Metroid Prime: Federation Force is Now Available to Pre-load in North America

Too bad I already preordered a physical copy, which should take a bit longer to arrive. I wasn't expecting a pre-load...

It releases on my birthday. Can't wait!

Blast Ball convinced me to get it. I might not get it at launch, but definitely by October.

I'll look out for reviews before I make up my mind.

Mehhhhhhhh..... Maybe.

Even though I was a bit disappointed with Dark Moon, I still think Next Level Games is a really good developer (loved Mario Strikers Charged!), and has the potential to make Federation Force a good game. Blast Ball was actually much better than I expected it to be, and I found it to be pretty fun. I'm not a big fan of Metroid though, so I'll pass on this game. Even though I won't be getting it myself, I hope that those who do get it enjoy it!

still need to try out the demo. But so far nothing has inspired me to download this (despite how easy it is to do so). (T_T )

I'll be buying a Samus figurine instead anyways.

I'll never buy this

40$ for this ? NO !

I'm thinking I probably will buy this, but may wait to see what reviews are like. Btw is there a date for when review embargoes are lifted?

Not buying this junk. Voting with my wallet and I vote Metroid Prime 4 or something similar. The less people buy this the better, teach Nintendo to stop fracking around.

...well, it's been a long time for anything new Metroid..as a fan, I'm Federation Forced to get it..

I'll be picking it up.

EDIT: I'll elaborate. This isn't the dark, deep and frightening sci-fi platformer I grew up with. I'd rather buy a remastered Return of Samus or HD, hand drawn / highly detailed reimagining of Super Metroid. I'd like a true HD Metroid Prime with a solid multiplayer mode. This is what should have happened. However, I remember getting nothing during the N64 era. There was a big drought between Super Metroid and Metroid Prime and Fusion. I went from small child to high school teenager during this drought. We got some excellent Metroid games, including the Trilogy and Zero Mission.

I liked Hunters. This one? Yes, the chibi art style is dumb. However, the 3DS has a larger audience. Sadly. I would rather have Monster Hunter Generations and Metroid Prime Federation Force on Wii U. Filthy lucre talks, handheld games for children walks. I think this game will be fun when you have a team fighting and exploring, rather than Blast Ball. As much as I don't care for Blast Ball, I rather there be another mode for the game than nothing at all. Theres more than one thing selling the game.

I'll buy this one. I think it will be fun. Zelda games have core games and silly spin offs. Maybe they're trying that for Metroid after all the serious games we got, and seeing how Other M was a story heavy downer for many.

However, there better be a new core Metroid on the way.

Not buying this game will send a message, but probably not the one Metroid fans want. It'll probably send them the message that Metroid games don't sell. Just like when Other M sold poorly. The fans can say "this isn't what we want from the franchise! Other M has a dumb story and terrible controls! Federation Force is a goofy spinoff when we want a main entry!" Nintendo is a business. They're much more likely to hear "We don't want to buy Metroid games! Make more Mario instead! We buy that!" I wouldn't be surprised if this is a Metroid spinoff because they're testing the waters to see if people are still interested in the franchise. Boy, did they get an answer.

Of course nobody has to buy a game they don't want to play. It's a handheld 1st person shooter with 4 player online multiplayer and a 6 player soccer mode that resembles Rocket League. Not bad for a spinoff title, but I might pass myself. Only have so much time and money. But if you aren't buying Federation Force to send a message that you want new Metroid games, you might want to be prepared for the possibility of replaying the previous Metroid games.

Wasn't a big fan of the demo

The demo showed me I wasn't good at blast ball. But it also shows me I can't wait for the mission based stuff. It feels good and I love the new art style. Anything Metroid is worth supporting, but I also understand the hate. I'm pre-loading this thing.

I'll be voting with my wallet and getting a copy. Don't have enough space on my SD card so I'll be getting a physical copy regardless of whether Europe gets to pre-load it.

Don't buy bad games just because you want them to continue the "Metroid Franchise" or whatever. They're just going to keep making the bad game if you do. (Sticker Star/Color Splash, etc.)

@donniedarkenson Problem is with Nintendo they'll likely see the low sales as reason to not make any Metroid games, let alone another Federation Force.

@donniedarkenson

"It's different, and I don't like it, so that means it's bad! I know because I haven't played it yet!"

@Neon_Blues There's a free demo and it sucks. And people are admitting that it sucks and are still saying they're going to buy it.

Metroid is literally the name of a genre of games (Metroidvania), and Nintendo knows what people like about Metroid games. It's not this.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metroidvania
http://store.steampowered.com/tag/en/Metroidvania/

@donniedarkenson If Federation Force truly ends up being a bad game, then that's one thing, but it's not even out yet, so who's to say.

I for one welcome a mission/action focused Metroid. Do I think this is how all Metroid games should be from here in out? No. But this will be a fun game, and I think it's a great take on the series.

If it's bad, then people should be upset. But right now, this game doesn't deserve all the hate it's getting.

Loving blast ball

@Mega_Yarn_Poochy me to

I'm excited about the coop gameplay! So much fun with my friends to be had!

@brutalpanda I disagree. This isn't a Metroid I want, but it looks like a fantastic game. I'm fine with different structure and gameplay if the game looks fun.

I can wait for a traditional Metroid. While waiting, I'll play Federation Force.

Tbh, whenever I hear something about this game I always forget about its mere existence almost immediately afterwards. I'll probably pick it up when I see it in stores.

There is now way I am not getting this. I guess this game is better than no metroid.

@donniedarkenson "Don't buy bad games just because you want them to continue the "Metroid Franchise" or whatever. They're just going to keep making the bad game if you do. (Sticker Star/Color Splash, etc.)"

I don't even know where to begin... You're implying that federation force is a bad game, and yet we don't yet know if Federation Force is bad or not, because it hasn't been released! And basing your opinion on Blast Ball, which is not even representative of the main gameplay, is just ignorant. Most signs point to this being a pretty decent game. Whether it's to your liking is another story. If you don't like the art style, fine. That doesn't make it bad. If you don't like the multiplayer centric gameplay, fine. That doesn't make it bad. Just because you don't like these things doesn't make it a bad game. That's like me saying FIFA is a crap game because I don't like soccer.

Also, you, and everyone really, needs pull back on the colour splash hate. It's already been established it's not sticker star. It actually seems pretty good and way better than sticker star. Here's ign praising its mechanics and a gaf thread with a glowing info dump of the game:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lMFg7Xm_PQk
http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=1250469

While I will agree with you that people shouldn't buy bad games so as to send a message to developers about quality, you can't possibly make that statement about the 2 games you mentioned before they have even come out. Anyone who does is just being idiotic.

I can already predict that Nintendo Life will not be able to give this game a numbered score in their review because of the online servers not being active. We will get the usual pending score until after the game releases.

If reviews are good it will move up to my maybe list but otherwise just too many games out to be buying lemons even if it has Metroid in the title.

I'm looking forward to this title the 3DS needs a good title of this nature and from what I've seen it looks to be a solid title .

I work too hard for my money.

@ikki5 No one is forcing you I guess

I'm extremely confused about what this game is. Is it just a multiplayer game? Is blast ball the main game mode or is there some sort of campaign? Is this game like a Metroid version of triforce heroes where you tackle the campaign with friends?

Very interested in the overall reviews for this game. Not jumping straight into this one, when what I've seen thus far, hasn't really gotten me fired up. Plus, I played BlastBall... Ugh, no thanks. Not opposed to the game. Just EXTREMELY apprehensive. Let the reviews roll in!

I actually tried the demo to this game. ...No, I won't be getting it anytime soon. ESPECIALLY for Samus' 30th. However, I WILL celebrate with something even better! I can't wait for tomorrow!!

@NintndoNik The demo for the Federation Force portion of the gameplay is unlocked after a few games of Blast Ball. How are you not getting this??? You can play Federation Force right now, and see if it's right for you.

I will now coin a new term: "Nuts & Bolts Sticker Force".
Named for Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, Paper Mario Sticker Star, and Metroid Prime: Federation Force, a Nuts & Bolts Sticker Force is an entry in an established franchise which drags said franchise through an unnecessary identity crisis by introducing a number of changes which make no sense and nobody was asking for, either in a misguided attempt at variety, or because they never heard the saying "If it isn't broken, don't fix it."
Nuts & Bolts Sticker Forces are not always bad games, but they're usually just an "interesting experiment" at best, and would often have made more sense as a new IP.
Sample sentence: "Anyone remember Bomberman: Act Zero? That game was such a Nuts & Bolts Sticker Force!"

I was really excited for the launch, and I wasn't expecting to like the Blast Ball mode (which I kind of don't) but it's nice to get a feel for the game. Funny enough, I think it works better WITHOUT the Pro Controller add-on. Blast Ball however I never expected to be good, with skilled players easily stuck in a constant deadlock. Hopefully adding actual enemies will liven things up a bit.

@donniedarkenson You are the one that doesn't get the point. Yes, a brief tutorial unlocked after playing a match, and for many of us, it was good. It's pretty much like any other Primes in terms of core gameplay but with a focus on multiplayer and missions instead of the solo experience that was focused on exploring. Some liked it and others disliked it, like you. The thing is, just because you dislike it doesn't mean that the game is bad. It's quite simple. It's focus are those aspects I mentioned and, if it manages to deliver them, then the game accomplished what it wanted. It isn't out yet and assuring that it will be good or bad is dumb, right now all we have are opinions.

I miss the solo experience I had with Super Metroid, Fusion, Zero Mission and the last Prime entries, I really do. However, all that will happen if this game succeeds are more Metroid games in the future. They are trying to see if this series can offer different kind of gameplays just like Mario and Zelda did and, unless it's a massive success (wich it's pretty much guaranteed that it won't) there's no risk that all the games in the franchise will change to this kind of gameplay. What can happen though, is the death of the Metroid franchise. I'm willing to bet that if this game flops Metroid will disappear and the "loving and caring" fanbase that are hating on this game will be the murderers. It's normal that they are experimenting with the franchise, after all, the games with the classic gameplay weren't as popular as they deserved to be so Metroid hasn't been as valuable as other franchises as a business.

You don't have to buy it, it's perfectly understandable that you don't want to support this change, but if you really care for this franchise you should stop hating on the game game because believe it or not there are many potential buyers that could be discouraged because of all the hate it's receiving. At this point I'm pretty sure the damage is done. Just consider why after the big flop Other M was, there hasn't been a Metroid game in so much time, even if it's a popular character from Nintendo.

@roy130390 Than let Metroid disappear. Put it on ice for another 10 years! But lending the Metroid name to a game that has 0 marketability otherwise only hurts Metroid. This is like when Rare changed Dinosaur Planet into Star Fox Adventures just because Nintendo thought a Rare game with Star Fox would sell better than a game with otherwise new characters.

If they want to make spinoffs, make them awesome. Some awesome series spinoffs that share the same brand as their predecessors: Mario Kart. Warioware. Donkey Kong Country. Metroid Prime Pinball!!!, Hearthstone, Pokemon Go!.

They didn't cancel Zelda because of the negative press that Skyward Sword recieved. They continue to make newer better Zelda games like A Link Between Worlds, and Breath of the Wild, often referencing in their playthroughs, the cardinal complaints of those series'. Anouma brings up mistakes made in the Zelda series all the time.

People act like these companies can't read YouTube comments and just cancel stuff because it doesn't sell well. They can. They acknowledge them all the time. You just have to keep ignoring those games until they listen to your feedback. And if the series' never returns because they keep making a bad game, let it die so that they stop treating it like garbage, and you can remember it for being good.

@donniedarkenson It's like you didn't take the time to read properly my comment. As I told you, Zelda is many, many times much more successful than Metroid. That's why it can have a few games with negative response and yet survive. There's no comparison between them.

How do you know it is bad? How are they threating it like garbage? It's been developed by next Level games, a studio known for delivering good games and that have invested a good amount of time in this game. You are just basing everything on your opinion, not noting that they aren't objective points. You complain about how people supposedly act like that, but people like you act like they know for sure what is good for everyone, even before anyone has the proper amount of time to judge the game and not just a demo with the blast ball part (wich isn't even the main gameplay) and a brief tutorial. Yeah, I'm aware that they read comments, but it would be idiotic to just continue the franchise exactly as it was based just on what people say when they weren't even buying those games that much in the first place. They already took the risk, they already invested in this and believe it or not they are trying to deliver a quality product because it wouldn't make sense to do otherwise.

It's easy dude, let the game come out first and understand that you can's assure what is good and what isn't.

@roy130390 In the end, the majority of opinions decides whether a game is hurt by its negative press or not. I'm just another person saying it's bad in a flood of people saying it's bad. That's so weird. It would be really weird if this game sold poorly. It would also be weird of people shared the same opinion as me. Dang, I'm all on my own here.

Bad is a subjective word. I don't need to bolster it with "this is just my opinion" every time I use the word bad. That is redundant.

@donniedarkenson If the majority of opinions are calling it "bad" even before giving it a chance since most people went crazy even before the demo, they aren't good sources of information to judge the quality. They will define the game's reputation indeed, which is quite sad. I don't think it will be weird that this game sells poorly, but we'll see.

Bad may be subjective, but because of the way you expressed I thought you were assuring it more than giving your opinion about it. It's good to clarify that it's your opinion, which is understandable. Thanks for clarifying that.

@roy130390
Metroid is all about exploration and isolation, not a squad based shooter! If I want a squad based shooter I'll play call of duty but for metroid give me fusion or prime! It should have been "Metroidvania" style! I don't really like the chibi art style (why do they feel the need for handheld games to make characters chibi is beyond me) but I can live with it like we did wind waker and that turned out great.

@NintendoFan4Lyf thanks for the reply! I guess I'll be skipping this one as I don't have anyone else brave enough to buy it with me in order to play multiplayer.

@GameOtaku No, that was the classic focus the series has taken in terms of gameplay until now, in the games in which Samus is the protagonist of the games. This is the Federation Force, and while it's main focus won't be isolation the missions require exploration in order to progress. As long as it has aliens and extraterrestial enviroments to explore I don't see why they can't try new types of gameplay. I mean, it's not even that different from the Prime entries, other than the cooperative focus, wich does make sense when it comes to the Federation Force and not Samus Aran.

That Call of Duty comparison has nothing to do here. Yes, both are fps and have a cooperative mode but by that logic any game on the same genre that offers multiplayer mode is the same.

I'm a fan o the series since the early 90s, I grew with Metroid games, and I also wanted a Metroid with the classic gameplay we all know, but the truth is that they were never as popular as other franchises despite that they deserved it and that there's more to do with the Metroid universe other than foccusing on Samus going solo the whole time. This wasn't the game I expected, but I won't attack the game and cause it a bad reputation without even giving it the proper chance because that will only damage the chances of getting more games of the franchise. Vote with your wallet, buy and support the classic games and ignore this one.

I think most of us hate the chibi style, but that doesn't impact the gameplay and I don't other elements to classify the game as bad. It will be out in a few weeks and depending on the reviews and the opinions of people that actually gave it a chance, I'll decide if I buy it or pass.

@7yL3r8 The game can be played online, so that shouldn't worry you. They also do groups on this site with different games that have multiplayer, so it's quite likely that they will do the same thing with this one. Let's hope it does well in the reviews.

We shouldn't care what the game is called so much. Almost everyone here knows what the core game is about. Blast Ball isn't the main game. You either like the game or you don't.

It looks like a cool game that I'd like, shooting and killing aliens with squad mates (most likely my sons and me). I like that the game takes place in the Metroidverse, a universe I've frequented before and familiar with.

About the complaints about the chibi look... okay so, I DIDN'T notice the chibi look at all during game play with Blast Ball. My eye was on the ball and nailing targets and it was fun once I got used to controls and figured out how to deflect and bank shots like a billiards ball.

We had complaints about the chibi look with Wind Waker back in the day. Gundams can be Super Deformed, and Super Robots Taisen is considered one of the best robot RPGs out there, we've had chibi representations of Mario, Final Fantasy characters, we've had Samus fight 'chibi' type characters like Ness in games like Smash Brothers, so I don't think it's a big deal and I say give the game a chance.

I'll buy it for $20 which it'll hit in a couple of months because it'll sell horrible.

@Seanmyster6 You should post that on TV tropes.

@KoopaTheGamer It looked like a fantastic game because it uses Metroid Prime gameplay. Metroid is a franchise built on the themes of exploration, solitude and discovery. Federation Force has none of those things. Instead it is a co-op game with repetitive missions aiming to appeal to children.