Jump to content

Metroid

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Bobby D. DS. (talk | contribs) at 23:00, 19 September 2007 (→‎Shinespark: clarification about slopes and Super Metroid.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

The Metroid (メトロイド, Metoroido) games are a series of video games produced by Nintendo. One of the company's most successful franchises, the series spans through several Nintendo systems, starting with Metroid (1986) on the Famicom Disk System, and various ports, sequels, and remakes on the NES, Game Boy, Super NES, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo DS and Wii.

The Metroid games chronicle the missions of bounty hunter Samus Aran in a science fiction setting which has been compared to that of the Alien movies. Central plot elements are the terrifying Metroid organisms, and the Space Pirates which try to exploit the Metroids' powers. The gameplay combines adventure based on exploration and item-gathering with platformer and shooter dynamics. The Metroid games are particularly associated with nonlinear gameplay.

As of August 2007, 10 games in the Metroid series have been released. This includes four side-scrolling games (Metroid, Metroid II: Return of Samus, Super Metroid, and Metroid Fusion), a port and a remake of Metroid, a spin-off Nintendo DS game (Metroid Prime Pinball), a first-person adventure game, with wireless and online multiplayer (Metroid Prime Hunters), and a complete trilogy, with the third game in the trilogy Metroid Prime 3: Corruption released for the Wii on August 27 2007 in North America, and scheduled for release on October 26, 2007 in Europe.

Themes

The Metroid games are set in the same fictional universe. They share most main characters and fundamental gameplay elements, with a few notable exceptions.

Setting and characters

The heroine, Samus Aran, is a bounty hunter. She wears an extremely powerful and adaptable exoskeleton made by the ancient Chozo and adapted to fit her.

The eponymous in-game Metroids are large, jellyfish-like creatures with quadripartite nuclei. They are capable of siphoning an undetectable life energy from any living organism, generally causing the death of the victim in the process. Metroid II established a five-stage life cycle in which those Metroids native to SR388 go through two stages of ecdysis followed by two stages of mutation, thus maturing through four previously unknown forms: Alpha, Gamma, Zeta, and Omega. Metroid Prime introduced two new, Phazon-mutated forms: Hunter Metroids, which sport tentacles enabling long-range energy siphoning; and fission Metroids, which divide into two new Fission Metroids (with different elemental weaknesses) after absorbing a discrete amount of energy. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes has a Phazon-mutated subspecies of Metroid, the Tallon Metroid. Instead of siphoning all of their power from victims, they can feed directly off Phazon. They are born as Infant Metroids from cocoons and mature into adulthood when exposed to Phazon. The game also introduces Dark Tallon Metroids; Tallon Metroids corrupted by the Ing.

The main antagonists of the 2D Metroid games are the Space Pirates, while in the Metroid Prime sub-series, the main antagonist is the eponymous creature, a Phazon-infested Metroid. Mother Brain is the biomechanical defense of Zebes controlled by the Space Pirates. Kraid is a reoccurring boss in Metroid, Metroid: Zero Mission, and Super Metroid. Ridley, leader of the Space Pirates, appears in Metroid, Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion, Metroid: Zero Mission (as both versions, metal as final boss and normal as a normal boss), and in Metroid Prime (as the mechanical version of himself as a boss), and also in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption as a mechanical boss (Meta Ridley) near the beginning of the game and again near the end of the game infected with "Phazon" (Omega Ridley). The organization also includes a winged, mantis-like species, the KiHunters. The Space Pirates are interested in Metroid research, especially in using Metroids for energy generation, as soldiers, and for experimentation - their Phazon experiments produced all the Metroid variants seen in the Prime games with the exception of Prime itself.

Gameplay

The gameplay of all Metroid games revolves around Samus collecting items, or power-ups, that give her the ability to overcome obstacles. Many of the items recur throughout the series, with some modifications, such as the Morph Ball, which allows her to curl into a small ball to access tight spaces and drop bombs. Despite the series having a chronological element to it, each game requires the acquisition of the upgrades. For instance, Metroid Prime occurs just after the first Metroid, however the player still starts with the same minimal gear. The game explains this by having Samus caught in an explosion in the opening sequence, damaging her suit.

The main enemies of the games in the Metroid series are divided into two groups: bosses and final bosses. Each game contains multiple bosses that are often encountered by entering a large sealed room and engaging in combat with a large creature. When successful, the room opens and allows further progress, usually resulting in the acquisition of an item. Final bosses at the end of each Metroid game usually consist of a fight similar to a normal boss, and then a timed dash back to Samus' gunship to complete the game. In Metroid Prime, however, Samus dashes back to the gunship at the beginning of the game, her power-ups malfunctioning along the way.

In Metroid and Super Metroid, Kraid and Ridley make appearances as bosses, and Mother Brain sometimes appears as a final boss. In some of the games, a Metroid in some form can take the role of a boss, and sometimes even a final boss. The combat model for bosses and final bosses is usually standardized, though there are a few exceptions throughout the series.

The Metroid Prime titles diverge from the typical gameplay of the series by presenting the game through Samus's first-person perspective. As a result, the Prime titles contain heavy first-person shooter elements while retaining the sense of exploration and item collection from the 2-D series. An additional element present in the Prime series is the ability to scan creatures and objects to obtain information about them.

Evolution of storytelling

The narration of the Metroid series has changed substantially throughout the various installments. While the original Metroid marginalized its storytelling to the accompanying instruction booklet and the ending, this was notably changed in Super Metroid, with the opening even narrated by Samus herself. With the releases of Metroid Prime and Metroid Fusion, the series took on a more detailed plot, albeit using slightly different methods. While both games expanded the use of in-game cutscenes, dialogue, and narration, Prime makes use of the Scan Visor to give Samus the option of uncovering information about the plot, thus allowing the player to immerse themselves at their own pace. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is the first game in the Metroid series to use extensive voice acting.

Release history

Metroid provided a thoroughly nonlinear gaming experience.

Third and fourth generations of video games

The original Metroid was released for the Famicom Disk System (FDS) in 1986 and the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1987, introducing Samus Aran, who at the time was unusual in being a female video game character; in fact, the advertisements and instruction manual described Samus as male. In the Japanese version of the manual, Samus was referred to in a gender-neutral way of speech as to not spoil the surprise for the players completing the game and thus seeing Samus as a woman. Featuring a labyrinthine world in which the player chooses which direction to explore, it was notable for providing one of the first highly non-linear game experiences on a home console. Because of the time required to play through it, a password save system (on the NES) and a saved-game slot system (on the FDS) were implemented to let players take breaks and resume later. Metroid was among the first games with these features. Subsequent Metroid games removed the password function, relying entirely on battery-backed or memory-card saves. Metroid has remained one of the most popular games from the NES era. The NES port of Metroid features lower quality music and sound effects than the original FDS version.

The first sequel, Metroid II: Return of Samus, was released in 1991 for Nintendo's portable console, the Game Boy. Unlike Metroid, the goal is not primarily to collect items but to locate and kill Metroids. Metroid II contributed to the series' development by providing a set of new weapons and items, and also revealed some details about the Chozo and Metroids. Although it initially received positive reviews, its legacy has not been as enduring as that of either its predecessor or its successor in the series; possibly due to its greyscale graphics and comparatively linear gameplay, although it is not as linear as the later Metroid Fusion. Retro players should note that when the game is played on a Game Boy Color or Game Boy Advance system one of the built-in color palettes can be used. This also works with a Super Game Boy.

The third game in the series, titled Super Metroid, was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in 1994. It returned to a gameplay style closer to that of the first game, however expanding the arsenal of power-ups available to Samus. Super Metroid is set on the same planet as the original game, but with help from the capabilities of the SNES (and an unusually large cartridge at 24 megabit) features larger and more diverse environments, as well as a more detailed in-game plot than was found in the first two games. Super Metroid was one of the most popular games for the SNES when it debuted, receiving praise for its graphics, sound, and size. It has remained popular, frequently occupying top positions in "greatest game of all time" lists, including a number one spot awarded by Electronic Gaming Monthly.

Sixth and seventh generations of video games

Metroid Prime introduced 3D to the series

In 2000, Nintendo announced that Retro Studios, an American developer based in Austin, Texas, was developing a new Metroid game for Nintendo's next-generation console, the Nintendo GameCube, and that Nintendo itself was creating Metroid IV for the Game Boy Advance. Both games were released in 2002 with Retro Studios' effort titled Metroid Prime and Metroid IV renamed Metroid Fusion. Fusion took place some years after Super Metroid ended, whereas Prime is an "interquel" between the series' first two installments. Released simultaneously, the games also feature connectivity bonuses: players who beat Metroid Prime can play through the game with Samus wearing the new Fusion suit; beating Fusion allows unlocking the original Metroid as a fully playable extra.

Although much-hyped, Prime was controversial before its release. The first Metroid game to be set in three dimensions, using a first-person shooter perspective, some worried that its gameplay would not preserve the qualities associated with the 2D platform action of the first three games. [citation needed] These fears were worsened by the fact that Prime was created by a second-party, Western developer instead of an internal Nintendo team. Some pre-emptively complained that the game would simply be a Halo-esque "run and gun" shooter. Nintendo countered this by referring to Metroid Prime exclusively as a "first-person adventure".

When released, most journalists and fans found Prime to have preserved and developed the Metroid theme and gameplay, and it is among the most highly rated games of all time among game critics.[1]. Metroid Fusion, on the other hand has been given solid reviews, but criticism has been aimed at its use of in-game narratives and cutscenes, the "hint system" which discourages exploration and adds linearity to the gameplay, and the partial demystification of Samus's character. [citation needed].

Following Prime and Fusion, new Metroid titles have been produced with increased frequency.

A second Metroid game for the Game Boy Advance, Metroid: Zero Mission, was developed by Nintendo and released in 2004. It is an enhanced remake and re-telling of the original NES Metroid story, featuring areas and gameplay elements from previous games as well as entirely new ones. The story, which sheds a little more light on the character background of Samus Aran, is much more detailed in Metroid. Zero Mission also included an emulated version of the original Metroid as an unlockable bonus.

The third and fourth Metroid games for the Game Boy Advance were direct ports of both the original FDS Metroid and the American NES port. The FDS version was released as Famicom Mini: Metroid in Japan, and the NES version as Classic NES Series: Metroid in North America and NES Classics: Metroid elsewhere.

The GameCube title Metroid Prime 2: Echoes was also released in 2004. Like its predecessor, Metroid Prime, it was developed by Retro Studios. It is a first-person adventure in the style of the first Prime, but introduced a new device: the concept of the light and dark worlds, somewhat similar to that seen in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, but in terms of different dimensions rather than magical worlds. It incorporated combination ammo, similar to Metroid Prime Hunters. "Echoes" was also notable in being the first Metroid game to feature a multiplayer component, where up to 4 players could battle it out in a deathmatch-style setting.

In 2006, the Metroid Prime series went portable through the release of Metroid Prime Hunters for the Nintendo DS. It is largely credited as being one of the finest first person adventures/shooters to be released for any handheld system, though many found the stylus-based looking and aiming controls to be cumbersome and tiring after extended periods of play.[citation needed] It is also noted for its usage of the Nintendo DS' ability to capably render large, 3D, free-roaming worlds. Though many new weapons, hunters, worlds, bosses, and mazes were added, the game is said to be more linear than its many other counterparts. Multiplayer gameplay made a return to the Metroid universe in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, with the later Metroid Prime Hunters expanding on this by including more game modes, stages and online capabilities.

On August 27, 2007, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption was released for the Wii console, concluding the Prime series; Retro Studios produced this game as well. Metroid Prime 3 introduced the use of control of the ship at certain points of the game, utilizing it as transport and to interact with the environment. The Wii remote is used as a pointer to aim Samus' right hand arm cannon, with the Nunchuck used to control Samus' movement and grappling capabilities on her left hand. The Wii remote also controls the left arm to interact with control consoles, in that the remote is moved in the direction necessary to provide the desired input (e.g., pull, twist, and push a lever). The new control scheme has been lauded as being as close to a mouse-and-keyboard PC setup as can be on a console, lacking only a quick 180-degree turn.[2] Players are also able to use tokens earned in the game to buy extra content. There are four types of tokens: Red tokens are obtained through scanning enemies and allies, blue tokens are earned through scanned lore, gold tokens are obtained from making special progress such as killing bosses, and friend tokens are obtained by trading friend vouchers with Wii friends over WiiConnect24.

Metroid Dread

Metroid Dread was first announced in the June 2005 issue of Game Informer, and further details emerged on the magazine's Internet forums. According to the forum moderators, the game was a 2D side-scroller being developed for the Nintendo DS, and its plot follows the events of Metroid Fusion.[3] On 2005-09-19, IGN reported that Metroid Dread is indeed in development, but would probably not be formally announced for some time.[4] Nintendo had neither confirmed nor denied its existence.[4] On 2005-10-07, the Nintendo-Next website reported that the project has been canceled, but chose not to reveal their sources.[5] On 2006-02-17, the British Official Nintendo Magazine included Metroid Dread in their "Official Release Dates", listed under November 2006, albeit as 'TBC' (to be confirmed). However, on March 16, 2006, in the second issue of the magazine, the game was marked with a vague '2006' release date, although ONM highlighted the ambiguity surrounding the game, and suggested to wait until E3 2006 for some more concrete information. On 2006-03-23, the website N-Sider reported that the IGN editor Craig Harris was asked about Metroid Dread, and his response was that it was too early to show at E3 in 2005, but that it could be shown later that year. This lends credence to the possibility that the game has not been canceled, and that this could have been reported falsely by Nintendo-Next. [6] The game failed to make an appearance at E3 in 2006 or 2007, although this is not necessarily an indication that the game is indeed canceled. Matt Cassamassina, when asked about Metroid Dread in a podcast on the August 24 2007, mentioned that "a wink to the fans" about the game was in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, although he clarified that this was by no means a confirmation of the title. This was later explained as an in-game message in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (by scanning a panel within the Pirate Homeworld's "Metroid Processing" room) stating "Experiment status report update: Metroid project 'Dread' is nearing the final stages of completion."[7]On September 6 2007 Nintendo denied the existence of Metroid Dread and said "Nintendo is not making the 2D Metroid at this point in time." [8]

Chronology and storyline

The chronology of the Metroid fictional universe does not match the release order of the games. According to the official timeline released by Nintendo,[9][10] the games currently released are ordered as follows:

Metroid and Metroid: Zero Mission (1986/2004)
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. In the 2004 remake Metroid: Zero Mission, it is revealed that she was ambushed by Space Pirates after defeating Mother Brain and escaped from Zebes, 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 Mother Ship in order to find a way off the planet with only an emergency pistol for protection. After receiving a fully powered suit from deep within the Chozo ruins, she steals an escape pod from the Space Pirate mothership, as well as triggering its self-destruct sequence after eliminating Mecha-Ridley.
Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime Pinball (2002/2005)
Samus receives a distress signal in her new ship and she travels to Tallon IV to stop the Space Pirates from exploiting a powerful radioactive substance known as Phazon. She discovers that the ancient people who raised her and bestowed her with the Power Suit, the Chozo, once settled on this planet, and their disappearance, as well as the emergence of Phazon, is due to a meteor crashing on the planet at an unknown date. The Chozo sealed away the source of the Phazon, and left the planet. Their prophecies foretold Samus' arrival, and they left her numerous weapons to help her defeat the source of the Phazon. After gathering all the ablilities, having her suit corrupted by phazon and collecting the 12 artifact keys, she unseals the impact crater and confronts Metroid Prime, the source of the phazon corruption of the planet. After killing it, Metroid Prime absorbs the phazon in her suit, and apparently dies. Collecting 100% of the items reveals that Metroid Prime has lived on using the Phazon Suit. Metroid Prime Pinball is not a separate canon game in the Metroid storyline but actually retells the story of the original Metroid Prime in pinball format. It includes several of the same bosses and areas, such as Phendrana Drifts, Thardus, and Metroid Prime. Despite playing as a pinball game, there are a number of powerups that can be collected in the multi-game mode, including missiles and power bombs. The game is bundled with the Nintendo DS Rumble Pak and was the first game to employ it.
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. After killing Gorea, Samus and the 6 bounty hunters all leave 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 were lost there. Samus finds them all dead, killed by several creatures, mainly consisting of an evil race called the Ing. Upon meeting the only remaining member of Luminoth (the others were frozen in stasis chambers until the end of the game, where the last of the energy is replaced, and Dark Aether is destroyed), Samus learns Aether has been split into two dimensions by a meteor similar to the one that crashed on Tallon IV. Samus helps save Aether from the Ing, but encounters Dark Samus in the process, a being with Samus' genetic code and a mutated version of her Varia Suit.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (2007)
Space Pirates shut down Galactic Federation computer systems and then engage in large scale combat in an attempt to further spread Phazon. Enormous Phazon-based seedships, known as 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 in destroying Dark Samus.
Metroid II: Return of Samus (1991)
Following the events of the previous chapters, 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, Samus finds an unhatched egg sac. As she prepares to destroy it, a Metroid larva pops out and decides Samus is its mother. It follows her back to her ship, and Samus hands it over to the GF for research.
Super Metroid (1994)
Samus receives a distress signal from the research lab where she took the Metroid hatchling saved at the end of the previous game. She returns just in time to see Ridley stealing the hatchling. She then follows Ridley to the rebuilt base on Zebes to stop the Space Pirates in their new plan to clone the Metroids and use them as a weapon. She kills the reborn versions of Ridley, Kraid, Mother Brain and others, blowing up Zebes again and killing the last few remaining Metroids.
Metroid Fusion (2002)
While acting as a bodyguard for researchers on the planet SR388, Samus is infected by a creature known as the X Parasite, the original prey of the Metroid species. Doctors surgically remove portions of her Power Suit and cure the X infection with a vaccine created from Metroid DNA, allowing her not only to survive the parasite but to absorb its life energy and use it as her own. She is then sent to investigate a disturbance at the space research facility, Biologic Space Labs, where researchers attempted to contain the infected Power Suit. It is revealed that an X mimicking Samus, nicknamed the SA-X, has taken control of Samus's suit and released other X parasites inside the other specimens, infecting the entire station as they assimilate other organisms. While trying to destroy SA-X, Samus uncovers a Federation research program to grow new Metroids.

Important people

Metroid, Metroid II: Return of Samus, Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission were all developed by Nintendo's internal R&D1 section. The games which have been developed by separate teams are Metroid Prime 1, 2, and 3 (Retro Studios), Metroid Prime Hunters (Nintendo Software Technology Corporation), and Metroid Prime Pinball (Fuse Games).

The central figures in the creation and development of the Metroid series are Yoshio Sakamoto who has directed or supervised the development of all the games (excluding Metroid II), Gunpei Yokoi who headed R&D1 and produced the first three games before his death in 1997, Makoto Kanoh who directed and designed scenarios for the first three games, and Hiroji Kiyotake who designed the characters for the original game. Shigeru Miyamoto, who created the Mario and Legend of Zelda series, has not been involved with the creation of Metroid, but he did act as producer for both Metroid Prime and its sequel.

The Metroid series has been especially noted for its music and has had several composers during the years:

In addition to these names, it should be noted that Tommy Tallarico has contributed to the Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes soundtracks respectively, although to what capacity can't be determined. He has stated on his personal website that the lack of his name in the game's credits was a mistake. This was due to the internal audio depatment at Retro Studios being assigned to Metroid Prime after their initial project was canceled.

Franchise spin-offs

Comic books have been released based on Metroid, Super Metroid and Metroid Prime. Samus Aran and other Metroid characters also feature in the Captain N: The Game Master comic books by Valiant Comics. Mother Brain was also the main villain in the Captain N: The Game Master TV show.

Samus is also featured in the Super Smash Bros. series (Super Smash Bros., Super Smash Bros. Melee, and the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Brawl) in both Varia Suit and Zero Suit versions.

A live-action movie version of Metroid was reportedly in development by Lion Rock Productions, based around Samus Aran, along with her early battles with the Metroids and the Mother Brain. It was scheduled to be released in theaters around 2006, but either has been canceled or remains in development hell.

Speedrunning

The Metroid games have been a popular target for speedrunning, the act of completing a game in the fastest time possible. In addition to the nonlinear level design that allows alternate routes to be taken through the games, the Metroid games encourage speedrunning by displaying item collection and completion time statistics at the end of the game. Speedrunning is also encouraged by the fact that completion time is one of the primary factors determining what ending the player sees, and completing the game in a short time allows the player to see Samus without her armored suit.

To finish a game as quickly as possible, speedrunners exploit glitches and secrets that provide shortcuts. There are many of these in all games, both unintentional glitches and features added deliberately by the developers. For an example of the latter, the key to speedrunning in Super Metroid is the wall jump move, which is not described in the instruction manual but revealed in a secret room in the game. Wall jumping, as well as the shinespark move, also appears in Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion, and Metroid: Zero Mission.

See also the Metroid series section of the speedrun article for Metroid-specific speedrunning terminology.

Shinespark

The Shinespark is an ability that debuted in Super Metroid, where it was known as the Super Jump. It has more recently been used in two other Metroid games as well, Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission. The name "Shinespark" was officially given to the technique in Metroid Fusion during a "secret" conversation that, to witness, requires the player to perform a complicated series of Shinesparks, or exploit a glitch in the US and European versions. The technique requires the Speed Booster upgrade and allows Samus to break through Speed Booster Blocks as well as some blocks that can be destroyed with Morph Ball Bomb and the Power Beam. Metroid: Zero Mission takes the move one step further by allowing the player to do the move while in Morphball form as well. In Super Metroid, using the Shinespark inflicts damage on Samus. The "Shinespark" name is a reference to the signature finishing move of Getter Dragon, a robot in the Super Robot series Getter Robo G.[citation needed]

The Shinespark is performed by running over a distance until Samus has multiple images sprinting behind her, then the player must quickly crouch. The run must be uninterrupted, and the charge lasts only for a few seconds. After crouching (in which she glows), Samus can stand up and move around as normal while the charge lasts, with the exception of normal jumping, which activates the shinespark, causing Samus to quickly dash straight in a given direction, uncontrollable and unaffected by gravity, until she runs out of health (Super Metroid only) or hits a wall. Spin jumps do not activate the Shinespark. The Shinespark can be performed vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. In addition, if a horizontal Shinespark is performed into a slope, Samus will begin running along the slope at full speed (not in Super Metroid). This feature debuted in Metroid Fusion, and is key in performing multiple Shinesparks in a row.

Suitless Samus

File:Metroid Justin Bailey.png
A suitless Samus after using the JUSTIN BAILEY code in the original Metroid.

A traditional aspect present in each Metroid title (with the exception of Metroid Prime Pinball) is the ability to see Samus's appearance without her powersuit. In the first Metroid, this could be achieved by beating the game in under three hours or by entering passwords into the NES version's password screen. Originally used as a method of keeping Samus's gender a surprise, it has become a series custom to display an image or movie of Samus without her suit (or helmet) if the player beats the game within a specific time frame and/or finishes the game with a specific percentage of items collected. Depending on the player's performance in the original Metroid, Samus could appear in as little as a two-piece bikini. Super Metroid was the first game to break from tradition by having the Power Suit break off from Samus upon death, briefly exposing her to the player. While both Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission also use this idea (with the latter having the suit simply disappear), Zero Mission blurs the line more by including a sequence during the course of normal gameplay in which the player is forced to play as Samus after she has lost her Power Suit, wearing only her form-fitting blue "Zero Suit".

While the original Metroid allowed the player to play as a suitless Samus after completing the game quickly (or using a password), the feature was a secret reward and wasn't part of the regular game, as it was in Zero Mission.

In Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, the first players see of Samus is when she is not wearing her Varia Suit, though all actual gameplay is done while wearing it.

In the upcoming title, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, a feature has been added that will cause Samus's Power Suit to fall off after using an item called a "Smash Ball" to activate an attack called the "Zero Laser", causing the player to fight in her "Zero Suit" with a completely different move set. When this occurs, Samus is referred to as "Zero Suit Samus". [11]

References

  1. ^ http://www.gamerankings.com/itemrankings/simpleratings.asp?rankings=y. Accessed on June 6th, 2007.
  2. ^ http://wii.ign.com/articles/815/815424p3.html
  3. ^ "Ask GI: Metroid Dread?". Game Informer. Retrieved 2005-08-21.
  4. ^ a b Craig Harris (2005-09-19). "Nintendo DS Mailbag". IGN. Retrieved 2005-09-19. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ Ryley. "Metroid Dread - Canceled?". Nintendo-Next. Retrieved 2005-10-07.
  6. ^ Bayer, Glen (2006-03-23). "GDC: Spore on Nintendo DS, New Super Mario Bros. videos, more". N-Sider. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
  7. ^ Cassamassina, Matt (2007-08-27). "Metroid Dread Nearing Completion". IGN. Retrieved 2007-08-27. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ Jackson, Mike (2007-09-06). "Nintendo denies Metroid Dread". CVG. Retrieved 2007-09-06. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ "History". Metroid Zero Mission Official Site (Japanese version). Accessed on August 21 2005.
  10. ^ Ice27. "Metroid Prime 2 Echoes Bonus Disc FAQ/Walkthrough." GameFAQs. Accessed on July 26, 2007.
  11. ^ http://www.smashbros.com/en_us/characters/samus.html#3rd
Official
Other resources
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Metroid&oldid=159052603"