Metroid Prime 4: Beyond launched on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 in December, but if you’re itching for some more lore, Metroid Prime 1–3: A Visual Retrospective is a nice way to dig in, especially now that it’s on sale. Normally $49.99, you can currently buy the hardcover version for $41.08 (about $9 off) at Amazon and Walmart, which is one of the first discounts we’ve seen on the tabletop book.
Developed in collaboration with Nintendo and Retro Studios, Piggyback’s 210-page retrospective is an excellent homage to the last 20 years of Metroid. The book itself resembles a piece of art, stitched-bound in a canvas-like cloth hardcover, with a red embossed outline of the series’ iconic protagonist, Samus Aran. Inside, you’ll find a trove of concept drawings and sketches spanning the entire trilogy — as well as Metroid Prime Remastered — including detailed illustrations of environments, common enemies, and bosses. It even features concept art that never made it into the final games.
What really makes the book stand out are the behind-the-scenes stories, however. It touches on everything from Retro Studios’ burnout upon shipping Metroid Prime 2: Echoes to insights surrounding Nintendo’s secretive development process. The margin notes from series producer Kensuke Tanabe are especially entertaining, as they reveal design debates from over two decades ago.
