Metroid Prime 2 Remake Could Make Its Forgotten Split-Screen Multiplayer a Must-Play

Metroid Prime 2 had multiplayer. I know, a lot of people never saw it. Now the producer behind the series is talking about how it happened, why most fans missed it, and why he wants another shot at getting it in front of people.

Prime nailed 3D Metroid. Prime 2 tried to fix the one big gap

The first Metroid Prime redefined the series in 3D, but it launched without something almost every console FPS bragged about back then: multiplayer. So in 2004, Metroid Prime 2 added four-player splitscreen. Nintendo even chased the idea with the spin-offs Hunters and Federation Force, which leaned harder into multiplayer.

And yet, Prime 2 ended up being the worst-selling entry of the trilogy, which probably explains why so many fans never touched its versus mode.

Built fast, under pressure

In the new artbook Metroid Prime 1-3: A Visual Retrospective, out today and flagged by VGC, series producer Kensuke Tanabe lays out the timeline. After the first game, Nintendo told Retro Studios to get the next project done as quickly as possible, and extensions were off the table. There was even a pitch to make a multiplayer-focused stopgap, essentially a Metroid Prime 1.5, but the team went full sequel instead and shipped Prime 2 almost exactly two years after the original, in November 2004.

"Retro finished the multiplayer mode without compromising on quality even under such challenging conditions."

That tracks with how Prime 2 feels: ambitious, a little scrappy, and clearly made on a tight leash.

Local-only, limited audience

Tanabe also points out the obvious: Prime 2 multiplayer was designed for local play, which meant only a small slice of the audience actually tried it. If the game is remade — and he nods to how Prime 1 got a slick remaster in 2023 — he says he would be happy to see more people finally get a chance with the mode.

The part they do not put in trailers

There is a little behind-the-scenes color in the book, too. Tanabe says Retro and Nintendo struggled to find common ground "many" times, including one argument that ran from morning until "the sun was setting." Not exactly a shocker, but it does explain some of the creative push-pull around this era.

Quick hits

• Metroid Prime set the 3D template but launched without multiplayer.
• Prime 2 (November 2004) added four-player splitscreen; Hunters and Federation Force later leaned into multiplayer.
• Despite that, Prime 2 sold the least of the trilogy, so a lot of fans missed the mode entirely.
• Nintendo pushed Retro to turn the sequel around fast, with no schedule extensions.
• A multiplayer-focused Metroid Prime 1.5 was pitched; they made a full sequel instead.
• Tanabe praises Retro for finishing multiplayer under tough conditions.
• He notes the mode was local-only, which limited its reach.
• If Prime 2 gets a remake like Prime 1 did in 2023, Tanabe wants more players to finally experience it.
• Retro and Nintendo clashed "many" times; one debate lasted until sunset.