Metroid Database.com

THE METROID DATABASE IS ONE YEAR OLD!!

First off, I would like to thank everybody who has visited and enjoyed the MDb. Little did I realize back in May of '96 when I started putting together a website for my favorite videogame series that this thing would mutate into the monster it has become. I am very happy and proud that the MDb is now serving as the premiere source of Metroid information and fanstuff on the Internet!

I couldn't have done it without you, the Metroid fans of cyberspace...so I thank you!

Secondly, I just wanted to let you know that although the updates have been slow these days, I promise that that will change in the future. I have lots of cool ideas that I have been working on to make the Net's biggest and best Metroid site even bigger and better!! Here's a sneak peek at what's in store for the MDb, Year Two!!

• Expanded Game Information Archives
• More IRC craziness on #MDb
• Character Files
• Music Download Zone
• "Sam's Zebes Adventure!!"
• Monsters of Metroid Ultimate Battle Tournament
• More Maps, More Fun, More Samus, MORE METROID!!

As you can see, there's lots more to come!! So, if you're a longtime MDb visitor, you'll love what's in store for you next. And if you know anyone who's a Metroid fanatic who hasn't seen the MDb-- GET 'EM IN HERE!! And if you're new to the MDb or the world of Metroid--you're in for a ride!!

Thanks very much to you all--See You Next Mission!! :)

--T.J.

Welp, here we are already, at the Second Anniversary of the Metroid Database. It seems like it was the First Anniversary just the other day, dunnit? Well, I realize that the last year has been a slow one for the ol' MDb, and I apologize for that. I really wish I had more time to work on the site but I simply don't. However, I do have some very cool stuff lined up for the MDb's *third* year--most of which is all the stuff I promised to get done in the *second* year, but hey, the ideas are still kicking around. Here's what all you Metroid Maniacs can look forward to from the MDb in the future:

• The MDb interviews Dan Owsen of Nintendo of America!
• A revamping of the MDb -- easier to read, easier to navigate!
• Sam's Zebes Adventure -- Yes, I'm still planning it!
• Still more art, stories, and hidden goodies!
• ...and hopefully, before the MDb's Third Birthday, I will get to report on a new Metroid game...let's keep our fingers crossed!

...as always, great big thanks to everyone who supports, visits, and enjoys the Metroid Database. It's you who make this site what it is--the biggest and best!!

See you next mission! CHEERS!!

--TJ

Thanks Terilem!

Wow. #3 kinda sneaked up on me!! I wonder if any of you felt that this past year went by particularly quickly. Well, on this, the MDb's third birthday, I'm happy to be able to say that the majority of promises I made on the last two birthdays have come true. As you know, I am preparing a large update which will include lots of long-neglected fan fiction and fan art, as well as an in-depth strategy guide for playing Samus in Smash Brothers. However, as I happen to be writing this on October 15 (the eve of the Big 3), I've just received my brand-spankin' new computer, which I must say ROCKS -- but it doesn't have any of my MDb stuff on it yet!! As you know, the MDb is quite huge and getting everything transferred from the old computer will be quite an undertaking, so I ask you to please be patient just a bit longer for the big update. I'm sorry I couldn't have it done for the 3rd Anniversary, but I assure you that there's not much work left to be done on it and you'll be enjoying new stuff very soon!

I'd also like to take a moment on this occasion to talk just briefly about what's going on with Metroid these days, and whether or not we're going to see a new Samus adventure or what. Unfortunately, things don't seem to have gotten any further than they were back when the MDb started up, that being the "rumor" stage. However, recent interviews with NCL's Shigeru Miyamoto have given us quotes that have sounded more and more promising. All I can tell you is that Nintendo most certainly is aware that there is enormous demand for Samus' return and they are looking into it, if not for the N64 then for their next system, code-named Dolphin. Hopefully their delays mean that they are waiting for the time to be right to contact Samus for another mission, and when that time comes, nothing will even come close to the adventure that we're in for!!

As always, I must thank every single Metroid fan and MDb visitor that keeps the spirit alive and supports the site. The Metroid Database wouldn't be the oldest, biggest, and best without you, so I hope you continue to enjoy it even while we're waiting for that next Metroid game. No matter how long it takes, keep the faith, because personally, I have no doubt that our time will come.

See you next mission! CHEERS!!

--TJ

THE METROID DATABASE TURNS 5

10.16.01

Yup, October 16, 2001 marks the fifth anniversary of the Metroid Database. This is a pretty big milestone in any website's history, but oddly enough I don't have much to say. I guess when I dreamed up the MDb in a college classroom way back in '96, I never thought it'd be something that would last this long. And to think there is still lots that needs to be done here on the site!

It's an interesting time to be a videogame enthusiast. The MDb went live during the 32-/64-bit system era and we are now heading into the second half of the next console war. We've already seen one system fall (RIP Dreamcast, I'll always be a big fan) and there's only one kid on the block (the PlayStation 2, which is just now hitting its stride as far as I'm concerned). That will change in only a month's time however, as the X-Box and Gamecube hit the scene. From where I sit, Nintendo looks ready to fight for that #1 spot once again -- the GC and its roster of upcoming titles looks to be Nintendo's strongest offering since the Super NES. And don't forget about the GameBoy Advance, which already boasts a strong library of titles after only half a year on the scene, and can only improve. Which, of course, brings me to my next and, for Metroid otaku, most important point:

We're at an exciting time in Metroid history -- probably the most exciting time since the beginning of the MDb. For the first time in the site's history, we have not just one, but two new Metroid games to look forward to in Metroid Prime for Gamecube and Metroid IV for Game Boy Advance, not to mention her appearance in the highly-anticipated Super Smash Bros. Melee for the Cube. While other great sites like the Castlevania Dungeon have been reporting on new games in their featured series this whole time, the MDb has had to sit idly by on four and a half years of speculation which finally came to an end this year. How will the new games affect the Metroid series, the Metroid Database, and Metroid fandom as a whole? Will we find out by the MDb's sixth birthday?

I guess all I can really say today is thanks to all the people who make the MDb possible: Classicgaming.com, Nintendo for the games themselves, those who have contributed their work and/or information, and of course, YOU the visitors who have supported the Metroid Database even while there was nothing going on in the world of Metroid. We met Samus Aran 15 long years ago; the dedication I've seen from Metroid fans around the world is enough to convince me that her legend will never die. Thanks everybody, and please continue to enjoy the MDb.

-- TJ, creator and webmonster of the Metroid Database

THE MDb TURNS SIX

10.16.02

After what has probably been the best year of the MDb's history, and with just over a month until the day we've all been waiting for, it's time to take a moment to ramble -- er, celebrate the sixth anniversary of our favorite little Metroid fansite.

Some good stuff happened in the last year. The MDb got an overhaul, the Message Board passed 1000 members, Metroid IV got a name change and a drastically improved look since last year, Samus showed up in Smash Bros. Melee, and Nintendo is really getting behind the Metroid franchise again. Oh, and I got an S-logo tattoo!

Of course, the real fun has been watching the development of two new Metroid games. We have patiently (well, sometimes not-so-patiently) waited 8-1/2 years for this. Eight and a half years. And for six of those eight and a half years, the Metroid Database has done its best to help keep Metroid fandom alive. Metroid fans have been coming here since 1996 because they love the old games. Now, with an overhauled site and a new staff in place, we are prepared to welcome new fans who are turned on to the Metroid series by the release of Prime and Fusion. I hope that players who experience Metroid for the first time through these two new titles will find the MDb, learn all about Metroid's prior 16-year history, and seek out the first three titles to discover the magic that we've all been lucky enough to experience again and again since 1986.

Ever since we fans all mastered Super Metroid, we've been very vocal in our demand for more Samus adventures. We've expressed our wishes to Nintendo and to the videogaming press. For years it seemed as though our pleas were falling on deaf ears as new Mario and Zelda titles came and went, yet we never crossed paths with Samus Aran. We wondered if Nintendo had forgotten all about Metroid amidst the raging success of Pokemon. Our inquiries were met with replies of "although we've recieved many requests, there are no plans for a new Metroid game at this time." Frustration plagued the Metroid fanbase, as though Samus had just thrown a drink in our collective faces and stormed off to join Kid Icarus on the back of a milk carton.

But not anymore. On November 18, 2002, we get what we've been asking for. Not just one, but two new Metroid games. New experiences await us. We'll find new tricks, new secrets. We'll explore new worlds. We'll be bombing through new hidden passages and fighting strange new monsters. We'll develop new techniques. We'll race against the clock to get the "best ending." We'll trade new tips and chart new territories. It'll be just like old times, yet it'll all be new.

And I can't help but think that it's we, the fans, who made it happen. Nintendo was listening. And we have been rewarded for our patience and undying devotion.

I may run the biggest and oldest Metroid site on the Internet, blah blah blah, yadda yadda yadda, ad nauseum. But I'm nobody special. I'm just a Metroid fan. Like all of you. And I can't freakin' wait.

I'm happy and proud that the MDb has lasted long enough to see it happen. I thank my buddies Capcom and Asaic for their help with the MDb, and as always, I thank all of you fellow Metroid freaks for your support and enthusiasm.

-- TJ
MDb Webmonster
October 16, 2002

GOOD LORD...EIGHT!

10.16.04

Eight years?! Eight years I've been running a Metroid site? Wow. Who'da thunk it?

I know I missed #7 last year, but this year I kinda feel like staying concise. With the impending release of Prime 2 and Prime Hunters, we're up to 8 Metroid games. Which, on the average, shakes out to one per year of the MDb's life, although we know darn well that five of those eight came in the last two years. After six years of "where's Samus?", suddenly there was Prime and Fusion, then a little over a year went by and there was Zero Mission, and now here comes MP2 and MPH...it's almost a case of "be careful what you wish for," because now here I am scrambling to get sections going for more new games!

Anyways, as I said, I'm gonna keep it basic for this one...as always, big thanks go out to my partners in crime, CapCom and Asaic, as well as all the regular and occasional contributors who have donated their efforts to the MDb; thanks to Nintendo for bringing Samus back with a vengeance and keeping her around, and Retro Studios for helping to make it happen; thanks to GameSpy and Classicgaming.com for keeping the MDb around; and huge thanks, of course, to all the visitors who have enjoyed and learned from the Metroid Database.

That's all -- cheers!

TJ
MDb Webmonster

Captain Commando here, bringing you more exciting news from the MDb!

10.16.06

Happy 10th Anniversary everybody!

We've added a LOT of excellent artwork and fanfiction over the years (not to forget the fanapps!). I've also tried to ensure that there's a wide range of material added to the sections so it's not just the standard jpgs and short stories that most fan material consists of. It's nice to look back at all the work everybody has done over the years. I think it shows the appreciation everybody who visits the site has for the Metroid series and, of course, the series' capacity to spark players' imaginations. Keep up the great work; the entire Metroid community really does benefit from your efforts!

I also hope everybody enjoys the music sections of the site. I did most of the game rips myself, so I hope they met with everyone's approval. I think we've got one of the largest collections of Metroid music on the web, from game rips to rarities such as Metroid Cassette and Superpope's early work. I appreciate all the help I've received in obtaining some of these harder to find tracks. I'm hoping to fill out a few holes on the site sometime in the future to help make the site as comprehensive as possible.

That said, the MDb will NOT host Metroid soundtracks that are still in publication (if you were wondering why the Prime and Fusion soundtracks aren't up, well, that's the reason). This will undoubtedly frustrate some people as videogame soundtracks are so expensive, but it definitely is a good thing that these soundtracks are available. I can only hope that Nintendo will continue to release high-quality recordings and remixes of our favorite Metroid tunes - and even more so, that they will also make these soundtracks much easier and affordable to obtain, which I think is something that the entire videogame soundtrack industry should do and would greatly benefit from.

Lastly, I uploaded a LOT of new concept art to the Super Metroid section. Most of this art has not been seen on the web before (to my knowledge, at least...) or has appeared on rather obscure sites, so it's great to have all this excellent artwork available in one place. These are new high-res scans from my copy of the European Super Metroid strategy guide (thanks Mad Mega!) as well as the American guide. Check 'em out!

I hope everybody has enjoyed these sections of the MDb and be sure to check out some of the pages you haven't seen in awhile (there might be something new there you missed!). Hopefully you will continue to be pleasantly surprised with future updates!

"Until next time..."
Captain Commando
Resident Fanschtuff Curator

P.S. - Here is a more itemized list of updates for those of you who would rather not spend time exploring the site for new goodies (the MDb 10 strategy guide, if you will :P):

Fanart - We're up to SIXTEEN pages of fanart! There's some really neat stuff that came out from this last batch, including a Ridley sculpture by Brandon Blair and some anime-style art by X. Great job, guys (and let's not forget everybody else!).

Fanfiction - Be sure to check out See You Next Mission by Insomniac by Choice and Kefkafloyd as well as Angseth by Cheshire Kat! See You Next Mission is done in episodic format just like you'd expect to see in a Metroid anime! These chronicle Samus' rise through the ranks of the bounty hunters. Angseth is the story of the sole surviving member of the Federation mission to Aether and her interactions with Samus. Both are really well written, so if you haven't checked a lot of fanfic lately (or hated what you read earlier o_O, :P) check these out to get a new introduction (speaking of which, I can't stop recommending Insomniac's previous work, The Best There Is - that got me excited about fanfiction again!).

• Metroid 1 - German Limited Edition Metroid 1 pack scans added!
• Metroid 2 - Promo poster added to packs! We also have scans from the Super Gameboy Strategy Guide in the Library, so check those out, too.
• Super Metroid - TONS of new artwork and pack images added. These are exclusive pictures from the European strategy guide.
• Metroid Fusion - Japanese guide added!
• Metroid Prime - Added scans of the Gamecube bundle to packs!
• Metroid Zero Mission - Scans of the Japanese MZM and a pirated Japanese pack added!
• Metroid Prime 2 - Scan of the Japanese cover (sorry, no internal scans yet >_<)

MDb TURNS TEN

10.16.06

Wow...um...hi.

Ten years, huh?

I know...it seems that long since the last update. Well, it hasn't been. It's only been a year.

Actually, that's not true. Good ol' Cap has been slogging away at fan stuff and music and art/packaging uploads the whole time. I'm sure you saw his message above for the humungous rundown of what's new as well as everything you may have missed.

As for me...I have precious little to say on the 10th Anniversary of the Metroid Database. Other than Cap's devoted efforts, the site has been otherwise dormant for the better part of the past year. Other Metroid fansites have long since passed up this old dinosaur. That it's still even online after all this time sort of amazes me. The site has gone through an awful lot of ups and downs, not the least of which was the first five years of its existence when we were just chasing the pipe dream of a new Metroid title...trying to keep Metroid fandom alive when there was no such thing as a new Metroid game on the horizon.

This is going to sound really melancholy on what should be a proud day, but hear me out.

First off...I started the MDb when I was 21 and in college, working at Media Play and studying art and publishing. I'm 32 now, and have since spent six years as a professional graphic designer and the past three years as a tattoo artist. Lemme tell ya...priorites change between 21 and 32. A lot. I am still very active on the web, but it's in a whole different capacity. These days I am focused on my art, networking, freelance design work, and trying to make a living. Through it all, I have remained a devoted videogame enthusiast -- always playing a hot new title, adding to my massive collection of classics, or figuring out where I'm going to store another arcade machine. However, archiving data about the Metroid games has slowly slipped from being part of my gaming hobby to barely registering at all on my to-do radar.

Which brings me to my next point, which is Metroid itself. Due to my role as the MDb webmaster, I have tried -- admittedly with varying degrees of success -- to be relatively diplomatic in my opinions on the Metroid Prime series. Well...I'm too old and tired to be diplomatic anymore. I'll put it right out there:

The Prime series has sucked my enthusiasm for Metroid out of me like...well, a metroid.

I'm sorry Nintendo, I'm sorry Retro, but dammit, I hated Prime 2. And I didn't even bother buying Hunters -- not even to keep my Metroid collection complete. The Prime games are just too far away from being what I loved in Metroids 1, 2, and 3, and even 4 and ZM. I always wanted to see a 3D Metroid game, but for some reason those of us who wanted to actually see Samus while running her around an alien planet are just being flat-out denied because Nintendo needs an answer to Halo, or whatever. Clearly, with there being a Prime 3 in the works for the Wii, and no new 2D Metroid in sight, the Metroid series I fell in love with is simply no more.

You can say I'm living in the past. That's fine -- I have five great Metroid games to go back to. But the 2D Castlevania games have just been getting better and better, so you can't tell me it wouldn't be worth it to keep Metroid true to its roots.

So what's all this bitching and moaning add up to? Well... I'm no longer going to make any apologies for not updating the MDb. I don't want it to be expected of me anymore, because the fire's gone. Ten years has been a darn good run, but the time has come to wash my hands of it. I would eventually like to turn the site over to a talented team who has the passion for Metroid and the ambition to get the site back to where it deserves to be and keep it there, while still retaining kind of an "executive producer" role myself. Someday.

As for now...the MDb will sit here, pretty much. Like an ancient Chozo ruin for some intergalactic bounty hunter to discover and learn from.

But hey...here's to the past decade. Metroid has changed. I've changed. I can guarantee YOU'VE changed, and if you haven't, well, you should live a little more. Having had the world's first and biggest Metroid site has been pretty cool. Thanks to everyone...EVERYONE...who has been supportive in any way. Hundreds, if not thousands of you. Too many to list. Thank you. You haven't heard the absolute last of me, but for now...see you on another mission...someday.

--TJ
MDb Founder

Crankin' it up to 11!

10.16.07

Wow, the Metroid Database has been up for eleven years and counting! That must be like 100 in Internet years! While we've had a rough time of it the past few years with slow updates, we're ramping up speed in our never-ending quest to provide you with the best Metroid content on the web! The hard work of the rest of the MDb crew is starting to really show with tons of updates and most surprisingly back to number three on Google! (We're currently being beat out only by Metroid.com and Wikipedia, but hey, I'm fine with that!) Expect to see a lot more of the same in the future!

Infinity's End has already mentioned the Metroid Manga, and we've also added some new sections to the forum mainly a Smash Brothers section and also a special translation section where you can help with a fan community translation project of the Metroid manga and other Japanese content.

Also, you may have heard on the forums or from Destructiod that Zero Suit Samus will have the Crystal Flash ability from Super Metroid as her final smash, allowing her to regain her power suit! No images yet, but we can be assured that someone, somewhere will upload them as they become available!

Anyway, thanks again for all your support over the years and we'll continue bringing you more awesome content!

"Until next time..."
Captain Commando

The MDb's 11^th Anniversary

10.16.07

Happy Anniversary to the MDb! Eleven years and counting, wow! I am so honored to be a part of the staff for this website. To celebrate, we have some new content for you like the new gorgeous, crystal-clear Metroid Prime Artwork Gallery, as well as (hope you're sitting down) an almost complete METROID MANGA(big thanks to Samethard)!! Yes, you read right. We are currently on the lookout for translators, so if you want to participate in this undertaking, please email CapCom right away! Lastly, I conclude my post with a link to our forums, where you will see my Samus tattoo that TJ did for me this past weekend. It is an amazing piece of work and the memories I will cherish forever. Congratulations to TJ, Capcom, Jesse D, Asiac, and YOU for making this the best damn Metroid website in the world. CHEERS!

Today is just the first of a long chain of updates to the Metroid Database. Stay tuned for more!

-Infinity's End

The MDb's 11^th Anniversary

10.16.07

It's pretty hard to believe that it has been a decade and a year since TJ first unleashed the MDb. That was a long time ago. I remember those days. The internet was so much more simple back then.

....anyway. It's been great to see the website still have life after this many years. So much life, in fact, that we now have a backlog of material just waiting to be added. I'll leave those details for Inf and Cap to elaborate, but for now let's just say that you should keep an eye on that Remixes column to the right. As time permits, we'll equip an RSS feed. Stay tuned for details on that. Also stay tuned for other major additions in the very near future.

-Jesse D

MDb's 12^th Anniversary

10.16.08

Well folks, it's the 12th Anniversary of the MDb, and we've got a few updates to start this new year off. I'd like to thank Jesse D and Infinity's End for all the help they've been putting into the site over the past year and a half, as well as YOU, our visitors and fan contributors, and all the folks over at the message board. It's people like YOU who help make the Metroid community as awesome as it is! And let's not forget the site's progenitor, TJ Rappel, who's still alive and kickin' it, even if he doesn't hang around here that often anymore!

To help celebrate the Big 12, we've added this great Fan Music section under the MDbWorld header! This is a section for all the Metroid remixes we've gotten permission to host! There's a lot of classics from Overclocked Remix and the old VGMix 1 and 2 as well as 3! I've also had some great contacts with some other bands and the Dwelling of Duels stuff thanks to Brendan Becker of MagFest! The guys at Arm Cannon were grateful enough to let us host a couple tracks from their album, Leg Vacuum, and it's pretty awesome stuff!

I'd like to thank again everyone who agreed to let us host their music! I'm always glad to help others in the community hear such great music. Hopefully, we'll have more stuff from VGMix 2 and elsewhere on the net over the next few months! If you've got some of your own music you'd like to submit, send us an e-mail!

I'll leave the other major updates to Jesse D and Infinity's End! Here's to another great year at the MDb!

Until next time...
Captain Commando

Happy birthday to the Metroid Database! As you can see, a dozen years on the internet and we're still kickin' Metroid ass! Thanks to you readers and fans, we are STILL the #1 Metroid fansite on the entire internet. While TJ has basically turned over the site for good to Cap, JD, and myself, (he's just not as big a Metroid fan as he once was) we assure you that we won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Sometimes it gets a little difficult to dig around for new Metroid content since Nintendo has pretty much closed the door on the franchise as of late (other than the Wii ports of the Primes). Now if only they would make an amazing 2D Metroid game like either Wario Land Shake It! or the upcoming orgasm-inducing Muramasa: The Demon Blade. These games are living proof that 2D is not dead!

The gift I have to give you all is my new special feature covering the biography of Samus Aran called The Woman Behind the Visor. I will be releasing a new page every week so please be sure to come back and read this in-depth look at our favorite bounty hunter.

I'd like to thank Capcom, Jesse D, TJ, our new forum mod Sharonlover, and of course the MDb forum community for all the great times and those to come! Cheers.

*Whew!*
What else to say? Cap, Inf and I have been working and planning for a long time to make the MDb's 12^th the most memorable yet. With tons of new content and even a new Message Board deployed, I'm proud to say the site and community are as strong as ever.

I've spent my spare moments planning and designing the theme for this new board. While it still needs work, I'm sure it'll prove to be an extremely handy and robust piece of software.

In the meantime, stay tuned for more site features and content updates from all of us!

-Jesse D

MDb 13th Anniversary

Well folks! What can I say after 13 years that Jesse D and Infinity's End haven't added already? Metroid: Other M is looking mighty incredible, and it's great to see Metroid's head, Yoshio Sakamoto, designing a true 2.5D Metroid!

Just a couple new updates for today: I added an artwork section to the Metroid Zero Mission part of the site containing concept art from the Japanese MZM Art Gallery translated exclusively for the MDb! They're finally readable to Western eyes after five years! Also, I've added one more excellent piece of fanart, Twigs' fantastic "The Mother Brain's Chamber"!

Thanks again to Jesse D and Infinity's End for their hard work on the site! The MDb wouldn't be as awesome as it is today without their hard work. Also thanks to Sharonlover for his mod work on the message board. And of course thanks to you for visiting and supporting the site for all these years! Stay tuned for more great updates through Year 14!

Until next time...
Captain Commando

MDb's 13^th Anniversary

10.16.09

Holy smokes, this one crept up on me!

So... yeah. Here we are, another year older, another year wiser. And what a year it's been! If our shift to our own domain hasn't been enough, we've seen the announcement of a new Metroid game, the release of gaming's Citizen Kane (apparently), a truly awesome homage to Super Metroid and Castlevania, and an explosion of new attention for the series thanks to Metroid Metal's masterful Varia Suite album. Not to mention, we (the MDb staff) were privileged to interview Metroid Metal's frontman Stemage in our very first podcast!

So what about the next 365 days?

Before you read my news post about how amazed I am that the site has turned 14, we'll hope to have seen substantial new developments in Metroid: Other M, more Wave Beam podcasts, and more site content to come. And who knows what else?

Here's a cheers to CapCom and Infinity's End, cheers to the MDb Message Board community, and cheers to YOU, our readers!

-Jesse D

Happy Birthday to the Metroid Database

Oh crap, the 14th anniversary of the Metroid Database is upon us! This year has, without a doubt, been the most exciting, action-packed, and information overloaded year in the MDb's 14-year history of being online. 2010 has brought the release of a brand new Metroid game, Other M, and we have been helping you guys, the loyal fans, follow all the media hype every step of the way. It has been an honor to serve the Metroid fanbase and I will continue to do so to the best of my ability throughout the coming years.

We do have a brand new episode of our podcast, Wave Beam, that will be uploaded and available to listen very soon. Look forward to it. And if you haven't already done so, please try out my hack of the very first Metroid game, MDbtroid. Combined with the magic of the Lua script, it makes the original game much more fun and playable for those that may have been turned off by the overall challenge of the first title.

That's about it for me. I'd like to say how much I appreciate the hard work my two other staff members, Capcom and Jesse D, who have both been also adding great new content to the site on their own time. We are all still dedicated to keeping the MDb the biggest and best Metroid fansite on the internet and have plenty of new and cool things in store for you all. I'd also like to thank our three forum Moderators: sharonlover, mental, and MaiAriSquee for their great work on the forum, and also to all our great forum members for their eloquent comments and conversations.

--Infinity's End

14 Years!

Happy Birthday Metroid Database! And special thanks to TJ Rappel, the creator of the site. He stepped out of the shadows to give us his thoughts on Other M and we are very thankful for it!

Fun fact: I was 14 years old when I came to the MDb for the first time back in 1997.

What a privilege it has been to watch this website and its community evolve since that time! I didn't imagine I would eventually come into this site with my own contributions but it has become a labor of love and a part of my passion as a gamer that has never worn out. Even as I face the changes of adult life (the end of college, upcoming marriage, responsibilities of homeownership) I will always feel at home here with the MDb and the community that we have kept alive since the late 90's.

What a hell of a year it has been! Other M has stirred up so much attention, headlines and controversies that it has been tough to stay on top of it all! Major, major thanks to Infinity's End and CapCom for all of their diligence and, like, to-the-second reporting of Metroid news. Not to mention all the other hard work and contributions from both of them, this site would not and could not function without them!

And of course, no birthday is complete without celebration! Be looking out for our fourth episode of Wave Beam very soon, not to mention more!

Cheers to our ever-growing community at the Message Board, our ever-so-gracious host Kontek, and of course you, our readers. Let's make year 15 the best to come. Happy Birthday, MDb!

-Jesse D

Happy Birthday, MDb!

Whenever anniversaries roll around, I always find myself asking, "Has it REALLY been that long?" When I first started working on the MDb, I was still in college and barely out of high school. Heck, I was living in a different state! Now I have an MFA, have made a few videogames, and get to teach about them. Of course, all this new work makes it hard to keep up with news and site updates, but like Ryan and Jesse, I still manage!

This year, we've had some major events. I got to meet Yoshio Sakamoto at GDC, played his new Metroid game, and the MDb has received press recognition from Nintendo. The site also found its way back to page one of Google where it belongs! We still have great contributions from fans of the site, and I admit it's still a ways off, but we have more surprises in store for you over the next few months that I'm really excited about bringing to you!

While Metroid Other M has come and gone, been loved by some groups and hated by others, we're looking forward to another great year at the MDb. While it may be awhile before we see Samus' next adventure, rest assured we will continue to bring you top-notch content and media from the Metroid series.

Ryan, thank you for your hard work on the podcasts, contests, and visual design; Jesse, thank you for being such a bulldog about keeping site code up to standards! And thank you again to our fans! We're really looking forward to Year 15!

Until next time...
Captain Commando