Topic: Why aren't Metroid or Starfox having more love than Zelda or Mario?

There were four flagship Metroid games that came out from 2002-2010. There were only three flagship Zeldas and four Marios in that time frame. Nintendo tried really hard to push Metroid on the Gamecube and Wii, but the sales just weren't there. Metroid just doesn't have the potential to be as popular as Zelda or Mario, simple as that. It's a niche title that Nintendo tried and failed to give a big push in Gen VI-VII. It's not unusual for there to be several years between Metroid games. It skipped Gen V entirely.

I'm confused, you said they shouldn't focus on franchises they sell better extra. Now your saying that you didn't and that they should focus on stuff that sells better than Metroid and Star Fox, then you suggest that Retro should do Metroid now?

@CaviarMeths: Remind me: Gen V. was N64 era, correct? I do not recall any N64 Metroid games.

There was also no Star Fox Games on Wii. There were 2 on GameCube and 1 on DS back in 06. IDK if you count the 3D remake of Star Fox 64.

The franchise was put on ice after the GB and Super Nintendo entries and pretty much didn't come back until prime and fusion came out.

presumably largely because Metroid was originally supposed to be a trilogy and its creator had been screwed over because he was a major part of Virtual Boy

Well Gunpei got screwed but I remember reading that Sakamoto did do some testing of a Metroid N64 but ended up scraping it.

I'd chalk these series getting passed up due to ,lack of resources and we should start seeing them as Nintendo has went by its main IP catalouge, for the most part.

The last Metroid was a commercial disappointment and a critical failure among much (Probably most) of the fanbase.

Star Fox had been dwindling both in reception by gamers and sales for 3 solid entries.

I don't think it's the permanent end for either franchise, but Nintendo definitely needs to play their cards better on both in the future. Nintendo probably won't focus on them to the same extent as Mario or Zelda, since those are their flagship franchises, but both could respectably hold their own if given the right amount of attention,

Metroid had top-selling games on the NES, SNES, GBA, GameCube, and Wii. It wasn't as big as Mario or Zelda, but I don't even think the most critical eye could label it as "Niche" fairly. The reason the N64 didn't get a Metroid game was because Sakamoto didn't feel confident in the N64's ability to run a 3D Metroid. (2D games were "Uncool" at the time, and the N64 was very, very limited in it's 2D capability anyways.) Otherwise, Metroid has appeared on all major Nintendo systems except the GBC and N64, and was successful until the Other M fiasco.

Yeah, Metroid isn't as popular as Zelda, but that alone isn't the best reason. I mean, there are very successful series that are less popular than Metroid.

Btw, and I literally just thought of this, considering Nintendo is making collaborative titles, why do we not have a Metroid and Castlevania crossover? Would it just be too awesome or something?

I dunno. Crossing gothic fantasy and sci-fi doesn't sound like it would work. I mean, as far as gameplay goes, they're obviously extremely compatible, but the lore would be pretty silly. Alien vampires? Shyamalan plot twist where Samus was on Earth the whole time?

I think a lot of people would like it, but lore is important to me, so I'd opt out.

Anyway, I'd still say that Metroid is less successful than Nintendo hoped it would be after four flagship titles for Gamecube and Wii. Prime was a fairly big hit, but its sequel didn't even pull half of its numbers. It is unfair to call it niche, but it's still untrue that Nintendo didn't put effort into pushing the property in an attempt to make it as popular as Zelda. There were 3 Metroid games from 1985-2001, and then 8 from 2002-2010 (not including Prime Trilogy and the Classic NES port).

Sorry by bad.

Anyways, I feel that Zelda, DK, Metroid, Starfox, Mario and F-Zero are the only franchises that are "Hardcore" out of which three of them are left in wonders and the other three are still being milked every year hence people keep complaining too much that Mario is milked a LOT but that's only because it sells A LOT!. I personally would want a new Metroid game because its awesome but the fact that they are bringing Chibi-Robo looks like they are finally beginning to listen to their fans to some extent.

Personally I think it has something to do with the lack of passion developers have to this franchise.
Star Fox isn't a big franchise for Nintendo's EADs, and doesn't have much motivation to move it forward, unless they had another studio to boot it same goes with Metroid.
Mario has 2 different EADs, and Zelda has 1 passionate EAD working on cannon Zelda games. Same goes with franchises like Animal Crossing and the Wii Series.

The way I see it, we'll start seeing more of those franchises once the Wii U starts picking up and Ninty can begin taking more risks. I mean, with the 3DS, at first we got all Mario and zelda fare; playing it safe. But as it began picking up steam, we started seeing more lesser known game franchise sequels popping up like luigi's mansion 2 and fire emblem awakening.

I do agree, and I think I remember Miyamoto basically saying Nintendo's games would be more interesting/different after Mario Kart's release.

Luigi's Mansion 2 and Fire Emblem aren't good examples since they were both in the pipeline long before the 3DS' turnaround (LM2 was supposed to come out around the same time as MK7 even).

I can understand nintendo, if zelda and mario sells better this mean that the majority of gamers prefer them and personally I prefer them to metroid and starfox

Since Sony closed Studio Liverpool, and I don't think there are any WipEout games anytime soon, this would be a great time for Nintendo to take over that genre with F-Zero.

There is great potential for a current-gen Star Fox, the visuals would be stunning and if Nintendo can take back the gameplay of the original first 2 games then I'd say it could be a system seller.

As for Metroid, 2 separate games, I've imagined Nintendo doing what they did with Mario, a 2.5D side-scrolling game, perhaps either a remake of one of the earlier games or new IP (I'd like to see Super Metroid remake), and a FPS to tie into the 2.5D game, (or a direct sequel or prequel to Super Metroid), oh, these ideas are getting me all giddy!!!

I can see a Metroid game coming out on the wii U in a few years, but I think Star Fox and F Zero have been abandoned.

I can see a Metroid game coming from a collaboration with Id Software strangely.

F-Zero may come in the future, possibly from the Mario Kart guys or something, but it will probably have a severely reduced roster, no custom tracks, no custom cars, and no real story mode. On the upside, they'll probably have an even mix of old and new tracks.

I can't see Starfox coming back unfortunately, unless they went the Adventures route again. The gameplay formula from 64 was very much a one-off, and wouldn't sell well in the modern market. I can see a much smaller developer making a cheap eshop sidescrolling shooter Starfox though, much in the vein of Star Soldier, or perhaps Sin and Punishment Star Successor as something more similar to 64. Still, hard to imagine these titles being anything more than cheap eshop stuff.

Anyone who wouldn't want a new game comparable to Star Fox 64 is a horrible human being, for the record.