Metroid and Mario

[BreakABone]

Well this is impressions taken from Matt of IGN off the boards..so shush..

As most of you know, I recently got the chance to check out some new footage of Metroid Prime in action. Nintendo showed Retro's first-person game along with new video of Mario Sunshine, Eternal Darkness and Star Fox. And when it was all done, both Fran and I agreed that Metroid Prime looked the best of all. Indeed, quite an impressive feat from a second-party that was, only a few months ago, going through its third round of lay-offs.

So why is Metroid so hot? Well, let me first reiterate what Mr. Miyamoto said during our interview with him -- that the series has gone back to its roots, in first-person mode. According to Miyamoto, Metriod Prime is all about "exploration," which is exactly what all of us want.

The footage rocked. Retro's art experience is impressive. Samus busted through 3D environments at 60 frames per second. The visor view that looks so amazing in screenshots comes off even better in motion. When one targets an enemy, the visor flips up all sorts of tactical data on the side of the screen, along with blue prints and other neat goodies, and meanwhile the target system moves around and centers in on the beasts. There is, as Peer posted on the boards earlier, also a kind of thermal-view and yet another one beyond that -- kind of Predator-ish too.

I can tell everyone once and for all that the game plays primarily in first-person mode and that the 3D camera system is NOT controlled manually. It happens automatically depending on the environment and situation, according to Miyamoto. So if Samus happens to be exploring a tunnel with ramps, for instance, the camera automatically pans back to reveal her third-person form, and from here she can roll into a ball and do her thing.

The footage also showcased areas in which Samus had to use her gadgetry to take advantage of the level. One scene had her using a freeze beam to gain access over a chasm. Interesting, when the grapple-hook-like gadget pulled her across the abyss below, the view remained in first-person -- and it actually looked good this way. Not disorienting at all.

Another, perhaps even cooler demonstration, featured an ice area in which the gap to the other side was far too big to cross. However, upon careful examination, Samus discovered a group of stalactites hanging from the ceiling over the gap. She shot them, they fell, and became platforms for her to cross. It was brilliant.

Visually -- wow. Great art, huge 3D worlds, detailed texture work, amazingly detailed particle effects and what looked to be some form of per-pixel lighting. Samus' ball glows purple underneath and sends out flashes of light that illuminate her metal shell and it looks particularly beautiful. And let me once again stress that the visor display is by far the coolest of any first-person game ever created, hands-down. What a superb style this game has going.

I'm very happy. And this is now my most wanted game on any system. Fran, I think, agrees.

Everyone should be excited.

Well, I've seen the new Mario Sunshine footage that Miyamoto and Iwata have been wheeling around the world as of late. And what's the verdict? To be honest, I'm not sure.

Mario Sunshine looks like Super Mario 64. Not Super Mario 64 with bigger levels or better textures -- just Super Mario 64. And in the footage I recently saw, the framerate kept dropping too.

So what the hell is going on? While it's true that Mario Sunshine won't win any awards for visuals in its current form, the truth is that there's quite a lot Miyamoto is keeping secret. With that, it's clear that the game is going to deliver a totally dynamic, frantic platforming experience -- a world, according to Miyamoto, brimming with life.

The worlds morph. As Mario jumps around, the land actually begins to quake and sections of the earth split open, raise, drop, and what have you. So Mario can be on a low piece of land one second and at the top of a great hill the next. This, so far, is the coolest thing I've seen in motion.

The metalic water drops and splashes all over the place. Mario can swim in the good and it slows him down. He has to spray it with his water gadget for whatever reason. Miyamoto wasn't talking.

Mario can climb high wires and balance on them. He can cling to doors and gates that swing open. He can run, jump, flip and do all of that jazz.

But so far no big secrets. It looks like a heck of a lot of fun and in the end probably will be the most enjoyable game in a long while. But the screenshots you've seen are indeed what's running in motion, and it sure isn't the prettiest thing I've seen.

[Revival]

Thankei for posting that... very good..

I think that quote about Mario proves my point about the graphical changes.


Metroid sounds too nice though.

[Angrist]

Cool read!! Especially the one about Metroid!! I can't wait

[Gambit_X]

Hmmm... I want to see this Metroid... "video...."

It sounds awesome if you have to solve puzzles that are that subtle (the stalagtite thing). It also sounds like they've worked out the camera system. The Visor just sounds cool. I can't wait to see it in action. Wow, I want a 2002 release now....

As for Mario, it sounds like Myamoto's been smoking something out of his garden again... and after seeing and playing Pikmin, I'll have you know that it can be a good thing.

Guess we'll just have to wait until E3 to satisfy our hearts...

[C.H]

When i first heard the move to first person with Metroid Prime, i was worried. Whats said here is pleasing to say the least, i have high hopes that this will be an excellent game. But weather it really can retain the feeling of past 2D metroid games i'm not entirely certain. I think i'm going to have to get this game to find out for myself. The visor really sounds like a good idea, here's a screen shot which demonstrates the visor (not sure if anyone else has seen this, it was in my nintendo gamecube newsletter i get emailed):



and the talk of exploration is also a good thing, this will certainly help keep the feel of metroid. More information about the 3rd person mode would help give me a clearer picture of weather this will feel like a metroid game. But either way, i still think this will be a very good game which i will buy.

[azazela31]

Originally posted by Danchastu
I Metroid sounds too nice though.

Too good to be true

[Gamer]

Originally posted by azazela31


Too good to be true

I'll say! I cant wait to play it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BigJustinW]

Sad to hear the news about Mario..... makes me think about Zelda again...

As for Metroid, it (along side perfect dark 2) is my most anticipated game for GCN. I don't think it will ever live up to Halo, but I'm sure it will be great in it's own way.

[Ginkasa]

I can't wait for Metroid! I hope its as good as I hope!


Kind of skeptical about Mario SUnshine though. It doesn't look like it'll be as renovating as Mario64 was.... or as good...

I guess we'll have to wait and see if Shiggy is hiding something that will change my perspective....

[Angrist]

WHAT'S A VISOR???????

Look, Samus is finally going to use her left arm for something!!!

[GameKinG]

I have wanted metroid for so long and if they delay it till something like mid-2003 Im going to kill somebody.



The new screens look really good, and I too am excitied about the visor stuff and junk.



Speaking about mario. I think it may improve graphicly like Star Wars did so quickly. If it gets to the point where it looks like the demo, then it would be perfect. If not, thats OK. I want mario and what seems to be quite a bit of free roaming.

[Revival]

Visor? Wha?

[Blix]

I can tell everyone once and for all that the game plays primarily in first-person mode and that the 3D camera system is NOT controlled manually. It happens automatically depending on the environment and situation, according to Miyamoto. So if Samus happens to be exploring a tunnel with ramps, for instance, the camera automatically pans back to reveal her third-person form, and from here she can roll into a ball and do her thing.

I think that explains the screen shot I tought was a cut scene.

[DeathsHand]

Metroid actually sounds pretty neat... I havn't liked Metroid much before, but I'll give this'un a try...

I hope they get the gameplay nice'n'good though... hmm..