'Metroid Prime Remastered' blasts classic GameCube FPS to life on Switch

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — When "Metroid Prime" released on the GameCube in 2002, it marked a seminal moment for the franchise.

The first-person shooter, which was remastered for the Wii in 2009 and now again for the Switch, took the traditional side-scroller and launched it into the 3D realm, delivering a depth and immersion to the adventures of intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran that had never been touched before.

A thrilling success, "Metroid Prime" was followed by two sequels that crowned it as one of the defining trilogies of Nintendo history.

The Switch version of the original game not only maintains the standard of the original, its refinements manage to help the game match the lofty heights of your memories.

While the past versions of the game are plagued with clunky shooting mechanics, painful loading times and occasionally rough visuals, the new remaster smooths out those rough edges, getting back to the majestic feel of the original.

An apt fit for the Switch — especially in handheld mode — "Metroid Prime" is a breathless descent into the labyrinthine depths of the precarious planet Tallon IV. You search out mysteries held by the chambers within the planet's structures, seek out upgraded weaponry and traversal elements and seek out secrets.

I had a huge smile on my face as I re-experienced the battles and defining set pieces, and was pleasantly surprised by the smaller moments that I had forgotten.

While it's mildly disappointing that the other two games in the trilogy weren't included in the $40 package, it's also reasurring to be able to look forward to the other two games down the road while focusing squarely on the original.

The long-awaited re-emergence of "Metroid Prime" is also a promising look at the future. A new set of 3D adventures for Samus would be mesmerizing.