Tha Wingin It Blog: First Impression - Metroid Prime Remastered Thoughts

Available on Nintendo Switch

So I was going to do a whole blog post about the latest Direct but seeing as how my work schedule got in the way of that I thought it would probably be better just to talk about it on the YouTube channel. There is a live reaction there and we talked about it on episode 133 of the Wingin IT Podcast, check those out when you have a chance. One of the Direct's biggest surprises was the announcement and release of Metroid Prime Remastered. One of my favorite games of the 6th generation of gaming and one of the best GameCube games. This game ushered in the Prime series, a trilogy of games that brought Samus into 3D and the first-person shooter genre. It was basically a first-person shooter adventure game.

Prime Remastered

The first thing you notice when booting up the game is how clean everything looks. At first, it looks like more of a Remake than a Remaster as everything appears to be overhauled. The game was originally one of the best-looking games on the GameCube and now it's one of the best-looking games on the Switch. Everything looks clean and evokes that sci-fi feel that you get when playing a Metroid game. The first area of the game, The Frigate, lets you know what you're in for, there is a lot of detail all over the place. The space pirates look incredible, even the different creatures that attack Samus have been given visual upgrades and details that just weren't possible on the GameCube or Wii. The sound is great in the game as well. Metroid has always had a more atmospheric style soundtrack and this has received an upgrade as well as everything sounds clearer and crisp.

The Controls

There are plenty of control options for this game. Personally, I think the best options are Dual Stick and the GameCube controller option. I will say though after trying all of them they work well. The gyro option did take a little getting used to but it was fine. As far as gameplay is concerned the action is fast and the game does a good job of getting you prepared for every encounter. Remember in the Prime series the Scan Visor is your friend. SCAN EVERYTHING. Everything. E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-NG, scanning will save you more times than you know, and also it is how you figure out where to go next and how to defeat enemies. The game isn't hard but it is challenging especially with the more abilities/suit upgrades you obtain. This version even has two modes at the start, Casual and Normal, I think Normal is fine but then again I have played this title so much that some of the later bosses will not give me as much trouble as someone brand new to the Prime series.

Overall Thoughts

I remember hearing a few years ago that the Prime series was rumored to be getting the HD Remaster treatment and just put it out of my mind because nothing came from Nintendo about it. After playing the first few hours of Metroid Prime I would love to see the entire trilogy get the Remaster treatment especially my favorite game in the series, Metroid Prime 3 Corruption. The game is available now in the Nintendo eShop for 39.99 and will be available physically on February 22nd. This is a game I really think should be in every Switch library and shows that the Switch can do more than I think a lot of people are willing to admit. The game looks great in handheld mode as well as on TV and I cannot recommend this title enough. Have you played it? Is the game on your list to pick up at some point? Leave a comment and let's talk about it. As always I thank you for the support, check out the YouTube channel for gameplay and for our Podcast episodes.