Metroid Prime is an action-adventure game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. Metroid Prime is the fifth main installment in the Metroid franchise and the first game in the series to use 3D computer graphics and a first-person perspective. Because exploration takes precedence over combat, Nintendo classifies the game as a "first-person adventure" rather than a first-person shooter. It was released in North America in November 2002, and in Japan and Europe the following year. On the same day as its North American release, Nintendo also released the Game Boy Advance game Metroid Fusion, marking the return of the Metroid series after an eight-year hiatus following Super Metroid.
