Happy birthday Metroid! Thirty-three years ago today, the original Metroid game was released on the Famicom Disk System in Japan, and the world was introduced to one of gaming’s earliest female protagonists, Samus Aran. To commemorate this occasion, the team at Shinesparkers came together to look back on how they became Metroid fans. From receiving a Metroid game as a gift to discovering Samus through Super Smash Bros., we have all created memories and made close friends through being fans of the series. We would love to hear from you on social media how you became Metroid fans by visiting our Facebook and Twitter accounts!
Officially Licensed 2020 Metroid Calendar Now Available
Last month we reported that an officially licensed Metroid calendar by Abhams would be released, and we are happy to confirm that it is now available, as confirmed by Twitter user Nintengoth, who posted pictures of his purchase today
The Metroid 2020 calendar can be purchased now via Amazon and other retailers
Source: Amazon, Amazon UK, Nintendoth
Metroid Prime 3 Samus Figma is getting a reissue
2017 saw the release of the third ever Figma of Samus, depicting her more “classic” appearance in the Metroid Prime series, as opposed to the Other M Power Suit design. These figures are quite popular and quite expensive, and they quickly sell out. If you didn’t get this Figma before, you’re in luck, because Good Smile Company has announced that they are reissuing the Figma to people who preorder it from July 24th to August 21st, 2019. Those who do will receive their Figmas beginning in January 2020. You can preorder it at the link below if you’re in the United States or Canada. If you’re in another country, here is a link to partner shops in other parts of the world: Good Smile
Source: Good Smile US
Community Spotlight: Elias Thompson
We have another Community Spotlight to share with you today – this time, we are highlighting a friend of Shinesparkers, Elias Thompson! Elias is the original founder of MetroidHQ , one of the oldest online Metroid fansites. Elias created a podcast with other staff members, to highlight the very creative Metroid community, similar to our own Community Spotlights. His biggest achievement is likely MHQthon, the annual Metroid game marathon stream that has raised thousands of dollars for charities. This year it’s being held on August 17th, and we hope you can tune in!
Feature: Minako Hamano 50th Birthday Tribute
We are excited to share a new feature with you: a tribute to legendary Metroid composer Minako Hamano. Today is her 50th birthday and we wanted to shine a light on a musician we felt deserved recognition for her incredible work. You’ve heard her music, but you may not know her name. Hamano-san is responsible for some of the most iconic themes across the Metroid series, in particular Ridley’s now signature battle music from the original Super Metroid. The Shinesparkers team came together to share our thoughts and messages for her in this group feature, and earlier this month we went to our community, collecting fifty birthday messages for Hamano-san. The Metroid series would not be the same without her contributions to its score, and our goal with this feature is to ensure that Hamano-san finally receives recognition for her work.
Official Metroid 2020 Calendar now available for pre-order
Abrams Calendars have put up pre-orders for an officially licensed 2020 calendar for Metroid, as well as ones for Super Mario: History of a Hero, Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. It features artwork from all games across the series (except for Pinball, sadly).
The calendars will launch on July 30th.
Source: Amazon
See also: Super Mario: History of a Hero, Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Smash Bros Ultimate Metroidmania
Various Metroid characters will invade the upcoming Smash Bros Ultimate spirit event for three days starting the 28th of June. Make sure to bring Samus, Zero Suit Samus, Ridley and Dark Samus for this smashing occasion to “welcome” these spirits and claim them for your own collection. So check the Spirit Board in-game and smash them off the walls and through any portal they will be coming from.
The three-day #SmashBrosUltimate spirit event “Metroidmania” starts on 28/06! Check your Spirit Board, because #Metroid characters are coming out of the walls! Defeat them in battle to earn more SP than usual.
Make sure to gather them all if you do not want to miss out, and do smash any Luminoth spirit extra hard as retribution is demanded by the Ing…
Source: Nintendo of Europe
Community Spotlight: Cardtroid
Today we are sharing yet another Community Spotlight, focused on Cardtroid, a Metroid card game created by Ben, a.k.a. Deadweight. He’s a newer Metroid fan who was inspired to create a tabletop game after seeing his friends make their own. The project has allowed him to deepen his knowledge of Metroid and share it with fans. Cardtroid is still in development and will be made public in the future. With this entry in our Community Spotlight series, we hope you will give him your support as he completes this passion project!
Kensuke Tanabe: Metroid Prime 4 “A Little Tricky” In Brief Comment During E3 2019
A small mention was given to Metroid Prime 4 at E3 2019 in an interview between Kensuke Tanabe and Eurogamer. While the focus of the interview was the upcoming Luigi’s Mansion 3 (a project that Tanabe-san is also producing) Eurogamer did ask if the Prime 4 Producer had an update for its fans. Tanabe response was that the focus for him at E3 2019 was to promote Luigi’s Mansion 3.
Tanabe: I shouldn’t say, it’s a little tricky… To be completely honest, at this E3 I just want people to pay attention to Luigi. If I mention something about Metroid Prime 4, people will focus on that. But when the time comes, I am so ready to talk about it!
Back in January 2019, Shinya Takahashi of Nintendo confirmed that Metroid Prime 4 had restarted development, and was now being worked on by Retro Studios, and produced by Kensuke Tanabe. At the time, he was quoted to say that it “will be a long road until the next time we will be able to update you on the development progress“.
While it’s likely to be a while until we hear more about the state of Prime 4’s development, we can only speculate what Mr. Tanabe meant by Metroid Prime 4 being “a little tricky” and that he “shouldn’t say”. Fingers crossed that Metroid Prime 4 under Retro Studios is moving more smoothly after its restarted development, than before!
Source: Eurogamer
Metroid Prime Technical Engineer Andy O’Neil Dies
We are saddened to learn of the passing of former Retro Studios employee Andy O’Neil, a former Technical Engineer who worked on Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Andy passed away on Monday, June 10, 2019 at his home in Austin, Texas. He was 47 years old.
Andy’s work on the Prime series included (but was not limited to) Samus’s Morph Ball movement, various weapon effects and split-screen multiplayer in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. After he parted ways with Retro Studios, he went on to co-found Bluepoint Games with Marco Thrush, who have remastered several notable titles including the God of War and Uncharted franchises. Their most recent release has been a remaster of Shadow of the Colossus for PlayStation 4.
On behalf of the team at Shinesparkers, we offer our condolences to Andy’s family and friends during this difficult time, and will remember him for the work he contributed to the Metroid series.
Source: Games Industry