Review: METROID PRIME REMASTERED is exactly what a remaster should be

Nintendo scored a huge win with many fans last week when stealth was launched Metroid Prime Remastered (MPR) on Nintendo Switch. It wasn’t the supposed remaster of the entire trilogy, but it was still a big deal. MPR was developed by Retro Studios who developed the original game with the help of other studios including Iron Galaxy who helped bring other titles to Switch such as Skyrim AND Devil III. The game has already topped the sales charts for the eShop and Amazon after about a week. Plus, critics love it. Nintendo was kind enough to provide me with a digital copy of the game which you can buy now on the eShop or other sites like GameStop (affiliate link). The physical version will launch on February 22, and the MSRP for both versions is $39.99.

Metroid Prime it’s a game I started playing probably about 15 years ago on the Nintendo GameCube, but never got very far. I really enjoyed the game and had heard so much hype but I kept getting frustrated with the controls. The fact that I couldn’t move my camera freely led to me getting swept up in other games and leaving this one behind as it was always something I’d say I’d try again. I recently felt like playing Prime again and then Nintendo dropped this bomb on it and I was sold. I was going to give it another try even though I had to try and get used to non-modern conventions for controls. Fortunately, with MPR the team brought modern control schemes into the game and I’m no longer frustrated with that aspect of the game. If you prefer GameCube or Wii controls, those are available as well as a hybrid control scheme, but I highly recommend the modern layout.

AS MPR it’s a remaster, the big appeal is a new coat of paint. Oh my gosh, this remaster is gorgeous! Not to say that the original First it was awful, but compared to the new one, you can see a huge difference. Models are smoother, textures are sharper, lighting is improved, and more. The game looks stunning and even if you have played it before, you will probably like to replay it with the cool new assets. You can check out a comparison here.

Outside of the controls and graphics, MPR it looks like exactly the same game that everyone already loved. Heck, I enjoyed it all those years ago except for the controls. The combat is challenging and fun, the music and sound are top notch, the level design is just the right amount of challenge, etc. A couple of minor settings you can adjust are worth mentioning and I’m not sure if they are inherently new or were in the original. First, there’s a hint system that will point you in the right direction if you’re taking a long time to find the next objective. It’s on by default and can come in handy at times when you’re really lost. Secondly, there are some voiceover settings that you can toggle and adjust based on the Japanese and European versions of the original game (not sure why we’ve turned them off here in the US). For the most part, so far I’ve only noticed this when I go to a new area and here a voice says the name of the area. Third, there are tons of accessibility options including settings for different types of color blindness to help more people enjoy the game.

I love this game. I’ve devoted all the free time I can to sneaking in to play it. It sounds so good. One small caveat I’ll mention is that I love the new control scheme, but it might make the game easier or at least feel easier. I see that as a plus personally, but if you want a real challenge, you’re going to have to change your controls. The only bad thing I can say about the game is that in handheld mode it can be difficult to see things in darker areas. Admittedly, I’m playing on an original Switch and not an OLED which probably handles those areas much better. When in darker areas like Magmoor Caverns on the handheld, it became difficult to see the details of the areas and therefore made the game much more difficult.

In case you don’t know what First is, it’s a first person shooter mixed with 3D platformer following the Metroidvania formula. You have to explore the world and get power ups to explore more. You’ll fight a lot of creatures and enemies along the way, and if you use your Scan Visor a lot, you’ll learn more about the lore of the game and learn what preceded the events of the game. It’s a lot of fun with lots to read, lots to spin and the modern controls make it feel so good while the updated graphics make it look phenomenal.

There are a couple of things I personally would have liked to see in the game, but they aren’t a big deal and don’t detract from the score. First, from what I’ve heard, the Metroid Fusion seed is not available in the game. This is a bit of a shame, but maybe some DLC will launch or something will happen when Metroid Fusion comes to the GBA on Switch Online + Expansion Pass. Secondly, I wish I could scan mine Metroid terror amiibo just to get the color palette from it. That’s all I want. I don’t need the amiibo to recharge my Energy or unlock a section of the game. I just wish it would unlock a palette of colors to turn on and off.

MPR it’s really a good game. It’s a fantastic remaster of a beloved classic. It makes the game shine like never before with its updated graphics and controls. I highly recommend getting this game. The only niggle was that some areas didn’t work well in handheld mode on a non-OLED Switch, but it still only snapped to about 0.5 points, so I’ve rounded up. This game is great, especially since it’s only $40! When will the other two remasters come out and when will we know more Metroid Prime 4?