Over the weekend our lovely folk in the video team posted a detailed chat, above, asking a simple but intriguing question — "Why hasn't the Metroid series traditionally sold well?" It's a good question, and it feels like one with a lot of varied answers. Let's summarise a few, before shifting to a fully optimistic outlook on the upcoming Metroid Dread.
The series has a long history, from the NES through to 3DS and — very soon — Switch. Even accounting for the potentially loose nature of some sales data, it's perhaps unsurprising to see that the original game is the second best-selling entry in the series, The NES boomed and that original game undoubtedly caught the imagination.
The number one best-selling game in the series, it seems, is Metroid Prime, which was a revelation for the franchise but also in gaming at the time. Retro Studios produced a showcase not only for the GameCube, but of 3D gaming technology, coupling it with incredibly atmospheric settings and shifting from the series' explorative 2D gameplay to the third dimension and a first-person perspective, doing so in a way that made the leap obvious and elementary.
Even taking into account the potential incompleteness of these figures (which can't account for Virtual Console downloads across multiple generations of Nintendo hardware, for example), the fact that sales figures for the series put the best-seller at below three million is a sure indication that the series has never truly taken off, at least not by Nintendo's lofty standards. While many devoted Nintendo fans reel off the Metroid name alongside the likes of Mario and The Legend of Zelda, the reality is that the actual sales have never been in the same ballpark. Though some may disagree and argue over examples, Nintendo has also tried various approaches to push the brand — 2D games on console and handheld, the Prime series, attempts to focus on multiplayer. It's never quite worked on a mainstream level, even when some of the games have been critically acclaimed.
While many devoted Nintendo fans reel off the Metroid name alongside the likes of Mario and The Legend of Zelda, the reality is that the actual sales have never been in the same ball park.
As discussed in the video, it does seem like Nintendo has been both unlucky and a little error-prone with the series. The Prime series is wonderful, but two of the games were on GameCube, a system that struggled to sell; only the Wii U has done worse for the company as a home console. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption was perhaps a surprise in its struggles, though Nintendo then made Metroid Prime Trilogy more of a retail collector's item so it never had the opportunity to take off; remember, in the Wii era you could not download retail titles, the infrastructure wasn't in place.
Even more recently, Metroid: Samus Returns is an excellent game that arrived on 3DS after the Switch had been on the market for around six months. Players with a limited budget to buy games would have hesitated about buying a new 3DS title when they wanted to sink their money into either picking up a Switch or growing their library on the new hardware.
You can go through many releases and find various factors that may have held Metroid back, but a key issue is that the IP has never quite found a foothold in Japan. Not only will that be disappointing to the creative teams throughout the series' history, but it will have influenced Nintendo's focus on the IP; in fact as a franchise with relatively modest sales it's had more than its share of games. When you combine awkward release times, development cycle challenges and the fact it's not a banker in Nintendo's domestic market, it's no surprise that support has been uneven.
The hope will be that it can be a breakthrough moment in a similar manner to Fire Emblem: Awakening on 3DS, when a near-abandoned franchise took off and became a staple of Nintendo's first party output.
Despite all this, though, perhaps Metroid Dread is actually arriving at a good time for a change, and on popular and still lucrative hardware. In fact, as we've riffed on in the headline, the hope will be that it can be a breakthrough moment in a similar manner to Fire Emblem: Awakening on 3DS, when a near-abandoned franchise took off and became a staple of Nintendo's first party output. Perhaps Dread, unlike many of its predecessors, could be lifted to heights that recalibrate Nintendo's focus, and prioritisation, of the series and its upcoming games, from Metroid Prime 4 and beyond.
Though the E3 Nintendo Direct emphasized it as 'Metroid 5', it wouldn't surprise us if a lot of marketing — particularly that on social media and TV advertising — shies away from that sequel focus. As a gateway to the series, instead, Dread has an opportunity. It'll arrive on the same day as the Nintendo Switch OLED model (8th October), so will benefit from the increased attention and publicity of that updated hardware. That will be in the beginnings of the frenzied Holiday shopping season, also, and will sit alongside Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl on shelves through November and December as a very different option as more and more consumers browse Switch titles.
The Switch continues to thrive and sell in significant numbers, and we've already seen how that interprets into giving franchises renewed sales growth; perhaps unlike the days of the Wii, as an example, there's clearly a significant attach rate of Switch owners buying a variety of games, especially anything first-party. Dread will have a new system iteration, early festive sales, even Halloween vibes with that name all in its favour. If Nintendo pushes the boat out and invests in heavy marketing, which would seem likely at this stage, it could become the best-selling Metroid game of all time; that's not exactly a lofty target, but it could go far beyond what its predecessors achieved in pure sales.
Perhaps, after misfires, bad luck and unfortunate chains of events, the Metroid series will have a true blockbuster hit. If so, a fan-favourite series could finally break through to mainstream sales success. If Fire Emblem can do it, Metroid definitely stands a chance.
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Comments 204
i will say that the game has interested me in the series and i've never touched a metroid game in the past, so they're doing something right
though i might just be a sucker for the E.M.M.I tbh
I sure hope so, I want Metroid to be as well known as Zelda and Mario, though even I will admit that is way too ambitious, still I can dream.
Honestly, yes. It's a new game that's a 'have this while you wait for prime 4' while also reviving 2D Metroid.
If it is I pray we get Metroid Prime trilogy on Switch after! I only ever played the first Prime and it was incredible.
As I said a few weeks ago, the huge hype surrounding the game and switch sales means that dread could not only easily be a bestseller for the series but pass on some of its popularity to metroid prime 4. This is the metroid series biggest moment.
Yeah, why not? Switch is popular hardware and metroidvania games have become more known to people lately, mainly because of some awesome indies.
Well I never played a metroid game before I heard of this, gave super a try, and yes I love the heck out of it.
And TBH its was going to be dread or prime, but one of them was going to draw in a lot of money, Prime is really going to set people, as people who have already been waiting for a prime game, on top of the people who are in love with the games after playing dread. Yep, prime is going to sell well.
Yes really looking forward for this.
I believe it willl be at least until prime 4 is released but maybe as prime it will be released late in the Switch's life cycle it won't sell as much
I will be utterly shocked if this isn't the best selling Metroid game, even if the game itself doesn't review well (which seems unlikely from all early footage, they've really taken Samus Returns' and Fusion's feedback to heart, as well as likely Other M). Metroid has luckily had some breaks in keeping it in the popular imagination, from Captain N to GDQ to Smash. I do hope the Fortnite rumors are true as well, as that could be another huge draw if Nintendo pulls the trigger.
@Dragwhite
Same.
But what bothers me is that I can't pre-order on Amazon the last games Nintendo announced, such as Skyward Sword and Metroid Dread, or even the Zelda G&W. But I had no problem pre-ordering Sonic Colors. Hope they fix that issue soon
i find it incredible that we have seen the best that gaming can offer in near perfection and craft (previous Metroid's and Metorid Prime series), and people now only take an interest. It is not like these games were hidden, with people shouting from the rooftops 'please play these games there are so amazing'
@Dragwhite Same LOL.
@smithyo Because most people just play current generation games. It tends to be us nerds/hardcore gamers on here who look back further.
Hmmm... From what we've seen so far it kinda just looks like another solid Metroid game. Still very excited for it, but it doesn't look like some big shake up. I think that could be reserved for prime 4
It’s funny that so many people are buying into the marketing for this game being a new 2D Metroid game in 19 years, when we had Samus Returns. It’s like the company isn’t willing to acknowledge that game, which is extremely strange seeing as Mercury Steam will have developed both games. I honestly think that Nintendo is releasing this as a $60 entry as a way to convince people that the game will be good quality. Hiding behind the brand name, in other words. We will see upon release, of course, though the treehouse and other released footage aren’t exactly making this thing look all that great.
I think the fact that Metroid, as a series, hit a high point with Prime is very important to remember. Might be time to remember this series as a fond memory, at this point!
I feel like while there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with Metroid Dread, it's basically another 2D Metroid game following the foot steps of previous similar games, so I don't see why Metroid Dread in particular would cause the series an explosion of popularity.
I hope so Metroid is in the top 3 most under appreciated Nintendo franchises of all time
What others seeing that I’m not?
I love Metroid and Metroid prime, but this looks bobbins.
I want Metroid to attract a larger fanbase but I want it to happen for the right reasons. It is almost certain that this game is going to be the best selling game in the Metroid franchise. However, Nintendo is going to have to do some soul searching and ask themselves the question: how much of this game's success will be due to genuine demand for the IP and how much of it will be due to casuals who'll buy the game because they've never played a Metroid game and drop it after they lose interest?
@YoungLink64 Why can't a side scrolling game be modern?
I really hope this does well, and man I really want to pre-order to show Nintendo, “we want more Metroid games!” BUT, I have to say, it just isn’t exciting me a whole lot. I don’t love the graphical style, the EMMI hide-and-seek gameplay worries me, and from what they’ve shown so far, the environments do not impress, which is a huge part of Metroid.
It’s shocking to me that Nintendo is so unsure of what to do with this series. Prime 3 really set the stage for an evolution—give us an open world to play in! Let us take bounties, travel to different planets, hunt new and strange Metroid-creatures. Give us weird new equipment. It just seems so obvious to me…
Breath of the Metroid!!
PS—maybe it would help if they put the Metroid games in the Switch eShop, for the love of god!!! 🤦🏻♂️
@The_New_Butler yeah, I couldn't agree more with this. I think it actually could have the opposite effect. I think the marketing budget and price point are alluding to a much deeper experience than I PERSONALLY think this game is going to end up being. My money is firmly banked that this game is going to be a massive let down for anyone who isn't a die hard Metroid fan who is already invested in the storyline. I think if we still had the 3DS or an equivalent, this would be a 40$ game.
I dunno. It looks great and I love the series. I just don’t know why this would suddenly sell a lot better when it’s not exactly looking drastically different from games that didn’t sell that well. I guess Switch is popular.
No. It will be just another entry, regardless of well successful it might become. The fact it's being developed by a B-team and a hired western studio already tells a lot about its future.
I've been on so many "this is it" moments for Metroid that I don't think this one is going to do anything special for the franchise. I just don't see a modern platformer breaking any new ground for the series. They hyped the ***** out of Other M too, and, uh, that didn't go so well.
It's a 2D old school game priced at 60 bucks. This won't be the breakthrough title I'm afraid.
With prime being the no. 1 seller, at under 3 million, did the people who scream they love metroid, even play any of them? 🤣
I loved everything about Fusion - it's my favourite Metroid - so I should be really hyped for Dread but I haven't been too impressed by what I've seen so far.
I'm not a fan of the graphical style at all. Which disappoints me, as for me, Fusion is a stunner and nailed its space station theme better than any other Metroid. I have a few other reservations too, from the overly long simple boss fight shown in the TreeHouse, to the cheesy in game cut scenes, to the premium price for a game that will likely fall short of modern Metroidvania's like Hollow Knight and Ori.
I'm sure it will be a good game but I don't think it will be up there with the best in the series.
This feature gives me agita... I don't want there to be another "awakening" of anything. Though unlike FE before Awakening Metroid has already has had plenty of legit stinkers and is currently being handled by devs who have thus far proven to be mediocre at best so it is a bit of a different situation.
@Ear_wiG An open world Metroid game?! With bounties?!?! NINTENDO HIRE THIS FELLOW STAT
@Dragwhite Nice!
@1ofUs Honestly I think this is more than something to chew on until Prime 4! The 2d series is definitely not directly smaller or inferior to the 3d ones. In fact personally, Metroid 5 means more to me than Prime 4, I prefer the 2d games.
Mario and Zelda are the band nirvana. Metroid Is the band the pixies. Simple xxxx
@smithyo Same. With the SNES mini and NSO, people should have been able to discover or re-discover Super Metroid.
Regardless, I hope Dread lives up to the hype.
@Crockin I dunno, people seem really excited including me, along with a lot of newcomers. I think the Emmi is just enough of a shakeup, and no further change is needed.
@Dpishere Well I think Metroid appeals to a much more mature audience and I think that's exactly what nintendo needs.
Metroidvania has really kicked off the last few years. Metroid Dread should sell at least 3 million. It will also be the first 2D Metroid I purchase. Only ever purchased the three Prime games. Wish the other 2D games were available on the Switch. Come on Nintendo, make it happen…!
Ps…I won’t be buying until it’s £33 in the sale. Sod £50. Sorry Nintendo, sorry Metroid.
@Dragonslacker1 Nicely put!
Mario, Zelda, and Metroid on SNES are the trifecta of games that makes that console so great.
@Benjinat your too late to the game here. They sold out the day of the preorder opened. Amazon no longer has preorders and same for others.
I for one glad we have a variety of games to choose from and preorder. Otherwise the gaming industry would be dead.
@BloodNinja Well Samus Returns was only a remake, so it wasn't "new" per say, and if you notice in the treehouse footage, they did say new "original" 2d Metroid, so that's what they meant, and no I don't think this is some cheap marketing trick, the fact that Metroid 5 is finally happening in nearly 2d decades is a gargantuan thing, and quite honestly even more exciting than something like Prime 4. And in the development behind the scenes featurrette they did mention Mercury Steam. I think they hit a high point with Super, but in the same way Zelda did peak at Lttp once open a time, it didn't mean they couldn't triumph even that with BotW. Judging by the excitement from old and new fans alike, I think this could be a new high point for the series.
@DarkKirby Well for that reason you just said. It's another Metroid game, and in so long. The word metroid elicits similar feelings to me as Zelda, because there is nothing like a Metroid, and it looks amazing, and it's on a very healthy install base. It's even 2d, which is spectacular!
@YoungLink64 What? Why?
@KBuckley27 for sure
@Chunkboi79 Yeah they could use some more "mature" games, Metroid is about as close as we can get from Nintendo.
@BloodNinja Also, Other M is left out of the numbering and storyline. I suppose because of where it falls, that it is a 2.5D game, and that it wasn’t well received. But really, Dread should be Metroid 6.
@YoungLink64 I get it a lot of times 3d does seem straight up superior, however I Matlin that there are advantages to games being 2d, otherwise they wouldn't make 2d games anymore.
I for one am looking forward to the dating mechanics in Metroid Dread, like Awakening had.
@BloodNinja You have it wrong. Metroid Dread is the first new 2D entry in the franchise in 19 years. New meaning not a remake, and interquel, nor a spin-off. And considering it carries the name of and (according to Sakamoto) is the actual fruition of a 19 year old rumor thought to be in development after the release of Metroid Fusion, thought to have become a myth after all those years; it's no exaggeration to say that it is a very big deal for us fans and the franchise.
This thing's history goes as far back as when I was 11 years old, at minimum. I'm going to be 30 in 8 days. That's how long people have been waiting for this game.
I am hyped for Dread. But equally hyped for Axiom Verge 2.
@NeoGee 2d?!?! Old School!?!?
Dude, 2d means nothing, loads of people adore the 2d series MORE than the 3d ones, it's not old school it's not inferior, it in a lot of ways is a lot sharper than the 3d series.
@Darlinfan Yeah having to stop development on Prime 4 and basically restart doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence!
Fortnite may feature Samus during this alien focused season. They have Master Chief and Kalos from the other console makers, and Samus has been (rumored) teased and leaked in court documents. This might be a good way to build hype with new players.
my body is ready .gif
@BloodNinja Have you played Returnal? This game, more than any other in recent memory, has given me such STRONG Metroid vibes. Metroid absolutely could work as a third-person shooter, be open world, and have you completing bounties and hunting for alien gear, alongside a main storyline of course. It’s just SO OBVIOUS!! Problem likely is that I guess Metroid just doesn’t have the sales, so Nintendo isn’t willing to invest on a Metroid of this scale, like a Breath of the Wild. But who knows, maybe this is the plan for Prime 4, and that’s why they decided to start from scratch? 🤷🏻♂️
I think so. It has gotten an overwhelming positive response and it shot up in the sales/preorder charts, so yeah. The game looks great, can't wait for October!
@smithyo I mentioned Metroid Dread to a couple of 14 year olds over the weekend. They didn’t know what I was talking about. I had to explain that Samus from Smash Bros. was getting a new game. 😬
@Dpishere Nintendo has a level of polish that in many aspects they are at the top of their game with. Considering the switch only really gets huge titles from nintendo themselves. Mature doesn't always mean blood, gore, and profanity. Sometimes it just comes with a more complex gameplay style, more mature themes, deeper stories.
I mean we have a ton of family friendly games but I want more Astral Chain, F-Zero, and Metroid
@METROIDDREAD Again, swallowed by marketing hype.
@Tandy255 Yeah, that would make more sense. It’s surprising that Other M is also pretty much ignored. I never played it, was it any good?
If Nintendo gave it a bumpin hip hop soundtrack, online multiplayer and DLC skin packs, as well as a carjacking/robbery system, it would probably be extremely popular. However, all of those things are also what I despise the most about modern gaming.
@BloodNinja It was decent. I did finish it, but I never felt the need to replay it. People hated the storyline cut scenes. Plus the story artificially restricted access to your weapons, as opposed to being alone and finding upgrades as you went (from what I remember).
@MegaVel91 Yeah, I don’t buy it. Samus Returns was different enough that it felt like an entirely new game.
@Ear_wiG I have not heard of Returnal, what is it?
@Tandy255 Ah, so something similar to how Fusion restricted exploration for the sake of that mediocre story.
I’m buying this day one like many previous Metroid games. But here’s a prediction: Dread isn’t going to break any sales records. People online scream and shout they want a new entry in a dormant series and when it finally comes out, it sells only a modest amount. With the amount of Switches that have sold, I would expect Dread to sell better than previous entries, but I wouldn’t expect it to be a breakout success. It’s no wonder it took them so long to release a new entry in the Metroid series - they never did exceptional numbers. But I am happy to see a new sidescrolling Metroid after all these years. And I imagine it will be several years before we see another.
@Clyde_Radcliffe
Prime 2 is the high water mark of the series. It fixed some of the issues the first game had while making it way more challenging. Really well executed title.
@Kainbrightside @Hordak Tell the kids that Samus from Smash Bros. Is getting a new game.
@rushiosan Just like when they hired a western studio to make a 3D Metroid and then make another Donkey Kong Country and those totally flopped and didn't get any followups?
@BloodNinja
I finally played through Other M a few weeks ago, I went in with very low expectations considering how much of a bad rap the game gets and somehow it was still even worse than I expected. Etremely linear with barely any exploration (If you disliked that in fusion, it's way, way worse here), godawful control scheme with the tacked in first-person mode via turning the wiimote around and pointing it at the screen being particular levels of cumbersome (and they expect you to do that in tight situations in almost every boss fight and stronger regular enemies), then there's the story and characters... even as someone who cares little for such things in games it was a very painful experience to sit through, every character (expect Anthony, he's cool) was annoying and it just felt like the story tried way too hard to be all philosophical and whatever while being about as shallow as a puddle. Soundtrack was also extremely forgettable... when there was any, most of the time there's no music at all.
For the positives... I guess the game looks nice? And there's some pretty vivid colors which is nice... That's about it really though.
It was just awful all around I was shocked to find out how favourably this site reviewed that game back in the day.
Though coming from that I start to understand how someone would view Samus Returns in such a positive light, almost anything seems like a masterpiece compared to Other M.
@BloodNinja
Mediocre story in Fusion? That's a pretty hot take, I've only seen praise for it's story
@BloodNinja That doesn't change the fact it was a remake. AM2R is unofficial and feels like a completely new game but that doesn't change it's nature as a remake either. Where Metroid Dread is not a remake. Just cause it doesn't feel like a remake to you doesn't change that either.
Metroidvania is the biggest buzzword of the indie scene and has been for some time now. I hope the popularity in that format really helps the sales of this game. Hollow Knight sold over 3 million copies so I am in no doubt it will the best selling Metroid game of all time. I just Hope it is not dumbed down for the masses.
And that is the thing with Metroid: due to the Sci-fi setting, and the action, and does not have the same mass market appeal e.g. it does not appeal as much to (but of course to some) female and casual gamers. But there are more core gamers on Switch than there was on consoles like Wii, so I am expecting higher sales for sure.
@Darlinfan 😂 It does sound sketchy. I hired some neighborhood kids to help with some yard work.
Even my niece and nephew only know of Samus and Zero Suit Samus from Smash Bros. (and probably made the connection from there to her being in Super Metroid on the SNES mini).
@Ear_wiG
I truly hope you're wrong. Metroid should be about exploration, Isolation, remnants of ancient civilizations. If they went open world with a bounty mission board, then I'd jump off the Metroid train.
Prime 3 leaned into it, along with Hunters, and I wasn't much of a fan of either. Maybe a spin off title would work, but I don't want the main series to go that route.
@MegaVel91 Hey, I’m not the one invalidating the game for the purpose of marketing trickery. What is this, attack of the fanboys, today? XD
I feel like Other M is only "bad" because of the echo chamber effect of the internet. If we weren't all reading each others comments, I would guess that a significantly larger number of people would have enjoyed it more not knowing a few loudly negative options about it existed.
In all honestly, I played it before I ever read comments about anything and found it largely enjoyable at the time. It is, however, definitely not the Halloween III: Season of the Witch that many try to make it out to be.
@Classic603 I’m sorry not everyone likes your favorite thing.
@Expa0 Thanks! I will surely avoid it, in that case!
@Chunkboi79 When I think of mature and Nintendo I don't think of gore, blood or any of that, that isn't Nintendo's domain, and I don't really care for all that stuff anyway, hence why I main Nintendo platforms.
@Chunkboi79 And yeah Nintendo does have mature titles if you know where to look, although I would argue their games are mostly all ageless.
I hope so but Corruption came out just under a year after the Wii was released and didn't sell as well as anyone expected.
But I would love it to be a massive success. The series deserves it as sadly it just isn't as popular overall as Mario, zelda and pokemon.
@BloodNinja
Lol I was just pointing out that it's a hot take... no need to get salty there, bud.
I hope it is. Loved every metroid game I've played so far( at least the 2d outings). More metroid is only a good thing imo.
@BloodNinja I think you have a screw loose if you think any invalidation is happening.
@METROIDDREAD i don't mean that it's not exciting or that it doesn't look great, i'm just saying i don't think this one is going to make metroid bigger than it already is in the long run. this game is aimed at metroid fans. i suspect prime 4 is going to be a much bigger event
@BloodNinja Just because I'm not calling Samus Returns a new game because of the fact it's a remake, doesn't mean I'm invalidating it in any way. Samus Returns is a great game and easily one of my favorites.
But it is still a remake. Metroid Dread isn't that, and I don't understand why you have an issue with that fact or the fact that a game thought to be dead making it's grand arrival 2 generations (of consoles and handhelds) later, over a decade after the public became aware of it's existence, is the big deal that it is.
It's not just marketing hype or trickery like you're claiming it to be.
@Wavey84 We need a Year of Metroid, like Luigi was finally able to have the spotlight for one year. Bring the GBA games to NSO!
I think reviewers will have rose-colored glasses on and will score it as an 9 or 10, regardless of any faults that may exist. I am hoping it deserves the high ratings.
Yes it can be an awakening, but I doubt it will.
It had already been built up to be something I assume it isn't. One site even said it will be better than Metriod 4.
Metroid has a small fan base compared to other Nintendo franchises.
What it has in its favour is that Nintendo releases for the rest of the year are not going to set the world alight, so this game may get sales they wouldn't otherwise have done.
I would also assume that when a new console variant get its release, the buyer likes to have a new game with it, so that will help sales.
What will put some gamers off is Nintendo cash grabbing again. This is s 2d game with a £50 price tag. In other words a 3ds game that should cost £30. 🙃
Judging by the reaction to the Prime 4 logo, and now to Dread, I'd say that there is actually more excitement and anticipation for Metroid's reappearance than there was for Mario Odyssey, and I don't think I'm exaggerating.
So that means something right?
So even though we expect our new Mario game on a new console, and everyone buys it, I'd argue that after Zelda, Metroid IS the IP most Nintendo fans are excited about, not Mario!
So sales may go:
Mario, Zelda, Metroid unfortunately.
But I'd say love of a franchise goes:
Zelda, Metroid, Mario.
@BloodNinja i agree with this. samus returns is a remake of of metroid 2 the way force awakens is a remake of the original star wars. it's a reimagining from the ground up. not that it matters, but it is a new game as far as i'm concerned. maybe it doesn;t fit in sequentially, but in so many ways, it is not metroid 2.
@BloodNinja "Hiding behind the brand name, in other words. "
Doesn't that summarize just about everything Nintendo has done for the past 2-3 years? ACNH, Mario Golf, Mario Tennis, Lazy ports at full price, new hardware that's literally the same hardware with a better screen....
Though Sony's been doing the same. $70 for a formerly indie roguelike shmup with some bonus cutscenes. Seems industry standard today is "if you charge a lot and market hard, you create the value via social pressure."
Don't get me wrong, I value 2D metroid more than 3D metroid, and I know Mercury Steam makes great 2.5D metroidvania games, but the excessive marketing and high price point for a game that otherwise would have been a handheld-only game for less money in prior generations reeks of what Nintendo's been doing for a while now. And Sony's joining in as well.
I literally just finished Samus Returns, my first Metroid game, and I can't wait to play Dread. It's gonna be amazing
@NEStalgia @zool. It was over when people paid full price for the Link’s Awakening remake. At least Dread is a new entry to the series. I remember games like Mario RPG costing $75 in the mid 90s. So I am willing to forgive the high price tag. I do hope that it has a little more to it than Samus Returns.
I really enjoyed Samus Returns on 3DS. Some of the best 3D visuals I have seen in a game. A port of the game to Switch, though, would not be worth the $60.
Honestly, I don't know if it would be a "massive" success but I can see this selling "more than acceptable" amount of copies.
The main reason being summed up here:
"The Switch continues to thrive and sell in significant numbers, and we've already seen how that interprets into giving franchises renewed sales growth; perhaps unlike the days of the Wii, as an example, there's clearly a significant attach rate of Switch owners buying a variety of games, especially anything first-party."
The thing is, the Switch is on track to catch up with the Wii at this rate nowdays but there's one core difference: while the Wii had LOT of success with casual gamer and non-traditional gamers... there remains a lot of people who didn't really buy more than the starting Wii Sport discs and the like.
The Switch however, for all the talk about it's own "gimmick" or lack of "power", nonetheless remains a very traditional console but oddly enough(perhaps because it's not looking to compete with other consoles' horsepower), it is so in a way that a lot of "traditional" game(platformers/2D metroidvanias, for one, which haven't really been well served by the push for "AAA" gameplay and graphics which oft favor open worlds and FPSes) that would be overlooked even on other consoles can still see decent to surprising amount of success on the tiny console.
So while I don't expect Metroid Dread to be a BOTW-grade success, I definitely expect it to be on the range of something like Paper Mario or Luigi Mansion, both of which on Switch are "smaller" successes than BOTW but nonetheless became the best-selling titles of their respective franchises if I recall.
Interesting to note the comparatively low sales numbers for Metroid as a franchise (though still pretty successful by most standards). I had always thought of Metroid as one of Nintendo's main IPs, likely due to Samus's inclusion in the original smash brothers.
Either way, I'd never played any Metroid games before and the Dread trailer convinced me to dust off the old NES mini and give it a shot. I'm enjoying it so far 🙂
@Darlinfan Thank you. Besides, Samus Returns being significantly different from Metroid 2 isn't a high hurdle to clear.
The original game had several design flaws due to tech limitations, including the lack of a map, and the fact that without a Super Game Boy mode, navigation is a pain unless you know the game or have a map made by someone else handy.
Comparing Metroid 2 to MSR would be like comparing a club and a mace.
@Darlinfan i think i read his comment wrong, because I do count samus returns as a new 2d metroid. yes it is canonically metroid 2, but it's like a whole different metroid 2. maybe the star wars analogy is wrong in that sense. it's almost nothing like metroid 2 at all, and feels very much like a new game despite being a lose remake. i think we might be arguing the same thing. yes metroid dread is the first new sequential game since fusion.
@Darlinfan @Tandy255 We were buying actual daughterboards back then, not just games, so it's a different financial equation. It was a hardware purchase. I realize people won't see it as such, but the relentless corporate consumerism that has materialized around console gaming is utterly enraging.
Let's also not forget the high prices of the N64 games is a significant reason the PS2 wiped the floor with them and why publishers fled in droves.
This isn't quite that, but if consumers are just going to start buying into "I'll pay absolutely anything for something with a famous brand because 35 years ago some similar things were really expensive" I think it's time to move on from gaming.
@BloodNinja It’s a PS5 game. It’s a rogue-like/lite/WTFever but it’s amazing. Gives me the Metroid feels.
@Classic603 Hey I’m with you 100%. All I’m saying is that they can take that formula to a larger, more open-ended format, and have bounties as a driving force for questing (she is a bounty hunter after all). I would absolutely want to preserve the exploration! And the mystery! And the ancient civilizations!
Am I the only one that has played MercurySteam’s 3ds metroidvania outings: Metroid returns reboot and castlevania: lord of shadows mirror of fate?
I liked both those titles, but they were both just OK releases in their respective franchises. MercurySteam has proven themselves to be second-string developers (they’re good, but not great) … I truly hope they make something above and beyond here, but I’m skeptical this title will rise above much of anything from the series past.
I’ll be there day-one to find out 🤷🏽
@NEStalgia Yeah, I don’t understand the “I’ll pay anything!” crowd. I did not buy the Link’s Awakening remake new. I bought it used for < $45 after shipping and taxes on eBay.
I probably will buy Dread new, but I will buy a physical copy. I can loan it to my brother or swap games with friends. Or resell it if I am not impressed. And at Walmart in the US, it should be $50 + tax on the shelf.
Good discussion. Yes, Metroid is one of those series that is more Internet-popular than it is in reality (see also: Star Fox, F-Zero). Case in point, Mario Odyssey has sold better than all Metroid games combined. But it does have potential with the Switch, and Dread or Prime 4 (which will probably be cancelled again if Dread doesn’t sell decently) could finally achieve E ticket or near E ticket status like Luigi’s Mansion did. Worth watching for sure.
@Ear_wiG
I can just picture Nintendo going more into Prime 3 style and away from all the key things that make Metroid... well, Metroid. But I said the same thing about BoTW, and I'm not a big fan of it. Doesn't really feel like Zelda to me
@ArcadeEighty Honestly, I definitely don't expect it to do BOTW numbers for a lot of reasons(the fact it's a platformer Metroidvania title for one) but I still expect it to surprise a certain level of folks.
To put it simply, the Switch is closing onto the Wii at this rate in term of total consoles sold but with one core difference: It's also a much more traditional console at the end of the day in term of gameplay/control schemes/etc and as a result, a lot of people who buy Switch buys a much wider variety of games(and a wider variety of games is available, too) than a lot of those who purchased Wii.
To put it simply: people who buy Switch have bought it for more than Wii Sport and it's led to a lot of games that would have been mostly niches to generally have surprising success.
Or to put it simply: If it releases on Switch, and is a first party Nintendo title, chances are it's not unlikely it'll be a franchise best-seller just on virtue of being a Switch title, even if it doesn't attain BOTW level of success.
Many weren't even born then or too young to remember, but Metroid was promoted as a "hardcore" game for "Pro" gamers that had already beaten Super Mario and Zelda. Even the commercial for the NES game had the NES advantage because "Real gamers" used Joysticks, not D-PAD.
Super Metroid was created to make Metroid more mainstream and accessible. And the game bombed and was even criticized by Metroid fans for being too easy. It didn't start to be recognized until much later.
Metroid Prime is the most successful because it used new technology mixed with SM gameplay (which by then was getting more appreciation). It sold mostly with Super Metroid fans. But Fusion wasn't that accepted because it was too linear and too story-based. Yeah, many don't remember or know but that game wasn't a huge hit like many revisionists like to paint. Prime was more Metroid than Fusion.
Since then no other Metroid has been that successful. M:OM tried to attract a female audience and the "casual" fallacy and it crashed and burned terribly.
Metroid only sell to Metroid fans. It's not a mainstream audience. Even the genre is pretty niche and only available on indie games that are created by people that grew up with Super Metroid and Symphony of the Night (another Metroid-based game that wasn't a huge hit then but got respect later).
So No. No it won't awake the franchise. It may be a nice success considering that we have been without a Metroid game for a decade but after that, it will return to sleep until Metroid Prime 4 appears and who knows when that will be.
Metroid is and has always been a niche series inside Nintendo. And Dread is no different. Nintendo fans will buy it and that's it.
@CoastersPaul Retro was a studio with some A talents that worked for Rare prior to its foundation. It was always treated by Nintendo as a big thing during Metroid Prime days (specially when it comes to budget), just like Monolith Soft.
@Ear_wiG Interesting! Is it an exclusive?
@Wavey84 LOL IMMA SPAM SHURIKENS NOW
I used to practice with them, actually! I’m very sad that I’m the region I live in, they are massively illegal so I got rid of them. I only ever owned practice ones. They were blunt but would stick into the wood with a good throw. Really fun stuff, actually!
@NEStalgia That’s an excellent summary of events, to be honest. I feel that shortly after Iwata passed, the company went full corporation, which is progressively getting uglier.
@Crockin Right! Plus Samus Returns was rather polarizing in terms of its appeal..and it seems that Dread has that same polarization about it. Seems like people will either really love it, or really hate it, from the discussions I’ve seen so far!
@MegaVel91 Samus Returns was a new release. Metroid Dread is also, a new release. I remember the hype for Returns being that it was built from the ground up for the 3DS. They were marketing it literally as a new game. And be real, what is Dread doing that is so wildly different from other Metroid games that it’s going to come about as something groundbreaking? We already know almost all the power ups that will be in it, anybody that’s played 1-2 Metroid games can list all the items that will be in there, from High Jump Boots to the Varia Suit and Ice Beam. The mechanics that are “new” such as the power slide, wall grab, and invisibility suit are all lifted from dozens of other games that came before it. So, other than the suit being white and there being stealth sequences with insta-death failure penalties (again, lifted from other games before it) there’s not much “new” going on here!
It won't exactly set it among the top tier Nintendo blockbusters, but I have no doubt it will at the very least be the highest selling Metroid game to date. If another stale Paper Mario can do it just through its timing and merit of being on the Switch, then Metroid 100% can.
@Classic603 I just apologized to you for not liking something you like, that comment was 100% salt-free.
Yes. Metroid Dread can be the game to rocket Metroid into the upper echelons of Nintendo games. At least up to 6 million copies, which would make Nintendo take Metroid more serious.
@BloodNinja well because it’s the first NEW Metroid game in 19 years. Samus Returns was a remake of an existing Metroid game.
@BloodNinja It is. Watch some gameplay videos and you’ll see what I mean. Stranded on an alien planet, isolated and fighting hostile creatures. Gadgets that help you explore more and take shortcuts. Huge bosses. And the Metroid-doors, oh, the Metroid-doors! Check it out!
@Benjinat weird, i managed to pre-order dread just fine
Well, at the very least they couldn't have gone with a better name. Using the Dread name for this new one was a pretty fantastic idea since people already knew about the cancelled Metroid Dread project a long time ago. This just helps bolster the lore of Metroid plus makes the name easier to remember. Also helps that the trailer was pretty slick too.
I love sci-fi and horror, so the Metroid games are extremely my jam. Laser guns and salavating monsters? A pervasive sense of... Dread? Sign me up! But not everyone is into that aesthetic, and comparing Mario and Zelda to Metroid is like comparing The Simpsons to Futurama: no matter the quality the former is far more universal to the general population than the latter.
@OnlyManWhoCan
Yeah, this. Mario and Zelda are cheerful in comparison. Zelda can get dark, brooding, and melancholy too, and the first games are definitely no walks in the metaphorical park. But they're nevertheless sunny, high fantasy affairs. Metroid is a franchise about exploring the underbelly of hostile alien planets, with bosses that look like Cronenberg and Giger had a particularly bad dream together, and a gameplay loop that is all about the fun of getting completely lost in oppressive, confusing cave systems. That's not gonna appeal to everyone. (Appeals to me, of course. Hence the avatar.)
I do think Dread's cool, slick, industrial aesthetic (coupled with the action-oriented chase sequences and fluid platforming) might bring in new audiences, though. It looks less like Metroid, at times, and more like a cross between Inside and Portal. (I'm fine with that. I don't need more Super Metroid because I play that game regularly and I'm already planning a new sequence-breaking run literally weeks after finishing my latest replay.)
@Wavey84 RE8 is one of the best RE games I’ve played in recent memory. And I’m a huge fan of the franchise. You’re in for a treat even if it’s not VR.
I owned Prime 1 on Gamecube but it never clicked. Maybe I was too young. I would love the chance to play the trilogy as I've seen all the acclaim for them over the years. I've also never played Super Metroid so excited for Dread in what I'm hoping is my first Metroid game. It seems lots of people are in similar boats
@BloodNinja ok a NEW Metroid in the timeline in 19 years then if you want to dismiss every other argument.
@Steel76
Metroid has risen in the ranks of my favorite IPs recently, I'm loving it. Played Prime series and Fusion back in the day, but recently replayed Samus Returns, Zero Mission, Fusion, Prime and now onto Super.
Accessibility was hardly an issue with the golden era of Metroid, from Prime to Other M, especially with all the backwards compatibility and releases that were available. Metroid simply wasn’t popular at time, the people who wanted the games, got them.
Though Metroid is easily my favourite game franchise, I find it funny the people who believed Metroid to be a core series for Nintendo.
But now it’s a new era of gaming, with new faces to the scene, it would seem timing was a big issue, and only time will tell. I do hope Dread and Prime 4 pushes the Metroid series into Nintendo’s main stream franchises.
Though I still hold on to the belief that a full blown Halo-like multiplayer mode would only benefit the series.
@BloodNinja 110% agree
I would much rather have 2D Metroid games, every five years, than another Prime game.
There’s so many indie Metroidvania games available now...might as well go to the source.
@fafonio I can get on board with that, at least. It's more honest than ZOMG NEW GAME IN 19 YEARS
@Ear_wiG OH, I'm on the same page, now. Just saw some vids and yeah, completely agree on the Metroid vibes. Makes me wish I had a PS5! Mmm, Demon's Souls, nom nom nom
1) No. A 10-hour, $60 game in a market saturated with excellent games in the same genre costing $15-$25 is not going to break through anything no matter how well it's reviewed. It's a sequel to Samus Returns, which did well but wasn't a breakout title.
2) You're comparing this to Fire Emblem Awakening? Sure, that helped the series, but it mainly languished due to most of the series never having been localized. It's still not all that successful a series--already less so than Metroid. If Dread does even as well as Three Houses it will be a disappointment as a Metroid game.
Prime 4 on the other hand? If it's at all decent, it will sell like gangbusters
@BloodNinja
1. Samus Returns even being a re-imagining from the ground up doesn't change the fact it's still a remake of Metroid 2, like AM2R is. Both achieving the same ends through different means. Samus Returns is not "new" in the sense that it didn't continue the story from Fusion and instead retreaded old ground while adding new elements to the mix.
2. Knowing all the power-ups that will appear in Dread doesn't invalidate it's status as a brand new game with a brand new story, that is continuing from Metroid Fusion.
3.Taking mechanics from other games and incorporating them into others is commonplace in game development. That's not a detriment nor a strike against the game, it's sensible game design, especially when said mechanics are known to work well and fit the setting.
4. Lastly, the "First new 2D Metroid game in roughly 19 years" from the E3 direct is also accurate because Dread is not a remake (Zero Mission, Samus Returns) and a spin-off (Metroid Prime, Federation Force) nor an 3D interquel (Other M) that is a 2D mainline game since Fusion, which was released in 2002... 19 years ago.
You didn't prove a single thing here except that you're salty over people calling Samus Returns what it is, and Metroid fans being rightfully excited for a project once thought dead in the water being revived and actually put out and sold.
-and the excitement will be there as well when we finally see glimpses of Prime 4.
There are two different kinds of people, people who have played Metroid and people who have never played a decent Nintendo game.
@BloodNinja Samus Returns wasn't a new game, it was a remake of the Gameboy Metroid 2. If this game isn't for you or you think it's too expensive just don't get it. Also marketing has little to do with the hype, a lot of us have just genuinely enjoyed the 2d Metriods and are looking forward to it.
Metroid has always had a part of my heart. To the reveal of Samus, uncharted territory, and the unknown. Other M was "hit and miss" it tried too hard, it didn't really need the space opera drama. Prime was, and still is a masterpiece. Zero Mission, and Fusion pushed our buttons. The wait for Dread will be worth it. To see a series resurgence, is amazing, Metroid deserves it. And hopefully more entries in the series, no longer years of waiting for a new installment.
Note: I have not played Samus Returns on the 3DS because I never could find the handheld available. But what I heard about SR was fantastic. I did play the GB original years back from a friend's copy. Hopefully SR may receive a port on Switch. Same with Prime Trilogy. We definitely need access to the entire saga
Now if Nintendo could make more special editions so scalpers get screwed, that would be awesome.
@BloodNinja
Not one article I just scrolled through describes Samus Returns as a “new” game, it’s labelled as a “reimagining of a classic” in nearly everyone?
While I certainly have high hopes, I’m not yet convinced the game will be a winner..
YES, it could and it will be.
This is the first time ever where a brand new Metroid game is launching during the peak years of the current flagship highly-successful Nintendo platform, so it definitely has strong potential.
Conservatively, I'm expecting 2.5 million sold by the end of the year and 3.5 million copies sold lifetime.
My head has been running wild with speculation for this game. The E.M.M.I. units are Galactic Federation research bots, they drill a giant needle into Samus' armor when they catch her, which you can see for like a single frame, it's nuts! But seeing that frame got me thinking... are they extracting her DNA? Given the context from Fusion, it seems likely to be the case.
@Darlinfan I was trying to be vague on that point, since it is kind of a Fusion spoiler, but yeah. She's not just a fugitive, she's the key to the Federation producing more Metroids. And seeing how the GF Troops need mechs to emulate a fraction of Samus' power, it wouldn't surprise me if they wanted to clone Samus as well, and find out how to copy her armor's Chozo technology, something the Space Pirates tried to do once (to morbid, yet hilarious effect) with the Morph Ball. And maybe that evil faction of Chozo is working with the Galactic Federation, or better yet, maybe he's pulling the strings! GAH I can't wait to get answers when this game comes out!
I think Metroid Dread will be good practice for when Metroid Prime 4 comes out. I reckon both games will be good in their own way
It would help if it didn't look like a mobile game
I hope Nintendo see the uptick in Metroid interest and release a Switch boxset of Metroid Zero Mission, Samus Returns, Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion... I would lap that up.
@BloodNinja Yep if you ever snag one, highly recommend Returnal. And also Demon’s Souls!
With the insane amount of advertising, the attention to detail in game development, and potentially the defining gameplay of the Metroid franchise as a whole, I see a lot of potential for Dread to be the "awakening" of the franchise. Just as Breath of the Wild set a standard on open world games, I'd reckon Dread might bring something to the table for Metroidvanias to follow.
I kind of like the fact they aren't milking Metroid so hard. Oh well...
I was expecting Metroid Dread and Metroid Prime 4 to become the most successful Metroid games, hitting over 3 million in sales at least, but then I saw the reader rankings in "Best Metroid Games Of All Time" and now have zero confidence in Metroid Dread becoming Metroid's highest seller.
@Ear_wiG I love Demon's Souls on PS3. Easily my favorite in the series. Have you played the PS5 version?
@BenGrimm That's fine. I mentioned how it was marketed, not how articles wrote about it, post-release.
@CromAstronomy Oh my god, you mean if I don't like something I don't have to buy it? Thanks for telling me, I would have never figured it out on my own. /s
Samus Returns was a new release, it wasn't sold as an old game. It was marketed as being built from the ground up, and anybody that played the Gameboy Metroid 2 and Samus Returns would be able to tell the difference. They are totally different in the pacing, the way they feel, the controls, the weapon upgrades, etc. If Metroid 2 is in there, I couldn't find it because it was so well-masked by the "newness" of the release.
@MegaVel91 Thanks for disagreeing, but you didn't bring anything to the conversation other than antagonistic responses. Stating the opposite of how you feel about something doesn't invalidate the topic you are disagreeing with, because it never addresses "why." We are literally playing a medium where two people will see the same game and come away with different takes. I'm sure you're smart enough to realize that, right?
I'm willing to have a conversation about why you disagree, but if you simply want to disagree out of stubbornness, I'm not interested in having that conversation with you.
@rushiosan Luigi's Mansion 3 was developed by Next Level, who did LM2 Dark Moon, and it was fantastic. The same thing is happening here, Mercury Steam handled development for Samus Returns, and due to their critical success, they were greenlit to head Metroid Dread. If you played SR you'd know the gameplay mechanics have been greatly streamlined with all kinds of QoL improvements. For anyone who has played SR, myself included obviously, they're beyond excited for this one. Assuming Sakamoto doesn't squander the plot like he did Other M(the biggest blemish on an otherwise solid Metroid game), this title has the chance to be a great step forward for the 2d side of this franchise.
It's what, 4 years since MP4 was announced and it seems like an eternity away still.. Seemed like Nintendo were trying to kill off interest in the franchise altogether and now another 2D game?? Why not throw resources at getting MP4 finished, another 2D game will not attract many new players in my opinion.
Dread should do well, first new Metroid platformer since 2002 and on a system that’s selling really well. I don’t know about an ‘Awakening’ though, depends what is meant by that. It’s never going to be Zelda or Animal Crossing in terms of sales. Perhaps the combination of Dread+Prime Trilogy+Prime 4 (as long as the quality is high) can push the series to new heights and get it more firmly established in the mainstream consciousness.
@Dragonslacker1 nice analogy, for me it's more like Mario franchise is Taylor Swift, Zelda is The Beatles, and Metroid is A Perfect Circle / Tool 🎸🥁🎤
@BloodNinja I am swallowed by hype! It's Metroid 5 for gosh darn sake!
@Crockin Yeah, no I understood that you were excited and all that, we all are after all, I never doubted that. But truly, just by looking around, I do think this will be just as big.
Lets be honest. Its the main series but it feels like a spin-off right now. Metroid Prime is the big first person shooter, the anti-halo for Nintendo. Dread feels fun but already outdated like Sonic Generations.
As someone who plays through all the 2d games at least once a year, I would be estatic to see Metroid come back full force.
It doesn't sell as well as other Nintendo franchise because it has no cute factor.
@METROIDDREAD I’m honestly very happy for you. I haven’t felt hype for a game in months. Even Elden Ring, made by my favorite developer, has me only mildly interested. I’ve been burned too many times by hype to give in to it, so I truly envy your position.
@dimi
So true, The Prime series is the big event that everyones waiting for. Making a new game in the original series almost feels like a Nintendo made indie game or something.
The last time a Metroid Prime game released it was dead on arrival, and the only development shown on Metroid Prime 4 has been a logo. How is it a bigger deal than Metroid 5, a sequel and continuation nearly 19 years in the making?
@BloodNinja I get it, hype is dangerous, and it's good to hype responsibly. This is a good mindset. But when finally a new game in one of your favorite series of all time, one that has been gone for 19 years, and has produced outstanding games, but still has troubles, is coming out 4 days after your birthday, you have to just throw caution in the wind and just enjoy the ride, regardles of how the game itself turns put,, its.still a Metroid, and we don't get things like this often. Also it does look incredible.
@METROIDDREAD You're living the dream!
It better be. I mean, every Nintendo franchise that has had a Switch release has done super well. Look at Xenoblade 2. The game wouldn't have sold anywhere near what it has on any other console. If this game doesn't push millions, I don't know what we can do as fans to ensure the future of the series.
I hope Nintendo make loads more Metroid games. 2D, 3D first person and 3D 3rd person and pixel art too. I would like to see one Metroid game a year, if not more.
If it plays anything like Samus Returns on 3DS, then not a chance. At least this looks better from trailers (it runs much smoother), but it still seems to have that clumsy counter mechanic. I bet it uses the analogue stick to control too. 2D platform games should always use the D pad. Not that the Switch has a proper D pad.
I wouldn’t get your hopes up.
@BloodNinja Yep I was lucky enough to get one at launch, so that was my game. It’s gorgeous, and plays just like Demon’s Souls should. The only “fault” is that it really is the exact same game that you’ve already played, but with amazing graphics. As long as you know that going in though, I think you’ll love it. It’s amazing to see Lordran in all its next-gen glory!
It should be.. this game feels like super metroid on steroids.. I can't wait!!!!
We'll probably get a wave of new metroid games and spinoffs over the next few years then it'll go into another decade long hibernation
@Ripplefield "another stale Paper Mario". You CLEARLY haven't played Origami King. It's arguably the best PM since TTYD.
@Beaucine All of Nintendo's franchises pretty much share common themes like a playable character who might be serious, but have quirks or be goofy at times, a supporting cast that has their own quirks and might even be cartoonish bright colorful worlds, and villains who while evil might have things to their personality of backstory that make their intentions more forgiving.
My point is, franchises like Mario, Zelda, Fire Emblem, Punch-Out, Kid Icarus, Pokemon, Star Fox, Kirby, etc all share these common themes.
Then you have Metroid where the games have a world that is dark, Samus is played as a serious character with no goofy moments, she has virtually no supporting cast in most of her games, and if they do exist, they are not played as funny, and the villains are either violent creatures or ones like Ridley or Mother Brain who have no redeeming qualities and are never played for humor.
Metroid as a series is so different in terms of its presentation compared to other Nintendo franchises, that its stands out and I think this is one of the things holding the series back.
Even when Zelda and Fire Emblem gets dark, there are still enough light elements between the cast and other stuff to lighten the mood, and the horrible acts of the villains are implied in dialogue, but rarely shown.
Metroid on the other hand openly shows dead bodies and other carange that the villians cause. Super Metroid outright shows the people Ridley killed to steal the infant Metroid, something Zelda or even Fire Emblem have never done.
This in a way, makes it hard to market Metroid to players who are into other Nintendo franchises.
I can't help but feel reminded of those pesky robots from the netflix show 'Lost in Space' when i look at the art work. Seems a bit generic and uninspired for my taste... metroid must have epic designs to be successful.
The game might sell nicely, but it won't be a complete breakthrough. To many people will say: "I won't pay 60 Euro for a sidescroller".
However, Prime 4 might be the breakthrough. Though it might arrive to late in the Switch lifespan (but maybe it becomes a Switch2 launch-title?).
I am not surprised in the slightest that the franchise has never set the world alight, I never enjoyed any of the original 2D games so was never interested when they released Fusion etc. and didn't buy them. I also have no intention of getting Dread as I only expect more of the same because, apart from a new hardware shine, that's exactly what the trailer looks like.
And really the 3D games were only good for the first two, they really lost their direction after that. To be fair those two good games were exceptional. But I agree with the article that they were classic to what they bought to gaming at that time. Things have changed now.
I don't think that Dread with make that change and I don't think Nintendo expect it too either. I see this game as a bit of advertising for the 3D in development. It has obviously cost them lots of money what with starting over again and how long it's taking, so they need Dread to build the hype.
However if they make the 3D one as good as those the original and echoes then maybe it will make a market for itself, but no 2D game will do that for them.
@the_beaver No, my expectations were low but I still made the choice to buy and play through it to completion so I would not be another Francis on the internet complaining about games I've never played. It's just another Sticker Star to me, with tiny incremental improvements which still feel insignificant since they shot the series in the foot so hard after Super.
Not a total valueless broken game or anything, but far from deserving its spot as the top selling ever. For sure not the "Metroid Dread" status of its series in any case.
Awakening'? Lol this is the end, and what a sad note to go out on.
As a kid I wasn’t a Metroid fan. I fell in love with the MP Trilogy. I was disappointed this wasn’t first footage of MP4 at first but now? I’m invested. It’ll be my first traditional Metroid I intend to buy at launch and properly play through. There is something about this that intrigues. Can’t put my finger on it.
@BloodNinja
How something is marketed and what it actually is though are two different things.
@BenGrimm Yep, that’s what I’ve been arguing from the start.
@Ear_wiG Yeah! Well, I may never get a PS5, though, so enjoy it for me LOL
@BloodNinja
Well you’ve argued it’s a new game, when it really isn’t.
@BenGrimm Nice counter-argument.
@Dragwhite Same with me. This will be my first Metroid game ever.
@Caryslan
Yeah, agreed with all of this. Good analysis.
Like you said, other Nintendo franchises have dark moments, but even, say, the darkest and weirdest Zelda, like Majora's Mask, still has plenty of quirky, funny characters, and bold, bright colors. Sure, some of that quirkiness is twisted in the service of Lynchian uncanniness, but not all of it. Metroid, on the other hand, is unrelenting. The sun never comes out in Super Metroid. You spend most of the time underground and then there's a perpetual rainstorm on the surface.
@BloodNinja
I don’t need to provide an argument, it’s not a new game and everyone bar you knows this 🤷🏻♂️
@BloodNinja The Ninja in your name really is fitting cause you've been constantly dodging giving any kind of good faith response to anything I've said.
First of all, me disagreeing with you at this point, isn't stubbornness. That last post of yours that I replied made no sense and had little to no basis in reality.
You started off claiming Dread is not the first new game in 19 years. I told you that you were wrong. Then you pivoted to how Samus Returns was being "invalidated" for marketing trickery in another post, I explained (perhaps not clearly enough) how that was wrong. Then you finally pivoted to that whole big post of utter nonsense that I replied to, and I proceeded to point out how your points in that post don't make a lick of sense.
-and now you've abandoned that ridiculous tirade, dismissed everything I've said as merely "stating the opposite", which isn't what happened, and have traded it for me "disagreeing out of stubbornness" because you obviously don't have a good faith response to give.
I even laid out for you in a previous post why Dread is considered new where Samus Returns isn't considered "new", borrowing the words from someone who put it better than I could earlier on in this comment section, and adding my own bits, and you straight up refused to acknowledge that reasoning, and others have straight up pointed it out to you, multiple times throughout this comment section besides myself.
I'm not going to engage you any further after this post on about this article. Since you obviously can't be trusted to argue anything in good faith. Have a good day.
@BloodNinja Prime/Fusion co-release was definitely peak Metroid, and I’m doubtful anything going forward will exceed that... though Switch has that magic so maybe Dread is the start of a surge, i.e. new Metroid games more than every two generations.
@SolBlazer That’s not fair, and really the opposite case. Nintendo announced Metroid Prime 4 as a good faith move to signal to hardcore fans they weren’t being left behind on Switch (whether they accomplished that is another story).
They had a “new team” lined up of in-house and Bandai Namco staff, but ultimately didn’t like the direction and moved the project to Retro.
It’s possible Retro also hit the restart since taking on the project.
It sucks, but Nintendo is obviously putting the resources and effort into it, and there’s no “throwing more resources...” which usually means putting Monolith on it, whose working on BOTW2 and their internal title, or hiring a “finisher” like Platinum Games, which is also very unlikely and probably not good for the game.
@Spiders If Dread turns out to be something of quality, that would be great. If it leads to more good Metroid games that too, would be a good thing!
@MegaVel91 I gave specific instances of what I thought. Your response boiled down to “nu-uh.” Not interested in that.
@BenGrimm You clearly haven’t played Metroid 2 or Samus Returns. Putting them side by side pretty much states what it is. The game is not a 1-1 remake. Everything from the mechanics, pacing, power ups, new enemies, etc make the game feel like an entirely different experience. It was even marketed as a new experience built from the ground up. You can disagree all you want, but the proof is in the pudding.
@BloodNinja I know! It's amazing right! You're welcome. 😉
@BloodNinja Yeah, and you will to eventually, that's video games, that is, at least unless you just prefer to not hype at all to avoid overhype which is completely cool I get it.
@METROIDDREAD I let myself hype for Dark Souls 2 and 3.
I actually really want to like Dread, but it just doesn't look like a good fit for me.
I wanted to leave a comment about the video, regarding Zion's note about the accessibility and difficulty associated to many Metroid titles. I can definitely see how difficult many of these games are to newcomers, especially in today's world where we have plenty of QOL improvements. I remember working my way through the first Metroid as a kid and spending days, upon days, trying to figure out where to go next. Back then, you had tons of time to kill and were willing to blow through hours on a whim, primarily because we didn't have many other choices. Access to other gamers is completely different nowadays. They're everywhere, on multiple platforms.
However, the first time I played Super Metroid, or even A Link to the Past, I used the Nintendo Power guide. Maybe that ruins the experience for some, but it made me appreciate the game in a way I wouldn't have previously. I didn't have to follow the guide explicitly, but I could scan the map and decide where I could and couldn't go, based on the upgrades I'd previously discovered. Now, looking back through almost 30 years worth of time, I still have nearly every nook and cranny of those games memorized. Instead of removing the discovery of the experience, it did the opposite. It made it more impactful and allowed me to enjoy the game in its fullest form (I don't like feeling like I've left something behind). In some ways, I suppose its akin to learning a new city. Sure, you can discover a lot of great spots on your own and build up knowledge over time, or you can look at a map for a lay of the land and quickly see how all of the transit, highway, and paths connect. It gives you a frame of reference and allows you to immerse in the 'world' as a whole.
I wish we had new guides available to us today, that were in any way comparable to the art and screenshots of those old Nintendo Power guides. We do have online walkthroughs, but in my opinion, they pale in comparison to a handy guide sitting by your side. The same applies to Earthbound, Chronotrigger, Super Mario RPG, etc. All of those guides truly improved the experience for me.
@BloodNinja Hm.
There is no need to awaken, as this is my most played genre in gaming as a whole. And everything started with Metroid mechanics.
It's just not a franchise for casual players. (not the difficulty, just the atmosphere and gameplay maybe, you can feel a sense of "DREAD")
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