Metroid Database.com

Some eagle-eyed fans recently discovered the patent for Metroid Prime 3: Corruption! The patent (7896733) clearly describes the game's Hyper Mode system, complete with a vector drawing of a Space Pirate! (Hey, maybe you could play this game on the SNES using the FX Chip ;-) The patent's abstract describes the invention as follows:

A power or life meter is displayed in a video game. Firing a weapon depletes the indicated power. Meanwhile, the power is recharged at a predetermined rate. If the indicated power exceeds capacity, the game character is adversely impacted. If the indicated power is completely depleted, the game character loses a benefit.

This describes the Hyper Mode system exactly, where players fire Phazon from Samus's gun to lower the Phazon meter, which will slowly recharge over time. In case you haven't played Corruption (in which case, you need to track down the game and stick into a Wii NOW), Hyper Mode consumes one of Samus's Energy Tanks in exchange for heavily increased firepower and defensive capabilities. The Phazon meter will increase slowly over time and whenever Samus takes damage. If the Phazon meter reaches its limit, Samus will become fully corrupted, and it's game over! However, if the player uses up all the Phazon energy, then Samus exits Hyper Mode with 100 less Energy.

Note that Kensuke Tanabe has stated in an interview on Iwata Asks that he had to fight for Hyper Mode from the very beginning of development because some of the staff felt it made the game unnecessarily complex. It wasn't until the late stages of development that the staff finally accepted the system, once they saw the game's testers had mastered it and the ability to exit Hyper Mode at any time had been added. With this in mind, it is interesting to note the patent was filed in September 2006, during the heart of Corruption's development period (it was finally issued in March 2011). We're certainly glad it was included, as it helped make Corruption as great a game as it is.

Kensuke Tanabe is also credited with the "Magical Starsign Patent" (0076015) for a battle system based on astrological positions and a patent for a trading game for use on networked game systems such as the DS (0317432). Sorry, but I have no idea which game this is for, other than it was also credited to Masao Suganuma, the guy who designed Monster Rancher.

Metroid series patents have previously been discovered for Metroid Zero Mission, although they were initially interpreted as being from Metroid Dread (so if anyone says they are, you can correct 'em and tell 'em they're the "Mother Brain" and "Chozo God of War" patents from Zero Mission!).

Until next time...
Captain Commando