catalogs
Nintendo Classics catalogs are services, not permanent universal shelves. The five-title list is documented in Nintendo Australia/New Zealand material from July 2024 and in Nintendo’s January 2026 overview, but Nintendo’s pages also make clear that service access is tied to membership and territory. A game shown in one country’s catalog may not appear in another country’s application.
- Check the Nintendo page for the country associated with your Nintendo Account.
- Verify the exact application name: NES, Game Boy, Super NES or Game Boy Advance Nintendo Classics.
- Confirm whether your membership includes Expansion Pack before looking for the two GBA titles.
- Recheck availability when renewing a membership or replacing a console, because Nintendo can update service catalogs and product listings.
No subscription price is included here because Nintendo pricing varies by country, plan length and promotional period. Use the current membership page for your territory rather than relying on an old price.
Optional accessory for Metroid Dread
Nintendo also identifies a Samus and E.M.M.I. amiibo two-pack with Dread-specific in-game effects. It is an optional accessory, not a game and not a requirement for playing Metroid Dread. The accessory should therefore be considered separately from the seven games in the availability list.
Bottom line
For a direct purchase, choose between Metroid Dread and Metroid Prime Remastered. For subscription access, Nintendo currently names five classic titles: Metroid, Metroid II – Return of Samus, Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission. The two GBA games require Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, and every classic title remains subject to regional catalog and membership availability.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
