Nintendo fans are unhappy with the $30 Metroid Prime 4: Beyond amiibo figure that lets you turn on the radio on your motorcycle.
As previously announced, the Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Samus amiibo unlocks a number of in-game features, including an energy shield that blocks 99 damage – constrained to one operate per day. However, discussions among fans have now focused on the fact that this amiibo also unlocks a jukebox feature for Samus’ Vi-O-La bike, which allows you to hear other themes from the game.
The debate about the pros and cons of Nintendo providing additional features to amiibo owners is nothing novel, and dozens of Nintendo games feature exclusive extras for people who own the figures associated with them (or borrow them from friends). Additionally, there were also many inaccuracies regarding the operate of the radio in this case, with some reports incorrectly stating that it featured exclusive music or that the main area of Sol Valley where the bikes are located was otherwise tranquil.
It’s true that Sol Valley’s ethereal, ambient music is relatively meager – after all, the desert-like area is meant to be a wasteland and an environment vastly different from the game’s main areas, which Samus once again explores on foot.
Still, some fans have suggested that it would be nice to be able to turn on the in-game radio without purchasing the $29.99 toy, which – while this is a familiar argument for Nintendo games with amiibo-exclusive features – seems fair enough.
“Couldn’t we have jukebox mode available to us right away, instead of buying an accessory that would bring bad luck to jukebox mode?” wrote Nintendo fan Knightedwolf851 reddit. “Spending more money on a game we already bought for $70-80?”
“Honestly, if the DLC doesn’t impact the gameplay and story, it doesn’t bother me,” another fan, Kerrpllady, countered. “It’s a cosmetic element that has no impact on the game. (Unlike Skyward Sword’s teleporter, which in my opinion, this mechanic removed some decision-making from the game anyway.).”
“$30 to kill the intended vibe? OK,” joked a third fan, The_Pepper_Oni.
I really think the desert would be at least 3 times better if they put GREAT music behind it. But it seems so… dull #MetroidPrime4 pic.twitter.com/xqCAPxBgWP
— André (@AndreSegers) December 3, 2025
IGN has a full guide to amiibo functionality, rewards and unlocks in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, which also includes a distance counter and additional Vi-O-La liveries. We previously reported on the Sylux amiibo figure, which allows you to watch a specially edited in-game cutscene that would otherwise require 100% completion.
“Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is an excellent, if relatively uneven, revival that, in its best moments, reaches heights worthy of the Metroid name,” IGN wrote in our Metroid Prime 4: Beyond review, rating the game 8/10.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s news editor. You can contact Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
