Metroid Prime: Federation Force is a cooperative first-person shooter video game developed by Next Level Games and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS. Taking place after the events of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (2007), players assume the role of Galactic Federation Marines attempting to thwart the continuing advances of the Space Pirates after Samus Aran eradicated the deadly Phazon mutagen. The gameplay places a greater emphasis on the shooting mechanics and multiplayer, similar to its handheld predecessor Metroid Prime Hunters, albeit with cooperation instead of competition. It also includes a competitive soccer-based game mode known as Metroid Prime: Blast Ball.
Federation Force'''s announcement was met with a largely negative reception from fans due to the game bearing very little resemblance to previous entries in the Metroid franchise. The game was further derided for its poor timing, as it was a spin-off title that was announced when the series had been on hiatus since the controversial Metroid: Other M (2010). Upon release, the game was a commercial failure and was met with a mixed reception.
Gameplay Metroid Prime: Federation Force plays similarly to Metroid Prime Hunters, which primarily focused on the shooting mechanics within the Metroid Prime series as opposed to the exploration. Like its handheld predecessor, Federation Force incorporates cooperative elements into the core gameplay. However, Federation Force lacks the touch-based controls of Hunters as well as the established scanning mechanics of the Metroid Prime series, which allowed players to analyze their character's surrounding environment and discover secrets.Federation Force is the first Metroid game where the player controls a Marine of the Galactic Federation. Within the context of the Metroid series, the Galactic Federation is a law-enforcing organization where soldiers are divided into platoons and go on planetary missions, which is how Federation Forces campaign is organized. The game features previously established aliens as enemies, including the titular jellyfish-like Metroids and Space Pirates. However, it also features original enemies, such as Goliath Beetles. The environments are diversified, with at least one mission taking place in an icy region, while another takes place in a desert.
Up to four players traverse the planets to meet their objective. Unlike the multiplayer modes within Hunters and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, players work cooperatively as a single unit as opposed to competing with each other. Before starting a mission, players can customize their Marine with different weapons and utilities. Some are more offensive, like the returning Super Missiles. Others are more strategic, such as a healing first aid device that allows one Marine to hang back and aid his comrades. The different weapons have weight-based properties that affect the player's speed and mobility. These mechanics are inspired by the options within classical role-playing games.Federation Force canonically occurs after Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. The young Marine goes through various parts of training and eventually be sent to carry out research missions on three different planets. While conducting these missions, it is discovered that the Space Pirates have been creating weapons in secrecy as part of a plot to use them against the Galactic Federation. Although Samus Aran is not the main protagonist, she is featured in the game and emphasis is made on encountering her from the perspective of the Federation Marines. Producer Kensuke Tanabe hoped that Federation Forces plot would lead to future Metroid Prime games based on the relationship between Samus and Sylux, with additional involvement from the Federation Marines.
Blast Ball
"Blast Ball" is a mode which offers three-on-three matches, where players in their mecha suits shoot balls into nets akin to both the real life sport soccer and the video game Rocket League. This mode serves as a tutorial for the control scheme and an in-universe exercise for the playable Marines.
This mode was originally unveiled as a separate game under the same name during the Nintendo World Championships and was the first reveal of Metroid Prime: Federation Force in general. This mode was also playable during E3 2015, where Federation Force was announced days later.