12 May 2018
Uncategorized Permalink

Community Spotlight: Pennaz (Animator)

May 12, 2018

We are delighted to be sharing our latest Community Spotlight with our readers today! This one is for an animator called Riccardo, otherwise known as Pennaz. He is infamous on YouTube for his series of Metroid animations which he began in 2012 focusing on the events of Metroid: Zero Mission with a fun and amusing twist. Pennaz has been creating animations since 2008 and is creating new content in the form of a Metroid Fusion animated series, which can be found on his YouTube channel. We have been excited to share this Spotlight for a while, so I hope you’ll check it out in the link below!

Click here to view the Community Spotlight

 

28 Apr 2018
Uncategorized Permalink

Community Spotlight: Gioia Marzullo (Cosplayer)

April 28, 2018

To round off April, we wanted to share another great Community Spotlight with you, an artist called Gioia Marzullo who brings her unique creations to life through hard work and dedication. She has featured in the the midwest anime and manga convention, Anime Central in 2011 and is currently working on a new costume to share in the future. We highlight them in this feature and urge you to check out more of her work on the links included within the feature.

Check out the Community Spotlight here

23 Apr 2018
Super Metroid Permalink

Super Metroid returns to Summer Games Done Quick 2018

April 23, 2018

You may recall that Super Metroid was not run at Awesome Games Done Quick earlier this year, due to issues that have plagued recent runs of the game. If you were disappointed in that decision, we have good news for you today. It will return for Summer Games Done Quick in 2018! However, it is no longer the main event, and will be run on Tuesday, June 26th at 8:09pm PST, after runs of Metroid: Zero Mission and Metroid: Samus Returns. Runner oatsngoats, who competed in last year’s SGDQ and died 11:34 into his run, will return for a chance at redemption. SGDQ will be raising money for Doctors Without Borders, a very worthy cause, this year. Be sure to tune in and show your support!

Source: ShackNews/Games Done Quick

14 Apr 2018
Metroid II, Super Metroid Permalink

Community Spotlight: Behemoth

April 14, 2018

Today’s Community Spotlight features Behemoth, a popular speedrunner in the Metroid community most notably for his achievements in Super Metroid, where he has set multiple records over the years. He also holds records in Metroid II: Return of Samus and toyed around with runs of Metroid NES, Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission. He currently holds the world record for the fastest 100% and Any% runs of Super Metroid (NTSC) and the fastest 100% and Any% (No out of bounds) records for Metroid II: Return of Samus.

Be sure to check out the Spotlight here

31 Mar 2018
Uncategorized Permalink

Community Spotlight: Neal Anderson (Artist)

March 31, 2018

To round off the month, our latest Community Spotlight is now available, featuring an artist called Neal Anderson, who has created some awesome Metroid artwork over the years. He has recently completed a seven-piece project called Metroid Lifecycle, which is available to view in the feature. We are very proud to continue to showcase the amazing talent within the Metroid community, and hope you will consider checking it out!

You can check out the Community Spotlight here

27 Mar 2018
Uncategorized Permalink

Metroid Nominated for World Video Game Hall of Fame

March 27, 2018

The NES classic Metroid has been nominated for The Strong’s World Video Game Hall of Fame for 2018. It is a finalist for selection with 11 other games, including Half-Life, Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy VII, to join the likes of Super Mario Bros. and Tetris to be displayed at the National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York.

A player’s choice ballot is available to select three titles to be displayed at the museum, with voting lasting from March 27th to April 4th. The top three highest voting games will be announced on May 3rd and will join 27 other International Selection Advisory Committee chosen ballots in the hall of fame.

This is what The Strong have to say about Metroid in their nomination of the title.

Nintendo’s Metroid launched in 1986 and inserted players into a futuristic world brimming with innovative adventure and evocative music. The game combined the platforming of Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. and non-linear story elements from The Legend of Zelda, offering a new game play experience.  The protagonist, Samus, also gave the gaming industry its first playable human female character in mainstream video games. The game launched a franchise with 13 core titles that has sold more than 17 million units worldwide.

Source: World Video Game Hall of Fame

26 Mar 2018
Uncategorized Permalink

Nintendo Apply For New Metroid and Metroid Prime Trademarks

March 26, 2018

Nintendo have applied for nine new trademarks under “downloadable videogame programs”, which are Dillon’s Dead-Heat Breakers, Luigi’s Mansion, Mario & Luigi, Metroid, Metroid Prime, Smash Bros., Wario Land and WarioWare. It isn’t unusual for Nintendo to apply for trademarks often, however it is worth noting that “Wario Land” and “Metroid” are the only two trademarks have no announced plans at the time of writing.

We will update this news post with further information as it becomes available.

Sources:  Japanese Nintendo , j-platpat

25 Mar 2018
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Permalink

Guest Feature: Sonny Santa Maria – My Metroid Experience

March 25, 2018

We are delighted to be sharing a guest feature with you today from Sonny Santa Maria, a video game contract animator who worked on Metroid Prime 3: Corruption who discusses his first visit to Retro Studios, his memories of Metroid Prime 3 and what happened post-Retro Studios. We want to thank Sonny for taking the time to share these memories with us, and we hope you will enjoy reading them!

Click here to read the feature

21 Mar 2018
Metroid Prime Permalink

Feature: Stepping Into The Boots Of Samus Aran (Memories of Metroid Prime)

March 21, 2018

Today marks fifteen years since the release of Metroid Prime in Europe. I wanted to take the opportunity to mark the occasion by sharing my own personal memories of the game in a new written feature for Shinesparkers. If you’re willing to hear me ramble on about how much I appreciate this game, you can find a link to it below. I am sure you have your own memories of the game, and I would love to hear them! So be sure to send them to us on social media via our Twitter and Facebook pages!

Click here to read the feature

17 Mar 2018
Metroid Prime 4 Permalink

Feature: Our Hopes for Metroid Prime 4

March 17, 2018

With Metroid Prime 4 on the horizon in the next year or two, the Shinesparkers team got together to share their hopes for Metroid Prime 4. The feature covers thoughts on story and world building, tone and atmosphere, gameplay, music and sound design, a potential multiplayer feature and general expectations about the game. We hope you enjoy it!

Perhaps you have your own ideas of what you would like to see in Metroid Prime 4? Be sure to share them with us on our Twitter and Facebook pages!

You can view the feature here