metroid
Latest
Nintendo's 3DS isn't dead, but it is trapped in the Switch's shadow
Earlier this year, Nintendo announced a brand-new console, a hybrid portable device that serves as both a portable entertainment machine and a game system for the living room. At a glance, it looked great -- but some criticized the Nintendo Switch for having "nothing to play" except the new Legend of Zelda game, of course. Nintendo's E3 show served as a strong answer to those critics: Between Super Mario Odyssey, the promise of a new Pokémon game, new Xenoblade, Yoshi and Kirby titles and a Switch port of Rocket League, Nintendo gave buyers every reason to pick up its latest portable console. At the same time, it gave fans almost no reason to pick its other handheld device. If you don't already own a 3DS, you're probably never going to buy one now.
'Metroid' is really, truly back
Oh boy. We thought Nintendo's E3 showing would center entirely around Super Mario Odyssey, but it had another bombshell for us in its Direct livestream showcase. A decade later, Metroid is truly coming back -- and we're not talking Freedom Force. We're getting Metroid Prime 4.
Nintendo's new NES commercial will toy with your nostalgia
Between the incredible popularity of Pokémon Go, game-themed sneakers and the NES Classic Mini console, Nintendo's nostalgia bombs show no signs of stopping. The gaming juggernaut is fueling that fire with a decidedly retro-style trailer for the new-old system, replete with the familiar "now you're playing with power" tagline from the '80s. It's a fun look at the analog past in our digital future. But upon closer inspection a few things pop out. For starters, folks who've played anything reissued via Virtual Console on Wii U or otherwise can attest that the games look dingy and dull.
'Metroid Prime: Federation Force' launches August 19th
It's been eight years since the last Metroid Prime game came out for the Wii, but a successor was finally announced for the New 3DS handheld system at the game conference E3. Today, Nintendo announced that Metroid Prime: Federation Force will be released on August 19th in the US and September 2nd in the UK, but players can get a hands-on demo at PAX East this weekend.
'Hyrule Warriors' and a new 'Metroid' are coming to Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo's 2015 E3 Direct has just kicked off with great news for 3DS owners: Hyrule Warriors Legends and a new Metroid are on the way. We'd already seen leaks indicating the Koei Tecmo-published Hyrule Warriors would be ported to Nintendo's dual-screen console, but now we have a release date -- first quarter 2016 -- and word that additional content from The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker will be included. That latter content will take the form of new characters (like Tetra) and stages pulled from the GameCube title. As for that new Metroid, well, it's not quite the Prime reboot we were all hoping for, but it does appear to carry on the legacy. Metroid Prime: Federation Force, developed by Next Level Games, incorporates a four-player co-op mode and should be headed to the 3DS at some point in 2016. The other bit of curious news accompanying Federation Force is the bundling of a separate "sci-fi sports battle" title called Metroid Prime: Blast Ball. Details on both titles were thin, so we'll have sit tight and wait for Nintendo to share more.
JXE Streams: Digging in the 'Metroid' dirt of PS4's 'Axiom Verge'
Axiom Verge -- a grotesque and intoxicating new action game for PlayStation 4 due out next week -- wears its heart on its sleeve. From the aliens wandering its creepy interconnected halls to the variety of unusual tools you find exploring its twisted world, creator Tom Happ's game explicitly calls back to Nintendo's Metroid. Rather than lose its identity in an homage mishmash, Axiom Verge actually uses that inspiration to build a demanding game that feels as new as it does eerie. We'll dig into its deep parts and interview Happ himself on today's stream!
New Nintendo eShop releases: More of the Samus, please
$10 for the Metroid Prime: Trilogy on Wii U with apparently faster load times? Om nom nom. While we're talking, Nintendo, any word on a new Metr-hello? Anyone there? Oh well. So, check out this week's full list of new eShop releases below the break, as well as the last week of Nintendo's Throwback sale here. And a reminder: After 9AM PT/12PM ET on February 5, Metroid Prime Trilogy goes up to a regular price of $20. Get it while it's hot!
Double-cannon Samus Amiibo fetches $2,500 on eBay
A defective Samus Amiibo proved this week that double the firepower can translate into many more multiples the cash. After discovering the potentially one-of-its-kind figure with two arm cannons rather than the regular one, a lucky Best Buy customer turned his $13 purchase into a $2,500 golden ticket on eBay. Nintendo's Amiibo range launched last month, providing Wii U users with Skylanders-like toys that are compatible with games including Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart 8. As GameSpot reports, Adam Truesdale was one of many customers who bought the Samus Amiibo, and he was all ready to rip into the case until a friend pointed out the defect.
Platinum gets conceptual with Bayonetta's Nintendo costumes
You can channel Nintendo's heroines (and Hyrule's hero) while unleashing crazy combos in Bayonetta 2, but it's worth taking a break from witchcraft to see how the collaboration came together in the first place. As Platinum Games detailed in a recent blog post, Bayonetta's first borrowed garb was the result of director Hideki Kamiya asking Platinum's Yong-Hee Cho to draw Bayonetta in a Princess Peach outfit. The above image and the full gallery below shows some of Cho's conceptual interpretations, but Kamiya pushed to keep the dress closer to Peach's original style. After tying Bayonetta's hair up, adding a Mario charm and some forearm flair, Kamiya and Cho were pleased with the results. Kamiya's direction similarly led to the Samus costume resembling the bounty hunter's initial venture on the NES, but the development of Bayonetta's tunic is interesting: After Kamiya approved Cho's traditional take on Link's classic attire, Cho turned the designs in to Nintendo for approval. They were returned with a suggestion that Cho open the tunic's top a little more. Bayonetta's Nintendo-themed wardrobe is available in both Bayonetta games on the Wii U, and in the case of Bayonetta 2, Contributing Editor Earnest Cavalli's review remarked that it's a "grand sequel that overshadows the most gleefully over-the-top aspects of its predecessor with entirely new levels of awe-inspiring spectacle." [Image: Platinum Games]
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate gets a Metroid injection
It's more of the Samus, but not as you might expect. As revealed in today's Nintendo Direct for Japan, the latest Nintendo collaboration for Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate brings Metroid-style gear to Capcom's multiplayer action-RPG. Capcom Unity along with Nintendo of Europe then indicated the Metroquipment is headed to the Western versions of the 3DS game, too. Details are sparse at present, but as Siliconera reports, Nintendo's Direct stream tied the collaboration to Wii title Metroid: Other M. According to Siliconera, players can undertake quests to hunt down what's needed to make both the Varia and Zero suit as well as the Arm Cannon-like weapon featured in a new trailer - you can check out the vid below the break.
'Y can't Metroid crawl?' Smash Bros. has the answer
If you ever found yourself wondering why Metroid's Samus can't crawl, Nintendo has issued an explanation: because she doesn't need to. The above screenshot from Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (via @Electivirus) references an infamous Miiverse post from a player confused by the first hour of Super Metroid. Skipping out on the Morph Ball power-up led some to question how to navigate an early passageway, and many (presumably younger) players took to Miiverse to vent their frustrations following Super Metroid's Wii U Virtual Console release. The phrasing of this particular question was pretty much perfect, though, instantly solidifying its meme status. Nice work, Nintendo. We see what you did there. [Image: Nintendo / @Electivirus]
Documentary chronicles the sounds of console gaming's early years
When it comes to video games, more often than not audio gets the short shrift because, well, you can't see music in a screenshot. It's with that in mind that Red Bull (yes, that Red Bull) is putting together a documentary series about the scene surrounding classic Japanese video-game music called Diggin' in the Carts. The first episode focuses on the early days of the industry at Namco Bandai and Nintendo and features interviews with, among other luminaries, the first person in charge of game music for the Mario company, Hirozaku "Hip" Tanaka. Tanaka would go on to produce the iconic scores for Balloon Fight and Metroid, as well as design the sound chip for the first Game Boy. This premiere episode, embedded below, also showcases just how early soundtracks were composed. Spoiler: it involved more wave-forms and soldering than it did keyboards and drum machines. Interested in seeing more? A new clip is scheduled to release every week for the next month-and-a-half.
Game Boy Advance titles reach the Wii U's online store
Don't worry if you gave away your Game Boy Advance years ago -- you now have an easy way to indulge your nostalgia for the early 2000s. As promised, Nintendo has released its first batch of GBA Virtual Console games on the Wii U's eShop at a cost of $8 per title. The early roster is small, but instantly recognizable to veterans. Strategy lovers can check out Advance Wars, while Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and Metroid Fusion are on tap for fans of role-playing games and side-scrolling shooters. And that's just the start of Nintendo's planned launches this month. The studio is releasing Kirby & The Amazing Mirror and WarioWare, Inc. on the 10th; F-Zero, Golden Sun, Super Mario Bros. 3 and Yoshi's Island are on deck for the following weeks. We wouldn't pick up a Wii U solely for the sake of the GBA catalog, but it should give you something to play while you're waiting for more contemporary games.
Spelunky meets Metroid in the caverns of Zebes
The Metroid Mod is an impressive recreation of Nintendo's NES classic within punishing roguelike, Spelunky. The mod isn't out yet, but that can't stop you from watching Samus Aran explore Zebes-inspired caverns and avoid giant Metroids, speedy Skrees and even Ridley.
Varia Games mixes Metroid, Crysis to create Reven, now on Kickstarter
When the Reven virus leads to people disappearing from space station Nexum, hero SyRek swoops in to cure the virus - by shooting the infected, mutated population in the face. We're just gonna say it: people in power armor don't make good doctors. They do, however, make good action game stars, provided the game they star in gets the $18,000 funding it needs from Kickstarter. Reven by Varia Games is inspired by shooter/platformer games like Metroid and Mega Man, while incorporating player customization elements seen in Crysis and Deus Ex. Players explore the hostile world of XR-Keres as SyRek, blowing up monsters and discovering ancient secrets along the way. SyRek will also gain access to new weapons, suits and powers as his journey progresses, and players can customize his attributes using the game's Energy Divergence Module (EDM). The EDM works by giving SyRek a set number of points to be spent in the areas of Mobility, Shield, Sensors and Weapon. Want to be quick and nimble? Dump your points into Mobility, but realize you won't be as strong or be able to take as much damage. The game also features a mission creator for players who want to build their own stories and levels. Reven's inspiration by the Metroid series seems more apparent the more we look at it - SyRek goes dungeon-crawling in 2D, gains new abilities by collecting power cores, and even has a cannon where an arm would be. He's not a girl though, so no infamous surprise ending. The game is expected to release on Wii U, PC, Linux and Mac, though when it will be released depends on the amount funded. At the minimum level of $18,000, the Kickstarter page notes that it could take up to two years to finish development, "possibly a little longer." At $37,000, the game will be ready "much sooner than expected," though no date more specific was mentioned. [Thanks, John!]
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite weapon?
In each of my MMOs, I know my weapons intimately. In Star Trek Online, it's a plasma railgun that spits glowy death at 5,000 shots a minute. In Lord of the Rings Online, it's a legendary spear that I've named Metroid. In Guild Wars 2, it's a ferocious flamethrower that's laid waste to most of the civilized world. Burn, baby, burn! Sometimes we're constrained by class and available drops to what weapons we equip, but chances are that you've had a favorite or two in there. Maybe it was a weapon that had a cool design or proc'd a neat effect when used. Perhaps it's something that took you a lot of effort to acquire or create. Or it could just be a weapon that completely gels with your personality. Open up the door to your armory -- and heart -- and sound off about your favorite weapon! Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
NintendoWare Weekly: Crush3D demo, Metroid
Nintendo's actually doing a pretty good job with these 3DS demos! Today on the eShop, you'll be able to get a sample of the upcoming puzzle adventure Crush3D. You know, in case our preview wasn't quite vividly descriptive enough to paint an accurate picture in your brain.If you missed the Ambassador Program, you can now buy the NES classic Metroid on 3DS as well.
Metroid coming to Japan's 3DS eShop on Feb. 29
Japan's 3DS eShop is getting the NES classic, Metroid, next week on February 29. Metroid is one of many free NES titles available to qualifying 3DS Ambassador Program participants (i.e. early 3DS adopters). Everyone else will have to hand over ¥500 ($6) to navigate the deadly wilds of the planet Zebes once again.
Japan's 3DS Ambassador games include Metroid, Zelda 2 [update: North America too]
Two days before the arrival of the 3DS Ambassador Program games, Nintendo of Japan has revealed the full list of ten NES (Famicom) games being released there. This could be the exact same list of games we get in North America and Europe -- all we know is that the initial five games were consistent worldwide. The five games revealed today include Metroid, Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link, Yoshi's Egg, Mario Open Golf, and Wrecking Crew. In addition to those, Super Mario Bros., Balloon Fight, The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong Jr., and Ice Climber will be available for free, to anyone who qualified for the Ambassador Program by taking their 3DS to the eShop on time. And, of course, these will be followed by ten GBA games. [Update: Nintendo of America tweeted the rest of the NES games coming to North America ... and it's exactly the same games!]
The other M is for 'MacBook' in this Samus laptop mod
Samus Aran's armor has been largely a mystery since the introduction of Metroid's lead character, but in this case mod, we can clearly see the technology behind her armor: a MacBook Pro. A "games oriented developer" known as gltovar commissioned Xtreme Kreations to alter the case of his MacBook; the result being the slick airbrushed Samus image seen above with some light-up armor elements (using the lights that normally illuminate the Apple logo on the case). It must have taken more than two hours to assemble, or Samus wouldn't be wearing her armor in the image. Luckily for us, gltovar took lots of pictures of the process and result, so we can enjoy the effect without "enjoying" the deconstruction and artful slicing of our own premium laptops. Check out the video after the break.
