Metroid: Samus Returns Set Up Metroid’s Return 5 Years Ago

gamerant.com:

As of September 15, 2022, it has been five years since the release of Metroid: Samus Returns on the Nintendo 3DS. The game provoked a mixed response from veterans at the time, but its fame has gradually grown as the Metroid series returned to the public consciousness. It helps that Metroid: Samus Returns was the first major success the series had seen in a decade, and the first official 2D Metroid game since even before that. This collaboration between MercurySteam and Nintendo EPD now marks the first steps of Metroid's return to relevance.

Indeed, while many would point to Metroid Dread as being the franchise's true revival, much of what Dread did was tested in Metroid: Samus Returns. The game wouldn't be the hit it is without Samus Returns doing a dry run of its new action focus, not to mention giving new developers to the franchise a chance to design a Metroid title. The community owes more to Samus Returns than it realizes, and even though Dread essentially replaced it in their minds, there are still plenty of reasons to celebrate what Metroid: Samus Returns got right.

Metroid Dread Reviews Compared to Past Games

Metroid: Samus Returns is a remake of the original Game Boy title Metroid 2: Return of Samus. In it, intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran is contracted to visit SR388 and exterminate the dangerous Metroid species. The franchise was still focused around exploration even in its early days, but it did not quite have the interconnected world of Super Metroid yet. Instead, players are given a count of living Metroids and expected to find and engage them in evolving boss fights. This holds true in the remake, which replaces the original Metroid 2 for all intents and purposes similar to Metroid: Zero Mission and