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Why Metroid Dread will be an important starting point for newcomers.
This past E3, Nintendo showcased Metroid Dread for Nintendo Switch. Dubbed “Metroid 5,” the title will end the story arc beginning with the original Metroid in 1986. Despite being the fifth entry of the 2D Metroid titles, however, Metroid Dread will be the ideal first title for many new fans.
Nintendo labels Metroid Dread as the first new 2D Metroid in 19 years. However, that’s because Metroid: Zero Mission (2004) and Metroid: Samus Returns (2017) are reimaginings of the first and second Metroid titles, respectively. As such, while these games introduced new mechanics, no title has advanced the series’ storyline since Metroid Fusion. Keep in mind that the Metroid Prime titles are a sub-series that take place in their own era.
Despite being labeled as “Metroid 5,” you need not worry about catching up on any lore. As Metroid Dread will tell its own, standalone story, it will mark the perfect hopping-on point if you’re new to the series!
What makes Metroid special?
Metroid captures its identity from a variety of sci-fi references. It’s based heavily on the Alien films as it features a female protagonist, in space, fighting off alien creatures. Metroids are not unlike the Facehuggers, attaching themselves to a person’s head, but they feed off of their energy. Plus, from Super Metroid onward, players began fighting colossal bosses. Super Metroid even used samples of kaiju monster cries from the Godzilla films.
