10 Video Game Franchises That Never Topped The Original
3. Metroid Prime
Looking back, it's hard to believe Metroid Prime endured any pessimism. Since the previous games were 2D side-scrolling platformers, it seemed unwise to turn Prime into a first-person shooter. Also, the project was being developed by Retro Studios, a subsidiary of Nintendo which never made a video game before. After half the developers were fired (including the CEO,) it looked like this Metroid title was primed for failure.
Against the odds, Metroid Prime was a triumph, collecting almost every gaming award that year. Due to the tense atmosphere, innovative gameplay, immersive soundtrack, sensational boss battles, and focus on exploration, Prime is borderline faultless, arguably beating Super Metroid as the best in the series.
Although expectations were through the roof for the sequels, they actually improved on certain factors. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes minimised backtracking and allowed fast-travel to make the exploration less tedious. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption had a more diverse range of bosses and put more emphasis on fleshing out the characters.
Still, as fantastic as the follow-ups turned out, they didn't have the same level of awe as the original. Even though the Metroid (current) trilogy is tremendous, the first instalment is still top-dog.