Across the vast empty expanse of space, Samus hunts down her prey from world to world across this series of games that seems to come and go with the generations as one of Nintendo's franchises with a fair amount of untapped potential...
Metroid
Mainline Entry 01 - Metroid
Formats: NES and Game Boy Advance
The first Metroid game set the formula for the franchise up early. Samus arrived on Zebes with a mission to track down a Metroid specimen across a sprawling map which saw her collect new abilities to progress past increasing obstacles. The key aspect of that being that Samus would be revealed to be a woman, a fact not all that surprising considering the obvious Alien inspiration the series had. The game set up so much of the hallmarks the series would adhere to later on including the introduction of Ridley, the Mother Brain and the end of game timed escape. So successful was the open exploration formula that all these years later fans continue to release a mass of Metroid inspired games.
Mainline Entry 02 - Metroid II: The Return of Samus
Formats: Game Boy
Mainline Entry 03 - Super Metroid
Formats: Super NES
The third Metroid game followed that old mantra of being bigger and better looking, landing Samus back on Zebes and once again on the hunt for an infant Metroid. The game brought in multi-directional aiming, an inventory, mini-map and more tweaks to the gameplay systems whilst using the more advanced hardware to create a representation of Zebes that had much more atmosphere than the series had been able to portray previously. The result was a game that perfected the experience for many and became one of the early classics of the platform, a game used as a benchmark of quality for the series for years to come.
Mainline Entry 04 - Metroid Fusion
Formats: Game Boy Advance
The success of the third game didn't prevent the first of the great Metroid droughts though and fans would have to wait eight years for the series return that saw the franchise come back via handheld. Whilst Fusion continued the general direction of the series from Super, it somewhat increased the emphasis on the action elements of the franchise leading to a well received if ever so slightly simpler title.
Mainline Entry 05 - Metroid Prime
Formats: Gamecube, Wii
Released alongside the GBA title came this full fledged reworking of the series for home console, a new entry that had followed a troubled development. That long road had meant the series had skipped a generation of home console and so the new entry had to make a strong impression on gamers and Prime certainly did so, proving to be a flagship title for Nintendo's little purple cube. Inserting itself between the original game and its immediate sequel, this new FPA title kickstarted a trilogy with a proper storyline that literally put you behind the visor. The game immediately began to win numerous awards for how strong an adaptation of the series traditions it was in addition to the immense work Nintendo and Retro had put into every facet of the title.
Remake Entry 01 - Metroid: Zero Mission
Formats: Game Boy Advance
Nintendo wasted little time capitalising on the series newfound popularity and another handheld entry was quickly in place, this time remaking the original game with more of Super Metroids sensibilities introduced.
Mainline Entry 06 - Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Formats: Gamecube, Wii
A mere two years after the first Prime game arrived, the sequel was ready and on the market once again receiving praise. Despite the struggles the Gamecube was beginning to face, the game performed well but at the same time attracted criticism to the series amongst critics who felt the game indulged itself too much in it's own heightened difficulty. This made the title less newcomer friendly than the first entry had been in addition to player frustration about the light/dark mechanics. Prime 2 weathered this none the less and is still considered a strong title for the platform.
Spin Off Entry 01 - Metroid Prime Pinball
Formats: Nintendo DS
For the first time the series deviated into full fledged cash in spin-off territory with this somewhat random title which looked to be a follow up of sorts to the Mario pinball title that had launched previously. The game wasn't received too poorly but sales slacked hard on previous entries.
Spin Off Entry 02 - Metroid Prime: Hunters
Formats: Nintendo DS
Set between the first and second Prime games, this handheld title was targeted to be something of a showcase for Nintendo's DS handheld and it just about managed to be so by presenting the Prime experience in your hands, in 3D, for the first time. Control issues marred the title thanks to the lack of analogues and dependency on touch screen aiming with the buttons the system had available. Once again though, the game was a reasonable success for Nintendo however.
Mainline Entry 07 - Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Formats: Wii
Closing out the trilogy, the new game balanced out the experience whilst introducing motion controlled aiming that was becoming a common feature amongst the platforms releases. The game proved more successful than its immediate predecessor and so became a fitting swansong for Retro's involvement in the franchise though its success always seemed overshadowed by the huge casual audience success the Wii was enjoying and so Metroid began to take up an awkward space.
Mainline Entry 08 - Metroid: Other M
Formats: Wii
Metroid needed a new guide in order to continue and Nintendo felt they had found that with Team Ninja. As a result the new entry returned the series to its third person roots whilst introducing full story sequences and simplified controls to try and broaden the series appeal to the Wii's newfound audience. The result was a game that overall reviewed well but seemed to aim to please many and in the end pleased few. Nintendo's estimated placed the game as a similar success to the Prime series and yet the series would now fall into its second great hibernation.
Spin Off Entry 03 - Metroid Prime: Federation Force
Formats: Nintendo 3DS
Fans had waited patiently for a new Metroid and the latest reveal was for a game that seemed to carry only a passing resemblance. Designed as a co-op title that focused more on shooting than exploration, the handheld title caused an uproar from disgruntled fans on reveal and things didn't improve upon release with the game failing at retail and receiving the series poorest reviews.
Remake Entry 02 - Metroid: Samus Returns
Formats: Nintendo 3DS
Mainline Entry 09 - Metroid Prime 4
Formats: Nintendo Switch
What are your thoughts and memories of Nintendo's alien hunting series?
Metroid
Mainline Entry 01 - Metroid
Formats: NES and Game Boy Advance
The first Metroid game set the formula for the franchise up early. Samus arrived on Zebes with a mission to track down a Metroid specimen across a sprawling map which saw her collect new abilities to progress past increasing obstacles. The key aspect of that being that Samus would be revealed to be a woman, a fact not all that surprising considering the obvious Alien inspiration the series had. The game set up so much of the hallmarks the series would adhere to later on including the introduction of Ridley, the Mother Brain and the end of game timed escape. So successful was the open exploration formula that all these years later fans continue to release a mass of Metroid inspired games.
Mainline Entry 02 - Metroid II: The Return of Samus
Formats: Game Boy
Mainline Entry 03 - Super Metroid
Formats: Super NES
The third Metroid game followed that old mantra of being bigger and better looking, landing Samus back on Zebes and once again on the hunt for an infant Metroid. The game brought in multi-directional aiming, an inventory, mini-map and more tweaks to the gameplay systems whilst using the more advanced hardware to create a representation of Zebes that had much more atmosphere than the series had been able to portray previously. The result was a game that perfected the experience for many and became one of the early classics of the platform, a game used as a benchmark of quality for the series for years to come.
Mainline Entry 04 - Metroid Fusion
Formats: Game Boy Advance
The success of the third game didn't prevent the first of the great Metroid droughts though and fans would have to wait eight years for the series return that saw the franchise come back via handheld. Whilst Fusion continued the general direction of the series from Super, it somewhat increased the emphasis on the action elements of the franchise leading to a well received if ever so slightly simpler title.
Mainline Entry 05 - Metroid Prime
Formats: Gamecube, Wii
Released alongside the GBA title came this full fledged reworking of the series for home console, a new entry that had followed a troubled development. That long road had meant the series had skipped a generation of home console and so the new entry had to make a strong impression on gamers and Prime certainly did so, proving to be a flagship title for Nintendo's little purple cube. Inserting itself between the original game and its immediate sequel, this new FPA title kickstarted a trilogy with a proper storyline that literally put you behind the visor. The game immediately began to win numerous awards for how strong an adaptation of the series traditions it was in addition to the immense work Nintendo and Retro had put into every facet of the title.
Remake Entry 01 - Metroid: Zero Mission
Formats: Game Boy Advance
Nintendo wasted little time capitalising on the series newfound popularity and another handheld entry was quickly in place, this time remaking the original game with more of Super Metroids sensibilities introduced.
Mainline Entry 06 - Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Formats: Gamecube, Wii
A mere two years after the first Prime game arrived, the sequel was ready and on the market once again receiving praise. Despite the struggles the Gamecube was beginning to face, the game performed well but at the same time attracted criticism to the series amongst critics who felt the game indulged itself too much in it's own heightened difficulty. This made the title less newcomer friendly than the first entry had been in addition to player frustration about the light/dark mechanics. Prime 2 weathered this none the less and is still considered a strong title for the platform.
Spin Off Entry 01 - Metroid Prime Pinball
Formats: Nintendo DS
For the first time the series deviated into full fledged cash in spin-off territory with this somewhat random title which looked to be a follow up of sorts to the Mario pinball title that had launched previously. The game wasn't received too poorly but sales slacked hard on previous entries.
Spin Off Entry 02 - Metroid Prime: Hunters
Formats: Nintendo DS
Set between the first and second Prime games, this handheld title was targeted to be something of a showcase for Nintendo's DS handheld and it just about managed to be so by presenting the Prime experience in your hands, in 3D, for the first time. Control issues marred the title thanks to the lack of analogues and dependency on touch screen aiming with the buttons the system had available. Once again though, the game was a reasonable success for Nintendo however.
Mainline Entry 07 - Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
Formats: Wii
Closing out the trilogy, the new game balanced out the experience whilst introducing motion controlled aiming that was becoming a common feature amongst the platforms releases. The game proved more successful than its immediate predecessor and so became a fitting swansong for Retro's involvement in the franchise though its success always seemed overshadowed by the huge casual audience success the Wii was enjoying and so Metroid began to take up an awkward space.
Mainline Entry 08 - Metroid: Other M
Formats: Wii
Metroid needed a new guide in order to continue and Nintendo felt they had found that with Team Ninja. As a result the new entry returned the series to its third person roots whilst introducing full story sequences and simplified controls to try and broaden the series appeal to the Wii's newfound audience. The result was a game that overall reviewed well but seemed to aim to please many and in the end pleased few. Nintendo's estimated placed the game as a similar success to the Prime series and yet the series would now fall into its second great hibernation.
Spin Off Entry 03 - Metroid Prime: Federation Force
Formats: Nintendo 3DS
Fans had waited patiently for a new Metroid and the latest reveal was for a game that seemed to carry only a passing resemblance. Designed as a co-op title that focused more on shooting than exploration, the handheld title caused an uproar from disgruntled fans on reveal and things didn't improve upon release with the game failing at retail and receiving the series poorest reviews.
Remake Entry 02 - Metroid: Samus Returns
Formats: Nintendo 3DS
Mainline Entry 09 - Metroid Prime 4
Formats: Nintendo Switch
What are your thoughts and memories of Nintendo's alien hunting series?
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