Blasting Through Metroid's Legacy: Re-scanning Samus's Saga as Prime 4: Beyond Rewrites the Scrolls (A Deep Dive into the Bottom Half)
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Jeff takes a curious, irreverent dive into a recent Metroid game ranking, dissecting the 'why' behind each title's placement from *Federation Force* to *Prime 2: Echoes*, with a special focus on how *Metroid Prime 4: Beyond* shakes up the series' long and sometimes perplexing legacy.
Right, mate, gather 'round the digital campfire, because I've been doing some serious soul-searching (and screen-scanning) about a series that feels both ancient and eternally young: Metroid. Can you believe it's nearly 40 years old? Bloody hell! And yet, Samus Aran's adventures feel so much more... sparse than say, Mario's never-ending party. With just 15 main games, it's a tight-knit family, but one that's seen its share of wild experiments, spectacular successes, and, let's be fair, a few digital mishaps that probably blew a hole in the fabric of spacetime. And now, with the freshly dropped *Metroid Dread* and the much-anticipated, much-discussed *Metroid Prime 4: Beyond*, it feels like the perfect moment to pull out our trusty visors, re-scan the whole roster, and see how these galactic explorers stack up.
What's aged like fine Chozodian wine, and what's... well, let's just say it's gotten a bit mouldy in the fridge of time? This whole brain-dump, by the way, was sparked by a cracking piece over at Polygon by Giovanni Colantonio, who's been doing some serious digital archaeology on the Metroid saga, and I reckon it's high time we dug a bit deeper into the *why* of it all. So, equip your visor and let's get scanning through the lower ranks, from the most forgettable digital anomaly to the surprisingly solid experiments.
### 15. Metroid Prime: Federation Force
Oh, *Federation Force*. The game that arrived like a poorly cast spell, summoning fan rage instead of excitement. Everyone *wanted* to like it, to give it a redemption arc, especially after such a long Metroid drought. But truth be told, revisiting it? It's like finding that ancient spellbook page only to realise it's just a recipe for burnt toast. Dull multiplayer, bland story, and visuals that actively repel – it’s only gotten harsher with age. The only truly surprising bit? Its weirdly pivotal role in *Prime 4: Beyond*. A true digital tea leaf moment, that one.
### 14. Metroid: Other M
*Other M* is a fascinating, almost tragic case study. It probably plays better than a few games higher up this list – the first/third-person blend was genuinely innovative for the Wii. But then Team Ninja decided to give Samus a full-on Freudian meltdown, complete with 'daddy issues' and chipping away at her autonomy. It was like watching a powerful wizard suddenly forget all their spells because a grumpy old mentor told them not to use them. Many fans, myself included, simply declared it non-canon. A narrative misfire that leaves you wondering 'what if?'
### 13. Metroid (NES)
The grandaddy. The OG. You *have* to give it props for birthing an entire genre. No *Hollow Knight: Silksong* without this one, mate. But let's be honest, trying to play it today? It's like trying to navigate a digital labyrinth with rusty controls and enemies that hit like a space freighter. You respect its cosmic significance, you appreciate its foundational runes, but you don't necessarily *enjoy* the actual dungeon crawl anymore. It's a vital piece of gaming history, best revered from a safe distance.
### 12. Metroid Prime: Hunters
Ah, *Hunters*. Another black sheep, but one I've always had a soft spot for. It tried to turn Metroid into a proper DS shooter, trading deep exploration for a more linear, multiplayer-focused approach. A weird experiment, no doubt, but the stylus controls? Novel as heck. The story? Surprisingly wild, like a forgotten scroll detailing cosmic madness. And it gave us Sylux! It’s held up better than you’d expect, for a weird cousin trying a bit too hard to be cool.
### 11. Metroid 2: Return of Samus
If the first Metroid was the raw, untamed magic, *Metroid 2* was where the spell started to take shape, albeit on the tiny screen of the Game Boy. It’s got that 'early draft' feel, sure, but it cemented the series' identity in profound ways. That haunting, slightly horror-tinged atmosphere? That shockingly dark story of alien genocide, and Samus's silent, reflective journey back with the baby Metroid? Mate, that sequence is pure, unadulterated narrative gold. It’s like a silent cinematic masterpiece playing out in monochrome pixels, showing true emotional depth in limited canvases.
### 10. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
Right, so we finally get to the heavily armoured bounty hunter in the room: *Metroid Prime 4: Beyond*. This one, according to our digital divinations, is a real rollercoaster. One minute, you're absolutely floored by the world design, how it remixes those classic Metroidvania biomes with such creative flair, telling a morose tale of a dying alien race through sheer environmental storytelling. It feels like a 3D *Zelda* dungeon designed by a cosmic architect. Then, *bam*, you're yanked out of the immersion by some annoyingly chatty NPCs, or a transport hub that feels a bit too... open-world-ish. And Sylux? What a squandered opportunity for a villain! It's a game that oscillates so wildly between brilliant and frustrating, it's almost a miracle it lands as 'serviceable'. But bloody hell, those visuals? Chef's kiss for a modern Nintendo title. It's a prime example of a spell that's powerful but a bit unstable, resulting in both awe-inspiring effects and unexpected backfires.
### 9. Metroid Prime: Pinball
Okay, hear me out. *Pinball*. Yeah, *pinball*. This one gets unfairly lumped in with the 'weird spinoffs,' but I'll fight anyone who says it isn't brilliant. Was it a desperate attempt to capitalise on *Prime*'s success? Probably. But turning Samus's morph ball into the *actual pinball*? That's a stroke of genius, mate! Well-designed boards, clever riffs on boss fights – it’s just a ridiculously fun, inventive little package. Sometimes, the most unexpected magical experiments yield the most delightful results. It didn't try to be something it wasn't; it just leaned into its absurdity with confidence.
### 8. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Here's where we start seeing the patterns, eh? A lot of the gripes I (and Giovanni, who kicked off this whole re-evaluation, bless his digital heart) have with *Prime 4: Beyond* – particularly the chattering NPCs – could be pointed straight at *Corruption*. But this Wii entry did it with a bit more grace. It hinted at a larger, more populated galaxy without drowning Samus in constant exposition. It understood that isolation is key to Metroid. Plus, the motion controls? Integrated so well, adding a genuinely physical layer to the Prime experience. It's like the spell had a few minor glitches, but nothing that brought the whole cosmic journey crashing down.
### 7. Metroid: Samus Returns
Remaking *Metroid 2* is no mean feat. The original was a Game Boy masterpiece built on limitations. So, for MercurySteam to not just recreate but *transform* it? That's wizardry, plain and simple. While it might have fumbled the original's hauntingly elegant ending a tad, *Samus Returns* was a phenomenal proving ground. The free-aiming and counter mechanics? They blew the 2D Metroid formula wide open, paving the way for the dynamism we'd see perfected in *Dread*. It's the experimental prototype that showed us what was truly possible, and for that, it deserves immense credit.
### 6. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Following up on the monumental *Metroid Prime*? That's like trying to cast a spell that outshines the creation of a new star. *Echoes* managed it by leaning into classic Nintendo ingenuity: the dark-light world twist, reminiscent of *A Link to the Past*. This wasn't just a gimmick; it added a brilliant layer of risk-reward to combat and exploration, wrapping Samus in some of the coolest suits the series has ever seen. But the real masterstroke? Paying off *Prime 1*'s secret ending by unleashing Dark Samus as the menacing, doppelganger villain Samus (and we) desperately needed. A truly inspired bit of narrative foreshadowing.
Well, there you have it, mates – a cosmic crawl through the lower ranks of Samus Aran’s storied adventures. We’ve seen the noble failures, the surprising delights, and the wild oscillations of a series trying to find its footing in ever-changing digital landscapes. It’s clear that even the lowest-ranked Metroid games hold valuable lessons, and the mid-tier often surprises with its quiet innovations or sheer audacity. We’re only halfway through the list, mind you, and the true titans of the Metroidverse await their turn in the spotlight. But what's your take? Did I blow a fuse with my rankings, or am I tapping into some primal gaming truth? Reckon you’d rank Prime 4: Beyond higher or lower? Let me know, because the best part of these journeys is always the discussion!
Tags: Metroid, Game Ranking, Nintendo, Gaming History, Sci-fi Adventure
Original article: Polygon