Classic Games

Metroid

Alone in the dark

Nintendo's atmospheric action-adventure introduced Samus Aran, non-linear exploration, and the template for an entire genre.

NES action-adventurenintendones-essential 1986–2024

Overview

Metroid was Nintendo being un-Nintendo. Dark corridors instead of bright colours. Isolation instead of cheerful mascots. A silent protagonist in a hostile alien world. Produced by Gunpei Yokoi and directed by Yoshio Sakamoto, it created a template so influential that “Metroidvania” became a genre name.

Fast facts

  • Developer: Nintendo R&D1.
  • Producer: Gunpei Yokoi.
  • Directors: Yoshio Sakamoto, Satoru Okada.
  • Release: August 1986 (Japan), August 1987 (North America).
  • Setting: planet Zebes, home of the Space Pirates and Metroids.
  • The twist: completing the game fast enough revealed Samus was a woman—shocking in 1986.
  • Password system: no battery saves; players recorded 24-character passwords.

The design

Metroid established conventions:

  • Non-linear exploration: the map opened gradually as abilities were gained.
  • Ability gating: missiles open red doors; bombs break certain floors; each upgrade unlocks areas.
  • Backtracking: returning to earlier areas with new abilities revealed secrets.
  • Sequence breaking: skilled players could acquire items “early” through advanced techniques.

The atmosphere

Unlike Mario’s cheerful worlds, Zebes was hostile:

  • Isolation: no NPCs, no dialogue, just Samus alone.
  • Ambient sound: minimalist music emphasised emptiness.
  • Alien biology: enemies weren’t cute; they were threatening.
  • Environmental storytelling: the world implied history without exposition.

The reveal

Completing Metroid under certain time limits showed Samus without her armour:

  • Under 5 hours: Samus in a leotard
  • Under 3 hours: Samus in a bikini
  • Under 1 hour: Samus with no helmet

The revelation that gaming’s newest action hero was female challenged assumptions—though the “reward” framing hasn’t aged well.

Technical constraints

The Famicom Disk System original had advantages:

  • Extra storage for the large map
  • Save feature (Japanese version)
  • The NES cartridge used passwords instead

The password system, while tedious, became iconic—JUSTIN BAILEY unlocked a famous secret configuration.

Legacy

Metroid and Castlevania together defined “Metroidvania”:

  • Interconnected maps
  • Ability-gated progression
  • Backtracking with new powers
  • Atmosphere over cheerfulness

Super Metroid (1994) perfected the formula. Modern games from Hollow Knight to Ori to Dead Cells carry the DNA of that first descent into Zebes.

See also