Topic: For the love of Metroid

I don't feel like Team Ninja really did a bad job. I wouldn't mind a 2D platformer Metroid on the 3DS developed by them. I do, however, want a 2D platformer and not another Prime game right now. Even though I loved Prime, the market is just far too saturated with first person shooter/adventure games these days.

Intelligent Systems would be perfect for the job.

good point. would be good to see the game return to its 2D, side- scrolling roots as a game of exploration and have less of the first-person action.

@Chrono_Cross given they did work on the excellent super metroid, they'd be well familiar with the franchise and i think they would do a really great job on it.

Never said Retro had to go with the same style as the Prime games, but they did do an excellent job of capturing the Metroid atmosphere that the series is known for. I just don't see a major Nintendo team working on it, they're too busy with Mario and Zelda.

Retro has done something besides Metroid though, did Donkey Kong Country Returns not happen?
Anyways I can't wait to see what Retro does next, hopefully a revival of Star Fox or F-Zero.

Can't really blame them for not wanting to, and while Retro Studios is good, I don't want to see them take control of the series when their games really didn't evolve much. I especially don't want a developer widely known for mainly creating console experiences to be in control of this series as that surely would lead to Metroid being solely developed for Nintendo's consoles, rather than both their console and handheld. Metroid should get a handheld entry very soon, considering the last entry came out over 6 years ago. But if this were to happen, where Retro gains control, I don't want progression done by them of the series' main story rather continue squeezing in prequels into the timeline or simply ignore the timeline with future entries.

I would just like to say this: taken by it's own standards, Other M was an amazing game. Team Ninja had done an excellent job of making combat fun and interesting. The visuals really look awesome too.

But the game had the term Metroid on the cover, and I expected some sort of exploration of some sort. Having Adam to tell you where to go in Other M / Fusion really killed off my interest in the game, for the most part. Because of that, Other M and Fusion are at the bottom of my most-liked Metroid games. Yes, it's alright to try something new (Metroid Prime Hunters, anyone?), but Metroid's exceptional quality comes from atmosphere and engaging exploration. Though Fusion had some good atmosphere built up from the SA-X chases and the fantastic music, Other M tried to be cinematic, and trying to blend Metroid with movie-like gameplay doesn't work (cheesy finishing moves? Huge number of cutscenes? lolwut?). Metroid Prime Trilogy helped built up epicness through their exploration of uncharted territory (sorta) and atmosphere. Other M was more fast-paced, with you going from one place to the next at rapid succession, like a movie. Though it's not that bad of a thing, the Prime games were a joy to go through because of the slower pace. Other M felt like setpiece after setpiece, and not really interesting to me.

The plot was also a big problem. In Prime, you had the ability to scan certain objects to piece together what's going on. You can choose to ignore it completely or search every nook and cranny to get every bit of juicy information about Phazon, Tallon IV, Aether, Phazze, etc. That's the whole point: discovery. You actually feel that you're finding out what's happening with the Space Pirates instead of being bombarded by cutscenes like Other M did. That really killed the flow there. And besides, the plot of Other M wasn't interesting anyway, and it partly conflicted with the Metroid timeline. But wait...

"It was the first joint mission I have been since becoming a freelance bounty hunter."

Three words: Metroid Prime 3. Sigh. That was embarrassing, making Sakamoto looking like a complete idiot. Someone better check back on his freaking writing. Yeah, it's one small detail, but I get annoyed when things happen like this.

I just wish that the next Metroid game would embrace its roots and deliver another Metroid game that would even eclipse Metroid Prime. Maybe even in a Other M style, but without the cheesy finishing moves and more exploration, atmosphere, and discovery the series was known for.

That's when the trilogy part kicks in.

You do realize sakamoto doesn't consider the prime games to be cannon in his mind so that line makes sense.

You do realize that they are cannon and so that line doesn't make sense, right?

Wouldn't matter if they were cannon or not, the Prime games followed their own story line that could easily be adapted to or ignored.

Really? Well that's stupid. It must really suck to ignore the games that helped Metroid get popular again last gen.

Did I say I didn't consider them cannon I say sakamoto. It spy's to pay attention.

And its not uncommon at all. Geroge Lucas says there are two timeliness the canon one in his eyes whixh is the movies and the clone wars cartoon. The other timeline is the one including those but also has all the expanded universe stuff that makes the money. Bungie also ignored the books and such and only used there games in there personal timeliness but that seems to have went away with 343 taking over.

I don't see how they're not cannon. They explain so much in terms of back story throughout the events of the original Metroid. All three play an important role in Samus's life and help her to grow to become a better bounty hunter. And to be honest I could really give a **** less of what Sakamoto thinks because he's not even the original creator of Metroid and I believe he's the one who wrote the script to Other M.

@Shingi

Considering you didn't present your opinion I sort of assumed you thought the same. No need to get all snobby. (As usual.)

Here's what I think about Other M's plot: the Samus in that game was actually a clone made by the Federation. The real Samus, after utterly beasting Mother Brain in Super Metroid, was infected with radiation poisoning from Zebes's explosion, almost destroying every upgrade she had. Then Fusion happens, and so on.

Now, instead of having Metroid fan fiction, make a satisfying plot in Metroid V. We'll kill for a Nintendo produced version of Metroid V.

Really? So then you're annoyed by Retro ignoring Super Metroid's introduction for the Prime Trilogy?

Super Metroid Intro

Why should Other M follow events that aren't even outlined in its prequel, and why does Retro get a pass for tampering with pre-established canon yet Sakamoto gets blasted over it?

When Samus talked about "her first tour with the others" she wasn't talking about the actual trip. She's talking about her actual first trip years ago - don't you pay attention to the cutscenes? Or maybe it's just your US-English translation. I played the German version which made perfect sense.
There's no contradiction. In any metroid. And if there is, search in a different place. And who cares anyway? Metroid isn't to be played for its dumb alien story.
And personally I think Other M has the best story, the others I didn't actually care for. The Metroid games I love to play have their plot in the manual, or with a few lines of text in the intro and ending. Either that, or it must be as cinematic and impressive as in Other M. Prime was too different.
I remember in Prime the overuse of the scan was annoying. Scanning a boss 4 times after each transformation. WTF? I wanted an auto scan. It became frustrating because of the missable ones. I have 100% items but only 99% scans in all 4 Prime games. Hate it!!

Yeah, when Metroid Prime was announced to be inbetween Metroid and Return of Samus, I wasn't happy at all. Try imagining my rage when even a company like Retro tampers with the storyline of my favorite games. But yes, I was none too pleased with that change. I guess beggars can't be choosers. Maybe if Super Metroid was revamped into HD and fixed...

Regardless, I'd consider the Prime series to be it's own sub-series, though Other M, like what many other people here had said, would probably mean Nintendo will not give us anymore Metroid games, which makes me sad to see the franchise to die off with such a whimper.

@chrono_cross

Eh Sakamoto is very important to the franchise and has directed every game with the expection of the original and the prime series (which he oversaw). For all intensive purposes he is the show runner.

I mean just because you didn't create the character doesn't mean you cant have a large impact. I mean superman was created in the 30s and most would say the defentiv version of him was done by Grant Morrison. Same with Batman and frank miller.

And I didn't know I was snobish

While I agree that Metroid isn't really well known for its story (at all), the Prime games pretty much nailed how potentially good stories should be in a universe like Metroid. Scanning the terminals let you piece together what was happening, what had happened years prior, and the condition of the enemies, meaning what they were doing or looking for. That leads you to draw your own conclusion of the story YOU discovered yourself.

Story isn't all about the plot. It's also about the universe it's in. The Prime games helped expand the Metroid universe, therefore creating more possibilities for an actual good story. I felt that Other M could have added more insight into the Galactic Federation, just like how Prime 3 showed us more about the Space Pirates and their environment. Who knows, maybe Metroid can handle a good story with expertly handled exploration.

Super Metroid is great non traditional storytelling's.