GAMEFURY’s Top Console Game of All Time
1. Metroid Prime (GCN) (NINTENDO)
I find it quite uncharacteristic that I have to contradict myself within the same list and twice- just in the previous, I stated, for both the previous two entries, that they were the greatest games ever created, and that they could never be outdone. And here I find, as I finally reveal the depth of my affection for this game, that there indeed was a title that outdid both Super Metroid and A Link to the Past, and it did so in styl and a manner that will never be forgotten. If ever there was an instance of mind over matter and brain over brawn, then Metroid Prime was it.
How can I define this game, what do I say about it that hasn’t been said countless times already? Billed by many as the Citizen Kane of gaming, hailed by others as the pinnacle of gaming, scoffed at by others for its seeming opacity and impenetrability, Metroid Prime is gaming as it was meant to be, and as it never will be.
In an era where gameplay was increasingly taking a backseat to the more superficial aspects of gaming such as graphics, story and presentation, an era where the mindless button mashing and shooting that was characteristic of shallow games such as Halo was coming to the forefront, and dominating and dictating gaming, Metroid Prime boldly defied all trends, and instead reminded everybody what real gaming was like.
It was an inseparable symbiosis of gameplay, story, sound, graphics, atmosphere and characterisation, where one defined the other, and each was part of the whole that was in fact nothing more than the ultimate embodiment of all the individual aspects that I just mentioned. Metroid Prime had a story, a deep backstory, that 
was characterised by its gameplay, that was complemented by the brooding soundtrack, that was corroborated by the game’s awesomely stunning visuals, and all of which came together in an instance of character development the likes of which shall never be seen, as everything in the game sought to characterise and lend depth to your surroundings, and via them, to you. It was a masterstroke, placing us in a first person perspective, because then, we weren’t onlookers, spectators from the sidelines to a story that was vaguely involving, but rather, we were the story, as we ourselves saw, with our own eyes, what effects our actions would have.
Mind over matter, did I say about this game earlier? Well, certainly. Despite all controversies, this game cannot be billed as an FPS, simply because it discards the superficial and mind numbingly stupid repetitive gameplay that FPS’s are know for, in favour of a much deeper gameplay system, that encouraged you to catalogue all your enemies, and get information about them first, so that you might be warned about any possible weaknesses that you could exploit, as opposed to just going in all guns blazing, which would certainly be a waste of ammo.
The game’s atmosphere was stunning. No other game in history, heck, no other movie, game, book, song, whatever, has ever been as atmospheric as Metroid Prime was, and that was in no small part thanks to the game’s stunning visuals and haunting soundtrack. Metroid Prime was a game that pulled you in, and made you a part of itself, so that even when you thought you had completed the game, you wouldn’t really have extracted yourself from its hold, as it would have left an indelible impression on your mind.
When it was first announced, people moaned and complained, as is their wont. Even the most optimistic were apprehensive, as this game seemed to have ditched everything that had made its predecessors what they were. Yet upon release, all fears proved to be unfounded. Like Ocarina of Time had before it, Metroid Prime showed the world just how a transition to 3D should be done.
I had earlier stated that no other game could best Super Metroid. Well, Metroid Prime did. It bested Super Metroid in every way possible, and it became the 3D embodiment of what the game had stood for. The legacy of this game was its own sub-series, as well as entire legion of similarly atmospheric games, like Bioshock and the like, which would be great in their own right, but never come close to this. In the face of the stagnation that all of Nintendo’s other series were facing, and the fact that Metroid Prime had become more relevant than any other title could hope to be, Metroid eventually became Nintendo’s premier franchise, and it is today. At E3, the announcement of a new Metroid evokes a stronger applause than the announcement of a new Zelda or Mario does. And while critics can find fault with all of Nintendo’s other series, even the most cynical one cannot fault Metroid for anything. Really, if ever there had to be the ultimate embodiment of gaming and all its principles, Metroid Prime is it.
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HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Final Fantasy VI
Mass Effect
Metal Gear Solid 3
Ninja Gaiden (XBOX)
Fable
Fallout 3
Ratchet and Clank
Burnout 3: Takedown
Chrono Cross
Super Mario World
Yoshi’s Island
Perfect Dark
Banjo Kazooie
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So, that’s it people. That’s the end of our list. We hope you liked the list, and many of you may not agree with it. Any feedback, positive and negative, will be really appreciated. Please tell us what you think of the list in the comments section below.
See Also:
GAMEFURY’s Top 40 Console Games of All Time (#40 – #31)
GAMEFURY’s Top 40 Console Games of All Time (#30- 21)
ABOUT THIS AUTHOR
Not ever owning a Gamecube, I never got the chance to play this game. I probably should pick it up for the Wii now that it has the whole trilogy in one box.