For those saying things like "2D Metroid > 3D Metroid" as if it's an objective fact, that is of course a matter of personal taste. For my money, the original Metroid Prime easily has the edge over Super Metroid, if for no other reason than the fact that it was a triumphant 3D interpretation of the existing – and beloved – Metroid formula… which is an extraordinarily difficult thing to achieve.
It deserves praise for the same reasons that Ocarina of Time (Zelda's transition to 3D) or BOTW (Zelda's transition to open world) do. I would also argue that MP was an extraordinarily more complex game to develop when compared with SM, and the fact that it comes together as such a cohesive whole, with such a perfectly consistent tone (both in its visuals and audio) and such gripping gameplay from start to end… PERSONALLY, even though the 16-bit days were my primary childhood gaming era, this all adds up to mean that SM can't touch MP. It's a masterful execution of an artistic vision, and it scratches every Metroid itch, but in three dimensions instead of two. A miracle of game design, beaten only by BOTW as my favourite game of all time.
@Edwicket Couldn’t agree more. So far this game seems criminally underrated, even if the aggregate is still a solid score. And I’m playing on OG Switch! Hunters was so visually horrible I couldn’t even play past the first half hour. Moving from MP1 was just too rough. Can’t believe this game is scoring lower.
Well this is tough. I haven’t pulled the trigger on a Switch 2 yet, but want to play this in all its visual glory. The atmospherics in MP games have always been 10/10, and the visual quality here would really enhance that.
In terms of the game itself and its overall reception online… these drawbacks (unnecessary/annoying occasional companions and a barren connecting overworld) are ones I can live with. It sounds like the vast majority of a player’s time is spent in the luxurious biomes themselves, and that they live up to the stellar heritage. I feel like the general scores are a result of too long a wait, and too many fixed expectations and assumptions about what a MP game “should” be. It’s very reminiscent of the release of Halo 4, 5 and Infinite. All great (if imperfect) games buried under the weight of their predecessors.
I’ve got a lot of well-earned faith in Retro to get MP4 right. They’re one of the true artisans of game design. Not worried in the slightest, and glad they’ve taken their time.
Nostalgia be damned. For my money, both 3-D and 2D Mario have only gotten better over time. If we move from playing Wonder to World, can we really call the latter a better game? The creativity and beauty of Wonder is miles ahead, even if I grew up in the SNES age. I’d personally say the same of Super Mario 64. Galaxy 1+2 and Odyssey are superior games in almost every conceivable way. ALL these are great, no mistake, but the series only keeps improving.
Maybe I'm just a sucker, but I'm not half as bothered about this price point as you all. Two of the greatest games of all time, lightly remastered for Switch and Switch 2, with a little new content, at a 2-for-1 price compared to a new release (in Australia, the pricing seems a little gentler at $90 digital). This is not really comparable with the re-release on Wii U because that wasn't an updated version of each game. I'm super excited to finally finish Super Mario Galaxy 2 without the blurry jaggies of old! I was too easily distracted by new releases when this game first came out, and never got through it.
I suspect you will all be much less miserable if you simply accept that Nintendo are arguably the best game developers in the world, and they're in a position to charge whatever price people will pay, because their games are so good. There's a reason Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are still pegged at full price. They're basically perfect, so people will pay it.
My personal experience has been that if I avoid the Black Friday sale syndrome of stockpiling more games than I can actually play, and I focus on deeply enjoying only the very best ones, I can afford to pay what Nintendo is asking, and I have a better time in the end anyway because I’m not spread across half a dozen games at any given time. Just my opinion, of course.
Comments 7
Re: Best Metroid Games Of All Time
For those saying things like "2D Metroid > 3D Metroid" as if it's an objective fact, that is of course a matter of personal taste. For my money, the original Metroid Prime easily has the edge over Super Metroid, if for no other reason than the fact that it was a triumphant 3D interpretation of the existing – and beloved – Metroid formula… which is an extraordinarily difficult thing to achieve.
It deserves praise for the same reasons that Ocarina of Time (Zelda's transition to 3D) or BOTW (Zelda's transition to open world) do. I would also argue that MP was an extraordinarily more complex game to develop when compared with SM, and the fact that it comes together as such a cohesive whole, with such a perfectly consistent tone (both in its visuals and audio) and such gripping gameplay from start to end… PERSONALLY, even though the 16-bit days were my primary childhood gaming era, this all adds up to mean that SM can't touch MP. It's a masterful execution of an artistic vision, and it scratches every Metroid itch, but in three dimensions instead of two. A miracle of game design, beaten only by BOTW as my favourite game of all time.
Re: Metacritic Shares Updated List Of "Every Metroid Game, Ranked"
@Edwicket Couldn’t agree more. So far this game seems criminally underrated, even if the aggregate is still a solid score. And I’m playing on OG Switch!
Hunters was so visually horrible I couldn’t even play past the first half hour. Moving from MP1 was just too rough. Can’t believe this game is scoring lower.
Re: Review: Metroid Prime 4: Beyond - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (Switch 2) - Samus Returns In Prime Form
Well this is tough. I haven’t pulled the trigger on a Switch 2 yet, but want to play this in all its visual glory. The atmospherics in MP games have always been 10/10, and the visual quality here would really enhance that.
In terms of the game itself and its overall reception online… these drawbacks (unnecessary/annoying occasional companions and a barren connecting overworld) are ones I can live with. It sounds like the vast majority of a player’s time is spent in the luxurious biomes themselves, and that they live up to the stellar heritage. I feel like the general scores are a result of too long a wait, and too many fixed expectations and assumptions about what a MP game “should” be. It’s very reminiscent of the release of Halo 4, 5 and Infinite. All great (if imperfect) games buried under the weight of their predecessors.
Re: Opinion: Metroid Prime 4 Reminds Me Of Gears 5, And It's Making Me Nervous
I’ve got a lot of well-earned faith in Retro to get MP4 right. They’re one of the true artisans of game design. Not worried in the slightest, and glad they’ve taken their time.
Re: Review: Hollow Knight: Silksong - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition - Woven To Brutal Perfection
Another perfectly polished gauntlet of self-flagellation. Not for me, but have fun all!
Re: Best Super Mario Games Of All Time
Nostalgia be damned. For my money, both 3-D and 2D Mario have only gotten better over time. If we move from playing Wonder to World, can we really call the latter a better game? The creativity and beauty of Wonder is miles ahead, even if I grew up in the SNES age. I’d personally say the same of Super Mario 64. Galaxy 1+2 and Odyssey are superior games in almost every conceivable way. ALL these are great, no mistake, but the series only keeps improving.
Re: Poll: So, Will You Be Getting Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 For Switch?
Maybe I'm just a sucker, but I'm not half as bothered about this price point as you all. Two of the greatest games of all time, lightly remastered for Switch and Switch 2, with a little new content, at a 2-for-1 price compared to a new release (in Australia, the pricing seems a little gentler at $90 digital). This is not really comparable with the re-release on Wii U because that wasn't an updated version of each game. I'm super excited to finally finish Super Mario Galaxy 2 without the blurry jaggies of old! I was too easily distracted by new releases when this game first came out, and never got through it.
I suspect you will all be much less miserable if you simply accept that Nintendo are arguably the best game developers in the world, and they're in a position to charge whatever price people will pay, because their games are so good. There's a reason Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are still pegged at full price. They're basically perfect, so people will pay it.
My personal experience has been that if I avoid the Black Friday sale syndrome of stockpiling more games than I can actually play, and I focus on deeply enjoying only the very best ones, I can afford to pay what Nintendo is asking, and I have a better time in the end anyway because I’m not spread across half a dozen games at any given time.
Just my opinion, of course.