I like taking my time and exploring in Metroid games, the dark world in Echoes robbed that from me since you have to rush from safe point to safe point. I wasn't a fan of the light/dark ammo too.

Corruption on the other hand is incredible, loved fighting the other hunters and the Wii controls were just perfect.

I haven't played Prime 2 and 3 in ages (I will soon though, once I finish Prime 1 on Wii U) but I remember being disappointed when Prime 3 released. It was way too linear for my tastes, there was no feeling of isolation and half the game was fighting the other bounty hunters. On the other hand, Prime 2 has that annoying boss fight but I heard they fixed that a bit in the Trilogy.

Prime 2. 3 was linear, shorter and easier.

Since I never got the chance to play Metroid Prime until this week (lost my GC cables and the Metroid Prime trilogy is too expensive, I had hopes for a remaster of some kind) I'm not blinded by nostalgia when it comes to that game. I currently beat Thardus and have about 8 energy tanks. I have yet to die at a boss this game (though I've been killed by those freakishly small turrets that are annoying to hit with the motion control).

I honestly think people call MP1 the best because it was the first one they played. Another reason is because it has a balanced difficulty (MP2 is super hard and MP3 is insultingly easy).

Things I think MP2 does objectively better than MP1:

- Graphics and art design: this isn't even a contest. MP2 looks far more gorgeous and has better art design when it comes to enemies, allies and overworld. You just don't get the same experience when you see the glowing city beneath Sanctuary Fortress in any other MP game. It's truly a masterpiece. MP feels very claustrophobic at times and it re-uses a lot of the same assets for hallways and what not. My favorite area in MP is Phendrana Drifts, because it has more open level design compared to the rest of the areas. But it just can't compete with Agon Wastes, Torvus Bog or Sanctuary Fortress.

- Bosses: the bosses in MP are a joke and aren't anything to brag about both in terms of AI and art design. MP2 might have some frustratingly hard bosses, they also have some of the most unique and best bosses in the entire series. Quadraxis, the Emperor Ing, Chykka, Amorbis, etc. are all fantastic. The Alpha Blogg can go fuck itself though. I didn't mind the Spider Ball Guardian, people are exaggerating when they call that hard. If I can beat it on hard mode with one energy tank and no dark suit you should have no problem on normal mode. It has the most obvious pattern out of any boss in the Prime series. If you suck at this game then that is your own fault, don't blame the game, the game is never unfair.

- the AI of enemies in general: the enemies in MP are just stupid. Space pirates run like idiots into walls or just rush in to teabag you constantly. A great comparison is the Sheegoth (MP1) with the Grenchlers (MP2): these creatures are very similar in behavior, but the grenchlers are far more clever. They will actually chase you on high platforms and in the water, the sheegoth are far too stupid to do anything of the sorts.

- the story: MP2 has a lot more lore and a far more interesting story. It tells of an epic war between two races that has been going on for more than 50 years. It not only leaves behind lore, but also visual clues (the dead bodies of the Luminoth). Something that was sorely lacking in the first MP.

It seems most people don't like the difficulty of MP2. Well MP3 tried too hard to be Halo, so if you want Metroid to turn into Halo then vote for it!

I'm sorry to say that MP2 is actually my least favorite of that trilogy. I still need to play through it on the Trilogy version with the Wiimote functionality, but I just didn't care for the back and forth "Light/Dark" stuff. MP1 is a great game, but MP3 was my favorite in the series. I liked the layered weapons approach, the level designs were mostly interesting and fun to explore, and the story, while not mind blowing, was pretty solid. It wasn't a "perfect" game, but I can't think of too many ways it could have been better.

i'm just starting to get into the Prime trilogy, from the Wii U eShop. I can't wait until I'm done with the first one.

Prime >> Prime 3 > Prime 2
Prime was perfect.
Prime 3 was a bit too linear and in some parts it was a bit uninspired.
Prime 2 also felt at parts uninspired, plus it was too much dispersive and the fact you had to kill all enemies evrerytime in many areas (in order to unlock doors) made backtracking a pain in the ass.
Each game is great, but undoubtedly Prime2 is the one I liked the least.

This post is so beautiful. It sums up exactly how I feel about MP2. It took me One and a half years to slog through that game because I just had no desire to finish it other than to say that I beat it. I once spend about three weeks, one or two hours per day trying to beat the Spider Guardian.

MP2 is what happens when you take the Metroidvania formula and multiply it by 10.

"To go through this door, you need three keys. But each key is broken up into several parts. And each part is behind another door, which requires more keys. Some of those keys are in another world. Most of them require going all the way from one end of the map to the other, back to rooms you've passed through a hundred times now, so of course you trained yourself to just run through it as fast as possible by now. But you can't do that, because this is Metroid and you have to try out every new toy you get in every single nook and cranny, because everything could be hiding something. Oh wait, you took a long break in between play sessions and don't remember where you left off? Sucks for you then."

It's not a bad game, but it's by far the worst Metroid game for me, period. Yes fools, I'd take Other M over it.

Everyone cries about how linear MP3 is, but that's only in comparison to the other Prime games. MP3 leaves plenty of room for exploration still. There are still plenty of collectibles and secrets. It does not hold your hand all the way through like Skyward Sword. Of the trilogy, I required the least amount of guide  help for it, but still needed plenty of help. With MP2, I couldn't get crap done without a guide, and if I took a long break from playing (I often would), I was often completely lost on what to do.

It is also perfect in terms of story and interaction. It made me feel like I'm playing as Samus Aran, the human who is part of a greater universe, instead of some mindless robot. At the same time, I was allowed to insert myself as Samus and characterize her as me; that was something Other M failed to do.

Don't blame the game if you're not good enough with it. Controls are not wonky. Metroid Prime 3 barely qualifies as a Metroid game. And the fact you like Metroid: Other M tells me all I need to know. You like games that don't recquire any sort of skill, just spam the hypermode or sensemove button...

Spider Ball guardian is super easy, especially in the MP trilogy.

MP3 has no exploration what so ever. You don't need energy tanks or missiles to easily beat the game anyway, so why bother looking for them. If you needed a guide for that then maybe Metroid isn't for you... The only legitimate complaint is the fetch quest near the end (I also used a guide for that because I couldn't be bothered, although the location is super easy, just remember where you found the dead keybearer bodies in the light world).

Voted Prime 3 and it is winning. Yay!