Ranking Every Metroid Prime Game, Including Spinoffs

The Metroid Prime franchise represents some of the very best in video games.

First released in 2001 for the Nintendo GameCube, Metroid Prime brought the franchise into the modern era of gaming. Beautiful visuals, incredible gameplay, and a wonderful mix of the classic Metroid formula with a first-person shooter twist were just what the doctor ordered.

It would also kickstart a new franchise that exists within Metroid itself, leading to a full trilogy of games on the GameCube and Nintendo Wii, the recently released Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, and several spin-offs.

In my review of Metroid Prime 4, I mentioned that even a "bad" Metroid Prime game is still a good game overall. It got me thinking, though: what would a list of every Metroid Prime game ranked look like? Let's find out together!

8 Metroid Prime: Federation Force

The Black Sheep

The only thing Metroid Prime: Federation Force has in common with Metroid Prime is the name.

You don't play as Samus. Instead, you're a random member of the Federation Force, working together in co-op action for the Nintendo 3DS.

It feels like Nintendo wanted to make a cooperative shooter for the Nintendo 3DS, so they slapped the Metroid franchise on this puppy and called it a day. The problem, though, is that, unsurprisingly, a co-op shooter on the 3DS doesn't work. The result is an average, at best, game that's not worth anyone's time or money.

7 Metroid Prime Hunters

Held Back By Its Controls

Unlike Federation Force, Metroid Prime Hunter is a handheld shooter that not only delivers solid Metroid Prime-esque gameplay, but actually stars Samus Aran. Imagine that!

Metroid Prime Hunters deserves props first and foremost for pulling off the authentic Metroid Prime experience on the Nintendo DS hardware. To be fair, that second screen certainly came in clutch, but the biggest gamble was going to be the control scheme.

For the most part, it works, but here's the biggest issue with the game: extended play sessions led to serious cramping, which is why it's on the lower end of our list of Metroid Prime games ranked. It's certainly not a bad game, but it's held back by the limitations of its hardware.

6 Metroid Prime Pinball

A Fun Distraction

What happens when you want to release one of your flagship franchises in your new handheld stores that can't keep in stock? You get creative!

In hindsight, we should have seen the issues with Metroid Prime Hunters from the get-go; a demo launched alongside the Nintendo DS, and it was fun but frustrating. Metroid Prime Pinball, on the other hand, is a delightful spin-off that's nothing but fun.

Is it anything like the other Metroid Prime games? No, it's a pinball game with a Metroid skin. Admittedly, I'm a sucker for pinball, though, and there are far worse games you could be playing in the Metroid Prime franchise.

5 Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Doesn't Live Up to the Legacy

It's no secret that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond had some serious issues with its development.

First announced at E3 2017, Bandai Namco was supposed to be leading development alongside Kensuke Tanabe. Two years later, however, development would start from scratch with Retro Studios now handling things. Despite that quick change, it would be six years before the game would finally release.

That's the biggest issue with Metroid Prime 4. At its heart, it's a classic Metroid Prime experience, with so much potential and promise. Unfortunately, it's bogged down by conflicting design issues between a quasi-open world, sometimes annoying motorcycle, and diverse side characters. The boss battles are still fantastic, at least.

4 Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

Still Great

We're at the point now where it's time to talk about the original Metroid Prime trilogy.

The truth here is that none of these games are bad, but hey, we still need to rank them. When it comes to Metroid Prime 3, there was a clear and concentrated effort to streamline the game and make it feel a little more mainstream. The result is a slight loss of the Metroid magic that fans love, but it plays great.

Having said that, you can easily make the argument that the gameplay needed to be a little more streamlined since this is a Wii game that comes with, you guessed it, Wii controls, which also hold it back. The result is a great game that fails to live up to its predecessors.

3 Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

A Worthy Sequel

Look, we all knew that at the end of the day, the original Metroid Prime in some capacity was going to top this list. Having said that, it's important to note how well Metroid Prime 2: Echoes lives up to the hype and the expectations.

Say what you want about its flaws (ammo system, difficulty, tedious moments), but Metroid Prime 2 is everything a sequel should be. Atmospheric, immersive, and action-packed. Retro Studios found themselves in a nice rhythm when it came to balancing excellent FPS gameplay along with the Metroidvania formula.

This is also the introduction of Dark Samus, providing a fresh, new, worthy adversary for the legendary bounty hunter. I also feel like Metroid Prime 2 would be better received today if Nintendo decides to finally release a remaster of the game.

2 Metroid Prime

A Work of Art

There were whispers about whether the Metroid Prime's gameplay formula could hold up today. Perhaps, people would summarize, that is why Metroid Prime 4 saw so many delays.

Of course, Metroid Prime Remastered would prove that, yes, the gameplay does indeed hold up well today, but we'll talk about that game in just a minute.

The thing about Metroid Prime is that it's one of the early 2000s best looking games, delivering sharp, beautiful, and detailed graphics without the benefit of high-definition gaming. It's a testament to the quality of the game that its core gameplay, visual style, and soundtrack all remain unchanged in the 2023 Remaster. This game is a work of art and remains the gold standard for the Metroid franchise as a whole.

1 Metroid Prime Remastered

Perfection Perfected

On the surface, it may seem a little disingenuous to talk about Metroid Prime Remastered because I just talked about how incredible the original Metroid Prime is.

For the most part, this is indeed the same exact game with a few minor tweaks. First, the graphics are enhanced, which means they look exactly as you remember them looking: gorgeous. Second, and most importantly, the control scheme has been given a much-needed facelift.

This means that Metroid Prime finally plays like a modern FPS and not an awkward FPS-adventure hybrid. The result is the same gameplay that has aged like wine and isn't frustrating at times to play. It's the best version of an already incredible game.​​​​​​​