We giveNintendoa lot of credit for constantly innovating with each new console it releases, but you have to admit, many of its gimmicks have turned out to be duds. For every NES Zapper, Wiimote, andRing Fit Adventure, there’s a R.O.B., Wii U Gamepad, andLabo VR. When we first learned about theSwitch 2’s mouse mode- a new way to use the Joy-Con controller like a mouse - I wasn’t sure whether it would end in the first camp of great ideas, or the second one filled with Nintendo’s worst mistakes.
At the Nintendo Switch 2 Experience in Los Angeles this past weekend, I demoed the new mouse mode while playing my most anticipated game of the last 18 years:Metroid Prime 4. As a predominantly PC gamer, the mouse controls were so smooth and intuitive that I could see myself using this control scheme for all kinds of games I would never have played on a Switch before. For games likeCivilization 7,Cyberpunk 2077, andFortnite, mouse mode is going to be a game changer. But when it comes to Metroid Prime 4, I’ll be sticking with motion controls - and you should too.
A New Way To Nintendo
I liked using the new Joy-Con in mouse mode so much more than I expected to. Despite its small size and less-than-ergonomic shape, the Joy-Con actually makes a much better mouse than it would first appear. Your grip doesn’t have to change much from the normal way you would hold a Joy-Con, meaning you can still access the face and shoulder buttons as you normally would. All you’re trading is the traditional thumbstick camera controls for more precise mouse controls, and it works surprisingly well.
I’m impressed by the way you can instantly switch (heh) between the different modes without having to pause your game or toggle any settings. When you set the Joy-Con down 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 comfort and the demands of the particular game you’re playing - which is perfect for something like Metroid Prime 4.
Metroid Prime isn’treallya first-person shooter. I know that sounds weird. Yes, it’s a first-person game, and yes, there is shooting. But the focus of the series has always been on exploration, puzzle-solving, and platforming - not combat - and I expect Metroid Prime 4 will deliver much of the same.
You don’t need a mouse when you’re rolling around in morph ball form. You don’t need the precision of a mouse when you’re scanning ancient artifacts for clues, or when you’re swinging over pools of molten lava. You don’t need a mouse at all really, since Metroid Prime 4 maintains the series’ lock-on feature for aiming.
It’s nice to have the option to use the mouse feature when you need to aim quickly, like when opening a multi-lock door. During the demo, I found myself naturally setting down the joy-con when combat started, then picking it back up as soon as the dust settled. Metroid Prime 4 is a great showcase of the versatility of mouse mode, but it isn’t the best control scheme for the game.
Metroid Pointer 4
The briefest history of Metroid Prime controls (since I’ve written about it extensively before): Metroid Prime on the GameCube had a clunky control scheme that hasn’t aged well. You’d use the control stick to walk forward, backward, and rotate, and you had to hold the left trigger to strafe. You also had to stand still to aim because, unlike modern shooters, Samus’ arm cannon moved independently from the camera (also, aiming was inverted). It wasn’t great, but it did provide the foundation 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 one-to-one motion with Samus’ arm cannon, so that wherever you pointed, Samus did too. This ended up being such a great control scheme that when all three games were re-released as the Metroid Prime Trilogy in 2009, the first two games were converted to use Corruption’s motion controls. When Metroid Prime Remastered launched on Switch, it too featured the series’ signature pointer controls.
This is the way Prime is meant to be played, and Metroid Prime 4 is carrying motion controls over with some great improvements. While Metroid Prime Remastered featured a hybrid layout that combined the “Classic” Prime 1 control scheme with Prime 3’s motion controls, Prime 4 will use a hybrid of modern controls with pointer controls by default. While using the traditional twin stick control scheme that every console shooter uses, you can hold down ZL to activate pointer mode and move your right Joy-Con to aim.
Pointer mode gives you as much precision as swapping to mouse mode without needing to set your Joy-Con down on a flat surface. With some practice, it feels even more precise than mouse mode, and it makes the game a lot more immersive. I’m very comfortable using a mouse, but there’s nothing like aiming the arm cannon yourself to make you feel you’re wearing the power suit yourself.
Metroid Prime’s motion controls are iconic. It’s not the most relaxed way to play, but it enhances the experience tremendously. I’m glad to see motion control return with some updates in Metroid Prime 4, and I think once the novelty of mouse mode wears off, fans will settle in with the motion controls. Both for the nostalgia, and because it always has been, and always will be the best way to play Metroid Prime.
