Metroid Prime 2: Echoes 20th Anniversary

MP2E gave me some of my biggest difficulty gratifications in gaming, even in the mid 00s when it was released. I knew that since MP gave me that huge scratch to my challenge itch, I would be sufficiently pushed to the edge when I got to play hard mode on this, and boy was I in for a surprise. With the time I had, it took me a couple days to beat it in normal mode, and well over a week in hard mode, everything hurt, everything slowed me down, and I was truly living the dream when I finally got through the game on hard mode. To this day, nothing challenges me like the Metroid Prime franchise and I cant wait to sink my teeth into it again when it comes out on the Switch soon.

Echoes is the pinnacle of the Prime Series. It was the most alien of the Prine series. Seeing truly new suit designs instead of just color swaps, actually getting some type of interaction with an alien race. It was also the most challenging, which only added to the experience and the feeling of victory once the credits rolled. It’s THE game I think of when anyone mentions the Prime series. Truly the GOAT and the intellectual Prime fan’s game of choice.

Metroid Prime 2 is my favorite game in the series. It’s like nothing else, and I revisit it frequently. I love Aether and all its worldbuilding, and the Luminoth. Thank you to everyone at Retro Studios for all your hard work on such an incredible, amazing experience.

Maybe the coolest game ever made. I’ve played a lot of em and what they did with the atmosphere, theming, and sense of stakes here is truly special. Visually the game is spectacular and especially so when you consider the time it released. Echoes is popular but still underrated for how great it is.

It’s my 2nd metroid game, I played it after prime and the impact it left on me is monumental. The dark and light world aspect, dark samus and the ing, the lore of the luminoth, all just peak. Best music, boss fights and puzzles of the 3 prime games, and still my favorite game oat

I will never forget how weirdly helpless I felt when the first Rezbit managed to hack into the Power Suit. What do you mean I have to reset it?!

This is the first game I remember getting into the pre-releaae hype cycle. Saw early screenshots in Nintendo Power, pored over every article I could find, sent in for the demo disc through the mail. I was obsessed.

Prime 2 was the game I basically knew my mom would get me for christmas, but I could not wait and got it for myself early.
So my mom told me after christmas that she had to refund it and get me something else last minute.
I very much love Metroid games. Sorry mom.

This calls for a celebratory snack
*unwraps the Echoes promotional cookie*

One of the things that really stood out to me was the soundtrack. I loved the other worldly vibe each regions theme was. From the futuristic sounds of Sanctuary Fortress, to the underwater and scary ambience of Torvus Bog.

Waiting on another shadow drop for Metroid Prime 2 Echoes for the Switch

This game was so hard to play when I got it 20 years ago for the GameCube. But I enjoyed it from start to finish

This is my favourite of the Prime series (so far). I love the difficulty, the atmosphere and the world design. The Sanctuary Fortress is an incredible area with one of the best bosses in the series. I really hope this game comes out on Switch so more people can give it a go.

Prime 2 was one of those games that shaped my childhood. I still remember this little kid coming up to me on a playground at some old apartments me and my mom stayed at when I was really young, and asked if I wanted the game. I still don’t know why he gave me the game, maybe he just didn’t like it but when I booted up at home, I instantly was enthralled into the world Aether. I loved how dark everything was, and the Ing absolutely terrified me as a child. I wasn’t able to get very far into the game as a kid, but coming back to play it in highschool I had the greatest time actually going through and completing the game. I still play prime 2 from time to time, and I’ve learned to love the series as a whole after exploring all the other titles. Just a truly magnificent game, Prime 2 will always be my most replayed game

I was so poor back then that with much struggle I acquired both Prime games secondhand, but no system to play them. I was so in love with the franchise that I just didn’t care not being able to play them properly. Now imagine my joy when a friend of mine lent me his GC. No sunlight for me that entire weekend.

Another great game that proved that not only Metroid could become a great 3D first person shooter while not losing its adventure and platforming soul; but it also proved that second parts don’t have to be worse than the first one… to the contrary: they can be even better in some aspects (and worse in other ones, but hey, it’s still great).

I remember popping the CD excited for MP2:E and being treated to that banger of an intro theme song. It was a harder game than the first. And even with the guidebook I struggled through my first traversal of Dark Aether. I’ll never forget counting the ticks of health coming back slowly only to drain it all as I dashed to the safety of the next light crystal

Prime 2 on Wii was a formative game for me. Difficulty, art direction, storytelling and gameplay all go above and beyond just about any other FPS to date. The Ing were a fully realized threat in a way that a lot of other Metroid games can’t live up to, and Dark Samus is a genuine showstopper here, with amazing music and multiple cinematic fights leading to a final confrontation that was as badass as it was satisfying. Samus also had tons of character here that I don’t think we really got to see the same way until Metroid dread. She’s so caring underneath that confidence and giving her a goal of saving a species from extinction is a great parallel to her own loss of her species. Definitely the highlight of the Prime Trilogy and I hope 4 can live up to it’s legend.

Prime 2 will always have a special place in my heart, because I credit it as the first Metroid game I ever watched (and technically played, albeit for 5 minutes) at the age of 7 (I say I credit it as such cuz I did watch a lot of the first Prime as well, but 2 left the bigger impression by far). I had only recognized Samus from Smash, though I already thought Samus was cool, and actually seeing Samus in her own game was quite the experience, especially for a 7-year-old. The whole light and dark and beams and Ing and Dark Samus were just so cool, but perhaps the coolest takeaway for me was the reveal, the one every newcomer is owed: I realized when looking closer at Samus’s eyes in elevator cutscenes that they looked rather feminine, and I asked the guy playing, “Wait…is Samus a girl?” When he confirmed it, I thought that was really neat since it was unusual, especially at the time, further cementing the uniqueness of the game in my memory.

my favorite thing about the prime trilogy is its environmental art, and i love echoes’ cohesive, almost grounded approach. the weird alien architecture is so good, torvus bog and sanctuary are some of the best areas in the series, dark aether is so memorably hostile and eldritch

Hello, Shinesparkers community! It’s wild to think that we’ve reached the 20-year anniversary of Metroid Prime 2. As I reflect on the game we made, I’m reminded of all the incredible talent we had on the team at Retro Studios, and I’m proud of what we were able to bring together in a short dev cycle (18–20 months). Prime 2 was a massive part of my life, and it feels like a game that still stands out as unique compared to others—even within the Metroid series.

One of my favorite things about Echoes is how far we were able to push new and exciting ways to use the Morph Ball. From Morph Ball cannons, to underwater tubes, to boosting from Spider Ball tracks, to running interesting Morph Ball tracks through various rooms and halls, to boss encounters—we really used the Morph Ball to its limits. It’s one of my favorite aspects of the game.

I also love that we got to expand the Metroid fiction by introducing the Luminoth and the Ing. The game has a uniquely oppressive tone, playing with themes of dark and light, and Sanctuary Fortress is forever burned into my memory.

Thank you to Nintendo and SPD for the incredible opportunity, guidance, and collaboration. Thank you to my friends and coworkers at Retro Studios for all the wonderful memories and for pushing the limits and pouring your hearts and souls into this game. Thank you to all the Metroid fans and communities for your love, support, enthusiasm, creativity, and constructive criticism over the years. Games fade away without the interest of players who enjoy them, and I’m happy and proud that Prime 2 continues to thrive because of its passionate community.

Happy 20th Anniversary, Metroid Prime 2. Here’s hoping you return one day.