Nintendo throws out Metroid Prime 4 work, restarts with Retro Studios
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Retro did try to put in 4 player PvP in the Metroid Prime series, but did not have the time and resources to complete. Good single player content and 60 fps were their first priorities.
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I thought Metroid Prime was intended to be a trilogy, why not have a fresh take on the series? They've been doing that with everything else.
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There were unconfirmed rumors that Retro wanted a new Nintendo Producer, as their relationship with Kensuke Tanabe had become to toxic. Kensuke Tanabe has been a main producer for the Prime series likely wanted to stay that way, marking the move to a different developer for MP4.
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Hearing this makes me more hopeful of the game, if sad that it will be longer. Retro did what I thought was impossible. Not only did they take a 2d game and turn it into a 3d one, but they actually got me to LOVE playing an FPS. Me and FPSes don't generally get along, I'm afraid. But not only was it okay as an FPS - it was GREAT. The gameplay was excellent and the story hit all the right notes. I mean, for a Metroid story. They're still not exactly War and Peace here. Or even the comic book version of War and Peace. But they're no Other M. I'd rather have no story than that.
So the more Retro, the better. It may all end in tears but at least there's some hope.
So the more Retro, the better. It may all end in tears but at least there's some hope.
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It's been 12 years since we saw a release of Metroid Prime*.
I can wait 2 more years.
One of the greatest franchises ever made, in my opinion, and I still recall to this day Metroid Prime 3 proved the Wii controller had value if done right. *BOOM*
*NO! NO! NO! We never speak of the garbage put out by Team Ninja. Not even by name!
I can wait 2 more years.
One of the greatest franchises ever made, in my opinion, and I still recall to this day Metroid Prime 3 proved the Wii controller had value if done right. *BOOM*
*NO! NO! NO! We never speak of the garbage put out by Team Ninja. Not even by name!
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We had a "fresh take on the series" with Metroid: Other M. It didn't go so well. That, presumably, is why Nintendo decided to go back to the Metroid Prime series.
Presumably Namco Bandai's version would also have been a "fresh take", but that didn't work out either.
So the reason that we're not getting a fresh take is that they already tried that and it didn't work, and now they're going back to what worked in the past.
And, to be fair, it has been quite a long time since Metroid Prime 3.
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Metroid Prime 2 *did* have a (admittedly somewhat underwhelming) PVP mode. I played it quite a bit with a friend back in the day. It was one of the few games I could consistently beat him at. He kicks my ass in Smash to this day.
And of course there was Metroid Prime Hunters on NDS but obviously that was a whole different thing.
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The difference between Ninty and every other publisher is that they will do whatever it takes to release a good game - including hitting the reset button on years of dev work.
There’s a reason they are by far the most successful developer in the industry.
There’s a reason they are by far the most successful developer in the industry.
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I'd still try to do something different. I think if you made a Metroid Prime-style game in 2019 the development would be too expensive. Metroid games don't sell very well unforunately, they barely break 1 million sales (MP2 was only 800k), and a realistic art style in HD is orders of magnitude more expensive than developing for the Gamecube or Wii. You could get away with a dozen artists back then, now you need an army.
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Make it work before you sell it, and you won't embarrass yourself into needing to patch it later. The statement still holds because many a time has a game been rushed out and been patched only to retain the stink of the initial first impressions. Either that or the rushed patches to the rushed game create other or possibly worse problems.
Get it as right as possible the first time; don't be a Bethesda.
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Bethesda is Bethesda primarily because even though they have always shipped broken games people DIDNT care. This is the first time in what, 12 years that its matteted?
That said Id much rather a game be delayed to be improved than released poorly. No argument there.
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They did have local multiplayer in Echoes, and it was pretty fun. There were around half a dozen maps and two modes, IIRC. I used to play it with my siblings.
Granted, single player should always be the first priority in a series like this, but that doesn't always preclude having multiplayer content.
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LOL, I picked up Other M on fire sale a loooong time ago and, it's one of the many games in my backlog. Now that my expectations are set appropriately low, perhaps its time to finally give it a shot.
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At this point there's no reason why a refreshed Switch would need to be a new platform. Nintendo can do the multi-tiered platform thing Microsoft and Sony did (technically they already have because docked and portable modes are separate developer profiles).
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Ah I skipped over knowing that mode existed. Likely what I recall reading is for the first game they wanted that mode but ran out of time, but were able to put it into Echoes.
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Bethesda is getting slammed not because the game is buggy (that is to be expected from any of their games), but because they have lied countless times about what people are getting, performed literal bait and switch with their legendary edition, lied some more, doxxed their customers, lied even more, did some more deceptive anti-consumer practices, did a bit more fibbing, and threw in some false statements for good measure.
...did I mention they lied a lot? Like, from the start?
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I'm both sad and happy right now.
Sad because I was eager to see some announcement about Metroid to get hyped, it's a shame that the announcement is that it'll be delayed until God knows when.
But I'm happy because Retro is working on it, if someone knows how to develop a Metroid Prime game, it's them. So...take your time, just don't take too long...and show some footage every now and then. (please?)
Sad because I was eager to see some announcement about Metroid to get hyped, it's a shame that the announcement is that it'll be delayed until God knows when.
But I'm happy because Retro is working on it, if someone knows how to develop a Metroid Prime game, it's them. So...take your time, just don't take too long...and show some footage every now and then. (please?)
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This kind of announcement takes huge cajones in today’s gaming market.
I am disappointed that I won’t be getting a new Metroid Prime game any time soon, but respect the decision immensely. I wish more companies and studios would have the courage to delay indefinitely or pull the plug completely on sup-bar games. I would rather wait longer than feel betrayed.
I am disappointed that I won’t be getting a new Metroid Prime game any time soon, but respect the decision immensely. I wish more companies and studios would have the courage to delay indefinitely or pull the plug completely on sup-bar games. I would rather wait longer than feel betrayed.
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Hunters also had multiplayer but it was online, and crowded with hackers due to flashcarts. Invincible guys, aimbot and other cool things you had to deal with, it became less and less populated until you basically played with/against the same people over and over.
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Hopefully Switch will get a port of Metroid Prime Trilogy, would be nice to play that with conventional controllers. The rumor is it's already developed but they're still working out release timing.
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I wonder, does iwata ask column has been continued by someone else?
I really like that part of Nintendo
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It's kind of stupid to point at the cause as an exception for the result.
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They can't right now, because Nvidia doesn't have any new silicon for them to put into it. A Switch refresh would require either a shrink of the existing X1 SoC or a completely new SoC, and Nvidia's most recent work focuses on GPUs for cars, which don't really fit into the Switch's battery/thermal envelope.
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What was Nintendo thinking when they released the N64 w/ cartridges or the Game Cube w/ mini discs... Wished they had made a similar judgment call before those made it in stores, lmao.
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A Tegra X2 is a clear upgrade and can be had in a tablet configuration.
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The Tegra X2 would bring it closer to the current gen consoles' processing power. I don't think Nintendo will do the multi-tiered consoles like Sony and MS, because Nintendo has a history of releasing half gen upgrade for handhelds that will have their own exclusives. DS had the DSi, 3DS had the New 3DS. I think the real reason behind restarting the development is now they have a much more powerful platform to work on, so the scope of the game is expanded.
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In the history of Nintendo consoles since the SNES, it's always been Nintendo releases a new console with 3 top games. Then consoles sits and collects dust for a few months then 1 good game is released followed by more months or even a year more of collecting dust before their 1st party game is out not including all of the rehashed/remakes like Mariokart, ____ Mario xx, then another 1/2 dozen Best Hits releases then you get 1 good release. So Nintendo fans are used to waiting and dreaming about the next Zelda, Metroid, Starfox, etc. That's why you really have to own a PS4/XB to enjoy other games while you wait for Nintendo.
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I just tried to play Metroid Prime (via the Dolphin emulator) on my Shield TV yesterday for the first time ever. I stopped after about 5 minutes due to the shockingly bad (and seemingly archaic) controls. Metroid on the DS was just as bad. IMO, since the N64, Nintendo just doesn't "get" good, intuitive controls (which is partly why I turned my back on them after the DS).
In other news, I found a good Android port (that supports hardware controllers) of "AM2R":
- https://am2r-another-metroid-2-remake.u ... om/android
Unfortunately, it was made with "Game Maker" (1.4?), so it won't work on Android TV. I've tried to contact the devs to convert it using "Game Maker v2" here:
- https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/am2r/vi ... f=3&t=2305
If anyone can help get this converted, that would be brilliant!
In other news, I found a good Android port (that supports hardware controllers) of "AM2R":
- https://am2r-another-metroid-2-remake.u ... om/android
Unfortunately, it was made with "Game Maker" (1.4?), so it won't work on Android TV. I've tried to contact the devs to convert it using "Game Maker v2" here:
- https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/am2r/vi ... f=3&t=2305
If anyone can help get this converted, that would be brilliant!
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Metroid prime was one the best games of all time imho. I’m ok with waiting for retro. Now I have that theme song stuck in my head again.
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I somewhat agree. Nintendo's history has been documented with a spotty history of third-party publisher/dev support. Usually, I have felt that (due in part to Nintendo's reluctance to share all dev tools with 3rd parties, etc) only first-party titles were truly worth my time (or "2nd party" releases, such as ones by Rare), and then, those were ones released at the start of the console's life. Although similar situations may have occured with other consoles (like the PS2/3 with Sony), usually the release games are the ones that don't age well for those systems. With Nintendo, I feel that they just release a console, make some (great?) games for it and put all R&D intto the next console/games for that console.
Of course, with access to emulators, I can revisit older Nintendo console offerings and see that there were some great 3rd paty games for their platforms, but still, it's the Nintendo-branded games (made in-house our outsourced to a 2nd party) that stand out, even now.
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I admit that I haven't played Metroid Prime outside of the Wii's Trilogy re-release lately, so it's been a while since I used its original control scheme. But I did play it and its sequel back when they were new, and I don't recall the controls being a problem. I mean yes, they definitely take some getting used to, but Prime especially isn't designed expecting that you're going to be an expert right away.
The game is designed for the controls. Much like RE4 isn't designed for run-and-gun style play, Prime doesn't expect you to be able to instantly turn to deal with a threat. It doesn't expect or require you to quickly turn to face an enemy. It doesn't expect you to look up or down a whole lot; most of the stuff you'll face will be horizontally around you, not vertically up and down.
You're expected to use lock-on when you want to engage a specific target, and you're expected to switch locks when you're interested in killing something. Does it feel different from a traditional FPS? Absolutely. But different is not necessarily wrong, so long as you're willing to meet the control scheme on its terms.
Oh, and if you're not using a genuine GameCube controller, with all of its button layouts, specialized inputs, and the analog nub, it probably won't work very well.
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I don't have any particular love for Metroid or Nintendo (well, since the SNES anyway), but I have to applaud their willingness to realize when a project wasn't up to par, to commit to restarting it, and to explain what happened. Good on them. I hope the new version better aligns with their vision for the series.
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The Wii trilogy changed the controls. OG prime required you to STOP MOVING to aim up/down.
You could argue that the control work perfectly well, and the game was designed around them. You could also say that about 007 on the n64, and it would be just as true. Doesnt mean the controls wern't complete hot garbage though.
If you have to move to avoid enemy attacks, and those enemies come from up and down, but you have to stop moving to aim up and down at them, that is a conflict of controls. Prime's OG gamecube controls are not that good by modern standards, they feel incredibly constrained, especially if you are trying to avoid getting hit (and they WERE constrained, because the OG gamecube controller was missing a shoulder button and the c stick didnt work the same way the normal joystick did). Prime with dual stick controls would be far superior.
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I have read abouot those that are for the controls, but I still disagree. The standard FPS controls are de-facto and just work, regardless of whether the game is a shooter, or not. Fallout 3 wasn't really a shooter per-sec (or at least, didn't need to be played like one, what with VATS and all), but it still utilsed controls that many were familiar with. If Nintendo wanted a different "feel" to the game, then they could have made movement and turning slower, or something like that. Resident Evil's controls were also bad, IMO, which is why I never bothered with it after RE2. For me, it seemed that many Japanese games featured archaic/ill-thought out control schemes, GUIs, etc (which is why, IMO, Japan isn't at the forefront of modern videogaming as it used to be).
However, I do think that "handicapping" the controls to create atmosphere is a good thing. However, I think it should be via affecting the responses of the character to standard controls (walking slower, etc) than vy making unituitive button layouts. they could also give players a choice of button mapping.
As for the actual GC controller itself, this is still linked to my belief that Nintendo's hardware control solutions are out of touch with most gamers. The N64, DS (games such as Starfox and Zelda featured mandatory stylus use for functions, IMO, better suited for gamepad operation), etc all put me off either the platform, or the games. I had similar problems with the PSV, with games having the rear touch-pad forced into them (I think a Wipeout dev hinted that Sony forced them to include such controls).
Although I do like the idea of alternative control schemes (I likedthe Neg-Con for RR4, Drums for Taiko no Tatsujin, etc), most of them have simply alienated both myself, and I suspect, a great many other players away from them. What we need is more choice for games (I personally think ALL modern games should have button mapping options, to include all types of players, such as left handed, "disabled" or players not wishing to use the default controls). Nintendo has done the least to be inclusive in this regard, IMO.
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Actually, I just spent the same day remapping the controls of the "Mugen64" emulator for Shield TV to play Goldeneye in modern/traditional FPS button layout. It seemed Ok, until I had to zoom (sniper would not zoom in when aimiing) and moving the crosshairs while in "aim mode" STILL required the left analogue stick. In the end, I gave up (and I never really liked playing it, or most games on my friends' N64s). A lot of DS, PSP, PS1/2, Gamecube, etc games would be great to play today, if it wasn't for the awful controls. That's why the games that have aged the best (IMO) have simpler controls that "just work", such as NES, SNES, GB, GBA, Mega Drive, etc.
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