Each Metroid Prime Location, Ranked

Observe: the YouTube embeds featured on this article will naturally comprise footage of a number of the boss encounters inside Metroid Prime, together with the ultimate boss. In the event you’ve by no means performed the sport, take this as your spoiler warning!

(Additionally, you’ve got by no means performed Metroid Prime!? *tuts and shakes head for a number of minutes*)

The Metroid collection is well-known for its unbelievable areas, together with the likes of Norfair, Ataria, and Kraid’s Lair. When the collection moved into the 3D realm with Retro Studios’ Metroid Prime, it launched a number of the franchise’s most iconic areas, adored by followers to this very day.

With the sport celebrating its twentieth anniversary, we thought it could be enjoyable to take a look at each important location in Metroid Prime and rank them from worst to finest. We have got all of them right here bar just a few minor areas just like the Sunken Frigate. You’ll want to vote in your favorite within the ballot on the backside of the web page and share your favorite reminiscences of the sport (and your ideas on our private rating) within the remark part.

However sufficient speak, let’s set our visors to scan and take a look at each location within the masterpiece that’s Metroid Prime…

9: Magmoor Caverns

Urgh, Magmoor Caverns… maybe the one space inside Metroid Prime that we actively dislike.

It appears to be like completely beautiful, however the extreme drawback of taking harm everytime you contact the lava is an enormous ache within the bottom. There are additionally no boss encounters to talk of inside Magmoor Caverns; as a substitute, we simply get a boatload of Magmoor creatures wiggling about and capturing out a load of fireplace. Though, having stated that, blasting a stalactite from the ceiling to land on their heads is fairly darn humorous. Plus, the music is fairly nice.

8: Artifact Temple

The Artifact Temple is without doubt one of the smaller areas featured in Metroid Prime, although it stands as one of the vital necessary, if not notably memorable.

Visually, it’s a little bit of a cross between the naturalistic parts of Tallon Overworld with the structure present in Chozo Ruins. It’s right here that Samus faces off towards the enduring Meta Ridley after amassing all 12 Chozo Artifacts, and it makes for one of many coolest boss encounters of your complete recreation.

It’s a disgrace the realm as a complete was so small, as a result of we might have cherished to spend extra time exploring it. Because it stands, it’s disappointingly constrained.

7: Glacier One (Phendrana Drifts)

Just like the Artifact Temple, Glacier One is extra of a location inside a location. Location-ception, if you’ll. [Nah, you’re alright, ta. – Ed]

It’s discovered inside Phendrana Drifts and acts as a analysis facility for the Area Pirates. Right here you come throughout the enduring Metroid enemies for the primary time, together with some really brutal Area Pirate enemies.

It’s an amazing little location, but it surely comes fairly low on our listing because of its dependence on motion over exploration; it’s primarily one main battle after one other, with little room to breathe in between. Not precisely what Metroid is all about!

6: Tallon Overworld

Tallon Overworld is the primary “important” space inside Metroid Prime, and as such, it’s naturally one of the vital stunning, too, showcasing the GameCube’s glorious visuals (on the time, at the least). It’s primarily the gateway to the opposite areas within the recreation and serves as a superb tutorial space, introducing Samus to smaller, extra docile enemies.

Disappointingly, there are not any main boss encounters inside Tallon Overworld, except you rely the Plated Beetle, which to be trustworthy, is extra of a minor sub-boss. Factors deducted!

5: Influence Crater

Influence Crater is the ultimate important space inside Metroid Prime, and it is one other comparatively small one, but it surely does home the unbelievable titular remaining boss, so it is a notably memorable one for us. There’s a complete bunch of Phazon situated right here, the radioactive substance that performs a core position in your complete Prime trilogy, and its presence makes for some really stunning views.

You may encounter a great deal of mutated Metroids often known as ‘Fission Metroids’, too, and your expertise will probably be nicely and really put to the check. It is a robust finish to an impressive recreation.

4: Phazon Mines

Phazon Mines shares a lot of the identical visible type because the aforementioned Influence Crater, however naturally, it is a a lot bigger space, with three important ranges to discover. It is full of Area PIrates all through, together with Elite Pirates and Omega Pirates, making this space one of many hardest within the recreation by fairly a margin.

When you’re right here, nevertheless, Samus may have powered as much as a substantial diploma, so it makes exploration each pleasing and difficult in equal measure.

3: Chozo Ruins

Chozo Ruins has a little bit of a desert theme occurring, with numerous sand mendacity about and a complete bunch of large beetles. It’s a dense space, full of secrets and techniques to find and tunnels to roll by means of because the ever-delightful morph ball.

The standout boss encounter of the Chozo Ruins is undoubtedly the fearsome Flaahgra, although the Hive Mecha proved to be extra irritating than enjoyable.

Talking of enjoyable, this is a enjoyable reality: the Chozo Ruins, particularly the primary plaza, was the primary main space to be constructed for the sport. It’s additionally the most important, with a complete of 63 rooms. We like this one loads!

2: Area Pirate Frigate “Orpheon”

Because the opening location of Metroid Prime, the Area Pirate Frigate stays one of the vital memorable areas of your complete trilogy.

Taking management of Samus after she leaps off her ship is solely revelatory, to not point out the beautiful morph ball controls. As a location, it’s teaming with visible narrative cues, from busted doorways to the rotting corpses of Area Pirates.

It doesn’t overstay its welcome both, ending on a excessive word with an impressive boss encounter towards the Parasite Queen and a race towards the clock to flee because the Frigate falls to items. What an amazing first location.

1: Phendrana Drifts

Phendrana Drifts is the very best location in Metroid Prime, definitely. It is uncommon that we would contemplate a snow-themed space to be our absolute favorite, however that is how good that is!

Very similar to the opening Area Frigate space, moving into Phendrana Drifts for the primary time is solely unforgettable. The music, the snow, the lighting; it’s simply stunning. It’s additionally residence to some glorious creatures and boss encounters, together with Sheegoth and Thardus, and a few really standout morph ball puzzles.

We may fairly fortunately dwell right here, to be trustworthy, if not for the truth that we’d most likely die inside just a few quick moments. There’s all the time a catch.