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Metroid Prime

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This article is about the game. For the creature, see Metroid Prime (creature).
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime box art
Developer(s)Retro Studios
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Platform(s)Nintendo GameCube
Release


Genre(s)First-person action-adventure
Mode(s)Single player

Metroid Prime (メトロイドプライム, Metoroido Puraimu)is a video game released on November 15, 2002, developed by Nintendo-owned Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube. It was the first 3D Metroid game and is officially classified by Nintendo as a first-person adventure, rather than a first-person shooter, due to the large exploration component to the game. It was also the first Metroid game to be released since Super Metroid, which was released nearly eight years earlier (this applies to North America only; in all other markets, it was released after Metroid Fusion).[1] The four part Prime storyline, however, takes place between the original Metroid and Metroid II: Return of Samus. The title was later bundled with the GameCube in 2004. Like in previous games of the series, Metroid Prime has a science fiction setting, in which players play as the bounty hunter Samus Aran. The story follows Samus battling the Space Pirates and their biological experiments on planet Tallon IV.

The game was first announced at E3 2001 and was revealed shortly after to be played from a first-person perspective. Following the announcement and subsequent release of first screenshots, the nature of the game aroused the ire of fans who perceived it as a disgraceful transition into 3D.[2] In addition, due to frequent layoffs and corporate reorganization at Retro Studios during development, the game was often feverishly considered a debacle throughout gaming related message boards, publications, and magazines until near the point of retail release when it attained widespread critical acclaim from various pulications.[3] It was also a commercial success, selling over 1 million units in North America alone.[4]

Gameplay

Samus facing a Flying Pirate

As in previous Metroid games, Metroid Prime takes place in a large, open-ended world with different regions connected by elevators. Each region has an entire set of rooms separated by doors, that can be opened with a shot from the correct beam. The game is different from previous games in the series because of its use of first-person view as opposed to side-scrolling, being the first in the series to do so.[5]

The protagonist Samus must travel through the world searching for power-ups that enable her to reach previously unaccessible areas – such as the Varia Suit, that takes away damage caused by heat – and 12 Chozo Artifacts that will open the way to the Phazon meteor impact crater. It is the first Metroid game to address the absence of the previous game's power-ups. Samus starts with them, but they are all lost during an explosion in the Space Pirate ship.

Metroid Prime also has a "Hint System" that provides the player with a general idea of where to go, such as indicating "Seismic activity" in a certain room.[6] This was very contrary to the previous games in the series, which feature no hints or direction whatsoever. It can however be turned off via an options menu.

Items

Main article: Items in the Metroid series
Morph Ball mode

Throughout the game, the player will find and collect many different items, ranging from weapons, to upgrades of Samus's Power Suit, to various other items that grant additional abilities, such as the Morph Ball and Grapple Beam.[6] Most of the items from previous Metroid games make appearances here; however, the functions of many of them have been altered. Manipulation of the games physics can allow knowledgeable players to receive items much earlier than intended, or to bypass collecting them altogether. The current world record for lowest item pickup percentage at the end of the game is 22%. [7]

Plot

Metroid Prime was considered different from previous Metroid games by making an extended use of storyline.[8] Short cutscenes appear before important battles, and the Scan Visor can be used to read text related to the Chozo and Space Pirates.

Story

The game starts with Samus Aran intercepting a distress call that leads her to a Space Pirate vessel orbiting the planet Tallon IV. Inside, Samus discovers some biological experiments, including the Parasite Queen, that after being killed, triggers the ship's self destruction. While making her escape she stumbles upon Meta Ridley, a cybernetically enhanced Ridley, who wakes and escapes the vessel. Samus then gets severely damaged during the rest of her escape and loses most of her weapons, converting back to her less-capable Power Suit. Meta Ridley then goes down to the surface of Tallon IV.

Samus pursues Ridley down to the surface, where she discovers that the Chozo once had a colony there, but were hit by a meteor containing the mutagen called Phazon, the substance the Space Pirates were using on the Space Pirates vessel orbiting Tallon IV for their biological experiments. During her time on the planet, she finds out what happened to the Chozo, also uncovering the Space Pirates plans to try and mine Phazon to experiment and hopefully create enhanced soldiers, though most of their attempts were thwarted by the large containment structure built by the Chozo before they arrived, blocking access to the Phazon core. After putting a stop to the Space Pirate's plans, and finding all of the Chozo Artifacts, the keys to entering the temple, she finally faces off against Meta Ridley. After defeating Ridley, Samus is able to enter the impact crater and fight Metroid Prime itself.

Some sources, like Gradiente, Brazil's then-distributor of Nintendo, and the Nintendo Power comics adaptation of Metroid Prime,[9] set the game as happening after Super Metroid. The Brazilian publicity even says that the Phazon meteor is a piece of Zebes,[10] destroyed after SM.

Locations

Main articles: Tallon IV and Frigate Orpheon

The game starts in the Space Pirate Frigate Orpheon, that is filled with debris and injured Space Pirates due to the gargantuan parasitic creatures that escaped from their labs and wreaked havoc. After Samus' visit and battle with the Parasite Queen, the frigate goes into critical meltdown and explodes. A large chunk of debris from the frigate plummets towards Tallon IV and crashes on the planet.

View overlooking the Phendrana Shorelines, located in the Phendrana Drifts.

Tallon IV is divided into 6 distinct areas: Tallon Overworld, a rainforest-like area with poisonous mushrooms, exploding bags of sap, spiked beetles, and giant venomous plants, where Samus initially makes planetfall and leaves her gunship; the overworld houses the Artifact Temple, the sunken remains of Orpheon and elevators to other areas; Chozo Ruins, the remains of the Chozo civilization on Tallon IV that ended with the crash of the Phazon meteor, that initially in the game has its water poisoned by a giant plant; Magmoor Caverns, a kind of subway system with magma-filled tunnels that connect all the areas together with the exception of the Impact Crater, and houses the fire-breathing serpents that name the caverns, the Magmoor, mechanical drone guns, and organisms which release toxic gas into the air. The Space Pirates use the caverns as a source of geothermal power, and Magmoor is the only area in the game without a boss or miniboss to fight; Phendrana Drifts, a cold, mountainous location divided into an ancient Chozo ruin, some Space Pirate research labs – since the subzero temperatures make specimen containment easier– that feature the first Metroids, and ice caves and valleys, that is home to many electrical and ice based creatures; Phazon Mines, a complex of mining and research facility along with dark caves that is the center of the Space Pirates' Tallon IV operations; and Impact Crater, the final area of the game, completely corrupted by Phazon radiation and home of only three creatures, a parasite similar to others in Tallon IV, the mutated Fission Metroids – that have the ability to split into two when shot at – and the final boss, Metroid Prime. [6]

Development

After Super Metroid, many Metroid fans were eagerly awaiting a sequel. It was supposedly slated for the Nintendo 64 or its ill-fated accessory, the 64DD, but while the game was referenced several times,[11] it never entered production, because "they couldn't come out with any concrete ideas". [12]

Retro Studios was created in 1998, by an alliance between Nintendo and former Iguana Entertainment Jeff Spangenberg. After establishing their offices in Austin, Texas in 1999, Retro received five game ideas for the future GameCube, among them a new Metroid. [13]

The game was developed as a collaboration between Retro Studios and important Nintendo EAD and R&D1 members, such as Shigeru Miyamoto, Kensuke Tanabe and Kenji Miki, as well as Metroid designer Yoshio Sakamoto, that communicated with Texas through e-mails, monthly phone conferences and several personal gatherings. First it was in third person perspective, but Miyamoto made them change the perspective to first-person, causing almost everything already developed to be scrapped. [12]

In 2000, three games were canned in order to establish focus on Metroid Prime, and in 2001, the last project, an RPG called Raven Blade was cancelled, so Metroid Prime would be the only game in the works. [14]

The first public appearance of the game was a 10-second video at SpaceWorld 2000. In November of the same year, Retro Studios confirmed in the "job application" part of its website its involvement with the game, and at E3 2001, Metroid Prime was officially announced by Nintendo, receiving mixed reactions due to the change from 2D sidescrolling to 3D first person. [15]

Kenji Yamamoto, assisted by Kouichi Kyuma composed the music for Metroid Prime. The soundtrack contains some remixes of tracks from previous games in the series:[16] the initial Tallon Overworld theme is a remix of the Brinstar theme, the music in Magmoor Caverns is a remix of Super Metroid's Lower Norfair area, and the music during the fight with Meta-Ridley is a remix of the Ridley boss music first featured in Super Metroid; it has been re-mixed and featured in most Metroid games since.

Allegedly, Kraid was intended to make an appearance in Metroid Prime as a boss, and was modeled and skinned by Gene Kohler for that purpose.[17] However, time constraints prevented it from being included in the final version of the game. Though the beta model displays him inside Phazon Mines, Kohler says he was not replaced by the Omega Pirate.

Versions

Three versions of the game were released, the original North America one, a second one with some fixed problems released in North America and Japan, and the European version, which had some gameplay changes to prevent sequence breaking and fixing some glitches. Also added was a narrator in the opening and closing scenes; This version was also in the NTSC area Player's Choice release. [18]

During the European translation, some of the logs were removed or changed, resulting in a different storyline and log book.[19][20]

Before the release of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes in 2004, Nintendo released a platinum-colored GameCube bundled with a copy of Metroid Prime containing a special second disc, featuring both a preview trailer and a demo for Echoes, a timeline of Metroid games and an art gallery.[21]

Bonuses

With the use of a Nintendo GameCube-Game Boy Advance cable, players of the game can gain two additional features. If Metroid Fusion is completed, the original Metroid game can be unlocked for use within the game, and also use the memory card to save progress. If Metroid Prime is completed, the Fusion Suit which Samus wears in Fusion will become available for display while playing Prime. The connection need only be performed once in order to gain the extra features.[22]

Reception

Reviews and awards
Publication Score Comment
Famitsu
33 of 40
IGN
9.8 of 10[8]
Editor's Choice,
2002 Game of the Year runner-up[23]
GameSpot
9.7 of 10[5]
Editor's Choice,

2002 Game of the Year[24]

GameSpy
96 out of 100[25]
2002 Game of the Year[26]
EGM
10 of 10
Platinum Award,
Game of the Year (2002)
Nintendo Power
10 of 10
Game of the Year (2002)
Edge
9 of 10[27]
Editor's Choice,

2002 Game of the Year

Compilations of multiple reviews
Game Rankings
96 of 100 (based on 96 reviews)[28]
Metacritic
97 of 100 (based on 69 reviews)[29]
Awards
6nd Annual Interactive
Achievement Awards
Console First-Person Action
2003 Game Developers
Conference
Game of the Year,
Excellence in Level Design

After its release, the game has received much critical acclaim, including a perfect review score from Electronic Gaming Monthly, a 9.7 from GameSpot and a 9.8/10 from IGN, for its "very impressive graphics,[30] amazing, innovative gameplay – yet still true to the classic Metroid formula –,[31] and excellent soundtrack.[8]" Criticisms were also made, mostly for the unusual control scheme[32] and backtracking.[33]

Currently on Game Rankings, Metroid Prime stands as the third greatest game of all time and also the greatest game of the 21st century, with an average score of 96.4%.[34]The video game countdown show Filter named Metroid Prime as having the Best Graphics of all time. It also won many 2002 Game of the Year awards from major publications and gaming sites.

The game also became one of the best-selling games on the GameCube, with about 1.49 million copies sold in the United States alone.[4]. It is also the 8th best-selling GameCube game in Australia [35] and sold over 250,000 copies in Europe, thus entering the Player's Choice line[36].

Metroid Prime was also included in several lists of best games: 24th in IGN's Top 100,[37] 29th in a 100-game list chosen by GameFAQs users,[38] and 10th in Nintendo Power's "Top 200 Nintendo Games Ever"[39].

In Gamespot's "Reader's Choice: Top Ten Boss Fights", the end boss fight with Metroid Prime itself was voted, by the write-in ballot, to be the number one boss fight in all video games. [40]

Metroid Prime also became popular among hardcore gamers for speedrunning, with specialized communities being formed to share these speedruns (see speedrun for more information).

Legacy

Further information: [[:Metroid series chronology]]

Metroid Prime was followed by three sequels in the same first-person shooter style. The first was Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, for the GameCube and released in November 2004, in which Samus travels to planet Aether and discovers that a Phazon meteor crash in the planet created an alternate reality, while being pursued by a mysterious enemy called Dark Samus.

The second was Metroid Prime: Hunters, for the Nintendo DS, with a storyline that happens between Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes; a demo of the game was released with purchase of a Nintendo DS titled, Metroid Prime: Hunters - First Hunt, and the full game was released on March 20, 2006 (USA), and May 5, 2006 (Europe). The storyline follows Samus trying to discover an "ultimate power", while facing six rival bounty hunters. Hunters wasn't developed by Retro Studios, but by Redmond-based subsidiary NST.

The third sequel is Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, due to be released August 27, 2007 for Nintendo's next generation console, Wii. Corruption was revealed to close the Prime series,[41] and will introduce new hunters and characters, such as Rundus, another bounty hunter from the Galactic Federation.

Also related to Metroid Prime was the spin-off Metroid Prime Pinball, developed by Fuse Games and released in 2005 for the Nintendo DS. It is a virtual pinball game that features all the locations and bosses of Prime.

See also

  • Gunpei Yokoi, producer of the original Metroid trilogy
  • Shigeru Miyamoto, associate producer of Metroid Prime and Nintendo's most well known designer

References

  1. ^ "Metroid Fusion release dates". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-02-23.
  2. ^ "No Metroid For You". N-sider. February 19, 2001.
  3. ^ "Metroid Prime reviews". Rotten Tomatoes. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |accesdate= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b "US Platinum Videogame Chart". The Magic Box. Retrieved August 13. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); External link in |work= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b Kasavin, Greg (November 15, 2002). "Metroid Prime review". gamespot.com. Retrieved 2006-01-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  6. ^ a b c Nintendo (2002). Metroid Prime Instruction Booklet. Nintendo of America, Inc.
  7. ^ "Metroid Prime walkthroughs". Speed Demos Archive. {{cite web}}: Text "accessdate-2007-03-27" ignored (help)
  8. ^ a b c Mirabella, Fran (November 11, 2002). "Metroid Prime review". ign.com. Retrieved 2006-09-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  9. ^ "Metroid Prime downloads (includes the comic books)". Samus.co.uk.
  10. ^ "Metroid Prime on a large Brazilian e-shop" (in Portuguese). Submarino.
  11. ^ "News Archives: 1996-1999". Metroid Database. Retrieved 2006-02-21.
  12. ^ a b "Developer info for Metroid Prime". Nintendo.com. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  13. ^ "Metroid Primed". The Escapist. 2006-04-04.
  14. ^ "History of Retro Studios". N-sider. 2004-12-17.
  15. ^ "Metroid Prime development". N-sider. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  16. ^ "Metroid Prime & Fusion Original Soundtracks". Retrieved 2007-03-30. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |publishewr= ignored (help)
  17. ^ "Did You Know? Classic Metroid enemy Kraid was planned to be in Metroid Prime". Generation N.
  18. ^ "Version differences: version number". Metroid2002.com. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  19. ^ Chozo Lore FAQ and Pirate Data FAQ (NTSC version), GameFAQs. Accessed April 20, 2007
  20. ^ PAL Chozo Lores and PAL Pirate Data, samus.co.uk. Accessed April 20, 2007
  21. ^ "New Metroid Prime Bundle Announced for GameCube". GamePro. 2004-04-08. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  22. ^ "Metroid Prime, Fusion connection revealed". GameSpot. 2002-10-25. Retrieved 2007-04-10.
  23. ^ IGN staff (2003-01-23). "2002 Overall Game of the Year". ign.com. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  24. ^ "GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2002: Game of the Year". GameSpot.
  25. ^ Williams, Bryan (November 19, 2002). "Metroid Prime review". gamespy.com. Retrieved 2007-01-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  26. ^ "Game of the Year 2002". GameSpy.
  27. ^ "Metroid Prime review". Edge magazine (115). November 15, 2002. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
  28. ^ "Metroid Prime Reviews". Game Rankings. Retrieved 2006-09-08.
  29. ^ "Metroid Prime reviews". metacritic.com. Retrieved 2006-09-08.
  30. ^ Castro, Juan (2005-04-29). "The Top Ten Best-Looking GameCube Games". IGN.
  31. ^ "Entertainment Gaming Monthly reviews". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2007-02-24.
  32. ^ "Metroid Prime review". Game Informer. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  33. ^ "Game Rankings review". gamerankings.com. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  34. ^ "Game Rankings' top games". Game Rankings. Retrieved 2007-02-24.
  35. ^ "Australia's Choice". 2006-10-16. Retrieved 2007-03-30.
  36. ^ "New Player's Choice titles!". n-europe. 2003-10-03. Retrieved 2007-03-30.
  37. ^ "IGN's top 100 games of all time". IGN. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  38. ^ "GameFAQs: 10-Year Anniversary Contest - The 10 Best Games Ever". GameFAQs. Retrieved 2006-10-04. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  39. ^ "Top 200 Nintendo Games Ever". Nintendo Power (200). 2006. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  40. ^ "Tenspot Readers' Choice Ten Best Boss Fights". Gamespot. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  41. ^ "Metroid Prime 3 Details Emerge". IGN. 2005-08-03. Retrieved 2007-03-30.
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