History VideoGame / MetroidSamusReturns

* EstablishingCharacterMoment: [[spoiler:The 11th Chozo Memory established the character of Raven Beak years before he would make his proper debut in ''VideoGame/Metroid''. Namely that [[TheUnfettered he betrayed and murdered the Chozo]] on [=SR388=] in a surprise attack, and he was concealing [[EvilCounterpart a Power Suit]] similar to Samus under his cloak.]]

* EstablishingCharacterMoment: [[spoiler:The 11th Chozo Memory established the character of Raven Beak years before he would make his proper debut in ''VideoGame/Metroid''. Namely that [[TheUnfettered he betrayed and murdered the Chozo]] on [=SR388=] in a surprise attack, and he was concealing [{EvilCounterpart a Power Suit]] similar to Samus under his cloak.]]

* {{Flashback}}: The Chozo Memories tell the story of the Metroids' creation through a series of pictures. For the most part, they depict what we already know: the Chozo landed on [=SR388=] and colonized the planet, they discovered the X, and, fearing their potential, they created the Metroids to counter them. They then had to take action when the Metroids turned on them, so they sealed them underneath the planet. [[spoiler:The Memories end with a rogue group of Chozo warriors landing on [=SR388=] and killing all of the peaceful Chozo on the planet.]]

** The final shot of the Chozo Memories ending shows [[spoiler:an unknown Chozo shooting down its fellow brethren after the Metroids they created started getting out of control]].

!Tropes in ''Samus Returns'':

!All spoilers for ''VideoGame/{{Metroid}}'' and the ''{{VideoGame/Metroid Prime|Trilogy}}'' trilogy will be left unmarked. Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned!

''Metroid: Samus Returns'' is a TwoAndAHalfD action-platforming game for the UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo 3DS}}, developed by Creator/MercurySteam and released in 2017. It is the first 2D platformer in the ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series since ''VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission'', which was released thirteen years prior.

* BonusFeatureFailure: At the end of the game, Samus can backtrack to previous areas with the baby Metroid, which can eat blue crystals that are blocking off some bonus tank expansions. Some of these endgame-exclusive expansions are missiles... which are unfortunately useless at this point in the game. By now, Samus is equipped with the Screw Attack, Plasma Beam, Super Missiles, and Beam Burst that can make quick work of any common enemies, and she should not need more than the default 24 missiles for any puzzles that require her to shoot blocks that can only be destroyed by missiles. Further cementing this fact is that [[spoiler:Proteus Ridley]], the only remaining challenge of the game, is [[NoSell completely immune]] to standard missiles. The only real reason to collect these expansions is for HundredPercentCompletion (and therefore the Chozo Memories).

** During the final boss battle, [[spoiler:the baby Metroid attacks Ridley and starts draining his energy, causing Ridley's skin to turn grey before he successfully pulls it off of him]]. This may be a reference to later events in ''[[VideoGame/MetroidOtherM Other M]]'', in which a Queen Metroid (cloned from the baby Metroid's DNA, no less) attacks Ridley's clone and evidently drains him of all his energy, leaving behind a grey corpse.

* EleventhHourSuperpower: Between the fights with the Queen Metroid and [[spoiler:Ridley]] during the last leg of the game, the baby Metroid follows you. It will destroy crystal formations that block your way, which is the only way to obtain certain upgrades if you backtrack to previous areas before returning to Samus's gunship.

** The Spider Ball also lets you avoid the suction/breath pushing attacks from [[spoiler: Diggernaut and the Queen Metroid]] due to Samus being firmly attached to the ground, but nothing in the game even hints that you can do this. You'd even be forgiven for specifically thinking it wouldn't work, since most enemies' attacks will dislodge you from the wall/ceiling you're attached to while in Spider Ball form even if they only do ScratchDamage.

* RunAndGun: Run, gun, and solve puzzles.

* SequelDifficultySpike: ''Samus Returns'' is much harder than previous ''Metroid'' games thanks to nearly every enemy rushing Samus on sight and damage being much higher, with bosses and stronger Metroids easily doing a tank's worth of damage or more per attack, even with the Gravity Suit, on Normal Mode.

** [[spoiler: Ridley in his half cybernetic body from the Prime games suddenly swooping in our of the rainstorm and grabbing the baby Metroid]], especially when veterans of the original game expected the game to be over.

* SequelHook: [[spoiler:The secret Chozo Memory implies that there is a rogue faction of Chozo who haven't given up their old warlike ways.]]

* AbandonedMine: Area 3, formerly an industrial mine run by the Chozo. It has the most Metroids and is one of the game's largest areas.

Much like what ''Zero Mission'' is to the first ''[[VideoGame/{{Metroid 1}} Metroid]]'', ''Samus Returns'' is a [[VideoGameRemake complete re-imagining]] of the UsefulNotes/GameBoy title ''VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus''. The premise remains the same as the original: the Galactic Federation, deciding that the Metroids are too dangerous to be left alive, hires Samus to go to Planet [=SR388=] and exterminate them. Compared to the original title, ''Samus Returns'' has received a massive overhaul in the visuals department, moving forward to a vast, 3D landscape while updating the look and feel of the game into one consistent with the ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy'' subseries. Gameplay has also received major updates; in addition to the introduction of gameplay mechanics and abilities first introduced in later games in the series, ''Samus Returns'' features a duo of new core gameplay mechanics: the melee counter, a CounterAttack that allows Samus to parry and dispatch her foes, and the Aeion abilities, a set of four never-before-seen abilities that grant Samus incredible powers.

Much like what ''Zero Mission'' is to the first ''[[VideoGame/{{Metroid 1}} Metroid]]'', ''Samus Returns'' is a [[VideoGameRemake complete re-imagining]] of the UsefulNotes/GameBoy title ''VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus''. The premise remains the same as the original: the Galactic Federation, deciding that the Metroids are too dangerous to be left alive, hires Samus to go to Planet [=SR388=] and exterminate them. Compared to the original title, ''Samus Returns'' has received a massive overhaul in the visuals department, moving forward to a vast, 3D landscape while updating the look and feel of the game into one consistent with the ''Prime'' subseries. Gameplay has also received major updates; in addition to the introduction of gameplay mechanics and abilities first introduced in later games in the series, ''Samus Returns'' features a duo of new core gameplay mechanics: the melee counter, a CounterAttack that allows Samus to parry and dispatch her foes, and the Aeion abilities, a set of four never-before-seen abilities that grant Samus incredible powers.

* RedHerring: The game does this several times with the crystal blocks that can only be destroyed by [[spoiler:the Baby Metroid]], surrounding a power-up with the crystals to fool the player into thinking the item can only be collected at the end of the game, when in reality it's either accessible with current abilities or in the near future. That said, bringing [[spoiler:the baby Metroid]] will often make it easier to collect these items, meaning that if you don't need them right away, it can be faster to wait.

* RealityEnsues: The outcome of the baby Metroid hatching before Samus is the same as before, but unlike in the original game (and depictions of the same scene in [[VideoGame/SuperMetroid other]] [[VideoGame/MetroidOtherM games]]), Samus is visibly prepared to kill the Metroid with a charged-up Ice Beam as soon as it hatches as part of her original contract (and justifiably so, since Metroids are dangerous enough to be considered living [=WMDs=]). She only spares the hatchling after she silently concludes that it has no interest in harming her.

* DamnYouMuscleMemory: This game flips the fire and jump buttons from ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' (which can also be played on the 3DS's new models). ''Super Metroid'' has X for fire, A for jump, B for run, and Y to swap back to beams from missiles. Most non-3D games on Nintendo's handheld consoles have A for jump and B for attack. This game has Y for fire, B for jump, X for melee attack, and A for Aeion Ability. If you go from playing ''Super Metroid'' to this, expect to melee attack a lot when you intend to shoot, and to use your Aeion ability when you intend to jump. If you go from playing a game in the ''Super Mario Bros.'', ''Kirby'', or most any other Nintendo game, expect to jump a lot when you intend to shoot, and to use your Aeion ability when you intend to jump. The controls in ''Super Metroid'' can at least be customized, but they cannot in this game.

%%* VideoGameSettings:
%%** TheOverworld: The Surface, overlapping with PlayerHeadquarters, NoobCave, and [[spoiler:WhereItAllBegan, as Samus encounters the final boss right next to her ship where the game starts and ends.]]
%%** UndergroundCity: Area 1, once upon a time. Closer to TempleOfDoom now. Same with Area 2's hydroelectric plant.
%%** AllNaturalGemPolish
%%** AbandonedLaboratory, EternalEngine: Area 7's Chozo Laboratory. Very slightly SlippySlideyIceWorld as well.
%%** TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon, WombLevel: Area 8, the last new area of the game before returning to Samus's ship.

* RedHerring: The game does this several times with the crystal blocks that can only be destroyed by [[spoiler:the Baby Metroid]], surrounding a power-up with the crystals to fool the player into thinking the item can only be collected at the end of the game, when in reality it's either accessible with current abilities or in the near future.

* PlayingThePlayer: The game does this several times with the crystal blocks that can only be destroyed by [[spoiler:the Baby Metroid]], surrounding a power-up with the crystals to fool the player into thinking the item can only be collected at the end of the game, when in reality it's either accessible with current abilities or in the near future.

* SceneryGorn: The Chozo ruins are quite majestic despite being devastated to the point of looking surreal.

* SceneryGorn: The surface of [=SR388=], especially when it goes through a tornado storm. It's a desolate wasteland with seemingly no life on the surface.

* {{Flanderization}}: A subtle example; whereas previous ''Metroid'' games (apart from ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'') typically have text narration provided by Samus at times, Samus is a completely SilentProtagonist here, with no dialogue in the game and the opening narration provided in the third person. TropesAreNotBad, as ShowDontTell is seen as one of the most important aspects of the ''Metroid'' franchise, and Samus's lack of dialogue is likely in response to the adverse reaction to her getting the ''exact opposite'' treatment in ''Other M''.

[[caption-width-right:320:[[HesBack At last, the Hunter has returned.]]]]

** As a remake of ''Return of Samus'', you're inclined to believe that the Queen Metroid is the final boss and you'll just be escorting the baby Metroid back to Samus's ship. [[spoiler:Then you discover Ridley, who never appeared in ''Return of Samus'', waiting for you at the ship's landing site, revealing himself to be the ''real'' final boss of the game.]] Or at least it used to be, until it became the most well known part of the game.