Trivia / Metroid: Samus Returns

• B-Team Sequel: Unlike all prior 2D Metroid entries, which were developed by Yoshio Sakamoto's team internally at Nintendo, the disbanding of said group after Metroid: Zero Mission lead to this game being a co-production with an external company, similar to Metroid: Other M before it; this time being Spanish developer MercurySteam.
• Career Resurrection:
  • Due to how divisive Metroid: Other M was, nearly tearing the Metroid fanbase apart since it came out, Samus Returns appears to be this for Yoshio Sakamoto, who fans believed left the series following the negative reaction to said game. Given the return to the narrative style of previous 2D games (narrated opening mixed with silent cutscenes) and the re-emphasizing of Samus Aran's unflappable nature (particularly in relation to Ridley. In Other M, he was at the center of that game's unfortunate Signature Scene where Samus is frozen in terror at the sight of him; here, Samus wastes no time in confronting him as soon as he appears), it appears he took the fans' criticisms to heart.
  • Also serves as one for developer MercurySteam, who had the unenviable position of their previous two games, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, not only being poorly received by fans and critics alike, but also being near-Franchise Killers as the last console Castlevanina games to be released. In contrast, the positive reception of Samus Returns marks the end to this franchise's Audience-Alienating Era.
• Development Gag: The Fusion Difficulty is a nod to MercurySteam originally pitching a remake of Metroid Fusion.
• Executive Veto: According to Sakamoto, MercurySteam originally wanted to remake a different Metroid game than Metroid II (the aforementioned Fusion), but he persuaded them that Metroid II needed the treatment far more.
• First Appearance: Of Raven Beak, a Chozo warrior appearing in the memory archives. His role would be expanded upon in the following game, Metroid Dread.
• International Co Production: The Japanese Nintendo developed the game in collaboration with Spanish developer MercurySteam.
• What Could Have Been:
  • As has been reiterated on this page repeatedly, MercurySteam originally had pitched a remake of Metroid Fusion for the Nintendo 3DS, which Sakamoto liked, but rejected on the grounds that Metroid II would benefit more from being remade.
  • Prior to the above pitch, MercurySteam had wanted to create an original Metroid Wii U game that it would have been a first-person adventure similar to the Metroid Prime Trilogy. Nintendo dismissed the idea, having no interest in making a home console Metroid game at the time.

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