The History of Metroid in 2D - Metroid Dread Primer

American YouTube thumbnail

"The History of Metroid in 2D - Metroid Dread Primer" is a promotional video for Metroid Dread consisting of a retrospective of the main 2D Metroid series titles, similar to the Metroid: Other M promotional video "Metroid and Me (by Samus Aran)." It was first uploaded to the Nintendo UK YouTube channel on October 7, 2021 as "The history of the 2D Metroid series", then uploaded to Nintendo of America's YouTube channel about a month later, on November 4, 2021. The video was also included in a November 19, 2021 Nintendo News post.

The video covers the events prior to Metroid Dread, in Metroid, Metroid II: Return of Samus, Super Metroid, and Metroid Fusion. It does not include the Metroid Prime series or Metroid: Other M as they are 3D titles, and the video also does not take the remakes Metroid: Zero Mission and Metroid: Samus Returns into account.

Overview

Metroid

British YouTube thumbnail

The British video starts with a PEGI 12 rating, while the American video starts with the Nintendo Switch logo. The video proper begins with the opening emergency orders from the original NES game, with an added shooting star effect. The words "Not actual game footage" appear in the top left of the screen. The orders are largely the same as in the original NES opening, but "Zebeth" is changed to the correct "Zebes". The orders disappear and give way to the surface of Zebes, where Samus disembarks from her Starship, an 8-bit recreation that does not appear in the original Metroid. As this is happening, the Title theme of Metroid plays in the background. Walking to the left, Samus boards an elevator as the title of the video appears above. The elevator takes her down to Corridor No. 1 in Brinstar, with the words "Metroid - 1987 -" appearing to the left of the elevator. This elevator does not appear in the original game. The NES version of Samus Aran's Appearance Fanfare plays while Samus is descending the elevator. A screen appears showing clips from Brinstar in Metroid; during this the Brinstar theme plays. The clips include:

• Samus jumping onto suspended pillars over an acid pool in Corridor No. 5;
• Samus in her Varia Suit, jumping up a shaft in Kraid's Lair while shooting destructible blocks;
• Samus in Ridley's Lair, traversing through a tunnel and destroying several Dessgeegas with her Screw Attack;
• Samus in a hallway in Tourian, freezing several Metroids;
• Samus using Bombs to reveal a hidden tunnel in Norfair;
• Samus battling Kraid in his room with the Wave Beam;
• Samus battling Mother Brain in her Zebesian Command Center with Missiles.

After this, the window disappears and Samus opens Door at the end of the Brinstar hall. The following words appear on-screen before Samus opens the door: "After defeating the Space Pirates, Samus Aran undertakes a new mission:" As Samus enters the door into a connecting hallway, the message finishes: "Wipe out the Metroids on their home planet, SR388."

Metroid II: Return of Samus

Samus jumping toward a Chozo Statue to collect a Missile Pod

After Samus goes through the hallway exit door, the graphics change to that of Metroid II: Return of Samus from the Game Boy, with the title and year in the center of the screen, and the appearance fanfare for the game playing in the background. Samus emerges in an area resembling Chozo ruins combined with the bush-overgrown depths of Phase 2 or Phase 3. She goes into Morph Ball mode and then uses the new Spring Ball to jump onto a platform and then to the exit. Like before, a screen pops up showing clips from Metroid II as it scrolls through SR388 with the Surface theme playing in the background. The clips include:

• Samus jumping over pits in Phase 2 as Gawrons pop out;
• Samus blasting a Senjoo with the Wave Beam in Phase 3, with it leaving behind Missile Ammo;
• Samus ascending a vertical tunnel leading into Phase 3, before shooting the Ice Beam at a Yumbo above her;
• Samus descending a breakable tunnel in Phase 1, also destroying a Tsumuri in the process;
• Samus using her newly-acquired Spider Ball to exit its room in Phase 2;
• Samus having a close encounter with a Metroid larva in Phase 9;
• Samus witnessing the metamorphosis of a larva into an Alpha Metroid in Phase 1;
• Samus firing Missiles at an Alpha Metroid in the Alpha Metroid chamber before successfully destroying it;
• Samus witnessing the baby's hatching and it imprinting onto her. The baby's theme, Met2 Metroid Hatching, replaces the Surface theme.

The screen closes and shows Samus with the baby in tow. As Samus jumps up to reach a nearby Chozo Statue, this message appears onscreen: "Against all odds, a hatchling Metroid survives and bonds with Samus." Samus opens the statue's Item Sphere with a Missile, revealing a Missile Pod. As Samus collects the powerup, the Item Acquisition Fanfare from Metroid II plays.

Super Metroid

The lab starts to explode, after Ridley steals the baby

With a flash, Samus's and the Chozo Statue's sprites change to their Super Metroid counterparts, with the fanfare doing the same. The Chozo Statue is now located in the lower left corner of a room on the Ceres Space Colony, and the baby is gone. Samus runs off to the right as the line "The last Metroid is in captivity. The galaxy is at peace..." appears onscreen.

Samus stops upon reaching the Lab with the baby inside its capsule as the Super Metroid logo is displayed, along with the Super Metroid rendition of the Samus Appearance Fanfare. Suddenly, an alarm begins to sound and red eyes appear in the background, soon after revealed to be Ridley. He flies into the room and steals the baby as explosions start to occur within the room. Samus flees to the right as "...Until Ceres Station comes under attack!" displays onscreen, and the Escape theme plays. She exits via a Green Hatch as the screen fades to black.

The gameplay screen appears and the music changes to the Theme of Samus. The background is initially black before it changes to a Tourian tileset. The gameplay clips include:

• Ceres Station exploding in space while the Starship heads towards Zebes;
• Samus running across the Crateria Landing Site towards the direction of old Tourian;
• Samus battling Zebesians in the original, ruined Zebesian Command Center;
• Samus fighting Zeelas in a room in Brinstar's depths;
• Samus battling Kraid and firing a Missile into his mouth as he roars;
• Samus using the Grapple Beam in Norfair to swing across a body of water;
• Samus hopping through a quaking portion of Norfair before confronting a Fune;
• Samus using the Speed Booster in Norfair, plowing through several red Zebesians in the process;
• Samus gaining the Gravity Suit in its room in the Wrecked Ship;
• Samus freezing a Metroid in the first corridor in the rebuilt Tourian;
• Samus using the X-Ray Scope to detect breakable blocks in a room in Maridia before bombing them in Morph Ball form;
• Samus using a Power Bomb to open a Yellow Hatch to access Maridia from Brinstar;
• Samus using the Screw Attack on various Ripper II swarms in Norfair;
• Samus accessing the rebuilt Tourian by deactivating the Golden Statues in the Mysterious Statue Chamber;
• A sequence of short clips depicting the final battle with Mother Brain ensues, each of which fade into black in between. These clips include Samus being hit by Mother Brain's Laser Brain Attack; Mother Brain being drained by the Big Metroid as Samus watches helplessly; the baby descending upon Samus to restore her energy; Mother Brain blasting the baby; Mother Brain killing the baby; the baby's particles exploding over Samus; and Samus using the Hyper Beam to eradicate Mother Brain.

The video clip closes as Samus hops up a trio of ledges, then into a shaft above. Maridia Rocky Underwater Area replaces the Theme of Samus as the music. The text: "With the Space Pirates defeated again, Planet Zebes is destroyed..." appears before the scene fades to black. A sepia-toned screenshot of the baby restoring Samus to health appears, with its screeches being heard, captioned with "And a brave sacrifice leaves the Metroids extinct." The photo disappears, with the screen saying "Now, a greater threat lies ahead:"

Samus's Super Metroid sprite appears in the center of the screen as a yellow X Parasite descends upon her. The subtitles introduce the X: "The X Parasite, capable of mimicking any organism... including Samus!". The screen flashes as Samus crouches, ill, similar to the Super Metroid Game Over animation.

Metroid Fusion

The Metroid Fusion segment is introduced

Images from the prologue of Fusion are displayed, including the Metroid vaccine and the multiplied X within Samus. "A vaccine using Metroid DNA saves Samus, leaving her immune to the X Parasite."

Samus appears crouching before she stands back up, now in her flashing Fusion Suit. Eerie ambience plays in the background, with a spotlight shining on Samus through darkness. She is shown to be on the Main Deck of the Biologic Space Laboratories research station. A Zombie Researcher attempts to ambush her from behind, only for Samus to quickly turn around and blast it at the last second, causing a green X to emerge. Samus ignores the X Parasite and heads to the door ahead of her. She then accesses a Recharge Station, restoring power. The Fusion rendition of the Samus Appearance Fanfare plays with the title for the game appearing on-screen. Samus leaves the station and enters the Main Elevator room. As the gameplay footage screen appears, Facing a Huge Reaction plays in the background. The gameplay clips for Fusion include:

• Samus running through a platform laden area in Sector 4 (AQA);
• Samus battling a Sova in Sector 3 (PYR);
• Samus battling a blue Sidehopper in Sector 3's desert area;
• Samus, in her Varia Suit, ascending a ladder in Sector 6 (NOC) as blue X Parasites float nearby;
• Samus using a ceiling ladder to traverse above electrified water in Sector 4;
• The "Federation official" contacting ADAM to ask if Samus suspects anything regarding their secret project;
• The SA-X's explosive debut scene in the Main Elevator, followed by a closeup of its eyes. The words "Samus faces a mimic of herself, the SA-X..." appears over the footage;
• The SA-X pursuing Samus through Sector 2 (TRO), with Samus laying a Power Bomb to clear the walls ahead of her;
• Samus witnessing Ridley's corpse collapse in Sub-Zero Containment as an X Parasite leaves it;
• Samus discovering the evolved Metroid stages in the Restricted Laboratory;
• Samus watching as Infant Metroids congregate on the SA-X in the damaged Restricted Zone;
• Samus activating the propulsion system of the BSL Station to collide with SR388. The music changes to the Fusion version of Escape while a computer voice announces the self-destruct sequence.

As the video window closes, Samus runs into the Docking Bays with a countdown timer in the top right corner of the screen, only to find her Starship missing. The video screen reappears, playing a sequence clips depicting Samus's battle with the Omega Metroid and its eventual defeat. The screen closes again, and the Docking Bay's hatch opens. The Starship arrives to retrieve Samus, before exiting by backing out fast. SR388's destruction and Samus's escape is shown in a final gameplay montage as the computer voice shouts "Warning!" thrice just before detonation. The text "...And succeeds in destroying the X Parasite for good." appears onscreen.

Metroid Dread

The "blackout" version of Dairon's theme plays in the background as the final segment of the video begins. Continuing from the end of the Metroid Fusion segment, the onscreen text then displays "At least, until a mysterious transmission suggests otherwise..." This transmission, depicting an X on ZDR, is displayed before "METROID 5", which previously appeared in the Announcement Trailer for Dread.

Footage from the beginning scene of the game plays, with Samus flying her Gunship while the Suit Voice counts down for entry into ZDR's atmosphere. The Metroid Dread title follows.

As the Metroid Dread rendition of Title plays in the background, a montage of full-screen clips from Dread plays. This includes Samus's encounter with E.M.M.I.-01P, Samus finding the Chozo Statue in Corpius's room; Samus going through the security clearance at Elun; the X-infected Quiet Robe reactivating the E.M.M.I.; and Samus's first encounter with E.M.M.I.-02SM before escaping.

In the Nintendo UK version of the video, it ends by showing the scene where Samus discovers the hieroglyphs depicting Raven Beak in Ferenia's E.M.M.I. Zone, before zooming out and showing the gameplay on the screen of a Nintendo Switch – OLED Model. The corner of the screen shows Samus climbing Kraid in Cataris, while the rest of the end screen advertises the game soon to be released for various Nintendo Switch models.

In the Nintendo of America version, it ends by showing a closeup of Samus's glowing visor, before scaling back to reveal the game's key art of Samus with several E.M.M.I. in the background. The game's title is displayed, with the words "AVAILABLE NOW" in the lower right corner.

In the Nintendo of Japan version, it ends simply by showing the title for the game, and then the Japanese characters 体験版配信中 (translated to "Trial Version is being delivered") in a cyan font. All three versions end with the Nintendo logo against a red background.

Transcript

The entire transcript is told via subtitles.

Emergency Order
Defeat the Metroid of the Planet Zebes and Destroy the Mother Brain The Mechanical Life Vein
Galaxy Federal Police M510

The History of the 2D Metroid Series

Metroid
- 1987 -

After defeating the Space Pirates, Samus Aran undertakes a new mission:

Wipe out the Metroids on their home planet, SR388.

Metroid II: Return of Samus
- 1991 -

Against all odds, a hatchling Metroid survives and bonds with Samus.

The last Metroid is in captivity. The galaxy is at peace...

Super Metroid
- 1994 -

...Until Ceres Station comes under attack!

With the Space Pirates defeated again, Planet Zebes is destroyed...

...And a brave sacrifice leaves the Metroids extinct.

Now a greater threat lies ahead:

The X Parasite, capable of mimicking any organism... including Samus!

A vaccine using Metroid DNA saves Samus, leaving her immune to the X Parasite.

Metroid Fusion
- 2002 -

Samus faces a mimic of herself, the SA-X...

...And succeeds in destroying the X Parasite for good.

At least, until a mysterious transmission suggests otherwise...

METROID 5

Profiles

Nintendo UK tweet

"Samus' track record speaks for itself – she truly is the galaxy's greatest bounty hunter."

Gallery

Metroid

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  Emergency orders, as shown during the Metroid segment

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  Samus, after descending her Starship, which has a unique design in the video

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  Samus descending into Corridor No. 1, with the Metroid title displayed to the left

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  Gameplay clips of Metroid are shown within a box centered on-screen

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  The end of the Metroid segment, shortly before it segues to Metroid II: Return of Samus

Metroid II: Return of Samus

• 

  The Metroid II: Return of Samus section is introduced

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  Gameplay clips of Metroid II: Return of Samus are shown within a box centered on-screen

Super Metroid

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  The start of the Super Metroid section, where Ridley swoops into the lab

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  Gameplay clips of Super Metroid are shown within a box centered on-screen

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  An X Parasite about to infect Samus, just before the Metroid Fusion segment starts

Metroid Fusion

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  The Metroid vaccine being introduced at the start of the Metroid Fusion segment

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  Samus in the Main Deck, which is covered in darkness

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  Gameplay clips of Metroid Fusion are shown within a box centered on-screen

• 

  Samus's Gunship comes to retrieve her

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	2Dメトロイドシリーズの歴史 2d metroid series no rekishi	History of the 2D Metroid Series

External links

• Nintendo of UK trailer
• Nintendo of America trailer
• Nintendo of Japan trailer