Nintendo and Rare Studios’ 2002 action-adventure game, Metroid Prime, has received a VR mod via PC emulation alongside 120Hz support.
Modder Nobbie has just released PrimedGun, a Dolphin ReduX-based build of the original Metroid Prime that adds a VR experience along with 120Hz support and full 6DOF/1:1 motion tracking. The modded version of the game can be downloaded from the project’s Github page here.
It’s worth noting that while both the 2002 GameCube original Metroid Prime and the 2023 Switch remaster can be emulated on PC, the mod is only available for the former.
The VR mod for Metroid Prime running via emulation on PC features full directional movement, a modern VR control scheme, visor head tracking with hand gesture input, improved gun-based targeting and grapple, 6DOF arm cannon tracking. one-click height calibration, cannon position, rotation calibration, easy cannon texture swapping tool, and an in-headset settings menu.
For the uninitiated, Metroid Prime was developed by Retro Studios for the Nintendo GameCube. It was the series’ first entry to feature fully 3D visuals and a first-person perspective. Set shortly after the original Metroid, the story follows bounty hunter Samus Aran as she investigates the planet Tallon IV and confronts the Space Pirates, who are conducting dangerous biological experiments. The camera switches to a third-person view whenever Samus transforms into her Morph Ball form. Gameplay combines exploration, puzzle-solving, platforming, and combat. Battles are aided by a lock-on targeting system that allows players to strafe around enemies while keeping them in their sights.
The success of Metroid Prime led to several sequels, including Metroid Prime 2: Echoes in 2004, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption in 2007, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond in 2025. An updated Wii version was released in Japan in 2009 and was also included in the international Metroid Prime: Trilogy collection. Later, the aforementioned remastered version launched on the Nintendo Switch in 2023.
