Complaints about the game stemmed primarily from its control scheme. IGN found that the high learning curve and "cramp-inducing" control scheme made it difficult to play. This sentiment was shared by "Electronic Gaming Monthly", which claimed that placing the interface used to switch visors and weapons on the touchscreen made the process unnecessarily complex. The magazine was also disappointed with the game's single-player mode, claiming that it does not live up to the experience offered in previous games in the "Metroid Prime" series. They criticized the levels as "contrived and predictable", and noted that the designs felt too formulaic "after a few worlds of hunting for keys, fighting repeat bosses, and escaping before the bomb blows". "The Washington Times" agreed that the game's repetitiveness eventually grew tiring, and that "manipulating the DS controls will be a painfully cramped endeavor".