Forty years on, Nintendo's Metroid series, which shares its name with an entire genre of video games, continues to inspire creators across the industry. Developers behind modern metroidvania titles have spoken to GameSpot about the series' profound impact, from its meticulously crafted interconnected worlds to its ability to foster a deep sense of player mastery and atmospheric dread.
The core of the Metroid experience, as described by many, lies in its exploration of vast, mysterious worlds and the player's growing understanding and mastery of them. Rémi Boutin, senior game designer on Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, recalls discovering Metroid through Super Metroid. "It conveyed a thrill of adventure that I had rarely experienced before," Boutin said, highlighting the interconnected world as a stark contrast to the level-based games he was accustomed to. This emphasis on player knowledge and world mastery directly influenced Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown's map annotation feature, aiming to give players similar autonomy without them feeling lost.
Marc-A. Jean, artist on Infernax, remembers the emotional impact of Super Metroid from his childhood. "To this day, Super Metroid remains one of the greatest games I've ever played," Jean stated. He emphasized how Super Metroid, the original Metroid, and Metroid Fusion all created lasting impressions through their atmosphere, music, and sense of fear or anticipation for power-ups. "I try my best to pay special attention to the little details that give a game an emotional impact and leave a lasting impression on the player," he added.
Thierry Boulanger, game director on The Messenger, initially found the original NES Metroid confusing but later came to appreciate its sense of isolation and intricate world design. The mystery of obstacles like the Red Door in the original Metroid, which required a specific item to pass, led to intense anticipation and creative problem-solving, a feeling he aims to evoke in his own work.
Maxine Martinez, involved in Pseudoregalia and Vernal Edge, points to the diverse entries within the Metroid series as a source of inspiration. She specifically highlights Super Metroid's Wall Jump and Shinespark abilities, which later in the game recontextualize how players interact with the environment, making replays exciting and re-traversal more dynamic. "The way these basic tools interact with common collision and evolve your relationship with the game is something I'm always looking to mimic in my games," Martinez explained.
Thomas Happ, the sole developer behind Axiom Verge and Axiom Verge 2, echoed the sentiment of Metroid's ability to evoke a hidden world. "I felt like there might be a whole hidden world inside there, and I spent way too long trying to find it. It was such a unique feeling that I don't think I've experienced anything like that since then," Happ said. This feeling of uncovering secrets became a driving force behind his game design.
Chris Harvey, technical director on Guacamelee!, described the core metroidvania loop of exploring, acquiring abilities, and re-exploring familiar places as creating a unique "Eureka!" feeling. He noted that while Metroid brought these elements together, the original NES game was often too difficult to complete without assistance, referencing the well-known "JUSTIN BAILEY" password. The desire to create games with this satisfying loop inspired Guacamelee! and has influenced other Drinkbox Studios titles.
James Montagna, assistant director on Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, noted how Metroid games naturally teach and guide players. The series has become a "shared language" at WayForward, with developers frequently referencing Nintendo's classics when building games in the genre.
James Petruzzi, designer on Chasm, recalled Metroid's initially strange and unforgiving atmosphere. Coming from brighter platformers, Metroid's dark maze-like world presented a significant challenge, but also fostered a deep appreciation for its masterful execution of atmosphere, combat, and power-up systems. For his game Wolfhound, Petruzzi aims to return to Metroid's elegant simplicity, focusing on a large, dark world, a tricky maze, and tight combat and platforming.
Kyle Thompson, artist and designer on Sheepo and Islets, found inspiration in freeware games influenced by Metroid before playing the series himself. He was particularly drawn to Super Metroid's ability to convey dread and isolation with minimal text, allowing the world itself to tell its story.
Yarden Weissbrot, game designer on Grime, identified Metroid as a pioneer of ability gating, a mechanic integral to the genre. He also pointed to Metroid Dread as an example of a high-production value metroidvania, influencing the animation and camera work in Grime II.
James Deighan, CEO of Mega Cat Studios, found his way to Metroid through Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. He emphasized that the appreciation for Metroid stems from tracing the genre's roots and recognizing its foundational DNA. Mega Cat Studios, born from a love of retro gaming, draws heavily from these classics.
Brjánn Sigurgeirsson, founder of Image & Form, developers of SteamWorld Dig, sees Metroid as a gold standard for player agency and subtle environmental storytelling. He noted that their initial game about digging evolved into a metroidvania by incorporating the core loop of exploration and return driven by new abilities. "Metroid means respecting the player's intelligence: no glowing arrows or hand-holding, just pure curiosity driving you forward," Sigurgeirsson stated. The atmosphere of Super Metroid's opening, with its silence and isolation, deeply influenced their approach to pacing and empowerment.
Keisuke Okabe, director on Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights, found Super Metroid's blend of eerie settings with beauty and its cohesive world-building, story, and mechanics to be a significant influence on his own work.
Jens Andersson, programmer on Yoku's Island Express, while a later entrant to the series, admires Metroid's contribution to the design space, particularly its interconnected exploration and the feeling of world mastery. This philosophy influenced even non-Metroidvania titles like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
Edgar Jesus, game designer on Constance, recalled Metroid being discussed with a sense of whispered mystery, its navigation and progression intended to be discovered. The game's mood and atmosphere created an existential feel, deeply embedding the Metroid influence into his design philosophy.
Thomas Mahler, director on Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps, saw Metroid's ability-gating formula as a potent driver of player power fantasy, similar to Zelda. He co-founded Moon Studios to address the perceived neglect of the Metroidvania genre, emphasizing that the intricate, interconnected world design of Metroid requires meticulous attention to detail in every level, a lesson learned deeply during the development of the Ori series.