8 Video Game Franchises That Reclaimed Their Throne

These days, the Metroid franchise is in a rather perilous state. This is not dissimilar to where Metroid was back in 2002, as the last console release was 1994's Super Metroid. Not only that, but Metroid wasn't coming back as you expected it. This time, it was a first-person shooter developed by Texas-based developer Retro Studios.

The real problem with Metroid was relevance. Super Metroid was considered one of the best, if not the best, games on the Super Nintendo. But after sitting out an entire console generation, Metroid was a nearly forgotten IP. Other games, like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, had picked up right where Metroid's legacy left off.

So when Metroid Prime launched on the GameCube, there was some real concern about just what this game would end up becoming. Fans feared that it would turn Metroid into a mindless first-person shooter, forgoing the exploration and intelligent level design of previous titles. This couldn't have been further from the truth.

Metroid Prime codified the first-person adventure genre, featuring intricate and brilliant level design mixed with an easy to learn lock-on system. The world felt dense and full of life, with monstrous beasts to slay and a nasty crew of Space Pirates to tangle with. From its lived-in world, all the way down to its spectacular presentation, Metroid Prime put the long-dormant franchise back on top of its rightful throne.