Metroid has a long history, which began as a game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. But the game was sophisticated for the early 8-bit era, and players enjoyed being able to collect all sorts of abilities while exploring the huge areas that the game offered. Down the line, Nintendo announced that a new 3D Metroid adventure, called Metroid Prime, would be hitting store shelves. Many were skeptical about the decision to shift to three dimensions, but when it was released, and the public got its hands on it, it was clear that the perfect transition from 2D to 3D had been made. Corruption is the latest in the series, and builds upon the engine from the first two Prime games. For anyone wondering if this game holds up in the current-gen era, make no mistake about it; Corruption is truly a next generation game that fully utilizes the power of the Wii console and its unique control system.

The story kicks off immediately with the Galactic Federation calling in several bounty hunters to combat space pirates. The opening scenes and action sequences are some of the best storytelling Nintendo has ever accomplished. The cutscenes and voice acting establish a believable universe, and the story immediately draws you in. Familiar enemies will make early appearances to remind you that this is indeed a Metroid title. The threat of the space pirates cumulates with an epic battle between Samus and her iconic foe, Ridley, the leader of the space pirates. Samus puts in a finishing blow on Ridely that makes her the victor, but at a price. The fight is so devastating that Samus falls into a coma. Upon awakening a month later, she soon discovers that much has happened. The remaining bounty hunters have been dispersed to various planets with missions to investigate some disturbances. However, contact with all of the bounty hunters has been lost. Enter Samus, more powerful than ever after awakening from her coma. During her little nap, she was infused with Phazon, a power that allows her to "hulk out" at the expense of her energy tanks.

Corruption is a near perfect blend of excellent controls with an engaging adventure.

The rest of the story is told through cutscenes similar to the ones that the game opened with, as well as various transmissions from Aurora Units, which are giant brains that help you through your quest. The Aurora Units will point you in the right direction on a map, aid you in some of the puzzles, and generally lend a helping hand should you ever need one. And most likely you will, as the stages are all huge. However, often times, going off and doing your own thing will yield items such as missiles or energy tanks that you probably wouldn't have found if you had listened strictly the Aurora Units' guidance. Details on the back story can also be gleaned from scanning computer consoles and readouts. The text from these scans provides the history or details about the planet are space station you are visiting. Many of these story elements are saved in a log which can be accessed and read at any point.

The controls are what really make this title stand out. Pulling, pushing, and turning levers with the motions of your hands feels great, and aiming your cannon with the pointer feels natural and precise. Corruption is an adventure with a healthy dose of shooting, but if a fully fledged first-person shooter was released for the Wii with the exact same mechanics as this game, it's possible it could redefine how people play the genre on consoles.

Corruption is filled with an abundance of useful power-ups. Most of the power-ups will be familiar to those who have played the previous Metroid titles. There are the weapons that will freeze enemies while others that will incinerate them. There is the grappling hook and a morphing ball. And of course, the screw attack is tucked away in one of the many expansive corridors in the game. There are also a few new abilities available to Samus. One of them has the ability to call her ship in for attacks or to haul cargo. Imagine Batman whispering into his arm and then his car tearing around a corner - that's what it's like controlling a hulking space ship strapped with bombs and missiles. By the time you are near the end of the game, and Samus is truly powerful, she is more like a terrifying tank, crushing her way through space pirates, metroids, and anything else standing in her way.

Boss battles are one of the many occurrences that require the use of different weapons. In fact, boss battles are quite ingenious. Every boss has a pattern, and recognizing that pattern is the key to winning. However, this isn't as simple as it sounds. Bosses are fast and often times huge, and cannot be hurt unless the right combination of firepower and strategy is used. These fights are genuinely challenging, and though never overwhelming or cheap, beating a boss is rewarding both at the sense of accomplishment as well as the items they might leave behind.

One interesting thing this game offers is points for doing specific actions. These points are collected as different colored Metroid icons. These icons can be used to buy things from the Extras menu, such as a Metroid Mii, various bits of the score from the game, or bumper stickers for your ship. You can also trade vouchers with your friends who own the game and turn the traded vouchers into the colors icons that allow you to purchase items.

The boss battles are some of the most memorable moments of the game.

However, this game isn't perfect. In fact, it suffers from the same drawbacks as most other games like this suffer from. It's easy to get lost or overwhelmed. While the Aurora Units do help, there are still times where you truly will wonder what to do next and you won't know until you trigger then next transmission from the unit. This can feel random and cause frustration. However, the upside to this is it prompts exploration, and exploration almost always rewards with some sort of discovery.

Graphically, Corruption is very nice. At first glance, it's difficult to discern it from the GameCube titles. But upon further review, the game is without a doubt a huge step forward. The geometry is leaps and bounds better, creating a smoother look to the game. The textures are much cleaner looking and don't become fuzzy when viewed from up close. Everything about the game looks clean and highly polished. Many of the musical themes have been carried over from the previous Metroid Prime titles, creating a familiar and nostalgic atmosphere. The sound itself it outstanding, from the clank of Samus' boots hitting the ground, to the way a charged up beam wails from the pent up power. What worked in the previous Prime games works here, and most of the sound assets have been successfully reused.

The Wii is in need of more familiar franchises like Zelda and Corruption. Not only will titles like this drum up nostalgia for Nintendo fans, but they are essential because the Wii lacks options when it comes to large, adult oriented games. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption does the same thing for the Wii that the original Metroid did for the NES. It adds a level of style and sophistication that the system is not accustomed to, and proves that the unique controller can be used for something besides minigames. With the Wii still flying off store shelves, many people are going to be looking for games with some meat to them, and Corruption fits that bill.