The Quickening: Metroid · 3:45pm Aug 26th, 2016
I love my country, but it doesn't love me.
Gerardo Enciso
NINTENDO HATES METROID.
The franchise turns 30 this year and Nintendo doesn't care. It might be a surprise for you but the ugly truth is that Nintendo hasn't care about Samus since her inception. Want to know why? Join me on this journey throughout the history of Metroid.
(Author's note: I'm not a Metroid fan, thus I'm not the most appropiate person to talk about this but considering the shutdown of AM2R it's necessary to take notes. If my favorite franchise was in the same position I'm pretty sure you'll do the same)
You want to know why I said that? The only reason Nintendo has stay away all this time is simply because Metroid is not that popular in the japanese market.
We all know this game, we all love this game, but the truth is Nintendo didn't want to give birth to such masterpiece.
After the release of Metroid II: Return of Samus for Game Boy, Gunpei Yokoi's department was divided in two sections, one of them became Intelligent Systems (Paper Mario, Fire Emblem). One section developed games for the Game Boy, the other one (in charge of Yoshio Sakamoto) focused on Samus's adventure.
For Yokoi and other Nintendo executives the project was worthless. The sales of Metroid and Metroid II were... meh to say the least. Nintendo decided to cut back the project and Yokoi threatened the team in three different occasions with cancelling the project.
"Yokoi-san was always angry when we looked completely absorbed and working overtime in Super Metroid. He came and said, 'Are you trying to produce a work of art or something?' Yokoi-san was angry every day during that period." Yoshio Sakamoto.
You read right: Gunpei Yokoi, Samus's father, gave up on her and ended hating what he had created.
After the release, despite of critical acclaim, Nintendo's fears were confirmed: its sales were lower than expected and was surpassed by other games released that year, like Donkey Kong Country.
The difficulty of implement a 3D Metroid and Yokoi's departure were the reasons for Samus being absent in the 64-bit era aside from Super Smash Bros.
Then Nintendo gave the franchise to Retro Studios because if americans like Metroid, then let the americans create Metroid. The 3D convertion was initially critisized, it was considered one of the biggest mistakes in gaming history but in the end we all know the results: Metroid Prime is considered one of the best videogames of all time.
When Retro Studios decided to revive the Donkey Kong Country series, Nintendo gave the IP to Team Ninja (Ninja Gaiden, Dead or Alive) and... we all know how it ended.
After ten years of development Another Metroid II Remake was finished, on the 30th anniversary of the franchise... and Nintendo shut it down. They pulled the plug like it was nothing. They had the right to do this but this is a slap in the face and a kick in the crotch to the entire fanbase. What this says to me is that Nintendo neglected their fans for so long that the fans are making the games themselves now. That is sad.
I just don't get you Nintendo, I just don't. Why does it always seem like you're taking 2 steps foward and 3 steps back with literally everything you do? Why is it just as easy to hate you as it is to love you? You claimed to be protecting and preserving the franchise but your negligence is what's hurting at most. You have being a terrible parent. Instead of limiting and stopping the fans why can't you just take care of Samus so we don't have to? It's not much we are asking for, why do we have to have this love-hate relationship with you? I don't understand.
And this is one of the main reasons why Ridley is never going to be in Super Smash Bros. (Please get over it. At this point I came to the conclusion that Ridley will only get in when Sakurai is no longer in charge of the franchise and his successor is more open-minded than him.)
Like I said before I'm not the most appropiate person to talk about this: I'm not a Metroid fan, I'm not that interested in the franchise and I've only ever played two games (the first Metroid Prime and Other M, which by the way is not a bad game and the hate towards it is overreacted), but sometimes not being a fan can make you reflex things better and observe things from a different point of view. Think about all what I've said and leave your thoughts on the comments.
Daddy N doesn't care about you, but we do. Happy birthday Samus.
