Imo, Prime 2 was a better game overall (it has what I consider the best Metroid boss: Quadraxis), but I enjoyed Prime 1 better, because it was something new. Prime 2 was like more of the same, but better. Prime 3 was different, and I liked almost all the new things they did with that game.
Prime 2 had too many characters. In Prime 1 you are samus, and everything else is an unnamed enemy in a foreign world. In Prime 2, you have the Luminoth "mentors" and Dark Samus. I am not saying these are bad things, but it detracts from the feeling of being alone. Prime 3 is lazy poop. You should NEVER highlight a gimmick every 5 seconds. NEVER.
HiveTyrant36 Prime 2 definitely wasn't aiming to give you that same isolation feeling of Prime 1, but it was an improvement in a lot of ways. I loved Dark Aether and the way the three main areas seemed to be separate areas until you unlock more upgrades and suddenly you can move between those areas easier Btw, which gimmicks are you talking about?
DrearierSpider1 Oh most definitely thats why Prime 1 is my favorite I know it from top to bottom every power up every item, boss enemy in that room what imma do next if a boss is near how close I am to being do its crazy I love that game ive completed it about 20 or so times literally😂😂😂👌💯
Nice video. To me the best part of Super Metroid is something that I never hear anyone mention: the game is designed to make the player grow and get better. The easiest example here is that Samus can wall jump from the very beginning, it is the player that hasn't unlocked that knowledge and skill. Once the player has they can then unlock more in themselves about how the game can be played. Sure you can get better at Mario or racing games but it isn't the same thing. With most games you simply get better at playing the game. With Super Metroid the game becomes something new as you learn it and replay it. This is far and away the most immersive part about it. I got better right alongside Samus. No game has ever pulled me in as strongly.
Most people say getting an item that lets you access something you've passed before is the defining feature. And a game like Fusion doesn't really do what I'm talking about. It benefits from some of the lessons you learn in Super (Shine Spark for example), but when I start Fusion over I haven't improved much or learned something that will drastically change how I play. The only real options available are which items you'll leave until the the end game when you do a 100% clean up. You'll have learned a little on how to do the bosses faster or avoid the SAX, but for the most part the game is the same on subsequent replays. I still love Fusion, it just doesn't have the learning immersion that Super has for me.
Well accessing previously inaccessible places goes hand-in-hand with the idea of your character actually getting stronger. So if you're saying something other than that then I think I've missed your point... I mean, like you said, it's natural for the player to get better at a game by playing it. That's a 'feature' of all games.
I'm not explaining it very well I think. Yes, while playing a game you'll get better, but in Super when you learn to wall jump and shine spark Samus doesn't gain anything, only the player does. That is what I'm talking about - the game teaching me and not Samus. Wall jumping is the best example here because it is something Samus could have done from the very first second in the game. So learning how to wall jump can be used in your current playthrough, but really comes int to play on subsequent playthroughs. This isn't 100% unique to Super but I feel that it does it really well. The game drastically changes as the player gets better. Most games the over all experience is the same, but with Super it becomes a different game, all the while nothing in game changes, just the player.
Well. I loved that, too. I even feel confident enough of my skill and knowledge to play Metroid Super Zero Mission - Hard Edition. It is a romhack NOT meant to be played, but TASed. Despite that, I already completed like 70% of it (not including all expansions, but the bosses/upgrades needed to complete the game) as a human player. And did it take hours of play and known of different glitches in the game (like the speed-morph-ball, and enough skill to do it in a very small area). If you feel like playing it, do it. If not, just play the regular version instead Ps. Nathan, what ThunderRazor meant is that Samus has other abilities that not all players even know, and you need to develop enough skill to use those abilities to benefit yourself, thus drastically changing the way you play the game by taking different routes, obtaining upgrades/expansions earlier or even sequence-breaking the game. Super WAS MEANT to be sequence-broken, as the game doesn't misbehave when you pick upgrades in a different order. Fusion, on the other hand, has almost no sequence-breaking, and if you do accomplish to sequence-break that game and pick up an upgrade before another one you could even not get that upgrade at all. Also, you can not infinite-wall-jump or infinite-bomb-jump on Fusion
I understand this is nearing a year old but i wanted to say bravo - this is one of the best, most comprehensive comparison reviews I've ever watched on YT. Your amazing insights about the games' level design intricacies were spot-on!
Getting the artefacts AFTER completing the phazon mines??? I don't think I've ever done that, I pretty much collect each artefact when it's convenient for me.
I didn't even know that I needed the artifacts. It was around the time I beat the phazon mines that I entered the sanctuary with the elevator which takes you to Metroid Prime. I had no clue that I needed the artifacts to enter the elevator.
You could say Super Metroid even had somewhat of a precursor to the scanning mechanic in Prime. I never knew Prime and Super had so many parallels, I am amazed I never noticed them. I always thought Prime was a mostly seemless transition to 3-D and you sum it up perfectly here.
I've grown to love Metrod Prime II: Echoes even more, (especially with the Wii controls), they took Metroid design and tried to add another level of depth in both combat & exploration with the light & dark mechanic, and I belief they even succeeded further at creating a unique alien world.
Super Metroid is my all time favorite game. Prime is right up there with it. I've been watching a bunch of Metroid videos recently and this came up. Awesome video. Really fucking dope.
I agree, while Prime is a good game, I prefer the older ones. I guess when you have a dad who's obsessed with Metroid games and gives you his old consoles from when he was a kid, you're going to be like this-
"Lament it's painful death." I was saying the same thing before June of this year. We all know why. Thank you, Nintendo. Metroid is very important to a lot of gamers, and you still think that we are worth giving a new game. Thank you!
I love threading what a team adapted into a 3D title, it really exemplifies my enjoyment. Not a large lamentation on why Prime wasn't the same, you detailed rather well why things changed while retaining the core principles. Great, great work.
Cool video. I've been a fan Metroid since the first game on the nes. I was foaming at the mouth in anticipation of Super Metroid when the release date was announced. I'm 40 years old to me Super Metroid is the pinnacle of gaming. I remember getting Prime the day it came out. Personally I hate most first person games but I love the Prime games. Prime 2 is my favorite game since gaming made the jump from 2d to 3d. I love the Prime trilogy but Prime 2 just felt like a more refined experience and I like the atmosphere better. I just hope what ever comes next for the series it's good. I'd hate to see this series die.
Got here from Joseph Anderson's channel and the brisk and witty script combined with the in depth analysis have earned you a sub. Great stuff, thank you for making it!
Oh my such an enjoyable video! Metroid is my favorite video game franchise of all time so seeing well done videos like this is such a treat. Definitely looking forward to more vids from you!
The water frigate entrance at Tallon Overworld part, the frigate itself and all to the phazon mine was the best level design feeling I got in all games Iv played. Which is outstanding considered it is in the first place a big powers-up blockage on paper.
A year ago I replayed Prime on Gamecube from start to finish and it is still a masterpiece. The graphics still hold up which is impressive, but even the combat gameplay, which might seem stilted if you're just watching it, is still fun since it's based on strafing, which the lock-on system enables. If anyone hasn't played it yet, DO SO NOW.
I just found your channel and this video is amazing. I don't care for modern FPS games so most of your other videos don't intrigue me but I love these analysis-type videos, I hope for more in the future.
Wow, someone who actually uses the term item-based progression, I like you! I use that wording a lot, but it doesn't get thrown around often enough when talking about Super Metroid or Metroid Prime, so kudos!
Great analysis. You missed something key about Magmoor Caverns: It is the only level to be have a link to every single other level. It's linear design and great connectivity mean it's pretty much there as a way of quickly traversing the world without having to poke through several levels. No matter where you want to go, you can connect to it through Magmoor. It also has a distinct lack of objectives, upgrades, lore, and bosses; you only get the plasma beam there, and you're right by an entrance back into the Phazon Mines, where you must go next.
I find with Super Metroid, I'm always more likely to remember the map layouts based on how the rooms look, as each "room" has a uniqueness to it. Maybe its testing a specific mechanic, or maybe its just a corridor. I don't often use the Map when playing Super Metroid, as I usually have a good sense of where I am based on what room I'm currently in. That's harder to do in Metroid Prime, and I use the map a lot, even years later with regular replays. It's harder for me to figure out where I am relative to where I want to get to, due in part to the nature of 3d but also in the way each area's room's look very similar (which is probably a good thing) Great video, keep it up!
Super Metroid was and is my favorite game, and while Metroid Prime delivered one of my greatest game experiences ever, it took me about 10 years to really appreciate how dam difficult it must have been to make that transition to 3D and live up to my expectations.
I reckon if someone finds the changing maps of the Metroid series boring then they're playing the wrong games. I only found your channel the other week after Mark Brown name dropped you. I hope you manage to put some more content out 'cos what I've seen so far is great. Cheers.
Just came across your channel. I wonder what your opinion will be on the next Metroid Prime! I’m so happy the franchise is alive and well!! I hope it grows. :)
I'll just flat out say it: Prime is a better transition to 3D than Ocarina of Time for Zelda. OoT is a tremendous achievement for Nintendo, but they have admitted that during the N64-era they didn't know how to translate the Metroid franchise to 3D. After all, gameplay is more complex (grappling hook, screwattack) as well as the world itself (with lots of vertical architecture and hidden paths). How Retro Studios updated the series to 3D while maintaining the amosphere of the 2D-games is still one of the best accomplishments in gaming history.
Metroid isn't dead. Hasn't had a good game in a while? Sure, yeah. But there weren't any games at all between Super and Prime, so the fact there's been a lull in the series shouldn't tell you it's dead. Keep in mind that the Switch is coming out and people are clamoring for a new, proper Metroid.
Well Other-M pretty much ripped the heart out of the Franchise, and Federation Forces didnt help either. Neither did Nintendo shutting down a amazingly dedicated team of fans, AM2R. But it seems FINALLY in 2018/19 they are finally realizing whats needed. MP4 announced, delayed to get it RIGHT, AND bringing back the original MP developers, Retro, to make sure its just right.
I love this series so much! My favorite is still Zero Mission though, it's a game I've beaten dozens of times and can recommend to everyone. Bring back Metroid!
I LOVE Zero Mission lol. Still have the original guidebook detailing the maps with missile locations. Such a re-playable and fun game. Beaten it a lot of times and found it is still satisfying to go back. Although I forgot how much I adored the Prime Series, thanks for the video Turbo Button
2:42 I think you missed the point here. The two elevators are designed to connect opposite sides of the underwater section, allowing you to backtrack to the end quickly by just taking the two elevators, rather than traveling all the way across the underwater section. Anyways, good video, keep this kind of quality up :)
Great video. I actually felt Prime was a bit less interconnected than Super when I played it, but it seems I'm wrong. It was probably the fact that it takes longer to travel in Prime, that the backtracking bothered me a bit more. But I don't know if I'd consider that a flaw. I'm unsure which I prefer out of the two games. I think I might give it to Prime, for how atmospheric and immersive it is. I have a bit more appreciation for the exploration, in hindsight. But it does still fall a distinct second to that in Dark Souls or Bloodborne, wity their intricate shortcuts. But they did come out later, with more modern technology.
Hey man I think you are underrated and make great videos. But I have to ask, how did you get past the copyright issue I'd like to post nintendo stuff someday but am scared of any possible copyright strikes
I'm surprised you didn't mention the history behind Retro studios, which was formed by former Iguana entertainment, Origin and Ion Storm employees. Iguana had a history of first person design with the turok games, and Origin had a little something to do with the first 3d "metroidvania" style game, a throwaway game called System Shock that was developed alongside Looking Glass Studios who saw a few groups depart to join studios like Ion Storm and Origin. I think this experience in being pioneers in the genre had helped Metroid Prime achieve greatness. Although the backtracking is still slow as fuck.
I agree that a 3rd person perspective is not essential to Metroid, and I think Retro nailed Metroid's jump into 3d better than anyone ever could have hoped for. I still think there is room for improvement though when it comes to making a 3d Metroid game feel more like a Metroid game. And part of that has to do with better movement, action, platforming, and power ups. I really wish Samus could either move a bit faster or have a run button. I would also love to see bomb jumping return, and if possible the speed booster. And I would like the game and level design to implement area's that intelligently use these things. One might say that bomb jumping in particular could cause sequence breaking, and to that I say "good!". There is nothing remotely wrong with sequence breaking in a Metroid game. Let players choose different routes even if there is one route that is considered the "right" one. Let the game be explored and puzzles be solved in multiple ways, similar to BOTW but without being quite as open ended as BOTW. Maybe have Samus move into 3rd person during jumping, and maybe use the 3rd person perspective to bring back wall jumping. Bring back the ability to freeze enemies and use them as platforms, even if the need to do this to advance is only used a few times in the game. Metroid Prime nails the atmosphere and the basic Metroidvania structure of the 2d games, but I have to admit that controlling Samus in the 2d games just feels better. It's fulfilling to blast enemies, roll under them, freeze them, jump on top of them, and so on. None of what I am saying means that I want to turn Metroid into a pure action game instead of an adventure game the way Sakamoto seems to want to. I simply want some of the more fun elements of 2d controls and gameplay to return while keeping the adventure elements and progression in tact. It took Nintendo a long time to really nail the essence of Mario in 3d (As much as people love Mario 64, it wasn't until Galaxy that they really nailed the essence of the 2d platformers), and certain franchises (see: Castlevania) have never found their place in 3d. It's hard, and Metroid has already made the leap incredibly well into 3d, but it can be improved and feel more like the essence of the 2d games without sacrificing anything that makes the Prime games great. I really hope Retro is trying to do this but I'm not holding my breath. I have a feeling that with Prime 4 they will try and play it safe and basically just create a bigger, more beautiful, more epic game that resembles Primes 1. And that will be fine with me, but I would really like them to try and go beyond that if possible.
Even though Corruption is the "weakest" of the series the world building in that game is nuts. There was going to be even more but it got cut. For example, there was going to be a bigger explanation for the ceremonial armor displays on Bryyo. And the Pirate Homeworld was going to explain what happened to some of the surviving Ing from Echoes.
"Subtly reminding you to revisit other places by echoing their design." Fi: I detect that there is a 89% chance that an item you couldn't reach before can now be acquired at this precise location on the map. *in game map opens automatically and zooms in to indicate the precise location with a bloody great big red X*
Didn't I suggest this to you on twitter? Great video either way although I've only really played the 2D games. I bought the Prime Trilogy on Wii U though so I plan on playing them at some point.
Pretty much yeah. I had like three videos planned then you suggested it and I was like "oh fuck I need to get on this" so thanks for that. Get to those Prime games, son. I suppose it worked out that I was such a Metroid fan in the first place. For everyone else, feel free to suggest ideas you want to see me tackle! I can't promise anything but all suggestions are welcome.
I really wanted to get into Prime, but single-stick shooter controls with platforming segments.... I wanted to barf after 10 minutes. If this game ever gets a PC port with M+KB controls I'll give it another chance, although I feel like a huge portion of gameplay is going to feel less satisfying if I don't have to scale the vertical slope that is the gamecube controller.
I don't know why the key hunt is so looked down upon by some people. I had only collected like maybe 2 on my playthrough by the time I had completed the loop of the whole game and managed to get all the keys in like 15 minutes. it wasn't even bad.
good comparative look at the two :) and nice to hear a perspective that appreciates elements from later games in the prime series, while i feel prime 3 w underwhelming in certain aspects , those apects where majoritivley ending related and not overall gameplay or story related, good work :)
Very well made video, and I share your appreciation for memorable areas to revisit. This is what I've been thinking about lately with Metroid. After playing the fan remake of Metroid 2, AM2R, I loved how the areas were given more life and meant a whole lot more. What I see in the media on UA-cam of Samus Returns, it just doesn't seem very memorable at all. It may be speculation, but all I've seen with a combined 2+ hours of stuff from trailers to E3 presentations, to early preview playthroughs, it's mainly twisting caves with a bit of ruins and tech mixed in. This has made me very leery of getting the game, and not only because I'd have to get a 3DS or 2DS for it. I love Metroid, and hope that Samus Returns impresses me enough for me to get a 3DS for it. But I'm very worried that this game that everyone else is so hyped up for will turn out to be mediocre after the enthusiasm for the return of Metroid dies down. Had to let that all out. :P Oh, and you've earned yourself a subscriber. :)
It's a very good video that brings up solid points, yet I'm always disappointed when folks say that prime translated Metroid perfectly to 3D.... Considering how it looses so much of samus' speed and agility. Prime is an amazing game in it's own right, I just think we should all acknowledge what parts it wasn't able to translate.
As much as I loved all 3 games, MP1 felt like the only one that truly nailed the feeling of isolation found in the earlier games.
Imo, Prime 2 was a better game overall (it has what I consider the best Metroid boss: Quadraxis), but I enjoyed Prime 1 better, because it was something new. Prime 2 was like more of the same, but better.
Prime 3 was different, and I liked almost all the new things they did with that game.
Prime 2 had too many characters. In Prime 1 you are samus, and everything else is an unnamed enemy in a foreign world. In Prime 2, you have the Luminoth "mentors" and Dark Samus. I am not saying these are bad things, but it detracts from the feeling of being alone. Prime 3 is lazy poop. You should NEVER highlight a gimmick every 5 seconds. NEVER.
HiveTyrant36 Prime 2 definitely wasn't aiming to give you that same isolation feeling of Prime 1, but it was an improvement in a lot of ways. I loved Dark Aether and the way the three main areas seemed to be separate areas until you unlock more upgrades and suddenly you can move between those areas easier
Btw, which gimmicks are you talking about?
DrearierSpider1 Oh most definitely thats why Prime 1 is my favorite I know it from top to bottom every power up every item, boss enemy in that room what imma do next if a boss is near how close I am to being do its crazy I love that game ive completed it about 20 or so times literally😂😂😂👌💯
TheChampion 213 me too 😁 I've finished that game with 100% in 4 hours and 20 minutes, one of my favorite games of all time!
Holy heck, why have I only just discovered this channel? Great, great stuff man.
Nice video. To me the best part of Super Metroid is something that I never hear anyone mention: the game is designed to make the player grow and get better. The easiest example here is that Samus can wall jump from the very beginning, it is the player that hasn't unlocked that knowledge and skill. Once the player has they can then unlock more in themselves about how the game can be played.
Sure you can get better at Mario or racing games but it isn't the same thing. With most games you simply get better at playing the game. With Super Metroid the game becomes something new as you learn it and replay it.
This is far and away the most immersive part about it. I got better right alongside Samus. No game has ever pulled me in as strongly.
Doesn't everyone say that? Isn't that... the defining feature of the Metroid series?
Most people say getting an item that lets you access something you've passed before is the defining feature. And a game like Fusion doesn't really do what I'm talking about. It benefits from some of the lessons you learn in Super (Shine Spark for example), but when I start Fusion over I haven't improved much or learned something that will drastically change how I play. The only real options available are which items you'll leave until the the end game when you do a 100% clean up. You'll have learned a little on how to do the bosses faster or avoid the SAX, but for the most part the game is the same on subsequent replays. I still love Fusion, it just doesn't have the learning immersion that Super has for me.
Well accessing previously inaccessible places goes hand-in-hand with the idea of your character actually getting stronger. So if you're saying something other than that then I think I've missed your point... I mean, like you said, it's natural for the player to get better at a game by playing it. That's a 'feature' of all games.
I'm not explaining it very well I think. Yes, while playing a game you'll get better, but in Super when you learn to wall jump and shine spark Samus doesn't gain anything, only the player does. That is what I'm talking about - the game teaching me and not Samus. Wall jumping is the best example here because it is something Samus could have done from the very first second in the game. So learning how to wall jump can be used in your current playthrough, but really comes int to play on subsequent playthroughs. This isn't 100% unique to Super but I feel that it does it really well. The game drastically changes as the player gets better. Most games the over all experience is the same, but with Super it becomes a different game, all the while nothing in game changes, just the player.
Well. I loved that, too. I even feel confident enough of my skill and knowledge to play Metroid Super Zero Mission - Hard Edition.
It is a romhack NOT meant to be played, but TASed. Despite that, I already completed like 70% of it (not including all expansions, but the bosses/upgrades needed to complete the game) as a human player. And did it take hours of play and known of different glitches in the game (like the speed-morph-ball, and enough skill to do it in a very small area). If you feel like playing it, do it. If not, just play the regular version instead
Ps. Nathan, what ThunderRazor meant is that Samus has other abilities that not all players even know, and you need to develop enough skill to use those abilities to benefit yourself, thus drastically changing the way you play the game by taking different routes, obtaining upgrades/expansions earlier or even sequence-breaking the game. Super WAS MEANT to be sequence-broken, as the game doesn't misbehave when you pick upgrades in a different order. Fusion, on the other hand, has almost no sequence-breaking, and if you do accomplish to sequence-break that game and pick up an upgrade before another one you could even not get that upgrade at all. Also, you can not infinite-wall-jump or infinite-bomb-jump on Fusion
I understand this is nearing a year old but i wanted to say bravo - this is one of the best, most comprehensive comparison reviews I've ever watched on YT. Your amazing insights about the games' level design intricacies were spot-on!
Getting the artefacts AFTER completing the phazon mines??? I don't think I've ever done that, I pretty much collect each artefact when it's convenient for me.
I didn't even know that I needed the artifacts. It was around the time I beat the phazon mines that I entered the sanctuary with the elevator which takes you to Metroid Prime. I had no clue that I needed the artifacts to enter the elevator.
By the time I got to the 'go collect all the artifacts now' point I had already collected like 4 of them.
You could say Super Metroid even had somewhat of a precursor to the scanning mechanic in Prime. I never knew Prime and Super had so many parallels, I am amazed I never noticed them. I always thought Prime was a mostly seemless transition to 3-D and you sum it up perfectly here.
How so for the scanning? I think the X-ray scope inspired visors, and it's definitely why there's an X-ray visor, but for the scanning specifically?
Yeah, it was basically the x ray scope.
Same thing that happened with Ocarina of Time and A Link to the Past. Funny how Mario got the first 3d game and his was unique.
I've grown to love Metrod Prime II: Echoes even more, (especially with the Wii controls), they took Metroid design and tried to add another level of depth in both combat & exploration with the light & dark mechanic, and I belief they even succeeded further at creating a unique alien world.
Super Metroid is my all time favorite game. Prime is right up there with it. I've been watching a bunch of Metroid videos recently and this came up. Awesome video. Really fucking dope.
I agree, while Prime is a good game, I prefer the older ones. I guess when you have a dad who's obsessed with Metroid games and gives you his old consoles from when he was a kid, you're going to be like this-
10:49
that was a bloody good shot
2:02 "in Norfairness, it is at the intersection"
Metroid is revived.
"Lament it's painful death."
I was saying the same thing before June of this year. We all know why. Thank you, Nintendo. Metroid is very important to a lot of gamers, and you still think that we are worth giving a new game. Thank you!
12:49
I see you saved the animals. :)
I love threading what a team adapted into a 3D title, it really exemplifies my enjoyment. Not a large lamentation on why Prime wasn't the same, you detailed rather well why things changed while retaining the core principles. Great, great work.
Cool video. I've been a fan Metroid since the first game on the nes. I was foaming at the mouth in anticipation of Super Metroid when the release date was announced. I'm 40 years old to me Super Metroid is the pinnacle of gaming. I remember getting Prime the day it came out. Personally I hate most first person games but I love the Prime games. Prime 2 is my favorite game since gaming made the jump from 2d to 3d. I love the Prime trilogy but Prime 2 just felt like a more refined experience and I like the atmosphere better. I just hope what ever comes next for the series it's good. I'd hate to see this series die.
Prime 2 also my favourite. Actually, it might be my favourite game of all time, period.
PRIME FOUR BAYBEEEE
Dr. Caesars Palace MD yEET
all I want for Christmas is yoouuuuu
Has been delayed
hows that workin out for ya
this comment has aged like milk
Got here from Joseph Anderson's channel and the brisk and witty script combined with the in depth analysis have earned you a sub. Great stuff, thank you for making it!
I have such a love for the Primes Series and Metroid in general. Such a great and frankly underrated series in my opinion.
The Metroid video game music really had some of the best video game soundtracks. Gives me immediate nostalgia hearing them back.
This was a treat to listen to. Well written script, visually active video, and a great voice to boot. Well done dude.
I just realized. when stripped down, metroid prime is super metroid in 3d
How did you just realize that now(I guess four years ago)? Wasn't that the whole point?
I'm here from Joseph Anderson's recommendation, and I'm damn glad I am.
This came up in recommended videos and I was pleasantly surprised. Excellent commentary and insights on the evolution between the games. Subbed.
There is nothing about your videos that I do not utterly adore. Thank you and keep making them. I look forward to the next one.
Hes only gone and made a Metroid video!!
Metroid Prime IMO is the single best-designed interconnected 3D world that has ever been created.
I cannot agree more. This series is a masterpiece and I play this series every summer.
Oh my such an enjoyable video! Metroid is my favorite video game franchise of all time so seeing well done videos like this is such a treat. Definitely looking forward to more vids from you!
What an excellent video! Fantastic idea and even better execution. Love your work!
I can really feel the love you hold for these games and it reminded me of how much I love them too. Great video, I'm going to go play Metroid now lol
This was super well researched. Bravo.
Nice work Charlie!
The water frigate entrance at Tallon Overworld part, the frigate itself and all to the phazon mine was the best level design feeling I got in all games Iv played. Which is outstanding considered it is in the first place a big powers-up blockage on paper.
A year ago I replayed Prime on Gamecube from start to finish and it is still a masterpiece. The graphics still hold up which is impressive, but even the combat gameplay, which might seem stilted if you're just watching it, is still fun since it's based on strafing, which the lock-on system enables. If anyone hasn't played it yet, DO SO NOW.
Love the music in these games.
A year late, but this is a really good, fair comparison between the two games, nicely done.
Just discovered this channel, awesome stuff!
If you still have scripts handy I'd really enjoy being able to read them. You make good points at such a high frequency that it's easy to miss stuff.
I just want a 3rd person Metroid Prime. So we can have intense platforming and wall kicking like Super had
*Other M stares at you with a grim*
Great analysis. Thankfully your last point is no longer true and the series is now thriving
I just found your channel and this video is amazing. I don't care for modern FPS games so most of your other videos don't intrigue me but I love these analysis-type videos, I hope for more in the future.
Metroid 1 was truly nonlinear. It also had a ton of issues, but another game like that would be cool.
Wow, someone who actually uses the term item-based progression, I like you! I use that wording a lot, but it doesn't get thrown around often enough when talking about Super Metroid or Metroid Prime, so kudos!
If I turned off the Hint system I guarantee my playthrough would have been twice as long.
Great analysis. You missed something key about Magmoor Caverns: It is the only level to be have a link to every single other level. It's linear design and great connectivity mean it's pretty much there as a way of quickly traversing the world without having to poke through several levels. No matter where you want to go, you can connect to it through Magmoor. It also has a distinct lack of objectives, upgrades, lore, and bosses; you only get the plasma beam there, and you're right by an entrance back into the Phazon Mines, where you must go next.
didn't check the date on the video, got a good chuckle at metroid's "painful death".
I find with Super Metroid, I'm always more likely to remember the map layouts based on how the rooms look, as each "room" has a uniqueness to it. Maybe its testing a specific mechanic, or maybe its just a corridor. I don't often use the Map when playing Super Metroid, as I usually have a good sense of where I am based on what room I'm currently in.
That's harder to do in Metroid Prime, and I use the map a lot, even years later with regular replays. It's harder for me to figure out where I am relative to where I want to get to, due in part to the nature of 3d but also in the way each area's room's look very similar (which is probably a good thing)
Great video, keep it up!
I think that's only a big problem in Magmoor and certain parts of Phendrana,
Terracorrupt I
amazing video!
Super Metroid was and is my favorite game, and while Metroid Prime delivered one of my greatest game experiences ever, it took me about 10 years to really appreciate how dam difficult it must have been to make that transition to 3D and live up to my expectations.
3:22 the first time I played Super Metroid, I got stuck here, because I didn't know what the Ice Beam was, or where to look for it.
Awesome video, but now I want another retro games metroid game so much.
Someone at Nintendo must know we still care about Metroid. I'm still holding out hope that Retro Studios makes Prime 4 for Switch.
I reckon if someone finds the changing maps of the Metroid series boring then they're playing the wrong games.
I only found your channel the other week after Mark Brown name dropped you. I hope you manage to put some more content out 'cos what I've seen so far is great. Cheers.
Just came across your channel. I wonder what your opinion will be on the next Metroid Prime! I’m so happy the franchise is alive and well!! I hope it grows. :)
I'll just flat out say it: Prime is a better transition to 3D than Ocarina of Time for Zelda. OoT is a tremendous achievement for Nintendo, but they have admitted that during the N64-era they didn't know how to translate the Metroid franchise to 3D. After all, gameplay is more complex (grappling hook, screwattack) as well as the world itself (with lots of vertical architecture and hidden paths). How Retro Studios updated the series to 3D while maintaining the amosphere of the 2D-games is still one of the best accomplishments in gaming history.
Metroid isn't dead. Hasn't had a good game in a while? Sure, yeah. But there weren't any games at all between Super and Prime, so the fact there's been a lull in the series shouldn't tell you it's dead. Keep in mind that the Switch is coming out and people are clamoring for a new, proper Metroid.
Well Other-M pretty much ripped the heart out of the Franchise, and Federation Forces didnt help either. Neither did Nintendo shutting down a amazingly dedicated team of fans, AM2R. But it seems FINALLY in 2018/19 they are finally realizing whats needed. MP4 announced, delayed to get it RIGHT, AND bringing back the original MP developers, Retro, to make sure its just right.
I love this series so much! My favorite is still Zero Mission though, it's a game I've beaten dozens of times and can recommend to everyone.
Bring back Metroid!
Well, who knows if I'll be doing a Zero Mission video some day?
I LOVE Zero Mission lol. Still have the original guidebook detailing the maps with missile locations. Such a re-playable and fun game. Beaten it a lot of times and found it is still satisfying to go back. Although I forgot how much I adored the Prime Series, thanks for the video Turbo Button
2:42 I think you missed the point here. The two elevators are designed to connect opposite sides of the underwater section, allowing you to backtrack to the end quickly by just taking the two elevators, rather than traveling all the way across the underwater section.
Anyways, good video, keep this kind of quality up :)
Prime - Exploration and accesibility
Super - Isolation and Exploration
awesome video as usual
Great video. I actually felt Prime was a bit less interconnected than Super when I played it, but it seems I'm wrong. It was probably the fact that it takes longer to travel in Prime, that the backtracking bothered me a bit more. But I don't know if I'd consider that a flaw. I'm unsure which I prefer out of the two games. I think I might give it to Prime, for how atmospheric and immersive it is. I have a bit more appreciation for the exploration, in hindsight. But it does still fall a distinct second to that in Dark Souls or Bloodborne, wity their intricate shortcuts. But they did come out later, with more modern technology.
Hey man I think you are underrated and make great videos. But I have to ask, how did you get past the copyright issue I'd like to post nintendo stuff someday but am scared of any possible copyright strikes
I'm not popular enough to get on their radar lol
AMAZING WORK.
Even though I think Super Metroid os the best game of all time, Metroid Prime is definitely in my top 10. A friggin' masterpiece.
great video. well done.
I'm surprised you didn't mention the history behind Retro studios, which was formed by former Iguana entertainment, Origin and Ion Storm employees. Iguana had a history of first person design with the turok games, and Origin had a little something to do with the first 3d "metroidvania" style game, a throwaway game called System Shock that was developed alongside Looking Glass Studios who saw a few groups depart to join studios like Ion Storm and Origin.
I think this experience in being pioneers in the genre had helped Metroid Prime achieve greatness.
Although the backtracking is still slow as fuck.
Yeah just describing them as some unknowns is a bit misleading.
I agree that a 3rd person perspective is not essential to Metroid, and I think Retro nailed Metroid's jump into 3d better than anyone ever could have hoped for. I still think there is room for improvement though when it comes to making a 3d Metroid game feel more like a Metroid game. And part of that has to do with better movement, action, platforming, and power ups. I really wish Samus could either move a bit faster or have a run button. I would also love to see bomb jumping return, and if possible the speed booster. And I would like the game and level design to implement area's that intelligently use these things.
One might say that bomb jumping in particular could cause sequence breaking, and to that I say "good!". There is nothing remotely wrong with sequence breaking in a Metroid game. Let players choose different routes even if there is one route that is considered the "right" one. Let the game be explored and puzzles be solved in multiple ways, similar to BOTW but without being quite as open ended as BOTW. Maybe have Samus move into 3rd person during jumping, and maybe use the 3rd person perspective to bring back wall jumping. Bring back the ability to freeze enemies and use them as platforms, even if the need to do this to advance is only used a few times in the game.
Metroid Prime nails the atmosphere and the basic Metroidvania structure of the 2d games, but I have to admit that controlling Samus in the 2d games just feels better. It's fulfilling to blast enemies, roll under them, freeze them, jump on top of them, and so on.
None of what I am saying means that I want to turn Metroid into a pure action game instead of an adventure game the way Sakamoto seems to want to. I simply want some of the more fun elements of 2d controls and gameplay to return while keeping the adventure elements and progression in tact.
It took Nintendo a long time to really nail the essence of Mario in 3d (As much as people love Mario 64, it wasn't until Galaxy that they really nailed the essence of the 2d platformers), and certain franchises (see: Castlevania) have never found their place in 3d. It's hard, and Metroid has already made the leap incredibly well into 3d, but it can be improved and feel more like the essence of the 2d games without sacrificing anything that makes the Prime games great. I really hope Retro is trying to do this but I'm not holding my breath. I have a feeling that with Prime 4 they will try and play it safe and basically just create a bigger, more beautiful, more epic game that resembles Primes 1. And that will be fine with me, but I would really like them to try and go beyond that if possible.
you deserve a shit ton more subscribers. holy shit
Haaa! He saved the animals
dat art design in prime is what really set it above most games and def above fps game then and still now
lol i actually made it to the missle tank next to all the water with the grapple blocks before i got the grapple beam and gravity suit
That soundtrack is still one of the best.
See and this is why I love side scroller games so much.
Nice analysis! Can't wait to play Metroid Prime in VR, as soon as the hardware becomes affordable (or with the switch, perhaps?... a man can dream :)
MP3 is low key genius and I think it'll last quite a bit longer than people expect.
I wish they would give us a third person option like those from Resident Evil 4-6 on Prime 4. That would be a blast. Fingers crossed.
Even though Corruption is the "weakest" of the series the world building in that game is nuts. There was going to be even more but it got cut. For example, there was going to be a bigger explanation for the ceremonial armor displays on Bryyo. And the Pirate Homeworld was going to explain what happened to some of the surviving Ing from Echoes.
Prime 1 is still my favorite Metroid game, followed by Super Metroid and then Fusion.
Metroid Prime 4
Metroid: Samus Returns
yay new games...
"Subtly reminding you to revisit other places by echoing their design."
Fi: I detect that there is a 89% chance that an item you couldn't reach before can now be acquired at this precise location on the map. *in game map opens automatically and zooms in to indicate the precise location with a bloody great big red X*
were all still waiting for the next great Metroid game! I personally won't a new Prime game
Didn't I suggest this to you on twitter? Great video either way although I've only really played the 2D games. I bought the Prime Trilogy on Wii U though so I plan on playing them at some point.
Pretty much yeah. I had like three videos planned then you suggested it and I was like "oh fuck I need to get on this" so thanks for that. Get to those Prime games, son. I suppose it worked out that I was such a Metroid fan in the first place.
For everyone else, feel free to suggest ideas you want to see me tackle! I can't promise anything but all suggestions are welcome.
Turbo Button That's really awesome to hear man. I will definitely get to the Prime games, but after I get through AM2R.
thank you for this
I really wanted to get into Prime, but single-stick shooter controls with platforming segments.... I wanted to barf after 10 minutes. If this game ever gets a PC port with M+KB controls I'll give it another chance, although I feel like a huge portion of gameplay is going to feel less satisfying if I don't have to scale the vertical slope that is the gamecube controller.
I don't know why the key hunt is so looked down upon by some people. I had only collected like maybe 2 on my playthrough by the time I had completed the loop of the whole game and managed to get all the keys in like 15 minutes. it wasn't even bad.
good comparative look at the two :) and nice to hear a perspective that appreciates elements from later games in the prime series, while i feel prime 3 w underwhelming in certain aspects , those apects where majoritivley ending related and not overall gameplay or story related, good work :)
Subscribed, I like this
Well done. Subbed.
did anyone else just hang around the first area in phendra drifts?
Really insightful stuff, you made a subscriber out of me! ^.^
Super or Prime; both these games are so well thought out.
And yet there are still people who shit on the game, having never played it, purely for being first person.
At least they're an endangered species; I haven't seen anyone bash Prime in quite a long while
Dogman_35 Can say the same for Super.
great job
Very well made video, and I share your appreciation for memorable areas to revisit.
This is what I've been thinking about lately with Metroid. After playing the fan remake of Metroid 2, AM2R, I loved how the areas were given more life and meant a whole lot more. What I see in the media on UA-cam of Samus Returns, it just doesn't seem very memorable at all. It may be speculation, but all I've seen with a combined 2+ hours of stuff from trailers to E3 presentations, to early preview playthroughs, it's mainly twisting caves with a bit of ruins and tech mixed in. This has made me very leery of getting the game, and not only because I'd have to get a 3DS or 2DS for it.
I love Metroid, and hope that Samus Returns impresses me enough for me to get a 3DS for it. But I'm very worried that this game that everyone else is so hyped up for will turn out to be mediocre after the enthusiasm for the return of Metroid dies down.
Had to let that all out. :P Oh, and you've earned yourself a subscriber. :)
prime 1 is without a doubt a modern masterpiece
It's a very good video that brings up solid points, yet I'm always disappointed when folks say that prime translated Metroid perfectly to 3D.... Considering how it looses so much of samus' speed and agility. Prime is an amazing game in it's own right, I just think we should all acknowledge what parts it wasn't able to translate.
the fov on prime kills me
Funnily enough, Metroid Prime was my first Metroid and Super Metroid is the _only_ mainline Metroid I don't own.
hey the gaming brit also did episodes on metriod, it's weird because you never see the gaming brit and turbo button in the same room.hmmmm
I feel like Prime 3 handled the hint system regarding the artifacts the best.