Ridley (Metroid)
Encyclopedia
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. Originally appearing as a subordinate of Mother Brain
, the primary antagonist of multiple titles in the Metroid series, he appears in Metroid Prime
and Prime 3
by himself in his Meta Ridley form. Despite his monstrous appearance, he is revealed to be very intelligent and capable of speech in the Metroid e-manga, though he does not speak in the Metroid video games.
Ridley originally appeared in the Nintendo Entertainment System
video game Metroid. Mike Sneath, one of three senior character artists for Metroid Prime
, was responsible for designing the Meta Ridley version of Ridley seen in Metroid Prime. It took him about "20 to 25 days" to model and texture Meta Ridley, citing the wings as having taken a few days of his time, commenting that it took him a while to get the shaders to work to give his wings the appearance of having a "holographic energy". He was not involved with designing the battle with Meta Ridley, which was left up to the game designers. Andrew Jones, the lead concept artist for Metroid Prime, had little to do with the design of Ridley. The initial design submitted was rejected by Nintendo, while the second design the artists submitted was approved. Steve Barcia
, the executive producer of Retro Studios
, called Ridley his favorite enemy from Metroid Prime due to the quality of the battle and his fan appeal. He added that such a battle was rare for a first person shooter, which helped to set Metroid Prime apart. Ridley also appears in Metroid: Other M.
in the original Metroid title. In Super Metroid
, he is significantly larger than in the original title, sporting purple skin, a large wingspan, glowing eyes, claws, and resembling a dragon
or a pterodactyl. His Prime series cyborg
form is referred to as Meta Ridley, while a robotic duplicate, Ridley Robot, is also shown in Zero Mission. The instruction manual for the original Metroid refers to Ridley as the last of his species, which was native to Zebes. He appears to be sentient, and is even capable of speech, as evidenced in the Metroid manga. His trophy description in Super Smash Bros. Melee
confirms Ridley's gender as male. Series creator suggests that he was made the general of the Space Pirates due to how evil he is or how powerful he is. Both Ridley and Meta Ridley appear in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as bosses that that player has to defeat.
remake, he is accompanied by a robotic version of himself called Ridley Robot. This robot is created as an image to demonstrate his power, but was incomplete and lacked the ability to walk or fly. Ridley is killed by Samus, but later revived as Meta Ridley for Metroid Prime
, acting as the Space Pirate commander. Again killed in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
, in which he appears in his standard Meta form and as a Phazon-enhanced version referred to ingame as Omega Ridley, he later appears in his regular form in Super Metroid
where he kidnaps the last surviving 'baby' Metroid and takes to Zebes with the intent of delivering it to Mother Brain. Ridley is killed once again by Samus, this time with no chance of being revived as the entire planet Zebes is destroyed at the end of the game. In Metroid: Other M
, a clone of Ridley has been unintentionally created by the Galactic Federation during a program to engineer bioweapons, many of which are deliberately based on the Space Pirates. He first starts off as a small, furred, bird-like creature before undergoing metamorphosis twice; first into a large, lizard-like creature and then into his traditional form. Shocked to find him somehow alive again, Samus confronts the clone on the Bottle Ship, but Ridley narrowly escapes the battle, severely injured. Samus later discovers his corpse after he is killed by a Queen Metroid on the Bottle Ship. His corpse turns up again in Metroid Fusion
on the BSL station, where it is infected with an X parasite, allowing it to gain the ability to transform into Ridley. Other than the series protagonist
Samus Aran
and the titular Metroids, Ridley is the only character that has appeared consistently throughout most of the games in the Metroid series (the exceptions being Metroid II for the Game Boy
, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
for the GameCube, and Metroid Prime Hunters
for the Nintendo DS
).
in the background of the Planet Zebes stage, then in Super Smash Bros. Melee
during the opening sequence and as a collectible trophy, and made a more significant role in its sequel, Super Smash Bros. Brawl
, where he appears as a boss battle during the game's single player mode the Subspace Emissary. He appears in both regular and Meta Ridley forms. Many fans believed that Ridley would be a playable character for Melee, and it was rumoured that he would appear along with Toon Link and Bowser Jr. for Brawl. Director of the Super Smash Bros. series, Masahiro Sakurai
, stated in an interview with Nintendo Power
that the development team never considered including Ridley as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. His boss battle theme was included as a stage music in Brawl as well. Ridley appeared as a part of the Nintendo Monopoly set, where his image was put there in place of the Tennessee Avenue image. Ridley also appears in the upcoming Dead or Alive: Dimensions
as part of a Metroid: Other M
-themed stage, capable of shooting fireballs at the arena and physically attacking combatants who get too close.
Ridley appears a few times in the Captain N: The Game Master
comics from 1990. In these comics, he looks almost exactly like he appears in the NES version manual, though his face is more lizard-like. Both Kraid and Ridley are approximately human-sized. In the Captain N cartoon series, Ridley is depicted as one of a species. Nintendo Power
featured two Metroid adaptations. The Super Metroid one has 60 pages, following the plot of the video game of the same name
. The Metroid Prime one has 18 pages, and follows the plot of the video game of the same name
. In the Metroid e-Manga created by Yoshio Sakamoto
Samus first met Ridley while he was commanding the attack on her home colony of K-2L. As Ridley was observing the destruction of the colony, Samus met face to face with him. Her young mind overwhelmed by the carnage, but having recently been taught by the Chozo elder Old Bird that even unsightly creatures can be decent, she tried to befriend him, desperate for assurance that everything would be all right. His response could be interpreted that he either felt slight pity for Samus or was simply momentarily dumbstruck by her hysterical behavior. But either way, he abruptly turned to annihilate her. Samus' mother, Virginia Aran, then appeared amidst the confusion of the Pirate raid and was instead the one destroyed by Ridley's fire breath. This memory scarred Samus for life, and she therefore vowed to avenge her parents and destroy Ridley and all the Space Pirates.
listed him as their sixth favorite Nintendo villain, citing both his involvement in Samus' parents' death as well as his determination, dying at Samus' hands many times yet still coming back. Computer and Video Games editor Mike Jackson described Ridley as a "fan favorite". GameDaily
called him the 16th greatest Nintendo character, commenting that he "beats Mother Brain
by a mile as the coolest Metroid villain." IGN
editor Jesse Schedeen called Ridley the real villain of the Metroid series, commenting that he would have to be included in a Metroid film if one were made due to him being too important to leave out. 1UP.com
editor Nadia Oxford described the Nintendo Comics System
version of Ridley as being more of a "squashed bug" than a "fearsome reptile". The 1UP.com staff listed the battle with Ridley in Super Metroid
as being one of the most iconic in Nintendo history. They stated that his appearance in Super Metroid is more memorable than any other appearance in the Metroid series, and that his appearance added some familiarity to Metroid fans. GamesRadar
listed him third on their list of video game villains who will never stay dead, calling him Samus' "great white whale" that even while he has tormented her through her life, she just cannot seem to kill him. Gaming Nexus criticized the lack of fellow Metroid villain Kraid in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
, but stated that the developers made up for it by adding the best Ridley battle in the series' history. IGN editors Phil Pirrello and Richard George listed Ridley as the second most deserving Nintendo character for inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, stating that Samus was the only playable character in the game to represent the Metroid series, and that Ridley would broaden the series' range.
Villain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
for the Metroid series. He is a dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
-like extraterrestrial that acts as 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...
'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. Originally appearing as a subordinate of 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...
, the primary antagonist of multiple titles in the Metroid series, he appears in 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...
and 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...
by himself in his Meta Ridley form. Despite his monstrous appearance, he is revealed to be very intelligent and capable of speech in the Metroid e-manga, though he does not speak in the Metroid video games.
Ridley originally appeared in 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...
video game Metroid. Mike Sneath, one of three senior character artists 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...
, was responsible for designing the Meta Ridley version of Ridley seen in Metroid Prime. It took him about "20 to 25 days" to model and texture Meta Ridley, citing the wings as having taken a few days of his time, commenting that it took him a while to get the shaders to work to give his wings the appearance of having a "holographic energy". He was not involved with designing the battle with Meta Ridley, which was left up to the game designers. Andrew Jones, the lead concept artist for Metroid Prime, had little to do with the design of Ridley. The initial design submitted was rejected by Nintendo, while the second design the artists submitted was approved. Steve Barcia
Steve Barcia
Steve Barcia is a game programmer, game producer and entrepreneur, having founded the computer game developer Simtex Studios Inc. in 1988. The company released computer games such as Master of Magic, Master of Orion and Master of Orion II....
, the executive producer of 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...
, called Ridley his favorite enemy from Metroid Prime due to the quality of the battle and his fan appeal. He added that such a battle was rare for a first person shooter, which helped to set Metroid Prime apart. Ridley also appears in Metroid: Other M.
Characteristics
Throughout the series, Ridley has made a variety of changes in his appearance. He was originally roughly the same size of protagonist Samus AranSamus 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...
in the original Metroid title. In 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...
, he is significantly larger than in the original title, sporting purple skin, a large wingspan, glowing eyes, claws, and resembling a dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
or a pterodactyl. His Prime series cyborg
Cyborg
A cyborg is a being with both biological and artificial parts. The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
form is referred to as Meta Ridley, while a robotic duplicate, Ridley Robot, is also shown in Zero Mission. The instruction manual for the original Metroid refers to Ridley as the last of his species, which was native to Zebes. He appears to be sentient, and is even capable of speech, as evidenced in the Metroid manga. His trophy description 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...
confirms Ridley's gender as male. Series creator suggests that he was made the general of the Space Pirates due to how evil he is or how powerful he is. Both Ridley and Meta Ridley appear in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as bosses that that player has to defeat.
Appearances
Before the events of Metroid, Ridley led an attack on Samus Aran's home planet, killing all of its inhabitants except for Samus, who is rescued by the Chozo, an ancient, bird-like species of aliens. He first appears in Metroid as a comparatively diminutive creature, and one of three primary antagonists along with Kraid and Mother Brain. In the Zero MissionMetroid: 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,...
remake, he is accompanied by a robotic version of himself called Ridley Robot. This robot is created as an image to demonstrate his power, but was incomplete and lacked the ability to walk or fly. Ridley is killed by Samus, but later revived as Meta Ridley 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...
, acting as the Space Pirate commander. Again killed 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...
, in which he appears in his standard Meta form and as a Phazon-enhanced version referred to ingame as Omega Ridley, he later appears in his regular form in 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...
where he kidnaps the last surviving 'baby' Metroid and takes to Zebes with the intent of delivering it to Mother Brain. Ridley is killed once again by Samus, this time with no chance of being revived as the entire planet Zebes is destroyed at the end of the game. In 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...
, a clone of Ridley has been unintentionally created by the Galactic Federation during a program to engineer bioweapons, many of which are deliberately based on the Space Pirates. He first starts off as a small, furred, bird-like creature before undergoing metamorphosis twice; first into a large, lizard-like creature and then into his traditional form. Shocked to find him somehow alive again, Samus confronts the clone on the Bottle Ship, but Ridley narrowly escapes the battle, severely injured. Samus later discovers his corpse after he is killed by a Queen Metroid on the Bottle Ship. His corpse turns up again in 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...
on the BSL station, where it is infected with an X parasite, allowing it to gain the ability to transform into Ridley. Other than the series 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...
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 the titular Metroids, Ridley is the only character that has appeared consistently throughout most of the games in the Metroid series (the exceptions being Metroid II 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...
, 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...
for the GameCube, and 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...
for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
).
In other media
Ridley has made multiple appearances in the Super Smash Bros. series. He first appeared 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...
in the background of the Planet Zebes stage, then 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...
during the opening sequence and as a collectible trophy, and made a more significant role in its sequel, 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...
, where he appears as a boss battle during the game's single player mode the Subspace Emissary. He appears in both regular and Meta Ridley forms. Many fans believed that Ridley would be a playable character for Melee, and it was rumoured that he would appear along with Toon Link and Bowser Jr. for Brawl. Director of the Super Smash Bros. series, Masahiro Sakurai
Masahiro Sakurai
is a Japanese video game designer, the creative force behind both the Kirby and the Super Smash Bros. series on Nintendo platforms. He is currently Director of Software Development for the video game developer's Sora Ltd. and Project Sora. He is also the author of a weekly column for Famitsu...
, stated in an interview with 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...
that the development team never considered including Ridley as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. His boss battle theme was included as a stage music in Brawl as well. Ridley appeared as a part of the Nintendo Monopoly set, where his image was put there in place of the Tennessee Avenue image. Ridley also appears in the upcoming 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...
as part of a 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...
-themed stage, capable of shooting fireballs at the arena and physically attacking combatants who get too close.
Ridley appears a few times 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...
comics from 1990. In these comics, he looks almost exactly like he appears in the NES version manual, though his face is more lizard-like. Both Kraid and Ridley are approximately human-sized. In the Captain N cartoon series, Ridley is depicted as one of a species. 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...
featured two Metroid adaptations. The Super Metroid one has 60 pages, following the plot of the video game of the same name
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...
. The Metroid Prime one has 18 pages, and follows the plot of the video game of the same name
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 the Metroid e-Manga created by 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"....
Samus first met Ridley while he was commanding the attack on her home colony of K-2L. As Ridley was observing the destruction of the colony, Samus met face to face with him. Her young mind overwhelmed by the carnage, but having recently been taught by the Chozo elder Old Bird that even unsightly creatures can be decent, she tried to befriend him, desperate for assurance that everything would be all right. His response could be interpreted that he either felt slight pity for Samus or was simply momentarily dumbstruck by her hysterical behavior. But either way, he abruptly turned to annihilate her. Samus' mother, Virginia Aran, then appeared amidst the confusion of the Pirate raid and was instead the one destroyed by Ridley's fire breath. This memory scarred Samus for life, and she therefore vowed to avenge her parents and destroy Ridley and all the Space Pirates.
Reception
Throughout the history of the Metroid series, series antagonist Ridley has received positive reception. He is regarded as a favorite amongst the Metroid series developers. Nintendo PowerNintendo 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...
listed him as their sixth favorite Nintendo villain, citing both his involvement in Samus' parents' death as well as his determination, dying at Samus' hands many times yet still coming back. Computer and Video Games editor Mike Jackson described Ridley as a "fan favorite". GameDaily
GameDaily
GameDaily was a video game journalism website based in the United States. Launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads, The site changed its business model from a flat fee per download CDN distributed service network to an...
called him the 16th greatest Nintendo character, commenting that he "beats 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...
by a mile as the coolest Metroid villain." 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...
editor Jesse Schedeen called Ridley the real villain of the Metroid series, commenting that he would have to be included in a Metroid film if one were made due to him being too important to leave out. 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
editor Nadia Oxford described the Nintendo Comics System
Nintendo Comics System
The Nintendo Comics System was a series of comic books published by Valiant Comics in 1990 and 1991. It was part of a licensing deal with Nintendo, featuring characters from their video games and the cartoons based on them.- The comics :...
version of Ridley as being more of a "squashed bug" than a "fearsome reptile". The 1UP.com staff listed the battle with Ridley in 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...
as being one of the most iconic in Nintendo history. They stated that his appearance in Super Metroid is more memorable than any other appearance in the Metroid series, and that his appearance added some familiarity to Metroid fans. GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
listed him third on their list of video game villains who will never stay dead, calling him Samus' "great white whale" that even while he has tormented her through her life, she just cannot seem to kill him. Gaming Nexus criticized the lack of fellow Metroid villain Kraid 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...
, but stated that the developers made up for it by adding the best Ridley battle in the series' history. IGN editors Phil Pirrello and Richard George listed Ridley as the second most deserving Nintendo character for inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, stating that Samus was the only playable character in the game to represent the Metroid series, and that Ridley would broaden the series' range.