Retro Studios’ Jon Wofford recently opened up about his work on Metroid Prime 4: Beyond in an X post. Lead UI artist for the game, Wofford also worked on Metroid Prime Remastered, as well as Bioware’s Anthem and Star Wars: The Old Republic.
On his ArtStation page, he shared some details about how he and the rest of the team went about designing the HUD (heads-up display) and FUI (fantasy user interface). Speaking of HUD development as a “labor of love,” Wofford made sure to give credit to the “wizards” at Retro Studios who helped turn his ideas into reality. He also highlighted the “amazing VFX, environment art, character art and lighting” that were shown in the announcement trailer, which we’ll see on our Nintendo Switch consoles in 2025.
While HUD in games is primarily used to convey important information to players, FUI is focused on player immersion and acting as visual storytelling. In the case of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, the HUD appears to have a weapon selection interface, a health bar, and an ammo counter for Samus’ trusty missile launcher, among other things. Wofford said this new HUD was meant to be “a modern update to the visor that respects Metroid Prime’s legacy.” Given that it seems to take up less space and stand out less than the original trilogy’s HUD, perhaps “modern” in this sense should be read as “minimalist”.
Meanwhile, FUI, as Wofford notes, can be seen through effects and animations while using Samus’ scanning visor — a staple of the Metroid Prime series — as well as on computer screens in the environment. Something to keep in mind, though, is that there could be dozens of these screens present in the final product – and again, that’s only a fraction of all the work that went into the game. When you look at it that way, it puts into perspective how challenging development can be. It may even explain why Nintendo restarted the game’s development in 2019, after realizing that the task at hand required the talent of Retro Studios to step in.
As more news emerges about Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, we’ll begin to learn how the game fares on the Switch, and how Wofford and Retro’s work will be used in service of Samus’ next mission—which, it seems, might be her best yet. We will keep you updated as more information becomes available and as the release gets closer.
