Metroid Prime

 GameCube
User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 1558 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,400 out of 1558
  2. Mixed: 54 out of 1558
  3. Negative: 104 out of 1558
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Psyco6
    Aug 7, 2012
    9
    This game is amazing for people who are metroid fans and even some non metroid fans. Its not suppose to be a regular FPS were you shoot and try to kill everything, IT ACTUALLY HAS A STORY. The only thing that gets to me about this game is when you have to back track from one place to another and they are far apart. The controls are great but are tricky sometimes,the story is pretty wellThis game is amazing for people who are metroid fans and even some non metroid fans. Its not suppose to be a regular FPS were you shoot and try to kill everything, IT ACTUALLY HAS A STORY. The only thing that gets to me about this game is when you have to back track from one place to another and they are far apart. The controls are great but are tricky sometimes,the story is pretty well made,the gameplay is great since you have different beams you can use and different visors that are needed to fight some enemies, even the graphics are stunning.… Expand
  2. sheepishdolphin
    Mar 15, 2012
    9
    Sublime, simply an amazing game. You feel entrenched within a planet, and can learn about all aspects of it including life and flora. The music is amazing, and the atmosphere is fantastic.
    A pinnacle. If you own a GAmecube or Wii, you must play this.
  3. danglingshrimp
    Feb 27, 2015
    9
    Pros:

    +Environments are beautifully detailed and varied
    +Tons of items to collect, tons of information to find, and tons of secret areas!
    +Gameplay is phenomenal and never wears out its welcome
    +Music is amazing, and sound effects are great, too.

    Cons:

    -Tons of backtracking
    -Fairly easy once you start getting the first few energy tank/missile upgrades
    -No Miiverse community
  4. Rockymeg
    Dec 18, 2013
    9
    People arguing this game alongside Halo are probably the same people who brag about their COD kills; bigots with no appreciation for decent single player game. I'm writing this as anticipation for Halo 5 is building, and all I can say is that Samus would kick Master Chief right in the frag grenades.
  5. guitarguy001
    Apr 1, 2014
    9
    Revolutionized the Metroid series the same way Super Mario 64 did with the Mario series. It set the standard for the FPA (First-Person Adventure) genre, the visuals are extremely impressive for the GameCube, the atmosphere is done perfectly, making you feel isolated in these planets, especially when you are in dark corridors. The soundtrack is awesome, having one of the most memorable mainRevolutionized the Metroid series the same way Super Mario 64 did with the Mario series. It set the standard for the FPA (First-Person Adventure) genre, the visuals are extremely impressive for the GameCube, the atmosphere is done perfectly, making you feel isolated in these planets, especially when you are in dark corridors. The soundtrack is awesome, having one of the most memorable main themes in any game. One of the best games ever made. Make sure you have alot of time with this one, though.… Expand
  6. fijiboy
    Apr 21, 2014
    9
    this is the best game on the game cube, it pushed the systems capabilities and came out with an immersive and beautifully designed world, with awesome boss battles, great graphics and amazing gameplay. exploration has never been so fun. I hate back tracking though, that's my only gripe and the only thing from keeping it from a 10 which is a perfect score, and I cant just be waving thatthis is the best game on the game cube, it pushed the systems capabilities and came out with an immersive and beautifully designed world, with awesome boss battles, great graphics and amazing gameplay. exploration has never been so fun. I hate back tracking though, that's my only gripe and the only thing from keeping it from a 10 which is a perfect score, and I cant just be waving that rating at every fun game.… Expand
  7. mcfry
    Aug 22, 2015
    9
    When Metroid Prime was published, I had played games of many genres, especially enjoying many of Nintendo's grand 2D classics' successful leaps into the third dimension. Hopes for the Metroid series to do the same had been little to none, as I didn't believe it could be done without changing the whole concept.

    But again, I was surprised. With Metroid Prime, my feeling always was: This    When Metroid Prime was published, I had played games of many genres, especially enjoying many of Nintendo's grand 2D classics' successful leaps into the third dimension. Hopes for the Metroid series to do the same had been little to none, as I didn't believe it could be done without changing the whole concept.

    But again, I was surprised. With Metroid Prime, my feeling always was: This is a perfect video game. It uses the medium perfectly, speaks to the player's aesthetic senses as well as to his natural curiosity and desire to interact, and in spite of atmospheric depth, it still keeps that "pride of being unreal" from its 2D past, trying not to overwhelm with excessive realism, but instead offering a quite simple, but a most involving gameplay nonetheless. It feels like controlling a very powerful apparatus with little effort, and using it to explore a planet, a biotope and a civilization or two.

    After many years and having bought 3 Gamecubes just to be able to continue playing this game (the Gamecube is an awfully short-lived console), when I revisit it today, this feeling still persists: Yes, in general, Prime is a game close to perfection. Yet some criticism that existed from the beginning has become clearer to me and should not be blurred by nosthalgia (which I've always felt is untruthful). Here are the two bummers:

    1) The controls, although having been extremely ingenuous and easy enough to learn, are lacking for this type of game, in one specific respect: There is no way to look around while strafing. That severely limits a) perception of the surrounding area, and b) fighting. You must stand still while looking. I've tried to explain that away with lore, but the discomfort returns and remains every time I play this title. Lock-on targeting thus becomes obligatory. This sort of auto-targeting was a good way to go for a third-person adventure like Zelda, but far from ideal for a first-person game, where the ability of manually targeting is essential. I don't mean to exaggerate the *Shooter* aspect of Metroid Prime, but that genre surely established more flexible controls. Of course, Prime is playable enough, but a less static targeting mode, whilst keeping the unique jump physics, is really missing in this classic. With such free aim, Metroid's arcade-esque core could develop to the fullest. (To be fair, the S/NES predecessors had very similar behaviour.)

    2) The "room puzzles" as known from the Zelda series, aren't exciting, intelligent or interesting. They break the flow decisively. This is not a mere consquence of time wearing down a certain gameplay mechanism, but a consequence of that mechanism's very dullness. Somewhat similar, but a little less dull, are the boss fights. Tackling these same puzzles or tests again simply cannot satisfy as much as it did the previous time - instead, they only postpone further exploration. That is - for me - a severe drawback to replaying Metroid Prime. And, yes: exploration still works for me.

    I wanted to write a third point of criticism, called "backtracking", but then I reconsidered - there are many possibilities to play this game against the designers' intentions, using certain non-intended techniques to make up your own path through the game. Meaning that in Prime's special case, the backtracking does not constitute a strong argument, it can be circumvented.

    But, still: As much as it hurts not to show the maximum rating, I am confident that the two mentioned factors do justify that one withheld rating point. Still, Metroid Prime offers an experience everyone should try, for so many reasons.

    Samus: Found 100%. Still need to find out who came up with these silly "Halo" comparisons....    … Expand
  8. RasheedNinja
    Feb 19, 2015
    9
    Metroid Prime is something original without the used of much voice actor. That's what the game becoming and mysterious! While Samus is unfolding the thrilling stories of the planet Tallon IV and what has become of the land she also comes across for the biggest threat of them all: Metroid Prime! The mysterious environment and outbursts of enemies in new areas give a feeling of thrillMetroid Prime is something original without the used of much voice actor. That's what the game becoming and mysterious! While Samus is unfolding the thrilling stories of the planet Tallon IV and what has become of the land she also comes across for the biggest threat of them all: Metroid Prime! The mysterious environment and outbursts of enemies in new areas give a feeling of thrill itself. It's like you always need to prepare for the next exciting thing. I would recommend scanning every piece of evidence surrounding the environment to feel the full experience (prepare yourself for a lot of reading).… Expand
  9. CineAutoctono
    Sep 18, 2019
    9
    If they say that this is the video game "Metroid Prime" is the best in the series, nobody is wrong. With excellent graphics, scenarios, music and history, great handling of the degrees of difficulty and new functions make this game a modern classic.
  10. YorkMan
    Feb 27, 2016
    9
    I can't describe how disappointed the gaming 'community' were back when this game was being developed and it became clear it was a FPS (First Person Shooter). How can you incorporate the Metroid gaming mechanic into a running about and shooting things game???

    This disappointment made me avoid playing the game for nearly 18 months after its UK PAL GameCube release. But then again I was    I can't describe how disappointed the gaming 'community' were back when this game was being developed and it became clear it was a FPS (First Person Shooter). How can you incorporate the Metroid gaming mechanic into a running about and shooting things game???

    This disappointment made me avoid playing the game for nearly 18 months after its UK PAL GameCube release. But then again I was too busy playing games on my PS2, as well as all the SNES games I missed out on using an emulator on my PC.

    I managed to get a chance to play whilst visiting my parent's house, towards the end of 2004. My youngest brother had a GC, and I decided (belatedly) to pop in the disc and give it a go......

    From the moment the opening credits appeared, the creepy music kicked in, and the screen began rotating some kind of 'cells under a microscope' visual in front of me.... I knew this was something special. A kid's game this definitely was not!

    Within 10 minutes of taking control of Samus Aran, I'd completely forgotten about it being just another FPS, because in design, concept, control, style.... Pretty much everything.... It's its own game.

    Graphically, for a game now 13+ years old, it still looks impressive. There's virtually no lag at any point in the game, the visuals are bright and colourful, the special effects that permeate various areas are joyous to experience.
    Sonically, the music is all perfectly written for each of the 'areas' you have to explore. Highlighting the openness of some places, and making you feel even more alone, confined and restricted in others.
    The basic Metroid gameplay remains intact, and it's clear to see and understand why a 3D Metroid title wasn't even attempted on the N64, the challenge to create such diverse environments etc would have been impossible with the memory restrictions of the cartridge format.

    The game isn't perfect though. For everything it has going for it, it does have two glaring problems.
    The first is the unevenness of the difficulty. Strolling about, collecting items, powering yourself up... All good, a veritable walk in the park. But the boss fights which split up the game's 'paragraphs' (in a narrative term), are definitely not for the casual gamer. I used to be a pretty hardcore gamer (I'm 40 now, and a little less so!), and I got frustrated by how you can merrily get around the available map without feeling any sense of threat (of dying), but died innumerate times on almost every single boss.
    I think 'modern' gamers would just walk away when they got killed for the tenth time!
    The other problem is the emphasis the game puts on 'scanning' things. OK, things you have to scan to progress through the game, or to access the various backstory bits and pieces.... Fine.
    But I didn't like that in order to get the 100% complete rating, EVERYTHING that added to Samus' logs/information needed scanning. Especially when some enemies in the game (including Bosses, obviously) are one shot deals... Miss the opportunity to scan, and your 'perfect' game is gone.

    Little niggles, maybe.... And back then I loved a challenging game. But as I said, it was the unevenness of the challenge that annoyed me!

    Overall.... If you haven't played the game, it's well worth tracking down (sooner, rather than later). Considering how expensive SNES's (and the 'better' games) have become in the last 10-15 years... It's only a matter of time before GC's and its better games become exorbitantly pricey.    … Expand
  11. iamevilhomer
    Mar 6, 2017
    9
    Just now got to play this game for the first time. Been playing it for a week on and off. It's 2017. This game came out in early 2000. It's been like 15 years and I'm just now getting around to playing this game...

    And you know what? It beats the crap out of most games today. I'm such a stupid **** for missing out on this one. It really is freaking awesome. The work that went into the    Just now got to play this game for the first time. Been playing it for a week on and off. It's 2017. This game came out in early 2000. It's been like 15 years and I'm just now getting around to playing this game...

    And you know what? It beats the crap out of most games today. I'm such a stupid **** for missing out on this one. It really is freaking awesome. The work that went into the making of this game it amazing. I been out of the nintendo scene so I might be wrong here but even if I am I know I'm not too far off when I say this but... This is probably the best exclusive game on the game cube. Definitely one of the best games ever made I would say...

    I'm playing it on the wiiu with the nunchuck on the metroid prime collection version. It was hard to get used to at first, mostly because I never tried motion controls much but man oh man once I got used to it in about 4-6 hours it feels so awesome. I'm running and gunning and it feels so much more realistic than your standard shooter like halo or cod when using a non-motion controlled controller. If you thought you truly felt like the MC in the halo games then you haven't seen jack. In this game with the nunchuck you truly feel like samus. So many details went into this games amazing adventure. From the world feeling super life like to small things like seeing your facial reflection during flashy explosions. I'm addicted. Never thought a metroid game could be this great in a FP perspective but IT IS! Can't say I'm surprised... I knew this game would be good but it's DAMN GOOD! A great game that goes down in history as a game changer for the world of gaming. This is quality gaming at it's best. When nintendo hits hard they freaking nail it!

    Can't wait to play it's 2 sequels. I want to give this game a 10 so badly. No game is perfect though. Like not being able to skip the elevator cinematic scenes. Which only last like 10 seconds but still... It's not a big deal though considering they did a wonderful job with the visuals so you want to watch everything anyways.

    It's also silly how Samus loses her sweet gear in the beginning of the game by a simple explosion but hey... Details. Minor stuff. It doesn't take away from the over all amazing experience. I just got whooped by a giant space pirate monster and now I'm going back for more. If you missed this game you're simply missing out. GET THIS GAME!

    PS... I give this game a 9.8. I just don't do 10's though. Sorry. No game deserves a perfect score. Perfection doesn't exist. The game would have to be so good that I would never want to play another game ever again to earn a 10 rating from me and that simply wont ever happen for anyone. The game would have to rub my balls and give me a "get in to heaven for free guaranteed card" or some crazy thing like that for me to rate it a 10 lol. This game is up there though. Like halo CE. Perfect dark 64. And of course Ocarina of time.    … Expand
  12. B-Bog
    Jul 27, 2021
    9
    Great game overall, but the repeated backtracking can get pretty annoying in the late parts of the game. It's probably heresy to call for this in a Metroid game, but a fast-travel system would have come in really handy in these moments. It's just not that fun to traverse the same 30 rooms over and over and over again over the course of the game ( and deal with the quickly respawningGreat game overall, but the repeated backtracking can get pretty annoying in the late parts of the game. It's probably heresy to call for this in a Metroid game, but a fast-travel system would have come in really handy in these moments. It's just not that fun to traverse the same 30 rooms over and over and over again over the course of the game ( and deal with the quickly respawning enemies again every time), just to get around the map to the different regions.

    Speaking of enemies: The Lock-On system can be kind of finicky (I'm playing the Wii version), and the controls in general can be a little clunky and slow. Firing multiple Ice Beams in a row, charging up your Beams, firing a Super Missile, switching from missiles to Beams, everything takes just a little bit too long to do (and the Grapple Beam in general was pretty hit-or-miss for me). Which is fine for the most part because the game is pretty easy (really the navigation presents a bigger challenge than the enemies most of the time), but can be VERY annoying when fighting a certain type of late-game enemy.

    Oh yeah, and the fight against Meta-Ridley just goes on for WAY too long. My right pointer finger was already cramping up.

    But again, aside from these relatively minor criticisms, MP is an awesome and captivating game that still holds up surprisingly well in 2021. Graphics were stellar for the Gamecube, the framerate is at a consistent 60FPS, the music, atmosphere, and attention to detail are amazing, and the way the backstory gradually unfolds through logs is very intriguing. Also, let's not forget that this was the first 3D Metroid game EVER and appreciate what an outstanding job Retro Studios did at translating the DNA of a 2D side-scrolling platformer into a 3D First-Person game, all the while keeping the fundamentals of the series completely intact. Kudos!

    Bump the resolution on this bad-boy up to 1080p, upscale the textures, sharpen up the controls a little bit, and maybe introduce a late-game fast-travel feature, then put it on the Switch, and this game still wipes the floor with most modern releases, despite being almost 20 years old. Now that's a good game!    … Expand
  13. antenneone
    Oct 30, 2018
    9
    Toda la magia de super metroid ejecutada magistralmente en 3D. Un juego imprescindible. La segunda y tercera entrega me parecen mas flojas. Eso si, super metroid sigue siendo el mejor de la saga
  14. Crazy_Diamond
    Apr 21, 2020
    9
    After years of hearing about how classic this game is, I finally decided to check out the hype, and I was not let down. Great gameplay, puzzles, exploration, combat, all of it is great. And for the Gamecube, the graphics are a marvel. Anyone saying the controls are bad clearly doesn't understand why the c stick isn't used for aiming, and it's because it's used to switch guns. No, thisAfter years of hearing about how classic this game is, I finally decided to check out the hype, and I was not let down. Great gameplay, puzzles, exploration, combat, all of it is great. And for the Gamecube, the graphics are a marvel. Anyone saying the controls are bad clearly doesn't understand why the c stick isn't used for aiming, and it's because it's used to switch guns. No, this isn't Halo, and it's not an average FPS, it's an adventure game, and you need to make the most of every button on your controller.… Expand
  15. RSB
    Jun 13, 2020
    9
    Incredible and well thought out well design, beautiful graphics for its time, and perfectly composed soundtracks that set the mood correctly for the game. Worthy to hold the Metroid name as all Metroids before this were side steppers.

    This is a true masterpiece and a worthy candidate to one of the greatest games ever made with my only con being since the world gets unforgivingly large    Incredible and well thought out well design, beautiful graphics for its time, and perfectly composed soundtracks that set the mood correctly for the game. Worthy to hold the Metroid name as all Metroids before this were side steppers.

    This is a true masterpiece and a worthy candidate to one of the greatest games ever made with my only con being since the world gets unforgivingly large you will sometimes struggle to know where to go next and the victory lap collection at the end was completely unnecessary.

    9.5/10    … Expand
  16. MYP
    Jun 18, 2021
    9
    Metroid prime isn't perfect but it offers great music and atmosphere, brilliant level design, interesting enemies, Fascinating puzzles and an adventure that will stick with your for the rest of your life. It's flawed but i'll take it. For me Metroid prime was the killer app for the Nintendo gamecube.
  17. tukumalu
    Jun 13, 2020
    9
    Just how could they transition from a 2D game design to this masterpiece of a first person adventure with great suspense, perfect mechanics and breathtaking scenery. Backtracking is a pain though.
  18. DantasVGabriel
    Apr 25, 2021
    9
    Jogo muito bom mesmo, otima exploração e gameplay impecável a única coisa que me irritou é manuseio me irritou mesmo e a mira no controle, mas de resto é um jogo excelente, se n fosse o mapa e eu ainda achar os metroids 2d melhores, eu daria um 10 fácil.
  19. PhoenixWright44
    Apr 24, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. You can really make the game your own. If you want to experience everything, that’s your choice. Accompanied with amazing music and interesting environments, it leave an everlasting impression. You have to be able to think and not just shoot your way truth, if you just shoot blindly you want go far, which I REALLY appreciate. If with more games makes you work and think to get further. Spoiler alert - when I finished the main story/game I thought the ending sucked. But then I thought about this being just one game in an a trilogy and accepted it more. Samus jobb continues, and we can continue to follow… Expand
  20. buttermypug
    Jun 20, 2020
    9
    18 years later and the menu splash screen still makes my hair stand up. Metroid prime for its time is a marvel of technology and environmental story telling. It is a corner stone for gamecube titles and I would say I don't have the words to describe it to someone who has never played it before. I would strongly recommend going into this journey blind. You will have the shock of a new18 years later and the menu splash screen still makes my hair stand up. Metroid prime for its time is a marvel of technology and environmental story telling. It is a corner stone for gamecube titles and I would say I don't have the words to describe it to someone who has never played it before. I would strongly recommend going into this journey blind. You will have the shock of a new experience that will give you instant nostalgia. Overall I am a huge fan of this IP… Expand
  21. p_ulisses
    Jun 29, 2020
    9
    My friend told me I play this game. He described how it was I felt really interested. It don't disappoint at all. It's one of the best games I ever played, the world's map is great and diverse, with several challanging puzzles, great shooting mechanics, great platforming sections that could be very frustrating but in the end are excellent. I don't have a bad memory about this game that isMy friend told me I play this game. He described how it was I felt really interested. It don't disappoint at all. It's one of the best games I ever played, the world's map is great and diverse, with several challanging puzzles, great shooting mechanics, great platforming sections that could be very frustrating but in the end are excellent. I don't have a bad memory about this game that is worth saying. It's definitely the best GameCube game.… Expand
  22. chris1988
    Aug 10, 2020
    9
    The environments, music, graphics and replay value are all some of the best I've seen in a video game, my only flaw is that the controls are slightly hard to get used to. But once you are used to them they work great, overall this deserves its spot as one of the greatest FPS games ever made.
  23. Oyin
    Jul 17, 2020
    9
    9.3/10 One of the finest entries in the Metroid series. An incredible shooter that all gamers should experience.
  24. emilyratesgames
    Jun 22, 2021
    9
    Score: 9
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
  25. ZeroBacon
    Sep 4, 2020
    9
    This game is fantastic. It’s just a shame it was on GameCube, we had to wait until the Wii for our beautiful motion controls. Good game, just it’s kinda confusing sometimes, the backtracking is not fun, and finding all the Chozo artifacts isn’t either.
  26. Buboub47
    Apr 25, 2021
    9
    Well metroid prime suffers from lack of story and structure, it offers a perfect adventure, thr puzzles are so smart and the shooting feels so convenient as well.
  27. TeransiC3338
    Oct 16, 2021
    9
    Metroid prime's level design is some of the best from the 2000's. Prime's gameplay is simplistic and the controls are really clunky but the gameplay elements make up for it. The story is simple yet very well-paced making for such a unique adventure. Playing this game reminded me how good metroid is and i can't wait for Metroid Prime 4.the whole trilogy is so unique but the first one is theMetroid prime's level design is some of the best from the 2000's. Prime's gameplay is simplistic and the controls are really clunky but the gameplay elements make up for it. The story is simple yet very well-paced making for such a unique adventure. Playing this game reminded me how good metroid is and i can't wait for Metroid Prime 4.the whole trilogy is so unique but the first one is the most simple but it has a certain charm.… Expand
  28. Owen76287
    Feb 9, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I love this game, and my only complaint is the constant backtracking. Overall this game is a must play for all gamers.… Expand
  29. Monksman15
    Feb 11, 2021
    9
    Pros:
    Unbelievably good graphics for a game from 2002.
    Incredible atmosphere that sucks you into the world. Great handling of the story through optional text logs, allowing you to get as immersed as you want. Satisfying upgrades that make enemy encounters rewarding. Tons of visual variety in the world map, making each area memorable. Super replayable thanks to a short campaign with    Pros:
    Unbelievably good graphics for a game from 2002.
    Incredible atmosphere that sucks you into the world.
    Great handling of the story through optional text logs, allowing you to get as immersed as you want.
    Satisfying upgrades that make enemy encounters rewarding.
    Tons of visual variety in the world map, making each area memorable.
    Super replayable thanks to a short campaign with multiple possible routes.

    Cons:
    Bosses can be time-consuming and spammy.
    Backtracking can feel unnatural and slow-paced.
    The opening segment is not indicative of what the rest of the game is.
    The final Artifact hunt is more obtuse than necessary.    … Expand
  30. RandomDrawing
    Mar 24, 2022
    9
    The game brings Samus in the third axis perfectly. All the gameplay still holds up. all the items (the morph ball) translate like a good nights kiss. The graphics look stunning for a god damn gamecube game and still hold up like the gameplay. You need to get this game, amazing
Page:

Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best GameCube Game of 2002
1
#1 Most Discussed GameCube Game of 2002
1
#1 Most Shared GameCube Game of 2002

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
97

Universal acclaim - based on 70 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 70 out of 70
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 70
  3. Negative: 0 out of 70
  1. GamerFeed
    90
    It looks fantastic, it plays fantastic (the best usage of the GameCube controller to date), it sounds fantastic, and darn it, it is just fun to play.
    Read full review
  2. GameNow
    100
    It doesn't matter if you've never played a Metroid game before - Prime will kick your ass and unrelentingly own you. [A+; Jan 2003, p.62]
  3. Into Liquid Sky
    100
    It oozes with so much addictiveness that the storyline plays second fiddle and reminds you of a time when gameplay was an integral part of gaming. Put simply, this is one of the best games I have played in a long, long time. [Grade = A+]
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »