Metroid Prime 3 Official Thread

[Room 34]

I seem to recall many moons ago seeing that this was slated for a late May release, but now all of the "official" sources just say something vague like "Q3 2007" or just 2007, period.

 

Boo!

 

I want this game! Does anyone have any firm idea of when it might be coming out? (And what, specifically, might be causing the delay, other than Nintendo's usual perfectionism?)

[CPUWIZ]

Next year.

[Scumdogg]

Next year? Hm. I was wondering which of their "big guns" would be delayed until next year, looks like this is the one. Here's hoping it's the only one, i needs me some Smash Bros.!

 

As to what's causing the delay, to be honest, and not at all bashing or malicious, i'd say it's because Nintendo's release calendars are not notoriously strong. The big stuff (ie Mario, Metroid, Zelda, SSMB) tends to get sprawled out over ridiculous lengths of time, rather than just releasing the game and getting to work on a sequel. The N64 and the Gamecube both had this issue, and i'm really hoping they turn it around for the Wii.

 

There's the "perfectionist" excuse, but i don't know if i entirely buy that. It doesn't make sense that it would take Nintendo so much longer to develop their high-end games than it takes any other developer. They just have this unfortunate tendency to hold their cards until whatever console they're on sinks, and then toss all those games into the "launch window" for the next system. Then, after year two in the system's lifespan, the cycle repeats. I know good things come to those who wait, but for every couple weeks that don't have a good Wii game releasing i (and i'm sure many others) are just gonna use that money to buy a 360 or PS3 game.

 

Again, not hating here, just posting some theories.

Edited April 28, 2007 by Scumdogg

[AtariJr]

no its this fall/winter. it , smashbros, disaster, and Hammer are all being released before the new year.

[Scumdogg]

no its this fall/winter. it , smashbros, disaster, and Hammer are all being released before the new year.

 

 

Best Buy is currently giving a 12/31/07 release date for Metroid Prime: Corruption. Weighing the odds of a release date actually being moved up instead of pushed back, i'd say 2008 is a pretty safe bet for this one. Almost certainly not fall, but sometime in winter after the new year seems likely at this point.

[Room 34]

So are we beginning to take bets on whether MP3 will actually be released for the Wii's successor?

[jerseystyle]

Next year? Hm. I was wondering which of their "big guns" would be delayed until next year, looks like this is the one. Here's hoping it's the only one, i needs me some Smash Bros.!

 

As to what's causing the delay, to be honest, and not at all bashing or malicious, i'd say it's because Nintendo's release calendars are not notoriously strong. The big stuff (ie Mario, Metroid, Zelda, SSMB) tends to get sprawled out over ridiculous lengths of time, rather than just releasing the game and getting to work on a sequel. The N64 and the Gamecube both had this issue, and i'm really hoping they turn it around for the Wii.

 

There's the "perfectionist" excuse, but i don't know if i entirely buy that. It doesn't make sense that it would take Nintendo so much longer to develop their high-end games than it takes any other developer. They just have this unfortunate tendency to hold their cards until whatever console they're on sinks, and then toss all those games into the "launch window" for the next system. Then, after year two in the system's lifespan, the cycle repeats. I know good things come to those who wait, but for every couple weeks that don't have a good Wii game releasing i (and i'm sure many others) are just gonna use that money to buy a 360 or PS3 game.

 

Again, not hating here, just posting some theories.

I don't know, I think the perfectionist tag hold some weight- it takes them longer to make their games than most third parties because, generally speaking, their games are usually better (or at least more put together)- Nintendo's best games tend to be better than other developers, most of the time, so it makes since that they take more time- there hasn't been many times when I've played a nintendo developed title and said that it felt unfinished (except for that crappy yoshi game on the GBA), but I can say that about some third party stuff.

[AtariJr]

again... no

 

its been confirmed for japan for 07... we always get Metroid before japan, so its 07. this is coming out with hammer, disaster,galaxy, and smash bros. we will ALL be broke this christmas.

[Pixelboy]

There's the "perfectionist" excuse, but i don't know if i entirely buy that. It doesn't make sense that it would take Nintendo so much longer to develop their high-end games than it takes any other developer. They just have this unfortunate tendency to hold their cards until whatever console they're on sinks, and then toss all those games into the "launch window" for the next system. Then, after year two in the system's lifespan, the cycle repeats. I know good things come to those who wait, but for every couple weeks that don't have a good Wii game releasing i (and i'm sure many others) are just gonna use that money to buy a 360 or PS3 game.

The "perfectionist" excuse is only half of the real explanation. Considering it gets fierce competition from Microsoft and Sony, Nintendo has to announce hype-inducing titles on a regular basis so that they don't fall behind, from a purely "media/marketing" point of view. For example, when they announced Zelda Phantom Hourglass for the DS a very long time ago, they knew the game wouldn't be ready before the end of 2007, but the idea was to have just a few screenshots, perhaps a quick movie or two, just to keep Nintendo fans interested, and to maintain some pressure on Microsoft and Sony. Video game companies have been doing this for years. Coleco applied a similar strategy during the Atari/ColecoVision era, although many of their "announced" titles never saw the light of day.

[liveinabin]

Nintendo never pushes games out for a certain date (well, not for a few years). Like everything else they're working on, it'll be out when it's ready.

[Scumdogg]

Nintendo never pushes games out for a certain date (well, not for a few years). Like everything else they're working on, it'll be out when it's ready.

 

 

They didn't hold back Twilight Princess? Say what you will, i'm pretty damn sure that game was done, stores were taking pre-orders like 2 years before it came out. They just didn't want to tell anyone that they had no intention of releasing it until the Wii was ready, until that launch date was close enough as to not piss off every single one of their fans.

 

Also, Nintendo has nothing to do with Metroid Prime's "readiness". They're not even developing it. I do, however, imagine they have final say on the release date.

[AtariJr]

Nintendo never pushes games out for a certain date (well, not for a few years). Like everything else they're working on, it'll be out when it's ready.

 

 

They didn't hold back Twilight Princess? Say what you will, i'm pretty damn sure that game was done, stores were taking pre-orders like 2 years before it came out. They just didn't want to tell anyone that they had no intention of releasing it until the Wii was ready, until that launch date was close enough as to not piss off every single one of their fans.

 

Also, Nintendo has nothing to do with Metroid Prime's "readiness". They're not even developing it. I do, however, imagine they have final say on the release date.

 

actually, while it does seem like this, if you look at screenshots from then to now, the game went through quite a few improvements and expansions... the same with metroid.

[Scumdogg]

Nintendo never pushes games out for a certain date (well, not for a few years). Like everything else they're working on, it'll be out when it's ready.

 

 

They didn't hold back Twilight Princess? Say what you will, i'm pretty damn sure that game was done, stores were taking pre-orders like 2 years before it came out. They just didn't want to tell anyone that they had no intention of releasing it until the Wii was ready, until that launch date was close enough as to not piss off every single one of their fans.

 

Also, Nintendo has nothing to do with Metroid Prime's "readiness". They're not even developing it. I do, however, imagine they have final say on the release date.

 

actually, while it does seem like this, if you look at screenshots from then to now, the game went through quite a few improvements and expansions... the same with metroid.

 

 

When i finally got to buy and play Zelda, i actually thought it looked *worse* than video and screenshots i'd seen over the past couple years. Not all of it, there are good looking bits...but overall i thought it looked downgraded. I haven't seen many screenshots of Metroid yet, but i know you keep up on your Nintendo news so i'll take your word for that.

[AtariJr]

As far as Metroid goes, they are doing a lot. First off, they are trying to make the controls the best that little remote can. They were good at E3, better than any other game thats come out, but there were still some minor complaints. If you have ever seen the information that the remote actually picks up, its VERY hard to actually make the computer tell what is valid movements or not (which is why Red Steel's control sometimes just randomly looked up at the sky lol... still a good game btw, but that was annoying).

 

As far as online goes, I have heard that while the multiplayer is most likely dropped for one machine, online multiplayer is still being tapped into, and there is STILL development on that considering the online games have yet to come to America and the network is new.. which means testing and more testing. Again, they don't want a half assed multiplayer experience like on Echoes, or the good but boring online experience on Hunters.

 

Graphics. When the game first was shown it honestly didn't look much better than a GC version of Metroid. However, if you look at it now, there are some VERY impressive lighting and particle effects , well.. at least for a Wii.. still looks very nice.

 

A lot of people don't understand the pain of making a game. The control to make it the best 1st person shooter is hard. And coming from a design major, texture work is something you have to get just right or it just looks wrong. My roomate does 3D animation and modeling, and while the games don't look nearly as impresive as a 360 title, I'm really appreciating some of the level of detail in really most of the wii games as most of which take a lot more time than you think. We're getting past the Kingdom Hearts look, where its simple shapes with nice textures.

[jbanes]

They didn't hold back Twilight Princess? Say what you will, i'm pretty damn sure that game was done, stores were taking pre-orders like 2 years before it came out.

Never, ever, ever trust pre-orders. They are bunk, always have been bunk, and always will be bunk. They're entirely based on the store believing that the game will come out sometime in the not-too-distant future, and BTW would you like us to hold onto your money for you?

 

Nothing makes this more clear than the various Duke Nukem Forever pre-orders:

 

Amazon Offers Pre-Order

Best Buy Offers Pre-Order

Official Website saying that all Pre-Orders are bunk

 

Never trust the pre-orders.

[Shaggy the Atarian]

I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned yet. MP3 is slated for Aug. 20th, so far I've seen Joystiq and IGN mention this. Smart move on Nintendos part, I wonder if Halo 3 coming in September made them finally decide to say something about it. No new screens or news about it though - just a date. Also Battalion Wars 2 comes in September. I am guessing they are holding onto Super Mario Galaxy until November. Now I just wish they'd bring Project Hammer to light.

[AtariJr]

lol i was just going to post the dates. dont worry, HAMMER and disaster day of crisis are already guaranteed for this year. i really want HAMMER as well . Not really too excited about mario strikers, but battalion wars and metroid might earn my money this fall.i think its funny that another tiger woods game is coming out this fall.. didnt that other one just come out>?

 

im curious to see how brothers in arms does, with metroid right at the same time. i mean common, out of all the times to bring a fps to the wii, you do it the same month as metroid? your just begging for control comparisons there... even if the game is good how can you compete with metroid? its like if someone made a fps the same month halo 3 game out... who wants it lol

[Scumdogg]

im curious to see how brothers in arms does, with metroid right at the same time. i mean common, out of all the times to bring a fps to the wii, you do it the same month as metroid? your just begging for control comparisons there... even if the game is good how can you compete with metroid? its like if someone made a fps the same month halo 3 game out... who wants it lol

 

 

Well, with Halo 3 not much has changed as far as style or controls, so it's pretty much a guaranteed winner. There's still the outside possibility that Metroid might not be any good. I mean, it probably will rock, but you just never know with a complete overhaul to the control scheme.

[AtariJr]

im curious to see how brothers in arms does, with metroid right at the same time. i mean common, out of all the times to bring a fps to the wii, you do it the same month as metroid? your just begging for control comparisons there... even if the game is good how can you compete with metroid? its like if someone made a fps the same month halo 3 game out... who wants it lol

 

 

Well, with Halo 3 not much has changed as far as style or controls, so it's pretty much a guaranteed winner. There's still the outside possibility that Metroid might not be any good. I mean, it probably will rock, but you just never know with a complete overhaul to the control scheme.

 

i woudl have thought this if it wasnt for the enormous praise metroid 3 always gets by the press. idk, they said red steel sucked in controlls and that this is legions better... besides the camera going finiky, i relaly dont see what you change.. you move with the stick and shoot with the mote.. ah well, if its half as good as they are making it out, im happy. i never played metroid prime 2 because i heard it was so so , so i hope this will be fun.

[Atariboy]

The only criticism I ever heard of Metroid 2 was its more of the same, which isn't a bad thing. You should buy it.

[Scumdogg]

The only criticism I ever heard of Metroid 2 was its more of the same, which isn't a bad thing. You should buy it.

 

 

I did buy it, and i wasn't a huge fan. It was fine up until it got to a point where it was like "Okay, backtrack through everything you just did, only now the air hurts you". That's not fun, by any stretch of the word. So i quit. I've still got it though, might go back one of these days.

And yeah, i'm not saying Metroid 3 will suck. It'll probably be good. I'm just saying it's a possibility. Also, Metroid games don't tend to steamroll everything else in the genre like Halo does...it's just not as popular of a series as it once was. This is all i'm saying, i'm not anti-Metroid.

[Shaggy the Atarian]

I played MP2 all the way through and it was an enjoyable game. The only thing that really sucked was the fact that they forced you to have ammo for the light and dark guns, which was not a lot of fun considering that your guns generally have unlimited ammo in the series. Still, I had a lot of fun with it.

[AtariJr]

http://wii.ign.com/articles/803/803978p1.html

 

"It plays better than any first-person console game ever... really. And it's one of Wii's best lookers, too."

 

its a bold claim, but it sounds like this controls very well. While watching the pics recently , it didn't look a whole lot better than Metroid Prime 2, although this vid of the game shoots down my opinion of that. finally , a wii game that looks better than the gamecube's rogue squadron. 'bout bloody time.

[Emehr]

Looking forward to it, although I still need to beat Echoes. The in-ship stuff looks cool. Wonder if the game'll ever let you fly it on your own. It's kind of a tease to be able to activate the thrusters only to watch a cut-scene of the ship flying.

[2600Lives]

There are supposed to be some stages that shooter like while you're in the spaceship.

 

This is the reason I want to get a Wii rightchere.