Line #90 YMMV/Metroid


1	The subjectives from ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}''. For the specific YMMV pages see:
2
3	* ''YMMV/Metroid1''
4	** ''YMMV/MetroidZeroMission''
5	* ''YMMV/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus''
6	** ''YMMV/MetroidSamusReturns''
7	* ''YMMV/SuperMetroid''
8	* ''YMMV/MetroidOtherM''
9	* ''YMMV/MetroidFusion''
10	* ''YMMV/MetroidDread''
11	* ''YMMV/MetroidPrimeTrilogy''
12	** ''YMMV/MetroidPrime''
13	*** ''YMMV/MetroidPrimePinball''
14	** ''YMMV/MetroidPrime2Echoes''
15	** ''YMMV/MetroidPrimeHunters''
16	** ''YMMV/MetroidPrime3Corruption''
17	** ''YMMV/MetroidPrimeFederationForce''
18	* ''YMMV/MetroidManga''
19	* ''YMMV/MetroidSamusAndJoey''
20	* ''YMMV/MetroidZebesShinnyuuShirei''
21	* ''YMMV/BloodOfTheChozo''
22	----
23	* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation:
24	** Thanks to the poor script of the English version of ''Other M'' (that makes him come across as more cold and careless than he's meant to be) , Western fans found themselves wondering if Adam Malkovich was truly a good and noble man who cared about Samus, or an abusive {{Jerkass}} who actively tried to demean her? If the latter, was he always like that or just after she left his team?
25	** Did the SA-X [[spoiler:ignore Samus for the Omega Metroid due to sheer instinct]]? Or did it [[spoiler:develop its assimilated human emotions to the point of wanting to save Samus for being such a WorthyOpponent]]?
26	** Some believe that [[spoiler:Phaaze was simply a massive parasitic lifeform, without the sentience to understand the detrimental effects of its reproductive cycle, and that Dark Samus, which was actually a [[TitleDrop Metroid Prime]] that assimilated Samus's Phazon suit, enslaved it.]] This is actually backed up by [[DummiedOut unused Pirate logs]] in the game which show that [[spoiler:Dark Samus and the Pirates intended to force Phaaze to [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt launch over 100 Leviathan Seeds simultaneously at the Federation]], which would have [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness killed the planet.]]]]
27	** Was the Super Metroid of ''Super Metroid'' sorry for attacking its "mother", who had it had seemingly imprinted on when it was just a baby, or was it simply acting under instinct?
28	* AntiClimaxBoss:
29	** The [[spoiler:Omega Metroid]] in ''Fusion''. Not only is it nowhere near the hardest boss in the game, but it isn't even as hard as its previous appearances in ''Metroid II''. However, it's arguable whether it counts as the final boss; most fans believe that the SA-X is the true final boss, and [[spoiler:the Omega Metroid is just designed to be one last challenge before you escape the station]].
30	** Kraid in ''Super'' could be taken out with four well-timed super missiles before he even finished rising up from the ground. While ostensibly a glitch, Kraid can still be defeated in little time even without the exploit by a seasoned player.
31	** And the Ridley Robot in ''Zero Mission'', who is incredibly easy. He gets more challenging, however, if you've gotten 100% of the items, or if you're doing a 15% item run.
32	* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: [[AwesomeMusic/{{Metroid}} Has its own page]].
33	* BadassDecay:
34	** 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'' was released 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 in both the ''Metroid II'' remake, ''Samus Returns'', and ''Metroid Dread'', with many praising how her body language effectively conveys the badass bounty hunter in the cutscenes.
35	** 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'']].
36	* BaseBreakingCharacter:
37	** Samus' portrayal in ''Other M''. While widely reviled among the larger western ''Metroid'' fandom (with some accussing it of character assasination), some fans appreciated the character development, including female fans who found her to be [[https://www.thegamer.com/metroid-other-m-birthday-anniversary-samus-character-essay-nintendo/ more]] [[https://www.reddit.com/r/Metroid/comments/pzq09e/how_i_feel_about_samus_as_a_female_fan/ relatable and appreciated that the story showed that even strong people have moments of weakness.]]
38	** Samus' Zero Suit, which ended up turning her into more of a MsFanservice through the years. Some people appreciate the fanservice and/or find that the Zero Suit makes Samus seem more "human" and relatable since we can see her outside the armor more often. Others claim that [[http://feitclub.tumblr.com/post/85601345234/there-is-a-world-of-difference-between-tee-hee it ruined her character and undermined her reputation as a non-objectified strong female protagonist]]. In particular, ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' turned Zero Suit Samus into her own entity and emphasized her fanservice elements, causing even more heated debate on how it affected Samus' image. There are also fans who enjoyed the stealth sequence and boss fight with the Zero Suit in ''Zero Mission'' and are indifferent to its ending appearances in other games, but dislike the way it is handled in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' games. This is because in ''Smash Bros.'' it contradicts the ''Metroid'' series' gameplay and story consistency by making Zero Suit Samus a much higher-tier character than Power Suit Samus, despite the games themselves explicitly demonstrating the opposite and showing how much more powerful Samus is with her Power Suit. They also feel that the fighting style could have been better used by any number of other characters without contradicting ''Metroid'' canon.
39	** 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/{{Metroid Prime\|Trilogy}}'' 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.
40	** 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]].
41	* BestBossEver: [[AwesomeBosses/{{Metroid}} Also has its own page.]]
42	* BestKnownForTheFanservice: An interesting example. Some fans of [[MsFanservice Zero Suit Samus]] in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' become interested in ''Metroid'' expecting to see more such fanservice, and are often disappointed when it turns out that Samus not only spends most of her games in her Power Suit, but even seeing her ''face'' (much less her in the Zero Suit) can only be achieved by successful speedrunning (while aiming for OneHundredPercentCompletion, to boot). This is something that is frequently ''praised'' by series fans, and ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'' milking the sex appeal of the Zero Suit for all its worth was a point of criticism.
43	* BrokenBase:
44	** Which is the best game in the series? For almost ''two decades'', the main two contenders were ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' and ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'', with a smaller group even throwing ''VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission'' into the conversation. After ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'' was released, a third entry entered the conversation, with ''Dread'' having the advantage of a massive NewbieBoom and the fact that many of the older titles haven't aged well.
45	*** For that matter, which branch of the series is the best: the 2D sidescrollers or the 3D first-person shooters?
46	** The topic of how Samus should look outside of her suit is a loaded one. It largely comes down to those who like her design from the first ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' game more and those who prefer her more standard design. There are also debates about her height or how muscular she should be.
47	** The topic of what Samus's armor should look like is less loaded, but still contended, with the bulky ''Super Metroid'' and ''Metroid 2: Samus Returns'' looks on one end , the stripped down suit of ''Metroid Fusion'' and slimmed down suit of ''Metroid Other M'' on the other end, the armor designs of ''Metroid Prime'', 2, Hunters, 3 being in the middle.
48	** Nintendo having all ''Metroid'' games handled by outside studios rather than its internal teams following the disbanding of R&D1 after releasing ''Zero Mission''.[[note]]Due to restructuring in 2005, Nintendo's R&D studios no longer made games and instead co-produce and supervise subsidiary work, commissioned projects and third-party collaborations.[[/note]] Some see this as a sign of Nintendo not caring about the franchise at all, going the cheapest route to keep the franchise alive. Others think this approach is better considering how Nintendo arguably handles its franchises outside of "Mario, Zelda and Pokémon" triangle, and that many of the series' best entries weren't made in the main Japanese studios anyway (i.e., the ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy'').
49	** 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 a faction of the Galactic Federation]]. However, with ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'' finally picking up where ''Fusion'' left off, this has basically been mooted.
50	* CommonKnowledge:
51	** Regarding ''VideoGame/Metroid1'', it is sometimes claimed that Samus Aran originally had green hair before it was later retconned to blonde. This is likely due to the popular Justin Bailey code, which lets players start a game as Samus outside her Power Suit and depicts her with green hair. However, green has never been her "natural" color, even in this game. The Justin Bailey password starts Samus with a number of upgrades... including the Varia Suit, which was a palette swap at the time. For suitless Samus, the Varia upgrade turns her hair green; her normal color scheme (i.e. the equivalent of a Power Suit without the Varia upgrade) gives her brown hair, which is also seen in the helmetless and suitless ending screens. In addition, her earliest unarmored appearance outside the games (the ''WesternAnimation/CaptainNTheGameMaster'' comics from the early 90s, which, [[YouDontLookLikeYou unlike the TV show]], are very faithful in depicting ''Metroid'' characters according to their original designs) depicted Samus with blonde hair, suggesting that the in-game brown hair color may have been picked in order to better stand out against Samus's skin tone within the [=NES=]'s very limited color options.
52	** It is often claimed that the SamusIsAGirl twist in the first game was more elegantly executed in the Japanese version by referring to Samus with gender-neutral pronouns in the manual. Supposedly, the English manual's use of male pronouns is an example of either clumsy localization or adding misdirection. In reality, despite the ease of the language to avoid using pronouns entirely, the Japanese manual [[https://legendsoflocalization.com/qa-was-samus-called-a-he-in-japanese-too/ goes out of its way]] to refer to Samus with male pronouns several times.
53	** "Ridley killed Samus' parents" is a bit of an oversimplification that tends to get thrown around a lot. In the manga (whose canonical status is BroadStrokes), Ridley ''is'' responsible for personally killing and eating Samus' mother, but Samus' father sacrificed himself to repel the Space Pirates and Ridley never actually laid a finger on him. The games are even more vague, only really showing a still flashback in ''Metroid Fusion'' of Ridley attacking while Samus' mother protected her. In addition, while this does explain why Samus detests Ridley in particular, their dynamic has never been solely about avenging Samus' birth parents (or her adoptive Chozo father who he ''also'' killed, for that matter).
54	** The "Zebesian" Space Pirates are not actually natives of Zebes. The term "Zebesian" did not even show up until ''Super Metroid'''s manual and was assumed to be a mistake at first. WordOfGod said that they began calling themselves Zebesians after conquering the planet and establishing their main colony there, comparing it to how most Americans aren't descended from indigenous peoples.
55	** It long been known among fans that ''Metroid Prime 3: Corruption'' was going to have a series of sidequests involving bringing in bounties until Nintendo of Japan vetoed the idea. Former Retro Studios senior producer Bryan Walker [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKs_Oyfuyuc&t=22m22s elaborated in a 2022 interview]] that apparently [=NoJ=] didn't even know what a bounty hunter actually was. This claim has since been distorted into the claim that thus, Samus's job title must have been mistranslated into English. Truth is, that's not the case at all: Samus's occupation has always been referred to as 賞金稼ぎ (''shoukin kasegi'') since the very first game's Japanese manual, which literally translates to "bounty hunter." While there may have been a ''misunderstanding'' on [=NoJ=]'s part of what being a bounty hunter entails, there has never been a ''mistranslation'' of what her job title is. What further muddies things is that the Japanese ''Metroid 1'' manual also calls her a "space hunter" (スペスハンタア ''supesu hantaa'' in katakana) and immediately says afterward that said space hunters make their livings as "space bounty hunters" (which is where the 賞金稼ぎ ''shoukin kasegi'' term is then used).
56	* CompleteMonster: See [[Monster/{{Metroid}} here]].
57	* 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 [[FriendToAllLivingThings 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]].
58	* 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 March 2022]], marking the first indication of it breaking away from this status.
59	* DemonicSpiders: The Metroids themselves (though the base forms are a ''lot'' weaker in the ''Prime'' trilogy). In the 2D games, they inflict massive amounts of damage, and the only way to kill them is by freezing them with the Ice Beam and repeatedly blasting them with missiles. While they're a lot weaker in the ''Prime'' trilogy, the Fission Metroid in the first game are still this, taking a lot of damage, and then splitting into other Fission Metroids that only take damage from a certain beam. Which is really bad when ones that only take damage from the Wave Beam or Ice Beam come out, due to the weapons' low rate of fire.
60	* EnsembleDarkHorse:
61	** Samus' green-haired "Justin Bailey" suitless look. Despite only appearing as an EasterEgg in the first game, it has a lot of fans who bring it to life through cosplay and fanart, and some people prefer it to the Zero Suit. It even gets referenced in ''VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns'', when you beat the game quick enough on Hard Mode.
62	** Kraid, despite the fact that the games have given little to no background on who he is, is popular for his Kaiju-like design being an epic display of the SequelEscalation in ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' and the fact he was one of the earliest bosses Samus faced, alongside Ridley and Mother Brain. In fact, him being overshadowed by [[SpotlightStealingSquad Ridley]] only made him even more popular as fans wanted the underutilized big boy to make a comeback in a 3D game[[note]]especially when ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' development team revealed he would been featured as Meta-Kraid if they had more time)[[/note]] rather having another Ridley boss fight. When a trailer for ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'' shows Samus fighting Kraid in full 3D graphics, fans were ecstatic to say the least.
63	** Rundas, the ice-based alien bounty hunter of ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption'' certainly has a large following. Most likely because 1) [[{{Pun}} cool powers]]; 2) his [[Creator/ChristopherSabat voice]] and personality; 3) twice he rescues Samus, once from several Pirate shuttles and the other from falling to her death after battling Meta Ridley; 4) out of the three hunters, he seemed to be able to control his corruption the best, well enough in fact that Dark Samus had to take control of him herself to fight Samus; 5) his [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nMFLquJeCc hauntingly sad and beautiful boss theme.]]
64	** Upon revelation of ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM,'' fans quickly fell in love with Anthony Higgs, who earned the nickname MBD (Mysterious Black Dude). When the game became notoriously divisive, even those who didn't like the game overall tended to regard Anthony as the best part of it. He's portrayed as Samus' best friend... and unlike the highly contested portrayal of Adam, Anthony actually ''acts like it,'' being a kind, supportive person, with a good sense of humor and respect for Samus. It doesn't hurt that he's also a badass wielding a {{BFG}}.
65	* EpilepticTrees:
66	** Nobody really knows what Kraid is or what his actual connection with the Space Pirates is, beyond being a high-ranking member, but everyone sure loves to speculate. Pre-''Zero Mission,'' a lot of them focused on whether he grew or was enhanced between the original game and ''Super Metroid,'' because he went from being tiny to being huge.
67	** The identity of the dead soldier lying outside Kraid's room in ''Super Metroid''. The body's purpose is to this day unknown, and has prompted much discussion and speculation over who it was, what faction it was with, and why it was there. Theories abound among fans, with claims that it could be anyone from ExpandedUniverse bounty hunter Armstrong Houston to Weavel (from ''Prime Hunters''). It doesn't help matters that the soldier is the only human-looking sprite left on Zebes.
68	** In ''Fusion'', the extent to which Samus absorbs the X is only vaguely hinted at. Thus, it's unclear as to whether she's absorbing their DNA, or just their energy. The most "rational" interpretation is that Metroids absorb energy and leave behind lifeless dust, Samus is imbued with Metroid DNA, therefore, Samus is absorbing energy. Problem being some WordOfGod attempting to explain how Samus got the Ice Beam back when Metroid DNA should reject it, confusing the issue.
69	** It's believed that the Ing are a form of semi-solidified Phazon. This is helped by the appearance of the Phaze-Ing in ''Prime 3'', which is basically a blue Inglet. This could very well be untrue, though, as it raises a lot of other questions, (like why Phazon kills most Ing, why the Emperor feeding on it without a metroid host is considered unusual). It's worth noting that Phazon beings are by nature highly vulnerable to having Phazon weaponized against them, so the Ing's vulnerability to exploding Phazon containers may be justified.
70	** Almost nothing is known for certain about Sylux, except that he hates both Samus and the Federation. Fertile ground for the trees right there, including the possibility that, [[SamusIsAGirl like Samus before him, "he" is female]].[[note]]Scan visor logs refer to Sylux as male, but this may simply be an assumption.[[/note]]
71	* 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]].
72	* EvilIsCool:
73	** Ridley, a badass purple space dragon who's [[ThatOneBoss ready to kick your ass]] in every game he appears. His original NES version wasn't all that popular due to his dopey sprite and lack of fearsomeness, but come ''Super Metroid'' he became so overwhelmingly popular that he was promoted to the series equivalent of [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Bowser]] and had a nigh-perfect attendance record in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' (only missing the 3DS installment) before getting PromotedToPlayable in ''Ultimate''.
74	** Dark Samus (originally Metroid Prime) for being, by far, the most effective singular Metroid in the entire series. After being the source of Tallon IV’s Phazon corruption and FinalBoss of the first ''Metroid Prime'' game, it manages to survive its destruction by snagging Samus’s Phazon Suit in its death throes, merging with it to survive in its Dark Samus form. It then goes on to [[RecurringBoss fight Samus three times]] throughout ''Metroid Prime 2'', with SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic in each battle to boot, and using Samus’s stolen abilities in unique cool-looking ways. This is despite apparently being in unstable condition, which then gets fixed by the time of ''Metroid Prime 3'', where she becomes powerful enough to regain BigBad status. From there, she enters outright chessmaster territory as she seizes control of [[ArchEnemy the Space Pirates]] as her own personal army while also corrupting the three Bounty Hunters meant to help Samus, forcing Samus to kill all three of those allies. Dark Samus even manages to [[AllYourPowersCombined absorb and steal each of their powers as they die]], granting her an expanded moveset when she has her rematch against Samus at the end of the game. From there, she steals an [[ArtificialIntelligence Aurora Unit]] from the Galactic Federation and uses it to seize control of the planet Phaaze, the source of Phazon, and threaten the entire universe with it. Only after a three-stage battle with Samus on Phaaze is she finally destroyed for good.
75	** The more intelligent and humanoid villains in general often get this status for having more character and being more unique than the typical StarfishAlien monsters that Samus usually faces, among other reasons. Aside from the aforementioned Ridley and Dark Samus, [[VideoGame/MetroidPrimeHunters Sylux]], [[VideoGame/MetroidFusion The SA-X]], and [[VideoGame/MetroidDread Raven Beak]] are three standout examples. Sylux for being so mysterious, having a unique [[ShockAndAwe electricity-based]] fighting style powered by stolen Galactic Federation technology, and showing up in TheStinger for two games after [[AmbiguousGender their]] debut, strongly hinting that there are plans for Sylux to return in a greater role that may shed more light on their vendetta against the Galactic Federation. The SA-X has this status for being TheDreaded, having Samus’s entire arsenal at her disposal, and using it to chase Samus around in several terrifying chase sequences that stand out as some of the most exciting parts of ''Fusion'', not to mention the ambiguously HeroicSacrifice the SA-X makes at the end of the game leading to speculation on whether it was a move motivated by pure instinct or perhaps some humanity it got from Samus. And Raven Beak has this status for being a ''huge'' contrast to the AlwaysLawfulGood Chozo we had seen previously, along with being an extremely powerful, ruthless, and stylish villain in his own right.
76	** 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.
77	* FandomEnragingMisconception:
78	** [[IAmNotShazam Calling Samus "Metroid"]], unless done in jest, is a ''terrible'' mistake. "Metroid" is [[AntagonistTitle the enemy the series is named after]]. The "y can't metroid crawl" meme is a particularly common riff on this. [[spoiler:This all changed when ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'' had [[AscendedMeme Samus fully transform into a humanoid Metroid]], with [[BigBad Raven Beak]] calling her "the Ultimate Metroid." Fans now jokingly concede that Samus is indeed "Metroid" and, thanks to her new slide move, can technically crawl]].
79	** 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/dread/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.
80	** Saying that ''Metroid'' is a rip-off of ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' is ''not'' a good idea. This misconception was especially prevalent during ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'''s heyday in the early-2000s, because of its first-person gameplay[[note]]WordOfGod says that ''Metroid Prime'' is an ActionAdventure Game with focus on exploration first and foremost, with some [[FirstPersonShooter FPS]] elements present[[/note]]. It doesn't help that both ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes'' and ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption'' were released in the same years as ''VideoGame/Halo2'' (2004) and ''VideoGame/Halo3'' (2007) respectively; but nevertheless, calling ''Metroid'' a "''Halo'' rip-off" is a giveaway that you know nothing about the former beyond superficial resemblances in ''Metroid Prime''.
81	** Referring to Power Bombs as "Super Bombs" is a surefire way to make eyes twitch among series veterans.
82	* FandomHeresy:
83	** Criticizing ''Super Metroid''. It's unanimously considered a landmark game, a masterpiece of level design and craftsmanship by fans and critics alike, and is often considered the best game in the entire series (and one of the greatest video games ever made). Even implying that any element of the game, such as its controls, are anything else than perfect is bound to start a debate.
84	** The first ''Metroid Prime'' is another game that's considered risky to criticize, since it's often considered to be in the same league as ''Super Metroid'' in quality; in fact, it's the most critically acclaimed game in the entire series, with countless reviews remarking that it was years ahead of its time both mechanically and graphically.
85	** If you say that you liked ''Other M'', even if you're just talking about its gameplay, expect a few eyebrows to raise. If you say that it's your favourite entry in the series, expect to be called delusional at best and for a fight to break out at worst. During the height of the game's {{hatedom}}, even if you agreed the game was awful, but dared say that it might have had a few good ideas, you'd still get detractors shouting that it had ''zero'' elements of worth; a stance that still somewhat remains to some degree, despite later, far better-received 2D games continuing to build on the melee combat mechanics that ''Other M'' introduced, in addition to beam types and other small gameplay elements returning as well.
86	* FanNickname:
87	** Several rooms in ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' have garnered nicknames used in the {{speedrun}} community, such as "NoobBridge" in Green Brinstar, and "Mount Doom" in Black Maridia.
88	** Super Missiles are often shortened to just Supers.
89	** Energy Tanks are commonly shortened to E-Tanks due to many of their designs having a large "E" on the side.
90	** The pickup for the Gravity Suit in ''Super'' and ''Zero Mission'' is occasionally called "pancakes" because its design resembles a stack of them.
91	** Doing a somersault jump while carrying a full charge of Samus's Charge Beam allows you to do an attack similar to the Screw Attack, but weaker and only once per charge. For this reason, this technique is usually called the "Pseudo-Screw".
92	** When referring to the Etecoons and Dachoras collectively rather than individually, they're usually called "the animals".
93	** "Shockness Monster" for Serris in ''Fusion''.
94	** There's one character in ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'' who has several for his different appearances.
95	*** Little Birdy: Choogle, [[spoiler:Furbley]]
96	*** Mystery Creature: El Pollo Loco, [[spoiler:Ugley, I Can't Believe It's Not Ridley]]
97	*** [[spoiler:Ridley: Clone!Ridley, Roidley]]
98	** Outside Japan, the Baby Metroid was usually just called "the hatchling" until ''Other M''.
99	** The Super Metroid "the hatchling" grows into is known as "Big Metroid" and "The Giant Anomaly". After the release of the ''Samus Returns'' Baby Metroid amiibo, they've also been called "Squishy".
100	** The Work Robots seen in ''Super Metroid'', ''Zero Mission'', and the manga are sometimes called [[Franchise/StarWars Gonk Droids]] due to their similar shape.
101	* FanonDiscontinuity:
102	** Some hardcore fans disregard any game outside the original 2D numbered entries, claiming that any other material such as the remakes or the ''Prime'' series sully the mystery and narrative of the originals. On the flipside, there are fans who disregard the mainline 2D game entirely in favor of ''Prime''.
103	** The ''Manga/MetroidManga'' is in a grey area. It was heavily panned and immediately contradicted by ''Zero Mission'', the next game to be released after it came out. Following the release of ''Other M'', fans revisited the manga and the fandom came to find merit in it as a succinct origin story for Samus, and now treat it as BroadStrokes rather ignoring it entirely.
104	** ''Other M'' is often treated this way, mainly due to Samus supposedly suffering from BadassDecay according to detractors, but also for its story being incredibly controversial and the gameplay generally being seen as passable at best and mindlessly awful at worst. It helps that it's an {{interquel}} GaidenGame that isn't needed to understand the series' overarching plot.
105	* FranchiseOriginalSin: After ''Other M'', many detractors have claimed that Samus has been forever tarnished as a lead due to the {{Chickification}}, [[FanservicePack increased sexualization]], and infantilization of the character. In regards to sexualization, examining the series as a whole will have one find that Samus was sexualized as early as the first game (seeing her in skimpy clothing or the skin-tight Zero Suit ''is'' a reward, after all); ''Other M'' simply exacerbated these issues to a gross degree that can't be as easily ignored as an end game "Congratulations" screen. As for her characterization, the ''[[Manga/{{Metroid}} Metroid]]'' manga, also portrayed Samus in much the same insecure manner as ''Other M''. The difference was that it took place when she was an older teen that was just starting out in the Federation police, and by the end of the story, Samus had matured and learned how to manage her trauma.
106	* FandomRivalry:
107	** 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.
108	** 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 turned them into friendly fandoms who ganged up on ''Fire Emblem'' for continuing to get more representatives than either.
109	* FriendlyFandoms:
110	** With sister series ''VideoGame/KidIcarus'', with most people who wanted a third game in that series, who even knew there was a second game that series, being ''Metroid'' fans (there were some ''Kid Icarus'' fans annoyed that ''Metroid'' got a lot more attention but since ''Kid Icarus'' is even more of a cult series than ''Metroid'' they were never loud enough or in large enough number to cause a real stir). This is inspite of the two games having little in common because ''Kid Icarus'' did have one thing the first two ''Metroid'' title lacked: a map. There was a little hostility from the ''Metroid'' side over ''Super Smash Bros.'' when ''Kid Icarus'' got more represenatiton than ''Metroid'' in the fourth entry, but that ended once Ridley got in the fifth game.
111	** With ''Series/TheMandalorian'', since that show is about a bounty hunter who adopts an alien infant similarly to Samus's relationship with the Baby Metroid.
112	** With ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' and ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'', since all three are sci-fi series starring badass [[OneManArmy one-person armies]] in PoweredArmor, to the point that it's common to see fanart of Samus, Master Chief, and the Doom Slayer together (nicknamed by some as "The Power Armor Trio"). While ''VideoGame/HaloCombatEvolved'' and the original ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' were DuelingGames, the tension between the two fanbases died down starting around 2010.
113	** While there exists a mild FandomRivalry with ''Franchise/MegaMan'' and ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'', there also exists overlap between all of them due to their roots on the NES and SNES.
114	** 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]].
115	** 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]]).
116	** Metroid fans are also fond of ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' and ''VideoGame/MetalGear''. The former, like ''Metroid'', was the best-seller for Nintendo [=GameCube=], and latter is due to Snake X Samus pairing in Smash Bros.
117	* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff:
118	** The series has lukewarm reception in its home country, but has always been far more popular in the US to the point that [[VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus the first sequel]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glCZdc4yniQ was advertised in Japan]] as being a follow-up to "the outstandingly popular action game in America". The development team of the second game actually went to the US to work on it and the franchise as a whole would eventually find itself developed by foreigners; the USA based Creator/RetroStudios would create [[VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy a new 3D branch of the franchise]] and develop all its numbered entries, while the 2D side would eventually become co-productions between Sakamoto's team and Spanish studio Creator/MercurySteam. Many entries also released in the U.S. before Japan to cater to this fanbase, and some of them have English voice-overs even in the Japanese releases.
119	** Samus herself fits this trope. In the US, Nintendo fans consider her to be one of Nintendo's "Big Four" characters, trailing only [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]], [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Link]] and [[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Pikachu]] in popularity. In Japan, she is probably behind any given ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' protagonist. This has ultimately led to a long-standing joke that the main character Samus, being blonde and blue-eyed, was ''obviously'' an American character.
120	* GoddamnedBats:
121	** Mellows and Weavers in Brinstar, and pretty much any lava enemy in Norfair. [[PersonalSpaceInvader The titular enemies]], however, skip right over this into DemonicSpider territory.
122	** In ''Fusion,'' the winner goes to the species of X-infected Ki-Hunters. They're quite quick, contact damage with them takes about 50 energy, and their stinging attack takes away ''a full energy tank.'' They're also found right before and after you have to flee from a super powerful SA-X, causing frustration for anyone who gets unlucky and isn't able to reach a safe spot in time.
123	* GoodBadBugs: [[http://www.metroid2002.com/other_scan_bug.php Apparently]], Retro Studios didn't think players would try to scan the projectiles from [[VideoGame/MetroidPrime the Omega Pirate's cannons]].
124	-->This is an Elite Space Pirate\
125	Elite Space Pirate description 3
126	* GoodBadTranslation:
127	** The Varia Suit in the first ''VideoGame/Metroid1'' 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".
128	** The planet Zebes was supposed to be "Zebeth," and is called such in some early sources. The confusion comes from the katakana rendering, "Zebesu."
129	** "Chozo", the name for the series' powerful bird creature race, was used in the original Japanese specifically for the bird statues scattered throughout Zebes. The word ''chōzo'' itself is Japanese for "carved statue"; Japanese media referred to the bird-people as ''chōjinzoku'' which literally just means "birdman tribe". When the western Creator/RetroStudios made ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' and used the name "Chozo", it was adopted [[RecursiveTranslation back into Japanese media as well]], as a contraction of the original name.
130	** On the MemeticMutation side of things, there's the original ''Metroid'', which ended with the {{Engrish}} message, "Great !! You fulfiled your mission. It will revive peace in space. But,it may be invaded by the other Metroid. Pray for a true peace in space!" [sic]
131	* GrowingTheBeard: While ''Metroid'' and ''Metroid II: Return of Samus'' were perfectly good games, ''Super Metroid'' improved absolutely everything, set the standard for all {{Metroidvania}} games in the future and is now regarded as one of the finest games in history.
132	* HilariousInHindsight: You know all those people [[IAmNotShazam who've mistakenly called Samus "Metroid"]]? With it retroactively being made the Chozo word for "ultimate warrior", as well as her {{Transhuman}} infusion with Metroid DNA at the beginning of ''Fusion'', and finally [[spoiler:her transformation into a humanoid Metroid in ''Dread'']], they're technically correct.
133	* IAmNotShazam: A somewhat common outsider mistake is to call Samus "Metroid"; the Metroids are a race of aliens that she (sometimes) fights.
134	* ItWasHisSled:
135	** 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 [[OnceOriginalNowCommon pretty pat nowadays]].
136	** Also, Samus suffering shell shock against Ridley in ''Other M'', with the scene generally being pointed to as one of the most controversial story moments in the entire franchise.
137	* IronWoobie: Samus has lost almost everyone she’s ever cared about, her parents to Ridley (her mother being killed in front of her when she was only 3), her adoptive parents, the Chozo, and most of her friends and allies. Her missions put her through the wringer time and time again and victory often comes at a high cost to her. And yet, she pushes through it all and rarely lets her trauma keep her from being one of the greatest warriors and greatest forces of good in the entire galaxy.
138	* LGBTFanbase:
139	** Samus, as a strong, badass, and sexy heroine, attracts a lot of queer women for being a character they can look up to as a role model ''and'' find highly attractive.
140	** Samus also has a sizable fanbase of transgender women (including Azima Khan, one of the artists for ''VideoGame/AnotherMetroid2Remake''), for having a stereotypically 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.
141	** The ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' depiction of Zero Suit Samus takes this even further due to a higher {{camp}} factor and [[AlternateCharacterInterpretation implied]] flirtatiousness, along with the ridiculous Jet Boots similar to the high heels used by many {{Drag Queen}}s and burlesque performers.
142	* LesYay: It was clearly supposed to be a way of keeping the game's twist, but a Japanese-only strategy guide had Samus surrounded by two girls in bikinis.
143	* LoveToHate:
144	** [[ArchEnemy Ridley]] is a [[{{Sadist}} sadistic]], mass-murdering warlord with zero redeeming qualities, yet that's precisely what makes him such an [[NightmareFuel intimidating]] and [[EvilIsCool badass]] antagonist, on top of being one of the only characters able to ''repeatedly'' trade blows and match wits with Samus herself.
145	** [[DiabolicalMastermind Mother Brain]] is a [[HateSink thoroughly detestable]] being defined by her immense cruelty and arrogant sense of superiority towards other life forms, on top of [[spoiler:[[KickTheDog murdering the Baby Metroid in cold blood]]]]. Fortunately, that makes the moments when players get to finally kick her ass [[CatharsisFactor all the more satisfying]].
146	* MemeticBadass:
147	** Samus, as evidenced by her [[RedBaron nickname]] on this very site: The Intergalactic Queen of Badass. The Pirates have their own nickname for her, as shown in the Prime games: [[TheDreaded the Hunter]].
148	** Also, [[VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption Admiral Castor Dane]], in part due to a scene where it seems he's standing in the Urtagian acid rain, which is strong enough to kill well-armored Samus in a few seconds, with no protection.[[note]]The flagship above him probably acts as an umbrella, but you still have to wonder if ''some'' rain gets around it. Also, ''he's using a spaceship as an umbrella''.[[/note]]
149	*** Dane's hat is a MemeticBadass in its own right, as well.
150	* MemeticLoser: Kraid is often remembered by fans as one of the earliest bosses of ''Metroid'', sharing status with Ridley and Mother Brain, and being TheUnfavourite of the three. For the longest time, he only appeared in four ''Metroid'' games, with one being a VideoGameRemake of the first game, and barely has any characterization.[[note]]This isn't helped by the fact that he was cut from ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' due to time constraint[[/note]] In contrast, Mother Brain is characterized as the BigBad with a memorable boss fight in ''Super Metroid'' and Ridley gets promoted as a RecurringBoss with a personal rivalry towards Samus. There are many fan comics depicting Kraid literally begging for a boss role in a new ''Metroid'' game, only to be shafted in favor of Ridley. By the time he [[TheBusCameBack finally comes back as a chained-up boss]] in ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'', fans joked that Nintendo themselves imprisoned Kraid on ZDR the whole time, explaining why he never appeared in a ''Metroid'' game for over 17 years. The fact that Samus seems unimpressed with Kraid's attempt to scare her -- a stark contrast to how [[HeroicBSOD she reacts to Ridley]] in ''Other M'' -- ensures that Kraid will be remembered as the ButtMonkey of the Space Pirates, reduced as a mere pet on a leash for the BigBad by the end of the ''Metroid'' MythArc.
151	* MemeticMutation: [[Memes/{{Metroid}} Has its own page.]]
152	* SugarWiki/MostWonderfulSound:
153	** The fanfare that plays when you collect a new item. Doubles as Samus' victory theme in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros''.
154	** The explosions when you finally defeat bosses. Most satisfying on bosses like Phantoon or Ridley.
155	** Samus' "Arrival" fanfare can count. Especially in ''Metroid Prime,'' where it's proceeded by a long, impressive cinematic, your first view of Samus' new, 3D-modeled Varia suit, and the fanfare kicks in as the camera moves in for a closeup, then pushing you into Samus' first-person view. If you've been waiting for ages since ''Super Metroid'' for another adventure with Samus Aran, that simple, little theme lets you know, in no uncertain terms, that ass-kicking is about to commence.
156	* MyRealDaddy:
157	** Following the incredibly divided fan reaction to ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'', the fandom became split over whether Creator/YoshioSakamoto (the series producer/director of the 2D games) or Creator/RetroStudios (the developers behind the 3D ''Prime'' games) best deserve the title of series caretaker. Complicating the matter is that [[AuthorsSavingThrow Sakamoto took criticisms]] of ''Other M'' to heart, with his subsequent entries giving the ''Metroid'' franchise the greatest publicity it has seen in years, while ''Prime 4'' still remains in DevelopmentHell.
158	** While several individuals were key to the creation of the series, who fans credit the most for the franchise's creation usually comes down to either Sakamoto or Creator/GunpeiYokoi. Whereas the latter conceived the concept of a non-linear adventure game that would help push Nintendo's Famicom Disk System, the former helped coalesce the team's disparate ideas, developed the iconic maze-like gameplay and elements that became [[{{Metroidvania}} a genre onto itself]], and was [[VideoGame/SuperMetroid the director of the franchise's most defining entry]].
159	* NarmCharm:
160	** The Gravity Suit is purple in almost every game it shows up in, yet the fans think it looks cool on Samus despite it typically being perceived as a [[PinkMeansFeminine girly color]] in Western culture. ''Metroid Prime'' made it look even cooler by making it a darker purple and changing the color of its visor and lights from green to blue. Suffice to say, [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks fans weren't thrilled]] that it was changed to an aura around the Varia Suit in ''Other M'' and didn't agree with [[WordOfGod Yoshio Sakamoto's reasoning]] that the purple suit looked goofy in serious cutscenes. It appears Sakamoto got the memo, as the following games, ''Samus Returns'' and ''Dread'', returned the Gravity Suit to its purple glory and even tweaked the designs to not simply be {{Palette Swap}}s of the Varia Suit).
161	** The series takes its lore seriously for the most part, so there's something quaintly amusing about its main antagonists being called "Space Pirates", a name clearly coined in a more innocent time.
162	* NeverLiveItDown:
163	** It's often said that Samus always loses her gear at the beginning of every game in some contrived circumstance following a TasteOfPower, then has to get it back. This has actually happened only twice on-screen in the series: ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' (where an electrical explosion shuts down most of it) and ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes'' (where the Ing steal most of it). ''Fusion'' is a more reasonable third case, in which Samus loses them before the game starts, due to the surgical removal of most of her X-infected suit. Most of the time, her gear from previous games doesn't show up [[BagOfSpilling with no reason given]].
164	** Fans like to say that any planet Samus lands on will explode at some point. While she still boasts a larger planet destruction count than most, with [[VideoGame/SuperMetroid Zebes]], [[VideoGame/MetroidFusion SR-388]], [[VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes Dark Aether]], [[VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption Phaaze]], and [[VideoGame/MetroidDread ZDR]], that's still not even half of the total planets she's visited. Planets left safely intact include [[VideoGame/MetroidPrime Tallon IV]], [[VideoGame/MetroidPrimeHunters Alinos, Arcterra]], [[VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes Aether]], [[VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption Bryyo, Elysia, and the Pirate Homeworld]].
165	* NewerThanTheyThink: Fans often joke that Samus is a DestructiveSavior that blows up ''every'' planet, station or other setting she's on. However, that trend actually started with ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid''; in ''VideoGame/Metroid1'' only the Pirates' base and the area around it were destroyed, and in ''VideoGame/{{Metroid II\|ReturnOfSamus}}'' she left [=SR388=] without anything blowing up at all. It reached AscendedMeme status after the launches of ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'' and ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime''-- both of which had Samus escaping an exploding space station, and finishing off [=SR388=] for good in the former. The franchise has rolled with it since then -- out of the 10 non-remake games which star Samus, ''eight'' feature some setting blowing up, and a few feature more than one.
166	* NightmareFuel: [[NightmareFuel/{{Metroid}} This series has its own page.]]
167	* OnceOriginalNowCommon:
168	** 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.
169	** ''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.
170	* 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. The E.M.M.Is from ''Metroid Dread'' take the chilling concept and enhances it with smarter AI, relentless chasing, and indestructible armor.
171	* PlayAlongMeme: To hide the [[SamusIsAGirl true identity]] of its protagonist, the original ''VideoGame/Metroid1'' manual described Samus Aran as a cyborg man. Therefore, the ''Metroid'' fandom continues to subscribe to her in-universe ShroudedInMyth status by jokingly referring to Samus as a robot dude in various memes.
172	* RecurringFanonCharacter: Solomon Aran is the noncanonical younger brother of Samus who was only mentioned [[OneSceneWonder once]] in a ''Magazine/NintendoPower'' article about the collaborative fanfic ''Roleplay/BloodOfTheChozo'', in which he was apparently [[WhatCouldHaveBeen an unused concept]]. Despite (or because of) his obscurity, Solomon gets a fair amount of attention by the ''Metroid'' fandom. There have been quite a few EpilepticTrees as fans attempt to deduce how he could fit into the current canon, with one common theory being that he's [[VideoGame/MetroidPrimeHunters Sylux's]] true identity.
173	* SacredCow: ''Super Metroid'' and ''Metroid Prime'' are held in very high esteem by virtually the entire fanbase.
174	* ScrappyMechanic:
175	** Wall-jumping in ''Super Metroid'', due to the unforgiving timing required to pull it off correctly. Fortunately, there is only one optional occasion where you have to use it before you acquire the Space Jump, which is a much easier way of doing the same thing. Future games made wall jumping a lot easier, but if you somehow thought pulling them off in ''Super'' wasn't challenging, then you can hunt down some difficult {{romhack}}s of ''Super'' make the timing even more unforgiving.
176	** Any long-time ''Metroid'' player's blood pressure goes up when they see [[WalkDontSwim water]] in the series. Fortunately, this stops being a problem once you get the Gravity Suit (or the Gravity Boost in ''Echoes'').
177	** The [[NotQuiteFlight Space Jump]] in the 2D games, while very helpful, is prone to not taking a jump input if you press the jump button too early.
178	* TaintedByThePreview:
179	** In 2001, ''Metroid Prime'' [[http://www.n-sider.com/contentview.php?contentid=29 had fans complaining about the change to 3D FPS]], but the game made up for it.
180	** Five years after the 2010 release of ''Other M'', with the ''Metroid'' series in the depths of dormancy, seeing the series revived with GaidenGame ''Metroid Prime: Federation Force'' lead to [[http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/e3-2015-metroid-prime-federation-force-fan-petition-wants-nintendo-3ds-game-cancelled-1506600 a downright hostile reaction]].
181	* TearJerker: [[TearJerker/{{Metroid}} Also has its own page]].
182	* ThatOneBoss: The nearly invulnerable Kraid in the first game, hard to hit highly damaging Yakuza in Fusion, the gravity warping large target with small weakpoint Nightmare in Fusion, the super missile punishing Phantoon in Super, and Ridley is hardly a fair fight in any game.
183	* ThatOneLevel: The second playthrough of Sector 2 TRO, in ''Fusion'', is the hardest part of the game due to the plant overgrowth, lack of weak enemies, and the fact that every enemy you do encounter deals at minimum 1 tank of energy in damage (never mind the [=SA-X=], who takes 3 of them every time you touch her).
184	* TheyChangedItNowItSucks:
185	** ''Fusion''[='s=] linear progression caused waves of complaints upon its release, as the game tends to direct the player on where to go.
186	** ''Prime 2'' uses [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dESx1CQfgyI this]] as the Space Pirate encounter song, as opposed to ''Prime 1'''s [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOo_mVvbIEU song]]. Tellingly, ''Prime 3'' instead uses [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXq1YV8yMUc a more orchestrated and slightly heavier version]] of the first game's song.
187	** ''Other M'' because of its interpretation of Samus's personality. It especially got ire for seemingly {{retcon}}ning for Adam into Samus' father figure as opposed to the Chozo Old Bird and Gray Voice.
188	** To a lesser extent, ''Other M'' for flipping the balance between missiles and beams while also not allowing the player to fire missiles freely.
189	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: The other hunters' backstories (mostly in ''Hunters'', though the other three in ''Corruption'' are also subject to this). For ''Hunters'' in particular, the given identity and motivation to seek the Ultimate Power for each of the other six is quite literally AllThereInTheManual, with only one to three sentences to describe them. None of this ever factors into the gameplay.
190	** Not only do we never find out what happened to the rest of the Diamont, we never even find out how Spire got separated from them in the first place.
191	** 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]].
192	* ToughActToFollow: [[https://web.archive.org/web/20100917192619/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.
193	* TransAudienceInterpretation: In addition to the large crowd of queer fans who adore Samus, there is a sizable chunk of ''Metroid'' fans who interpret Samus to be transfeminine, with Samus herself having a muscular and more masculine build while still very clearly presenting as a woman. While Samus has always been presented as a girl even as far back as her time on K-2L, such as in ''Metroid: Zero Mission'', these interpretations still stick around with ease.
194	* UglyCute:
195	** The Metroids are either this [[NightmareFuel or absolutely terrifying]]. Alpha Metroids get a special mention as they don't look outright terrifying, unlike most of its kin (they lack any sort of visible "latching" point as the membrane the larval Metroids have is now positioned underneath its main body, meaning the topside just looks like a slug or a worm holding onto a transparent ball).
196	** Out of the bosses, Crocomire gets this trope all the time. Kraid and Ridley also tend to get it, but not quite as often.
197	* VindicatedByHistory:
198	** ''VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus'' was considered to be the weakest game in the series for a long time. However, negative reception to games like ''Hunters'', ''Pinball'', ''Other M'', have had it reconsidered to be a respectable entry -- especially for one that had to work within the limitations of the original Game Boy. Some even prefer its "Search and Destroy" gameplay loop to the "Go here and activate this" repetitiveness of later games.
199	** ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' was overshadowed at the time of its release by the hype for ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry1'', it didn't start receiving its "greatest of all time" status until a few years later.
200	** ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'' was originally the black sheep of the franchise, with its focus on storytelling and linearity dividing fans. Now, it's remembered more for its boss fights and interesting deviations, while ''Other M'' gets the insults.
201	** ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeHunters'' was widely considered to be the worst entry in the series other than maybe ''Pinball'' when it was first released, due to the greater focus on the multiplayer rather than the single player, and being an ActionizedSequel in a series that tends to thrive on its slower-paced, atmospheric feel. While fans still mostly have the same basic criticisms now that they did then (repetitive bosses, wonky controls, etc.), there is also a greater appreciation for the new content that the game brought to the series. In particular, the rival bounty hunters are all seen as cases of TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter, with many disappointed that they haven’t been brought back yet, and the multiplayer is also widely praised for still being the best that the series has ever had. It helps that both ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'' and ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeFederationForce'' both made worse-received changes to the series’ formula than ''Hunters'' did, with the former giving Samus severe BadassDecay and the latter barely featuring her at all, making fans appreciate that ''Hunters'' at least respected Samus as a character despite not being faithful to the series’ focus on exploration. Overall, it’s still not seen as one of the best entries, but it does get far more respect than it originally did.
202	** ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeFederationForce'' was critically mauled following its announcement and eventual release, for being an action-based CoOpMultiplayer spinoff with a goofy-looking artstyle that didn't focus on Samus and on these seemingly completely unrelated troopers instead; it was basically everything the fans didn't want coming off the polarizing ''Other M''. After ''Samus Returns'' was released in 2017 to warm reception, and general fan enthusiasm having risen since then, the game is looked back upon much more kindly than it was in 2015. It is now seen as an interesting side-story that with a focus on the Federation (something that the game's producer wanted to do since the production of ''Prime 3''), and a new take on the ''Prime'' formula that was more a victim of bad timing than anything else.
203	** Even ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'' has gotten this slightly. As more has come out about how some of the problems in the game came to be (mainly the English translation ending up having gotten hindered by Sakamoto's lack of understanding of the language and how it unintentionally introduced controversial elements into what could be somewhat passable otherwise) and how some ideas in gameplay have carried over to later games, a portion of the fanbase has calmed down a bit, and is more willing to acknowledge there may be good ideas, and possibly even a decent enough game buried underneath a faulty story, rather than previous reactions of frothing rage.
204	* WTHCostumingDepartment: Samus's hairstyle ''circa'' ''Zero Mission'' and ''Prime 2'', with her bangs curled upwards beneath two longer and thicker side-bangs, made her look like she was wearing a tacky wig. It has since been updated to a more natural and more appealing look simply by letting her bangs behave like bangs.
205	* WinBackTheCrowd:
206	** 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.
207	** 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 Switch. Then the Nintendo Direct at E3 2021 revealed the long-rumored and fabled ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'' was [[SavedFromDevelopmentHell finally happening]], releasing the same year as its reveal and 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.

Context YMMV / Metroid