Day 317, Game 317 - Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

---

The Nintendo Wii will always be highly regarded for revolutionizing the way we look at gaming controllers. This isn't just my opinion, pretty much the consensus from the industry as a whole. Trust me, I did the legwork, conducted the research and polls, and decided that yes indeed, I am right in my opinion. 

Sure, the Wii will forever be known and remembered for bringing in the largest casual gaming audience since possibly the original Nintendo, but far more important was the Wiimote and it's motion-sensing control configuration. Up until then, controllers were always just about the buttons, and while the Wiimotes had buttons of course, the ability to just move the controller around in different motions in order to control different functions of the game was mind-blowing to most. At first, people labeled it as just a gimmick, but eventually people came around to the idea of it being a legitimate way to control a game. 

Many crappy, "shovelware" games that were pushed out for the Wii eventually turned the motion controls of the Wiimote back into gimmicks that worked poorly, thus souring the entire taste of the console for "hardcore" gamers forever. Somewhere in the middle of the roller coaster ride of respect given and taken away from the controls of the Wii, Retro Studios reemerged and brought the Metroid series over to the newest Nintendo console in the form of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. 

Using the Wiimote and Nunchuck controller scheme was a match made in heaven for now familiar style of game that Metroid had become. The First-Person Adventure game had been completely figured out by now, with the only missing up until then being great controls. The GameCube controller and control scheme worked well enough for the most part, but it always seemed like the weakest part of the experience for the two Primes. 

Well, the Wiimote controller with the motion controls was all Metroid Prime 3: Corruption needed to instantly make it one of the finest games to ever grace a Wii console. On top of the amazing controls was possibly the best storytelling from the series since Super Metroid, as Dark Samus returned, and with her, a dark presence that would corrupt the great bounty hunter and push her to unthinkable limits. It was truly captivating, and a remarkable reminded of how far the series had come. 

Also, for a game on a system that had no sort of trophy or achievement system, it is ridiculous how much time I spent in the game trying to get 100% by scanning every single thing possible in the game. Activate the scan mode and look around, scanning everything from landscape to equipment, organic material, creatures and of course enemies. Scanning stuff would unlock information, which ultimately only appealed to the completionists playing. It got vary tedious after a while, I have to admit, but after spending so much time on just that task alone, I felt like I would be wasting all of it if I just gave up half way through. 

Overall, Corruption was by fay my favorite Prime game, and an amazing conclusion to a fantastic trilogy from Retro Studios. Nintendo clearly made the right choice in handing over the reigns to them, and it severed everyone well. Samus was here to stay, and the Metroid series had cemented itself as one of the elite. 

Does Corruption owe the Wiimote a thank you, or does the Wii owe Metroid a thank you? Either way, they were both better because of each other. 

---