Nintendo’s Metroid Prime Remastered announcement during the last Nintendo Direct hit like a bombshell, even though it had been rumored for months. Not only because it was actually happening, but because Nintendo announced the game was finished and was releasing that day. A shadow-drop of a beautiful remaster of one Nintendo’s all-time great games was not something being entertained by even the most optimistic Switch owner before the Direct. Metroid fans were thrilled, the reviews for the game are fantastic, and everyone is happy. However, the question being asked now are: what about the other Metroid Prime games? Is Nintendo going to remaster them as well?
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Metroid Prime Hunters, and Metroid Prime: Federation Force are the other games in the series (there’s also Metroid Prime Pinball, but no one is really asking for it – maybe Nintendo can use it as a pre-order bonus for the upcoming Metroid Prime 4). While Hunters released on the Nintendo DS and was heavily focused on multiplayer (it’s considered more of a spinoff), and Federation Force isn’t related to the other games in the series except in name, Echoes and Corruption were direct sequels to the original Prime. They were stunning first-person adventure games that used the same exploration and combat gameplay the original Prime innovated. They don’t get talked about or hailed with the same praise as their prequel, but they’re both phenomenal games that are among the best of the best on their respective consoles.
So if it wasn’t for certain rumors that have been circulating, it would seem to be a foregone conclusion that Nintendo would go ahead and remaster all three games (and Hunters as well if they’re feeling especially ambitious) – but as Metroid fans know, it’s not always that simple with Nintendo. They work in mysterious ways, are sometimes known to be tone-deaf when it comes to listening to fan feedback, and have a long history of not always giving the Metroid series its just due.
The primary argument as to why Nintendo shouldn’t, or wouldn’t, remaster Echoes and Corruption is sales – that they underperformed in the marketplace when they first released. Is that true?
Let’s put it into context: no Metroid game has ever lit up the sales charts. Even though it’s almost 40 years old, and in that time its influence on game design and the game developer community has been severe and, as a result, has birthed its own genre that can be seen in games like Hollow Knight, SteamWorld Dig, the Castlevania series, and too many others to count, Metroid has never been a mainstream series. It’s never been a 10 million seller, or even a five million seller, but it’s always sold respectably and consistently. Meaning, while no Metroid game has ever sold on the same level as Pokemon or Super Mario, no Metroid game has ever completely bombed either. Which means it has a fan base that loves and supports the series, and who are vocal – and I can tell you, after seeing what Nintendo accomplished with Metroid Prime Remastered, if they don’t get remasters for Echoes and Corruption, they’re going to howl. It’s going to be a massive disappointment to the fan base because those games are just as beloved as the original Prime, and just as deserving of the same love and attention. The Metroid Prime trilogy is arguably the best trilogy Nintendo, or any other developer, has ever produced. Only getting the first game remastered would be a shame.
What would’ve been the reaction if Bioware had decided to only remaster the first Mass Effect game and left the other two largely the same? The fan base would’ve been perplexed, and rightfully so. Or if Rockstar had decided to only remaster GTA: San Andreas and left Grand Theft Auto III and Vice City alone? The whole industry would’ve been scratching their collective heads.
The fact is, even though all three Prime games are more than capable of standing on their own individually, there is a story arc that connects all three games. Having one game in the series look modern while the other two look like GameCube games would be a visually inconsistent way to present the series to new and existing fans.
Nintendo is already chest-deep in this Metroid revival going back to Samus Returns on 3DS in 2017. Who knows how much Metroid Prime 4 is costing them to make – probably a lot given how long it’s taken and that they had to start completely over. All of a sudden now Nintendo is going to say that remastering Echoes and Corruption is where they’re going to draw the line and deem it isn’t worth it? If money and sales are the concern with remastering Echoes and Corruption, then why put all the time, money, and effort into Metroid Prime 4? Or the Metroid series in general the last six years?
If done right and given the right exposure on Switch, all three games could equal, or even exceed, their original sales. I’m not saying Nintendo will or won’t do it given how unpredictable they are, but remastering Echoes and Corruption would absolutely be worth it. They might not sell astronomically, but they would sell well enough, and it would create a massive amount of goodwill within the Metroid fan base, which would magnify the anticipation for Metroid Prime 4. All the years of IP neglect since Other M, including the Federation Force fiasco, would be forgiven. It needs to happen after how well Prime Remastered turned out.
If the reports of Prime Remastered being finished since July 2021 are true, then there’s been plenty of time to remaster the other two games, and gives me hope for a remastered Echoes and Corruption sooner rather than later. If Nintendo’s goal is to win over new fans as a lead-up to Metroid Prime 4, modernizing all three Prime games is a great way to do it. Metroid Prime Remastered is arguably the most visually impressive game Nintendo has ever made, and releasing what will be seen as lazy ports after doing such a fantastic job with the first game won’t go over well with Switch owners now that we’ve seen what’s possible.
Also, a quick history reminder: it should be pointed out that in 2004, Nintendo unwisely released Metroid Prime 2 on GameCube within the same week as one of the most hyped and marketed events in the history of video games: the release of Halo 2 and the launch of Xbox Live. Despite that, Echoes managed to do well for itself, selling over a million copies. Not as good as the first Prime, but still respectable. So if Nintendo wants someone to blame for Prime 2’s sales all those years ago, maybe they should look in the mirror.
So we’re left to hope that Nintendo does this the right way and continues the goodwill they’ve created within the fan base the last several years. If they treat the fans and the Metroid series with the respect they deserve, they’ll continue to be there. All three Prime games are top-ten games on the systems they were originally released on and deserve the same level of love that Prime Remastered got. Nintendo knows this and hopefully they’ll act accordingly.
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