The results of our poll to discover Shinesparkers readers favorite Metroid game of 2022 are now available. After 798 votes, we find out how each game ranked.
Feature: Harmony of a Hunter Returns – One Year On
Its hard to believe that we released Harmony of a Hunter Returns a whole year ago, but the fact is we released our sixth (and third Metroid) album back on this day in 2021. I wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on the project, and explain how it satisfied so many goals for me, dating back to the very first album we created, and to express my thanks for the people involved in it. I’ve gathered some thoughts here in this feature that I hope you will be interested in reading.
I’m massively thankful for all the support the album has received from fans over this past year, and I hope it continues to be an important project that helps you through the years to come. I am very proud of everyone involved in the project for their hard work and dedication to make this project possible.
Metroid Dread Samus and E.M.M.I. Figma revealed
Back in February, we learned that a Figma based on Samus’s Power Suit in Metroid Dread was coming. Tonight at Smile Fest, we got our first glimpse at not only this Figma, but a brand new E.M.M.I. one! The Samus Figma has a beautiful coat of paint, which suggests it’s closer to being ready for release than the E.M.M.I. Figma, which was shown as a prototype without coloring. At this point, we still don’t have release dates for either Figma statue. Watch this space.
Source: Good Smile (Samus/E.M.M.I.)
Metroid II commercial narrator David Warner has died
The narrator of the North American commercial for Metroid II: Return of Samus, David Warner, died on July 24, 2022 at the age of 80. Many Metroid fans who grew up in the early 1990s, or found the commercial on YouTube later, will remember the face that warned players to “Be afraid, be very afraid…” It was only today that we learned his name, and that he was sadly no longer with us.
David’s career spanned sixty years in film, television, theater and video games. His best known roles are in Morgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment, Time After Time (as Jack the Ripper), A Christmas Carol (as Bob Cratchit), Batman: The Animated Series (as Ra’s al Ghul) and multiple characters in Star Trek.
On behalf of the team at Shinesparkers, we offer our condolences to David’s family and friends during this difficult time, and we will remember his many brilliant performances over the years, especially the Metroid II commercial. You can watch it below.
Source: Rock Paper Shotgun/BBC
Feature: Izuki Kouji Tweets
For our latest feature, we are delighted to have reached out once again to Idzuki Kouji, the mangaka (author and illustrator) of Samus and Joey and Metroid EX, a four-part story for Metroid that was a manga series, published in Comic Bom Bom between December 2002 to April 2005 in Japan. Since we last spoke with Kouji-san in our interview back in 2019, Samus and Joey has been re-released as an eBook by Kodansha. The feature we have produced here, is a collection of his tweets over a ten month period between March 14th 2021 to January 8th 2022. With Kouji-san’s permission, we sought to translate these tweets in an attempt to preserve a record of his thoughts, feelings and his memories of working on Samus and Joey. Additionally, Kouji-san discussed his experiences playing Metroid Dread in these tweets.
Kouji-san also left a closing message on the feature for fans, which we hope you will read!
Shinesparkers Legacy Content restored
We have restored twelve pieces of classic content from the original Shinesparkers website (2010 – 2017), which wasn’t originally available upon relaunch in 2017. We’ve been chipping away at this for the past few years when we have had the spare time, and made some quality of life improvements to many of the pages, including new photographs, header images and a good ol’ spell check (no one is perfect). They can be found on our Features page, and on the following links:
End of Year 2010
End of Year 2011
Metroid Arrange Review
Metroid Blast Preview
Metroid Cinematica Review
Metroid Wii U Concept
Other M: Two Years Later
Shinesparkers 1st Anniversary
Super Metroid 20th Anniversary
Super Metroid Symphony Review
Varia Suit Metroid Other M Figma Review
Zero Suit Metroid Other M Scale Review
We hope you’ll take the time to see some of our early content, as much as we appreciate you taking the time to see our more recent content!
Chuck Lorre and John Cena are Metroid Dread fans
Yesterday, we learned of two high profile fans of Metroid Dread in Hollywood. The first is Chuck Lorre, a TV sitcom legend who created shows such as Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, United States of Al and Bob Hearts Abishola. Lorre writes vanity cards that are shared at the end of every episode of his shows. Card #702 mentions that he’s been playing Metroid Dread for six months, and is finally approaching the battle with Raven Beak. The card has so far aired three times at the end of United States of Al, Bob Hearts Abishola and Young Sheldon this past April.
John Cena was also revealed to be a Metroid fan. According to Giant Bomb’s Dan Rychert, Cena participated in a photoshoot promoting the Nintendo Switch in 2017 and told Nintendo staff who were there that he wanted a new 2D Metroid. When Dread was released, they sent him a copy, and his representatives told Nintendo that he loved it. Today, former Nintendo Minute host Krysta Yang confirmed she was with Cena at the time and he was enthusiastic for a new Metroid game.
Thanks to Dread, Metroid’s becoming much more popular. Brie Larson filmed a sponsored ad for it back in November 2021, and we can now add Chuck Lorre and John Cena to the list of famous fans!
Source: Chuck Lorre/Dan Rychert/Krysta Yang
Community Spotlight: SpotArt Station
Our latest Community Spotlight is now live. This month we are highlighting the great talent of SpotArt Station, an animation and character design student with a massive passion for Metroid. At the time of writing, their big project is a fully illustrated Metroid Dread NES manual, just like the ones you would see back in the heyday of the system! We hope you enjoy it, and we wish Spot all the very best of luck for the future!
DoctorM64 joins Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus development team
We learned of an exciting development today – DoctorM64, the creator of AM2R and level designer on Ori and the Will of the Wisps, has joined Squid Shock Studios as an Associate Designer. Squid Shock Studios is developing Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus, a hand-drawn Metroidvania game based on Japanese folklore. DoctorM64 isn’t the only AM2R veteran on the project – Robert Sephazon, a playtester for AM2R, is an Executive Producer of Bō! From what we’ve seen of the game, it looks like it’s going to be a load of fun with a beautiful art style and fluid, dynamic gameplay. It has exceeded its fundraising goal and is planned for release on Steam. To keep up to date with Bō, you can follow Squid Shock on Twitter. Best of luck to the team!
Source: Kickstarter
Full Sylux Model from Metroid Prime: Federation Force Discovered
A full model of Sylux from Metroid Prime: Federation Force has been discovered by Wikitroid user Bearborg, who experimented with the in-game cameras to show a different angle to the secret cutscene from the very end of the game, where Sylux infiltrates a research station to steal a larval Metroid. This is the first time we have seen Sylux in full from the game, as the original cutscene is made to be shown from a first person perspective.
Sylux was first introduced in Metroid Prime Hunters, and was also confirmed to be inside the ship giving chase to Samus in the post-credit scene of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Sylux is also rumoured to be in the upcoming Metroid Prime 4, due to the events of Federation Force, as explained above.
UPDATE: We have updated this article to include a gallery with some additional shots of the model, courtesy of Bearborg.
Source: Wikitroid
