Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Multiplayer

This article is written from the Real Life point of view

A multiplayer Deathmatch in the stage Shooting Gallery. Player 1 is utilizing the power of a large cannon.

In addition to the main story, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes features a multiplayer mode. The controls are similar to that of the single player mode. Up to four players can participate, each with color differences from the traditional Varia Suit worn by Samus in single-player mode.

New Play Control! Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and the Metroid Prime Trilogy both also feature the multiplayer mode, utilising the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, as opposed to the GameCube pad. Metroid Prime Trilogy also features a brief cinematic of the four Samus Arans in combat when loading the multiplayer mode. Neither Wii version adds support for online play to the multiplayer mode.

Characters

Metroid Prime Trilogy cinematic

• Player 1 has the standard Varia Suit.
• Player 2 has silver armour with green lights. This resembles the Light Suit and the Ruins Test armor.
• Player 3 is green with orange lights. This resembles Green Samus, a green alternate costume worn by Samus in the Super Smash Bros. series.
• Player 4 is blue with orange highlights. This resembles Armstrong Houston and slightly Dark Samus.

Each player starts with the Varia Suit, Morph Ball, Power Beam, Missile Launcher, Dark Visor, Spider Ball, Bomb, Space Jump Boots, Boost Ball, Gravity Boost and Grapple Beam. Other Beams along with Power Bomb Ammo can be added to one's arsenal by destroying special crates found around the arena.

Modes

There are two playable modes in multiplayer.

Deathmatch

The first is Deathmatch, in which players must destroy each other a number of set times, or get the most kills within a time limit to win. Deaths and kills for each player are displayed at the end of the match.

Bounty Mode

The second mode is Bounty Mode, where players begin with a set amount of coins. The object of the game is to strike someone to force coins out of them, and hunt for coin chests as well. The one with the most coins is victorious at the end of the time limit.

Arenas

Early screenshot of a Multiplayer Deathmatch in Sidehopper Station. Tallon IV can be seen in Player 1's screen.

Six arenas are available in multiplayer mode. Four are usable from the start, while the other two are unlocked when the player has progressed far enough in the Story Mode. The default arenas are:

• Crossfire Chaos - A stage based on the Agon Wastes.
• Sidehopper Station - A stage based on the Frigate Orpheon.
• Shooting Gallery - A setting with origin lying in the Chozo Ruins.
• Spider Complex - An arena resembling the Phazon Mines.

Unlockable arenas

• Pipeline - A stage implementing features of Torvus Bog and the Space Pirate's Phendrana Drifts Glacier One labs. Unlocked after restoring Energy to Torvus Temple and talking to U-Mos.
• Spires - An original arena, slightly resembling the Great Temple and Sanctuary Fortress. Unlocked after restoring Energy to Sanctuary Temple and talking with U-Mos.

Background music

Background music can be unlocked by progressing through the Single Player mode of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. There are 6 to be unlocked, while the default Music is "Hunters" which is a remix of the Upper Brinstar music heard in Super Metroid.

• Hunters - Default song. A faster-paced version of this track will play when there is one minute left in the match.
• Pirate Fear - Unlocked after restoring Energy to Agon Temple and talking to U-Mos. Heard in areas of Space Pirate presence after all Pirates in the room have been killed.
• Luminoth - Unlocked after restoring Energy to Agon Temple and talking to U-Mos. Heard in the Temple Grounds.
• Torvus Bog - Unlocked after restoring Energy to Torvus Temple and talking to U-Mos. The main theme heard in Torvus Bog.
• Sanctuary - Unlocked after restoring Energy to Sanctuary Temple and talking with U-Mos. The main theme heard in Sanctuary Fortress.
• Dark Echoes - Unlocked after completing the game. A variant of the heard on the Main Menu and end credits.
• Darkness - Unlocked after completing the game. Heard during battles with Dark Samus.

Items

Sometimes items and ammo appear on each stage, either by set place generation or being dropped by another player. An asterisk indicates that the item can be dropped from a defeated player. A majority of Coins can also be dropped simply by shooting the opponent.

• Small Energy - Restores 10 Energy.*
• Medium Energy - Restores 30 Energy.*
• Power Bomb - Restores 1 Power Bomb. These can only be dropped by a defeated player.*
• Missile Ammo - Restores 5 Missiles.*
• Super Missile - The player who collects this will fire Super Missiles instead of Missiles. Also awards 25 Missiles on pickup.
• Massive Damage - Damage enemies take from the user's attacks is doubled. The icon resembles the Screw Attack power up, but with a red coloration.

Bounty Mode only:

• White Coin - 1 Bounty point.*
• Aqua Coin- 5 Bounty points.*
• Red Coin - 10 Bounty points.*
• Emerald Coin - 50 Bounty points.*
• Gold Coin - 100 Bounty points.*

The following upgrades can be obtained from Pickup Crates:

• Light Beam - Beam usage + 50 ammo units.
• Dark Beam - Beam usage + 50 ammo units.
• Annihilator Beam - 50 Light and Dark ammo units. This will not unlock Light or Dark beam usage.
• Power Bomb Expansion - 3 Power Bombs.

Unique upgrades

A screenshot of a Randomizer, viewed in Single Player mode via hacking.

In each arena, there are two machines which resemble Save Stations called Randomizers. When a player enters the glowing area, they will receive a special power. There are many things that can be unlocked. However, they only last for a short amount of time. When an upgrade is obtained, the holographic area will disappear for a short time. Below is a list of all the Special Powers and their uses obtainable by using a Randomizer.

• Massive Damage - Doubles the damage enemy players take from the user's attacks.
• Unlimited Missile Ammo
• Unlimited Beam Ammo
• Invisibility - Can be countered by using the Dark Visor.
• Invincible Mode - Invincible to all attacks, weapons, and Dark Water; any shots will bounce off the user. Cannons and Terminal Falls can still kill the player.
• Death Ball - Covers the Morph Ball with a sheath of electrical energy. Contact results in severe damage. Cannot unmorph during use.
• Hacker Mode - Used in the same fashion as using the Scan Visor. Hacks another player's suit to inflict continuous damage and hinder vision. During Hacker Mode, the user cannot morph or exit out of Scan Visor. The Mode wears off over time, or once the player has infected all other players with it. Uploading takes some time, so it's best to make sure that their opponent is in view or else the hack ceases.

Official Data

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes manual

MULTIPLAYER MODES

"The single-player adventure is only part of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes; you can also battle up to three friends in split-screen, multiplayer matches. To get started, simply advanced past the title screen, use the Control Stick to select "Multiplayer", and press the A Button. Bear in mind that you'll have to have at least two Controllers plugged in to access this mode.
Once on the Multiplayer screen, each player should press A to select their character; you can also press Y at this time to adjust individual options. Once everyone is ready, press START/PAUSE to continue to the mode-selection screen."

WARRIOR'S WAYS

"The controls for multiplayer are the same as for single-player (pages 10-11). Players will start out with basic Power Beam functionality as well as Morph Ball, Boost Ball, Grapple Beam, Space Jump Boots, Spider Ball, and Bombs. However, the HUD will appear slightly different; you will have no spare Energy Tanks, Missiles, visors, and beams will only appear when you acquire them, and the ammo counter for Dark, Light, and Annihilator Beams will appear numerically only. The radar display in the upper left of your screen will still prove integral, as red dots will show you where your enemy is. Lock-on will still function, but you can escape a lock-on by turning into a Morph Ball and using the B Button to boost to safety."

Reception

Reaction to the Multiplayer feature is mixed. Some found it to be an entertaining extra; GamePro called it "simple, quirky, and ridiculously addictive". GameSpy however said it was "nothing memorable", and Eurogamer said that the single-player features did not translate well to multiplayer. Game Informer criticized the multiplayer mode because of its inclusion of the lock-on mechanism, considering it a feature that made gameplay too simple. The lock-on was altered in the New Play Control! and Metroid Prime Trilogy versions, since the Wii controls use the "Lock on/Free aim" mechanism, which allow players to merely follow players whilst moving around them, instead of locking a player's vision and aim.

Metroid Prime 2: Dark Echoes Q&A

QUESTION: In multiplayer are there any hidden characters?

ANSWER: Unfortunately, no. We will attempt this in the next installment.

QUESTION: Will there be any sort of "VS computer" features in multiplayer?

ANSWER: Unfortunately there will not.

QUESTION: How can you add more BGM and stages to multiplayer mode?

ANSWER: Play single player mode – you'll see.

QUESTION: The pleasantly difficult puzzle solving, beautiful graphics and music, the invigoration of becoming one with Samus... just as one would expect from a Metroid game. Inheriting the good qualities of the previous installment, yet still purified – very surprising and admirable. In addition to single player, while you can’t exactly play Metroid with your friends, the player vs player mode outweighs the lack of a true co-op game, sending shivers down my spine. If another game is released, I'd want to try playing as the anti-hero Dark Samus...

ANSWER: I think that in PVP mode, you'll need to cancel lock-on using the boost ball, which is totally different and fun from single player. As for Dark Samus... maybe we can expect something in the next installment?!

QUESTION: Why was multiplayer mode introduced?

ANSWER: Metroid has always been single player. But we thought that if Metroid fans across the world were able to play together it could be a fun experience, so we decided to implement it.[1]

Development notes

According to Mike Wikan, Retro Studios spent six months experimenting with Metroid multiplayer concepts; while it was not specifically designed for a sequel to Metroid Prime, the multiplayer mode in Echoes was the result.

According to Bryan Walker, Retro Studios did not look to other multiplayer games for ideas to implement the Echoes mode. He was satisfied with the final result. About 25% of the game's development time was spent on the multiplayer mode. He later said that the multiplayer mode was an experiment and the local split-screen type of multiplayer was popular with Nintendo players. While he enjoyed working on it, Walker noted that the Retro Studios team was not large enough to create or support a larger multiplayer in addition to the single-player experience.

Retrospectively, Jack Mathews, the technical lead for Echoes, said in an interview that he believed the multiplayer mode should not have been implemented due to the effort it took. This effort, he said, would have been better spent on the story, and he felt that Metroid should remain a single player game. Mathews revealed that elements such as a playable Space Pirate and wall grabs were scrapped, and said Metroid Prime Hunters handled its multiplayer components better. A Space Pirate's arm is present among Samus's first-person arms in the internal files of the Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Bonus Disc, which may correspond to Mathews' statement.

Kynan Pearson implied in an interview that the multiplayer mode was at one point more ambitious than the finished product. Modifiers were considered that would allow players to enable Spider Ball Tracks, Kinetic Orb Cannons and hazards like lava or Phazon on maps when setting up multiplayer matches. Such changes would alter the map in unique ways. In contrast to Mathews' sentiments, Pearson stated that there were "many exciting multiplayer possibilities" for Metroid, but it would need to be unexpected and well executed in contrast to standard multiplayer modes in other games.

The Echoes multiplayer mode did not inform the design of Metroid Prime Hunters' multiplayer, according to the latter game's single player and story designer Richard Vorodi.

Trivia

The set-up screen, with all 4 Samuses ready for combat.
(Gamecube version)

• Curiously, the images of Player 1 Samus and Player 4 Samus at the Player Enter screen both display Samus with the Arm Cannon on the left arm, likely due to being a mirrored recolor from Player 2 and 3's image. This oddity appears to be corrected in Metroid Prime Trilogy.
• The Samus models loaded during multiplayer are different than the single player model and possess a lower polygon count.
• An unused multiplayer stage was featured in the E3 2004 trailer. It contained lava and was possibly based on the Magmoor Caverns.
• "MusicSelectionOmegaPirate MusicSelectionPrime2 MusicSelectionRidley" are listed in the data of the original Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Multiplayer songs.
• There are notifications in the game's internal data that reference an unused multiplayer item called the Absorb Attack. Presumably, this attack would have absorbed shots fired from opponents: "Absorb Attack lost!/Absorb Attack acquired!"
• An early screenshot of the game displays the point counter to be slightly redesigned; more closer and compact to the split-screen borders. The same screenshot also appears to have a circular X symbol when locking onto opponents, likely to notify who is being currently locked-on (the final game uses rotatable orange arrows). This symbol will not display while in Morph Ball. Players also appear to start matches with an additional Energy Tank of energy available (meaning players can have up to 199 units of max energy). While Energy Tanks were removed in the final game, they can still be hacked in. Other early screenshots of Multiplayer feature characters on the HUD as red circles instead of orange.
  • Coincidentally, Metroid Prime Hunters has players starting with one available Energy Tank of energy.
• Lock-on can be escaped by the Morph Ball boost.
• The Death Ball has a function similar to the Deathalt in Metroid Prime Hunters.
• Observing another player perform a Space Jump shows that they will do a Spin Jump, even though their own visor will not show any indication of this. The motion is quite similar to Samus' two jumps in the Super Smash Bros. series.
• When one player is locking on to another Player, the latter player's view displays the former player placing their left hand on their Arm Cannon when idle, despite the former player's viewpoint not displaying their left hand.
• When holding down the R button, a player will have a green sphere on their left arm within their view despite some player colors possessing a non-green highlight color. Similarly within the player's self viewpoint, only Player 1 has an orange arm while all other players have a silver arm, despite possessing a different color suit for players 3 and 4.
• Similarly, the Grapple Beam attachment is not shown on any player's left arms, only on a player's own screen when firing the Grapple Beam or via Free-Aim (the attachment is curiously absent when morphing/unmorphing). The beam itself is still viewed by other players' screens.
• Sidehopper Station is largely based on the first area visited in Metroid Prime, the Frigate Orpheon, a Space Pirate frigate orbiting Tallon IV. The Sidehopper aspect of the station is likely a reference to the Sidehopper-like creature kept in a chamber in Biohazard Containment.
• If a player enters the Kinetic Orb Cannon and another player comes into contact with the cannon while it is firing, then the contacting player is killed. Using the Orb Cannons, it is possible for two players to crash into each other when fired from opposite launchers. This is most notable on Sidehopper Station and Spires. Even if a player is invulnerable, they can still be killed in this way.
• In the GameCube version of Echoes, several effects on the Charge Beams are missing. These include the Dark energy creeping over the Dark Beam, and the streams of Sonic energy moving from the charge of the Annihilator Beam. However, the New Play Control! version retains these changes.
• Echoes was originally planned to be multiplayer-focused, as seen in the early Metroid 1.5 design document. Said document mentioned an android double of Samus that she could build, which would act as the second player in a co-operative mode.

The Single player glitch within Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Multiplayer (note the irregular HUD).

Morph Ball in single player multiplayer mode.

• Using a glitch, it is possible to play Multiplayer stages as Single-Player.
  • Samus's Arm Cannon shots appear in a default location on the map away from herself at all times.
  • The number of remaining missiles has a horizontal line running through it. This is strange as this type of number shown is never seen anywhere else throughout the entire Prime series (including Echoes's single player mode).
  • A map is displayed, featuring a square location with many Blue Doors present (despite there being none at all).
  • The Threat Assessment will activate in the presence of a Terminal Fall in many areas containing such. Even if on solid ground, the Threat Assessment will be active, behaving more like a height indicator of sorts.
  • If the Grapple Beam is used, the game strangely crashes.
  • Under similar methods, it is possible to start a Multiplayer game with 0 players active. After selecting a stage, the game will crash upon loading, likely due to the lack of players active. Coincidently, a similar one player glitch occurred in Super Smash Bros. Melee.
• In the GameCube version, it is possible to hack nearly all of Samus's equipment found in Single-Player into Multiplayer. These hacks will apply to all Multiplayer participants.
  • The Dark and Light Suits will crash the game upon loading. These Suits were likely never implemented onto Players 2, 3, and 4. This only appears to occur on original hardware and may not crash if played on an Emulator. If so, then only the suit's properties will be active, not the accompanying visuals.
  • The Echo Visor will not detect invisible players.
  • The Screw Attack will instantly defeat opponents.
  • The Darkburst, Sunburst, and Sonic Boom all deal massive damage upon impact. The Sonic Boom appears to be using its Bonus Disc animations.
  • The Seeker Missile can only acquire three targets as opposed to five (one for each player).
    • If combined with the Super Missile item: when two missiles are fired, they fire horizontally. When three Missiles are fired, they fire in a triangle pattern. Both methods do not fire straight, instead firing sideways from the Arm Cannon's nozzle. Lock-On will only function if the "Super Seeker Missiles" are fired while an L Button Lock-On is active (this may require more room between players to perform).
  • Players can have max Energy and Missiles, but will always start with the default amount.
• In the Trilogy version, the above hacks can also be implemented but may have minor differences as noted below.
  • Likely due to coding, the Light Suit can be used for all players but will still visibly show the "Default" costumes. As with Single-Player, having the Light Suit negates the effects of the Dark Water found in Shooting Gallery.
  • The Echo Visor shows opponents a bit more clearly but will still not detect invisible players.
• While the main game allows the player to swap the Jump and Fire buttons, i.e. set them to A and B, respectively, multiplayer still uses the default control scheme regardless of this setting.
• The unused ammo meter seen offscreen in Morph Ball mode from single-player is still present. Like bipedal form in multiplayer, the name of the beam currently being used will always be displayed.
• In the Trilogy version, Grapple Beam sound effects do not play. This is most likely a glitch.
• The instruction manual for Trilogy names Energy Capsules as an Energy Ball.
• A multiplayer mode can be hacked into a single player campaign, albeit with multiplayer's limitations. This element bears a heavy resemblance to the scrapped Co-Op campaign mode from Metroid 1.5.
• In a similar fashion, using cheat codes can allow certain power-ups from Multiplayer to activate in single-player.
• It is possible for enemies from single-player to be modded or hacked into multiplayer mode. Enemies spawned in multiplayer mode will always go after Player 1.

Gallery

The Results Screen for the multiplayer mode (2-player match).

Player 1 and Player 4 using Free Aiming. Note the colored spheres on Player 4's left arm, which doesn't match the suit's orange color on Player 1's screen.

Two players using the Space Jump Boots.

A Three-player match. The unused player's screen is filled with the game's logo during combat.

Player 1 detonates a Power Bomb on Players 3 and 4, incinerating Player 3 and heavily damaging Player 4 with the blast.

The Death Ball being used to kill another player.

The Echo Visor being used (via hacking).

The Darkburst (via hacking) tearing apart an opponent player.

The Sunburst (via hacking) incinerating another player.

The Sonic Boom (via hacking) obliterating an opponent. Interestingly uses visuals unseen in Singleplayer, likely from the Charge Combo's Bonus Disc "Imploder".

The Screw Attack being used (via hacking).

The Seeker Missile (via hacking) being aimed at another player.

The Threat Assessment seen off-screen and unused in a 2-player Multiplayer match.