is an
action-adventure game
The action-adventure genre is a video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres.
Typically, pure adventure games have situational problems for the player to solve to complete a story ...
franchise created by
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
. The player controls the bounty hunter
Samus Aran
is a fictional character and the playable protagonist of the video game series ''Metroid'' by Nintendo. She was created by Japanese video game designer Makoto Kano. She was introduced as a player character in the original 1986 video game ''Me ...
, who protects the galaxy from
Space Pirates
Space pirates are a type of stock character from space opera and soft science fiction. The archetype evolved from the air pirate trope popular from the turn of the century until the 1920s. By the 1930s, space pirates were recurring villains in ...
and other malevolent forces and their attempts to harness the power of the parasitic
Metroid
is an action-adventure game franchise created by Nintendo. The player controls the bounty hunter Samus Aran, who protects the galaxy from Space Pirate (Metroid), Space Pirates and other malevolent forces and their attempts to harness the powe ...
creatures.
The first ''
Metroid
is an action-adventure game franchise created by Nintendo. The player controls the bounty hunter Samus Aran, who protects the galaxy from Space Pirate (Metroid), Space Pirates and other malevolent forces and their attempts to harness the powe ...
'' was developed by
Nintendo R&D1
commonly abbreviated as Nintendo R&D1, was Nintendo's oldest video game development team. It was known as before splitting in 1978. Its creation coincided with Nintendo's entry into the video game industry, and the original R&D1 was headed by ...
and released on the
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in America ...
in 1986. It was followed by ''
Metroid II: Return of Samus'' (1991) for the handheld
Game Boy
The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America later the same year, and in Europe in late 1990. It was designed by the same ...
and ''
Super Metroid
is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1994. It is the third installment in the ''Metroid'' series, following the events of the Game Boy ...
'' (1994) for the
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Eur ...
. After a hiatus, ''
Metroid Fusion
is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance in 2002. It was developed by Nintendo Research & Development 1, which had developed the previous game in the series, ''Super Metroid'' (1994). Players contr ...
'' (2002) and ''
Metroid: Zero Mission'' (2004) were released for the
Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, 2 ...
.
The first 3D ''Metroid'' game, ''
Metroid Prime
''Metroid Prime'' is an action-adventure video 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 c ...
'' (2002), was developed by
Retro Studios
Retro Studios, Inc. is an American video game developer and subsidiary of Nintendo based in Austin, Texas. The studio is best known for its work on the ''Metroid Prime'' and ''Donkey Kong Country'' series, and has contributed to several other N ...
for the
GameCube
The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
, followed by ''
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes'' (2004) and the
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
game ''
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption'' (2007). ''
Metroid: Other M'' (2010), developed by
Team Ninja
is a Japanese video game developer, and a division of Koei Tecmo, founded in 1995 as a part of Tecmo. It is founded and formerly led by Tomonobu Itagaki, later by Yosuke Hayashi, and is best known for the ''Ninja Gaiden'' action-adventure game ...
for the Wii, received weaker reviews. After another hiatus, developer
MercurySteam
Mercury Steam Entertainment S.L., Trade name, doing business as MercurySteam, is a Spanish video game developer based in San Sebastián de los Reyes, Community of Madrid, Madrid. The company was founded by former members of Rebel Act Studios, w ...
helmed the return of 2D ''Metroid'' with ''
Metroid: Samus Returns'' (2017) for the handheld
Nintendo 3DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generatio ...
, followed by ''
Metroid Dread
''Metroid Dread'' is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo and MercurySteam and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It was released on October 8, 2021. Set after the events of ''Metroid Fusion'' (2002), players control ...
'' (2021) for the
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
.
''Metroid'' combines the
platforming of ''
Super Mario Bros.
is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The successor to the 1983 arcade game ''Mario Bros.'' and the first game in the ''Super Mario'' series, it was first released in 1985 for th ...
'' and the
exploration
Exploration refers to the historical practice of discovering remote lands. It is studied by geographers and historians.
Two major eras of exploration occurred in human history: one of convergence, and one of divergence. The first, covering most ...
of ''
The Legend of Zelda
''The Legend of Zelda'' is an action-adventure game franchise created by the Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo, although some portable installments and re-rele ...
'' with a
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...
setting and an emphasis on
nonlinear gameplay
A video game with nonlinear gameplay presents players with challenges that can be completed in a number of different sequences. Each player may take on (or even encounter) only some of the challenges possible, and the same challenges may be played ...
. Players battle hostile alien enemies and obtain
power-ups
In video games, a power-up is an object that adds temporary benefits or extra abilities to the player character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a permanent benefit that can be used at any time chosen ...
as they progress through the game world. The series is known for its isolated atmosphere, featuring few
non-player character
A non-player character (NPC), or non-playable character, is any character in a game that is not controlled by a player. The term originated in traditional tabletop role-playing games where it applies to characters controlled by the gamemaster o ...
s. Most ''Metroid'' games are
side-scrolling, while the ''Prime'' games use a
first-person perspective
A first-person narrative is a mode of storytelling in which a storyteller recounts events from their own point of view using the first person It may be narrated by a first-person protagonist (or other focal character), first-person re-teller, ...
.
, the ''Metroid'' series had sold over 17.44 million copies.
The series has been represented in other Nintendo media, including the ''
Super Smash Bros.
''Super Smash Bros.'' is a Crossover (fiction), crossover fighting game series published by Nintendo. The series was created by Masahiro Sakurai, who has directed every game in the series. The series is known for its unique gameplay objectiv ...
'' series.
Additional media includes soundtracks, comic books, and manga. Along with the 1997
Konami
, is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company, video game and entertainment company headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo, it also produces and distributes trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, pachinko machin ...
game ''
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night'', the early ''Metroid'' games defined the
Metroidvania
Metroidvania is a sub-genre of platform video games focused on guided non-linearity and utility-gated exploration and progression. The term is a portmanteau of the names of the video game series '' Metroid'' and ''Castlevania'', with games in th ...
subgenre, inspiring other games with continuous, explorable side-scrolling levels. Samus was one of the first prominent female video game characters.
History
2D origins (1986–2004)
The central figures in the production and development of the ''Metroid'' series are
Satoru Okada
Satoru Okada (岡田 智 ''Okada Satoru'', born January 10, 1947) is the former general manager of Nintendo Research & Engineering, the division designing and developing Nintendo handheld game consoles. He is best known for creating the original ...
, who directed ''
Metroid
is an action-adventure game franchise created by Nintendo. The player controls the bounty hunter Samus Aran, who protects the galaxy from Space Pirate (Metroid), Space Pirates and other malevolent forces and their attempts to harness the powe ...
'' and created the series;
Yoshio Sakamoto
(born July 23, 1959) is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer. He has worked at Nintendo since 1982. He has directed several games in the ''Metroid'' series. He is one of the most prominent members of Nintendo's former Research ...
, who acted as a character designer for the first game and has directed or supervised the development of most of the subsequent games;
Gunpei Yokoi
, sometimes transliterated Gumpei Yokoi, was a Japanese video game designer. He was a long-time Nintendo employee, best known as creator of the Game & Watch handheld system, inventor of the cross-shaped Control Pad, the original designer of th ...
, who headed the R&D1 division and produced the first two games;
Makoto Kano, who wrote the scenario for ''Metroid'', co-designed the second game, and produced the third; and
Hiroji Kiyotake
Hiroji Kiyotake (清武 博二 Kiyotake Hiroji, born December 21, 1960 in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan) is a game designer for Nintendo and has been a part of the history of Nintendo since 1983.
Education
Kiyotake graduated from Kyoto Seika Univer ...
, who designed characters for the original game.
The original ''
Metroid
is an action-adventure game franchise created by Nintendo. The player controls the bounty hunter Samus Aran, who protects the galaxy from Space Pirate (Metroid), Space Pirates and other malevolent forces and their attempts to harness the powe ...
'', an
action game
An action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes a large variety of sub-genres, such as fighting games, beat 'em ups, shooter games, and platform gam ...
for the
Family Computer Disk System
The commonly shortened to the Famicom Disk System or just Disk System, is a peripheral for Nintendo's Family Computer home video game console, released only in Japan on February 21, 1986. It uses proprietary floppy disks called "Disk Cards" f ...
, was developed by Nintendo's
Research and Development 1 (R&D1) and released in Japan on August 6, 1986.
It was published for the
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit third-generation home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan in 1983 as the commonly known as the The NES, a redesigned version, was released in America ...
in August 1987 in North America and on January 15, 1988, in Europe.
It was directed by
Satoru Okada
Satoru Okada (岡田 智 ''Okada Satoru'', born January 10, 1947) is the former general manager of Nintendo Research & Engineering, the division designing and developing Nintendo handheld game consoles. He is best known for creating the original ...
.
''Metroid'' was designed to be a shooting game that combined the platform jumping of ''
Super Mario Bros.
is a platform game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The successor to the 1983 arcade game ''Mario Bros.'' and the first game in the ''Super Mario'' series, it was first released in 1985 for th ...
'' with the non-linear exploration of ''
The Legend of Zelda
''The Legend of Zelda'' is an action-adventure game franchise created by the Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo, although some portable installments and re-rele ...
'' and a darker aesthetic. The name of the game is a
portmanteau
A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of words[rapid transit
Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT), also known as heavy rail or metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. A rapid transit system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be c ...](_blank)
) and android, and was meant to allude to the mainly underground setting of the first game as well as its robot-like protagonist. Halfway through development of the original ''Metroid'', one of the staff said to his fellow developers "Hey, wouldn't that be kind of cool if it turned out that this person inside the suit was a woman?", and the idea was accepted.
Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is a British film director and producer. Directing, among others, science fiction films, his work is known for its atmospheric and highly concentrated visual style. Scott has received many accolades thr ...
's 1979 science-fiction horror film ''
Alien
Alien primarily refers to:
* Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country
** Enemy alien, the above in times of war
* Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth
** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...
'' was described by Sakamoto as a "huge influence" after the world of the first ''Metroid'' had been created. In recognition of this, a main antagonist was given the name
Ridley, after director
Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is a British film director and producer. Directing, among others, science fiction films, his work is known for its atmospheric and highly concentrated visual style. Scott has received many accolades thr ...
. The development staff were also influenced by the work of the film's creature designer
H. R. Giger
Hans Ruedi Giger ( ; ; 5 February 1940 – 12 May 2014) was a Swiss artist best known for his airbrushed images that blended human physiques with machines, an art style known as " biomechanical". Giger later abandoned airbrush for pastels, mark ...
, finding his style to be fitting for the ''Metroid'' universe.
''
Metroid II: Return of Samus'' was released for the
Game Boy
The is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America later the same year, and in Europe in late 1990. It was designed by the same ...
in 1991 in North America and in 1992 in Japan. ''Metroid II'' also further established Samus' visual design, with the bulky Varia Suit upgrade and different arm cannons.
As R&D1 were committed to making another game, Nintendo brought in
Intelligent Systems
is a Japanese video game developer best known for developing games with Nintendo and the ''Fire Emblem'', ''Paper Mario (series), Paper Mario'', ''WarioWare'', and ''Wars (series), Wars'' video game series. Originally, the company was headqua ...
to develop ''
Super Metroid
is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1994. It is the third installment in the ''Metroid'' series, following the events of the Game Boy ...
'' for the
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in Eur ...
(SNES).
''Super Metroid'' drastically expanded the ''Metroid'' formula, with numerous new power-ups and a richer story. It was released to critical acclaim and is considered one of the best SNES games.
It was directed by
Yoshio Sakamoto
(born July 23, 1959) is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer. He has worked at Nintendo since 1982. He has directed several games in the ''Metroid'' series. He is one of the most prominent members of Nintendo's former Research ...
, character designer for the first ''Metroid''; Sakamoto has directed or produced most of the 2D ''Metroid'' games since.
In 2002, Nintendo released ''
Metroid Fusion
is an action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance in 2002. It was developed by Nintendo Research & Development 1, which had developed the previous game in the series, ''Super Metroid'' (1994). Players contr ...
'', a 2D game for the
Game Boy Advance
The (GBA) is a 32-bit handheld game console developed, manufactured and marketed by Nintendo as the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001, in North America on June 11, 2001, in the PAL region on June 22, 2 ...
(GBA).
It was developed by R&D1 and written and directed by Sakamoto.
Its gameplay is similar to that of ''Super Metroid'',
but with a more mission-based structure that gives more guidance to the player. The team's next GBA project was ''
Zero Mission'' (2004), a remake of the original ''Metroid''.
Both GBA games received acclaim. A Nintendo restructure merged R&D1 with R&D2 in 2003, shortly ahead of the release of ''Zero Mission''. A 2D ''Metroid'' game for the DS, ''
Metroid Dread
''Metroid Dread'' is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo and MercurySteam and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It was released on October 8, 2021. Set after the events of ''Metroid Fusion'' (2002), players control ...
'', was in development around 2006, but was not released until 2021 for the
Switch
In electrical engineering, a switch is an electrical component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit, interrupting the electric current or diverting it from one conductor to another. The most common type of ...
.
Transition to 3D (2002–2007)
Nintendo considered developing a ''Metroid'' game for the
Nintendo 64
The (N64) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo. The successor to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, it was released on June 23, 1996, in Japan, on September 29, 1996, in North America, and on March 1, 1997, in Europe and Au ...
, but could not generate concrete ideas; Sakamoto said: "When I held the N64 controller in my hands I just couldn't imagine how it could be used to move Samus around".
An unidentified company received an offer from Nintendo to develop an N64 ''Metroid'', but they turned it down, saying they were not confident they could create a worthwhile successor to ''Super Metroid''.
Samus first appeared in 3D in the N64 fighting game ''
Super Smash Bros.
''Super Smash Bros.'' is a Crossover (fiction), crossover fighting game series published by Nintendo. The series was created by Masahiro Sakurai, who has directed every game in the series. The series is known for its unique gameplay objectiv ...
'' (1999).
In 2000, Nintendo producer
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer, producer and game director at Nintendo, where he serves as one of its representative directors. Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential designers in the history of video games, he is ...
visited the new Nintendo subsidiary
Retro Studios
Retro Studios, Inc. is an American video game developer and subsidiary of Nintendo based in Austin, Texas. The studio is best known for its work on the ''Metroid Prime'' and ''Donkey Kong Country'' series, and has contributed to several other N ...
in
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...
, and tasked Retro with developing a ''Metroid'' game for their new console, the
GameCube
The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
. ''
Metroid Prime
''Metroid Prime'' is an action-adventure video 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 c ...
'', the first 3D ''Metroid'' game, moved the nonlinear structure of ''Super Metroid'' to a
first-person perspective
A first-person narrative is a mode of storytelling in which a storyteller recounts events from their own point of view using the first person It may be narrated by a first-person protagonist (or other focal character), first-person re-teller, ...
;
Nintendo stressed that it was not a
first-person shooter
First-person shooter (FPS) is a sub-genre of shooter video games centered on gun and other weapon-based combat in a first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action through the eyes of the protagonist and controlling the pl ...
but a "first-person adventure".
''
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes'' (2004) saw Samus switching between parallel light and dark worlds, and introduced more difficulty.
''
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption'', released for
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
in 2007, added
motion controls
In video games and entertainment systems, a motion controller is a type of game controller that uses accelerometers or other sensors to Motion capture, track motion and provide input.
History
Motion controllers using accelerometers are used as c ...
and has Samus exploring separate planets, with more emphasis on shooting action.
The ''Prime'' games were rereleased for Wii in the compilation ''
Metroid Prime: Trilogy''.
In 2005, Nintendo released ''
Metroid Prime Pinball
''Metroid Prime Pinball'' is a pinball video game themed after the ''Metroid'' series. The game uses the graphical style and various story elements from ''Metroid Prime''. It was developed by Fuse Games and published by Nintendo for the Ninte ...
'', a
pinball
Pinball games are a family of games in which a ball is propelled into a specially designed table where it bounces off various obstacles, scoring points either en route or when it comes to rest. Historically the board was studded with nails call ...
spin-off, for the handheld
Nintendo DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...
.
''
Metroid Prime Hunters
''Metroid Prime Hunters'' is an action-adventure game published by Nintendo and developed by its Redmond-based subsidiary, Nintendo Software Technology, for the Nintendo DS. It was released in North America in March 2006, with other territorie ...
'', a
multiplayer game
A game is a structured form of play (activity), play, usually undertaken for enjoyment, entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator s ...
developed by
Nintendo Software Technology
Nintendo Software Technology Corporation, doing business as Nintendo Software Technology (NST), is an American video game developer. NST was created by Nintendo as a first-party developer to create games for the North American market, though their ...
, was released for the DS in 2006.
Genre divergence and critical decline (2010–2016)
A new 3D ''Metroid'' game, ''
Metroid: Other M'', developed with Japanese studio
Team Ninja
is a Japanese video game developer, and a division of Koei Tecmo, founded in 1995 as a part of Tecmo. It is founded and formerly led by Tomonobu Itagaki, later by Yosuke Hayashi, and is best known for the ''Ninja Gaiden'' action-adventure game ...
and directed by Sakamoto, was released for Wii in 2010.
It featured a third-person perspective and placed a greater focus on story and action. ''Other M'' received weaker reviews, with criticism for its characterization of Samus as timid and emotional and its reduced emphasis on exploration. ''
Polygon
In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure that is described by a finite number of straight line segments connected to form a closed ''polygonal chain'' (or ''polygonal circuit''). The bounded plane region, the bounding circuit, or the two toge ...
'' described ''Other M'' as "such a massive misfire and a flop with fans that it practically killed the series", with no major new ''Metroid'' games in the following decade.
The franchise was represented by a
minigame
A minigame (also spelled mini game and mini-game, sometimes called a subgame or microgame) is a short game often contained within another video game. A minigame contains different gameplay elements, and is often smaller or more simplistic, than th ...
, "Metroid Blast", in the
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
The W ...
game ''
Nintendo Land
is a party video game developed and published by Nintendo as a pack-in launch title for the Wii U home video game console in 2012. The game was first announced at E3 2012 during Nintendo's press conference.
''Nintendo Land'' features twelve mi ...
'' (2012), which had a mixed reception.
The player using the
Wii U GamePad
The Wii U GamePad is the standard game controller for Nintendo's Wii U home video game console. Incorporating traits from tablet computers, the GamePad has traditional input methods (such as buttons, dual analog sticks, and a D-pad), touchscreen ...
controls
Samus' gunship, while up to four players with
Wii Remote
The Wii Remote, also known colloquially as the Wiimote, is the primary game controller for Nintendo's Wii home video game console. An essential capability of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with ...
s and Nunchuks control
Mii
A Mii ( ) is a customizable avatar used on several Nintendo video game consoles and mobile apps. Miis were first introduced on the Wii console in 2006 and later appeared on the 3DS, Wii U, the Switch, and various apps for smart devices. Miis c ...
characters on foot, wearing Varia Suits. Miyamoto said this reflected his ideas for future ''Metroid'' games.
In 2014, a former artist from
Next Level Games
Next Level Games, Inc. is a Canadian video game developer owned by Nintendo based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Founded in August 2002, Next Level Games specializes in creating Video game console, console video games. Their first project was '' ...
said that Next Level had built a
Nintendo 3DS
The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo. It was announced in March 2010 and unveiled at E3 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS. The system features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS video games. As an eighth-generatio ...
''Metroid'' prototype before Nintendo asked them to develop ''
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon'' instead. In 2016, Nintendo released ''
Metroid Prime: Federation Force'', a multiplayer game for the 3DS developed by
Next Level Games
Next Level Games, Inc. is a Canadian video game developer owned by Nintendo based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Founded in August 2002, Next Level Games specializes in creating Video game console, console video games. Their first project was '' ...
. It received criticism for its multiplayer focus and frivolous tone.
Return to original genre (2017–present)
In 2017, Nintendo released a remake of ''Metroid II'' for the 3DS, ''
Metroid: Samus Returns'', developed by
MercurySteam
Mercury Steam Entertainment S.L., Trade name, doing business as MercurySteam, is a Spanish video game developer based in San Sebastián de los Reyes, Community of Madrid, Madrid. The company was founded by former members of Rebel Act Studios, w ...
and
Nintendo EPD
commonly abbreviated as Nintendo EPD, is the largest division within the Japanese video game company Nintendo. The division focuses on developing and producing video games, mobile apps, and other related entertainment software for the company. E ...
.
It retained the side-scrolling gameplay of the original, adding 3D graphics and new gameplay features such as melee combat.
At
E3 2017
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2017 (E3 2017) was the 23rd E3, during which hardware manufacturers and software developers and publishers from the video game industry presented new and upcoming products to the attendees, primarily retailers a ...
, Nintendo announced ''
Metroid Prime 4
''Metroid Prime 4'' is an upcoming video game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. The title was announced during an online showcase at E3 2017, and was reportedly initially developed by Bandai Namco St ...
'' for the
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
. According to ''
Eurogamer
''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 and owned by alongside formed company Gamer Network. Its editor-in-chief is Martin Robinson.
Since 2008, it is known for the formerly eponymous games trade fair EGX ...
'', it was initially developed by
Bandai Namco Studios
is a Japanese video game development, video game developer headquartered in Kōtō, Tokyo. Its offices in Malaysia and Singapore, Bandai Namco Studio Malaysia and Bandai Namco Studios Singapore, are based out of Selangor, Malaysia and Infinite St ...
, but Nintendo was not satisfied with its progress. In 2019, development restarted under Retro Studios, the developer of the previous ''Metroid Prime'' games.
In 2021, Nintendo released a new 2D ''Metroid'' game, ''
Metroid Dread
''Metroid Dread'' is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo and MercurySteam and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It was released on October 8, 2021. Set after the events of ''Metroid Fusion'' (2002), players control ...
'', for the
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
, developed with MercurySteam. The game is a realization of the cancelled Nintendo DS project from the late 2000s.
By May 10, 2022, it had sold more than 2.9 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling ''Metroid'' game.
Gameplay
The ''Metroid'' series contains gameplay elements from shooter,
platformer
A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are charac ...
, and adventure games.
The series is notable for its non-linear progression and solitary exploration format where the player only controls
Samus Aran
is a fictional character and the playable protagonist of the video game series ''Metroid'' by Nintendo. She was created by Japanese video game designer Makoto Kano. She was introduced as a player character in the original 1986 video game ''Me ...
, with few or no other characters to interact with. The series has been a
2D side-scroller in all its incarnations until the ''Metroid Prime'' series changed the perspective to a
first-person perspective
A first-person narrative is a mode of storytelling in which a storyteller recounts events from their own point of view using the first person It may be narrated by a first-person protagonist (or other focal character), first-person re-teller, ...
, leading to a new
first-person shooter
First-person shooter (FPS) is a sub-genre of shooter video games centered on gun and other weapon-based combat in a first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action through the eyes of the protagonist and controlling the pl ...
element. The player gains items and
power-up
In video games, a power-up is an object that adds temporary benefits or extra abilities to the player character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a permanent benefit that can be used at any time chosen ...
s for Samus's cybernetic suit primarily through exploration, and occasionally by defeating alien creatures through real-time combat with the suit's arm cannon. Many such upgrades enable further avenues of exploration.
A recurring upgrade is the Morph Ball, which allows Samus to curl into a ball, roll into tight places and plant bombs.
The original ''Metroid'' was influenced by two other major
Nintendo
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles.
Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...
franchises: ''
Mario
is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creat ...
'', from which it borrowed extensive areas of platform jumping, and ''
The Legend of Zelda
''The Legend of Zelda'' is an action-adventure game franchise created by the Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo, although some portable installments and re-rele ...
'', from which it borrowed non-linear exploration.
The game differed in its atmosphere of solitude and foreboding.
''Metroid'' was also one of the first video games to feature an exploration to the left as well as the right, and backtracking to already explored areas to search for secret items and paths.
Story
''Metroid'' follows the adventures of bounty hunter
Samus Aran
is a fictional character and the playable protagonist of the video game series ''Metroid'' by Nintendo. She was created by Japanese video game designer Makoto Kano. She was introduced as a player character in the original 1986 video game ''Me ...
, who battles the villainous Space Pirates. The pirates threaten the Galactic Federation with their attempts to harness biological weapons such as the parasitic Metroid creatures and the hazardous Phazon material.
Samus was raised by the Chozo, an avian race, after her parents were killed by Space Pirates. She serves in the military of the Galactic Federation before departing and beginning work as a bounty hunter,
while facing the forces of
Ridley and
Mother Brain.
In the original ''Metroid'', Samus travels to the planet Zebes to stop the Space Pirates from using the Metroids to create biological weapons.
She defeats the cybernetic lifeform Mother Brain, as well as its guardians, Kraid and Ridley.
The ''Metroid Prime'' series is set between ''Metroid'' and ''Metroid II''.
In ''Metroid Prime'', Samus travels to Tallon IV to stop the Space Pirates from exploiting a powerful radioactive substance named Phazon,
where she defeats the titular enemy, a Phazon infected Metroid. ''Metroid Prime: Hunters'' sees Samus respond to a distress call to the Alimbic Cluster, and fights alongside other bounty hunters against a creature named Gorea.
In ''Metroid Prime 2: Echoes'', Samus explores the planet Aether, which has been split into "light" and "dark" dimensions, and battles Dark Samus (the revived Metroid Prime) and the Ing race. In ''Metroid Prime 3: Corruption'', Samus searches for bounty hunters who have been infected with Phazon, while being slowly corrupted by Phazon herself,
but ultimately succeeds in eradacating both the Phazon and her double. ''Metroid Prime: Federation Force'', the only game in which players do not control Samus, sees Samus mind-controlled by Space Pirates; the Federation Force battles to rescue her and destroy the Space Pirates.
In ''Metroid II'', Samus travels to the Metroid homeworld, SR388, to exterminate the species, but saves a hatchling Metroid that bonds to her and delivers it to the Ceres research station for study.
In ''Super Metroid'', Ridley steals the hatchling and takes it to Zebes, where the Space Pirates are attempting to clone the Metroids. Samus is nearly killed by the revived Mother Brain, but is rescued by the now grown Metroid which sacrifices itself and Samus destroys Mother Brain in retaliation. She then escapes as Zebes explodes.
In ''Metroid: Other M'', set after ''Super Metroid'', Samus investigates a derelict space station with a Galactic Federation platoon.
They team up to stop a clone of Mother Brain created by a Federation group.
In ''Metroid Fusion'', Samus investigates a space station in orbit around SR388 infested with parasitic organisms which can infect and take the shape of its victims known as X parasites.
Samus is infected by one but is saved using a vaccine made from the baby Metroid's cells. She discovers that the Federation has been cloning Metroids in secret, and sets the space station on a collision with SR388 to destroy the X parasites.
''Metroid Dread'' continues where ''Fusion'' left off, with the Federation dispatching a squadron of advanced automatons known as E.M.M.I. to investigate the planet ZDR, where X parasite has been sighted. Samus is sent to the planet herself after contact is lost, coming into conflict with the X and a Chozo war criminal named Raven Beak, stopping both from invading the rest of the galaxy.
Audio
The ''Metroid'' series has been noted and praised for its unique style of
video game music
Video game music (or VGM) is the soundtrack that accompanies video games. Early video game music was once limited to sounds of early sound chips, such as programmable sound generators (PSG) or FM synthesis chips. These limitations have led to ...
.
Hirokazu "Hip" Tanaka, composer of the original ''Metroid'', has said he wanted to make a score that made players feel like they were encountering a "living creature" and had no distinction between music and sound effects.
The only time the main ''Metroid'' theme was heard was after Mother Brain is defeated; this is intended to give the player a
catharsis
Catharsis (from Greek , , meaning "purification" or "cleansing" or "clarification") is the purification and purgation of emotions through dramatic art, or it may be any extreme emotional state that results in renewal and restoration. In its lite ...
. At all other times, no melodies are present in the game.
The composer of ''
Super Metroid
is an action-adventure game developed by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1994. It is the third installment in the ''Metroid'' series, following the events of the Game Boy ...
'',
Kenji Yamamoto, came up with some of the games' themes by humming them to himself while riding his motorcycle to work. He was asked to compose the music for ''
Metroid Prime
''Metroid Prime'' is an action-adventure video 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 c ...
'' to reinforce the series continuity.
''Metroid Primes
Dolby Pro Logic II
Dolby Pro Logic is a surround sound processing technology developed by Dolby Laboratories, designed to decode soundtracks encoded with Dolby Surround.
Dolby Stereo (also known as ''Dolby MP'' or ''Dolby SVA'') was developed by Dolby in 1976 fo ...
surround sound was mixed by a member of
Dolby
Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (often shortened to Dolby Labs and known simply as Dolby) is an American company specializing in audio noise reduction, audio encoding/compression, spatial audio, and HDR imaging. Dolby licenses its technologies to ...
.
Developers from
Retro Studios
Retro Studios, Inc. is an American video game developer and subsidiary of Nintendo based in Austin, Texas. The studio is best known for its work on the ''Metroid Prime'' and ''Donkey Kong Country'' series, and has contributed to several other N ...
noted how the 6
MB memory budget for all sound effects of a level in ''Metroid Prime'' was crucial in producing a quality soundtrack, as each sound had to be of high quality to be included.
Composer Kenji Yamamoto used heavy drums, piano, voiced chants, clangs of pipes, and electric guitar.
''
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption'' took advantage of the increased
RAM
Ram, ram, or RAM may refer to:
Animals
* A male sheep
* Ram cichlid, a freshwater tropical fish
People
* Ram (given name)
* Ram (surname)
* Ram (director) (Ramsubramaniam), an Indian Tamil film director
* RAM (musician) (born 1974), Dutch
* Ra ...
in the
Wii
The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other Regional lockout, regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major ho ...
, allowing for higher-quality audio samples.
Kenji Yamamoto, who composed the music for ''Super Metroid'' and the ''Prime'' trilogy, copied the musical design of the original ''Metroid'' in ''Metroid Prime 3'', by keeping the music and themes dark and scary until the very end, when uplifting music is played during the credits.
In other media
''Super Smash Bros.'' franchise
Samus is a playable character in all five ''Super Smash Bros.'' games. Games from ''
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' is a 2008 List of crossovers in video games, crossover fighting game, fighting video game developed by Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The third installment in the Super Smash Bros., ''Super Smash ...
'' onward also feature Zero Suit Samus, a version of the heroine using the blue form-fitting suit seen in ''Zero Mission'' and the ''Prime'' series. Ridley makes cameos in ''
Super Smash Bros.
''Super Smash Bros.'' is a Crossover (fiction), crossover fighting game series published by Nintendo. The series was created by Masahiro Sakurai, who has directed every game in the series. The series is known for its unique gameplay objectiv ...
'', where he can be seen flying through the level Zebes, and in ''
Super Smash Bros. Melee
''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' is a 2001 Fictional crossover, crossover fighting game, fighting video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the GameCube. It is the second installment in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series. I ...
'' both as an unlockable trophy and in the game's opening, where he is fighting Samus at Ceres Space Station. In ''
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' is a 2008 List of crossovers in video games, crossover fighting game, fighting video game developed by Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The third installment in the Super Smash Bros., ''Super Smash ...
'', Ridley appears as a boss character in both normal and Meta Ridley forms.
Due to demand from fans, Ridley was made a playable fighter in ''
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeeding ...
'' alongside fellow newcomer Dark Samus. Kraid also appeared in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' as a stage hazard in Brinstar Depths and unlockable trophy. Various other characters such as Metroids, Mother Brain and Dark Samus appear as either trophies or stickers in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series as well. A number of locations from the ''Metroid'' franchise have appeared in ''Super Smash Bros.'' games as battle stages.
Other games
Samus has appeared in other Nintendo games such as ''
Super Mario RPG
''Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars'' is a role-playing video game developed by Square (video game company), Square and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1996. It was the final ''Mario (franchise), Ma ...
'', the NES version of ''
Tetris
''Tetris'' (russian: link=no, Тетрис) is a puzzle video game created by Soviet software engineer Alexey Pajitnov in 1984. It has been published by several companies for multiple platforms, most prominently during a dispute over the approp ...
'', ''
Tetris DS'', ''
Galactic Pinball
is a pinball video game for Nintendo's Virtual Boy game console. The game was released on July 21, 1995 in Japan and on August 14, 1995 in the United States. It is set in the Milky Way galaxy, and has players maneuvering a puck around one of fo ...
'', ''
Kirby Super Star
''Kirby Super Star'', released as ''Kirby's Fun Pak'' in PAL regions, is an anthology platform video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1996. It is part of the ''Kirby'' serie ...
'', ''
Kirby's Dream Land 3
''Kirby's Dream Land 3'' is a platform game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Starring Kirby, it is the fifth installment in the ''Kirby'' series and the third game under the ''K ...
'' and ''
WarioWare
is a video game series, a Spin-off (media), spin-off of the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise. It comprises various video games created by Nintendo, starring the character Wario. The series began with ''Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3'', th ...
''.
A Metroid-lookalike enemy, called the Komayto, appears in ''
Kid Icarus
''Kid Icarus'' is a platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Family Computer Disk System in Japan and the Nintendo Entertainment System in Europe and North America. It was released in Japan in December 1986, in Europe in Feb ...
'' for the NES; the characters allude to the similarities between the two in ''
Kid Icarus: Uprising''.
In ''
Dead or Alive: Dimensions'', a
fighting game
A fighting game, also known as a versus fighting game, is a video game genre, genre of video game that involves combat between two or more players. Fighting game combat often features mechanics such as Blocking (martial arts), blocking, grappli ...
developed by Team Ninja for the 3DS, one stage is a replica of the arena in which Samus fights Ridley in ''Metroid: Other M'' and features both as non-playable characters; When asked why Samus is not playable in ''Dimensions'',
Team Ninja's Yosuke Hayashi stated in an interview that "it would be better to let her focus on her job rather than kicking everyone's butt in
'Dead or Alive: Dimensions''.
The
Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
The W ...
launch game ''
Nintendo Land
is a party video game developed and published by Nintendo as a pack-in launch title for the Wii U home video game console in 2012. The game was first announced at E3 2012 during Nintendo's press conference.
''Nintendo Land'' features twelve mi ...
'' has a minigame based on the series called "Metroid Blast".
Television
A ''Metroid'' animated series was considered for the ''Super Mario Bros. Power Hour'', a cancelled animation block that would have aired in the 1980s. Concept art was produced for the series, which notably featured a male incarnation of Samus. ''Power Hour'' never moved forward in the intended format, instead being replaced by ''
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show
''The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!'' is an American live-action/animated television series airing from September 4 to November 30, 1989, on syndication. The series is based on the video games ''Super Mario Bros.'' and '' Super Mario Bros. 2'' by ...
'' which aired in 1989.
Mother Brain was the primary villain in the ''
Captain N: The Game Master'' TV show.
Manga
Comics
a medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and onomatopoeia can indicate ...
and
manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
have been made for various magazines based on ''Metroid'',
''Super Metroid'', ''Metroid Prime'', ''Metroid Prime 2: Echoes'', and ''Metroid: Zero Mission'' in both the United States and Japan. Samus Aran and other ''Metroid'' characters also featured in the ''Captain N: The Game Master'' comic books by
Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics is an American comic book publisher. The company was founded in 1989 by former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter along with lawyer and businessman Steven Massarsky. In 1994, the company was sold to Acclaim Entertainment ...
. In Japan, a ''Metroid'' manga series was published in
Kodansha
is a Japanese privately-held publishing company headquartered in Bunkyō, Tokyo. Kodansha is the largest Japanese publishing company, and it produces the manga magazines ''Nakayoshi'', ''Afternoon'', ''Evening'', ''Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' an ...
's ''
Monthly Magazine Z
was a Japanese seinen mixed-media magazine published by Kodansha, aimed at adult males, but particularly at hardcore anime and manga fans, featuring articles as well as manga tied into popular franchises. Original manga were also featured in t ...
'' beginning in November 2003, and ran for 16 chapters which were later collected into two
Tankōbon
is the Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or cultur ...
volumes. The series chronicled Samus' life up through the events of the original game, and went on to influence the plots of subsequent games in the franchise.
Also in Japan, ''
Comic Bom Bom
was a monthly Japanese children's manga magazine published by Kodansha. It was first published on October 15, 1981, and ceased publication in 2007. A web version of the magazine has been published on Pixiv Comic since the end of July 2017.
Sim ...
'' published a three-volume manga starring Samus,
Proposed film
In 2003, two producers optioned the rights to create a live-action film based on ''Metroid'', but the rights expired.
Director
John Woo
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS (; born September 22, 1946) is a Hong Kong filmmaker, known as a highly-influential figure in the action film genre. He was a pioneer of heroic bloodshed films (a crime action film genre involving Chinese triads) and the gun fu ...
acquired the rights a few years later,
and his studio Lion Rock Productions was to produce and release the film before 2006.
Writers on the film included
David Greenwalt
David Greenwalt (born October 16, 1949) is an American screenwriter, director, and producer.
He was the co-executive producer of the TV series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and co-creator of its spinoff, ''Angel''. He is also co-creator of the sh ...
, who had worked on ''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. It is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film of the same name, also written by W ...
'', ''
Angel
In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God.
Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...
'' and ''
Grimm
Grimm may refer to:
People
* Grimm (surname)
* Brothers Grimm, German linguists
** Jacob Grimm (1785–1863), German philologist, jurist and mythologist
** Wilhelm Grimm (1786–1859), German author, the younger of the Brothers Grimm
* Christian ...
''.
According to producer Brad Froxhoven, the film would have explored Samus'
origin story
In entertainment, an origin story is an account or backstory revealing how a character or group of people become a protagonist or antagonist, and it adds to the overall interest and complexity of a narrative, often giving reasons for their intent ...
; she would be "an exceptionally talented, but also flawed character who was looking for redemption ... We wanted to see her struggle, to be humbled, and to be forced to rise up against crazy odds. And of course we wanted to see the cool weapons in all of their glory".
According to Foxhoven, Nintendo was protective due to the failure of the 1993
''Super Mario Bros.'' film.
Nintendo had no answers to the team's questions about Samus' personal life, relationships, and other personal characteristics, and was uncomfortable with the film team "being the ones to propose those answers".
Foxhoven said Nintendo left the discussions appreciating that they needed to develop the franchise further if it were to become a Hollywood film.
In 2013, Sakamoto said he could support a film directed by Ryuji Kitaura, director of the CG scenes in ''Other M'', if the concept and methodologies were good enough.
Reception
''Metroid'' ranked as the 70th top game (collectively) by ''
Next Generation
Next Generation or Next-Generation may refer to:
Publications and literature
* ''Next Generation'' (magazine), video game magazine that was made by the now defunct Imagine Media publishing company
* Next Generation poets (2004), list of young ...
'' in 1996 and the 6th in 1999, and as the eighth best game franchise by ''
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'' in 2008. In 2001, ''
Electronic Gaming Monthly
''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' (often abbreviated to ''EGM'') is a monthly American video game magazine. It offers video game news, coverage of industry events, interviews with gaming figures, editorial content and product reviews.
History
The m ...
'' named ''Super Metroid'' the best game ever. All the ''Metroid'' games released by 2005 were included in a ''
Nintendo Power
''Nintendo Power'' was a video game news and strategy magazine from Nintendo of America, first published in July/August 1988 as Nintendo's official print magazine for North America. The magazine's publication was initially done monthly by Ninten ...
'' top 200 Nintendo games list,
''Prime'' in the IGN top 100, ''Metroid'', ''Super Metroid'', ''Prime'' and ''Echoes'' in a list by
GameFAQs
GameFAQs is a website that hosts FAQs and walkthroughs for video games. It was created in November 1995 by Jeff Veasey and was bought by CNET Networks in May 2003. It is currently owned by Fandom, Inc. since October 2022. The site has a databa ...
users; ''Metroid'' and ''Super Metroid'' in ''
Game Informer
''Game Informer'' (''GI'', most often stylized ''gameinformer'' from the 2010s onward) is an American monthly video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and associated consoles. It debuted in August 1991 w ...
''s list; and ''Prime'' and ''Super Metroid'' in ''
Edge
Edge or EDGE may refer to:
Technology Computing
* Edge computing, a network load-balancing system
* Edge device, an entry point to a computer network
* Adobe Edge, a graphical development application
* Microsoft Edge, a web browser developed by ...
''s list. The series has influenced games including ''
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night''.
Samus Aran was recognized by ''
Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
'' as "enduringly popular"
and as the "first playable human female character in a mainstream video game", although Toby Masuyo ("Kissy") from
Namco
was a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational video game and entertainment company, headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo. It held several international branches, including Namco America in Santa Clara, California, Namco Europe in London, Na ...
's ''
Alien Sector'' predates her by one year. Ridley was the second-most requested Nintendo character by ''IGN'' and number one by the fans to be added as a playable character to the ''
Super Smash Bros.
''Super Smash Bros.'' is a Crossover (fiction), crossover fighting game series published by Nintendo. The series was created by Masahiro Sakurai, who has directed every game in the series. The series is known for its unique gameplay objectiv ...
'' series
and Mother Brain is often named among the best video game bosses.
The original ''Metroid'' has been described as boosted by its "eerie" music, adding a "sense of mystery and exploration" to the game by making the game "moody and atmospheric".
''IGN'' praised the well-timed music that helped add suspense.
''
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'' described ''Super Metroid'' as better than the original "in literally every conceivable way", ''Metroid Fusion'' was noted for its "understated score" which fit the mood of the adventure and its excellent stereo sound effects, making it an uncommonly good Game Boy Advance sound experience. ''Metroid Prime'' was considered one of the best games ever made upon its release, winning
Game of the Year
Game of the Year (GotY) is an award given by various award events and media publications to a video game that they feel represented the pinnacle of gaming that year.
Events and ceremonies
British Academy Games Awards (BAFTA Games Awards)
...
from various publications and websites. ''IGN'' called the aural experience with ''Metroid Prime 2: Echoes'' "mesmerizing". Music from ''Metroid'' has been frequently re-released as part of "best of" video game music releases. ''Metroid Prime''s soundtrack was called the best sound design on the
GameCube
The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
. The sound effects were also noted for a high degree of accuracy and blending with the soundtrack.
On the popular video game music site
OverClocked ReMix
OverClocked ReMix, also known as OC ReMix and OCR, is a non-commercial organization dedicated to preserving and paying tribute to video game music through arranging and re-interpreting the songs, both with new technology and software and by vari ...
, ''Super Metroid'' is the tenth-most remixed video game, while the first ''Metroid'' video game was twenty-fifth.
Sales
''Metroid'', ''Metroid II: Return of Samus'', ''Super Metroid'', ''Metroid Fusion'', ''Metroid Prime'', ''Metroid Prime 2: Echoes'', ''Metroid Prime Hunters'', ''Metroid Prime 3: Corruption'', and ''Metroid Dread'' have each sold more than one million copies.
By September 2012, the series had sold over 17.44 million copies worldwide.
Sales of ''Metroid'' games in Japan have typically been lower than in the United States.
In its debut week in Japan, ''Metroid Prime 3: Corruption'' sold 32,388 units, ranking it behind ''
Ryū ga Gotoku Kenzan!
is a ''jidaigeki''-themed spin-off game in the '' Like a Dragon'' series. The game was developed and published by Sega for PlayStation 3. It was unveiled at the Tokyo Game Show 2007 and released in 2008.
A second ''Like a Dragon'' series spin-of ...
'', ''
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' is a 2008 List of crossovers in video games, crossover fighting game, fighting video game developed by Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Wii. The third installment in the Super Smash Bros., ''Super Smash ...
'', ''
Wii Fit
is an exergaming video game designed by Nintendo's Hiroshi Matsunaga for the Wii home video game console, featuring a variety of yoga, strength training, aerobics, and balance (ability), balance mini-games for use with the Wii Balance Board pe ...
'', and ''
Gundam Musou Special''.
''Metroid: Other M'' was the third-bestselling video game in Japan during its week of release with 45,398 copies sold, ranking it behind ''
Wii Party
''Wii Party'' is a party video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. The game heavily borrows game play elements from the ''Mario Party'' series, another Nintendo franchise. It is also the first game in the ''Wi ...
'' and ''
Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airu Village''.
It sold an additional 11,239 copies the following week.
Legacy
Along with the 1997
Konami
, is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company, video game and entertainment company headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, Chūō, Tokyo, it also produces and distributes trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, pachinko machin ...
game ''
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night'', the early ''Metroid'' games defined a subgenre known as
Metroidvania
Metroidvania is a sub-genre of platform video games focused on guided non-linearity and utility-gated exploration and progression. The term is a portmanteau of the names of the video game series '' Metroid'' and ''Castlevania'', with games in th ...
. Tom Happ, developer of the 2015 Metroidvania game ''
Axiom Verge
''Axiom Verge'' is a metroidvania video game by American indie developer Thomas Happ. The game was originally released in March 2015 in North America and April 2015 in Europe and Australia for PlayStation 4. It was released in May 2015 for Micro ...
'', defined Metroidvania games as side-scrolling adventures with continuous maps, rather than discrete
levels
Level or levels may refer to:
Engineering
*Level (instrument), a device used to measure true horizontal or relative heights
*Spirit level, an instrument designed to indicate whether a surface is horizontal or vertical
*Canal pound or level
*Regr ...
, that require the player to collect items and backtrack. Other notable Metroidvania games include ''
Cave Story
''Cave Story'', originally released as is a 2004 Metroidvania platform-adventure game for Microsoft Windows. It was developed over five years by Japanese independent developer Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya in his free time. ''Cave Story'' features 2D ...
'' (2004), ''
Shadow Complex
''Shadow Complex'' is a platform-adventure Metroidvania video game developed by Chair Entertainment in association with Epic Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360 in 2009.
The game follows Jason and his girlfriend Clai ...
'' (2009), ''
Ori and the Blind Forest
''Ori and the Blind Forest'' is a platform-adventure Metroidvania video game developed by Moon Studios and published by Microsoft Studios. The game was released for Xbox One and Microsoft Windows in March 2015, and for Nintendo Switch in Sep ...
'' (2014), ''
Hollow Knight
''Hollow Knight'' is a 2017 Metroidvania video game developed and published by independent developer Team Cherry. In the game, the player controls the Knight, a nameless insectoid warrior, who explores Hallownest, a fallen kingdom plagued by a ...
'' (2017), and ''
Chasm
In geology, a rift is a linear zone where the lithosphere is being pulled apart and is an example of extensional tectonics.
Typical rift features are a central linear downfaulted depression, called a graben, or more commonly a half-graben w ...
'' (2018).
In 2016, ''
AM2R
''AM2R'' (''Another Metroid 2 Remake'') is an action-adventure game developed by Argentinian programmer Milton Guasti (also known as DoctorM64) and released on August 6, 2016, ''Metroids 30th anniversary. It was originally released for Windows. ...
'', a
fan-made
Fan labor, also called fan works, are the creative activities engaged in by fans, primarily those of various media properties or musical groups. These activities can include creation of written works (fiction, fan fiction and review literature), ...
remake of ''Metroid II'' was released. Nintendo issued
takedown notice
Notice and take down is a process operated by online hosts in response to court orders or allegations that content is illegal. Content is removed by the host following notice. Notice and take down is widely operated in relation to copyright infri ...
s to halt its distribution, citing the potential damage to its intellectual property.
''AM2R'' was nominated for the
Game Awards 2016, but was removed as it had not been cleared by Nintendo for inclusion.
Notes
References
External links
*
{{Portal bar, Video games, Japan
Nintendo franchises
Science fiction video games
Video games adapted into comics
Video games featuring female protagonists
Video game franchises introduced in 1986
Metroidvania games