Metroid Prime Remastered Cheats and Tips
What Control Scheme You Should Use
This new remastered version of Metroid Prime offers dual stick controls, something that wasn’t available in the original game. For most players, this will be the preferred way to play, but if you’re looking for a more classic experience, you can adjust the controls in the game’s options menu to experience this title as it was originally launched — with turning and moving on the same analogue stick.
This original control method (labeled “classic” in the menu) can feel a little awkward, but it can also add some extra challenge for those looking for a little more difficulty or those who are used to the feeling of the game in its original form. In addition, Metroid Primer Remastered also allows for a pointer control method based on the Wii launch of the Metroid Prime titles — this is called “pointer” in the menu.
These settings, along with the sensitivity for each axis, can be swapped on the fly during gameplay by pressing the minus button, so you don’t need to commit to one method for the whole game. Experiment and find what works best for you.
Scan Everything
If there’s one thing you should know about the moment-to-moment gameplay of the Metroid Prime series, it’s that scanning your surroundings with your scan visor is essential. Everything from enemies, environments, and items can be scanned to provide you with further information on how to progress, or interesting lore.
Apart from adding entries to your in-game encyclopedia, scanning can also unlock hidden doors or show you the way to optional upgrade items like energy tanks and missile expansions. Whenever you enter a new area, it’s a good idea to switch your visor and take a good long look at the environment.
One mechanic that will appear relatively often is scanning runic symbols to open gates. To open these circular gates with runes on, you’ll need to use your default scan visor and scan the rune symbols marked on the gate.
During boss battles, scanning the boss should be your first priority — this will notify you of its weak point, which you can use to construct a strategy to take down the boss. Early on, bosses will generally require you to utilise equipment that you just obtained in order to defeat them, whilst later bosses will need you to draw on all of your available tools.
Energy Tanks And Missile Expansions Are Essential
You’ll be finding different kinds of upgrades throughout Metroid Prime, including occasional upgrades to your health in the form of Energy Tanks. There are fourteen Energy Tanks to find in total across all of the game’s zones, and many of them are easy to miss if you don’t explore thoroughly.
Missile Expansions, which increase the maximum amount of missiles you can carry, will also be a useful item. Missiles can be used in a variety of situations, including opening missile doors, but also for delivering a more powerful blow to enemies. For endgame bosses, having a lot of missiles will be pretty important, so you’ll want to collect as many missile expansions as you can find.
If you see an Energy Tank or Missile Expansion in the distance or in an out-of-reach location, you can sometimes use your scan function to get additional hints on how to reach it. Your map will also be a useful indicator of how you might reach these optional upgrades — consider if there are alternate routes that you haven’t yet explored.
Charting A Course
Metroid Prime is a game that is largely focused on traversal. For this reason, your map will be one of the most important tools you have access to.
Each sub-area of Tallon IV will contain a room where you can download map data. This will transform your map into one that contains details of all the rooms in the area that you’ve yet to explore. These unexplored rooms will be rendered in lightblue, whilst rooms you’ve explored will be rendered in orange.
In addition to showing the shape and depth of each room, the map will detail the types of doors that block your way, and mark the position of save points (which also replenish your energy) and elevators to different areas. As you make your way through your journey, you’ll be able to use the map to chart your progress — if you reach a dead end, viewing the map will often make it clear where you need to go next.
