How to unlock the Vi-O-La bike in Metroid Prime 4

Samus rides the Viola bike in Metroid Prime 4 — (Image credit: Nintendo)

The Vi-O-La (or Viola) motorcycle in Metroid Prime 4 Beyond is a space age bike that has cropped up a lot in the marketing material, used to cross the desert overworld region that links various areas of the game. However, the Viola isn't unlocked from the start, and the first time you reach the desert, aka Sol Valley, in Metroid Prime 4 Beyond, you don't even have the bike and have to explore on foot. I'll explain how to get the motorcycle below, and what you need to do for this upgrade.

How to get the Viola Motorcycle in Metroid Prime 4 Beyond

To unlock the Viola bike in Metroid Prime 4, players need to fully complete the Volt Forge region, which is where these bikes are manufactured and distributed. This occurs roughly 2-3 hours into the game, though considering the time to beat Metroid Prime 4 isn't especially long, that's a fairly significant percentage of the game where you don't have it.

To reach the Metroid Prime 4 Volt Forge area, you need to complete the jungle zone Green Fury and make it to Sol Valley via the cargo pod. Once you arrive, simple head south to a downwards path that's visible from the moment you land, flanked by walls on either side.

Volt Forge is down there, though making your way through it will take some time, with the level broken into three stages: starting up the factory, passing the tests and tutorials that allow you to use the Viola bike, and escaping past the boss fight at the end. Still, it's definitely worth it, especially as you'll also get the Metroid Prime 4 Psychic Boots along the way.

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Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and Very Tired Man with a BA from Brunel University, a Masters from Sussex University and a decade working in games journalism, often focused on guides coverage but also in reviews, features and news. His love of games is strongest when it comes to groundbreaking narratives like Disco Elysium, UnderTale and Baldur's Gate 3, as well as innovative or refined gameplay experiences like XCOM, Sifu, Arkham Asylum or Slay the Spire. He is a firm believer that the vast majority of games would be improved by adding a grappling hook, and if they already have one, they should probably add another just to be safe. You can find old work of his at Eurogamer, Gfinity, USgamer, SFX Magazine, RPS, Dicebreaker, VG247, and more.