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The World Design of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes | Boss Keys (Patreon)

Published:
2019-06-12 14:09:48
Edited:
2019-06-12 14:16:52
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

Content

Boss Keys: Metroid flavour is almost done. This time we're looking at the contentious Prime 2, which is both loved and loathed by Metroid fans. Let's look at how it's world map holds up.

Files

The World Design of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes | Boss Keys

Two years after Metroid Prime, Retro is back with an all-new game. Prime 2 is both loved and loathed in equal measure by fans - but let's take a close look at its world design to see what it can tell us about making Metroidvanias. Support Game Maker's Toolkit on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/GameMakersToolkit Have Mark talk at your studio, university, or event - https://gamemakerstoolkit.tumblr.com

Comments

Tai-Lun Tseng

The Pinball got me... Nice work as usual. Though I haven't play this game, the key hunt part reminds me of the triangle hunt in the latter part of GC Wind Waker, which is also pace killing. It would be cool if we can collect those stuffs during earlier gameplay.

Elliott Ayling

Hey Mark, off-topic but have you had the chance to play The Outer Wilds yet? Is very clever game design, I'd describe it as a kind of metroidvania rogue-like, but instead of gaining items and abilities to enter new areas, you gain knowledge on how to get there. If you were clever enough, some of them you could even figure out on your own. The game is on a time-loop which you repeat every 20 odd minutes- and you can technically complete it on your first run. Very cool game- I think you would like it.

LaLiLuLeLo12

Prime 2 is definitely my favorite of the trilogy, so I'm glad to finally see your thoughts on it. I will admit that I have a different opinion on some of the design choices, though I absolutely see where you're coming from. The Seeker Missile and Power Bomb divergences are pretty lame, I think those stump just about everyone to be honest, so I'm totally on board with you there. I do, however, have a bit of a different opinion on the "victory lap" for the keys at the end of the game and the manual tracking back to the Energy Controller after you finish each temple. In my mind, the goal of these feels more like it's to make sure the player has everything they need and they're ready to take on the endgame. As you pointed out, there's not much of a reason to explore the other areas after you've completed them unless you really want to to hunt down items. As such, it's entirely possible that someone has basically just gone straight through the game without getting to many extra upgrades or really exploring the side paths. Contrast this to Prime 1 where you're forced to backtrack through most of the game regularly, and it gives much more of an incentive. You may not have seen these areas since you first left them, and now there's a lot more that you're able to do there. I think the trip to the Energy Controller after beating each temple serves a similar, but smaller-scale purpose. It lets you go back through the area you just finished, often with a new upgrade or 2 in tow, and check things along the path to the central unit while having access to shortcuts that you didn't just shortly before. That's sort of how I look at those parts of the game, as more of a check that you have a chance to power yourself up and are really ready for the endgame, and infusing a little more exploration into it since before that you don't *have* to do all that much, but those may just be my feelings.

Calliope Rannis

Seconded! Outer Wilds is really cool, and every 'zone' of the game feels like a place I have never seen in games before too - with perhaps the exception of your home planet I guess. :P

Qwerty

What about Metroid Prime: Hunters? I never actually played that, but that wasn't nearly so divergent as Pinball, right?

Game Maker's Toolkit (GMTK)

I've played it a bit, but I don't quite understand it yet! I'll have to give it another go - definitely sounds up my alley. Cheers for the recommendation!