Skip to main content

Axiom Verge 2 brings classic Metroidvania action to Nintendo Switch in 2020

Tom Happ’s Axiom Verge is a wonderfully designed love letter to the classic Metroid games of the NES and SNES generations, with atmospheric science-fiction environments and plenty of power-ups and abilities to use. If you’ve already played through the original and discovered every secret, you’ll be happy to know a full sequel, Axiom Verge 2, is coming to Nintendo Switch next year.

Recommended Videos

Appearing at the end of Nintendo’s Indie World Showcase presentation on December 10, Happ explained that he has been working on Axiom Verge 2 for the last four years, and he offered a sneak peek at gameplay for eagle-eyed fans to sift through.

“You are not in control. You are not yourself. You belong to us now,” text reads at the beginning of the teaser.

We see the protagonist materialize in a region filled with snow-covered mountains, jumping across treacherous obstacles and battling enemies with special moves and an ice pick weapon. They soon dive into the darker, spookier areas fans of the first game might be more familiar with, and briefly turn into a spider creature before disappearing.

You may think you already know the world of Axiom Verge. Think again.

Discover the origins of the @AxiomVerge universe in #AxiomVerge2 coming to #NintendoSwitch in 2020! #IndieWorld pic.twitter.com/XZqvgcEwKn

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) December 10, 2019

Axiom Verge helped to fill a void left by the notable absence of the classic Metroid games over the last decade, with Metroid: Samus Returns only recently rectifying that on 3DS. Happ’s blending of mysterious environments with tried-and-true exploration and platforming gameplay made the game arguably more acclaimed than any Metroid game in recent memory, including Samus Returns. With its pixel-art style, it’s a perfect fit for the Nintendo Switch. The first game is already available to play on the system right now.

Axiom Verge 2 will release for Nintendo Switch in autumn 2020. No other platforms have been announced thus far, but the previous game released for everything from PlayStation 4 to Linux, so we would be surprised if the sequel doesn’t follow suit.

It was far from the only game announcement made during the Indie World Showcase, too. Nintendo also used the video presentation to announce Sports Story, a sequel to Golf Story with more variety but the same classic role-playing elements that fans loved in the original. Also, if you’ve been waiting to play Dauntless on Switch, you can do so for free today.

Gabe Gurwin
Gabe Gurwin has been playing games since 1997, beginning with the N64 and the Super Nintendo. He began his journalism career…
PSA: Don’t fall for Nintendo Switch 2 horror story hoaxes this weekend
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom runs on a Switch 2 screen.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is out today and that's a cause for celebration. Players who were able to score one will no doubt spend the day racing in Mario Kart World, testing out their Joy-con's new tricks in Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, and testing out new features like GameChat. There's bound to be a lot of excitement, but also plenty of complaints. You're bound to see players sharing their issues with the system this weekend, which may leave you wondering if it's worth waiting to buy one until the bugs are ironed out.

That would be a totally healthy response, but be warned: The fakers are coming. Take everything you see and hear this weekend with some healthy skepticism until the dust clears.

Read more
Nintendo Switch 2 launch day buying guide: what you need and what you don’t
The Switch 2 next to a TV with Mario Kart.

All those years of anticipation have finally paid off. The Nintendo Switch 2 is out now, giving players a brand new console to play around with. If you're planning on getting one, know that it's not just a console you'll likely buy. The Switch 2 is launching with a whole mess of accessories, from controllers to Nintendo's own webcam. If you tried to buy everything, you'd quickly find yourself spending way more than $450.

We're here to help you cut through an overwhelming list of launch day products. We've put together a quick buying guide that's built to help you focus in on what accessories and games you'll need and which you can skip. I've broken this down into must buys, nice to haves, and luxuries. Remember: You don't need to buy everything at once. Pick and choose what you think you need so you can make your Switch 2 shopping experience a little less daunting.

Read more
Nintendo Switch 2: Watch the first unboxing videos here
The Switch 2 being unboxed.

The Nintendo Switch 2 launches globally on Thursday, June 5, and the first unboxing videos for the new device are starting to drop.

But first, just a quick reminder about what we’re looking at here. The Switch 2, in case the hype has somehow passed you by, is the highly anticipated successor to the original Switch, which came out in 2017.

Read more