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