10 Hidden Dialogues In Video Games
3. Shinespark - Metroid Fusion (2002)
It's one thing for game developers to be aware of cheats and exploits in their own work, but another thing entirely for them to deliberately code in a way of rewarding you for using them. Criticise Nintendo all you want, but at times like these, they really do know how to be good sports.
Metroid Fusion, released almost parallel to the acclaimed Metroid Prime, returns to its home in the 2D realm of handheld game consoles, giving you more of that addictive action-exploration that gives the genre of Metroidvania its name.
In this game, you can pull off a tricky jumping mechanic called a Shinespark, which lets you travel further than you're ever able to by legitimate means. With it, you can return to certain areas that you're not supposed to be able to get back to - which is cool and all, but you'd think it would serve no purpose, right?
Wrong. For if you return to a specific room, a text box will show up commending you on your use of the Shinespark trick. Sure, you'll then be frogmarched back out of the room, but still, how rare is it that developers actually acknowledge the limitations of their own games?
Well played, Nintendo. Please hurry up with Metroid Prime 4.