Metroid Database.com

Good lord in heaven. Jump back. Strike up the friggin' band. Nintendo actually uttered the phrase "Metroid 64" in public! On the most recent "Ask Dan" column at www.nintendo.com, the following innocent yet slightly misinformed question sent the Metroid fans of the Internet into an utter frenzy:

Q: Dear Dan, Have you heard of something called the Year 2000 bug? There is a good site explaining it at http://www.htmlgoodies.com/year2000.html. I am very concerned about this problem. They say you should check everything that plugs into the wall for compliance with the year 2000. Witch brings me to the point, what about Nintendo products? Your loyal and concerned reader, [Name omitted]

A: First of all, how would your Nintendo 64 even know what year it is? Of course the Nintendo 64 Disk Drive does have a real-time clock in it, but I'm sure that the developers were aware of the Y2K bug as they were developing that system. In any event, the Y2K bug is really going to affect mainly machines that use the COBOL programming language, which the N64 assuredly does not. So don't worry about the N64, you should be able to blissfully continue playing Metroid 64 as the clock strikes midnight on December 31, 1999. That is, if your power company's computer systems are Y2K compliant! (Wait a minute -- did I say Metroid 64? That is just wishful thinking!)

...Whatever, Danny! I've been reading Nintendo's little hints and "propaganda," if you will (i.e., Nintendo Power), for over ten years now--I know when a name-drop is wishful thinking and when it's not. This sounds like a definite hint that Nintendo plans on releasing Metroid 64 by late 1999, possibly for the 64DD. Of course, Zelda: Ocarina was supposed to be for the 64DD as well, and we all know that it's a cartridge that's coming out on November 30 (a nice pretty gold one, but still, a cartridge). Anyways, Nintendo just doesn't let their employees say things like this if there isn't a hint of truth behind it. Perhaps since Zelda is near completion, they have to start drumming up a little hype for their next major title, or at least one that's down the road. Perhaps it's time for us Metroid junkies to start keeping our eyes peeled. Oh well. Now, DON'T take this as an official announcement from Nintendo that Metroid64DD will be released by late '99 or anything, please!! ...But it's a start! ^_^ Thanks to everyone who brought this to my attention--there were a lot of you--since I hardly ever go to nintendo.com myself!)

--TJ