History Trivia / Metroid

* WordOfGay: In a 1994 interview with ''VideoGame/Metroid1'' and ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' background designer Hirofumi Matsuoka, Matsuoka claimed that only he knew that Samus Aran is secretly a "newhalf", a slang term similar to "shemale". It has been hotly contested within the fandom whether this statement should be taken as official confirmation of Samus being transgender, or if it should just be dismissed as a joke in poor taste by a non-authoritative source; note that series director Creator/YoshioSakamoto directly contradicted this statement in a 2004 FAQ, where he said that a ''Metroid'' game on UsefulNotes/PlayStation was "as likely as Samus being a newhalf", i.e. an expression of extreme unlikelihood akin to "when Hell freezes over" or "when pigs fly".

* TheWikiRule: The [[https://www.metroidwiki.org/wiki/Main_Page Metroid Wiki]], and Wikitroid, the Wikia [[http://metroid.wikia.com/wiki/Metroid_Wiki Metroid Wiki]].

!!This series is the TropeNamer for:
* {{Metroidvania}} along with the ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' series, obviously.
* NoobBridge (fandom term)
* SamusIsAGirl
* SequenceBreaking
----

** Present in both ''Super Metroid'' and ''[[VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission Zero Mission]]''. Both games make use of a roar originally used in Universal's 1957 film ''The Land Unknown'' for the Tyrannosaurus. Kraid uses this roar in both games, while Crocomire and Phantoon share it with him in ''Super Metroid''.

* UrbanLegendOfZelda: Many minor ones, but most well-known are the belief that the infamous [[ClassicCheatCode Justin Bailey]] code had an actual meaning (ie, "just in (a) bailey," with "bailey" supposedly being an Austrailian slang for "swimsuit," or the name of one of the programmers who worked on the localization), and that a similar code exists in ''Metroid II'' and ''Super Metroid''. "Justin Bailey" is just one of many randomly generated codes, some of which grant the same result, and no similar code exists in other entries of the series.

* UrbanLegendOfZelda: Many minor ones, but most well-known are the belief that the infamous [[ClassicCheatCode Justin Bailey]] code had an actual meaning, and that a similar code exists in ''Metroid II'' and ''Super Metroid''. "Justin Bailey" is just one of many randomly generated codes, some of which grant the same result, and no similar code exists in other entries of the series.

* AcclaimedFlop: A downplayed example.''Metroid'' is widely held up as a revolutionary game series, being one of Nintendo's premiere franchises since the NES, and with many well-received entries credited for helping to [[{{Metroidvania}} found an entire genre]]. At the same time, while most of the games aren’t flops and at the very least make back their budget, only ''three'' games in the entire franchise have ever broken two million copies sold [[note]]the original ''Metroid'', ''Metroid Prime'', & ''Metroid Dread''[[/note]]. By comparison, ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand'' alone sold more copies than ''every Metroid game combined'', until ''Dread'' came out and finally pushed the franchise's total sales numbers past the 20 million mark.

* AcclaimedFlop: ''Metroid'' is widely held up as a revolutionary game series, being one of Nintendo's premiere franchises since the NES, and with many well-received entries credited for helping to [[{{Metroidvania}} found an entire genre]]. At the same time, only ''three'' games in the entire franchise have ever broken two million copies sold [[note]]the original ''Metroid'', ''Metroid Prime'', & ''Metroid Dread''[[/note]]. By comparison, ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand'' alone sold more copies than ''every Metroid game combined'', until ''Dread'' came out and finally pushed the franchise's total sales numbers past the 20 million mark.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** In the 1980s, Creator/DiCEntertainment pitched a ''[[https://www.polygon.com/2019/5/8/18536769/super-mario-bros-power-hour-metroid-castlevania-cartoons-dic Super Mario Bros. Power Hour]]'' series that would have animated shorts dedicated to various Nintendo properties, with the ''Metroid'' series being one of them. Said shorts would have featured the bounty hunter as male. The entire project was passed over in favor of producing ''Series/TheSuperMarioBrosSuperShow''.
** A ''Metroid'' installment for the UsefulNotes/Nintendo64 was considered, but ultimately scrapped due to Yoshio Sakamoto being uncomfortable with 3D game design and Nintendo's R&D1 team having no interest in making 3D games. An unknown third-party studio was asked to create the game, but they rejected it.
** An alternate version of ''Metroid Prime 2'' was pitched following the first game's completion, [[https://www.unseen64.net/2019/12/09/metroid-prime15-gamecube-cancelled/ entitled "Metroid 1.5"]]. In it, Samus would have been trapped on an alien starship from another dimension immediately after the first game, whose owners wish to [[TheCollector collect bounty hunters and steal their abilities]]. The concept never fully got off the ground, but several elements (multiplayer, an evil Samus doppelgänger, alien villains from another dimension, a ship adventure with unconventional method of unlocking abilities, etc.) were salvaged and later used in the other ''Metroid'' installments.
** During the development of the UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}, [[https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/07/nintendo_leak_reveals_scrapped_wii_games_including_a_metroid_title_from_intelligent_systems one of the games planned for the console]] was an Creator/IntelligentSystems developed ''Metroid'', though the only information currently known is that, had it completed production, it would have released sometime after ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption''.
** Following the completion of ''Metroid Prime 3: Corruption'', a member of its production team pitched [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ8xa4drduQ a prequel spin-off]]: a TurnBasedTactics game akin to the ''VideoGame/XCom'' series, taking place shortly after Samus first left the Chozo and having her as one of many Galactic Federation and bounty hunter units under the player's command as they try to stem Space Pirate incursions on various planets. The proposal never made it out of internal approval at Retro Studios, due to most of the studio being tired of making ''Metroid'' games at that point.
** [[http://archive.is/Fzbrw A Metroid comic]] helmed by Creator/ArchieComics was pitched in the early 2010s by ''[[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics Archie Sonic]]'' artist Steven Butler, but was passed over in favor of Creator/IanFlynn's ''ComicBook/MegaManArchieComics''.
** Creator/NextLevelGames began work on a ''Metroid'' [=PvP=] multiplayer shooter [[https://youtu.be/ZQ8xa4drduQ?t=514 codenamed Project Valkyrie]] for the Nintendo DS in the late 2000s, with [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/metroid/images/b/be/Samus_NLG.png/revision/latest?cb=20140907134604 these]] [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/metroid/images/2/27/Boss_design_1.png/revision/latest?cb=20140907134605 three]] [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/metroid/images/8/83/Boss_design_2.png/revision/latest?cb=20140907134605 pieces]] of concept art being the only things to publicly surface from that stage of development. The project would end up being put on hold when Nintendo requested that the company make ''VideoGame/LuigisMansionDarkMoon'', then revived afterwards as a potential Wii U title, before being retooled into ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeFederationForce'' for the Nintendo 3DS.

** Also present in ''Super Metroid'' is [[{{Franchise/Godzilla}} Anguirus]]' roar used for both Draygon and Ridley. It may be due to this that the other roar was mis-attributed to this franchise as well, with the trivia web series ''Did You Know Gaming'' [[CriticalResearchFailure saying that it's the monster Titanosaurus]].

** In the 1980s, Creator/DiCEntertainment pitched a ''[[https://www.polygon.com/2019/5/8/18536769/super-mario-bros-power-hour-metroid-castlevania-cartoons-dic Super Mario Bros. Power Hour]]'' series that would have animated shorts dedicated to various Nintendo properties, with the ''Metroid'' series being one of them. [[CriticalResearchFailure Said shorts would have featured the bounty hunter as male]]. The entire project was passed over in favor of producing ''Series/TheSuperMarioBrosSuperShow''.

** [[http://archive.is/Fzbrw A Metroid comic]] helmed by Creator/ArchieComics was pitched in the early 2010s by ''[[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics Archie Sonic]]'' artist Steven Butler, but was passed over in favor of Creator/IanFlynn's ''ComicBook/MegaManArchieComics''.

** Creator/NextLevelGames began work on a ''Metroid'' [=PvP=] multiplayer shooter [[https://youtu.be/ZQ8xa4drduQ?t=514 codenamed Project Valkyrie]] for the Nintendo DS in the late 2000s, with [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/metroid/images/b/be/Samus_NLG.png/revision/latest?cb=20140907134604 these]] [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/metroid/images/2/27/Boss_design_1.png/revision/latest?cb=20140907134605 three]] [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/metroid/images/8/83/Boss_design_2.png/revision/latest?cb=20140907134605 pieces]] of concept art being the only things to publicly surface from that stage of development. The project would end up being put on hold when Nintendo request that the company make ''VideoGame/LuigisMansionDarkMoon'', then revived after production on that game ended as a Wii U title, before being retooled into ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeFederationForce'' for the Nintendo 3DS.

** Creator/YoshioSakamoto is often criticized by fans for supposedly considering the ''Prime'' games [[CanonDiscontinuity non-canon]], which wasn't helpful considering this was allegedly said in the midst of ''Other M''[='s=] divisive reception. He never said anything of the sort; he has always considered the ''Prime'' games to be canon, but regards them as separate adventures featuring Samus ([[GaidenGame which is true]]). The belief that he doesn't see them as canon came from him explaining that the events of the ''Prime'' games have no impact on the plot of ''Other M''. ''VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns'', a remake of the second game that came later in the decade, would incorporate elements from the ''Prime'' sub-series ([[spoiler:as well as showing Ridley transitioning from Meta Ridley to his organic self in ''Super Metroid'']]) to firmly establish their canonicity to the 2D games. Furthermore, an October 2021 interview with former Retro Studios sound designer Clark Wen noted that during the first ''Prime's'' development, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU8nACs6jpI&t=30m15s Sakamoto himself was on hand to ensure the game's lore stayed faithful to the rest of the series.]]
** In the same vein, some fans claimed his statement meant he considered ''Other M'' more important to the series than the ''Prime'' games. He never made a definitive statement about this either way, but when discussing the MythArc of the 2D games following the announcement of ''VideoGame/MetroidDread'', Sakamoto didn't even pay ''Other M'' lip service, implying that it's just as much of a side story to the main series as the ''Prime'' games.

** Following the completion of ''Metroid Prime 3: Corruption'', a member of its production team pitched [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ8xa4drduQ a prequel spin-off]]: a TurnBasedTactics game akin to the ''VideoGame/Xcom'' series, taking place shortly after Samus first left the Chozo and having her as one of many Galactic Federation and bounty hunter units under the player's command as they try to stem Space Pirate incursions on various planets. The proposal never made it out of internal approval at Retro Studios, due to most of the studio being tired of making ''Metroid'' games at that point.

** Kraid was going to appear in ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' and there was even a model ready to be used, but due to time constraints, he was cut out. Contrary to popular belief, however, he was ''not'' cut in favor of the Omega Pirate, who was conceived before Kraid was for ''Prime''.
** Similarly, Crocomire from ''Super Metroid'' was going to be in ''Metroid: Zero Mission''. He even had sprites and basic AI ready, but he was DummiedOut for unknown reasons.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojaNBuEeJt4 An early version]] of ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'' would have featured the Grapple Beam and the ability to walk on walls and ceilings.

** Creator/NextLevelGames had begun work on a UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' game following ''VideoGame/PunchOut'', with a prototype having been created to show during a meeting with Nintendo executives. The project would end up being scrapped when that same meeting had Nintendo request that the company make ''VideoGame/LuigisMansionDarkMoon'' instead, with [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/metroid/images/b/be/Samus_NLG.png/revision/latest?cb=20140907134604 these]] [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/metroid/images/2/27/Boss_design_1.png/revision/latest?cb=20140907134605 three]] [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/metroid/images/8/83/Boss_design_2.png/revision/latest?cb=20140907134605 pieces]] of concept art being the only things to publicly surface.
** In December 2022, the "[=DidYouKnowGaming?=]" Youtube channel [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ8xa4drduQ released a video]] that shed much light on proposed ''Metroid'' games. One of the segments of the video sheds far more light on what the Next Level Games project above was: it initially started off as a plan for a fast-paced multiplayer game code-named "Project Valkyrie" on the Nintendo DS, and ultimately evolved into becoming ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeFederationForce''. Another game idea discussed was the idea of a TurnBasedTactics game where players would control Samus and Federation troopers fighting Space Pirates in grid-based gameplay, with mechanics for researching upgrades and recruiting bounty hunters as additional units. However, this idea was really only the brainchild of a single Retro developer in 2007 after ''Prime 3'' released, Paul Tozer, and his proposal never even made it out of internal approval at Retro Studios (as almost everyone else at Retro was tired of making ''Metroid'' games and wanted to move on), let alone Nintendo itself.

** In December 2022, the "[=DidYouKnowGaming?=]" Youtube channel [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ8xa4drduQ released a video]] that shed much light on proposed ''Metroid'' games. One of the segments of the video sheds far more light on what the Next Level Games project above was: it initially started off as a plan for a fast-paced multiplayer game code-named "Project Valkyrie" on the Nintendo DS, and ultimately evolved into becoming ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeFederationForce''. Another game idea discussed was the idea of a TurnBasedTactics game where players would control Samus and Federation troopers fighting Space Pirates in grid-based gameplay, with mechanics for researching upgrades and recruiting bounty hunters as additional units. However, this idea was really only the brainchild of a single Retro developer in 2007 after ''Prime 3'' released, Paul Tozer, and his proposal never even made it out of internal approval at Retro Studios, let alone Nintendo itself, as almost everyone else at Retro was tired of making ''Metroid'' games and wanted to move on.

** In December 2022, the "DidYouKnowGaming?" Youtube channel [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ8xa4drduQ released a video]] that shed much light on proposed ''Metroid'' games. One of the segments of the video sheds far more light on what the Next Level Games project above was: it initially started off as a plan for a fast-paced multiplayer game code-named "Project Valkyrie" and ultimately evolved into becoming ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeFederationForce''. Another game idea discussed was the idea of a TurnBasedTactics game where players would control Samus and Federation troopers fighting Space Pirates in grid-based gameplay, with mechanics for researching upgrades and recruiting bounty hunters as additional units. However, this idea was really only the brainchild of a single Retro developer in 2007 after ''Prime 3'' released, Paul Tozer, and his proposal never even made it out of internal approval at Retro Studios, let alone Nintendo itself, as almost everyone else at Retro was tired of making ''Metroid'' games and wanted to move on.

* AcclaimedFlop: ''Metroid'' is widely held up as a revolutionary game series, being one of Nintendo's premiere franchises since the NES, and with many well-received entries credited for helping to [[{{Metroidvania}} found an entire genre]]. At the same time, only five games in the entire franchise[[note]]''Super Metroid'', ''Metroid Fusion'', ''Metroid Prime'', ''Metroid Prime 3: Corruption'', & ''Metroid Dread''[[/note]] have ever broken one million copies sold. By comparison, ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand'' alone has sold more copies than ''every Metroid game combined''.

* FanNickname:
** 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.
** Super Missiles are often shortened to just Supers.
** Energy Tanks are commonly shortened to E-Tanks due to many of their designs having a large "E" on the side.
** The pickup for the Gravity Suit in ''Super'' and ''Zero Mission'' is occasionally called "pancakes" because its design resembles a stack of them.
** 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".
** When referring to the Etecoons and Dachoras collectively rather than individually, they're usually called "the animals".
** "Shockness Monster" for Serris in ''Fusion''.
** There's one character in ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'' who has several for his different appearances.
*** Little Birdy: Choogle, [[spoiler:Furbley]]
*** Mystery Creature: El Pollo Loco, [[spoiler:Ugley, I Can't Believe It's Not Ridley]]
*** [[spoiler:Ridley: Clone!Ridley, Roidley]]
** Outside Japan, the Baby Metroid was usually just called "the hatchling" until ''Other M''.
** 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".
** The Work Robots seen in ''Super Metroid'', ''Zero Mission'', and the manga are sometimes called [[Film/StarWars Gonk Droids]] due to their similar shape.

* CharacterSpecificPages:
** [[Characters/MetroidSamusAran Samus Aran]]
** [[Characters/MetroidMotherBrain Mother Brain]]
** [[Characters/MetroidRidley Ridley]]
** [[Characters/MetroidMetroidPrimeAndDarkSamus Metroid Prime and Dark Samus]]

* AcclaimedFlop: ''Metroid'' is widely held up as a revolutionary game series, being one of Nintendo's premiere franchises since the NES, and with many well-received entries credited for helping to [[{{Metroidvania}} found an entire genre]]. At the same time, only four games in the entire franchise[[note]]''Super Metroid'', ''Metroid Fusion'', ''Metroid Prime'', and ''Metroid Prime 3: Corruption''[[/note]] have ever broken one million copies sold. By comparison, ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand'' alone has sold more copies than ''every Metroid game combined''.

** [[Characters/MetroidAdamMalkovich Adam Malkovich]]