Metroid Prime Remastered’s credits were criticized by a former developer for failing to directly mention the original development team.
Metroid Prime Remastered launched stealthily last week after a critically acclaimed Nintendo Direct presentation, a welcome return for a long-lost GameCube title. Former Retro Studios developer Zoid Kirsch is unhappy with the remaster leaving out the direct mention of the original developers in the remaster’s credits.
While many studios did an amazing job on the remaster, I’m disappointed. The Metroid Prime Remaster does not include full credits from the original game. I’ve worked with so many amazing people on the game and everyone’s name should be included in the remaster, not just a card like this. pic.twitter.com/Yvojf9f9MqFebruary 11, 2023
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Rather than mentioning every person at Nintendo and Retro Studios who developed the original Metroid Prime, the remaster simply notes that the new version is “based on” the original GameCube game. That doesn’t sit well with Kirsch and others on Twitter, who are also expressing their displeasure that the Retro Studios staff have been left out of the remaster’s credits altogether.
Another former Retro Studios developer, Jack Mathews, notes in the tweet below that Metroid Prime Remastered will no doubt use the exact same code as the original GameCube title used over two decades ago. Metroid Prime Remastered gives the 2002 title a fresh coat of paint, but doesn’t alter any gameplay mechanics like animations or boss abilities, so likely uses the exact same code.
It’s a joke. Not just to my credit (although most of my code was probably superseded), but to people whose code and work remained largely unchanged, like Mark HH, Steve McCrea, all art and concepts improved, game design. Ashamed. https://t.co/y6tXyCG3N1February 12, 2023
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For that reason, Mathews says, it makes sense that Metroid Prime Remastered would list the original developers whose code they still use today. Mathews isn’t alone in this view: many replies to Kirsch’s tweet point out how other remasters have credited the original development team by name, including 2016’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered.
Elsewhere, Kirsch said he generally liked Metroid Prime Remastered, aside from the gates. Apparently something strange is going on with the HD version of the blast shields that cover doors throughout the game.
Metroid Prime Remastered is finally a reality, but there’s not so good news for Primer Metroid 4which is still quietly rumbling in development at Retro Studios more than four years after its reboot.