After years of re-releases, spin-offs, and otherwise absence,Metroidfinally feels like it’s back.Metroid Dreadis well on its way to being the best-sellingMetroidgame to date, and it definitely deserves the praise it’s getting.Nintendo’s efforts to pushDreadon social mediahave worked out, and the combined efforts of Nintendo and MercurySteam have produced the smoothest-feelingMetroidyet. WhileDreaddoesn’t innovate on the Metroidvania genre much, it never needed to;Dreadjust being a stellar 2DMetroidwas all it ever needed to be.
And soon enough,Metroid Dreadwon’t be alone on the Switch.Metroid Prime 4is still in development at Nintendo and Retro Studios, and fans are very hopeful that it will be able to bring 3DMetroidback into the conversation as well. It will have been at least fifteen years since the last numberedPrimegame was released onceMetroid Prime4comes out, so expectations are high. IfMetroid Prime 4really wants to impress when comes out, then the winning move is to look to whatDreaddid to impress fans so much.
RELATED:Metroid Dread Has More In Common With Other M Than Super Metroid
Metroid Dreadhas tight gameplay, the tightest in the series, perhaps. So, when an alternate path or method is hinted at to the player, it can be reasonably assumed that they can figure it out and perform the necessary actions. Scenarios like this pop up many times throughoutMetroid Dread, enabling players to progress through areas and item pick-ups in different orders, and even fight a couple of bosses in distinctly new ways.
Metroid Prime 4should strive to emulate this sandbox design, and give players the tools they need to make their own paths. Scan-hopping off of Samus’ ship to collect the Space Jump right at the beginning ofMetroid Primeis a famous skip, so designing traversal mechanics that enable such freedom inMetroidPrime 4would endear the game to fans.
Metroid: Great Boss Fights
Metroidhas had plenty of memorable bosses over the years, includingfan favorites like Ridley, Nightmare, Rundas, the SA-X, and Mother Brain. However,Metroid Dreadbrings them to a new level. Gone is the need to wait on enemies to expose their weakpoints in very rigid ways. Now, Samus is expected to be moving around and fighting constantly.
Counters, platforming, and a constant stream of missile and beam shots are needed to work down the huge health bars that these multi-phase bosses possess. There are also multiple methods to approach fighting many of these foes, some with quicker results.MetroidPrime 4would be served well by having at least a handful of bosses designed as well.
Lore-Focused
Metroid Dreaddoes a lot of work tying together and fleshing out the series’ lore.The Chozo and Samus’ historyare explored more directly than ever before, and the X Parasites and Metroids are addressed as well. This is all fitting for what is meant to be the last game in 2DMetroid’s first major story arc, and even though it’s following up a finished story itself,MetroidPrime 4should strive to be the same way.Metroid Primeis beloved for its Scan Visor and all the interesting details it provides. The Chozo, Luminoth, Federation, and even Space Pirates have all been fleshed out thanks to the efforts of pastPrimegames, andMetroidPrime 4needs to keep that trend going.
Metroid Uses Sci-fi Horror Effectively
Finally, an effort should be taken to maintainMetroid Dread’s horror-inspired tone inMetroid Prime 4.Metroidgames should always be great action-platformers first and anything else second, but the presence of theEMMI gaveMetroid Dreada unique feel. Debates are raging as to whether or not the EMMI areDread’s weakest link, but the core idea of a nigh-invincible monster tracking Samus through certain sections is solid. Any further parallelsMetroidcan make to classic sci-fi horror franchises are welcome, andMetroid Prime 4’s first-person perspective will only enhance feelings of terror.
Metroid Prime 4is in development for Nintendo Switch.Metroid Dreadis out now exclusively on the Switch.
