Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is the excellent conclusion of Nintendo’s 3-D Metroid trilogy, developed by Retro Studios. This time around, protagonist Samus Aran is capable of sacrificing her own energy supplies to increase her firepower. However, stay in this mode too long and her power suit will become corrupted (hence the title), forcing you to shoot frantically to release the harnessed energy.
The control scheme in Metroid is intuitive, feels wonderful, and is completely innovative. Aiming is done with the remote, whereas the analog stick on the nunchuk is used to strafe from side to side and move forward and backwards. Buttons and triggers on the two controllers handle the firing of missiles, transformation into the Morph Ball, and any other commands.
With some strange exceptions — activating the scanning visor can be awkward — the controls “just work” and almost immediately become second nature. Anyone accustomed to playing first-person shooters on a PC will feel right at home, and Halo fans will wonder how they managed to use a dual-analog system in the first place.
The Metroid formula — a story about space pirates, delivered by exploring a gradually expanding environment and scanning artifacts and enemies along the way — remains fundamentally unchanged. The elaborate puzzles and small skirmishes are punctuated frequently by larger boss battles, and progress is usually impeded until a new weapon or technique is discovered that allows access to further areas.
Navigation is aided by a very user-friendly 3D mapping system that makes it easy to see where you’ve been and where you’re heading. In a nutshell, it’s another Metroid Prime game — and it’s nearly perfect.
– Patrick Hajduch
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
$49.99, Nintendo Wii
Retro Studios
Release: August 27, 2007
Nintendo: www.nintendo.com
Metroid: www.metroid.com
Retro Studios: www.retrostudios.com
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