Don’t forget to scan

Samus receives a few useful helmet visors throughout the game, including the thermal visor, which will help you find enemies in the dark; x-ray visor, which similarly lets you detect invisible enemies; and the scan visor you start out with.

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The scan visor, which adds environmental observations and analysis to Samus’ logbook, might be nerdy, but it’s by far the most important visor in her arsenal. Using it reveals useful information about enemies and new areas, unlocks doors, and elevators.

And don’t be lazy when you use it—take a few seconds to actually read the information it provides you. Not only will it provide a deeper understanding of the game’s story, but it also tells you crucial next steps. It’ll point out crumbling blocks of stone, for example, so you can figure out the best place to use Samus’ Morph Ball bombs when she’s in her transformed, metal roly-poly form. It explains enemies’ weak points—even bosses’ weak points. It’s essential for navigating Tallon IV.

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Don’t waste your time on enemies you can’t kill

Scanning also keeps things moving. Don’t be like me and wonder why the ice-capped beetles keep stabbing and poking and just won’t die when the scan visor could have told you 10 minutes ago that you don’t have the right weapon to kill them. Read what you scan, and let what you learn inform your approach to combat.

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Make sure hints are on

Scanning isn’t a cure-all, though. As a first time Metroid Prime player, I was often confused about where to go next. Hints, which you can flip on in settings, make sure I didn’t spin in circles for too long. If you spend too long idling, a question mark hint will appear on your map and gently guide you in the right direction.

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A barren environment in Metroid Prime Remastered.
Image: Nintendo

When it doubt, go back to where you came from

Even without hints, take the age-old advice and retrace your footsteps. Metroid Prime requires you to scavenge the same places over and over again but, each time, you come back changed. Phendrana Drifts will look different once you get your springy space boots, and you’ll form a unique relationship with gravity once you secure a Morph Ball alteration that lets you sail up walls and railings like a scrawny spider.

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I’m impatient, so I often sighed when Remastered made it clear that I was supposed to double back…which was most of the time. But checking out old corners with new gear makes them exciting again, and, as a treat, you’ll also get beneficial power-ups and expansions you weren’t ready for before.

Get extreme Boost Ball height by letting go at the last second

One of, I thought, the most annoying parts of turning back was realizing I had to turn back, curl Samus into a ball, and knock her around a steep ramp until she gained enough momentum to make a huge jump. These sections are aggravating. They might make you feel like the game is fundamentally broken and that you should flush your Switch down the toilet with your childhood goldfish. But it’s not that big of a deal; it takes a little finesse.

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Hit boost while you’re only starting to move up a curve, then let go when you’re near the top. That’s the most reliable method to get in the air, but if you do it enough times, you’ll start to feel a rhythm for it.

Learn what an upgrade sounds like

Remastered is filled with hidden mazes and rooms, and it’s possible that you’ll miss an upgrade while standing right in front of it (I did!). But expansions and suit upgrades give off a (very) faint whirring sound when you’re near them. Turn down the music and crank up the SFX in settings to help you identify it.

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Circle back to save points

Once you’ve found something important, try to hurry to your closest save point. Like the original, Remastered doesn’t allow you to save whenever or wherever, so respect your progress and save your game when the map lets you.

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What are some of your most helpful Metroid Prime Remastered tips?