Metroid Primewas a bold choice for Nintendo because it was a prequel toSuper Metroid, the last game in the series prior to the game’s release. It takes place after the events of the first game on NES. Samus goes to a space station to find a group of space pirates who somehow botched a mission and are now all dead.
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Samus then goes down to the planet below, Tallon, to see what’s going on. It doesn’t get more basic than that. TheMetroidseries has been one about long, winding tales of intrigue for better or worse. With this in mind, many fans will be wondering whetherMetroid Primestill holds up all these years later thanks to its shiny new remaster.
1The Tallon Overworld
It took a long time forMetroidfans to get a 3D game. Most may not realize this but the series went from the Super Nintendo withSuper MetroidtoMetroid Primeon the GameCube. There seemed to be plans for aMetroidgame on the N64, but no artwork, screenshots, or gameplay were ever shown.
The gap between the two games was eight years. That’s a long wait, but seemingly it was worth it since it was highly celebrated upon release. It took theclassic Metroidvania formulaand made it a 3D game. It was a new way to make these kinds of games and it took a while for some other series to catch up. Even as one of the first examples, the design still holds up in this remaster.
2Switching Between First And Third-Person Perspectives
One of the reasons why the Metroidvania elements work so well in 3D is because Retro Studios nailed the first and third-person perspectives. Most of the game will be played as a typical first-person shooter. The control scheme was a bit odd on the GameCube but it still worked enough to feel like a good first-person shooter.
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The game also switches perspectives whenever players activateSamus’ Morph Ball ability. This allows them to sneak into crevices or dive into holes to find secrets. It’s not the first game to nail multiple perspectives like this, butMetroid Prime Remastereddeserves applause for still making the game feel good decades later.
3The Quiet, Haunting Story
Metroid Prime Remasteredis a good horror game even though it doesn’t get categorized as one. Samus is alone on her mission without any allies to help her out. She is stuck on a foreign planet and has to go through alien bug-infested hives and multi-layered dungeons. This is very much a horror series at heart.
Nintendo may have drawn inspiration from Ripley fromtheAlienfranchisewhen creating Samus and her first adventure on NES. One of the series’ main antagonists is named Ridley, which is a clear reference to Ripley. So, to turn the horror factor up, players should wear headphones and play in the dark to experience this game in a new light.
4The Artwork
The graphics look great with the new polished look, but the game has always looked good thanks to the art design. As such, even the GameCube still looks great. It looks even better through emulation, which is how players have been experiencing this game for years since Nintendo didn’t repackage it after the Wii.
WithMetroid Prime Remastered, players no longer have to go through gray areas of emulation to play one of their favorite games intheMetroidfranchise. Another cool thing about the remaster is that Retro Studios included a new art gallery. Playing the game will unlock new artwork, providing players with a new way to appreciate the original design of the game.
5Save Rooms Recharge And Heal
One of the more frustrating things about some of theMetroidgames isthat save roomsdon’t always recharge health and ammo. There are separate areas and keeping track of multiple stations can be a hassle. It’s even more annoying when Metroidvanias influenced by Nintendo copy the bad aspects like multiple stations.
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Thankfully, this game recharges ammo, heals Samus, and saves the game all in one go. The one downside to the save rooms is that there aren’t enough of them. The game also doesn’t feature autosaves, so it does makeMetroid Prime Remasteredfeel a bit archaic in that regard. Still, the healing and recharging process deserves applause.
6Big Bosses
TheMetroidseries has always had some great boss fights that made use of the game’s screen. The fight with Kraid inSuper Metroidis one of the most iconic in that game. It was impressive for the time on the Super Nintendo.Metroid Prime Remasteredmakes good use of its space as well with even bigger boss fights.
They are Zelda-like in design as well because it’s not just about shooting a big thing until it dies. Most boss fights are designed around specific strategies like thefirst big oneon Tallon, Flaahgra, which needs to be weakened by the sun before Samus can set it ablaze. It’s an impressive boss fight and there are so many other good ones that still feel natural decades later.
Metroid Prime Remasteredwas released on June 13, 2025, and is available on Switch.
