Line #33 YMMV/MetroidPrime


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2	* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: Before release, there were so many controversial choices with the game that no one, not even levelheaded fans and critics, were kind to it. First off, Nintendo gave the project to Creator/RetroStudios, an unproven American studio that had yet to ship a single game, rather than develop it in-house. Second, [[VideoGame3DLeap making it in 3D]], which while many expected, was still cause for worry due to how many franchises failed to make the transition the previous generation. Finally, it was in first-person, which was seen as the final nail in the coffin for the game having any hopes of being good and feeling like ''Metroid'': behind-the-scenes, even [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKs_Oyfuyuc&t=14m56s series co-creator Yoshio Sakamoto and the design team at Retro]] were incredibly skeptical of Creator/ShigeruMiyamoto demanding this POV, with the original lead designer quitting over it. When it came out, not only did everyone feel like it was a true ''Metroid'' game, it quickly became seen as one of the greatest games of all time. It is telling to its legacy that the entire trilogy is one of the most requested UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch ports and the reveal and immediate release of ''Remastered'' during the February 2023 WebVideo/NintendoDirect was met with massive applause.
3	* AnnoyingVideoGameHelper: The Hint System can be this during the late game depending on how you choose to progress. Specifically, it will regularly chime in let you know that you should return to the Phazon Mines if you decide to explore other areas of Tallon IV with your newly acquired Plasma Beam instead.
4	* AntiClimaxBoss: Metroid Prime itself. While the first part of the battle can be challenging due to Prime's high stamina, if you collected all the optional beam upgrades, then you can breeze through that section of the fight. Meanwhile, the second phase is even easier, as the strategy is reduced to dodging shockwaves (which don't even hurt that much if you have enough Energy Tanks), switching visors and waiting for Prime to drop a batch of Phazon so you can zap it with your Phazon Beam, rinse and repeat. While it now spawns Metroids to hinder you, a Power Bomb and/or the Phazon Beam makes quick work of them.
5	* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Kenji Yamamoto strikes again, with a mix of new tunes and remasters of older tracks. Case in point: [[https://youtu.be/QQCZIb0fbt8 "Magmoor Caverns"]], the arrangement of "Lower Norfair" from ''Super Metroid''.
6	* BestBossEver: A weird case in that the Metroid Prime’s first phase is generally considered to be utterly stellar, but the second phase has a bit more mixed reception. Meta Ridley and the Omega Pirate are also well-received (in part because of their challenge and difficulty).
7	* ComplacentGamingSyndrome: There's dozens of ways to dispatch enemies, but the most extensive route you'll likely ever go is the Super Missile, which does a massive amount of (homing!) damage for a cheap 5 missiles. This does ''not'' apply, however, on Hard Mode, in which every enemy (bosses included) have double health. This turning regular old GoddamnedBats into DemonicSpiders and sending DemonicSpiders into BossInMookClothing territory, this makes extraneous weapons like the Wavebuster, Ice Spreader, and Flamethrower well worth the extra effort in hacking away at the extra health.
8	* DemonicSpiders:
9	** Chozo Ghosts. Durable, immune to everything but the Power Beam, capable of knocking out your visor with their attacks, and they spend most of the time invisible. On the bright side, the Super Missile combo works on them, and once you get the X-Ray Visor, they can be tracked when they're invisible.
10	** Wave Troopers. Ice Troopers are quickly dispatched by [[LiterallyShatteredLives a charged shot followed by a missile]], Power Troopers can be knocked around with Super Missiles, and Plasma Troopers can easily be cut down by the Plasma Beam. However, there's no easy way to deal with Wave Troopers; stunlocking them only works if there's one of them, the Wavebuster is AwesomeButImpractical, and regular shots are very weak. On Hard, too many Wave Troopers spawning can easily screw you over during the Omega Pirate fight. However, in the Trilogy and Remastered versions, they can be annihilated by Power Bombs, which can be a big help in aforementioned Omega Pirate fight.
11	** Fission Metroids. Basically much more powerful version of the standard Metroids, you can only damage them with a beam that corresponds to their color. They take a long time to kill, and when they take enough damage they split into more Fission Metroids, meaning you can end up fighting several at once. Sometimes you're better off running from these things than you are fighting them (or dropping a [[CuttingTheKnot Power Bomb]] on them, which [[NonElemental will kill them regardless of color]]). Thankfully, you only encounter them in the Impact Crater...if you're playing the original North American [=GameCube=] version; in all other versions and updated releases, Fission Metriods can be encountered in the Phazon Mines after defeating Omega Pirate.
12	* DifficultySpike: The Phazon Mines really ramp up the difficulty from the previous areas. The map is huge and multi-layered, beam-specific enemies are everywhere, elite pirates are introduced, and save points are few and far between. Then when you reach the lowest levels you need to do tight platforming over long stretches of radioactive phazon that will drain your health if you touch it before obtaining the Phazon Suit (and after obtaining the Suit, you have to deal with the new Fission Metroid enemies that now populate the level). To enter this area without collecting a good amount of energy tanks and missile expansions would be a fool's errand.
13	* DisappointingLastLevel: The Impact Crater that you've spent so long trying to gain access to isn't a large area to explore, or even much to scan; it's simply a room with annoying [[DemonicSpiders Fission Metroids]] to the FinalBoss. Concept artwork shows the developers had [[WombLevel far bigger original intentions for the stage]] than what was realized in the finished product, complete with a second "Evacuate immediately!" escape sequence upon [[LoadBearingBoss Prime's defeat]]. All of this was scrapped due to time constraints, with the escape sequence merely cutting to Samus having already escaped.
14	* FanNickname: The {{speedrun}} community has a few nicknames for enemies.
15	** The Incinerator Drone miniboss in Chozo Ruins is nicknamed "Zoid" after ''Metroid Prime''[='s=] Senior Engineer, [[https://twitter.com/ZoidCTF David "Zoid" Kirsch.]]
16	** The Power Trooper at the top of Elite Research is named "Calvin".
17	** Since the FinalBoss has two phases, speedrunners use nicknames to differentiate them:
18	*** The official name of the first phase, as shown by its scan, is "Metroid Prime (Exo)", referring to its exoskeleton; speedrunners simply call it "Exo" as shorthand.
19	*** The second phase is dubbed "Essence" after the header description of its scan, which calls it "The core essence of Metroid Prime."
20	* FirstInstallmentWins: While the sequels are not bad at all nor disliked, the original game is much more esteemed and acclaimed, whereas the other games face criticism in some fronts (flawed multiplayer mode and CheckpointStarvation in ''Echoes'', linearity and lack of isolation in ''Corruption'').
21	* FriendlyFandoms: With Creator/BluepointGames' remakes of ''VideoGame/ShadowOfTheColossus'' and ''VideoGame/DemonsSouls'' following the release of ''Metroid Prime Remastered''. This is because all three games take a very similar approach to the VideoGameRemake; perserve the gameplay of the original (save for some control refinements or minor quality of life improvements) while massively overhauling the visuals to the standards of the current generation. It helps that former Retro employees founded Bluepoint.
22	* GameBreaker:
23	** The Ice Spreader is your go-to Charge Combo. As the name suggests, it spreads offensive ice, damaging or killing nearby enemies with one charge. It's even useful against Metroid Prime, and it can be spammed twice if the boss stays in "ice mode".
24	** The Plasma Beam can easily obliterate almost any enemy. Once you get it, fights against any non-boss enemy become a cakewalk (which is likely intentional, seeing as how late in the game you receive it).
25	** The Wave Beam's semi-charged shot stuns enemies for a short amount of time, and you can charge and fire it so quickly that it's easy to stun-lock dangerous enemies such as Space Pirates.
26	* GoodBadBugs:
27	** "Scan Dash", a movement bug where the player locks onto a scan target, strafe-hops sideways, and lets go at the right time, allowing Samus to fling herself sideways at high speed. This allows the acquisition of the Space Jump Boots as early as immediately after landing. This was patched out for the ''Trilogy'' version and subsequent releases.
28	** [[http://www.metroid2002.com/other_scan_bug.php Shown on GameCube versions]], Retro Studios apparently didn't think players would try to scan the projectiles from the Omega Pirate's cannons.
29	--->This is an Elite Space Pirate\
30	Elite Space Pirate description 3
31	** It is possible to jump in midair after receiving a bomb boost, similar to a bug in [[VideoGame/Metroid1 the 1986 game]]. This trick has been dubbed the "Bomb Space Jump" or "BSJ", and enables an early acquisition of the Space Jump Boots and Plasma Beam among other sequence breaks.
32	* {{Narm}}:
33	** [[http://i.imgur.com/yIobH5k.jpg This is what the Metroid Prime's "face"]] looks like when you finally get to meet it when the creature is in a dormant state, resembling a somewhat off-putting twisted grimace. The Remastered version, however, looks incredibly goofy. Because the joints on the creature have been changed up, the face is contorted and looks [[https://assets-prd.ignimgs.com/2023/03/09/ignguides-mpr-walkthrough-br14-1678321007226.png?width=1280 distinctly like a fish's face]].
34	** Prime's core essence look in the remaster is thrown off due to the enlargment of the cranium. The shape of the brain cavity is close enough to a head that Prime's actual eyes look like they're where its mouth should be. This also alters Prime's expressions in-game; in the original, Prime clearly glares at Samus, but in the remaster, it looks more like it's squinting at her disdainfully.
35	* OlderThanTheyThink: When Nintendo and Retro first revealed ''Prime'', the idea of making a FirstPersonShooter out of a previously side-scrolling series was seen as an odd move. However, it is not without precedent in the wider gaming industry, with series such as ''VideoGame/{{Wolfenstein}}'' and ''VideoGame/DukeNukem'' beginning life as side-scrollers prior to the introduction of their iconic FirstPersonShooter games.
36	* PlayTheGameSkipTheStory: Because scanning for logbook entries is completely optional, it's entirely possible to get through the game with only a surface understanding of the plot, and without learning any of the unraveling backstory and lore.
37	* PolishedPort:
38	** The ''Trilogy'' version on the Wii and Wii U improves several things and fixes others. Bloom was added and some textures were slightly tweaked. Motion controls were backported from ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption'' to allow greater control of movement and aiming. Flaahgra's boss fight music was fixed so it no longer loops in the first few seconds and the cutscene showing Samus acquiring the Grapple Beam was changed to be more dynamic. The Wii U version also eliminates the LoadsAndLoadsOfLoading that plagued the game on the original Wii, due to the ability to run it from the Wii U's internal flash memory instead of a disc.
39	** The ''Remastered'' UpdatedRerelease on Nintendo Switch completely overhauls the visuals and lighting, bringing everything to HD format. It is notable for completely redoing models and environments, where most remasters touch up the existing graphics by upping the texture resolution and such, resulting in many fans viewing it as being closer to a remake. The game also comes with several available control schemes, including traditional analog dual stick (with or without gyro), pointer controls, and a "classic" [=GameCube=] option. New unlockables like remastered concept art and a soundtrack were also added, and elements like the visual effects for the charged beam weapons that were lost in the ''Trilogy'' port were restored.
40	* SacredCow: ''Prime'' is widely considered to be one of the franchise's best entries, right up there with fellow cow ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid''. Criticizing this game too harshly is likely to be met with scorn and mockery from the fanbase.
41	* ScrappyMechanic:
42	** Vertical doors on the floors and ceilings. In a game where you can't look around on a vertical axis without stopping to aim, the existence of doors that require you to look directly up or down in order to shoot and open is a little perplexing, especially as the game otherwise accommodates the limits of your visual movement pretty well. They are tellingly absent from the sequels.
43	** The map does not track any missile expansions, energy tanks, or power bombs you've collected. This means you must remember or write down which of the sixty-plus upgrades you've found already. This oversight remains unchanged in the remaster.
44	* ScrappyWeapon: The Wave Beam is often looked down upon for not being very effective in combat. The Power Beam can be fired extremely quick and eventually gets armed with the strong, but relatively cheap Super Missiles; the Ice Beam can freeze most enemies in their tracks with a charged shot, which can usually be followed by a missile for a two-hit kill; and the Plasma Beam [[InfinityPlusOneSword quite simply cuts through everything in sight]]. In contrast, the Wave Beam's base shots have a horrid fire rate, the Wavebuster eats missiles like nobody's business, and the ability of charged shots to stun only really comes in handy when there's very few enemies, leading most to relegate it to just the power switch puzzles.
45	* SpiritualAdaptation: As discussed by [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK_Qd6E8fMo this video]], ''Metroid Prime'' can be viewed as an effective video game adaptation of ''Toys/{{BIONICLE}}'', particularly [[FirstInstallmentWins its first year]], which debuted a year before ''Prime''. The Tallon IV setting is a PatchworkMap of {{jungle\|Japes}}s, [[ShiftingSandLand deserts]], [[LethalLavaLand volcanoes]], [[SlippySlideyIceWorld icy drifts]], [[UndergroundLevel mines]], and {{temple\|OfDoom}}s, much like the island of Mata Nui. Having arrived in a weakened state, Samus must explore the world to find upgrades and Chozo Artifacts, much like how the Toa have to find Kanohi (several of which are analogous to Samus's upgrades, such as the Akaku and Ruru matching the X-Ray Visor and Thermal Visor) and Makoki Stones (which likewise serve as a key to TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon located beneath a temple). In both stories, the hero is [[TheChosenOne prophesized]] to vanquish the BigBad responsible for poisoning the land and turning the wildlife into feral beasts.
46	* ThatOneAchievement: Hard Mode. If you're competent and skilled, you'll be doing fine throughout the majority of the campaign. With quick reflexes you'll learn to dodge more, gather more energy tanks and conserve missiles. Phazon Mines is '''tough'''... but not unfair. Then you get to [[ThatOneBoss The Omega Pirate]], and the game stops challenging you consistently, and starts [[CurbStompBattle actively killing you instead]]. Even the penultimate and ultimate boss are more straightforward! He is a glutton for your precious Super Missiles. A lot of [[RandomNumberGod RNG is involved]] in killing him depending on the troopers he sends your way. If too many pirates are Wave Troopers, get ready for the pain as you slowly get overwhelmed. You can't kill them quickly. It seems like whatever you do or don't do as Omega regenerates [[ThatOneAttack summons even more troopers]]. You have to pray you get lucky in dealing with easier-to-kill Ice Troopers.
47	* ThatOneBoss:
48	** The Omega Pirate is a ''massive'' Elite Pirate found at the bottom of the Phazon Mines. For starters, the room has several pools of Phazon in it that are extremely easy to accidentally walk into when you're trying to avoid the Omega Pirate and the Beam Pirates. He's also good at backing players into corners and smacking them for ridiculous amounts of damage, and while you can stun him with Power Bombs, it's hard to get away without losing a lot of health. Even worse, he spends most of the fight with a shield up that blocks all weapons except Missiles (and the [[NotCompletelyUseless Flamethrower]], which you most likely won't have anyway). Damaging him requires you to jump through a bunch of hoops as well; first, you blast off his shoulder and knee armor, then he vanishes and summons several [[DemonicSpiders Beam Troopers]]. As you fight the Troopers, you have to use the X-ray visor to see when he goes into a Phazon pool, which allows you to hit his heart and actually damage him. On Normal, this is all fairly manageable (if obnoxious), but it becomes a nightmare on Hard. Aside from his boosted damage and massive health bar, the Troopers that he summons go from being nuisances meant to distract more than anything to serious threats, especially the Wave Troopers. What makes this worse is that he's fairly squishy when his shields down, as three Super Missiles can end the fight fairly quickly... which is exactly why the Beam Pirates are there to harass you. And harass you they will, as they're impossible to tell apart while you're using the X-Ray Visor, forcing you to swap back and forth.
49	** Meta Ridley. He starts out almost hilariously anticlimactic, flying around your platform and throwing bombs, missiles, and lasers at you, all of which are easy to dodge. Then, you get him down to about a fifth of his health, and his wings burn off. He lands and goes into melee mode, where he lunges at you and takes off huge amounts of health with every hit. He also gets much harder to damage, and has to be stunned with a well-timed missile before he exposes his weak spot.
50	* ThatOneLevel:
51	** Phazon Mines is not only a nightmare to navigate due to its multiple levels and incredible size (it's easily twice as big as the Chozo Ruins, for starters) and labyrinthine layout, it also has a bunch of DemonicSpiders lurking around. The first foray into the level, right after the Wrecked Frigate is one of the toughest sequences in the game, and the march to getting the Power Bombs can take upwards of 35 minutes to complete -- with ''no save room until '''after''' you get the Power Bombs.'' You also have to march in and out of the Mines frequently, as getting the Power Bombs and Grapple Beam opens up the ability to get the X-Ray Visor and the Plasma Beam, both of which are necessary in navigating the lower portions of the mines and gaining access to the boss of the area.
52	** The Impact Crater is the toughest place in the game, and it reeks of being as hostile as possible- danger lurks around every corner, Metroids are abundant, navigating the place is tough and it's creepy as hell.
53	* ThatOnePuzzle: The Furnace in the Chozo Ruins hides a Missile Expansion that requires clearing a halfpipe with one of the most unintuitive boost timings in the entire game due to its shape. Additionally, you have to carefully maneuver through rafters crawling with Armored Parasites that can easily boot you off and force a restart, requiring use of the halfpipe again.
54	* UnintentionalUncannyValley: Samus' EyedScreen when a flare makes her face visible can be this, especially when it happens abruptly, when the player doesn't expect it, or upon seeing it for the first time while playing the game.
55	* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome:
56	** While the game's polygon count is rather average for the [=GameCube=], Retro Studios nailed the lighting, textures, and atmospheric effects of the game's environment so well that the game's visual presentation was still seen as being on par with games released fifteen years later.
57	** The UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch remaster makes a gorgeous looking game look even better, with the entire game's assets replaced and improved for a significant graphical leap.

Context YMMV / MetroidPrime