Rumour: Retro Is Working On A Game It Pitched To Nintendo, And It's Not Metroid Prime 4

I'd be ok seeing what new stuff Retro can think of. Hopefully, we'll find out this year!

Bring it on, Retro, these guys have been doing great games since they were founded, if the studio releases a new IP I'd be happy to check it out, hopefully it will surprise us.

Retro doing something new?

Surely the irony is not lost on them.

I'm up for a new game from Retro, I wonder what type of game would it be.

Definitely hope this is true. Would love them do original ip. We need a new Rare.

Well I hope it's good

I think if all goes as planned for Nintendo this project will be shown along with the reveal of the NX as one of its near launch titles

I wish them all luck in their endeavors but, DAMMIT its not Metroid.

By the time we get a new Metroid game the series will be set in the past.

Either create something new or resurrect another dead franchise. Nintendo has some properties dating back to the NES that really could broaden their appeal.

Metroid Prime.....😥😭😰😱

Well whatever it is, it has to be really good for the Wii U.

Wow, I didn't know Retro was the most expensive studio! Well, okay, to me, it's justified by the consistently high quality of every title they worked on so far, so I don't exactly care.
But this new project has me very excited! I'm slightly bummed out that they're not the ones to bring glory to the Metroid franchise once more (because Nintendo fails at that), but a new IP would be really intriguing!

NX launch title please.

My rumour tolerance is running low. Must have something specific and confirmed soon or things could get messy.

So is this a rumor or an opinion? I see a lot of "I think" in the article but not many facts or evidence. Either way, I'm interested in anything that Retro Studios creates.

If they were pitching things throughout 2014, then they haven't been working on the project that was greenlit for all that long. Based on that, I doubt it will be ready in time for the NX launch. So I'm guessing Spring or Holiday 2017, assuming NX launches in Holiday 2016.

Also, we know for a fact that it is not Metroid Prime, as Tanabe confirmed earlier this year that one isn't in development besides Fed Force.

@rferrari24 Why, exactly?
Here we go again with the rumors... I'm happy we're getting a Direct soon, but I hope it's REALLY soon.

Hm...it's still just a rumor, but I'm hoping that it's true. I'd love to see what Retro could do outside of an already-existing Nintendo IP.

Yeah, do another franchise nobody cares and keep ignoring what fans ask since Other M disappointed. Nintendo definitely is on a position to ignore fan demands and focus on random IPs.

What happened to that steampunk strategy game again?

...sighs Metroid Prime is done...get over it people. lol

@rushiosan If it gives us games like Splatoon, I'm more than happy for Nintendo to keep "ignoring fan demands and focusing on random IPs".

Go get your toys and put them back in the pram where they came from.

Nah, I don't think they pitched something. And if they pitched something, it probably would be a Nintendo franchise. I mean: Nintendo won't allow Retro to do a new IP. But it is VERY obvious that Retro ISN'T working on Metroid!

@Maxz Splatoon was good. But how many new IPs really succeded this gen?

Okay, they should try new things, but people have been asking for games like Metroid and F-Zero since the Wii times. Star Fox was completely absent back then. Why is it so hard to put high demands into priority? "No, let's make a Metroid spin off instead with chibi style focused on multiplayer, that's probably what fans want right now. Instead making a new Zelda for the 3DS, let's make a multiplayer-only title that requires local play for ideal experience. 3 carts required. Will be a major hit. Let's put an Animal Crossing spin-off on shelves instead releasing a brand new entry for Wii U. Because we know what the market wants. We know how to sell games."

They spent a year just pitching projects? WTF Retro/Nintendo?

And 2D Metroid would be very much fine. Or something else. Either way can't wait to see what that is.

@MrGawain
"Retro doing something new? Surely the irony is not lost on them"

What you did there... I see it

@GraveLordXD And more amiibo stuff please, everyone loves that.

Oooh I'm pretty excited about this! Its always fun when a dev tries to branch out on their own. Spread your wings Retro, spread them!

@rushiosan

But those are all old IPs that are being taken in slightly disappointing directions, not new ones. If Retro stuck with Metroid and instead made 'Metroid Chess', would that be better? It's also worth remembering that if it weren't for Retro doing 'something new', we wouldn't even have a 3D Metroid to begin with (or at least, a Prime series).

We've already had three Prime games and two fairly traditional DK games out of the studio. I think it they've got their own ideas they want to work on, it's high time they were allowed to have a bit of creative freedom.

I'm looking forward to the next 'proper' Metroid (be it 2D or 3D) as much as the next man, woman, or gelatinous lifeform, but I'm actually more excited at the prospect of Retro making something they want to make.

If there's a complaint about the Wii U in my list that ranks above 'no Metroid', it's 'too many safe sequels' (we may not share this); and this news at least seems to tackle the latter.

I can see where you're coming from though; if Retro aren't due to be making the next 'proper' Metroid outing, who is?

Would love for it to be a big ambitious 3D platformer with a new mascot,like Retro's own Banjo.With Yooka Laylee coming next year (I think?) and likely a 3D Mario for NX,we could see the rebirth of 3D platformers.The industry could definitely do with that happening.

As great as their takes on classic Nintendo franchises are, I agree with Liam Robertson that it's a good time for them to make something new.

I can't believe Retro would sell out gamers and Metroid fans so willingly.
So much for Retro being for gamers.

Good for them! They have certainly earned the chance to create a new IP.

I'll be glad for the disappointment in there being no new Metroid game to wear off so I can start getting excited for Retro's new game.

With all the ongoing mystery about their title, i just hope that it wont be a Metroid Federation debacle...
It was called that, right ?....I already forgot....

Rare Replay show that its original IPs are pretty boring: none of them can match Donkey Kong.

People have put Metroid Prime series on a pedestal through rose tinted glasses.

People talk about it now like it's the holy grail of franchises they want to see revisited, but it wasn't so long ago I remember those games releasing.

And like any other good game, they were well received, but nobody hailed MP2 or MP3 as some groundbreaking classic that will go down in history as cream of the crop. No, I remember all the niggles and complaints of your typical release. It was just "another good game to play" at the time.

It's become so elevated in status for the sole reason people hype up what they imagine in their minds that it COULD be. But what it ends up ACTUALLY BEING is never the same. It's why once a Metroid Prime 4 is eventually released 5 years (10 years? Who knows?), it won't be so special anymore. The release will come and go, and people will enjoy it, but they'll just move on to some other mythical idea of a franchise they think they need.

It was same way for StarFox. People had hyped themselves to the moon for a new entry similar to style of 64. We're getting EXACTLY THAT, and before it has even released, all that shouting for "we demand Star Fox" has subsided, interest has been lost, and now it's on to the next game people think they absolutely must have but just won't care that much once it's actually announced.

***With all that said, of course I love Metroid and to ME, it was Metroid Prime 2 that stands as one of my favorite game of all time. Of course I will be excited to see a new one, but there are so many other great games out there. I was so happy to get Tropical Freeze, and I know whatever Retro releases, Metroid or otherwise, it will be amazing.

@Xenocity Sell out gamers? What are you even talking about. Retro Studios isn't tied down in shackles to the Metroid franchise because of the success they created. They have an excellent track record and have every right to want to try new things. They are certainly FOR the gamer, in fact more so now than ever. They ooze passion.

@DekuOnion
They've lost a lot of staff over the years since post 2009.

Gamers did not ask Retro to make a new IP, they asked for Metroid Prime 4.
Making a game that gamers didn't want = selling out.

Awesome! I have no interest in Metroid Prime, to be honest. Have a new studio develop a 2D Metroid for Wii U, and let Retro expand their portfolio.

@Xenocity Uh... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selling_out

Retro has proven itself to be a capable studio that has done great things with the Metroid and Donkey Kong franchises. I think much like Blizzard, they have the talent to take any genre they want and put their own twist on it. As long as they do that, it should be fine.

@Xenocity I never asked them to make a new Metroid Prime, but I do want them to make something other than a platformer. As much as I enjoyed the challenge of Tropical Freeze, Nintendo systems are not suffering from a lack of platformers.

@Xenocity You really need to look up the definition of "selling out". REALLY"

Sweet, i like the idea of an original installment. But really, that thumbnail trolled the living crap out of me. "HOLY CRAP IT"S METRO- oh..."

Also: This sounds great. I'm sure they have some great ideas. I'm just surprised that only apparently only started like a year ago.

Looking forward to seeing what they come up with. Dare I hope for a new Kid Icarus? But an original IP might be just as good.

Metroid will be back in a few years, probably, whether retro does it or not. There's demand for it, so they can't hold off on it for too much longer.

Please let it be Raven Blade. I would live happy knowing this game is real.

@Monsti
Selling out has multiple definitions depending in culture and context.
Gamers have been asking Nintendo for years for new games in certain existing IPs, not new IPs.
Obviously Retro is deciding they know better than gamers.

Any game that Retro makes that isn't one of those games gamers have been demanding, it will probably poison the well with "hardcore" gamers on NX.

Can Nintendo afford another massive incident after the Dodge Meme affair?

Whatever it is, it probably isn't better than Prime 4. How does no one see the potential?

@JaxonH There's nothing seriously wrong with Prime 2 or 3, and whatever flaws it does have are outweighed by the creativity they brought. Frankly, Prime 2 and 3 are closer to how a sequel should be handled, Nintendo should be taking notes.

@Maxz Metroid Prime 2 and 3 are a lot less safe than the likes of 3D World or Tropical Freeze.

I would have whined about this dashing any hopes of a Retro-made Zelda game (which has been talked about in the past), but after hearing Square is interested in making a Zelda as well, I'll say: have fun, Retro! I'm sure you'll come up with something awesome!

@Xenocity: Don't speak for the masses like they only want one thing. If YOU want a new Metroid title, that's fine, but don't twist the argument as if EVERYONE wants it.

I have recalled quite a few posts asking Retro to make something original, hence "gamers" also ask for an original title.

Also, selling out is not what you think it is. Matter of fact, your example isn't anywhere near close to the actual definition, culture or no culture.

In Retro we trust

@Bolt_Strike
I loved all 3, but Prime 2 was my favorite, and still is. No, nothing is "wrong" with them, they just were down to earth when they released. People saw them for what they were- really good games.

@Darknyht Really, I wouldn't have minded Retro working on DK if they had put the same creativity into it as the Prime trilogy. But they didn't, they just added to the already bloated mess of disgustingly rehashy platformers, so I can't really respect their recent decisions. Especially not when Prime 4 is the perfect game for the Gamepad.

@LztheQuack
There has been plenty of articles from the press over the past two years about Nintendo abandoning gamers and "hardcore" games with their software output.
There were articles asking why Nintendo chose to make Splatoon instead of giving gamers the existing IPs they wanted.

NeoGaf has been constantly posting about Retro screwing over gamers by not making Metroid Prime 4 instead of DKC games.
Nintendo admits to reading NeoGaf religiously and taking their opinions seriously (they also read other sites too).

IGN, Gamestop, Forbes, WSJ etc... have been running articles about how Nintendo has been horribly treating gamers for most of the Wii U's life.

I could careless if Metroid ever saw another game.
Personally I'd take a new StarTropics game and a port of Tetrisphere.

Retro delivered amazingly with the Prime Trilogy. Corruption is still one of my favorite games of all time! Its great they want to expand their creativity and make something new instead of being typecast to certain IPs. I just hope a new true Metroid is not too far off...

@JaxonH Nah, I think all three are seen in perspective. Only the first was really groundbreaking, but it's the only one seen so. And all three are fantastic.

I would love to see a Retro original IP

@Xenocity Because not all gamers want the same thing. Over one million gamers are playing Splatoon, so that is moot.

And this crap about Retro "mistreating" gamers by not releasing sequel upon sequel of the same series. How many DKC games did they make? 2. How many Metroid Prime? 3. I remember all those reactions to "another DK game?" and how ridiculous they were.

Also, Fatal Frame isn't hardcore? Zelda isn't hardcore? Bayonetta isn't hardcore? Wtf was "hardcore" before the past 2 years anyway?

And how the hell are gamers being "horribly treated" by the Wii U? Oh, it doesn't have Metroid, woe is me? Is that it?

@Dr_Corndog
People hype up a Metroid Prime 4 way too much. They have set unrealistic expectations like it's the last game they'll ever need in their lives. And without a doubt it really would be fantastic. I would love to see one. But this level of unnatural hype only comes from the desire for what you don't (can't) have.

@JaxonH My rose tinted glasses aren't in hd though. As good as the Prime games look on outdated tech is how much better i can now only imagine in hd. If nintendo was even tech wise at the time we would have at least had the 3rd in hd. Now i have to hope and wait for a capable dev to take over if what's said is true.

@LztheQuack Who cares that there's been 3 Metroid games? What's more important is what's the best choice now, in context. Now which game do you think has more potential, a DK game which contributes absolutely nothing and plays like everything else, or a Metroid game that could actually benefit from the Gamepad and show its usefulness and provide a gameplay styles that no other Nintendo game offers that can draw in people that wouldn't otherwise buy a Wii U.

@Bolt_Strike

I don't understand why so many people relegate DKC as some "lesser game". It transcends all other platformers. It was phenomenal. It was legendary. It was by far the best platformer I've ever played in my entire life. Not one aspect that I can think of to criticize. Soundtrack- excellent. Level design- genius. Environments- fresh and natural and creative. New characters, new mechanics, all of them sound.

And the other thing is, what bloated mess. Let's talk retail releases here because there's 100 indies of every genre all over the place on all consoles. Full retail experiences. I count Rayman Legends (a superb triumph), the aforementioned Tropical Freeze (forever cream of the crop), Yoshi's Wooly World (have you played it? It's marvelous!) and New Super Mario Bros U (easily the best side scrolling Mario since the SNES and some of the best level design I've seen).

Thus far, I count like 4 true actual retail platformers. And all of them are among the best that's ever been made. That's not a bad thing, that's a huge blessing to have that! Especially when I count how many games of other genres release in the console gaming space- like 4 of every genre any given month it seems.

Platformers are rare. Very rare. In fact they're on the endangered list on PS and Xbox (the good ones anyways). So if you're a platformer fan then these 4 on Wii U are all you really have across all 3 consoles (and I do own all 3 consoles). That's not much. You can say it's a lot for one console, but what about the 20 FPS on PS4 or the 50+ open world games? We're talking just 4 platformers, all of them cream of the crop. It's a drop in the bucket!

Ya there's a couple 3D platformers also, but that's a different genre and experience entirely. Like SRPG's and JRPG's. Sure they're both RPG's but the experience is different.

But the bottom line of what I'm saying is, there's no bloated mess. I can count them on my left hand and all of them are games I'll be talking about 20 years from now. DKC especially. That game was perfection in every regard

***EDIT
And in context, DKC Returns outsold the entire Metroid Prime trilogy combined, one of which also released on Wii with equal opportunity and followed the footsteps of what were 2 of the best games ever made.

So in context, DKC has and still does have a lot more appeal, and definitely more appeal to those who don't own a console. Simply because it's DK, but also because DKC is a genuinely fun series. Metroid has and always has only sold to the same 1 million fans over and over. Even MP3, which after the first 2 you would think would be hyped through the roof like a MP4 is now, even it couldn't break the curse of the 1-2 million sale limit.

@Bolt_Strike I'll admit i love the DKC series but when i heard Retro was working on another DKCR game i wasn't happy. Sure the game is good and fun but i trust no one else to handle the Metriod franchise and it seems Nintendo just want to shop it around.

@JaxonH I think his point was more along the lines of enough with the 2d platformers already. What happened to all the 3d platformers Nintendo has done or had on their systems thoughout the last 15 plus years? Why don't we have 1 proper 3d platformer on the Wii U from Nintendo which practically invented them.

@Spoony_Tech
I can't argue with that. I'd be down for some more 3D platformers.

Just, not at the expense of DKC Tropical Freeze. That one is non-negotiable. And Yarn Yoshi.

@JaxonH NSMB, 3D World, Tropical Freeze, Yoshi's New Island, Kirby Triple Deluxe, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse are all recycled gameplay styles that don't add a lot of new gameplay mechanics, and whenever they do they're relegated to gimmicks that are only used once in a while. And then Yoshi's Woolly World is merely the sum of Yoshi's Island and Kirby's Epic Yarn. There's no real sense of evolution or progression in the gameplay mechanics and they feel very stagnant as a result. The reason I say Prime 2 and 3 are what sequels should be is because they actually add things to the entire formula and take it in new directions. Prime 2 has the light/dark world system which changes how you explore the game. Prime 3 has Hypermode, new Grapple abilities, ship abilities, and utilizes the Wii Remote effectively. I haven't seen any of Nintendo's recent platformers provide any changes of that scale, the only ones that really have are 64, Sunshine, and Galaxy.

@Bolt_Strike
Well, you say "recycled gameplay styles" but isn't that true for any game that's a sequel? Naturally it's going to follow the same (therefore it's "recycled") gameplay style of it's predecessor.

Every Metroid to date has used a "recycled gameplay style" of it's predecessors. But that's not a bad thing. If it's fun, give us more! Different is for spin offs and new IP's. Sequels are precisely to give more of a good thing.

EDIT: And yes. Prime 2 and 3 did add small things. But those were very small things. In fact, take DKC Tropical Freeze for example. I'd argue there was more evolution in that game than Metroid Prime. New character partners brought new mechanics, which the levels were designed around and time trials as well.

You can't just generically presume nothing new was added in those games just because they're platformers.

Yarn Yoshi, for example, the whole game is build around solidifying platforms with yarn and things of that nature. Ya it used some ideas from previous games but, so did Metroid. Surely MP2 wasn't the first game to ever introduce a light/dark theme, no?

These games did just as much as Metroid, but you'd have to play them to see it.

@JaxonH There's a difference between the two approaches though. Metroid and the collectathon Marios use the same core formula but add unique mechanics to their sequels. The platformers do little more than add new levels, maybe throw in a gimmick that comes into play once a level. And the latter approach is boring because it just feels like the same game as its predecessor, in an age when they can just add new levels in as DLC it seems fairly pointless to make that kind of game. A new game should draw from its predecessors, sure, but it should also be a unique experience in its own right.

@Bolt_Strike

I'm just not seeing it. To me I see all these series and all of them have been just as fun, but you're selectively saying that only this one you like added enough worthy new stuff, and therefore it should have been given precedence.

At the end of the day, you could spit out the exact same game over and over and if it's still fun each and every time, then all that innovation and evolution means nothing. At the end of the day it's not evolution that makes a game fun, it's how well it's designed, be it with new concepts or old, new mechanics or old.

This is why review scores are at fault. They judge games based on ticking boxes rather than asking themselves, how fun is it? Same for AAA development.

I don't see adding a light/dark world any more worthy than adding new mechanics that the entire game depends on and is built upon. It's not just "one gimmick in a stage" it's the entire game from start to finish, that is affected by new mechanics.

But again, arguing which game "did more new" is a pointless thing to debate. Because new does not = fun and sumilarity does not = bad. Look at Little Big Planet- creative as hell, one of the most boring games ever made. New Super Mario Bros U- VERY similar to it's predecessors, yet funner than 99% of the "creative" junk that gets released today.

Fun is all that matters. And fun never has and never will depend on things like how much the gameplay has evolved or how many new mechanics it has. It solely depends on how well the game was designed to challenge the player in an engaging way. If it happens to toss in a few new mechanics along the way, that's just a bonus.

@rushiosan Dude, you sound like a jerkoff.

Kid Icarus was dead for multiple console lifetimes and its last iteration before the 3ds game was on the gameboy. Are you so self-entitled that you have to whine about it because they can't find anything worth to add on a game like Metroid or F-Zero? A console leap is nothing compared to all the dead franchises that existed since the NES era.

@JaxonH New actually does matter, because fun tends to decrease with repetition so if a series recycles its formula, it eventually gets boring. And the 2D platformers have definitely reached that point.

As for Metroid vs. DK, I wouldn't say any of the things you mentioned are significant. Dixie and Cranky might be good additions, but I wouldn't agree that the levels utilized them well. There's not a lot of instances when their abilities really come into play, it's rare that you use the different characters to do unique things that other characters don't (likely thanks to the game having co-op, which tends to neuter the usefulness of character abilities out of necessity to allow multiple characters to travel the same path. Which is another problem I have with modern 2D platformers, but also beside the point.). Helping you shave off a few seconds in Time Trials isn't exactly an exciting use for multiple characters, if they're going to put multiple characters in I want them to have distinct abilities that can do completely new things and not just be glorified avatars. So there's really nothing here that affects the entire game, the characters are near useless and fairly samey, the 3D camera is mainly just for show and adds nothing to the level design, and there's nothing else that affects the entire game. The Light/Dark theme in Prime 2 meanwhile, completely changes the exploration because you have to account for how the two worlds connect, and the Dark World has a completely different style of play because of the atmosphere and light beacon system. Also, there's different powerups which actually have new functions and uses, and they also fit the light/dark theme. With Prime 2 there's more of an effort to change the rules and have the players use different abilities and actions then they would've in the past, DK doesn't bother with any of that.

@Bolt_Strike
It would be one thing I'd it was an annualized franchise.

Heck, just look at those- AC does nothing new and people buy those games in the millions every single year. Because fun is fun.

How much more so then for DKC, a game with only 1 entry in previous 15 years? Kinda hard to get tired of something that only comes around twice every 15-20 years.

And as for "all those platformers" you can't lump them all together. You must judge each game individually on it's own merits and they are all drastically different games, only thing in common is they share the same genre.

EDIT* And keep in mind, something doesn't have to "affect the gameplay" to make it more enjoyable. People love better graphics and those don't do squat for the gameplay. Those 3D sequences are actually a new perspective DURING gameplay so it inherently affects it because it IS gameplay. But even if it wasn't, that doesn't mean it can't make the game more enjoyable which is, after all, the bottom line.

You could have no new characters and no new mechanics- it's the new levels, the new environment, that does all the heavy lifting for a game's entertainment. If the levels are fun to play, then it's going to be fun. The fact I can flutter higher at will or cane bounce higher at will or Jetpack across further distances makes a HUGE impact on how I approach a level. It's not just an insignificant addition. These games are built around your move set. Just because it's possible to clear the game with any given move set alone doesn't mean the variety doesn't matter.

@JaxonH I was fine with DKCR precisely for that reason. But I can't be so forgiving of Tropical Freeze only 3 years later. It doesn't matter what's been happening in the series as a whole, just what's happened since the last entry.

And yes, I can lump all of those platformers together because they all make the same mistake, they don't do anything to really further their series, they mainly recycle what past entries have done. We can go over each individual game all day long, but regardless of the difference in execution they all have that approach to sequels in common.

@Bolt_Strike

3 years is an eternity. I can only hope I see new entries of my favorite series sooner than that. Games release annually now. 3 years is half a generation. That's long enough.

If you're looking for new, maybe new games would be a better choice. But when I played Metroid Prime 2 and 3 it felt EXACTLY like playing the first. Verbatim. Just in a new environment. DKC Tropical Freeze was the same way, only new environment. Both were good, and both were perfectly acceptable.

A game doesn't need to be new. Again, it just has to have a good execution. That's it. A new set of obstacles to engage the player. It can play by all the same rules, that doesn't matter, just so long as it's done well.

God help me if I can play a game for 10 hours, beat it, and not be ready for some more 3 years later.

EDIT*** People play (and watch) football for 20 years and never get sick of it. Same game, same set of rules. Just different events and outcome. People play Rummy and Spades and Chess their whole lives. Same game, it hasn't changed, yet it's still engaging and entertaining. No "new chess mechanics" or anything.

You don't need new. You just need a different set of obstacles to overcome

@JaxonH I can't agree with any of that.

A different perspective doesn't mean anything for gameplay by itself. All it inherently does is change your orientation, you're doing the same thing regardless.

Adding new levels and environments doesn't really make it feel like a different game, because the original game itself already has different levels. By your logic, every time you go to a new world you're playing a different game, so what defines the game as a whole? That's why they feel similar and why people have a tendency to label such games as glorified DLC, if you just have new levels it just feels like you're playing the same game.

And no, changing how far or high you can jump doesn't have a major effect on the gameplay as long as you can make the jump (which you usually can). When you play an adventure game or platformer, character choice is only meaningful when it opens up a new way to progress or explore.

Yeah, there's a lot of yearly games, but that's not exactly a good thing. If you release a game every year the IP tends to become oversaturated, which again, makes it too repetitive and boring. 3 years is a reasonable amount of time to expect a sequel, not too long that it feels like an eternity, but not too frequent that the IP wears out its welcome.

If you're fine with just a new set of levels, more power to you. But if you're saying that's all a sequel is you're looking at things way too broadly. And that kind of approach isn't enough for me, I want them to add something to the experience. Otherwise, the game isn't as fun or engaging.

@rushiosan Most of the staff that worked on Metroid Prima are no longer with Retro, they all left troughout the years. People don't realise that. It doesn't make a lot of sense for Retro to work on another Prime, at least not more sense than any other developer would be working on Metroid Prime.

@JaxonH Don't bother with Bolt_Strike, he can't be argued with. The games he doesn't like are all "samey", repetitive and unoriginal and the few games he likes are the "best ever created". You know what's getting old and samey? His arguments.

@Bolt_Strike
Ya but the levels are designed so that this path is only reachable with a flutter jump, and this ledge by a rocket hover, and this ledge by a cane bounce. It's the path you take and the approach that changes. How you approach things.

It's why Mario gets a new power up every game. The developers know this as well as I do. A new mechanic changes your approach, and that changes everything.

The fact millions of people buy and love sequels speaks for itself. They're not always good, and yes, there does come a point if you release a game constantly every year that eventually even that can get old, but you don't have to change everything up for people to enjoy your game. Especially not when it releases every 3 years. Or 10, or however long.

The fact I enjoyed DKC Tropical Freeze, and Yoshi's Wooly World, and every Tales of Zesteria, along with millions of others, speaks for itself.

Maybe you have to play something different every single time, but that's not true for most people. I don't really think it's true for you either, because the Metroid sequels were no more different than Tropical Freeze was. Same walk, same jump, same corridors, same grapple, same everything. Just got a couple new beams to use and light/dark theme that's been done in countless games before (games you've probably played, yet you weren't sick of when MP2 came along)

I just think you like Metroid and aren't that big a platformer fan, so it's easy to criticize what you don't like. IMO.

***Simply put, the sales speak for itself. The face millions of people buy new Mario games knowing it's just a new powerup and stages, the fact millions of people buy games like Tropicak Freeze, like Yoshi's Wooly World, the fact these games review well despite not having enough new by your standards, just goes to show that the vast majority of people value fun over innovation and evolution.

@JaxonH No they're not. Most of the paths can be reached by anyone.

And just because millions of people like it, doesn't make it good. Quality doesn't work by majority rule.

To the contrary, I love platformers, I used to play them all of the time. It really is the repetition.

@Octane If you're mistaking my reasoning for bias, that's your problem. There's nothing hypocritical about what I'm saying.

@Bolt_Strike
Not necessarily, no, but that's why I mentioned the review scores and general approval. People aren't just buying them, they're loving them.

@JaxonH Again, not particularly an indicator of quality.

@JaxonH
What's the ultimate goal of a game?

Tell me, which is better- to make a game that "technically" is superior in quality or a game that everyone loves. If everyone loves it, the ultimate goal has been achieved.

Can't start placing aspects of gaming above the entertainment itself. Which is why innovation, evolution, quality, graphics... All those things are great.

But I'd still take a fun game that's none of the above, than a game which exhibits all those qualities and isn't fun. And I'd wager most people would say the same.

@JaxonH Again though, I can't count something as "fun" if it's repetitive, and I can't see why anyone else would either. Entertainment by nature decreases with repetition, so you need innovation or evolution of some sort to maintain the fun.

@rushiosan
Other M was fantastic! I liked that game WAY more than prime. I thought its' controls were innovative and a treat to get good at! Prime is overrated.

@Bolt_Strike
"Repetitive" is subjective.

You play one level in a game, the second could be considered "repetitive" since it was already done in the first. Where's the line drawn? If you can play a whole game and enjoy it, why is it magically all of a sudden repetitive if you play the first level of a sequel. So the last level of the first game was fine, but the first level of the second game is repetitive?

Not to mention the years between. And the fact you probably sunk no more than 10-20 hours into it then had a 1,000 day gap in between. Something is not automatically repetitive just because it's a sequel.

As long as the games are spaced a bit apart, and the environments are fresh and there's at least one new mechanic, that's enough for it to not feel repetitive.

And is Metroid Prime not "repetitive" after the first 10 minutes? The rest of the game follows suit. What about the second game? What about the 3rd? They all play the same. Not to mention all of those play same to the games before them. Same style of play, just in a 1st person perspective.

Point is, there is no magical cutoff point where a game all of a sudden goes from enjoyable to repetitive. And it's different for every person. I myself (and millions of others) are perfectly satisfied with sequels spaced a few years part with new obstacles to overcome. We say "ok, we like what we played, so give us more".

When I play a game I like I don't get sick of it- on the contrary, I crave more of it.

I felt a stung in my heart hearing there probably won't be a new Prime entry by Retro.
But they really deserve to work on a original IP after the masterful Prime series and lovely DK series.

Oooooooh I wonder what it could be...hmmmmm. Whatever it is I know I can count on Retro to make something spectacular

@Order2Chaos Bingo!

I hope it's for Wii U and that it's not a side scroller (we have too many of those lol)

Doesn't makes much sense. If they are one of the "priciest" studios they own, it would make sense to try get the most out of them, surely. Two or more project at once should be encouraged, in that case.

I think they are working on f-zero nx personally

Well Nintendo Life , you certainly like giving Tamaki and his rumours exposure. Retro confirmed they had been working on a new project for a few months in March 2014 , so the first part of what he said is obviously embellished. Both Retro themselves and Nintendo have said in the past that Retro could work on the next instalment of Metroid. According to Tamaki in April of this year , Retro were utilising a new engine on Wii U , probably to make Metroid Prime 4. He also claimed Fallout 4 was cross gen. So I'm going to take this with a pinch of salt.

@JaxonH I have all those platformers on Wii U and you're right, all are top, top class... & they're all different, unique. On DKC, Returns on Wii was just perfection to me, I was delighted with it, and Tropical Freeze is even better. I've had it since release and I only just 100% it in the last two weeks! Did you unlock & tackle 'Hard 'Mode' yourself?

I have always felt that Retro should go out and create a new ip considering how high quality their work has been so far. I am definitely looking forward to hearing more about this, assuming the rumor is true!

They could sure make something completely new but would Nintendo really let them? We've had Codename Steam and Splatoon this year and I doubt either have hit the sales of the regular Nintendo franchise.

I would love to see them work on something completely new but I'd also love to see them tackle an existing Nintendo property (that isn't DK or Metroid).

Very excite!

It's well overdue for Retro to do something original. Too bad that too many gamers suffer from sequelitis and will do nothing but complain that it isnt Prime 4.

@JaxonH People have put Metroid Prime series on a pedestal through rose tinted glasses.
I definitely agree. I mean, I can write a book about my praises of the Prime games, but even so, I know that it can't go on like that. Prime is done, forcing it on will just wear it down. And a change of perspective definitely wouldn't be a bad idea. That's why I don't like how people are blindly begging for "Metroid Prime 4" as if the name alone would make it a good game by default. That's what gave us Federation... uh, Federation whatever.

@B64111980 And did they ever follow it up properly? Fusion and Zero Mission were really good, but had obvious shortcomings by comparison (way less content, boring bosses, bland environments), and Nintendo didn't even bother with Metroid yet again for several years - and the result was Other M, a joke of a game consisting of a bland fanservice fanfiction. And now, we're getting this Federation junk that also doesn't seem to flatter any of Metroid's strong points in any sort of fashion.
I hate to put it like that, but by now, I feel like Super Metroid was just a lucky shot, and the Prime games were the only ones that actually adhered to what made Super such a legendary classic. And Nintendo is simply unable to reach back to that level of quality by now.

@JaxonH You have many good points, but I don't get why you have to put the PS4 and XONE down.

Wii U has some really good platform games (Super Mario 3D World, DKC Tropical Freeze, New Super Mario Bros U and many others), but don't forget that PS4 has some good ones too (Knack being a good one and Ratchet And Clank next year...just not many more RIGHT NOW).

Platform games seem to be very rare, and the only way to see many of them is on Nintendo consoles only. Playstation 3 had a lot and I'm sure Sony will give the attention of them on the PS4 by the end of 2016 into 2017. This is why I love nintendo...since they have the category of games that I love (at least the genre), but I also love Sony for theirs (Jak and Daxter, Ratchet And Clank, Sly Cooper, Tearaway, Little Big Planet and more that I can't think of right now).

Even though the graphics were incredible in Metroid Prime, I'm glad they're not doing another one...I'm not a first-person shooter fan, so I didn't really care for them that much. If another Metroid game comes out, I hope it's 2D or even a 3D action title...not first-person. Other than that, I see a good game coming from them, but I don't see it coming for Wii U...I see it coming on NX, and it won't end up being a launch title.

@arronishere I agree. There isn't enough BIG adventure titles on the Wii U besides a few. They definitely need some big and huge titles for it, but I don't see it happening with the current state that it's in. If the NX does extremely well, I see big budget titles come out for it, but for right now, it seems to be quick games and some being good ones, but quick to make and even quick for a player to beat (to keep customers like myself who bought the system, happy). Right now, I think nintendo and their companies (at least the major companies) are too busy making the titles for the NX...leaving the smaller companies to make the titles for the Wii U. With Star Fox and Zelda being pushed further into 2016, it still makes me wonder if they will be launch titles for the NX and ending titles for the Wii U.

I really enjoyed Metroid Prime series, but I disliked Donkey Kong Country Returns, because it didn't match my expectations. However, the new people they hired and the new ideas and the way they polished the next DK game Tropical Freeze made me love it. I wonder what original ideas could they come with.

@Xenocity If the phrase is indeed as culturally variable in meaning as you suggest, then I would advise against using it on an Internet forum. From what I can tell, your definition of somebody 'selling out' simply appears to be them 'not doing what you want'.

And if you think the Doge meme affair was a 'massive incident', then... I'm afraid I have no words.

@JLPick
"Don't understand why you put the PS4 and Xbox One down"

Put them down? I never put them down. I love PS4! And Xbox One! Day one owner, day one Vita owner too. Just got Halo 5 and Gears Ultimate on X1, and Divinity Original Sin, Tales of Zesteria Collectors Edition (2 in fact), Uncharted Collection, Dragon Quest Heroes, Transformers Devastation, Metal Gear Solid V, Back to the Future the Game, and others I'm sure I'm forgetting.

I'm not sure why you think I put them down. I play them all the time and love the heck out of them. Stayed up til 2am last night cause I couldn't stop playing the Halo 5 campaign.

Not sure which comment made you think that, but I can assure you I love ALL consoles.

Retro is awesome, they're like the new Rareware, so I'm defiinitely looking forward to seeing what kind of game they came up with!

@DarthNocturnal That sounds cool, would be nice to see Retro make an RPG, it's definitely a genre Nintendo home consoles lack.

@Megumi Thank you lol. Was just about to say something like this, glad other people agree.

Yes. Please make your own stuff Retro and leave other peoples franchises alone.

@GreatPlayer You think Rare's games are boring? Granted I haven't played all of them, but boring is never a word I would use to describe Rare. They weren't a long lived and much beloved company cause their games were boring I can tell you that. I have no doubt they have some real stinkers, all companies do, but a good chunk of their games aren't boring.

I wouldn't put it past Nintendo to have Retro working a big launch title for their next system.

It would be great but I'm highly suspect that it's true because Nintendo has said it plans on using it's current IP to strengthen the brand.. although they have surprised us in the past like splatoon which is freaking amazing!!!!!

Hmm... just a thought: If Retro didn't work on an old franchise, would they be "Retro"? Perhaps they will work on an original IP, but it will have an old school flavor to keep up with their namesake? Or perhaps they won't worry about that and will make an original FPS (I REALLY hope this is their project considering how good MP was). There's no telling, but they've proven to me that they produce quality and I can't wait until they unveil whatever it is.

I'll believe it when I see it. Every year something about Retro pops up, and we don't hear anything about it for another year.

@JaxonH Wrong person, sorry. There was a comment of someone doing nothing but busting on the PS4 and XONE...apparently someone that never played them. Sorry again.

haters often complain that Nintendo doesn't come up with enough new IP (they do come up with new IP each generation) so a new IP from Retro would seem well timed especially if it is planned for release on NX.

As an aside, that line in the article that Retro is one of Nintendo's priciest studios to maintain brought into clear focus for me that Retro has done a great job at filling the role that Rare used to play. In fact I would dare to say that Nintendo got the better end of the deal that saw Rare become a first party developer for microsoft. With the money they made selling off their stake in Rare Ninty has set up a great studio that has put out great games while MS spent hundreds of millions on the name Rare and it's IP. The talented people who made the games that gave Rare the clout that it once had have long since left, even the stamper bros who founded Rare have walked away.

Oooh metroid fans won't like that...

Q) What's your take on these comments?

A) The whole, having their fill of Metroid comment does align with previous rumours and words in the wind that suggested that Retro Studios got tired of making so many Metroid games in a row. As for the not being able to work on two games at once aspect, that does kind of clash with previous statements from Nintendo (I think it was Miyamoto who said it) that Retro could work on two games at once. That said, such a statement doesn't specifically mean that both games would be of scope and resources.

On the possibility of Retro Studios making their own IP though; I say good on them. Now I'm not exactly keen on Nintendo making so many new IPs, I feel they have enough as it is and they should focus on reviving IPs instead, but I feel it would good for Retro Studios specifically to do one. They themselves have not made a new IPs before, and they have contributed a lot to two Nintendo IPs. I say they are deserving of the chance to make a new IP, and would look forward to what it turns out to be.

I really want a new metroid and a new retro so either way happy! Sadly since 2014 when Nintendo mentioned they wanted to focus on smaller games, I feel this when slightly naff games such as zelda triforce, fed force, starfox, chibi, animal crossing festival board game crap, where all gren lit!
Let's hope Nintendo didn't green light any more crap.

It's amazing how Nintendo can go from having a fab line up of games and boasting about the metracritic scores. To this year having nothing to release and the worst metacritic scores around.
Devils third 4/10
Triforce heros 5/10
Mario tennis 5/10
Black water 6/10
Chibi 5/10
Animal home 6/10
Yoshi woolly 7/10