It's probably a good bet that many Nintendo fans are breathing a sigh of relief with the release of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption for the Wii. Ever since the console's strange new controller was first unveiled to the public, dreams of just how the thing would be implemented and (theoretically) improve how we play videogames started dancing the dance of promise and hope. The company was, after all, betting the farm that gameplay would win the day, and by carefully sculpting their future around such a peculiar motion-sensing device effectively painted themselves into a corner that only ingenuity and innovation could free them.

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is more evolutionary than revolutionary, as just about every single aspect of the formula that developer Retro Studios helped craft with the original game has been expanded and (mostly) improved upon. The Metroid franchise has always been a peculiar thing for Nintendo, certainly their most realistic franchise yet maintaining the same attention to detail and genre-defining gameplay that the company's other franchises are known for. It might seem odd that with our current generation of gaming so accepting of female heroines that the gender of Samus was once something to be unlocked, but it just goes to show you how far things have come in the last two decades of gaming.

The single largest concern on everyone's mind is, of course, how well the new controls work. The short answer would be that they work great. But a larger, more accurate, answer would be that never before has a console first-person shooter/adventure been such a joy to control and play around with. Within seconds, the stench of Red Steel and other attempts have been erased from memory, replaced with the joyous feeling of something terrifyingly new and awesome. You know the kind, where the overall experience is so fundamentally new that there's really no apt comparison and truly needs to be experienced to get an accurate grasp.

The game still handles fundamentally like you imagine it would, with the Nunchuk controlling movements and the Wiimote handling aiming, jumping, and various other activities. You're now able to jump while in ball-mode with just the flick of the Wiimote, leading to some interesting combinations and possibilities. The largest change of course would be directly aiming and firing, which thanks to the Wiimote and Nunchuk is no longer automatically controlled. This allows for a degree of complexity and maneuverability that the other games in the series could never achieve, and should help bridge the gap for those fans wishing for a more action-oriented experience. An ingenious innovation, however, would be the way that Retro was able to combine the free-range aiming with the lock-on targeting, allowing for an even greater degree of accuracy while switching between the game's numerous enemies.

Another great feature is the lock-on use of the grappling bean via the Nunchuk. Although Samus is still free to swing between platforms, she's now able to use the beam to grasp and pull various objects in the game, even to disarm enemies. This is actually handled brilliantly, and really does help create an exciting new gameplay mechanic and more than once had me actively getting caught up in the moment.

But control isn't the only place where the new mechanics come into play. Several spots in the game you'll encounter spots that require Samus to interact with objects and particles to get the job done, from pulling out energy cells to twisting and turning fuel pumps and others. While in another game these might come off gimmicky and superfluous, here they help establish a tactile relationship with what's on the screen and, to a lesser extent, a feeling of interactivity. The best example would be inside Samus' spaceship itself, where for the first time you'll be able to guide her fingers across the many buttons and panels to navigate across the stars.

The largest non-motion controlled change would be in the form of the Phazon-related charge beam that gives the title its name. When Samus is attacked by the dastardly Dark Samus (see Metroid Prime 2), she finds herself fitted with an enhanced suit that allows her to utilize the power her body is now regenerating by switching on the new hyper-mode. While charged up, Samus has never been more powerful and makes short work of any hapless enemy that gets in her way. But power corrupts, and stay charged up too long and you'll have one very corrupted Samus Aran on your hands. Although the temptation is great, you'll have to balance the benefits of power with staying uncorrupted if you're to finish the game without dying too many times. Choices, choices!

A quick note on the game's multi-player, or lack thereof. While I'm perfectly content to enjoy the outrageously good single-player adventure of MP3, it's still somewhat disappointing to have a total exclusion of any sort of multi-player mode at all. Nintendo's on record stating this was to make room for an exceptionally great single-player experience, but the Wii is a completely capable online console, and when coupled with the fact that the last two games in the series ("MP2" and the DS MP: Hunters) had relatively good multi-player modes, it remains a curious exclusion. Some Xbox Live-esque "achievements" that make use of the Wii Connect-24 service exist, but don't completely make up for the poor community experience.

The game's a visual stunner, there's just no way around it. So often when talking about a game's visuals do the terms "realistic" and "detailed" bring to mind drab colors and realistic rendering at the expense of artistic expression and (wait for it) color. To hear others speak of the visual expressiveness of MP3 and what an accomplishment they truly are is to almost hear an apologetic tone in their voice. While nobody in their right minds expects a Nintendo Wii game to boast HD-quality, photo-realistic graphics, did anyone ever stop to think that great visuals don't necessarily come from technology alone? There's an artistry at play here, clearly the product of talent well aware that while they may not be playing with the most advanced tools in the chest, they know how to use them.

But the game also kicks all sorts of visual booty, it's impossible not to be impressed. Nintendo's little console-that-could really struts its stuff here, firing every bit of processing power that Retro Studios can throw at it to really put on a dazzling display of color and design that's equal to (if not better) anything currently on the market. Technologically speaking, we've got an equal display of power that transcends the platform and will either make you glad you bought an HDTV (raises hand), or will make you want one. 60 frames per second flow like liquid butter in fantastic 16:9 progression-scan, never slowing down or chugging when the action gets all hot and bothered. The size and geometric complexity of these levels is staggering, easily larger than anything in the series up until now. Buckets of the most colorful polygons you've ever seen drip from every corner of the screen, with bloom lighting and spectacular particle effects helping create one of the most dazzling experiences you've ever seen. True, there are some instances of blurry textures and there' certainly a sense of deja-vu when compared with the past Prime titles, but even a few quibbles can't detract from one incredibly good looking game. Wii or otherwise.

On a personal note, the original Metroid Prime has one of my all-time favorite soundtracks ever recorded for a videogame, and after a somewhat disappointing take with the sequel, auditory bliss has once again returned. Kenji Yamamoto is back with a vengeance, easily composing his best score in a long time and nearly matching his revolutionary retread the first game achieved. As has become standard with all modern Metroid games, several remixes of classic themes are interspersed with original compositions, creating some of most bizarre (yet exciting) blends of subject and character ever heard in any game. Only a Metroid Prime title could so seamlessly pull off such a feat, easily combining ethereal ice cavern violins with pulsing techno blasts to craft a musical narrative that's as emotionally powerful as the game's stunning visuals. There's power in a certain five-chord progression that never fails to run shivers down my spine, as I'm sure it does to many. While note-for-note it may not match the original soundtrack, I plan on picking this one up as soon as it becomes available.

Although destined to cause endless heckling from some, I applaud Nintendo for bravely stepping into the mainstream and casting vocals for the game's extensive dialogue. Now before you run screaming from your house like an idiot, just know that Samus herself never utters a word. Much like her stable-mate Link, the true power of her narrative lay in keeping her silent and ever vigilant. While some may decry the voice-acting as unnecessary and may (rightfully so) argue they come at the expense of the singular moody theme the franchise is famous for, I thoroughly enjoyed the added depth and never would have imagined that a Metroid title could feel so epic. If Nintendo plans to similarly inject this feeling in the next Zelda title and can pull it off this successfully, I'm game.

With Metroid Prime 3, we have a fitting end to a triumphantly successful take on one of Nintendo's most beloved and influential franchises, and I suppose it will take someone with more imagination than myself to envision what's next for this franchise. While there probably won't be cries of "best game ever" this time around, there's no denying what an absolute complete package this is, and is easily one of the best games released in years. It's probably for the best that Nintendo and Retro Studios decided to conclude this generation of Metroid on such a high-note, crafting a terrific adventure while giving the first real glimpse of a future with their funny console mechanics. But for all the accolades most will heap upon it, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is one heck of a game.