Nintendo has announced a new and free update for Metroid Dread that adds new easier or harder difficulty modes.
Announced at the Nintendo Direct last night (February 9), the new update for Metroid Dread adds two new difficulty modes.
For the player who somehow found the game too easy, there is Dread Mode. It’s essentially a one-hit-kill mode. Even the slightest blow will take down Samus. Alternatively, for players intimidated by the game’s difficulty level, there’s Rookie Mode. It offers “increased recovery” which should mean an easier time for fans.
Nintendo released a trailer on YouTube to highlight what each mode includes.
The Rookie Mode has also been added to the game’s demo. Dread Mode will only be available after clearing Hard Mode. Rookie Mode is available right from the start. Its patch notes explain that dropped items from enemies will now replenish greater amounts when picked-up.
Damage received from boss attacks has been lowered, with the finishing counters when defeating some bosses easier to perform. Players also start out with an increased number of missiles.
Alongside the difficulty tweaks, a further free update will arrive in April. That update adds a new boss rush mode, which allows players to partake in every big encounter in the game in a row.
Despite Metroid Dread being considered rather tough, HowLongToBeat reckons it was one of the most completed games of 2021.
In other news coming out of the Nintendo Direct, Nintendo Switch Sports is an actual thing. A sequel to Wii Sports, it’s out in April, and offers six sports.