History Ymmv / Metroid

** Metroid fans are also fond of ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' and ''Franchise/MetalGear''. The former, like ''Metroid'', was the best-seller for Nintendo [=GameCube=], and latter is due to Snake X Samus pairing in Smash Bros.

** Even worse is saying that Samus is male. On that note, [[SamusIsAGirl she]] is a ([[HalfHumanHybrid half]]) human wearing a PoweredArmor, not a robot. The robot misconception is actually [[https://metroid.nintendo.com/news/metroid-dread-report-vol-10/ cited as the reason]] why later games have her suit redesigned be more anatomically human and more reflective of her underlying athletic build.

** When the original game first came out, many players were shocked to discover that SamusIsAGirl. Not so much anymore, in large part because one of the original reasons ''why'' it was originally so shocking ("A girl protagonist in a video game?!") is [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny pretty pat nowadays]].

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny:
** The original ''Metroid'', due to the confusing layout comprising of CutAndPasteEnvironments, floaty jumps, [[DenialOfDiagonalAttack crotch monsters]] and being one of the worst (best?) examples of ContinuingIsPainful. At the time, though, it was rather innovative, creating the {{Metroidvania}} genre and [[SamusIsAGirl its famous twist at the end of the game,]] [[ItWasHisSled which is pretty much common knowledge by now.]] Of course, the game would become superannuated by its 2004 remake, ''VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission'', which not only fixed a lot of the first game's issues but also added a new epilogue with more gameplay. As far as the fandom is concerned, the only reason to play the original now would be out of appreciation for how the series got its start, or to get a challenging experience for the sake of it.
** ''Metroid II'' is underrated, overshadowed by further installments and sadly dismissed for being more linear and empty than ''Super Metroid''. Despite this, it was the game that brought Save Stations, the Space Jump, the Spider Ball, and [[SerendipityWritesThePlot the current design of Samus's Varia Suit]]. Samus was able to shoot down and kneel for the first time, which made it easier to kill some enemies. For the story, it was also the game that introduced the evolutions of the Metroid species and introduced the "baby". Surprisingly, while the game did get remade, receiving both a [[VideoGame/AnotherMetroid2Remake fan remake in 2016]] and an [[VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns official remake in 2017]] (both of which added a lot of new content that wasn't in the original game), many fans still urge newcomers to at least give the original Game Boy game a try.

** Metroid fans are also fond of ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' and ''Franchise/MetalGear''. The former, like ''Metroid'', was the best-seller for Nintendo GameCube, and latter is due to Snake X Samus pairing in Smash Bros.

* MemeticMutation:
** Samus Aran, [[EarthShatteringKaboom Destroyer of Worlds]]. [[labelnote:Explanation]] Given how several games end with the planet Samus is on exploding or being destroyed in some way, it’s often joked that every planet Samus steps foot on is doomed to explode. [[/labelnote]]
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzEKTcEf_Mo "REMEBEH ME??!?!?"]] After the trailer was released, it took about .372 seconds for "Mysterious Black Guy" to become a meme.
** TUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUBES!
** Science Team has vapor for brains.[[labelnote:Explanation]]From a Pirate log in ''Prime 2'' griping about attempts to tame the Metroids.[[/labelnote]]
** [[VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption "That seems... inefficient."]][[labelnote:Explanation]]Ghor's line from ''Prime 3'' when it's explained that the AU network has been shut down to prevent a virus from spreading.[[/labelnote]]
** "Just in time." [[labelnote:Explanation]]Another Ghor line from ''Prime 3'', said when Samus shows up and they can begin [[spoiler:fighting to the death]], complete with a TwinkleInTheEye.[[/labelnote]]
** Any jokes about Samus [[https://www.awkwardzombie.com/comic/instinct exhibiting]] [[https://www.reddit.com/r/tumblr/comments/kpez9c/samus_is_birb_str8aura/ bird-like]] [[https://fuckyeahsnakus.tumblr.com/post/181811328251/since-samus-was-raised-by-birds-does-this-ever behavior]] thanks to being raised by BirdPeople and/or [[LEGOGenetics being part-Chozo]].
** People [[ObfuscatingStupidity feigning stupidity]] and pretending to think that Varia Suit Samus is [[ProtagonistTitle a man named Metroid]], while Zero Suit Samus is his girlfriend Samus. [[spoiler:Things get interesting as of the end of ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'', as Samus slowly becomes a Metroid over the course of the game.]]
** Save the Animals/Kill the Animals. [[labelnote:Explanation]]A running gag in the WebVideo/GamesDoneQuick charity marathon when ''Super Metroid'' is in the segment, they offer a charity bid-off to determine if the game's runners need to rescue or abandon the Etecoons and Dachora at the end of the game.[[/labelnote]]
** [[VideoGame/MetroidOtherM The baby.]] [[labelnote:Explanation]]In ''Metroid: Other M'', Samus is repeatedly hung up on the baby Metroid's sacrifice during her battle with Mother Brain, and always refers to it as "the baby."[[/labelnote]]
** Metroids are not pets. Metroids are not for target practice. [[labelnote:Explanation]]A scan log in ''Metroid Prime'' reveals this gem.[[/labelnote]]
** "Samus is trans."[[labelnote:Explanation]]In 2015, an article on The Mary Sue was written proclaiming that Samus was a trans woman all along, citing a 1994 interview with Hirofumi Matsuoka, one of the designers of the original game, in which [[WordOfGay he says that he's the only one who knows that Samus is secretly a "newhalf"]]. However, various factors, including that over 21 years this was only brought up twice (with the second instance, a FAQ with series director Creator/YoshioSakamoto in 2004, saying that a ''Metroid'' game on a UsefulNotes/PlayStation is "as likely as Samus being a newhalf", i.e. expressing extreme unlikelihood akin to "when Hell freezes over" or "when pigs fly"), is not supported by any canonical material, and using a term viewed by many as [[ValuesDissonance derisive]], led people to conclude that this was just meant as a joke, and much mockery was made at the expense of others who took it seriously. That being said, this does not stop many from interpreting Samus as trans independent of this information.[[/labelnote]]
** '''''SCREEEEAAAAH'''''[[labelnote:Explanation]]Ridley's infamously incredibly loud screech in ''Zero Mission'' and ''Fusion''. This meme also often extends to other games in the series, where he is also frequently screaming (not nearly as loudly).[[/labelnote]]
** Zero Suit Dark Samus. [[labelnote:Explanation]]When Dark Samus was announced for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'', she was finally exposed to a mainstream audience. Cue long-time ''Metroid'' fans constantly explaining that no, [[https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/400/130/21c.jpg there is no sexy "Zero Suit Dark Samus"]]. Of course, [[SelfFanservice that didn't stop some people]]...[[/labelnote]]
** Metroid Omoroid[[labelnote:Explanation]]The slogan/tagline used in the Japanese ''Metroid II'' TV advertisement. "Omoroid" is a portmanteau of "omoroi" (the Kansai variant of "omoshiroi", meaning "fun" or "interesting") and "''Metroid''". This phrase reappeared in other games such as the Japanese releases of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG'' and ''[[VideoGame/WarioWare WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$!]]''. It was also used to advertise ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM''.[[/labelnote]]
** 桃屋のキムチは良いキムチ～♪[[labelnote:Explanation]]Translation: "Momoya (brand) kimchi is good kimchi～♪". The unofficial "lyrics" to the item acquisition fanfare in the Japanese fandom. The line is from this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPI3lgfyIxc commercial]], which had a similar melody to the fanfare. The lyrics are also associated with the ''VideoGame/{{Ys}}'' item get jingle for the same reason.[[/labelnote]]
** POUNDS AND POUNDS OF BEEF, POUNDS AND POUNDS AND POUNDS OF BEEF [[labelnote:Explanation]]A popular {{mondegreen}} of the chanting in the background of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwZhUb9N38Y the main theme of Bryyo]] from ''Corruption''.[[/labelnote]]
** Within the Twitch community, there are several emotes for the games that simply consist of their boxart and the entire title or an acronym for the name. There's [[https://www.frankerfacez.com/emoticon/33585-MFForGBA MFForGBA]], [[https://www.frankerfacez.com/emoticon/48621-MetroidPrimeForTheNintendoGameCube MetroidPrimeForTheNintendoGameCube]], [[https://www.frankerfacez.com/emoticon/48623-MetroidPrime2EchoesForTheNintendoGameCube MetroidPrime2EchoesForTheNintendoGameCube]], [[https://www.frankerfacez.com/emoticon/48626-MetroidPrimeHuntersForTheNintendoDS MetroidPrimeHuntersForTheNintendoDS]], [[https://www.frankerfacez.com/emoticon/72178-MetroidOtherMForTheNintendoWii MetroidOtherMForTheNintendoWii]], [[https://www.frankerfacez.com/emoticon/137945-MZMForGBA MZMForGBA]], [[https://www.frankerfacez.com/emoticon/194958-SuperMetroidForTheSuperFamicom SuperMetroidForTheSuperFamicom]], and [[https://www.frankerfacez.com/emoticon/667748-MetroidDreadForNintendoSwitch MetroidDreadForNintendoSwitch]].
** "Press the run button". [[labelnote:Explanation]]The answer to a common newcomer question when encountering the so called "Noob Bridge" in ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'', which is made of collapsable blocks that are only avoidable by doing the above; which is never explained in game but AllThereInTheManual.[[/labelnote]]
*** "Shoot the ceiling." [[labelnote:Explantion]]The ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'' equivalent of the above involving a destructable ceiling early on that leads to an otherwise inaccessible room. Made infamous by Creator/DavidJaffe's... controversial [[RageQuit playthrough]], even more [[ItsHardSoItSucks controversial take on the game itself]], and the subsequent mockery of him.[[/labelnote]]
*** "Cory Balrog is better." [[labelnote:Explanation]]A sister meme to the above involving David Jaffe, who created the original ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' and blasted ''VideoGame/MetroidDread''; whereas Balrog created the arguably more acclaimed sequels like ''VideoGame/GodOfWarII'' and ''[[VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4 4]]'' yet praised ''Dread'' on Twitter.[[/labelnote]]

** Samus also has a sizable fanbase of transgender women (including Azima Khan, one of the artists for ''VideoGame/AnotherMetroid2Remake''), for having a stereotypically [[RatedMForManly manly]] character archetype and Power Suit design but also for her [[LadyOfWar beauty and grace]] underneath the armor, along with the whole SamusIsAGirl thing going on.

** There is considerable overlap between the ''Metroid'' and ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' communities, particularly those who enjoy playing the [[VideoGameRandomizer randomized versions]] of the games, to the point where there are even linked games like ''SMZ3'' (VideoGame/SuperMetroid [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast Zelda 3).
* Metroid fans are also fond of ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' and ''Franchise/MetalGear''. The former, like ''Metroid'', was the best-seller for Nintendo GameCube, and latter is due to Snake X Samus pairing in Smash Bros.

** "Samus is trans."[[labelnote:Explanation]]In 2015, an article on The Mary Sue was written proclaiming that Samus was a trans woman all along, citing a 1994 interview with Hirofumi Matsuoka, one of the designers of the original game, in which [[WordOfGay he says that he's the only one who knows that Samus is secretly a "newhalf"]]. However, various factors, including that over 21 years this was only brought up twice (with the second instance, a FAQ with series director Creator/YoshioSakamoto in 2004, saying that a ''Metroid'' game on a UsefulNotes/PlayStation is "as likely as Samus being a newhalf", i.e. expressing extreme unlikelihood akin to "when Hell freezes over" or "when pigs fly"), is not supported by any canonical material, and using a term viewed by many as [[ValuesDissonance derisive]], led people to conclude that this was just meant as a joke, and much mockery was made at the expense of others who took it seriously.[[/labelnote]]

* AmericansHateTingle: The games are generally average sellers in Japan, while being much more popular in America, to the point where the second game was advertised to Japanese audiences as being the "hit video game in America." There's a variety of debate as to why that is, with Nintendo themselves placing the dissonance on the fact that the two genres most of the series titles are in aren't the most popular in the region. Metroid: Other M attempted to address this by being a more actionized third-person affair, but sales remained the same and what Japan fans there were ended up being mildly disappointed (while Western fans came to loathe it due to its increased linearity).

*** "Cory Balrog is better." [[labelnote:Explanation]]A sister meme to the above involving David Jaffe, who created the original ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' and blasted ''VideoGame/MetroidDread''; whereas Balrog created the arguably more acclaimed sequels like ''VideoGame/GodOfWar2'' and ''[[VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4 4]]'' yet praised ''Dread'' on Twitter.[[/labelnote]]

** "Samus is trans."[[labelnote:Explanation]]In 2015, an article on The Mary Sue was written proclaiming that Samus was a trans woman all along, citing a 1994 interview with Hirofumi Matsuoka, one of the designers of the original game, in which he says that a Metroid game on a [=PlayStation=] is as likely as Samus being a "newhalf". However, various factors, including that over 19 years this was only brought up once, by a single person in the context of being highly unlikely, and using a term viewed by many as derisive, led people to conclude that this was just meant as a joke, and much mockery was made at the expense of others who took it seriously.[[/labelnote]]

** Zero Suit Dark Samus. [[labelnote:Explanation]]When Dark Samus was announced for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'', she was finally exposed to a mainstream audience. Cue long-time ''Metroid'' fans constantly explaining that no, [[https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/400/130/21c.jpg there is no sexy "Zero Suit Dark Samus"]]. Of course, that didn't stop some people...[[/labelnote]]

** The Work Robots seen in ''Super Metroid'', ''Zero Mission'', and the manga are sometimes called [[Film/StarWars Gonk Droids]] due to their similar shape.

** ''YMMV/MetroidPrimePinball''

** ''YMMV/MetroidPrime2Echoes''

* ''YMMV/MetroidOtherM''
* ''YMMV/MetroidPrimeFederationForce''

* ''[[YMMV/{{Metroid1}} Metroid 1]]''
* ''[[YMMV/MetroidZeroMission Zero Mission]]''
* ''[[YMMV/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus Return of Samus]]''
* ''[[YMMV/MetroidSamusReturns Samus Returns]]''
* ''[[YMMV/SuperMetroid Super Metroid]]''
* ''[[YMMV/MetroidFusion Metroid: Fusion]]''
* ''[[YMMV/MetroidDread Metroid: Dread]]''

* ''[[YMMV/MetroidOtherM Metroid: Other M]]''
* ''[[YMMV/MetroidPrimeFederationForce Metroid Prime: Federation Force]]''
* ''[[YMMV/MetroidManga Metroid (Manga)]]''

** Adam Malkovich, in large part due to ''Other M'' making him the face of the controversial authorization mechanic, the English writing making him come off as excessively harsh rather than stern, and his biggest moment being [[spoiler:shooting Samus in the back when a Metroid was ''right next to her'']]. That said, some feel like he was given a raw deal with ''Other M'' and his character in the manga is more balanced, interesting, and friendly with Samus. The ''[[VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy Metroid Prime]]'' games being interquels taking place early in the timeline also leave room open for potential {{retcon}}ning of ''Other M'' being the first [[spoiler:and last]] time she saw him after leaving the military, and thus redemption of his character.

* EnsembleDarkhorse:

* EvenBetterSequel: ''Metroid 1'' [[TropeMaker basically created the modern]] {{Metroidvania}} genre, but it is a rough game to return to these days, with even diehard fans only recommending it if someone has already played the 2004 remake ''Zero Mission'', or wants to challenge themselves. ''Metroid II'' holds up much better, but being a UsefulNotes/GameBoy game meant it got constantly overlooked until it got its own remake in 2017. ''Super Metroid'', on the other hand, is [[TropeCodifier where things]] ''really'' [[{{Awesome/Metroid}} got swinging]].

* FandomEnragingMisconception

* FandomRivalry
** Mildly with ''Videogame/MegaMan'' and ''Videogame/{{Castlevania}}'', due to the superficial similarities of the former's protagonist and the ''Metroid''-like game play latter continuously adopted as it went on. Mildly because ''Metroid'' wasn't popular enough for the topic to come up too often. ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' was the first big rivalry, when ''Metroid Prime'' was a hot seller, but after "Prime" the ''Metroid'' series sales went back down to their usual levels and the rivalry died off.

** The Varia Suit in the first ''VideoGame/{{Metroid|1}}'' was actually originally meant to be called the Barrier Suit, with "Varia" being a translation mistake [[ThrowItIn that they just decided to keep for future entries]]. The reasoning was apparently that the name debatably still worked, as since the Varia Suit can handle many ''variable'' conditions of planets, it could also be short for "Variable Suit".

** 桃屋のキムチは良いキムチ～♪[[labelnote:Explanation]]Translation: "Momoya (brand) kimchi is good kimchi～♪". The unofficial "lyrics" to the item acquisition fanfare in the Japanese fandom. The line is from this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPI3lgfyIxc commercial]], which had a similar melody to the fanfare. The lyrics are also associated with the ''{{VideoGame/Ys}}'' item get jingle for the same reason.[[/labelnote]]

** "Press the run button". [[labelnote:Explanation]] The answer to a common newcomer question when encountering the so called "Noob Bridge" in ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'', which is made of collapsable blocks that are only avoidable by doing the above; which is never explained in game but AllThereInTheManual. [[/labelnote]]
*** "Shoot the ceiling." [[labelnote:Explantion]] The ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'' equivalent of the above involving a destructable ceiling early on that leads to an otherwise inaccessible room. Made infamous by Creator/DavidJaffe's... controversial [[RageQuit playthrough]], even more [[ItsHardSoItSucks controversial take on the game itself]], and the subsequent mockery of him. [[/labelnote]]
*** "Cory Balrog is better." [[labelnote:Explanation]] A sister meme to the above involving David Jaffe, who created the original ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' and blasted ''VideoGame/MetroidDread''; whereas Balrog created the arguably more acclaimed sequels like ''VideoGame/GodOfWar2'' and ''[[VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4 4]]'' yet praised ''Dread'' on Twitter. [[/labelnote]]

* CrackPairing: There's a somewhat memetic CrossoverShip between Samus and Nami from ''Franchise/LeagueOfLegends'', which has its roots in the {{Rule 34}} community. The logic behind the pairing is that both Samus and Nami are [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]]; the former having [[TouchedByVorlons Chozo and Metroid DNA in her body]] while the latter is a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]]. As Metroids do resemble [[BizarreAlienBiology floating parastic jellyfish]], it would technically mean Samus is related to fish. As shown in ''VideoGame/LegendsOfRuneterra'', Nami values all ocean life, so she'd take a quick liking to Samus due to her Metroid DNA. Coupled with the fact that both characters are [[TheChosenOne the chosen ones]] of their kind, it would be logical that they would get along as they are used to [[KnightErrant traveling alone to save those in need]]. Although Nami is from a completely different franchise, she seems to unintentionally synergize well with Samus due to her [[ChromaticArrangement colour schemes]], aesthetic designs, and her personality[[note]][[BroodingBoyGentleGirl Samus is usually depicted as being reserved and brooding, while Nami is far more outgoing and playful]][[/note]].

* AnticlimaxBoss:

* CrackPairing: There's a somewhat memetic CrossoverShip between Samus and Nami from ''Franchise/LeagueOfLegends'', which has its roots in the {{Rule 34}} community. The logic behind the pairing is that both Samus and Nami are [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]]; the former having [[TouchedByVorlons Chozo and Metroid DNA in her body]] while the latter is a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]]. As Metroids do resemble [[BizarreAlienBiology floating parastic jellyfish]], it would technically mean Samus is related to a species of space jellyfish. As shown in ''VideoGame/LegendsOfRuneterra'', Nami values all ocean life, so she'd take a quick liking to Samus due to her Metroid DNA. Coupled with the fact that both characters are [[TheChosenOne the chosen ones]] of their kind, it would be logical that they would get along as they are used to [[KnightErrant traveling alone to save those in need]]. Although Nami is from a completely different franchise, she seems to unintentionally synergize well with Samus due to her [[ChromaticArrangement colour schemes]], aesthetic designs, and her personality[[note]][[BroodingBoyGentleGirl Samus is usually depicted as being reserved and brooding, while Nami is far more outgoing and playful]][[/note]].

* CrackPairing: There's a somewhat memetic CrossoverShip between Samus and Nami from ''Franchise/LeagueOfLegends'', which has its roots in the {{Rule 34}} community. The logic behind the pairing is that both Samus and Nami are [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]]; the former having [[TouchedByVorlons Chozo and Metroid DNA in her body]] while the latter is a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]]. As Metroids do resemble [[BizarreAlienBiology floating parastic jellyfish]], it would technically mean Samus is related to a species of space jellyfish. As shown in ''VideoGame/LegendsOfRuneterra'', Nami values all ocean life, so she'd take a quick liking to Samus due to her Metroid DNA. Coupled with the fact that both characters are [[TheChosenOne the chosen ones]] of their kind, it would be logical that they were get along as they are used to [[KnightErrant traveling alone to save those in need]].

** With ''Franchise/LeagueOfLegends'', primarily due to the development of an unusual CrackPairing, where Samus is shipped with [[{{Franchise/LeagueOfLegends}} Nami]]. This CrossoverShip has its roots in the {{Rule 34}} community. The logic behind the pairing is that both Samus and Nami are [[HalfHumanHybrid hybrids]]; the former having [[TouchedByVorlons Chozo and Metroid DNA in her body]] while the latter is a [[OurMermaidsAreDifferent mermaid]]. As Metroids do resemble [[BizarreAlienBiology floating parastic jellyfish]], it would technically mean Samus is related to a species of space jellyfish. As shown in ''VideoGame/LegendsOfRuneterra'', Nami values all ocean life, so she'd take a quick liking to Samus due to her Metroid DNA. Coupled with the fact that both characters are [[TheChosenOne the chosen ones]] of their kind, it would be logical that they were get along as they are used to [[KnightErrant traveling alone to save those in need]].

** For a lot of fans Samus went through a stage of this in ''Other M'', as she spends a lot of the storyline mourning the baby Metroid, getting tricked by several antagonists, suffering a PTSD attack from Ridley and feeling powerless in various situations. Samus does regain her confidence by the end of game, but the story of ''Other M'' remains a low point for Samus' character still in the minds of a lot of fans. While [[HesBack she's back to her old self]] in ''Fusion'' (''Fusion'' came first chronologically before ''Other M''), it took until Creator/MercurySteam's games for Samus to also go back to her old characterization. Samus is arguably at peak form both in the ''Metroid II'' remake ''Samus Returns'' and ''Metroid Dread'', where her body language is the most effective in the cutscenes she appears in.

** The refusal to continue the franchise's lore/story past ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'' until ''VideoGame/MetroidDread''. Any and all games released during the nineteen-year gap in between ''Fusion'' and ''Dread'' took place in between the ''VideoGame/Metroid1'' to ''Fusion'' time frame. While some felt this was a good decision due to the contentiousness nature of ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'''s and disliking the idea of dumping Samus's power suit, others really wanted to see what happens after ''Fusion'', since the ending suggests that [[spoiler:Samus may become an outlaw wanted by the Galactic Federation]]. However, with ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'' finally picking up where ''Fusion'' left off, this has basically been mooted.

** The Space Pirates as a whole tend to be seen as this for being, well… SpacePirates, as well as their schemes causing the events of some of the series’ most popular games such as ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' and ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime''. Their genuinely funny log entries in ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes'' helped endear them to fans further by giving them more personality and even humanizing them to an extent while still keeping them fully villainous and a serious threat overall. They also tend to get a cool, unique design every game they appear in, making fans look forward to each new appearance from them. Finally, their [[https://youtu.be/IGUgcQhHcNo catchy]] [[https://youtu.be/vrjqBJNMgL0 theme]] [[https://youtu.be/syXaTdp1pNE songs]] throughout the Metroid Prime trilogy tend to be ranked among the series’ most popular music tracks.

** With ''Donkey Kong Country'', due to ''Super Smash Bros Brawl'' among players of the ''Super Smash Bros'' series after it got a second character faithful to its origins where ''Metroid'' just got Samus without her armor. But the next installment turneed them into friendly fandoms who ganged up on ''Fire Emblem'' for continuing to get more representatives than either.

** One formed with ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'' around the time of ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'''s release, owing to the two franchises both having comebacks with ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' and ''Dread'', as well as both fanbases having a controversial entry that put the series on ice early in UsefulNotes/TheNewTens (''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'' and ''VideoGame/DMCDevilMayCry''). [[spoiler:''Dread'' even gave Samus a rival the form of Raven Beak, who quoted Vergil's "power is everything". Not to mention Samus' Metroid form being compared to Dante's own Devil Trigger.]]

** For a lot of fans Samus went through a stage of this in ''Other M'', as she spends a lot of the storyline mourning the baby Metroid, getting tricked by several antagonists, suffering a PTSD attack from Ridley and feeling powerless in various situations. Samus does regain her confidence by the end of game, but the story of ''Other M'' remains a low point for Samus' character still in the minds of a lot of fans. Chronologically, [[HesBack she's back to her old self]] in ''Fusion'', even developing a distrust for Federation authority. Release-wise, Samus is at peak form in the ''Metroid II'' remake ''Samus Returns''.
** As far as the bosses go, Kraid. He went from being the hardest boss in ''Metroid 1'', to be one of Mother Brain's four commanding officers in ''Super'', to getting severely toned down in difficulty in ''Zero Mission'', to [[spoiler:being taken to ZDR and restrained and tortured by Raven Beak's army in ''Dread''.]]

** Ridley's constant appearances throughout the franchise. Some fans cannot get enough of him, loving his status as Samus's ArchNemesis, and are even upset that he was absent from some games, most notably ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes'', feeling he deserves to be in everything. The other side is getting real tired of these constant appearances, finding that his role as Samus's eternal enemy has long worn out its welcome, and that the convoluted reasoning of how he [[JokerImmunity constantly manages to cheat death]] get more and more far-fetched with each installment. These arguments came to a head when ''VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns'' released [[spoiler:with the Proteus Ridley final boss battle and whether or not it was unnecessary fanservice or not.]] The run up to ''VideoGame/MetroidDread's'' release was filled with fans arguing with each other over whether Ridley should or should not make some kind of appearance in the game. [[spoiler:He was not in the game in any way, shape, or form, save for a piece of congratulatory artwork.]]

* ParanoiaFuel: In ''Metroid Fusion'', when the X Parasite takes over your former suit, you get to see a cutscene announcing there's another "Samus" lurking in the game. It has ''all of Samus's powerups,'' aside from the Gravity Suit and the X-ray scope. Good luck trying to play it without being nervous.

** Sylux's backstory states that he has a deep-seated hatred of the Galactic Federation, hating Samus by proxy. That's pretty much all we ever find out. [[spoiler:Though his ship is seen in TheStinger for ''Corruption'', so there's a chance of developing this. ''Federation Force''[='s=] stinger has Sylux steal a Metroid Egg, so it's likely something is going to happen.]]
* ToughActToFollow: [[http://www.gamestm.co.uk/interviews/yoshio-sakamoto-discusses-metroid-64-metroid-dread-and-the-unwritten-future-of-the-warioware-series/ According to an interview]], this is the reason there was no N64 sequel after ''Super Metroid''. The series would continue on, but ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' is the only game that really comes close to matching the amount of unanimous fan praise that ''Super'' still receives.

** After the release of ''Samus Returns'', the series then fell silent again. What didn't help things was ''Metroid Prime 4'' restarting its development in 2019, with the following years being quiet on updates and no new content for the series on the new console. Then the Nintendo Direct at E3 2021 revealed the long-rumored and fabled ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'', signaling newfound hope for the series. Then a few years later during the February 2023 Nintendo Direct, Nintendo shadowdropped a remastered version of the first ''Prime'' game, which was also rumored for years, followed by ''Fusion'' coming to the Nintendo Switch Expansion Pack service not too long after. The fandom has been the most elated in years over these announcements, believing Nintendo's finally gotten its found its confidence in the franchise, with the release of the remaster theorized help tie it closer to ''Metroid Prime 4'''s own release.

* CultClassic: Most people know Samus as one of the veteran fighters in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', but fewer people know her as the protagonist of one of Nintendo's most critically-acclaimed series. While few ''Metroid'' games can truly be said to have sold poorly, they're consistent low sellers, meaning it was ''nowhere'' near being one of "Nintendo's Big Three" alongside ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' and ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' the way fans liked to claim it was, which just became more obvious with the runaway success of ''Videogame/PokemonRedAndBlue''. Historically, ''Metroid'' games struggled to hit a million sold copies, ''Metroid Prime'' being the first anomalous exception, meaning other long-running Nintendo franchises such as ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'' regularly eclipse ''Metroid'' in sales. That was until the release of ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'' where thanks to some strong marketing, word-of-mouth, and hype after a lengthy period, ''Dread'' managed to become the best-selling game of the franchise, [[https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2022/220510_6e.pdf selling 2.9 million copies by the end of May 2022]], marking the first indication of it breaking away from this status.

* CultClassic: Most people know Samus as one of the veteran fighters in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', but fewer people know her as the protagonist of one of Nintendo's most critically-acclaimed series. While few ''Metroid'' games can truly be said to have sold poorly, they're consistent low sellers, meaning it was ''nowhere'' near being one of "Nintendo's Big Three" alongside ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' and ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' the way fans liked to claim it was, which just became more obvious with the runaway success of ''Videogame/PokemonRedAndBlue''. Most Metroid games struggle to hit a million sold copies, ''Metroid Prime'' being an anomalous exception, meaning other long-running Nintendo franchises such as ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'' regularly eclipse ''Metroid'' in sales.

* WinBackTheCrowd: The entire ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' franchise was in a very precarious position for several years, largely due to an extended dry spell broken up only by the [[BrokenBase contentiously received]] (to say the least) ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeFederationForce''. Fans of the franchise were left largely unsatisfied, a situation not helped by Nintendo completely ignoring the series' 30th anniversary and [[ScrewedByTheLawyers their DMCA takedown]] of ''VideoGame/AnotherMetroid2Remake''. Things seemed bleak for fans of the franchise and for the franchise itself. However, at E3 2017, Metroid came back with a vengeance, with not one, but two games in the franchise announced. The long-requested ''Metroid Prime 4'' was confirmed to be in development for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, as well as an official remake of ''VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus'', entitled ''VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns'', for the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS; the latter was released later that year to critical praise. Fandom elation has been at the highest level it's been in years over these announcements.

** 桃屋のキムチは良いキムチ～♪[[labelnote:Explanation]]Translation: "Momoya (brand) kimchi is good kimchi～♪". The oft-quoted, unofficial "lyrics" to the item acquisition fanfare in the Japanese fandom. The lyrics are also associated with the ''{{VideoGame/Ys}}'' item get jingle due to their similar melodies.[[/labelnote]]