Metroid Prime Trilogy (Wii) Review

This has been a long time coming. When Metroid Prime came out for the Gamecube, it was the single reason I came back to playing consoles, buying the Prime Bundle to get the black gamecube with that game and a bonus disc previewing the then soon to release Metroid Prime 2: Echos. When that second game came out, it was a birthday gift just before I finished the first one. This game would become my favorite game in the franchise just due to the villanous Ing and how much I loved fighting them. Hell, even the Wii was a Christmas gift (ok, an empty box with a promise to get one which would finally get in my hands months later due to scarcity) because Metroid Prime 3 was coming out for it almost exclusively, and I loved every second of that too, as again it was a birthday gift. To say this series is one I hold in high regard would be an understatement.

However, a few years later Nintendo released this collection with all three titles on one disc and reworked for the wiimote. Admittedly, I was interested in replaying the games, especially to feel how the first two play with the new control scheme. After all, FPS style generally benefits a lot by a pointer device. However, more important, I wanted the collector’s edition, as it would also mean having the trilogy in a metal case, which admittedly I’m a bit of a sucker for. But since I had played all three games prior, I let it slide into my backlog since I had a number of games (even then) I had never played at all. Recently, this changed, and I have now put down the wiimote after traveling through the Phazon story with Samus one last time. They don’t make games like this anymore… and it’s a damn shame.

Now, before we continue, I have to note this is a collective review. Since Metroid Prime Trilogy is three games in a single menu, I am covering all three in this review. I’ve split the review to cover each in turn, and the links below are shortcuts to each one.

• Metroid Prime
• Metroid Prime 2: Echos
• Metroid Prime 3: Corruptions
• Bugs
• Overall

Metroid 2: Return of Samus (3DS) Review

Overall, I have always loved this series. Yes, it has had some SERIOUSLY major problems as of late (like Metroid Other M), but ever since I was a little kid, this was the series I wanted to play on my NES. I borrowed the original from my childhood friends so often I think they got through my entire collection and when this game came out, I seriously wanted to trade in the NES to get a gameboy… just for this game.

But since that never happened, I didn’t get to try this game till years later when with a complete boxed copy on my shelf sat along side a ROM on my PC, but I was trying to play on a Gravis Pro, and if anyone here remembers just how loose and god-awful that controller’s rocker switch was, you already know how bad I was going to find it. But recently, I decided with the official remake coming out soon, and having adored AM2R (seriously this is my current favorite 2D game in the series and second only to Prime 2 Echoes for the entire franchise), I wanted to give it a shot. So, I downloaded the game to my DS and began to play at the gym. As I finish I’m glad I took the time to play this.

AM2R: Return of Samus (PC) Review

In 2002, Nintendo was riding the successful tide of two major releases in their often ignored Metroid franchise: Metroid Prime and Metroid Fusion. Both games came out to high acclaim and popularity. In fact, this may have been the best time for the franchise in it’s entire life. Knowing they had struck gold and wanting more, they began working on other games… the result in the 3D Metroid series was Metroid Prime 2, but a “new” 2D game was missing. Instead, Nintendo chose to remake the original title for their then current portable console as Metroid: Zero Mission.

Anyone who played this game (myself included) adored it, recognizing it as a proper game fore the series and the upgrade to the NES classic that it was. But that very idea got ideas buzzing. After all, if Nintendo was willing to do this for the original game, what about it’s sequel? After all, the NES version of Metroid was (and is) still very enjoyable as it has aged rather well. Sadly we can not say the same for the sequel which was limited right away by what the Gameboy could do, but Nintendo to date has not moved on this opening.

Then a few months ago, something wonderful happened and a project to do what Nintendo has yet to released in time for the 30th anniversary of the franchise. After a decade of work by one dedicated fan, AM2R was in the wild! And then Nintendo wasted no time pooping on the party by giving the project a DMCA.

Now I’m not blaming them for that action. After all, Metroid 2 is their game and this is a remake of the original, not a “spin-off” fan game. However, that does not mean I had any intention of missing this amazing title. And now as we come to the end of the 100 Days of Gaming for Extra Life, I put down my controller, happy to have the chance to complete what is arguably the best Metroid game we have seen since Metroid Prime 3 rolled around.

AM2R Launched! (Updated)

If you know me or my gaming history, you know I have been a fan of Metroid for about as long as the series existed. While I didn’t own the NES cart till much later, I was as often as not borrowing it from a close friend of mine, and when Metroid 2 launched for Gameboy, there was suddenly no gaming system I wanted more.

Even after abandoning console for the PC when DOS games reached their final peak, it was Metroid Prime that brought me back with a copy that included a demo of the then upcoming Metroid Prime 2 in a GameCube bundle. Yes this franchise and I go a long ways back.

But despite this, I never actually played a cart version of the second game. You see until the DS, I never got any of the Nintendo portable machines, so when I finally did play it, it was by PC emulation years later with the European regioned cart on my shelf (which I still have) that was the best I could get my hands on via Ebay. I had a controller, but it was an old Gravis Gamepad Pro which was very loose on the rocker-switch, and the whole situation just felt clunky and old. I bought the game again when it became available on the 3DS, but even as I did, I knew I was just trying to catch up with something that clearly didn’t age well… and then this happened.

From the "Yes, These Morons Exist Files" The New "Metroid"

How many times do we have to do this dance, people? Seriously, I want to know. Last time I had to write on something similar to this, it was assholes who couldn't stand that people who weren't using their choice piece of plastic were going to get the chance to play Grand Theft Auto V. Since then, we have had at least 3 major attempts to remove games from markets, but over ideological/political reasons, most of which were in the past few months and by people freakishly dedicated to believing their narrative. I just don't expect anything more well reasoned from them and in fact, I fully expect more of this bullshit as major games from E3 like the new Doom get closer to release.

But at actual gamers who are passionate about the game and not some social bullshit seemed to have learned better, right? After all, when the closest thing I can see since that petition was public outrage from the same group that PCs using Windows 10 won't have to pay to use XBL Gold like they do, it would seem the community has realized it was a bad idea and do not want to do it again, right? Right?