|
Editorials 
Metroid 4 Do's and Don'ts
- By Mike
Schneider
Any self-respecting Nintendo fan knows that their Metroid series is one of their most complex and mature series to grace their system. Samus Aran, the fearless bounty hunter, has starred in many Metroid titles, including: Metroid, Metroid II: Return of Samus, and finally to Super Metroid for the Super Nintendo. All three of these epic sagas have struck gold for Nintendo and especially for their creator, Gunpei Yokoi. Yokoi was born in 1941 and created such masterpieces as the Gameboy, Game & Watch, and most importantly, Metroid. Gunpei Yokoi was in a fatal car crash in 1997 which ultimately took his life.
Now, nearly three years after his death, Nintendo has granted Retro Studios the rights to develop the next-generation Metroid game for the Gamecube. Some of the core team members for Retro Studios have developed many first-person shooters (Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, Half-Life, and Quake). We all know that Metroid should always be a third-person adventure, and here’s where this editorial comes in. In the following list below, Mike Schneider and Joe Ridino have composed a list of all the Metroid 4 ‘Do’s and Don’ts’ for Retro Studios. We hope you enjoy the list:
Metroid 4 ‘Do’s’:>
·Limited 3D movement with a 2½ D camera perspective, similar to Yoshi’s Story and the Crash Bandicoot series. Reflecting on the Metroid series, there isn't a terribly lot of new surprises that can be accomplished by keeping the game in its strongly established 2D roots; however, a move to complete 3D will only prevent it from distinguishing itself from the plethora of other 3D action/adventure releases. In addition, 2½ D will still allow for enough controlled gameplay sequences. ·Extravagant power-ups and new moves similar to Super Metroid- bring back the Grappling Beam, Speed Booster, Ice Beam, Plasma Beam along with all new power-ups. ·Dark, more mature soundtrack that will truly immerse the player in the dank, underground caverns that Metroid is known for ·Include massive bosses that are actually a challenge-Ridley and Kraid should also make a comeback somehow ·Cinematic cut scenes showing off the wondrous environment and massive bosses is a huge plus. ·Quality voice-acting for Samus Aran as well as other Non-Player characters would be a welcome addition. Again, QUALITY voice-acting.
·Connectivity to a Metroid GBA game; assuming there is one of course.
Metroid 4 ‘Don’ts’:
·There absolutely, positively better not be a multiplayer or co-op mode in Metroid 4. This will definitely ruin the whole ‘bounty-hunter battling alone’ theme that has been throughout Metroid since the beginning. A controversial move? Yes. However, when you think about some other recent N64 titles, it seems like a semi-decent multiplayer mode has been added in just so there is a multiplayer mode. Donkey Kong 64 and Jet Force Gemini are two such examples of games that really wouldn't have been harmed at all by being exclusively one player outings. Hence, the multiplayer mode would be an unnecessary waste of valuable programming time that could instead be used in readying up and perfecting a spectacular one player mission - as Metroid was meant to be from the beginning. ·Retro Studios should not turn Metroid 4 into a first-person shooter; this definitely could not appease many fans of the series. There have been a few rumors of Metroid being turned into a FPS, but, for the love of the series... Please don't! ·A full 3D adventure will make gamers totally confused and will lose that nostalgia that Metroiders have of the 2D Metroid games.
 | | ·A storyline not involving the Metroids would just be plain awful - please include something relating to the nasty, little Metroids.
·A meandering scavenger hunt ala Donkey Kong 64. Exploration and searching is fine, but let's not make it the most pivotal aspect of the game.
|
 |
|
|
.gif)
