Overview
The American studio that earned Nintendo’s trust. Retro Studios faced troubled beginnings—multiple cancelled projects, staff turnover—before Shigeru Miyamoto intervened. The result was Metroid Prime, a first-person Metroid that reviewers called impossible. It wasn’t. Retro proved Western developers could handle Nintendo’s premier franchises with respect.
Fast facts
- Founded: 1998.
- Location: Austin, Texas.
- Parent: Nintendo (acquired 2002).
- Breakout: Metroid Prime (2002).
Metroid Prime trilogy
| Title |
Year |
Platform |
| Metroid Prime |
2002 |
GameCube |
| Metroid Prime 2: Echoes |
2004 |
GameCube |
| Metroid Prime 3: Corruption |
2007 |
Wii |
| Metroid Prime 4 |
TBD |
Switch |
Donkey Kong work
| Title |
Year |
| Donkey Kong Country Returns |
2010 |
| Tropical Freeze |
2014 |
Development style
| Aspect |
Approach |
| Nintendo oversight |
Miyamoto involvement |
| Polish |
Extended development |
| Faithfulness |
Respecting source |
| Technical skill |
Hardware mastery |
Legacy
| Achievement |
Impact |
| Prime success |
Revived dormant franchise |
| Western trust |
Proved external quality |
| Nintendo family |
Full subsidiary |
| Ongoing work |
Prime 4 development |
See also