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Metroid Prime Federation Force
Metroid Prime: Federation Force and its accompanying game, Blast Ball, were not the Metroid announcements fans wanted from Nintendo at E3. Metroid in both its 2D and 3D Prime forms are known for contemplative alien worlds and in-depth exploration, but what we saw on display during Nintendo’s Direct presentation was co-op action-focused shooting, and a sporting event. I’m not sure why the game gets the Metroid name outside of its science-fiction aesthetic, and playing the game did little to convince me it needed it.
That is not to say I did not have fun. The only mode on display at E3 was the Blast Ball game, which will be included in the Federation Force package. The game uses Metroid Prime style controls, which was a little surprising considering we were playing on New 3DS handhelds with second control sticks, but I got used to it quickly. The left stick controls all movements, except vertical looking, and you hold buttons to lock-on, strafe, or stand still and look around, just like the two GameCube titles.
In the game, two teams of three compete to push a giant rolling ball into their goal. Shooting the ball moves it around, and a charged shot moves the ball faster and also makes it incapacitate anyone unfortunate enough to get caught in the ball’s path. There are special attacks like invincibility, as well as one that removes other players from their mech so they have to scramble to get back in.
The game plays a little like a slower-paced #IDARB from a different perspective, and I enjoyed it. Nintendo’s booth attendants are notoriously optimistic and overly complimentary of your gaming abilities, so they may have been letting me win, but I had a good time sliding back into the Metroid Prime controls and working with my teammate to get the ball where it needed to go. I don’t see it as a the main destination for whatever Metroid Prime: Federation Force will be, but as a worthwhile distraction? Absolutely.
Nintendo often comes up with fun gameplay mechanics first and then looks to see if it will fit with any of its established IPs, and that may have been the case here. Metroid still seems like an odd choice considering the fan outcry for a classic Metroid experience, but I choose to be optimistic about the game until we learn more about the Federation Force campaign. It may not be a 2D game, but Metroid Prime on 3DS sounds like a good idea to me – if that is in fact what the game ultimately becomes.
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