We praise Nintendo for always trying new ideas with every new console. but you also have to admit that many of its tricks have proved false. There's a ROB for every NES Zapper, Wiimote and Ring Fit Adventure, Wii U GamePad and Labo VR available. When we first learned about the Switch 2's Mouse Mode a new way to use the Joy-Con controller as a mouse I was not sure if it would join the first category of great ideas or the second category full of Nintendo's worst mistakes.
Level Up The New Way to Nintendo
I am enjoyed using the new Joy-Con in mouse mode a lot more than I expected. Despite its smaller size and less ergonomic shape, the Joy-Con is actually a much better mouse than what came before. You do not have to change much in the way you hold the Joy-Con which means you can still use the face and shoulder buttons as normal. You're replacing the traditional thumbstick camera controls with more precise mouse controls, and it works surprisingly well.
I'm really impressed that you can change between modes so easily without pausing the game or changing any settings. When you place the Joy-Con on a surface it works like a mouse and when you pick it up. it works like a controller. You can go back and forth between modes whenever you like, depending on your convenience and the demands of the particular game you're playing which is perfect for games like Metroid Prime 4.
Metroid Prime is not really a first-person shooter. I know that sounds weird. Yes, it's a first-person game, and yes, it involves shooting. But the series' focus has always been on exploration, puzzle solving, and platforming not combat and I expect Metroid Prime 4 will do the same.
You do not need a mouse when you are moving around as a Morph Ball. You do not need the precision of a mouse when you are scanning ancient artifacts for clues, or swinging over ponds of molten lava. You don't really need a mouse as Metroid Prime 4 retains the series lock-on feature for aiming.
It is nice to have the option to use the mouse feature when you need to aim quickly. like when opening a multi locked door. During the demo, I found I would naturally put down the Joy-Con when a fight started and pick it back up when the dust had settled. Metroid Prime 4 is a great demonstration of the versatility of mouse mode but it is not the best control scheme for the game.
Metroid Pointer 4 Brings Precision to Prime Gameplay
A brief history of Metroid Prime controls (because I have written about it in detail before): Metroid Prime on the GameCube had a complicated control scheme that got old over time. You'd use the control stick to move forward, back, and turn around, and you had to hold down the left trigger to shoot. You also had to stand still to aim, because unlike modern shooters, Samus's arm cannon moved independently of the camera (plus, aiming was upside-down). It wasn't a great scheme. but it provided the basis for what would become one of the best control schemes of all time.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, like most Wii games featured motion controls. The Wiimote had a one-to-one motion with Samus's arm cannon, so wherever you pointed, Samus pointed there too. This turned out to be such a good control scheme that when all three games were re-released as the Metroid Prime Trilogy in 2009 the first two games were switched to using Corruption's motion controls. When Metroid Prime Remastered came out on the Switch. it also brought back the series unique pointer controls.
This is how Prime is meant to be played, and Metroid Prime 4 is bringing motion controls with some nice improvements. While Metroid Prime Remastered features a hybrid layout that combines the Prime 1 control scheme with Prime 3's motion controls Prime 4 will use a hybrid of modern controls with pointer controls by default. Using the traditional twin stick control scheme used by every console shooter, you can hold down ZL to activate pointer mode and shake your right Joy-Con to aim.
Pointer mode gives you the same precision as switching to mouse mode, without having to set your Joy-Con down on a flat surface. After a little practice. It is more accurate than using a mouse and makes the game more fun to play. am pretty comfortable using a mouse But nothing beats aiming an arm cannon yourself. it really makes you feel like you're wearing a power suit.
Metroid Prime's motion controls are iconic. It's not the most comfortable way to play, but it does enhance the experience considerably. I'm happy to see motion controls return with some updates in Metroid Prime 4, and I think once the novelty of mouse mode wears off, fans will get used to motion controls. Because it brings back good memories and it's the best way to play Metroid Prime, now and always.
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