List of Metroid media

Metroid is a video game series published by Nintendo and primarily produced by the company's first-party developers, though second-party Fuse Games and third-party Team Ninja have also developed for the series. It debuted in Japan with Metroid[lower-alpha 1] on August 6, 1986, and was later released in North America (August 1987) and PAL regions (January 15, 1988). All Metroid video games have been developed exclusively for Nintendo video game consoles and handhelds, dating from the Nintendo Entertainment System to the current generation of video game consoles. The franchise consists of eleven video games, the latest of which released in 2017. Comics, manga adaptations, and soundtracks have also been released.

Packaging for all Metroid games released prior to Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

The series revolves around Samus Aran, a bounty hunter who protects the galaxy from the Space Pirates and their attempts to harness the power of fictional organisms, especially the eponymous Metroids. The series' gameplay contains elements from shooter, platforming, and adventure games. It is known for its non-linear progression and solitary exploration.[1] The 2D Metroid games are side-scrollers, and the 3D Metroid Prime series gives the player a first-person perspective,[1] while Other M is a third-person shooter with the ability to switch to first-person view.[2] Metroid is one of Nintendo's most successful franchises, with over 17 million copies sold by September 2012.[3] The games have received varying levels of critical acclaim.[1][4]

Video games

Metroid series

Title	Details
Metroid Original release date(s): JP: August 6, 1986[5] NA: August 15, 1987[5] PAL: January 15, 1988[6]	Release years by system: 1986 – Famicom Disk System[5] 1987 – Nintendo Entertainment System[5] 2004 – Game Boy Advance[7] 2007 – Wii Virtual Console[8] 2018 – Nintendo Switch
	Notes: First Metroid game. Released in Japan for the Famicom Disk System, with a three-slot save system; internationally released as a Nintendo Entertainment System cartridge with a password system to continue progress.[1] Remade for the GBA as Metroid: Zero Mission. Also an unlockable game by connecting Metroid Fusion to Metroid Prime using the Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance Cable,[9] or finishing Metroid: Zero Mission.[10]
Metroid II: Return of Samus Original release date(s):[11][12][13] NA: November 1991 JP: January 21, 1992 PAL: May 21, 1992	Release years by system: 1991 – Game Boy[11]
	Notes: First handheld Metroid title. A special color palette used for the game was added to the Game Boy Color hardware.[14] Nintendo considered a remake for the Game Boy Advance.[1] Remade for the 3DS as Metroid: Samus Returns.
Super Metroid Original release date(s):[15] JP: March 19, 1994 NA: April 18, 1994 PAL: July 28, 1994	Release years by system: 1994 – Super Nintendo Entertainment System[15] 2007 – Wii Virtual Console[8] 2013 – Wii U Virtual Console[8] 2016 – 3DS Virtual Console (New Nintendo 3DS model only) 2019 – Nintendo Switch
	Notes: Re-released for download over the Nintendo Power system in Japan.[15] Also a trial game available in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, which uses Virtual Console technology to emulate older hardware and have time constraints.[16]
Metroid Fusion Original release date(s):[17] NA: November 17, 2002 PAL: November 22, 2002 JP: February 14, 2003	Release years by system: 2002 – Game Boy Advance[17] 2011 – 3DS Virtual Console[18][19] 2014 – Wii U Virtual Console[20]
	Notes: Japanese version had adjustable difficulty levels, international versions featured a single difficulty.[21] Released simultaneously with Metroid Prime in North America.
Metroid: Zero Mission Original release date(s):[22] NA: February 9, 2004 PAL: April 8, 2004 JP: May 27, 2004	Release years by system: 2004 – Game Boy Advance[22]
	Notes: Remake of Metroid, with improved graphics, new gameplay features and areas to explore; also has the original game as an unlockable extra.[23]
Metroid: Other M Original release date(s):[24] NA: August 31, 2010 JP: September 2, 2010 PAL: September 3, 2010	Release years by system: 2010 – Wii[24]
	Notes: Developed by Team Ninja.[24]
Metroid: Samus Returns Original release date(s):[25][26] WW: September 15, 2017	Release years by system: 2017 – Nintendo 3DS
	Notes: Remake of Metroid II: Return of Samus.

Metroid Prime series

Title	Details
Metroid Prime Original release date(s):[27] NA: November 17, 2002 JP: February 28, 2003 PAL: March 21, 2003	Release years by system: 2002 – GameCube[27] 2009 – Wii[28]
	Notes: First 3D game in the series.[1] Gameplay tweaks were added to the PAL, Japanese and Player's Choice versions.[29] Re-released for the Wii in the New Play Control! series of GameCube remakes in Japan and as part of Metroid Prime: Trilogy internationally.[30]
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Original release date(s):[31] NA: November 15, 2004 EU: November 26, 2004 AU: December 2, 2004 JP: May 26, 2005	Release years by system: 2004 – GameCube[31] 2009 – Wii[28]
	Notes: Known in Japan as Metroid Prime 2: Dark Echoes.[lower-alpha 2][32][33] First game in the series with a multiplayer mode.[34] The PAL version lacks the standard 50 Hz mode and offers 60 Hz only.[35] Re-released for the Wii in the New Play Control! series of GameCube remakes in Japan and as part of Metroid Prime: Trilogy internationally.[30]
Metroid Prime Pinball Original release date(s):[36] NA: October 24, 2005 AU: December 1, 2005 JP: January 19, 2006 EU: June 22, 2007	Release years by system: 2005 – Nintendo DS[36]
	Notes: Remake of Metroid Prime in pinball form.[37] Bundled along with the Nintendo DS Rumble Pak.[38]
Metroid Prime Hunters Original release date(s):[39] NA: March 20, 2006 EU: May 5, 2006 AU: May 25, 2006 JP: June 1, 2006	Release years by system: 2006 – Nintendo DS[39]
	Notes: Preceded by Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt, which was a multiplayer demo included as a pack-in title with the launch of the original Nintendo DS in all regions except Japan.[40] First game in the series with online multiplayer.[41] First Nintendo DS game to allow voice chat between players over the internet.[42]
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Original release date(s):[43] NA: August 27, 2007 PAL: October 26, 2007 AU: November 8, 2007 JP: March 6, 2008	Release years by system: 2007 – Wii[43]
	Notes: The first Metroid game for the Wii. First game in the series to include a preview accessible online via a console.[44]
Metroid Prime: Trilogy Original release date(s):[45] NA: August 24, 2009 EU: September 4, 2009 AU: October 15, 2009	Release years by system: 2009 – Wii[46]
	Notes: Contains Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime 2 and Metroid Prime 3, all with Wii Remote controls.[47]
Metroid Prime: Federation Force Original release date(s): NA: August 19, 2016 JP: August 25, 2016 EU: September 2, 2016 AU: September 3, 2016	Release years by system: 2016 - Nintendo 3DS[48]
	Notes: The first Metroid game for the Nintendo 3DS. Contains a game titled Metroid Prime: Blast Ball, a soccer-themed multiplayer minigame.[49]
Metroid Prime 4 Original release date(s): NA: TBA JP: TBA EU: TBA AU: TBA	Release years by system: - Nintendo Switch[50]
	Notes:

Soundtracks

Title		Release date	Length	Label
Super Metroid – Sound in Action		June 22, 1994[51]	58:49	Sony Records
Notes: Features music from Metroid and Super Metroid, in addition to four rearranged Super Metroid tracks. Metroid music composed by Hirokazu Tanaka.[52] Super Metroid music composed by Kenji Yamamoto and Minako Hamano.[53]
Metroid Prime & Fusion Original Soundtracks		June 18, 2003[54]	2:12:00	Scitron
Notes: Two-CD set; each disc contains the soundtrack of one of the games. Metroid Prime music composed by Kenji Yamamoto and Kouichi Kyuma.[55] Metroid Fusion music composed by Minako Hamano and Akira Fujiwara.[56]

Printed media

Comic books

Game	Company	Publisher	Release date
Metroid	Valiant Comics	Nintendo Comics System, Issue #2	July 1990[57]
Notes: Consists of three short stories across one issue, themed after, but not directly adapting the game:[58] The Coming of a Hero (2 pages), by George Caragonne, James Brock, Bob Layton, Jade, Kathryn Bolinger. Metroid (1 page), by George Caragonne, Mickey Ritter, Jan Harpes, Jade. Deceit Du Jour (10 pages), by Mark McClellan and Bill Vallely, Vince Mielcarek, Bob Layton, Jade, Joe Q and The Gradations.
Super Metroid	Nintendo	Nintendo Power, Issues #57–61	February–May 1994[59]
Notes: Five-part adaptation of the game by Benimaru Itoh.[60]
Metroid Prime	Dreamwave Productions	Nintendo Power, Issues #164–166	January–March 2003
Notes: Two-part adaptation of game.[61] Written by Kato Li (script), Sigmund Torre (art, with one page by Pat Lee), Gary Yeung and Alan Wang (colors).

Manga

Game	Publisher	Release date
Metroid	Wanpakku Comics	1986
Notes: 195 page Manga/Strategy Guide, released only in Japan.[62]
Super Metroid	Shounen Oh Game Comic, Issue #1	August 1994
Notes: 18-page adaptation, consisting of comedic strips with four panels.[63]
Metroid	Magazine Z	November 2003[64]–May 2004[65]
Notes: Two-volume manga, tells the backstory of Samus Aran, written by Kouji Tazawa (script) and Kenji Ishikawa (art).[64][65] The first two chapters of Volume 1 received an online version with color and sound effects.[66][67]
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes	Comic Bom Bom	July 2005–January 2006
Notes: Adaptation of the game, written by Hisashi Matsumoto across seven issues of the magazine.[68]
Samus and Joey	Comic Bom Bom
Notes: 5 part manga involving the adventures of Samus Aran and a boy called Joey from a frontier planet.[69]

Notes

1. Japanese: メトロイド Hepburn: Metoroido
2. Japanese: メトロイドプライム2: ダークエコーズ Hepburn: Metoroido Puraimu Tsū: Dāku Ekōzu

References

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2. Cabral, Matt (February 24, 2010). "Metroid: Other M: A Change of Perspective". Kotaku. Archived from the original on May 26, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
3. Guinness World Records 2013: Gamer's Edition. Guinness World Records Ltd. 2012. p. 154. ISBN 9781904994954.
4. Parish, Jeremy (May 25, 2011). "Dial Other M for Murder: Is the Metroid Series Dead?". 1UP.com. News Corporation. Archived from the original on June 23, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
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8. Casamassina, Matt (August 10, 2007). "Metroid Classics for Wii". IGN. Archived from the original on October 17, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2008.
9. Varanini, Giancarlo (October 25, 2002). "Metroid Prime, Fusion connection revealed". GameSpot. Retrieved April 10, 2007.
10. "Metroid Zero Mission Game Guide: Secrets". IGN. Retrieved January 13, 2008.
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12. Sora Ltd. (March 9, 2008). Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii) (1.0 ed.). Nintendo. Level/area: Nintendo Chronicle. Game Boy — 11/1991 Metroid II: Return of Samus
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14. TJ Rappel. "The MDb Interviews Dan Owsen". The Metroid Database. Retrieved June 29, 2006. Dan: Well, since R&D 1 was involved in the development of Game Boy color, I think they were able to put a special "Metroid palette" in the GBC hardware. This makes Metroid II look really, really nice on Game Boy Color. In fact, it looks a lot like the NES game on GBC
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23. Lee, Justin (February 2, 2004). "Metroid Creator Talks Zero Mission". GameSpy. Archived from the original on February 26, 2009. Retrieved February 16, 2009.
24. McElroy, Justin (June 2, 2009). "Team Ninja collaborating with Nintendo on Metroid Other M". Joystiq. Archived from the original on June 11, 2009. Retrieved June 2, 2009.
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59. Itoh, Benimaru (February–May 2004). "Super Metroid". Nintendo Power (57–61). ISSN 1041-9551. Archived from the original on July 9, 2009.
60. Oxford, Nadia (September 30, 2004). "Funny Pages: Games as Comics, Past and Present". 1UP.com. Retrieved January 25, 2009.
61. "Metroid Prime". Nintendo Power. Dreamwave Productions (164–167). January–March 2003. ISSN 1041-9551.
62. "Manga/Strategy Guide". Metroid (メトロイド). Wanpakku Comics. 1986.
63. "Super Metroid (スーパーメトロイド)". Shounen Oh Game Comic. Shounen Oh Comics. Kobunsha. August 1994. Archived from the original on July 9, 2009.
64. "Part 1" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved February 4, 2009.
65. "Part 2" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on February 12, 2009. Retrieved February 1, 2009.
66. "Part 1" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on February 4, 2003. Retrieved February 4, 2009.
67. "Part 2" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on February 4, 2003. Retrieved December 23, 2008.
68. "Metroid Prime (メトロイド プライム)". Comic Bom Bom. Kodansha. July 2006 – January 2006. OCLC 38107748.
69. "Comics & Manga Listing". Metroid Database. Archived from the original on February 15, 2016. Retrieved February 3, 2016.

External links

• Official Metroid website
• Metroid Comics and Manga at the Metroid Database