Nintendo Japan Humbly Attending to Metroid: Other M Bug Fix

It still seems strange to me, I mean, who wouldn't go back and save after beating a boss? You'd think one of the game testers must have done that.

If they do this outside Europe, why don't they just say what we need to change in the save file by hex-editing? That would be much faster and less work for them. Problem is, some people don't know how to do that...

@invmat Nintendo would never announce how to change its save files by editing; in fact, I can't think of a single company that would!

...Never encountered this before, probably never will...so, whatever, lol.

I think they should have done something similar to what Gaijin Games did with the BEAT bug: Post the fixed save files online.

Well I guess I better start copying my files since I haven't got that far yet. Would hate to lose any progress.

This is why they need a better patching policy in place. Things are going to slip through.

@The Fox: Agreed, wholeheartedly. The inability to patch games on the Wii is inexcusably ridiculous. It's nice that they're fixing the problem, but who the hell wants to send their system to Nintendo and go without for a week or more just to have a save file fixed? That's.... stupid. I still can't comprehend how Nintendo ever thought that developers making games in this day and age, with this much complexity, would never release a game with a bug. It's a baffling lack of foresight.

I agree with The Fox. Patches are necessary for many titles but Nintendo won't allow them most of the time. Yes, this means people have to up their game (pun intended) but it also means catastrophes like this happen that take way too long to fix.

Will this bug be fixed for discs produced after the bug was caught?

This was the one advantage of games releasing earlier in Japan. They got to be beta-testers for the rest of us.

Thanks for mentioning about this bug. I just got the game and will pray the bug won't happen to me.

It would be pretty cool if, as that videographer suggests, Nintendo released a save file that people could download that would start them at the correct point in the game, door unlocked.

@James Newton: I think you have a point there. However, based on everything we know so far, the change in the save file shouldn´t be too big. But now I think about it, it is probably because they are afraid of exploits...

Wait, they can release a downloadable patch for Wii Sports Resort but not for Metroid: Other M?

@Token Girl: Which isn't to say things didn't slip past on occasion. There was a nasty bug in Lufia II that didn't get fixed until the European release.

I wholeheartedly agree with those complaining about Nintendo's absolutely pathetic lack of a simple game-patching solution. Anyone who's played games on ANY non-Nintendo device in the past few years can immediately feel the difference like a kick in the groin (or punch to the chest, gender-pendent).

Then again, not many first party games had this kind of glitch in the past (this gen anyway) besides Twilight Princess. Is it possible to patch the actual save file online?

Nintendo of America has started doing this too. There's an article at Kotaku. Nintendo's Support site has a description of exactly what causes the bug and what to do/not do to avoid it, and you can call 1-800-255-3700 to set up a repair via sending them the save on SD or "other options". I wonder if "other options" includes sending them the save via e-mail. I doubt it, but that would be nice, I suppose. Still a hassle though.

I think the only problem with patching is that people who buy these games in the future may be unable to play these games if they rely on a patch. The problem with games that require a download is that there will be a time when it is no longer supported or available. For the PC there are often websites that host old patches, but I've had one or two titles where I've not been able to find them - especially on a games console with limited download capability.

Anyway, I've finished Other M now and didn't encounter the bug. How far back is that save point? Is it like the previous room or a bit of a trek back?

Well I suppose you have to expect bugs now and then in modern day games. But this kind of glitch takes the biscuit. How can you possibly miss it?

Reminds me of Beyond Good and Evil's glitch, just not as bad.

Other M's glitch also piles up the fact that not many people play tested this game. (Look at the in-game first person sequences for further details.)

Wouldn't it be cheaper and easier to press new discs and send them to everyone? Discs are cheap, labour is not. Perhaps they figure only a small percentage of gamers will be affected by saving at the "wrong" time.

not you guys also this bug isn't that big from what i have read on forums and other sites less then 6% of uses got the bug

Thank you for posting this. I check Nintendo Life every Monday and Monday happens to be my Metroid day right now too (yes, I have a weekly gaming schedule- saturday Madden, Sunday Monster Hunter Tri, Monday Metroid, etc. and I switch it when I beat a game). Anyway, I saw this before I played today and I was one save point prior to this glitch! You saved me many hours of dismay, thank you!

That's nice Nintendo, now how about the rest of us that don't live in Japan??

Well that's a relief! I never encountered this glitch! I must have passed that part after I got the update! I do hope that Nintendo fixes the glitch outside of Japan, though.

I watched 30 seconds of that video.

He says that you're "50% likely" to get that glitch and have to delete all of your save files and start the game over.

No idea where he got that statistic, as the lack of discussion about it on this forum (as well as others I visit) would seem to indicate that the players affected by this glitch as far below 50%.

Seriously, where did he get that number?

@Chicken

I had heard that if you had a copied save file you were fine. But I don't have the game, so I don't know for sure.

Edit: According to this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QcsueniM8w&feature=fvwk, you need to have your save file backup on an SD card BEFORE you fight the boss in question. It'll corrupt all the save files on the system memory.

Couldn't they just come out with a wii update or a downloadable channel via to update? Why go all archaic and actually have to send them the save via SD card? What is this 1992?

@SkullMan: I was thinking about that too, apparently it can be fixed with homebrew. Nintendo should release a free channel that boots the game while fixing the bug, and once your save file is fixed, you could simply uninstall the channel.

glad i waited to pick this up. maybe I will wait until there is a retail release with the bug fixed.

Maybe they can bugfix and give Samus her balls back.

I would assume players who don't/didn't have certain passed games that could, & were patched via Wii firmware update, still have the correcting code (for those games) in their (Wii) firmware updates (,despite the fact their system may not have save files of those glitched games). Nintendo should just put the bug fix for this in their next firmware update. The players who currently don't have the game will have the corrected code from the update, & those who do have the game, will also have an opportunity to possess the fixed code.

Then again, the amount of code that causes this issue might be a significant size of the game's source code.

Why can't they allowpeople take their SD cards and put it in a computer and email them the file and then email the corrected one back, as an option? So much faster and cheaper for everyone involved. Or, y'know, patch the damn game like nearly any other platform is capable of. But that would be ridiculous.

You may want to update the article, both NOA and Nintendo UK are allowing for people to send their saves in as well. http://wii.ign.com/articles/112/1123601p1.html

Oh dear!! Its 2010 Nintendo FFS!!! Get with the programme!!! What a terrible solution.