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Metroid Prime: Trilogy
In the background, a person in a big, futuristic-looking powered suit with a helmet, large, bulky, and rounded shoulders, points its firearm on the right arm towards the viewer. In the center of the image is the title "Metroid Prime Trilogy". At the upper right corner is the Wii logo, and in the bottom of the image, are the words "Collector's Edition" in an orange rectangle, Nintendo's logo, and ESRB's rating of "T".
North American box art
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)Nintendo
SeriesMetroid
Platform(s)Wii
Release
  • NA: August 24, 2009
  • EU: September 4, 2009
  • AU: October 15, 2009
Genre(s)First-person action-adventure
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Metroid Prime: Trilogy is a compilation of action-adventure games developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. It features three games from the Metroid series: Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Prime and Echoes, which were originally released for the GameCube, were updated with many of the features that were first implemented in Corruption, such as a new control scheme based on the Wii Remote and a credits system that was supported by WiiConnect24.

The compilation was first announced by Nintendo in May 2009, and was released in North America on August 24, 2009; in Europe on September 4, 2009; and in Australia on October 15, 2009. It was not released in Japan, because the Prime and Echoes ports were released as standalone games in the New Play Control! collection for that region. In January 2010, Nintendo discontinued the title in both North America and Australia. Metroid Prime: Trilogy was well received by critics, with much praise to the new controls. In January 2015, the compilation was made available for download from the Wii U's Nintendo eShop.[1]

Overview

View of a futuristic looking room; an enemy in a big, futuristic-looking black powered suit with a helmet, large, bulky, and rounded shoulders charges the firearm on the right arm. The player's weapon (a large cannon) is visible in the corner of the screen. The image is a simulation of the heads-up display of a combat suit's helmet, with a crosshair surrounding the enemy and two-dimensional icons relaying game information around the edge of the frame.
The ported version of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes has a different aspect ratio, changed from 4:3 to widescreen, and allows for the targeting reticle to be aimed anywhere on the screen using the Wii Remote.

The updated Wii versions of Prime and Echoes, which were released separately in Japan as part of the New Play Control! series, utilize the same Wii Remote control scheme introduced in Corruption.[2][3][4] The Spring Ball ability featured in Corruption is also implemented in Prime and Echoes. The GameCube controller is not compatible with the Wii versions of Prime and Echoes, despite they were originally released for the GameCube console.[2] Other updates include shorter load times, upgraded textures, bloom lighting, altered visual effects, and 16:9 widescreen capabilities;[5] however, the heads-up display is always displayed at the original aspect ratio, causing it to be stretched horizontally when in widescreen mode.[6]

Additionally, the award system from Corruption was incorporated into the first two games. Players earn credits by accomplishing certain tasks, allowing them to unlock in-game items such as artwork, music, a screenshot feature, decorative items for Samus' ship in Corruption and the Fusion Suit in Prime, in which the latter was previously unlocked by connecting the Game Boy Advance title Metroid Fusion to the game.[2][7] Credits could also be shared with registered Wii friends, who also have a copy of Trilogy, via WiiConnect24 which used the Wii's own 16-digit number as opposed to a separate Friend Code.[2] Save files from the original version of Corruption cannot be transferred to the Trilogy version due to changes made to the source code.[8]

The game also featured the multiplayer mode from Echoes, but was limited to local four-player games and did not feature online play, which is faithful to the original.[2][3][4][5] In response to complaints from players and critics about Echoes's high difficulty during some of the boss battles, the difficulty of the encounters was lowered.[5][9][10] All three games were printed on a single disc, and accessible via a new, unified start menu designed differently from any of the previous editions of the included games. The menu also allows independent access to the Echoes multiplayer mode, the extras menu, and other settings.[2]

Metroid Prime

Main article: Metroid Prime

Originally released in 2002 for the GameCube, Metroid Prime was the first 3D title in the series, changing the perspective from sidescrolling third person to first-person view, with third-person being used on the Morph Ball gameplay. The game starts with protagonist Samus Aran receiving a distress signal from Space Pirate Frigate Orpheon. After an accident causes the ship to be destroyed, Samus lands on the nearby planet, Tallon IV, where the Space Pirates discovered a powerful radioactive substance known as Phazon. Samus fights off the Pirates and their biological experiments, eventually leading to a battle with Metroid Prime, a highly mutated Metroid that had been feeding off the core of a Phazon meteorite.[2][11] The game received universal acclaim by critics,[12] winning several Game of the Year awards,[13] and sold over two million units worldwide.[14]

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Main article: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Released in 2004, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes continues from the events of the first Prime, and featured a multiplayer mode. Samus is sent to rescue Galactic Federation Marines from a ship near Aether, a planet inhabited by a race known as the Luminoth. There, she discovers that the troops were slaughtered by the Ing, an evil race that came from an alternate dimension of Aether created by a Phazon meteor. Samus travels to three temples to ensure the destruction of the Ing, while battling Space Pirates and her mysterious doppelgänger called Dark Samus.[2][11] Although it was positively received,[15] criticism of the game was driven on the steep difficulty and multiplayer components.[16][17] Sales for Echoes were lower than the first, with a total of 800,000 units.[18]

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

Main article: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

Released in 2007, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption was the first title in the series to be released on the Wii. While fending off a Space Pirate assault, Samus and her fellow bounty hunters are attacked by Dark Samus. After Samus loses contact with the other hunters, the Galactic Federation sends Samus on a mission to determine what happened to them. During the course of the game, Samus works to prevent the Phazon from spreading from planet to planet while being slowly corrupted by the Phazon herself.[2] The game received high critical acclaim,[19] and as of March 2008, 1.31 million copies of the game were sold worldwide.[20]

Development

A building with a sign reading "Retro Studios". Trees and a hedge are seen in front of it.
Retro Studios, based in Austin, Texas, developed Metroid Prime: Trilogy with only a few members of the staff.

In 2004, while Retro Studios was finishing Echoes, senior producer Bryan Walker suggested to studio president Michael Kelbaugh to "do something for the fans by putting all the games together on a single disc in a collector[']s 'trilogy' edition". Kelbaugh sent the proposal to Nintendo, which the company accepted.[10] Development on the compilation started shortly before the release of Corruption,[18] and used only a few of Retro Studios' staff, as most of the crew was busy with Donkey Kong Country Returns.[21] Prime series producer Kensuke Tanabe asked the staff to resolve most of the glitches for the Trilogy release to prevent sequence breaking.[22]

Walker considered the compilation to be "an almost unheard of opportunity to take something you had already released and make it better". Senior designer Mike Wikan said most of the content additions were subtle changes, such as streamlining the engines for steady framerates and shorter loading times, and higher resolution textures. Prime had the addition of light bloom, and Echoes had difficulty tweaks to make it "more accessible to those who were really intimidated early on". For Corruption, the code was examined to find ways to make it run faster and better than in the original Wii release.[18] Besides the changes, the particle and water ripple effects found in the original versions of Prime were reduced.[23] The word "damn" uttered by the character Admiral Dane in Corruption's original release was also replaced with "no".[24][25] Corruption voice actor Timothy Patrick Miller recalled on a minor dialogue alteration for his voice work: "I realize that video games even more than film is a Director[']s medium. The Director will take any actor[']s performance, edit it, cut it and in general mold it to fit his vision of the overall project. Not only do I not have a problem with that, I don’t see how it can be any other way. Should they find it not to work I expect the voice will be dropped."[26]

On October 2, 2008, Nintendo presented the New Play Control! series of GameCube ports, with Prime and Echoes among the initial Japan titles.[27] In May 2009, Nintendo announced that all three games would be packaged in a single-disk compilation internationally.[28] In April 2011, a copy of Trilogy—signed by Retro Studios staff and the Prime series producer—was auctioned on Amazon, with 100 percent of proceeds to be donated to the relief efforts for the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.[29] Initially at the 2011 Game Developers Conference, Kelbaugh stated that the studio had no plans for the Trilogy to be re-released.[30] However it was later announced in a Nintendo Direct on January 14, 2015, that the Trilogy would see a re-release alongside Super Mario Galaxy 2 on the Wii U eShop.[31]

Release

Metroid Prime: Trilogy was released in North America on August 24, 2009,[32] packaged in a steel-book case, along with an art booklet.[33][34] The European release in the following month maintained the booklet,[35] while the Australian release in October only had a metallic cardboard slip cover.[36] On January 8, 2010, it was reported that Nintendo of America was no longer producing or shipping Metroid Prime: Trilogy, and stated that players may still be able to find second-hand copies of Trilogy via video game stores.[37] On January 11, 2010, it was reported that Nintendo Australia had also discontinued the game.[38] Following Nintendo of America's announcement, Nintendo of Europe assured that the game was not discontinued in their region.[39] Although, the game had since been out of stock at most retailers.

In August 2013, U.S.-based retailer GameStop announced they acquired a significant stock of pre-owned copies of Metroid Prime: Trilogy, along with Xenoblade Chronicles, another game that Nintendo published with a limited print cycle.[40] GameStop stated that the game is available for purchase exclusively via their website as a "vintage" title (despite being released merely four years prior) for $84.99, and "with no shrink wrap",[40] suggesting their pre-owned copies are slightly or never used, including intact Club Nintendo redeeming codes. Whilst the price is high for a pre-owned game, it relatively much cheaper than other copies of the game being offered by other resellers via trade sites such as eBay, as demand remains high for Metroid Prime: Trilogy against the low supply.[40]

In the January 2015 Nintendo Direct, it was announced that Metroid Prime: Trilogy would be released for download through the Wii U's Nintendo eShop. It was made available in North America and Europe on January 29, 2015,[41][42] and in Australia and New Zealand on January 30, 2015.[43]

Technical issues

See also: Technical issues of the Wii

Metroid Prime: Trilogy uses a dual-layer disc to allow all three games to fit on a single disc due to the size of the game data.[28] Nintendo of America has stated that some Wii consoles may have difficulty reading the high-density software due to a contaminated laser lens. Nintendo offered a free repair for owners who experienced this issue.[44]

Reception

Metroid Prime: Trilogy was released to critical acclaim.[45][46] GameSpy's Phil Theobald praised it for being the compilation of three great games for the price of one.[7] Matt Casamassina of IGN awarded Trilogy a score of 9.5 out of 10, citing the "fantastic gameplay" and "brilliant presentation values",[9] while Martin Kitts of NGamer UK complimented the addition of achievements system, and said the package had a good money value, calling it a "massive amount of gameplay per pound".[53] Eurogamer's Kristan Reed thought the new implementations made it attractive to newcomers and old-time fans, and declared that "not since Super Mario All Stars in the SNES era has Nintendo taken an opportunity to unite one of its great series in such an irresistible way".[49] 1UP.com's Jeremy Parish liked the implementation of the new control scheme, stating that "the smooth precision of the Wii Remote makes the older games well worth revisiting".[47]

Metroid Prime: Trilogy has also been subject to criticism. GamePro's Ashley Schoeller said that graphically, "the games do look a bit dated" and complained that the HUD was "out of aspect" to fit the widescreen.[6] Official Nintendo Magazine's Fred Dutton said that some aspects of Prime and Echoes had aged, saying the backtracking "feels like more of a chore than it did seven years ago," and that it is "not until [Echoes] enters its final third that things really start to pick up".[52] GamesRadar considered the achievements too expensive, and that the similarity between the three games gives "an inescapable sense of déjà vu".[51] Edge noted that the control scheme was not very innovative, and that Echoes and Corruption "favoured graphical flourishes over design innovation".[48] While Ben Reeves of Game Informer praised the game, the "second opinion" reviewer, Adam Biessener, considered the collection "subpar", saying it lacked innovation, and that the Wii control scheme, particularly aiming and panning, "is inferior in every way to the traditional scheme from the GameCube titles".[50]

In IGN's Top 25 Wii Games list, Metroid Prime: Trilogy ranked third (2011),[54] and fourth (2012).[55] In a feature article regarding games collections, Bob Mackey of 1UP.com listed Trilogy as the "Hardest-to-find Work of Greatness", noting that it "had a conspicuously low print run; finding a copy in the wild proves difficult, and eBay prices often reach 100 dollars."[56]

References

  1. ^ Crossley, Rob, January 30, 2015 "Metroid Prime Trilogy Out Now on Wii U" (http://www.gamespot.com/articles/metroid-prime-trilogy-out-now-on-wii-u/1100-6424997/). GameSpot. Accessed 21 May 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Metroid Prime: Trilogy Instruction Booklet (PDF). Nintendo of America. 2009. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
  3. ^ a b Harris, Craig (May 22, 2009). "Metroid Prime Trilogy Hands-on". IGN. Retrieved May 22, 2009.
  4. ^ a b Kohler, Chris (May 22, 2009). "Hands-On: Metroid Prime Trilogy Brings Entire Series to Wii". Wired News. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
  5. ^ a b c Hinkle, David (August 17, 2009). "This Week on the Nintendo Channel: Metroid Prime Trilogy dev diary". Joystiq. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
  6. ^ a b c Schoeller, Ashley (August 24, 2009). "Review: Metroid Prime Trilogy (Wii)". GamePro. Archived from the original on October 28, 2009. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
  7. ^ a b c Theobald, Phil (August 24, 2009). "The Consensus: Metroid Prime Trilogy Review". GameSpy. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  8. ^ Casamassina, Matt (August 12, 2009). "Corruption Saves Won't Work in Metroid Trilogy". IGN. News Corporation. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  9. ^ a b c Casamassina, Matt (August 21, 2009). "Metroid Prime: Trilogy Review". IGN. Retrieved August 22, 2009.
  10. ^ a b "Interview with Kensuke Tanabe". Nintendo of Europe. Metroid Prime Trilogy official website (UK). Retrieved June 11, 2010.
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  14. ^ Mathew Kumar; Leigh Alexander (November 27, 2007). "MIGS 2007: Retro Studios On The Journey Of Metroid Prime". Gamasutra. Retrieved December 4, 2007.
  15. ^ "Metroid Prime 2: Echoes — GC". GameRankings. Retrieved February 16, 2008.
  16. ^ Williams, Bryn (November 26, 2004). "Metroid Prime 2: Echoes review". GameSpy. Retrieved November 16, 2008.
  17. ^ Shoemaker, Brad (November 11, 2004). "Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved November 16, 2008.
  18. ^ a b c Casamassina, Matt (August 28, 2009). "A Space Bounty Hunter in Texas". IGN. Retrieved April 28, 2010.
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  20. ^ "Financial Results Briefing for the Fiscal Year Ended March 2008: Supplementary Information" (PDF). Nintendo. April 25, 2008. p. 6. Retrieved August 3, 2008.
  21. ^ Totilo, Stephen (September 21, 2009). "Metroid Prime Team Discusses Their Decade Of Samus, Ponders Series' Future". Kotaku. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  22. ^ "Retro Studios at GDC: We love our speedrunners!". Metroid Database. March 3, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2012.
  23. ^ "Metroid Prime Trilogy Versions Look Worse Than The Originals". kotaku.com. Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  24. ^ Good, Owen (August 31, 2009). "Metroid Prime Trilogy Lost its 'Damn'". kotaku.com. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
  25. ^ Sliwinski, Alexander (August 31, 2009). "Metroid Prime Trilogy 'damn'-ed by silly censorship". Joystiq. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
  26. ^ Kerwin, Darren (2010). "Interview with Timothy Miller". Shinesparkers. Retrieved May 30, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  27. ^ Thomas, Lucas M. (October 2, 2008). "Presenting the "Play it on Wii Selection"". IGN. Retrieved August 11, 2010.
  28. ^ a b Sinclair, Brendan (May 22, 2009). "Nintendo charges Metroid Prime Trilogy for Wii". GameSpot. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
  29. ^ "Play for Japan: MDb Auctions off Signed Metroid Prime Trilogy for Earthquake Relief!". Metroid Database. April 6, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2012.
  30. ^ "Metroid Prime Trilogy Unlikely to See Re-Release". Metroid Database. March 6, 2011. Archived from the original on April 7, 2013. Retrieved January 1, 2012.
  31. ^ Schneider, Steven. "'Metroid Prime Trilogy' And 'Super Mario Galaxy 2' Headed To Wii U". Tech Times. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
  32. ^ "Metroid Prime Trilogy at Nintendo". Nintendo. Retrieved May 22, 2009.
  33. ^ Casamassina, Matt (June 24, 2009). "Metroid Prime Trilogy Box Art Revealed". IGN. Retrieved June 25, 2009.
  34. ^ "Metroid Prime: Trilogy at metroid.com". Nintendo. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
  35. ^ "A European Club Nintendo treat for long-time Metroid fans". Nintendo. August 13, 2009. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  36. ^ "AU: No Steel Case For Metroid Prime Trilogy". IGN Australia. September 23, 2009. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  37. ^ Ogden, Gavin (January 10, 2010). "Metroid Prime: Trilogy "no longer being shipped"". Computer and Video Games. Future plc. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
  38. ^ Vuckovic, Daniel (January 12, 2010). "Metroid Prime Trilogy discontinued in Australia too". Vooks. Archived from the original on December 2, 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  39. ^ Purchese, Robert (January 19, 2010). "UK Metroid Trilogy not discontinued". Eurogamer. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  40. ^ a b c Green, Andy (August 17, 2013). "Metroid Prime Trilogy Now Available At GameStop For $84.99". Nintendo Life. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
  41. ^ Phillips, Tom (January 14, 2015). "Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid Prime Trilogy headed to Wii U eShop". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  42. ^ Otero, Jose (January 14, 2015). "Super Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid Prime Trilogy Coming to Wii U". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  43. ^ Salter, Ben (January 14, 2015). "Wii games coming to Wii U as downloads - Australian pricing includes launch sale". MMGN. Retrieved January 15, 2015.
  44. ^ "Metroid Prime Trilogy Game-Specific Troubleshooting". Nintendo of America. Archived from the original on January 31, 2016. Retrieved January 31, 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  45. ^ a b "Reviews of Metroid Prime: Trilogy". GameRankings. Retrieved August 22, 2009.
  46. ^ a b "Reviews of Metroid Prime: Trilogy". Metacritic. Retrieved August 22, 2009.
  47. ^ a b Parish, Jeremy (August 20, 2009). "Metroid Prime Trilogy Review". 1UP.com. Retrieved August 10, 2010.[dead link]
  48. ^ a b "Review: Metroid Prime – Trilogy". Edge. Future plc. September 2, 2009. Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
  49. ^ a b Reed, Kristan (September 8, 2009). "Metroid Prime Trilogy Review - Wii". Eurogamer. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
  50. ^ a b Reeves, Ben (September 27, 2009). "Metroid Prime Trilogy". Game Informer. Retrieved August 10, 2010.
  51. ^ a b "Metroid Prime Trilogy Review". GamesRadar. August 14, 2009. Retrieved August 22, 2009.
  52. ^ a b Dutton, Fred. "The best three-for-one offer ever". Official Nintendo Magazine (September 2009). Future plc: 79. Archived from the original on September 8, 2009. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
  53. ^ a b Kitts, Martin. "Review: Metroid Prime Trilogy". NGamer (October 2009). Future Publishing: 58. Archived from the original on September 5, 2009. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
  54. ^ IGN staff (August 15, 2011). "The Top 25 Wii Games 2011 Edition". IGN. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  55. ^ IGN staff (August 13, 2012). "The Top 25 Wii Games 2012 Edition". IGN. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  56. ^ Mackey, Bob (April 5, 2012). "The Best and Worst Video Game Compilations". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved April 7, 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

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