5. Metroid Prime

Developer: Retro Studios
Release: Nov 18th 2002
Metacritic Score: 97
Format: Gamecube
Sales: 2.8 million

Simon Flatman: The last of Nintendo's big three to make the jump into 3D was by no means the least successful. Every ounce of foreboding dread and eerie synth based atmposphere was captured from its 2D brethren. From the touch down on Tallon IV to the journey through the fiery Magmar Caverns, to the icy beauty of the Phendrana Drifts, there has been no greater use of such generic level templates.

Not only is Prime a joy in ambient aesthetics, it's a masterclass of level design. How many games can you name that make backtracking such a joy? Each new upgrade opens up a wealth of possibilities. Area's that were previously rigorous to traverse are made easy with say, the grapple beam or the new morph ball bombs. The manner in which Tallon IV slowly opens up, the bigger it gets the easier it is to pass through, is no small achievement. Should you become lost, there's always that hidden power up you forgot about behind wall. And it's that sense of discovery that makes it so compelling.

The most conclusive proof that Metroid Prime got it right in one is to look at the inferior sequels. Echoes, though admirable, failed to capture the same atmospherics and breathtaking locations, whilst Corruption barely managed to escape its absolutely dreadful opening and featured; God forbid, other characters. Metroid isn't about interaction with NPC's or forced backstory (which Team Ninja are threatening us with in the upcoming Other M), it's about isolation. Being trapped in the gorgeous vistas of the Tallon Overworld, or in the arid, sunbaked climate of the Chozo Ruins. And then there's the Phendrana Drifts - arguably the greatest videogame space ever conceived - a trek through a quiet, frozen valley, accompanied by Kenji Yamamoto's tinkling piano scores, creates one of the most atmospheric journeys in recent memory.

Phendrana in all its glory

There's no urgency in Metroid Prime, nothing to chase, no imposing mission. Retro Studio's allow you to play at your own pace, taking in the views and exploring the habitat. Cut scenes are few and far between, in fact the few that do occur are often sweeping pans of the environment as Samus enters new terrain, which coincidentally is the greatest story teller of them all. Samus' surroundings dictate narrative far more successfully than any expositional script. The scan visor allows the player to discover details about the environment, everything from the age and type of rock formations, to enemies and their weak points, to humanoid remains. The descriptions of the latter are somewhat explicit by Nintendo's standards.

Though Prime appears to contain the hall marks of a first-person-shooter, progression is not made primarily through gunplay. There are ingredients here from the platform/puzzle genre, seeped in a dark sci-fi atmosphere. Prime is about making double jumps across hazardous chasms to jet propelled platforms, accompanied by a series a synth based beeps and drones as it is about first person shooting.

That's not to say there isn't a great cast of enemies, the local wildlife such as shriek bats and baby sheegoths become hostile should Samus venture to close, whilst the space pirates come in many shapes and sizes. Most impressive though are the juggernaut like bosses such as the Omega Pirate and Meta Ridley, who although operate to scripted attack patterns, are mamoth tasks to overcome, each one mixing puzzle elements, gunplay and reflexes. The final boss - the Metroid Prime - is one only a small percentage of gamers have defeated.

Samus tackles the Omega Pirate

Metroid Prime is an absolute revelation in game design, as clichéd as this sounds: there genuinely is nothing like it. The transformation from two dimensions to three was handled with such grace and efficiency that it formulated the perfect transition; nothing was lost.

On second thoughts perhaps Team Ninja are wise to stray from the Prime formula in their upcoming title, because if Retro Studio's couldn't better the template for their original masterpiece, then what hope does anyone else have. Metroid Prime is the reason to own a Gamecube and will most likely be appearing in top ten lists for decades. It's a standout moment for Retro, for Nintendo and for interactive entertainment as a whole.

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