Options

In the Metroid Prime Trilogy, the Options menu allows for customization of the game's controls, sound, graphics and other such features. The options change slightly from GameCube to Wii. Metroid Prime Trilogy features an omnibus option mode where customized options affect all three games.

The options menu in Prime features a spinning GameCube in the original game, but Wii in the Wii versions.

The options are divided into four categories, plus the option to Quit Game. All categories have a "Restore Defaults" option. The categories are as follows:

Visor/Helmet Opacity
Customized separately, these options tweak the opacity of the Visor and Helmet interior of Samus' Power Suit. Pushing the opacity to 0% causes the entire Heads-Up Display to disappear, apart from the energy meter. The Visor Opacity option in the sequels removes the energy meter as well.

HUD Lag
A toggling option. When Samus turns, her helmet and HUD will incline in whatever direction she is turning. Keeping this button off causes them to be still.

Hint System
A toggling option, disables or enables the Hint system.

Bonus Credit Messages
Only present in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, the New Play Control! games and Metroid Prime Trilogy. Enables or disables the message that appears when a Bonus Credit is earned (such as obtaining a Chozo Artifact or Dark Temple Key).

Screen Brightness
Adjusts brightness of the TV screen.

Screen Offset X/Y
Pushes the screen to the right or up.

Screen Stretch
Stretches the screen.

SFX/Music/Speech Volume
Customized separately, adjusts the volume of sound effects and music. In Corruption Speech customization is available. Turning it up in the options in Trilogy causes this to sound: "Don't let em flank us! Keep it tight!"

Sound Mode
Allows for customization of sound to Mono, Stereo or Dolby.

Reverse Y-Axis
Reverses the Y-Axis in controls, so moving directions are opposite from what would normally be used (e.g. holding down on the Control Stick aims up)

Rumble
Enables rumble during game events.

Lock On/Free Aim
Wii game-exclusive. Allows Samus to aim freely while locked onto an enemy.

Sensitivity
Wii game-exclusive. Alters the sensitivity of the Wii Remote being aimed.

Swap Beam Controls/Reverse Visor and Hyper
Switches the A-B buttons, so that B is now shoot and A is now jump. In Corruption, swaps the - and + buttons. Whereas - would bring up Visor Select, it will now activate Hypermode and vice-versa.

Boost Ball Aiming
Corruption exclusive. Allows for aiming of the Boost Ball in a specific direction;

Non-Prime games
None of the other Metroid games have had options accessible in a menu. Most of the other games in the Metroid series have had few options, apart from erasing and creating new game files, and those are only possible to do on the Samus Data Screen. In Metroid: Zero Mission, the options are in fact the extras section. Apart from the option of transferring sound to headphones (which is also present on the menu screen in Metroid Fusion), the Sound Test, Time Attack Records, two Galleries of endings (with one necessitating a link between Zero Mission and Fusion) and the original Metroid.

The Japanese versions of Fusion and Zero Mission featured Adult Mode and Child Mode, which either enabled or disabled kanji text to make reading for children easier.

Super Metroid featured customizable options on the Samus Data Screen. When selecting a file, the game's options would be laid out before launching into the game. Some of these included the Moon Walk, allowing Samus to walk backward while shooting at enemies, and Icon Cancel, which automatically disables Missiles, Super Missiles, Power Bombs, the Grapple Beam or X-Ray Scope, if they are selected, when Samus enters a new room.