A new mod for Metroid Prime promises some serious upgrades to the "vanilla" experience of the game, introducing 4K visuals, 60fps gameplay, and a host of new textures, assets, and lighting upgrades.
The mod, called 'MPR Phaze 1', is available now but will require players to own a copy of either Metroid Prime on the Gamecube, or Metroid Prime Trilogy on the Wii.
It uses a custom version of the Dolphin Emulator to introduce the upgraded features, with the team behind it claiming that the endeavour is entirely legal since the mod doesn't include any Nintendo-created assets.
Here's a list of features from creator Samus Prime:
- Jaw-dropping new visual pass, including all-new textures/lighting/particles and more
- Restored features from the GameCube release, previously disabled on Wii
- PrimeHack integration for native keyboard/mouse controls & dual-stick gamepad controls
- Adjustable Field of View slider (included in PrimeHack)
- UI customization, including coloring and adding/removing HUD elements
That's not the only Metroid Prime news of the day; did you know that the game originally started out as a third-person shooter called 'MetaForce'? Yeah, no lies - check it out. Not only that, it turns out Nintendo wasn't even sure what a bounty hunter was prior to Metroid Prime. Hopefully they've got the definition down in preparation for Metroid Prime 4.
Let us know if you're planning on installing MPR Phase 1 for that sweet 4K goodness in the comments below.
[source videogameschronicle.com]
Comments 43
Sheesh, the Metroid news just keeps coming today. I love it.
Anyways, I think this mod seems really cool. If the quality of the entire mod is as good as this first section, I will definitely be keeping my eye on it. Hopefully, it gets expanded to the entire trilogy, and not just the first game.
The remaster I've been waiting for is Metroid Prime Trilogy HD with the motion controls option.
Right, so if you own a copy of the game, how do I play this? Why do these articles never say what to do
The real cool thing is just the mouse and keyboard support!
Hmmm, I appreciate the hard work that must have gone in to this, but... I personally don't see anything that makes me want to try it.
I mean... it's not perfectly legal if the remade assets still take the likeness and names of Nintendo's IP.
Lots of Metroid news today.
The mod is also impressive really impressive.
It's amazing how dedicated some communities can be.
I still consider the first Metroid Prime the best game in the entire series. I go back to it very often even yet.
I have no need for this but it does look very nice though. That being said I don't think it's a good idea advertising it like this because you know what Nintendo are like.
@GrailUK You can rip the ISO from your Prime Trilogy disk rather easily with an old disc burner through a PC. Or alternatively, if your Wii is Homebrewed (at this point there is no reason not to Homebrew your Wii) you can use CleanRip to dump your legal physical copy of Metroid Prime Trilogy to an SD card. Then it is just plug and play on Dolphin.
Disc-based games are extremely easy to get on your PC. It is not illegal to do it either as in most of the English-speaking world you are entitled to backup your software. And provided you still have the original disc you're not doing anything illegal.
@GrailUK "It uses a custom version of the Dolphin Emulator to introduce the upgraded features."
It seems u need a PC & download dolphin emulator, or maybe just this download includes everything u need. Regardless, i couldn't figure out how to play games i owned on the emulator (rip them to digital format, or with a DVD player) back when wii was main console, so i gave up. I think u still have download the games on ROM websites, which i wasn't comfortable with
Now i don't have a PC, so i don't care, but it would be nice for them to give information. I think they're scared of getting sued, so they're very careful not to tell ppl how to play these things.
Looks good but the frame rate could use some de-judder
@Wexter the problem used to be, this information was seemingly only available on websites that are for pirates. I didn't want to visit those sites. If a reputable site would give information for people who didn't want to break laws, pirate, etc, it would be really helpful. U never know if the people who tell u what is "legal" know what they're talking about, & it's not worth risking for many. A website like this giving info for people who want to do this legally would be really helpful, i think. I never knew how to rip the digital version, i didn't know u needed another program, i downloaded dolphin, then tried to use the disc via a DVD player, or rip using applications by Microsoft etc that came installed already, but nothing worked,,so i gave up (in 2014 or 2015, IIRC).
@GrailUK if you follow the link where it says "available now", you'll find an instruction video ready and waiting. It seemed a bit overwrought to include here.
@Olliemar28 YAY! Cheers
@twztid13 I mean, I can get the frustration. I got into backing up games back in 2012 when I ripped my copy of Persona 4 to my PC. There is a bit of a learning curve, but there are loads of instructions on Youtube. And I can get that some of these sites can be a bit shady. But, there are a lot of freeware programs that can get the job done super quick.
However, for the best experience, I'd recommend just Homebrewing your Wii and just using CleanRip. The Wii has been discontinued for I think about a decade now (October 2013) and the online storefront was shut down in 2019 so it's not going to harm Nintendo just homebrewing your Wii to backup your legally owned physical games.
I also think ProjectPhaze hosts the steps on their Discord server and website.
@ModdedInkling I think you still need a copy of the game to actually play it
A thing of beauty this is, and to imagine playing the Wii build with a mouse and keyboard.
Fans doing what Nintendon't
=p
This is only if you want to play it on a modern screen, if you still had that old CRT you don't really need this.
Looks great, but the original already looks so good that I don't know how necessary/significant I'd consider a remaster.
(Also... Echoes is the better Metroid game)
60 fps gameplay, unbelievable.
And the takedown beacon has been lit for the Nintendough goons to take swift action. Congrats NL, you've done it again!
So tired of seeing people take an IP, make something using that IP, claim it as their own IP and get mad when it gets taken down. Create your OWN IP and make something that can't be taken down! Use your talent towards something productive and not leach on to someone else's creation.
@EriXz Fans doing what they shouldn't be doing. Using copyrighted materials without permission to benefit themselves.
@Max_the_German That's sarcasm, right? I don't get why they're advertising that either, game was a constant 60 fps on GC last time I played it.
@tpcstudios Eh? It's not clear to me how this "benefits" the creators of the mod beyond providing a new way to play Metroid Prime, especially since they're not charging for it. The mod doesn't distribute anyone else's copyrighted material, doesn't require infringing copyright to use (in jurisdictions which allow backing up optical media), doesn't involve the creators claiming to own Metroid, and hasn't been taken down, so... eh?
Nah, the Metroid Prime remaster I’ve been waiting is an official release and available on the Switch. So I guess I’m still waiting.
Just wait until Nintendo releases their remake at 1080p and 60fps later this year!
Wow 60 fps! That's 0 fps more than it already runs at on GC/Wii!
@tpcstudios
Dont be mad at me, my point was: a single guy made a reworked version of a 20 year old game while Nintendo, with an army of devs couldn't made it even tho they are going to profit like crazy from it. I just cant wrap my head around it, i dont get it
Nintendo NEEDS to support Wii remotes with Metroid Prime 4. Joy-con are not the same.
@AlienX Right
@BirdBoy16
But that wraps back around to Nintendo's whole dilemma around emulators. It's creating a copy of a game they could've earned money from.
@AndyC_MK111 Same goes - and Prime was 60fps already.
@accc exactly!
@ModdedInkling that’s probably true, the main issue with that is their not actually reselling the old Metroid Prime games on modern hardware
@BirdBoy16
That's Nintendo for you. Creating false scarcity to maintain high value.
They only go after fan made projects if said projects are profiting directly off it. Or if they're working on a project a kin to that Samus Returns. In all honesty I would like Nintendo to utilize fan talent like Sega has with Christian Whitehead and Sonic Mania. I mean look at Cryzenx's Ocarina of Time Unreal Engine and MajorLink's fan animations. They could take care of some of the remakes while Nintendo can get more sequels. Not all remakes though.
@GrailUK the article links to the github which has instructions. You rip your GameCube or wii disc with a hacked wii or wiiu, and then load it into the mod linked in github. The ripped disc provides the copyrighted game files. The mod loads in replacement files for some things, but the core application comes from the game disc. It's just like emulating anything else, you dump your original games and run them in the emulator.
@ModdedInkling it's a rom hack you apply to the original files, just like others on romhacking dot net. It's a recipe of changes to make.
@twztid13 ripping the discs is easy. Plenty of homebrew apps to do it. Downloading them is not legal.
This is torture! Come on Nintendo, out with the remastered trilogy already.
Removed - unconstructive feedback; user is banned
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