Revolution Reality Check: Metroid Prime 3 "Leaks"
by Shawn White (12/07/05)


At E3 2005, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata took to the stage at the company's pre-E3 press conference, discussing a few tidbits of information regarding Nintendo's next-generation console, code-named Revolution. While the Nintendo figure-head spoke, a small teaser of Metroid Prime 3 ran on the huge video panels in the background. However, the snippet was not welcomed with open arms or happy smiles. To many fans, the game didn’t look "next-gen" (although careful analysis acknowledges that the game certainly looks better than past Metroid Prime titles). Of course, it was noted later on that the clip was created on a GameCube development kit, which is now presumed to have been an early Revolution development kit (since the Revolution shares many similarities with GameCube architecture).






E3 2005 has long since come and gone. Information related to Revolution software has been all but slim. The meager clip of Metroid Prime 3 stands as the only definite visual aid usable for gauging the Revolution’s power. No Mario 128, no Zelda Revolution, no Donkey Kong, no Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles. There's only Metroid Prime 3, a game with high expectations on most every front, but especially in terms of graphical fidelity and artistic flair. As it would happen, fans might not have to wait any longer to see how next-generation Metroid is progressing. Or do they?







Here we have two bizarre images. The first is rather uneventful, as can be deciphered from the solitary morph ball moving through a singular, simplistic, metallic corridor. However, many details can be pulled from the isolated situation. Firstly, the textures and reflective surfaces on the pipe as well as the morph ball give off the impression that this is not running on a normal GameCube kit. Regarding the morph ball by its lonesome, it's obvious that there has been a visual face lift for whatever reason. There's certainly the possibility that this is a screenshot from the game, with some programmers and designers testing out some morph ball mechanics or some particular passage way. The white light at the very end of the tunnel could indicate the outside landscape or merely the end of written code (because it's just a test passageway created for some design purpose). Some might argue that the screen looks too dull for Retro Studio's style; to that I say it's just a tunnel. Not every tunnel in Metroid Prime 1 or 2 was created with striking visual flair. Besides, Metroid Prime 3 currently is still in early to intermediate development. Final development kits are not even out to developers yet. Although the possibility exists that the picture is a Photoshop job performed by a talented individual, and although I might accept it as such if it existed solitarily, the second picture entices me to think otherwise.


This aforementioned image is obviously of a completely different quality from the first picture. Although the screen appears to be an artistic render, it certainly gives off the impression of next-generation visuals. Could it be a piece of the game running on a more complete Revolution development kit? Possibly, but the whole context of the picture more so resembles a render crafted for the sake of depicting a possible boss fight. What's most convincing here is the re-used morph ball design. Given such, these pictures either both have to be fan made (thus fake) or professionally-produced (therefore real). Although a very talented individual might have the capacity to pull off the second image in a 3-D creation program, the level of detail more gives off the impression of a professional's work. Again, some will argue that it simply doesn't look compliment Retro Studio's artistic style. In rebuttal I again say that the game is still in intermediate stages of development; the team is just now getting more finished kits to work with, many ideas are being proposed, and in all honesty, we can't infer what's supposed to be going on in this boss fight from a still image. Granted, the green plant-like object in the middle looks bland, but only a portion of the creature can be viewed. However, the water effects, reflections, textures, polygon count, etc. all appears to be the work of professional graphics artists.

I'm not going to blatantly disavow the idea that these images are merely fan-made productions. That noted, here's my theory: Revolution news is slim. Nintendo has made plans to not begin divulging information regarding the console really until the beginning of 2006, leading up to the grand unveiling at E3 next year. The company isn't prepared to release game details or screenshots; officially, at least. But since it's only the online community really giving the console much attention and focus at this point in time, and since many fans are desperate for new information and particularly game images, why not leak a few stills from one of the Revolution's most anticipated titles to generate buzz? Nintendo and Retro Studios get some 'consumer feedback,' fans have a new rumor to cling to for dear life and I get to write this article. Ultimately, everyone wins.

However, given recent developer comments about the true power of the Nintendo Revolution, some doubt is cast upon the graphical extent on these images. Of course, until actual games are displayed, no one will ever truly know the full extent of the Revolution's graphical potency. So it's really a difficult call to make. For now, there's the possibility that the images are real, but there's almost as much incentive to say they are fan-made.

Link mit Bildern: *klick mich*

Original von L.A.H.
Also das bild wo man das gesicht von Samus sieht, schaut ja total scheisse aus, wie man es reingekleppt hätte oder so,
Mir gefallen nur die unteren beiden bilder in dem Ersten Gesagten link.