Retrospective Metroid Prime 3

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is one of the most fascinating—and divisive—entries in the Metroid franchise. In this full retrospective, we dive deep into how Retro Studios built the Wii’s flagship shooter, why Nintendo pushed the series toward a more cinematic, Halo-inspired direction, and how Metroid Prime 3 ultimately lost pieces of the identity that defined Metroid since the NES and Super Metroid era.

From motion controls and pointer aiming, to Hypermode’s risky Phazon corruption system, to the shift toward linear mission design and arena combat, this video breaks down exactly why Metroid Prime 3 feels so different… and why those decisions mattered more than we realized at the time.

And with Metroid Prime 4 finally on the horizon, understanding the legacy—good and bad—of Prime 3 is more important than ever. What did Prime 3 set up? What did it abandon? And what lessons might Retro Studios carry into Prime 4?

Let’s revisit the most ambitious—and most controversial—Metroid Prime ever released.

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00:00 - Halo Ruined Metroid!
03:14 - Development at Retro
08:25 - Halo with Wiggle Waggle
12:30 - Level Design
19:40 - Morphin' Time: Hypermode
22:46 - How Halo Ruined Metroid Prime 3