The Metroid franchise is finally getting a new 2D entry, and it's none other than Metroid Dread. This long-thought abandoned project has finally resurfaced as an upcoming game for the Nintendo Switch, putting players back in control of Samus Aran. The adventure, fittingly titled Metroid V in the trailer's opening sequence, canonically takes place after Metroid Fusion, which was formerly the last entry in the series chronologically.
The first-person Metroid Prime games, for all of their influence and success, are essentially side-stories to the main narrative. The 2D Metroid story unfolds over four core chapters prior to Dread. To get gamers caught up with the adventures of Nintendo's premiere bounty hunter, here's a look back at the story of the 2D franchise from the NES to Nintendo Switch.
The Story of Metroid and Metroid: Zero Mission
The first 2D game canonically was the original NES Metroid, which was later remade and expanded upon in the 2004 Game Boy Advance title Metroid: Zero Mission. The story features Samus Aran working on behalf of the Galactic Federation to investigate the planet Zebes. This is the base of operations for a rogue band of Space Pirates who intend to conquer the galaxy by weaponizing the parasitic Metroid species.
Samus enters the depths of the planet and faces Space Pirate commanders Kraid and Ridley before she defeats Mother Brain, the entity which was controlling the Space Pirates. This causes the planet to self-destruct, but as Samus tries to escape in her ship, she's shot down by the remaining Space Pirates. This damages her power suit and forces her to infiltrate the Space Pirate mothership nearly defenseless. She eventually finds the statue remains of the Chozo culture that raised her. After passing a trial and gaining a new suit, she defeats her remaining enemies and finally escapes.
The Story of Metroid II: Return of Samus and Metroid: Samus Returns
The next 2D story was told in Metroid II: Return of Samus, which was remade as 2017's Metroid: Samus Returns. Following the events of the previous game's story, the Federation fears the threat of the Metroid species. Unfortunately, the team that they send to investigate the Metroid planet of SR388 goes missing, prompting them to once again send Samus to look into the matter.
Samus takes the fight to the Metroids on their home turf, encountering them at various different stages of their parasitic evolution. This made the creatures' similarities to the Xenomorphs of the Alien franchise even more obvious. Samus eventually finds and kills the Queen Metroid, finding one last Metroid hatchling in the process. Ironically, the creature comes to think of Samus as its mother, and she spares the creature as she escapes SR388 after defeating Meta-Ridley. The game's remake had new scenes added which planted seeds for the story of Metroid Fusion, and it also explained the backstory of the Metroid species. They were created by the Chozo to wipe out the X parasite, but they grew out of control and turned on their masters.
The Story of Super Metroid
The series continued with the critically acclaimed Metroid III, better known as Super Metroid for the SNES. The story picks up directly after the last game, with Samus and researchers on the planet Ceres discovering the Metroids' humane, scientific potential. Unfortunately, the scientists looking into this are quickly killed by Ridley, who kidnaps the baby Metroid from the past game and takes it back to Zebes.
So, Samus leaves to track it and Ridley down. The Space Pirates have rebuilt their base and even grown additional Metroids, with Samus having to fight an incredibly large one. This is in fact the baby, who promptly stops attacking after realizing who Samus is. Samus is then nearly defeated by a rebuilt Mother Brain, but the baby Metroid heals Samus before being killed by the Space Pirate leader. Given a more powerful beam by the infant's sacrifice, Samus kills Mother Brain once and for all and leaves Zebes.
The Story of Metroid Fusion
Metroid Fusion features Samus being attacked by X parasites who fundamentally alter her central nervous system. The only cure is a derived from DNA of the last Metroid, saving Samus' life once again. This changes Samus' DNA and her power suit, giving her both the strengths and weaknesses of the Metroid while allowing her to absorb the now rampant X parasites.
Samus looks into the destroyed Biologic Space Laboratories, interacting with her gunship's new AI which is modeled after her former commanding officer, Adam. She is hunted by the SA-X, an X parasite which imitates the appearance of her old power suit. Adam commands Samus to leave the SA-X to the Federation, despite the risk it poses. Samus, acting now to put a stop to the X parasites, disobeys this order after learning that Federation was secretly breeding Metroids. She sends the BSL station on a collision course with the planet SR388, hoping to kill off all of the parasites.
Before she can, she's attacked by a mutant Omega Metroid before ironically being saved by the SA-X (in a nod to the baby Metroid). Gaining a new ice beam attack, she kills the Omega Metroid and escapes the ship with creatures that she saved from the lab. This is where the franchise last left off, so fans will have to check out Metroid Dread to see where things go next.