How much Chozo Lore did you read? They referred to Tallon IV by name about a jillion times, and even mentioned Zebes separately from it.

.........the only place in MP that looks like Zebes is Tallon Overworld, and it's called Tallon Overworld.

My mistake wasn't thinking that MP took place in Zebes but thinking Super Metroid took place on Talon IV.

There are plenty of indications MP took place on Talon IV, including lore and the fact the first place is called Tallon Overworld.

In Super Metroid, the only thing indicating the planet is called Zebes is when the cutscene shows the planet and underneath it, it is labeled Zebes.  Something I clearly forgot (but remembered that scene).

It isn't the names that made me think they occurred on the same planet.  If I had thought hard enough I would have remembered the difference in names and realized they did not take place on the same planet.  What did make me think that they happened on the same planet?

1) The scene where Samus lands on Talon IV in MP is obviously a cameo of when Samus landed on Zebes in Super Metroid.  The 3d landing scene looks exactly like the 2d landing scene; It's raining; The environment looks exactly the same.

2) Magmoor caverns are identical to Norfair.  If I remember correctly, the music is similar at times.

3) Some areas in MP are similar to Super Metroid including: Space Pirate Base, Water level past Phendrana Drifts which is similar to Maridia.

4) MP was known to be a prequal to Super Metroid (and Metroid II if I remember correctly).  That, and how Super Metroid was the only other Metroid (other than Metroid II) that I had played extensively when MP came out, and because of 1-3, were the reasons that my brain put things together and assumed MP and Super Metroid took place on the same planet.

Regardless of my reasons, I have brought shame upon myself and my family by not knowing everything about my favorite franchise.  To reclaim my honor, I must perform public sudoku and kill myself.

I haven't played MP 1 with the new Wiimote aiming, but I still prefer it over the third. As much as I liked MP3, I generally prefered the atmosphere of the first game, not to mention that the thirds "stackable" weapon system was a bit too simplistic. And while I was never bothered by backtracking in the first game, those damned energy tanks in the third game came across as back tracking of the shoddiest kind. I did love yanking off shields with the grappling hook though.... Damn I need to get MP trilogy!

When I first played Prime 2 it felt a little too similar to the first Prime - same enemies, same environment... This feeling had disappeared after some time and in my opinion the light/dark system was perfect for simple puzzles like "impossible obstacle... hmmm... going to step into the dark world here, fight my way through that corridor, to the portal around the corner, back into the light world, solved". Also, the ammunition for one beam being generated by using the other one was great. In the end, the game was on the same level of greatness as Prime 1 for me. After all, my first steps in the first Prime were somehow not filled with enjoyment either. I had to learn to love the game, the controls, exploration, everything. Maybe it's just the way Retro Studios make their games - slow beginning, where the player has to earn his right to enjoy the later, better parts.

MP3 felt different, had better presentation, yes, but was also more linear, with some uninspired boss fights (the LOTR-like fall,for example, and I remember another fight, possibly before I got to my ship, which was just boring). These are the reasons why I like MP3 the least of the trilogy but I consider it a great game anyway.

I still rate Prime as one of my favourite games ever and above Prime 3 but it's been quite a few years now since i have played Prime so i will be keen to see how i feel after I have played the Trilogy.

No comparison for me. Metroid Prime is by far the best Metroid game in the Prime series.

It is second in my heart to Super Metroid.

Prime 3 was absolutely amazing for what it did and believe me, that was a lot of doing. Yet, nothing could match the feelings Metroid Prime gave me. From the music, to the isolation, to thee overall presentation, the game felt far FAR more like a Metroid game than thee other two in the series.

Plus, when I played the Metroid Prime (a game I was hell bent on never playing because the thought of a FPS Metroid made me want to shoot myself) demo in Circuit City, I absolutely know I needed to play the game all the way through. It was overwhelming in a way no other Metroid game has been for me (Prime series or otherwise).

I still don't really see the similarities between Tallon IV and Zebes. Norfair was a deep, natural, hellish sort of maze with visual throwbacks to NES Norfair. Magmoor had machinery and wasn't anywhere near as vertical.

That is mostly true.  I will say that 2D levels tend to be more vertical while 3D levels tend to be more flat.  This applies to any game.

I think Echoes is vastly underrated. It starts off very slowly, and to be honest the begining of the first two areas (Agon Wastes and Temple Grounds) are both boring and similar, but the middle and end of the game is great. No two rooms look alike, ever room is animated and feels alive, even the dark world had its own unique feeling. The ammo system, which at first i hated, ended up being a great way to stratigize battles and puzzles (although the Annialotor Beam still sucks).

I felt that the visors were underutilized (as with Corruption), and a lot of creatures were ripped from Prime (the energy ball that is only killed with charged shots is in all three games), but the game is new and different enough to make it feel fresh.