Metroid Prime 4 locks optional ambience behind a $30 Amiibo — should you care?

Why this matters: atmosphere behind a $30 Amiibo

This caught my attention because Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is the return of one of the best atmospheric shooters we have, and a signature part of that experience – ambient exploration music for Samus’s bike – is gated behind a $30 Amiibo. After an 18‑year wait since Corruption, fans expect immersion, not microtransactions for core-feel elements. So what does that paywall actually change for players, and how do you get the music if you want it?

• Key takeaways: The music is optional and purely atmospheric, unlocked either by the $30 Metroid Prime 4 Amiibo or by scanning a Samus Amiibo; other Amiibo grant skins and extra cutscenes.
• It’s not a gameplay advantage, but it affects tone – and tone matters a lot in Metroid.
• If you don’t want to buy the figure, there are workarounds: Nintendo Music app tracks and save-slot tricks.

Breaking down what’s locked and why it feels off

Retro Studios and Nintendo shipped a massive, open-world Metroid that leans on isolation and sound to sell its mood. The Vi-O-La Radio ambient track — intended to play while you ride Samus’s bike across Viewros — is not included in the base game files as an in-game toggle. Instead, scanning the Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Amiibo unlocks it. Historically, Amiibo have handed out small extras: costumes, items, or minor bonuses. Charging $30 for a single ambient track in 2025 stretches that model into new territory.

How to enable the Amiibo music (step-by-step)

If you decide to buy the official figure, here’s what to do. You’ll need a Switch with NFC (standard Switch/OLED; Switch Lite needs an external reader). Reach the open world area on planet Viewros, open the game’s Amiibo menu from the pause/main menu, then place the Amiibo on the NFC reader. The game will confirm and the ambient track should play whenever you’re in the open-world sections. If it doesn’t, check audio settings and make sure you’re actually in Viewros — the track won’t trigger in mission interiors.

• Amiibo not registering? Clean contacts, restart the game, try again.
• Switch Lite owner? You’ll need Nintendo’s external NFC reader to scan.
• Back up your save before scanning to avoid accidental overwrite issues.

Alternatives if you don’t want to buy the $30 figure

There are legitimate workarounds. Nintendo’s Music app (part of its music service) has the ambient track available for streaming on a phone or tablet — you can run that alongside the game to approximate the intended experience. It requires a Nintendo Switch Online account for access. Some community members have shared the track online, but that walks into copyright and account risk territory, so I don’t recommend pirated options.

Another practical workaround: use a duplicate save slot. Copy your save, scan the Amiibo on that copy to enjoy the music while exploring, then switch back to your main save if you don’t want the Amiibo-linked content permanently attached. It’s clumsy, but it avoids a full purchase for people only chasing ambience.

Context: why Nintendo is doing this — and why players pushed back

Nintendo has used Amiibo as collectible merchandise and minor unlockables for years. What’s different here is the price-to-value optics: $30 for a physical figure that unlocks an in-game atmosphere element feels like monetizing the game’s mood. Fans are calling it unnecessary given the track’s non-gameplay nature. From Nintendo’s side, there’s collectible revenue and a push to make physicals worth buying; from the player side, it reads like gating a sensory part of the experience rather than optional vanity.

What to expect next

My guess? Backlash will push Nintendo to clarify or offer digital options. Companies often patch in alternatives after community heat; patches or promotions could roll out that add the track to the base game or sell it cheaply as a digital item. If you value atmosphere and don’t want to wait, the Amiibo is the cleanest solution — but it’s not the only one.

TL;DR

Metroid Prime 4 hides a non-essential but tone-setting ambient track behind a $30 Amiibo. It won’t change gameplay, but it will change how exploration feels. Buy the figure if you’re a collector and sound matters; otherwise use the Nintendo Music app or a saved-copy trick to get a similar experience without handing Nintendo an extra $30 right now.