Metroid Prime is a video game developed by Retro Studios and Nintendo for the GameCube console. It was released in North America on November 17, 2002, and in Japan and Europe the following year. Metroid Prime is the fifth main installment and the first 3D game in the Metroid series. Because exploration takes precedence over combat, Nintendo classifies Metroid Prime as a first-person adventure rather than a first-person shooter.