Ryan's Archive

30 Years of Super Metroid

For the most part, I do think annual celebrations of game releases is a tad bit pretentious, especially when it comes to an entire website dedicated to the franchise, but here we are. Today (well, technically yesterday in Japan) we celebrate the 30th anniversary of Super Metroid‘s release.

Metroidvanias today are all the rage. I think this year alone, we’ve had at least 5 or more AAA Metroidvanias released. Two of them I am extremely excited to play – Prince of Persia the Lost Crown and ULTROS.

 

But I digress. Back to celebrating Super.  How to celebrate? You could actually sit down and play Super Metroid.

There are a ton of ways you can play Super Metroid:

 

  • Play an actual game cartridge on a SNES or use a SupaBoy if you want to go portable.
  • Play it on Wii Virtual Console
  • Play it on Wii U Virtual Console
  • Play it on Switch SNES service
  • Play it on a New 3DS
  • Play it on a SNES Mini console
  • Play it on an emulator (there’s plenty to choose from – bSNES, SNES9X, ZSNES, MESEN, RetroArch)
  • And many other ways if you’re clever enough to know how.

Or if you’re not in a gaming mood, watch this commercial:

Or you could watch this promo video that the commercial was cut from and we offer the exclusive translation for:

Or you could watch this fantastic 14 minute documentary on the game’s development history by Jordan A.H.:

Or continue to RT/share our social media content. It’s up to you.

 

Anyway, yay, 30 years of Super Metroid. I love it, you love it, we all love it. Don’t stop loving it, and keep telling people it’s the best……cuz it is.

 

 

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to doing my taxes.


MDB T-Shirts

At long last, Metroid Database is proud to announce that we are now offering t-shirts with the MDb logo on it.

 

Get yours today by clicking the image below:

 

Or go here: https://metroid-database.myshopify.com/products/short-sleeve-t-shirt-mdb-logo


MAGFest 2024

In case you’ve been living under a Chozo statue the last couple weeks and don’t follow our social media accounts, MAGFest happened on Jan 18-21, 2024. This MAG was special, in that the show’s theme was Metroid-motherfucking-Prime. 


Concerts

The show was one of the best MAGs I’ve experienced in recent memory. An arsenal of Metroid fan stuff occurred, including this Metroid Metal concert:

We can’t forget Lacey Johnson, who initially donned a Zero Suit costume during her act, and also featured Super Metroid inspired visuals during the intro of her performance that consisted of Metroid arrangement tracks:

The Ro Panuganti show was also incredible, and featured an awesome Ridley Battle theme track (with singing Ridley visuals!). Check it out here:

Hip hop artist Sammus was also on the scene, bringing her incredible skills to the main stage: VIDEO COMING SOON


Other MAGFest Stuff

These awesome floor stickers greeted you in the hotel lobby: They also adorned the elevator glass:

And here’s what this year’s maps looked like:

On top of all the awesome performances, our former staff member Devin was on a panel where he spoke about the fan translation and development of Twinetroid, an excerpt from that panel can be watched here: VIDEO UPLOADED SOON


MAGFest merch

In standard MAGFest fashion, the theme lent itself well to offering attendees a great amount of merch, featuring the annual mascot, a Samus-like bird lady named “Cho” and her cute not-Metroid Prime like alien, “Zip.” This year’s swadges (a “swag badge” that has interactive lights and buttons) featured a full-color screen, a 3D FPS Wolfenstein/Metroid Prime hybrid game, and was in a shape very similar to that of Cho’s spaceship (clearly based on Samus’s Super ship).


Cosplay

Metroid cosplayers came out in full force over the weekend. It was an incredible sight – including possibly the world’s first ever Joey cosplayer – these costume makers really brought their A-game to the event. See pics of the Metroid photoshoot below:

 

Lastly, I must give a huge shoutout to our FB admin Carl, who – along with a few friends – built a ~10ft tall Mother Brain pixel costume that towered above everything else, and featured MB’s classic screams, a light-up brain, blinking eye, drool, exhaled fog, and had animatronic mouth, arms, and fingers. It was epic as it could possibly be. Here’s the reveal:

WATCH: Behind the scenes short

 

Of course, my biggest regret was not having a panel of my own, where other plans were made, but ultimately fell through – however there’s always next year. MAGFest seems to only get better with each passing year. See ya in 2025!


Metroid 1 SNES port released

Over the last 2+ months, well-known NES scene hacker infidelity has worked tirelessly to create this incredible, perfect port of Metroid to SNES. This isn’t just a vanilla port though, no – infidelity has gone way above and beyond the call of duty. I personally helped infidelity by creating special sprites for Samus, as he has utilized the extra VRAM in the SNES to allow Samus to have two unique sides – something the developers had originally intended to have from the get-go.

2-sided Justin Bailey Samus required extensive sprite additions.


He has also retained the original Famicom Disk System 3-slot save system that only Zelda fans were privy to at the time, as well as giving players the ability to use M1’s diverse password system. All working perfectly.

 

The number next to your name is a death counter.

When you die, you are given the ability to save your file, even if you’re using a password.


It’s an incredible port, and if you have the ability to do it, I highly recommend you give it a try. Big thanks to infidelity and I was super honored to be able to contribute to this port, something I consider to be a historical event in the world of Metroid.


And finally, the coup de grace:

Using the power of the MSU-1, this port offers 4 different soundtracks that you can choose before booting into the game:

Metroid 1 NTSC, Metroid 1 FDS, Metroid Zero Mission, and the arranged score by VG Music Revisited.


Get the rom here. (260MB)


New Fan Comic by Omar & Mau Mora

We have a nice surprise for you today! A second fan comic by Omar Morales and MauMora Art has been released to the public. The comic is 18 pages long, fully illustrated, full-color and totally awesome. I think the passion for Metroid really shines through in this little comic. Give it a read today.

 

Omar & Mau Mora’s previous comic, Metroid Shred, can still be found here.


Metroid Marathon – Starts Today!

Metroid Database Twitch Channel

Here’s the schedule for our Metroid Marathon. Please keep in mind some games may be finished sooner and some may be finished later than the times listed below.

We will be giving away a bunch of prizes during the streams all month long, so do not miss it!

 

[mobile phone users: switch to landscape mode to properly view]

Date Game Played by Time(ish)
10/1 Super Metroid Ryan 1:00pm CST
10/1 – 10/3 Metroid Dread Ryan 8:00pm CST
10/4 – 10/7 Metroid Prime 3 Rue 8:30pm PST
10/8 – 10/11 Metroid Prime 2 Carl 7:00pm EST
10/12 Metroid Fusion Rue 8:30pm PST
10/13 – 10/15 Metroid Prime Remastered Jennifer 7:00pm EST
10/16 Metroid Prime Pinball Ryan 7:00pm CST
10/16 Metroid 1 TJ 9:30pm CST
10/17 Metroid Zero Mission Carl 8:30pm EST
10/18 – 10/20 Metroid Samus Returns Ryan 7:00pm CST
10/21 – 10/24 Metroid Other M Jennifer 1:00pm EST
10/25 – 10/27 Metroid Prime Hunters Ryan 7:00pm CST
10/29 Metroid II Return of Samus Rue 8:30pm PST

ALL DATES AND TIMES ARE TENTATIVE AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE.


Metroid Marathon – Starting October 1st

Head on over to our Twitch Channel starting October 1 for a Metroid Marathon! The staff and I will be playing through nearly all the games in a non-specific order. We’re also going to be giving away tons of stuff absolutely free! All you gotta do is be there.

Get hyped, because we will be having a special guest playing Metroid 1 on our anniversary! Hmmm I wonder who it could be….


New Prints

Today we launch two new 18×24″ (45.7cm x 61cm) prints in our store – one is the restock of our previous “The Bosses” print:

The other is called “Dreaded Hunter”:

Both pieces were drawn by long time friend of the site, Manos Lagouvardos. (Click the thumbnails above to be taken to the store page)

 

Thanks as always for supporting our site. I can’t wait until these incredible prints are in your hands.


EMMI Figma Now Available to Preorder

It’s $111USD. Get it here: https://www.goodsmileus.com/product/figma-e-m-m-i-11176

 

The Dread Samus figma has also been given a 2nd round of preorders. Get that here: https://www.goodsmileus.com/product/figma-samus-aran-dread-ver-11177

Note: Please do not contact us asking questions about preordering, or any other details concerning this product that are answered on the official purchase page.


MaxFactory Live Stream reveals EMMI Figma

This morning (5am EST) Max Factory’s promotional live stream covering their upcoming products showed off printed photos of the upcoming EMMI Figma action figure. The Figma is to scale, meaning it is much larger than the Samus Figma, which was listed at 6.29in (160mm). If my Japanese is right, the EMMI stands at well over 200mm (~8in.)

 

The EMMI itself has tons of moving parts, including four individual hinges for each one of its claws, extensions on its forearms and calves, foldable limbs, working leg cylinders, and replaceable heads. It’s so large that they have to package it with a custom “X” stand, which is much more sturdy than normal Figma stands.

 

At the end of the presentation, they very non-chalantly pull the Dread Samus Figma on-screen, and for some reason, my mouth began to salivate. Can’t wait until the end of the year when it’s supposed to deliver.

 

The good stuff starts at 00:55:30

My Japanese isn’t good enough to notice whether they mentioned any kind of release date, so stay tuned.

 

If you’re not interested in listening to two Japanese men talk about it for 12 minutes, feel free to take a look at these screenshots: