06 Nov 2024
Metroid Dread, Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime: Federation Force, Metroid: Samus Returns Permalink

Nintendo reveals Metroid’s commercial success on Switch

November 6, 2024

Today, Nintendo shared their financial results for Q2 of the fiscal year of 2025. On page 36 of their report, they revealed that Metroid games on Nintendo Switch – namely Metroid Dread and Metroid Prime Remastered – have sold a combined 4.99 million units worldwide. This figure reflects only physical sales; digital sales figures are likely even higher.

The chart notes that Metroid, along with the Pikmin, Kirby and Xenoblade Chronicles series, “have seen dramatic sales growth on Nintendo Switch.” compared to their installments on Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. This is compared to the 0.98 million sales that Metroid titles on Nintendo 3DS – Metroid Prime: Federation Force and Metroid: Samus Returns; the series skipped the Wii U – achieved in their lifetime.

Could this finally put the common notion that Metroid does not sell well enough to rest? Sure, 4.99 million may not Mario or Zelda numbers, or even Kirby (15.9 million), but knowing that Nintendo considers this a success should be a reassurance to fans.

Source: Nintendo (scroll to page 36)

31 Oct 2024
Metroid Prime Permalink

Jakks Pacific announces Phazon Suit action figure

October 31, 2024

Since 2014, American toy maker Jakks Pacific has released action figure sets based on the World of Nintendo, including multiple figures based on Samus and Metroids. In a press release today, they announced a new figure based on the Phazon Suit as part of their Fall 2024 lineup. It comes with the Morph Ball as an accessory, and is available at major retailers and online for $10.99 US.

I should note that the press release mistakenly says that the Phazon Suit is from Metroid Prime 2. It appeared in the original Metroid Prime, not Echoes. Oh well.

Let us know on our social media pages if you’re able to track one down in the wild!

Source: GlobeNewswire

31 Oct 2024
Metroid, Metroid Prime Permalink

Nintendo Music app announced, includes Metroid and Metroid Prime tracks

October 31, 2024

Today, Nintendo announced Nintendo Music, a new app that allows you to stream and download Nintendo music. It is available now, exclusively for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. You can choose music by game, character, or listen to curated playlists. You can also make your own playlists. More music will be added to the app over time.

Metroid and Metroid Prime are among the games available to stream music from at launch. For Metroid’s music, you can choose between the Western NES and higher quality Famicom Disk System (Japan) versions. A list of available tracks is below.

Metroid:

  • Title Screen
  • Samus Appears
  • Brinstar (Rocky Zone)
  • Miniboss Hideout I: Kraid
  • Norfair (Fire Zone)
  • Miniboss Hideout II: Ridley
  • Stillnesss
  • Item Obtained
  • Tourian (Central Base)
  • Zebetite
  • Escape
  • Ending

Metroid Prime:

  • Title Theme
  • File Select
  • Prologue
  • Pirate Frigate
  • Parasite Queen Battle
  • Pirate Frigate Escape
  • Samus Appears
  • Tallon Overworld
  • Timeworn Chozo Remnants
  • Hive Mecha Battle
  • Plated Beetle Battle
  • Chozo Ruins
  • Flaahgra Battle
  • Magmoor Caverns
  • Phendrana Drifts
  • Chapel of the Elders
  • Space Pirates (Specimen Storage)
  • Space Pirates Battle
  • Thardus Battle
  • Tallon Overworld Revisited
  • Hall of the Chozo Elders
  • Chozo Ghosts
  • Phendrana Battle
  • Crashed Ship
  • Phazon Mines
  • Omega Pirate Battle
  • Chozo Shrine
  • Artifact Obtained
  • Meta Ridley Battle
  • Chozo Shrine Unsealed
  • Metroid Prime Battle
  • Metroid Prime (Core) Battle
  • Shrine Collapse – Epilogue
  • Credits
  • Samus’s Record

Source: Nintendo

Permalink

Episode 31 – Arkandy

Shinesparkers Podcast
Shinesparkers Podcast
Episode 31 - Arkandy
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Our third podcast episode of 2024 commemorates the third anniversary of Metroid Dread. Who better to join us than prominent Metroid Dread speedrunner Arkandy? Amanda and Roy moderate a discussion between Torvus and Arkandy about speedrunning techniques, the speedrunning community, and resources for the community. Additionally, the four of us share our memories of playing Metroid Dread for the first time.

Podcast is hosted by Amanda, with team members Roy and Torvus.

00:00 – Introductions
01:05 – Topic: Our Memories of Metroid Dread
11:55 – Topic 2: Speedrunning
34:59 – Mailbag
37:50 – Bloopers

19 Oct 2024
Uncategorized Permalink

Metroid is an answer in today’s New York Times Connections game

October 19, 2024

The New York Times has a game called Connections, which is free to play, and offers new word puzzles at midnight every single day. The object of the game is to categorize sixteen words in a grid into groups of four by identifying connections between them, hence the name. In today’s edition, one of the words is Metroid! Someone at the New York Times is a fan…

See if you can identify which connections are right and chime in on our social media!

Source: Forbes

14 Oct 2024
Uncategorized Permalink

There’s a Morph Ball at the Nintendo Museum

October 14, 2024

Earlier in October, Nintendo opened the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto, Japan, detailing the company’s century-old history. Yesterday, we received a tip from our friend Wata Ridley: there’s a giant Morph Ball replica in the museum! A Twitter user, @yoshi_fumizou, went to the Nintendo Museum and found it tucked away in the rafters above the Classic Experience Corner, where classic Nintendo titles can be played on their original systems. The photos he provided show that the Morph Ball is based on its Metroid: Samus Returns incarnation.

I was hoping for some Metroid content to make its way into the Nintendo Museum. Maybe there will be more where that came from in time! Thank you to Wata Ridley for the tip and Yoshi Fumizou for allowing us to use his photographs.

Source: Twitter

08 Oct 2024
Uncategorized Permalink

Interview: Jacobo Luengo

October 8, 2024

We are delighted to share another interview! We spoke with Jacobo Luengo Gomez, a Game Designer for Metroid: Samus Returns and the Principal Game Designer for Metroid Dread. What better way to mark the third anniversary of Dread’s release? Jacobo had a lot to say regarding the development of Dread, what it felt like working on such a long-anticipated title, and his feelings on the Metroid series generally.

We hope you enjoy the interview!

Click here to read the interview

13 Sep 2024
Uncategorized Permalink

Feature: The Chozo – Part Two

September 13, 2024

The latest entry in our series of features on the races of Metroid is now available on Shinesparkers! Team member Quadraxis has written the second of a two part feature about the Thoha, Mawkin and Zebes Chozo that had a presence on SR388, ZDR and Zebes before their respective civilizations collapsed. Quaddy studies their history, technology and traditions, with the Mawkin being the most violent form of Chozo who sought galactic domination. We hope you enjoy reading this feature, as it’s a real treat for Metroid and Chozo fans alike!

Click here to read the feature

11 Aug 2024
Metroid Prime, Uncategorized Permalink

Interview: Cid Newman

August 11, 2024

Today we have another interview to share with you! This time, it’s with the original Co-Founder and CG Technical Supervisor at Retro Studios, Cid Newman! Cid worked on Metroid Prime in its infancy, performing motion capture, creating an early face for Samus based on Cindy Crawford, and designing the HUD. Aside from answering our questions, he had some of his original documents from back in the day to share, and a never before seen screenshot of an early version of Metroid Prime! (circa 2001) It was truly an amazing find. We hope you enjoy the interview!

Click here to read the interview