Metroid series
Encyclopedia
is a series of science fiction
action-adventure
video games by Nintendo
. It chronicles the missions of bounty hunter
Samus Aran
who protects the galaxy from the depredations of the Space Pirates and their attempts to harness the power of the eponymous Metroids. It is noted for having one of the first female protagonist
s in a video game and for its nonlinear gameplay. Metroid combines the platforming of Super Mario Bros.
and the exploration aspect of The Legend of Zelda with a decidedly darker atmosphere.
As of 2011, the Metroid series consists of eleven games, with releases on every Nintendo home and portable console except the Nintendo 64
and the Virtual Boy
. As well as being one of Nintendo's most financially successful franchises with over 16 million games sold, it is also one of the company's most highly acclaimed series, with a GameRankings average score of 85% across all eleven titles.
, and adventure games. The series is notable for its non-linear progression and solitary exploration format where the player only controls Samus Aran
, 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
, leading to a new first-person shooter
element. The player gains items and power-up
s for Samus's cybernetic suit by defeating alien creatures through real-time combat with her arm cannon, which enables further 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
franchises: Mario
, from which it borrowed extensive areas of platform jumping, and The Legend of Zelda
, 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.
Samus Aran
The eleven games in the Metroid series focus on the adventures of Samus Aran
and her assignments to wipe out threats to the Galactic Federation presented by the Space Pirates and their attempts to harness various biological weapons such as the Metroids and Phazon.
The chronology of the Metroid fictional universe
does not match the release order of the games. This section lists the games according to their place in the series's overall timeline, rather than in order of release.
Metroid (1986) and Metroid: Zero Mission
(2004): Samus travels through the caverns of the planet Zebes to stop the Space Pirates from exploiting the Metroid species for galactic domination. She confronts the cybernetic lifeform Mother Brain
, as well as its guardians, Kraid and Ridley
. The 2004 remake Metroid: Zero Mission
has an addendum
to the storyline: After defeating Mother Brain, Samus is ambushed by Space Pirates and her ship crash-lands back on the surface. Stripped of her Power Suit and her ship destroyed, she is forced to infiltrate the Space Pirate mothership to find a way off the planet, armed only with an emergency pistol. She finds a fully powered armor suit deep within the Chozo ruins, then goes on to defeat the Ridley Robot and escapes from the mothership before it self-destructs.
Metroid Prime
(2002): Approximately three years after the events of Metroid, Samus receives a distress signal in her new ship and travels to Tallon IV to stop the Space Pirates from exploiting a powerful radioactive
substance known as Phazon. She discovers that the Chozo once settled on this planet, and their disappearance, as well as the emergence of Phazon, is due to a meteor impacting the planet decades ago. After ruining a Space Pirate mining operation and collecting the twelve Chozo Artifacts that allow access to the sealed impact crater, she confronts and defeats Ridley before delving deeper into the impact site and discovering Metroid Prime, a matured Metroid, mutated and corrupted by phazon. Metroid Prime had been feeding off the Phazon Core of the meteor to increase in size and strength. During the final battle against Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime grabs and takes Samus's Phazon Suit from her. She flees the impact site and after the credits, there is a glimpse of a dark hand coming out of a pool of phazon in the arena where Samus and Metroid Prime fought. It is implied that this hand is Dark Samus in the future games and that Metroid Prime by taking Samus's suit becomes Dark Samus.
Metroid Prime Hunters
(2006): When the Federation receives an unusual telepathic message, Samus is sent to the remote Alimbic Cluster in the Tetra Galaxy to uncover the rumored "Ultimate Power". Six rival bounty hunters that also heard the message actively attempt to secure the power before anyone else, including Samus. It transpires that the promise of ultimate power was actually a lie sent by the creature Gorea, sealed away by the Alimbics in a void between dimensions. Gorea attacks and sucks the energy and weapons from the hunters. After killing Gorea, Samus and the other hunters escape the cluster, empty handed, but alive.
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
(2004): Samus is sent to investigate the planet Aether after a squad of GF Marines was lost there. Samus finds them all dead, killed by several creatures, mostly by an evil race called the Ing. The Ing possess life forms, transforming them into monstrous "dark" versions of their former selves to wage war with Aether's dominant race, the Luminoth. Upon meeting the only remaining member of Luminoth (the others are frozen in stasis chambers, awaiting the destruction of the Ing), Samus learns Aether has been split into two dimensions
by a meteor similar to the one that crashed on Tallon IV. Samus agrees to assist by recovering Aether's planetary energy (the "Light of Aether") from Dark Aether. She does this by going to Dark Aether and absorbing the energy into her suit, then placing the energy back into the Energy Controllers on Light Aether. By completing this task, she destroys Dark Aether and the Ing that inhabit it. The final boss fights consist of one against the Emperor Ing and Dark Samus. Dark Samus vaporizes in front of Samus's eyes, but as she flees, Dark Samus is shown to reform in outer space.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
(2007): Space Pirates shut down and infect Galactic Federation computer AI systems and then engage in large scale combat in an attempt to further spread Phazon. Enormous Phazon-based seedships, called Leviathans, impact planets and begin corrupting them with Phazon. Samus is charged with destroying the "Phazon Seeds" and restoring functionality to the Federation's computer network. After purging three planets of Phazon (including the Space Pirate homeworld), the Federation locates the source of Phazon, planet Phaaze, which is made entirely of Phazon. As the Federation engages the Space Pirates in orbit, Samus enters the depths of the planet and succeeds at destroying Metroid Prime (Dark Samus) and Phaaze. A ship is seen following her into Warp Space at the end.
Metroid II: Return of Samus
(1991): The Galactic Federation deems the Metroid species too dangerous to exist, and after their own failed attempts, employs Samus to travel to the Metroid homeworld, SR388, and exterminate the entire species. After killing every Metroid (among them Alpha, Gamma, Zeta, and Omega Metroids) and the Queen Metroid, Samus finds an unhatched egg behind the Queen Metroid's chamber. Before Samus fires on the Metroid egg, an infant Metroid hatches and believes Samus to be its mother. After it helps her escape back to her ship, Samus hands the hatchling over to the Ceres research station for study.
Super Metroid
(1994): Just after she leaves, Samus receives a distress signal from the Ceres research lab. She returns just in time to catch Ridley stealing the hatchling, having killed all of the scientists. She follows Ridley to a rebuilt base on Zebes, where the Space Pirates are once again attempting to clone the Metroids and use them as weapons. Samus kills the reborn versions of Ridley and Kraid, as well as new guardians Phantoon and Draygon, and confronts Mother Brain once again. Samus is nearly killed in the battle, but the Metroid hatchling, now having grown immensely, rescues her. Mother Brain kills it just after it restores Samus's energy, and Samus in turn destroys Mother Brain with a supercharged weapon apparently left by the hatchling's death. She then escapes Zebes during a countdown that leads to the entire planet exploding, taking with it the few remaining cloned Metroids.
Metroid: Other M
(2010): Samus receives a distress signal and follows it to a mysterious vessel named the Bottle Ship. There she encounters a squad of Galactic Federation soldiers, including her friend Anthony Higgs and her former superior officer Adam Malkovich. They find out that the director of the ship, Madeline Bergman, has been conducting research on illegal bioweapons for the Federation. Samus later discovers that these weapons are Metroids that have been genetically modified to remove their weakness to cold, making them virtually indestructible. Eventually, Samus finds a survivor who claims to be Madeline Bergman, but is later revealed to be an android with an artificial intelligence duplicating that of Mother Brain, so that the bioweapon Metroids can be telepathically controlled. The Federation soldiers are mysteriously killed by a secret assassin among their ranks. Samus refers to this assassin as "the Deleter", though his or her identity is never explicitly revealed in the game. Adam sacrifices himself to detach Sector Zero, the Metroid breeding area, from the main ship and activate its self-destruct sequence. After defeating a clone of Ridley and a Metroid Queen, Samus finds the real Madeline Bergman, who tells her the truth about the android she found earlier. The artificial intelligence, named MB, took on a human shape to build an ideal relationship with the Metroids, similar to the one Samus had with the Metroid hatchling (Super Metroid). After developing emotions, MB revolted, telepathically ordering the cloned Zebesian life forms on the ship to attack their captors. MB appears and attacks Samus and Madeline, but is stopped when Galactic Federation reinforcements show up, led by Anthony, the only surviving member of the original squad. Samus, Anthony and Madeline all escape on Samus's gunship. In an optional epilogue, Samus returns to retrieve "something irreplaceable": Adam's helmet.
Metroid Fusion
(2002): While acting as a bodyguard for researchers on the planet SR388, Samus is infected by a native creature known as the X Parasite, originally the prey
of the Metroid species. Doctors surgically remove portions of her Power Suit and cure the X infection with a vaccine created from the DNA
of the Metroid hatchling (Metroid II: Return of Samus). The vaccine not only allows her to survive the parasites, but to absorb them to power up her energy and weapons. She is then sent to investigate a disturbance at the Biologic Space Labs research station, where it is revealed that specimens from SR388 had been carriers of the X parasite. An X mimicking Samus, nicknamed the SA-X, has taken control of Samus's old suit, methodically breaking into different parts of the station to allow the X parasites to infect the entire station. While trying to destroy the rapidly multiplying X as well as clones of the SA-X, Samus discovers a secret Federation Metroid breeding program. Before Samus can react, the SA-X discovers the lab and ejects it into space, killing the Metroids. Realizing the threat that the X poses, Samus's shipboard computer, Adam, suggests that she alter the station's propulsion to intercept with SR388 and destroy the planet as well to finally wipe out the X populations. After changing the station's propulsion, Samus races back to her ship, where she encounters an Omega Metroid which seems to have escaped the laboratory breach, and is also invulnerable to every weapon Samus has. The SA-X returns and tries to kill the Metroid, since the ice-beam it has seems to be the only weapon able to damage it, but the SA-X is badly damaged in the battle. Samus absorbs the SA-X parasite to regain her weapons, destroys the Omega Metroid and leaves the station before it collides with SR388.
Nintendo's Research and Development 1
(R&D1) began development of Metroid, an action game
for the Family Computer Disk System that was released in Japan on August 6, 1986. In North America and Europe, Metroid was published for the Nintendo Entertainment System
in August 1987 and on January 15, 1988, respectively. Unlike the Japanese release, the Western versions of the game used passwords instead of a save system. Notable special passwords include "JUSTIN BAILEY" (plainclothes Samus in Norfair), and "NARPAS SWORD" (full powerups from beginning of game--believed to stand for "North American Password" and designed for use in creating demos and promotions quickly and easily.)
A sequel, Metroid II: Return of Samus
, was released for the Game Boy
in 1991 in North America, and in 1992 in Japan. It was the first game of the Metroid series whose North American release featured a save system, allowing the player to have three separate save files. Metroid II also established the current "look" of Samus Aran and her Power Suit, namely the bulky look of the Varia Suit upgrade and the visual difference between the "Beam Mode" and "Missile Mode" of Samus's arm cannon.
Director Yoshio Sakamoto
began planning concepts for Super Metroid
in early 1990, but his studio was committed to making another game, so developers from Intelligent Systems
were brought in to help complete the game. After Super Metroids release, there would not be another sequel for eight years. A Nintendo 64
title was considered during the period, but Nintendo "couldn't come up with any concrete ideas". In 1999, Retro Studios
, a newly formed second-party developer based in Austin, Texas
, was given the project for Metroid Prime
. Nintendo rarely allows overseas teams to work on its games but this was one occasion when they allowed a high profile title to be developed by a studio outside of Japan. After it became a top seller on the GameCube
, a trilogy was authorized.
Rumors abounded since 2005 about the development of a title called Metroid Dread, supposedly a 2D side-scroller for the Nintendo DS. In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
, there is a message in the Metroid breeding zone of the Space Pirate Homeworld on a computer panel that if scanned says "Experiment status report update: Metroid project 'Dread' is nearing the final stages of completion." Developers from Retro Studios
gave a full but cryptic denial of any connection with the rumored game, and Nintendo denied they were making another 2D Metroid title. However, at E3 2009, Sakamoto confirmed Metroid Dread existed at one point, and may still be in development, though in a later interview Sakamoto stated that Nintendo prefers to keep secrecy on the project, and also that he would like to "reset the situation at once and start from scratch." On the May 3, 2010, 75th episode of IGN's Nintendo Voice Chat Podcast, editor Craig Harris confirmed that the story for Metroid Dread was fully written and he had seen it at one point in time, claiming "[Nintendo] has it and can bring it back at any time."
A new Metroid title was announced at E3 2009, titled Metroid: Other M
. This title was developed in cooperation with Team Ninja and directed by long-time series developer Yoshio Sakamoto
. It was released on the Wii on August 31, 2010. Sakamoto complimented Team Ninja's work and expressed interest in working with them again, but said he currently has no ideas for new Metroid games. Retro Studios' senior designer Mike Wikan said he would like to see a game continuing the story of the Prime trilogy, and producer Kensuke Tanabe
said other Prime-like games could explore Samus' unique abilities such as the Morph Ball in a multiplayer feature..
While Nintendo has not formally announced plans for a Metroid title for its upcoming console, Wii U, Animal Crossing
developer Katasuya Eguchi mentioned in an interview how such a title could make use of the Wii U's tablet controller to perform actions such as scanning enemies and retrieving information. A demo program for Wii U, titled Battle Mii, showed Mii
characters dressed in Varia Suits, as well as Samus's gunship from Other M.
Metroid was designed to be a shooting game that combined the platform jumping of Super Mario Bros.
with the non-linear exploration of The Legend of Zelda and a distinctly darker aesthetic. The name of the game is a portmanteau of the words "metro" (as in rapid transit
) and android, and was meant to allude to the mainly underground setting of the first game as well as its robot-like protagonist. Half way 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
's 1979 horror film Alien
was described by Sakamoto as a "huge influence" after the world of the first Metroid had been created. The development staff was affected by the work of the film's creature designer H. R. Giger
, and found his creations to be fitting for the Metroid universe.
Metroid, Metroid II: Return of Samus
, Super Metroid
, Metroid Fusion
, and Metroid: Zero Mission
were all developed by Nintendo's internal R&D1 division. The games which have been developed by separate teams are Metroid Prime
, 2
, and 3
(Retro Studios
), Metroid Prime Hunters
(Nintendo Software Technology Corporation
), Metroid Prime Pinball
(Fuse Games
), and Metroid: Other M
(Project M). The central figures in the production and development of the Metroid series are Yoshio Sakamoto
, who has directed or supervised the development of most games; Gunpei Yokoi, 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
, who designed characters for the original game. Shigeru Miyamoto
, who made the Mario
and The Legend of Zelda
series, has not been involved with the production of Metroid, but he did act as producer for both Metroid Prime and its sequel.
, composer of the original Metroid, has said he wanted to make a score that made players feel like they were encountering a "living organism" 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
. At all other times, no melodies are present in the game. The composer of Super Metroid
, Kenji Yamamoto, came up with some of the games' themes by singing them while riding his motorcycle. He was asked to compose the music for Metroid Prime
to reinforce the series' continuity. Metroid Prime
s Dolby Pro Logic II
surround sound was mixed by a member of Dolby
. Developers from Retro Studios
noted how the process of fitting all the sound effects and music for Metroid Prime
in 6 MB
of space was crucial in producing a quality soundtrack, as each sound had to be of very high quality to be included. Composer Kenji Yamamoto utilizes heavy drums, piano, voiced chants, clangs of pipes, and electric guitar. Metroid Prime 3
took advantage of the increase in the amount of RAM that took place when the series switched from the GameCube
to the Wii
; this allowed for higher quality audio samples to be used and thus a better overall audio quality. Kenji Yamamoto, who composed the music to 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.
, Tetris
(Nintendo Entertainment System
version), Tetris DS
, Galactic Pinball
, Kirby Super Star
, Kirby's Dreamland 3 and WarioWare. Several characters and game environments have appeared in the Super Smash Bros. series. Samus is a playable character in all three Super Smash Bros. games. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
, also features 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.
, where he can be seen flying through the level Zebes, and in Super Smash Bros. Melee
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, Ridley, in both normal and Meta Ridley forms, appears as a boss character. Kraid also appeared in Super Smash Bros. Melee as a stage hazard in Brinstar Depths and unlockable trophy. Various other characters such as metroids and Dark Samus appear as either trophies or stickers in the Super Smash Bros series as well.
Mother Brain was also the primary villain in the Captain N: The Game Master TV show. Metroids were an enemy encountered by Pit in the NES
game Kid Icarus
. In the Nintendo 3DS
game Dead or Alive: Dimensions
, one stage is a replica of the arena in which Samus fights Ridley in Other M and features both as assist characters.
Comics
and manga
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 feature in the Captain N: The Game Master
comic books by Valiant Comics
. In Japan, six short "E-comics" were created to chronicle Samus' life and were published by Kodachi. Also in Japan, Comic Bom Bom
published a three-volume manga starring Samus called Samus and Joey (メトロイド サムス&ジョイ).
Originally at one point both Samus Aran
and Link from the The Legend of Zelda
series were planned to be playable characters for the Wii version of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
however they didn't make the final release.
John Woo
reacquired the rights a few years later, and Lion Rock Productions was to produce and release the film before 2006, but it either has been canceled or remains in limbo
. Sakamoto has expressed no interest in working on a Metroid movie himself, but stated he could support such a project by Ryuji Kitaura, director of the CG scenes in Other M, if the concept and methodologies were good enough.
as the eighth best franchise ever. In 2001, Electronic Gaming Monthly
chose Super Metroid as the best game ever. The Metroid games have since appeared in other "best game" lists, with all games released up to 2005 included in a Nintendo Power
"Top 200 Nintendo Games list", Prime in the IGN top 100, Metroid, Super Metroid, Prime and Echoes in a list by GameFAQs
users; Metroid and Super Metroid in Game Informer
s list; and Prime and Super Metroid in Edge
s list. The series has been influential in many other games, including Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
. The games have also sold very well, with Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion, Metroid Prime, and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption exceeding one million copies sold. Other characters from the Metroid series have also received their own share of acclaim. Ridley was the number two most requested Nintendo character by IGN and number one by the fans to be added as a playable character to the Super Smash Bros. series and Mother Brain has been commonly ranked among the all-time best video game bosses.
The original Metroid has been described as being 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 to the experience. GameSpot
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
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 Primes soundtrack was called the best sound design on the GameCube
. 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
, Super Metroid is the tied for the tenth most remixed video game, with Metroid tied for twenty-fifth.
Sales of Metroid games in Japan have typically been lower than in the United States. In particular, the first two installments of the Metroid Prime series did not sell well in Japan, though it should be noted that Japanese gamers tend to have an aversion to first-person shooters in general as it causes many Japanese players motion sickness
. In its first day of release in Japan, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption sold 20,000 copies, and it was the fifth bestselling game during its debut week in Japan, selling 32,388 units, ranking it behind Ryū ga Gotoku Kenzan!, Super Smash Bros. Brawl
, Wii Fit
, and Gundam Musou Special.
Other
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
action-adventure
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
video games by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
. It chronicles the missions of bounty hunter
Bounty hunter
A bounty hunter captures fugitives for a monetary reward . Other names, mainly used in the United States, include bail enforcement agent and fugitive recovery agent.-Laws in the U.S.:...
Samus Aran
Samus Aran
is the protagonist of the Metroid video game series. Introduced in the 1986 video game Metroid, Samus is a female ex-army soldier bounty hunter usually fitted with a powered armor suit with weapons that include beams and missiles...
who protects the galaxy from the depredations of the Space Pirates and their attempts to harness the power of the eponymous Metroids. It is noted for having one of the first female protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
s in a video game and for its nonlinear gameplay. Metroid combines the platforming of Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros.
is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist...
and the exploration aspect of The Legend of Zelda with a decidedly darker atmosphere.
As of 2011, the Metroid series consists of eleven games, with releases on every Nintendo home and portable console except the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
and the Virtual Boy
Virtual Boy
The was a video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was the first video game console that was supposed to be capable of displaying "true 3D graphics" out of the box. Whereas most video games use monocular cues to achieve the illusion of three dimensions on a two-dimensional...
. As well as being one of Nintendo's most financially successful franchises with over 16 million games sold, it is also one of the company's most highly acclaimed series, with a GameRankings average score of 85% across all eleven titles.
Common gameplay elements
The Metroid series contains gameplay elements from shooter, platformerPlatform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
, and adventure games. The series is notable for its non-linear progression and solitary exploration format where the player only controls Samus Aran
Samus Aran
is the protagonist of the Metroid video game series. Introduced in the 1986 video game Metroid, Samus is a female ex-army soldier bounty hunter usually fitted with a powered armor suit with weapons that include beams and missiles...
, with few or no other characters to interact with. The series has been a 2D side-scroller
Side-scrolling video game
A side-scrolling game or side-scroller is a video game in which the gameplay action is viewed from a side-view camera angle, and the onscreen characters generally move from the left side of the screen to the right. These games make use of scrolling computer display technology...
in all its incarnations until the Metroid Prime series changed the perspective to a first-person perspective
First person (video games)
In video games, first person refers to a graphical perspective rendered from the viewpoint of the player character. In many cases, this may be the viewpoint from the cockpit of a vehicle. Many different genres have made use of first-person perspectives, ranging from adventure games to flight...
, leading to a new first-person shooter
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
element. The player gains items and power-up
Power-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
s for Samus's cybernetic suit by defeating alien creatures through real-time combat with her arm cannon, which enables further 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
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
franchises: Mario
Mario (series)
The video game series, alternatively called the series or simply the series, is a series of highly popular and critically acclaimed video games by Nintendo, featuring Nintendo's mascot Mario and, in many games, his brother Luigi. Gameplay in the series often centers around jumping on and...
, from which it borrowed extensive areas of platform jumping, and The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda, originally released as in Japan, is a video game developed and published by Nintendo, and designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Set in the fantasy land of Hyrule, the plot centers on a boy named Link, the playable protagonist, who aims to collect the eight fragments...
, 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.
Games
| 1986– | – Metroid | |
| 1987– | ||
| 1988– | ||
| 1989– | ||
| 1990– | ||
| 1991– | – Metroid II: Return of Samus Metroid II: Return of Samus is an action-adventure video game, the second game in the Metroid series, and the only one developed for the Nintendo Game Boy. The sixth installment in the overall series story, the game was developed by Nintendo Research & Development 1 , and published by Nintendo in North America in November... |
|
| 1992– | ||
| 1993– | ||
| 1994– | – Super Metroid Super Metroid , also known as Metroid 3, is an action-adventure video game and the third game in the Metroid series. It was designed by Nintendo Research & Development 1, programmed by Intelligent Systems, and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console... |
|
| 1995– | ||
| 1996– | ||
| 1997– | ||
| 1998– | ||
| 1999– | ||
| 2000– | ||
| 2001– | ||
| 2002– | – Metroid Fusion Metroid Fusion , also known as Metroid 4, is an action-adventure video game published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. It was released in North America, Europe, and Australia in November 2002, and in Japan in February 2003. The game is the fourth main installment in the Metroid series... – Metroid Prime Metroid Prime Metroid Prime is a video game developed by Retro Studios and Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube, released in North America on November 17, 2002... |
|
| 2003– | ||
| 2004– | – Metroid: Zero Mission Metroid: Zero Mission is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo R&D1 for the Game Boy Advance handheld console. It was published by Nintendo in North America in February 2004, in Australia in March 2004, in Europe in April 2004, and in Japan in May 2004. It is the sixth installment of the Metroid series,... – Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, known as in Japan, is a first-person, action-adventure video game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the GameCube video game console. It is the seventh game in the Metroid series, a direct sequel to Metroid Prime, and the first game in the series with... |
|
| 2005– | – Metroid Prime Pinball 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 for the Nintendo DS handheld game console, and released by Nintendo in North America and Australia in 2005,... |
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| 2006– | – Metroid Prime Hunters Metroid Prime Hunters Metroid Prime Hunters is a first-person shooter and adventure game for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console. It was developed by American video game developers Nintendo Software Technology, and was released by Nintendo in North America in March 2006, in Europe and Australia in May 2006, and... |
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| 2007– | – Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is a first-person action-adventure game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. It is the tenth game in the Metroid series, and the final entry in the Metroid Prime trilogy—excluding two spin-off titles. It was released in... |
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| 2008– | ||
| 2009– | – Metroid Prime: Trilogy Metroid Prime: Trilogy Metroid Prime: Trilogy is an action-adventure video game compilation developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. The compilation features three games from the Metroid series: Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption... |
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| 2010– | – Metroid: Other M Metroid: Other M is an action-adventure video game for the Wii developed by "Project M", a team which consists of staff members from Nintendo, Team Ninja, and D-Rockets. A part of the Metroid series, it features gameplay in both first- and third-person perspectives, and is the first installment of the franchise to... |
The eleven games in the Metroid series focus on the adventures of Samus Aran
Samus Aran
is the protagonist of the Metroid video game series. Introduced in the 1986 video game Metroid, Samus is a female ex-army soldier bounty hunter usually fitted with a powered armor suit with weapons that include beams and missiles...
and her assignments to wipe out threats to the Galactic Federation presented by the Space Pirates and their attempts to harness various biological weapons such as the Metroids and Phazon.
The chronology of the Metroid fictional universe
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
does not match the release order of the games. This section lists the games according to their place in the series's overall timeline, rather than in order of release.
Metroid (1986) and Metroid: Zero Mission
Metroid: Zero Mission
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo R&D1 for the Game Boy Advance handheld console. It was published by Nintendo in North America in February 2004, in Australia in March 2004, in Europe in April 2004, and in Japan in May 2004. It is the sixth installment of the Metroid series,...
(2004): Samus travels through the caverns of the planet Zebes to stop the Space Pirates from exploiting the Metroid species for galactic domination. She confronts the cybernetic lifeform Mother Brain
Mother Brain (Metroid)
is a fictional video game villain created by Nintendo for the Metroid series. She is a large brain with one eye, who sits in a large jar. From this jar, she controls the Space Pirates on Zebes. She is killed multiple times by series protagonist Samus Aran...
, as well as its guardians, Kraid and Ridley
Ridley (Metroid)
is a video game villain for the Metroid series. He is a dragon-like extraterrestrial that acts as Samus Aran's nemesis due to his attack on her homeworld; despite being killed multiple times by her, he is always revived by the Space Pirates using cloning or robotics...
. The 2004 remake Metroid: Zero Mission
Metroid: Zero Mission
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo R&D1 for the Game Boy Advance handheld console. It was published by Nintendo in North America in February 2004, in Australia in March 2004, in Europe in April 2004, and in Japan in May 2004. It is the sixth installment of the Metroid series,...
has an addendum
Addendum
An addendum, in general, is an addition required to be made to a document by its reader subsequent to its printing or publication. It comes from the Latin verbal phrase addendum est, being the gerundive form of the verb addo, addere, addidi, additum, "to give to, add to", meaning " must be added"...
to the storyline: After defeating Mother Brain, Samus is ambushed by Space Pirates and her ship crash-lands back on the surface. Stripped of her Power Suit and her ship destroyed, she is forced to infiltrate the Space Pirate mothership to find a way off the planet, armed only with an emergency pistol. She finds a fully powered armor suit deep within the Chozo ruins, then goes on to defeat the Ridley Robot and escapes from the mothership before it self-destructs.
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime is a video game developed by Retro Studios and Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube, released in North America on November 17, 2002...
(2002): Approximately three years after the events of Metroid, Samus receives a distress signal in her new ship and travels to Tallon IV to stop the Space Pirates from exploiting a powerful radioactive
Radioactive decay
Radioactive decay is the process by which an atomic nucleus of an unstable atom loses energy by emitting ionizing particles . The emission is spontaneous, in that the atom decays without any physical interaction with another particle from outside the atom...
substance known as Phazon. She discovers that the Chozo once settled on this planet, and their disappearance, as well as the emergence of Phazon, is due to a meteor impacting the planet decades ago. After ruining a Space Pirate mining operation and collecting the twelve Chozo Artifacts that allow access to the sealed impact crater, she confronts and defeats Ridley before delving deeper into the impact site and discovering Metroid Prime, a matured Metroid, mutated and corrupted by phazon. Metroid Prime had been feeding off the Phazon Core of the meteor to increase in size and strength. During the final battle against Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime grabs and takes Samus's Phazon Suit from her. She flees the impact site and after the credits, there is a glimpse of a dark hand coming out of a pool of phazon in the arena where Samus and Metroid Prime fought. It is implied that this hand is Dark Samus in the future games and that Metroid Prime by taking Samus's suit becomes Dark Samus.
-
- Metroid Prime PinballMetroid Prime PinballMetroid 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 for the Nintendo DS handheld game console, and released by Nintendo in North America and Australia in 2005,...
(2005): Metroid Prime Pinball is a pinball version of Metroid Prime, it follows the same storyline and has similar gameplay elements; however, it is just presented through pinball format rather than as a first-person shooterFirst-person shooterFirst-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
.
- Metroid Prime Pinball
Metroid Prime Hunters
Metroid Prime Hunters
Metroid Prime Hunters is a first-person shooter and adventure game for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console. It was developed by American video game developers Nintendo Software Technology, and was released by Nintendo in North America in March 2006, in Europe and Australia in May 2006, and...
(2006): When the Federation receives an unusual telepathic message, Samus is sent to the remote Alimbic Cluster in the Tetra Galaxy to uncover the rumored "Ultimate Power". Six rival bounty hunters that also heard the message actively attempt to secure the power before anyone else, including Samus. It transpires that the promise of ultimate power was actually a lie sent by the creature Gorea, sealed away by the Alimbics in a void between dimensions. Gorea attacks and sucks the energy and weapons from the hunters. After killing Gorea, Samus and the other hunters escape the cluster, empty handed, but alive.
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, known as in Japan, is a first-person, action-adventure video game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the GameCube video game console. It is the seventh game in the Metroid series, a direct sequel to Metroid Prime, and the first game in the series with...
(2004): Samus is sent to investigate the planet Aether after a squad of GF Marines was lost there. Samus finds them all dead, killed by several creatures, mostly by an evil race called the Ing. The Ing possess life forms, transforming them into monstrous "dark" versions of their former selves to wage war with Aether's dominant race, the Luminoth. Upon meeting the only remaining member of Luminoth (the others are frozen in stasis chambers, awaiting the destruction of the Ing), Samus learns Aether has been split into two dimensions
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
by a meteor similar to the one that crashed on Tallon IV. Samus agrees to assist by recovering Aether's planetary energy (the "Light of Aether") from Dark Aether. She does this by going to Dark Aether and absorbing the energy into her suit, then placing the energy back into the Energy Controllers on Light Aether. By completing this task, she destroys Dark Aether and the Ing that inhabit it. The final boss fights consist of one against the Emperor Ing and Dark Samus. Dark Samus vaporizes in front of Samus's eyes, but as she flees, Dark Samus is shown to reform in outer space.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is a first-person action-adventure game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. It is the tenth game in the Metroid series, and the final entry in the Metroid Prime trilogy—excluding two spin-off titles. It was released in...
(2007): Space Pirates shut down and infect Galactic Federation computer AI systems and then engage in large scale combat in an attempt to further spread Phazon. Enormous Phazon-based seedships, called Leviathans, impact planets and begin corrupting them with Phazon. Samus is charged with destroying the "Phazon Seeds" and restoring functionality to the Federation's computer network. After purging three planets of Phazon (including the Space Pirate homeworld), the Federation locates the source of Phazon, planet Phaaze, which is made entirely of Phazon. As the Federation engages the Space Pirates in orbit, Samus enters the depths of the planet and succeeds at destroying Metroid Prime (Dark Samus) and Phaaze. A ship is seen following her into Warp Space at the end.
Metroid II: Return of Samus
Metroid II: Return of Samus
is an action-adventure video game, the second game in the Metroid series, and the only one developed for the Nintendo Game Boy. The sixth installment in the overall series story, the game was developed by Nintendo Research & Development 1 , and published by Nintendo in North America in November...
(1991): The Galactic Federation deems the Metroid species too dangerous to exist, and after their own failed attempts, employs Samus to travel to the Metroid homeworld, SR388, and exterminate the entire species. After killing every Metroid (among them Alpha, Gamma, Zeta, and Omega Metroids) and the Queen Metroid, Samus finds an unhatched egg behind the Queen Metroid's chamber. Before Samus fires on the Metroid egg, an infant Metroid hatches and believes Samus to be its mother. After it helps her escape back to her ship, Samus hands the hatchling over to the Ceres research station for study.
Super Metroid
Super Metroid
, also known as Metroid 3, is an action-adventure video game and the third game in the Metroid series. It was designed by Nintendo Research & Development 1, programmed by Intelligent Systems, and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console...
(1994): Just after she leaves, Samus receives a distress signal from the Ceres research lab. She returns just in time to catch Ridley stealing the hatchling, having killed all of the scientists. She follows Ridley to a rebuilt base on Zebes, where the Space Pirates are once again attempting to clone the Metroids and use them as weapons. Samus kills the reborn versions of Ridley and Kraid, as well as new guardians Phantoon and Draygon, and confronts Mother Brain once again. Samus is nearly killed in the battle, but the Metroid hatchling, now having grown immensely, rescues her. Mother Brain kills it just after it restores Samus's energy, and Samus in turn destroys Mother Brain with a supercharged weapon apparently left by the hatchling's death. She then escapes Zebes during a countdown that leads to the entire planet exploding, taking with it the few remaining cloned Metroids.
Metroid: Other M
Metroid: Other M
is an action-adventure video game for the Wii developed by "Project M", a team which consists of staff members from Nintendo, Team Ninja, and D-Rockets. A part of the Metroid series, it features gameplay in both first- and third-person perspectives, and is the first installment of the franchise to...
(2010): Samus receives a distress signal and follows it to a mysterious vessel named the Bottle Ship. There she encounters a squad of Galactic Federation soldiers, including her friend Anthony Higgs and her former superior officer Adam Malkovich. They find out that the director of the ship, Madeline Bergman, has been conducting research on illegal bioweapons for the Federation. Samus later discovers that these weapons are Metroids that have been genetically modified to remove their weakness to cold, making them virtually indestructible. Eventually, Samus finds a survivor who claims to be Madeline Bergman, but is later revealed to be an android with an artificial intelligence duplicating that of Mother Brain, so that the bioweapon Metroids can be telepathically controlled. The Federation soldiers are mysteriously killed by a secret assassin among their ranks. Samus refers to this assassin as "the Deleter", though his or her identity is never explicitly revealed in the game. Adam sacrifices himself to detach Sector Zero, the Metroid breeding area, from the main ship and activate its self-destruct sequence. After defeating a clone of Ridley and a Metroid Queen, Samus finds the real Madeline Bergman, who tells her the truth about the android she found earlier. The artificial intelligence, named MB, took on a human shape to build an ideal relationship with the Metroids, similar to the one Samus had with the Metroid hatchling (Super Metroid). After developing emotions, MB revolted, telepathically ordering the cloned Zebesian life forms on the ship to attack their captors. MB appears and attacks Samus and Madeline, but is stopped when Galactic Federation reinforcements show up, led by Anthony, the only surviving member of the original squad. Samus, Anthony and Madeline all escape on Samus's gunship. In an optional epilogue, Samus returns to retrieve "something irreplaceable": Adam's helmet.
Metroid Fusion
Metroid Fusion
, also known as Metroid 4, is an action-adventure video game published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. It was released in North America, Europe, and Australia in November 2002, and in Japan in February 2003. The game is the fourth main installment in the Metroid series...
(2002): While acting as a bodyguard for researchers on the planet SR388, Samus is infected by a native creature known as the X Parasite, originally the prey
Predation
In ecology, predation describes a biological interaction where a predator feeds on its prey . Predators may or may not kill their prey prior to feeding on them, but the act of predation always results in the death of its prey and the eventual absorption of the prey's tissue through consumption...
of the Metroid species. Doctors surgically remove portions of her Power Suit and cure the X infection with a vaccine created from the DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
of the Metroid hatchling (Metroid II: Return of Samus). The vaccine not only allows her to survive the parasites, but to absorb them to power up her energy and weapons. She is then sent to investigate a disturbance at the Biologic Space Labs research station, where it is revealed that specimens from SR388 had been carriers of the X parasite. An X mimicking Samus, nicknamed the SA-X, has taken control of Samus's old suit, methodically breaking into different parts of the station to allow the X parasites to infect the entire station. While trying to destroy the rapidly multiplying X as well as clones of the SA-X, Samus discovers a secret Federation Metroid breeding program. Before Samus can react, the SA-X discovers the lab and ejects it into space, killing the Metroids. Realizing the threat that the X poses, Samus's shipboard computer, Adam, suggests that she alter the station's propulsion to intercept with SR388 and destroy the planet as well to finally wipe out the X populations. After changing the station's propulsion, Samus races back to her ship, where she encounters an Omega Metroid which seems to have escaped the laboratory breach, and is also invulnerable to every weapon Samus has. The SA-X returns and tries to kill the Metroid, since the ice-beam it has seems to be the only weapon able to damage it, but the SA-X is badly damaged in the battle. Samus absorbs the SA-X parasite to regain her weapons, destroys the Omega Metroid and leaves the station before it collides with SR388.
History
Nintendo Research & Development 1
was Nintendo's oldest development team. Its creation coincided with Nintendo's entry into the video games industry, and the original R&D1 was headed by Gunpei Yokoi...
(R&D1) began development of Metroid, an action game
Action game
Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...
for the Family Computer Disk System that was released in Japan on August 6, 1986. In North America and Europe, Metroid was published for the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
in August 1987 and on January 15, 1988, respectively. Unlike the Japanese release, the Western versions of the game used passwords instead of a save system. Notable special passwords include "JUSTIN BAILEY" (plainclothes Samus in Norfair), and "NARPAS SWORD" (full powerups from beginning of game--believed to stand for "North American Password" and designed for use in creating demos and promotions quickly and easily.)
A sequel, Metroid II: Return of Samus
Metroid II: Return of Samus
is an action-adventure video game, the second game in the Metroid series, and the only one developed for the Nintendo Game Boy. The sixth installment in the overall series story, the game was developed by Nintendo Research & Development 1 , and published by Nintendo in North America in November...
, was released for the Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
in 1991 in North America, and in 1992 in Japan. It was the first game of the Metroid series whose North American release featured a save system, allowing the player to have three separate save files. Metroid II also established the current "look" of Samus Aran and her Power Suit, namely the bulky look of the Varia Suit upgrade and the visual difference between the "Beam Mode" and "Missile Mode" of Samus's arm cannon.
Director Yoshio Sakamoto
Yoshio Sakamoto
is a Japanese video game designer working for Nintendo. He is a key member in the development of the Metroid series, having worked as director, scenario designer, and script writer for many of the games. Sakamoto grew up with Nintendo toys, which he noted to be inventive and occasionally "strange"....
began planning concepts for Super Metroid
Super Metroid
, also known as Metroid 3, is an action-adventure video game and the third game in the Metroid series. It was designed by Nintendo Research & Development 1, programmed by Intelligent Systems, and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console...
in early 1990, but his studio was committed to making another game, so developers from Intelligent Systems
Intelligent Systems
is a Japanese first-party video game developer and internal team of Nintendo Co., Ltd. It has its headquarters in the Nintendo Kyoto Research Center in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture....
were brought in to help complete the game. After Super Metroids release, there would not be another sequel for eight years. A Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
title was considered during the period, but Nintendo "couldn't come up with any concrete ideas". In 1999, Retro Studios
Retro Studios
Retro Studios is an American video game developer based in Austin, Texas. The company was founded in October 1998 by the video game veteran Jeff Spangenberg after leaving Acclaim Entertainment, as an independent studio making games exclusively for Nintendo Company, Ltd.On May 2, 2002, Nintendo...
, a newly formed second-party developer based in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, was given the project for Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime is a video game developed by Retro Studios and Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube, released in North America on November 17, 2002...
. Nintendo rarely allows overseas teams to work on its games but this was one occasion when they allowed a high profile title to be developed by a studio outside of Japan. After it became a top seller on the GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
, a trilogy was authorized.
Rumors abounded since 2005 about the development of a title called Metroid Dread, supposedly a 2D side-scroller for the Nintendo DS. In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is a first-person action-adventure game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. It is the tenth game in the Metroid series, and the final entry in the Metroid Prime trilogy—excluding two spin-off titles. It was released in...
, there is a message in the Metroid breeding zone of the Space Pirate Homeworld on a computer panel that if scanned says "Experiment status report update: Metroid project 'Dread' is nearing the final stages of completion." Developers from Retro Studios
Retro Studios
Retro Studios is an American video game developer based in Austin, Texas. The company was founded in October 1998 by the video game veteran Jeff Spangenberg after leaving Acclaim Entertainment, as an independent studio making games exclusively for Nintendo Company, Ltd.On May 2, 2002, Nintendo...
gave a full but cryptic denial of any connection with the rumored game, and Nintendo denied they were making another 2D Metroid title. However, at E3 2009, Sakamoto confirmed Metroid Dread existed at one point, and may still be in development, though in a later interview Sakamoto stated that Nintendo prefers to keep secrecy on the project, and also that he would like to "reset the situation at once and start from scratch." On the May 3, 2010, 75th episode of IGN's Nintendo Voice Chat Podcast, editor Craig Harris confirmed that the story for Metroid Dread was fully written and he had seen it at one point in time, claiming "[Nintendo] has it and can bring it back at any time."
A new Metroid title was announced at E3 2009, titled Metroid: Other M
Metroid: Other M
is an action-adventure video game for the Wii developed by "Project M", a team which consists of staff members from Nintendo, Team Ninja, and D-Rockets. A part of the Metroid series, it features gameplay in both first- and third-person perspectives, and is the first installment of the franchise to...
. This title was developed in cooperation with Team Ninja and directed by long-time series developer Yoshio Sakamoto
Yoshio Sakamoto
is a Japanese video game designer working for Nintendo. He is a key member in the development of the Metroid series, having worked as director, scenario designer, and script writer for many of the games. Sakamoto grew up with Nintendo toys, which he noted to be inventive and occasionally "strange"....
. It was released on the Wii on August 31, 2010. Sakamoto complimented Team Ninja's work and expressed interest in working with them again, but said he currently has no ideas for new Metroid games. Retro Studios' senior designer Mike Wikan said he would like to see a game continuing the story of the Prime trilogy, and producer Kensuke Tanabe
Kensuke Tanabe
is a Japanese video game designer and producer working for Nintendo. After he had graduated from the Visual Concept Planning Department of Osaka University of Arts, he decided to enter the video game industry, and joined Nintendo in April 1986. At first, Tanabe was part of the Entertainment...
said other Prime-like games could explore Samus' unique abilities such as the Morph Ball in a multiplayer feature..
While Nintendo has not formally announced plans for a Metroid title for its upcoming console, Wii U, Animal Crossing
Animal Crossing
The Animal Crossing games have garnered positive response. The first three games are among the best-selling for their respective consoles. Animal Crossing has sold 2.321 million copies; Wild World 10.79 million; and City Folk 3.38 million...
developer Katasuya Eguchi mentioned in an interview how such a title could make use of the Wii U's tablet controller to perform actions such as scanning enemies and retrieving information. A demo program for Wii U, titled Battle Mii, showed Mii
Mii
A is a digital avatar used in Nintendo's Wii and Nintendo 3DS gaming consoles. They allow users to capture a likeness of themselves and others. After creating one using the Wii's Mii Channel or the Nintendo 3DS's Mii Maker, they can be used as playable characters in various titles for the...
characters dressed in Varia Suits, as well as Samus's gunship from Other M.
Creation and design
Super Mario Bros.
is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist...
with the non-linear exploration of The Legend of Zelda and a distinctly darker aesthetic. The name of the game is a portmanteau of the words "metro" (as in rapid transit
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
) and android, and was meant to allude to the mainly underground setting of the first game as well as its robot-like protagonist. Half way 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
Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott is an English film director and producer. His most famous films include The Duellists , Alien , Blade Runner , Legend , Thelma & Louise , G. I...
's 1979 horror film Alien
Alien (film)
Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto. The film's title refers to its primary antagonist: a highly aggressive extraterrestrial creature which...
was described by Sakamoto as a "huge influence" after the world of the first Metroid had been created. The development staff was affected by the work of the film's creature designer H. R. Giger
H. R. Giger
Hans Rudolf "Ruedi" Giger is a Swiss surrealist painter, sculptor, and set designer. He won an Academy Award for Best Achievement for Visual Effects for his design work on the film Alien.-Early life:...
, and found his creations to be fitting for the Metroid universe.
Metroid, Metroid II: Return of Samus
Metroid II: Return of Samus
is an action-adventure video game, the second game in the Metroid series, and the only one developed for the Nintendo Game Boy. The sixth installment in the overall series story, the game was developed by Nintendo Research & Development 1 , and published by Nintendo in North America in November...
, Super Metroid
Super Metroid
, also known as Metroid 3, is an action-adventure video game and the third game in the Metroid series. It was designed by Nintendo Research & Development 1, programmed by Intelligent Systems, and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console...
, Metroid Fusion
Metroid Fusion
, also known as Metroid 4, is an action-adventure video game published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. It was released in North America, Europe, and Australia in November 2002, and in Japan in February 2003. The game is the fourth main installment in the Metroid series...
, and Metroid: Zero Mission
Metroid: Zero Mission
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo R&D1 for the Game Boy Advance handheld console. It was published by Nintendo in North America in February 2004, in Australia in March 2004, in Europe in April 2004, and in Japan in May 2004. It is the sixth installment of the Metroid series,...
were all developed by Nintendo's internal R&D1 division. The games which have been developed by separate teams are Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime is a video game developed by Retro Studios and Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube, released in North America on November 17, 2002...
, 2
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, known as in Japan, is a first-person, action-adventure video game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the GameCube video game console. It is the seventh game in the Metroid series, a direct sequel to Metroid Prime, and the first game in the series with...
, and 3
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is a first-person action-adventure game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. It is the tenth game in the Metroid series, and the final entry in the Metroid Prime trilogy—excluding two spin-off titles. It was released in...
(Retro Studios
Retro Studios
Retro Studios is an American video game developer based in Austin, Texas. The company was founded in October 1998 by the video game veteran Jeff Spangenberg after leaving Acclaim Entertainment, as an independent studio making games exclusively for Nintendo Company, Ltd.On May 2, 2002, Nintendo...
), Metroid Prime Hunters
Metroid Prime Hunters
Metroid Prime Hunters is a first-person shooter and adventure game for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console. It was developed by American video game developers Nintendo Software Technology, and was released by Nintendo in North America in March 2006, in Europe and Australia in May 2006, and...
(Nintendo Software Technology Corporation
Nintendo Software Technology
Nintendo Software Technology Corporation is an American-based first-party developer for the Japanese video game corporation Nintendo. NST was created to specifically create games for Nintendo consoles for the North American market. Although Claude Comair was co-founder of NST, he retired from his...
), Metroid Prime Pinball
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 for the Nintendo DS handheld game console, and released by Nintendo in North America and Australia in 2005,...
(Fuse Games
Fuse Games
Silverball Studios, formerly known as Fuse Games is a Cotswold, Burford based video game developer best known for developing pinball games for Nintendo....
), and Metroid: Other M
Metroid: Other M
is an action-adventure video game for the Wii developed by "Project M", a team which consists of staff members from Nintendo, Team Ninja, and D-Rockets. A part of the Metroid series, it features gameplay in both first- and third-person perspectives, and is the first installment of the franchise to...
(Project M). The central figures in the production and development of the Metroid series are Yoshio Sakamoto
Yoshio Sakamoto
is a Japanese video game designer working for Nintendo. He is a key member in the development of the Metroid series, having worked as director, scenario designer, and script writer for many of the games. Sakamoto grew up with Nintendo toys, which he noted to be inventive and occasionally "strange"....
, who has directed or supervised the development of most games; Gunpei Yokoi, 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
Hiroji Kiyotake is a game designer for Nintendo. He is the original designer of Wario. Kiyotake is one of the directors and graphic designers of Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins and Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, making him one of the key people in the introduction of the character Wario and...
, who designed characters for the original game. Shigeru Miyamoto
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Miyamoto was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture; the natural surroundings of Kyoto inspired much of Miyamoto's later work....
, who made the Mario
Mario
is a fictional character in his video game series, created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. Serving as Nintendo's mascot and the main protagonist of the series, Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his creation...
and The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda, originally released as in Japan, is a video game developed and published by Nintendo, and designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Set in the fantasy land of Hyrule, the plot centers on a boy named Link, the playable protagonist, who aims to collect the eight fragments...
series, has not been involved with the production of Metroid, but he did act as producer for both Metroid Prime and its sequel.
Audio
The Metroid series has been noted and praised for its unique style of video game music. Hirokazu "Hip" TanakaHirokazu Tanaka
is a Japanese composer and musician, best known for his scores for various video games produced by Nintendo. He is also the current President of Creatures, Inc.-Video game soundtracks:*Radar Scope *Space Firebird...
, composer of the original Metroid, has said he wanted to make a score that made players feel like they were encountering a "living organism" 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
Catharsis or katharsis is a Greek word meaning "cleansing" or "purging". It is derived from the verb καθαίρειν, kathairein, "to purify, purge," and it is related to the adjective καθαρός, katharos, "pure or clean."-Dramatic uses:...
. At all other times, no melodies are present in the game. The composer of Super Metroid
Super Metroid
, also known as Metroid 3, is an action-adventure video game and the third game in the Metroid series. It was designed by Nintendo Research & Development 1, programmed by Intelligent Systems, and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console...
, Kenji Yamamoto, came up with some of the games' themes by singing them while riding his motorcycle. He was asked to compose the music for Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime is a video game developed by Retro Studios and Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube, released in North America on November 17, 2002...
to reinforce the series' continuity. Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime is a video game developed by Retro Studios and Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube, released in North America on November 17, 2002...
s Dolby Pro Logic II
Dolby Pro Logic
Dolby Pro Logic is a surround sound processing technology developed by Dolby Laboratories, designed to decode soundtracks encoded with Dolby Surround. Dolby Stereo was originally developed by Dolby in 1976 for analog cinema sound systems...
surround sound was mixed by a member of Dolby
Dolby Laboratories
Dolby Laboratories, Inc. , often shortened to Dolby Labs, is an American company specializing in audio noise reduction and audio encoding/compression.-History:...
. Developers from Retro Studios
Retro Studios
Retro Studios is an American video game developer based in Austin, Texas. The company was founded in October 1998 by the video game veteran Jeff Spangenberg after leaving Acclaim Entertainment, as an independent studio making games exclusively for Nintendo Company, Ltd.On May 2, 2002, Nintendo...
noted how the process of fitting all the sound effects and music for Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime is a video game developed by Retro Studios and Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube, released in North America on November 17, 2002...
in 6 MB
Megabyte
The megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission with two different values depending on context: bytes generally for computer memory; and one million bytes generally for computer storage. The IEEE Standards Board has decided that "Mega will mean 1 000...
of space was crucial in producing a quality soundtrack, as each sound had to be of very high quality to be included. Composer Kenji Yamamoto utilizes heavy drums, piano, voiced chants, clangs of pipes, and electric guitar. Metroid Prime 3
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is a first-person action-adventure game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the Wii video game console. It is the tenth game in the Metroid series, and the final entry in the Metroid Prime trilogy—excluding two spin-off titles. It was released in...
took advantage of the increase in the amount of RAM that took place when the series switched from the GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
to the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
; this allowed for higher quality audio samples to be used and thus a better overall audio quality. Kenji Yamamoto, who composed the music to Super Metroid
Super Metroid
, also known as Metroid 3, is an action-adventure video game and the third game in the Metroid series. It was designed by Nintendo Research & Development 1, programmed by Intelligent Systems, and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console...
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
Characters and elements from the Metroid series have appeared in different mediums. Samus has appeared in Nintendo games such as Super Mario RPGSuper Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars, often shortened and officially known in Japan as , is an action role-playing game developed by Square and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System . It was originally released on March 9, 1996 in Japan and on May 13,...
, Tetris
Tetris
Tetris is a puzzle video game originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov in the Soviet Union. It was released on June 6, 1984, while he was working for the Dorodnicyn Computing Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR in Moscow, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic...
(Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
version), Tetris DS
Tetris DS
Tetris DS is a Touch! Generations puzzle game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. THQ announced Tetris DS before E3 2005, and scheduled it to make an appearance at the show. However, the company decided to cancel the game, and Nintendo released their own make of Tetris DS in...
, Galactic Pinball
Galactic Pinball
Galactic Pinball is a video game for the Virtual Boy. It is pinball game featuring several different boards, including a cameo appearance by Samus Aran-Gameplay:...
, Kirby Super Star
Kirby Super Star
Kirby Super Star, known as Kirby's Fun Pak in Europe and as in Japan, is a 1996 platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. It was first released in Japan on March 21, 1996, in North America on...
, Kirby's Dreamland 3 and WarioWare. Several characters and game environments have appeared in the Super Smash Bros. series. Samus is a playable character in all three Super Smash Bros. games. Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
, also features 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.
Super Smash Bros., known in Japan as , is a fighting game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan on January 21, 1999, in North America on April 26, 1999, and in Europe on November 19, 1999. Super Smash Bros. is the first game in the Super...
, where he can be seen flying through the level Zebes, and in Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBM or simply as Melee, is a crossover fighting game released for the Nintendo GameCube shortly after its launch in . It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 game Super Smash Bros., and the predecessor to the Wii game Super Smash...
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, Ridley, in both normal and Meta Ridley forms, appears as a boss character. Kraid also appeared in Super Smash Bros. Melee as a stage hazard in Brinstar Depths and unlockable trophy. Various other characters such as metroids and Dark Samus appear as either trophies or stickers in the Super Smash Bros series as well.
Mother Brain was also the primary villain in the Captain N: The Game Master TV show. Metroids were an enemy encountered by Pit in the NES
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
game Kid Icarus
Kid Icarus
Kid Icarus, known as in Japan, is an action platform video game for the Famicom Disk System in Japan and the Nintendo Entertainment System in Europe and North America. The first entry in Nintendo's Kid Icarus series, it was published in Japan in December 1986, and in Europe and North America in...
. In the Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo 3DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo. The autostereoscopic device is able to project stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or any additional accessories. The Nintendo 3DS features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS series software, including Nintendo DSi software...
game Dead or Alive: Dimensions
Dead Or Alive: Dimensions
Dead or Alive: Dimensions is a fighting game for the Nintendo 3DS. It was announced as an official title on 15 June 2010 at E3 under the working title Dead or Alive 3D. It is the 15th game in the Dead or Alive series. It will also be the first Dead or Alive game to be released on a Nintendo system...
, one stage is a replica of the arena in which Samus fights Ridley in Other M and features both as assist characters.
Comics
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
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 feature in the Captain N: The Game Master
Captain N: The Game Master
Captain N: The Game Master was an American animated television series that aired on television from 1989 to 1991 as part of the Saturday morning cartoon lineup on NBC. The show incorporated elements from many of the most popular Nintendo games of the time...
comic books by Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics
Valiant Comics is a comic book imprint published by various publishers since its inception with Voyager Communications, Inc. in 1989, later Acclaim Comics, Inc. Its assets were purchased from the bankruptcy of the Acclaim Entertaintment by Valiant Entertainment, Inc. in 2007.-Voyager...
. In Japan, six short "E-comics" were created to chronicle Samus' life and were published by Kodachi. Also in Japan, Comic Bom Bom
Comic Bom Bom
was a monthly Japanese manga magazine published by Kodansha and targeted at elementary school boys. Each issue had 700+ pages, with 80 of them being full-color advertisements. Similar to its rival CoroCoro Comic, it featured tie-ins with game makers and toy makers but toward the end of its run had...
published a three-volume manga starring Samus called Samus and Joey (メトロイド サムス&ジョイ).
Originally at one point both Samus Aran
Samus Aran
is the protagonist of the Metroid video game series. Introduced in the 1986 video game Metroid, Samus is a female ex-army soldier bounty hunter usually fitted with a powered armor suit with weapons that include beams and missiles...
and Link from the The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda, originally released as in Japan, is a video game developed and published by Nintendo, and designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Set in the fantasy land of Hyrule, the plot centers on a boy named Link, the playable protagonist, who aims to collect the eight fragments...
series were planned to be playable characters for the Wii version of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is an action role-playing game developed for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox and Xbox 360 by Raven Software and published by Activision. The game was simultaneously ported to the PlayStation Portable and Wii by Vicarious Visions, and to Microsoft Windows by Beenox...
however they didn't make the final release.
Live-action movie
In 2003, two producers optioned the rights to create a movie based on Metroid, but the rights expired.John Woo
John Woo
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS is a Hong Kong-based film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard...
reacquired the rights a few years later, and Lion Rock Productions was to produce and release the film before 2006, but it either has been canceled or remains in limbo
Development hell
In the jargon of the media-industry, "development hell" is a period during which a film or other project is trapped in development...
. Sakamoto has expressed no interest in working on a Metroid movie himself, but stated he could support such a project by Ryuji Kitaura, director of the CG scenes in Other M, if the concept and methodologies were good enough.
Reception
The series has been highly praised by critics, being ranked by IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
as the eighth best franchise ever. In 2001, Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
chose Super Metroid as the best game ever. The Metroid games have since appeared in other "best game" lists, with all games released up to 2005 included in a Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
"Top 200 Nintendo Games list", Prime in the IGN top 100, Metroid, Super Metroid, Prime and Echoes in a list by GameFAQs
GameFAQs
GameFAQs is a website that hosts FAQs and walkthroughs for video games. It was created in November 1995 by Jeff "CJayC" Veasey and was bought by CNET Networks in May 2003. It is currently owned by CBS Interactive. The site has a database of video game information, cheat codes, reviews, game saves,...
users; Metroid and Super Metroid in Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
s list; and Prime and Super Metroid in Edge
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
s list. The series has been influential in many other games, including Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Konami in 1997. It is the 14th installment of the Castlevania series, the first installment released for the PlayStation, and a direct sequel to Castlevania: Rondo of Blood.Symphony of the...
. The games have also sold very well, with Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion, Metroid Prime, and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption exceeding one million copies sold. Other characters from the Metroid series have also received their own share of acclaim. Ridley was the number two most requested Nintendo character by IGN and number one by the fans to be added as a playable character to the Super Smash Bros. series and Mother Brain has been commonly ranked among the all-time best video game bosses.
The original Metroid has been described as being boosted by its "eerie" music, adding a "sense of mystery and exploration" to the game by making the game "moody and atmospheric". IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
praised the well timed music that helped add suspense to the experience. GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
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
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
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
Game of the Year is a title awarded by various magazines, websites, and shows to a deserving game. Many are only for PC or console video games...
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 Primes soundtrack was called the best sound design on the GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
. 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
OverClocked ReMix, also known as OC ReMix and OCR, is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and paying tribute to video game music through arranging and re-interpreting the songs with new technology and software, as well as by various traditional means...
, Super Metroid is the tied for the tenth most remixed video game, with Metroid tied for twenty-fifth.
Sales of Metroid games in Japan have typically been lower than in the United States. In particular, the first two installments of the Metroid Prime series did not sell well in Japan, though it should be noted that Japanese gamers tend to have an aversion to first-person shooters in general as it causes many Japanese players motion sickness
Motion sickness
Motion sickness or kinetosis, also known as travel sickness, is a condition in which a disagreement exists between visually perceived movement and the vestibular system's sense of movement...
. In its first day of release in Japan, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption sold 20,000 copies, and it was the fifth bestselling game during its debut week in Japan, selling 32,388 units, ranking it behind Ryū ga Gotoku Kenzan!, Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
, Wii Fit
Wii Fit
is a video game developed by Nintendo for the company's home video game console, Wii, designed by Hiroshi Matsunaga. It is an exercise game consisting of activities using the Wii Balance Board peripheral...
, and Gundam Musou Special.
External links
Official- Official English site
- Official Japanese site
- Retro Studios official site (Metroid and Retro StudiosRetro StudiosRetro Studios is an American video game developer based in Austin, Texas. The company was founded in October 1998 by the video game veteran Jeff Spangenberg after leaving Acclaim Entertainment, as an independent studio making games exclusively for Nintendo Company, Ltd.On May 2, 2002, Nintendo...
)
Other
- The Metroid Database
- Metroid Wiki
- Wikitroid