Two new game modes will be added to Metroid Dread and another will be added in April, according to Nintendo.
The announcement of Mario Strikers: Battle League, the rebirth of Wii Sports as Nintendo Switch Sports, the release of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, the release of new Mario Kart 8 DLC, and much more were all part of today’s Nintendo Direct. A new update for Metroid Dread is perhaps one that wasn’t on anyone’s wish list.
Metroid Dread will receive an update later today that includes two new game modes, as well as a new game mode in April.
Although the latter did not specify a release date, it is unlikely that it will be delayed beyond April. There was no mention of whether these were the last updates or if more content was coming in the future; this wisely leaves Metroid Dread’s future as open-ended as it needs to be.
The Rookie Mode and the Dread Mode are the two new modes that have been added today. They’re self-explanatory, but Metroid Dread is easier in the first mode. Fans will be able to finish the game without as much difficulty as before, but Nintendo will also provide a more difficult challenge for those who want it. In Dread Mode, any single hit will result in a Game Over screen for Samus, putting a player’s level of skill to the limit.
The new Boss Rush mode will then be available to players in April. This will give players the ability to battle the various bosses of Metroid Dread one-on-one, making the game even more replayable. For many, these boss battles were a highlight of the base game, and having the chance to face them all again should be a welcome addition. There’s no mention of anything coming to the game in late 2022 or beyond, as previously stated.
There hasn’t been any story DLC for Metroid Dread so far, and it’s even less likely to happen now.
Because Metroid Dread was wrapping up a story that had been years in the making, story DLC wouldn’t make much sense, and even if it was pursued, there wouldn’t be a lot of options.
As a result, anything that comes later should be on par with the Rookie, Dread, or Boss Rush modes; there’s a lot more to the game than that.
However, that doesn’t mean the Metroid franchise will slow down. It gained a lot of traction from Metroid Dread, which is only good for when Nintendo finally unveils Metroid Prime 4 because the latter’s development was essentially restarted a few years ago, it’s only logical that Metroid Prime 4 would be the main focus in a few years.