The Best Nintendo Game Every Year 1983 - 2024
23. 2002 - Metroid Prime
Despite clearly wanting to do more, Metroid is one of the franchises that Nintendo has struggled most with. Historically, the games have always sold better internationally than in Japan so, in a way, it made sense to boldly hand off development of the franchise to a Western team.
Retro Studio’s shift to a first-person perspective sent fans into a terrified frenzy on its first reveal, but when Metroid Prime landed (first in America, a rare occurrence) the talk went flat. It was a refreshing reboot for a series that had been dormant for nearly a decade.
Still, a lot connected the new Metroid style to its forebearers. The precision-based shooting in its exploration and boss fights was more evident than ever, and there was the same thick, lonely atmosphere that players expected, with each locale stuffed with secrets to find and mysteries to unravel.
Couple this with brilliant immersive touches that made players feel like they were inhabiting Samus’ powersuit, and the game connected with Nintendo’s older audience hungry for games that pushed the envelope.
Samus had finally proven she could viably walk both the 2D and the 3D paths and offer something different. To this day, both Super Metroid and Metroid Prime are the golden stars of the franchise, with the #1 podium purely down to personal preference.