Metroid: Samus Returns

Metroid: Samus Returns is an action-adventure game announced during the Treehouse broadcast on June 13, 2017. It is a 2.5D remake of Metroid II: Return of Samus, and the first traditional Metroid game since Metroid: Zero Mission (also a remake) in 2004. The game features graphics and melee combat similar to Metroid: Other M. It is scheduled to be released on September 15, 2017.

Plot
The plot remains the same as in Metroid II: Samus Aran is sent to SR388, the home planet of the Metroids, with the order to exterminate the species and discover what happened to the Galactic Federation Special Squadron sent before her for the same purpose. The game begins with an introduction sequence summarizing the events of Metroid: Zero Mission, and depicting Samus's battle against Mother Brain.

Gameplay
Additions to the game include the Free Aim ability allowing Samus to aim in 360 degrees, instead of just diagonally, horizontally and vertically as in previous 2D titles. A laser sight has been added to Samus' Arm Cannon which will glow red when it intersects an enemy. The game features melee combat similar to Metroid: Other M, including a Melee Counter Samus can perform to deflect enemy charges and create an opening for further attack, in addition to filling Samus' Charge Gauge. The Melee Counter can even be used against Metroids, leaving their weak points vulnerable to attack. Samus can perform Lethal Strikes and Overblasts on stunned Metroids.

A large ornamental Chozo statue exists in the lower area of the planet, functioning similarly to the Golden Statues of Zebes. Filling the statue with "Metroid DNA" collected from kills will cause the purple liquid preventing Samus' progression to subside, similar to how defeating Metroids in the original game would cause the Lava to decrease. New power-ups introduced are the Aeion abilities. Functioning as a fuel system, Aeion abilities are new powers that use a gauge system which gradually depletes as they are used. Aeion Orbs may be used to refill the gauge, and are sometimes dropped by enemies when defeated or successfully countered.

Energy Stations and Ammo Stations return as Samus's method of renewing her energy and Missile reserves. Save Stations and Energy Capsules return. This is the first game to feature Capsules since Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Checkpoints are also featured in addition to Save Stations. Unlike the original game, Samus does not begin with the Morph Ball and must acquire it from a Chozo Statue. She also starts out with 24 missiles instead of 30 missiles, which is expanded by 3 each time a Missile Expansion tank is acquired instead of 10. The Charge Beam, Grapple Beam, and Super Missiles, which were absent from Metroid II, can be acquired in the game.

A common criticism of previous Metroid games is extensive backtracking. Samus Returns eliminates this by adding a fast travel feature in the form of Teleport Stations, which let Samus quickly move between different areas of the planet. Elevators, which were absent in the original Metroid II, also fulfill this purpose.

Development
Yoshio Sakamoto is leading the game's development, and has stated that it began development in 2015. Samus Returns is being developed by MercurySteam, who were previously working on a rejected Metroid game pitch for Wii U. According to Sakamoto, he decided to collaborate with them after hearing about their interest in developing a remake of a Metroid game, although not Return of Samus specifically. Sakamoto was particularly interested in remaking Metroid II because he was not involved with the original game's production. Kenji Yamamoto and Minako Hamano, veteran composers of the series, will return to compose Samus Returns. The item acquisition fanfare (using the version from the Prime Series) returns for the first time since Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, and Samus Aran's Final Cry, the Game Over jingle from Super Metroid returns as well.

The game was developed for the 3DS rather than the Switch due to the former's larger consumer base. It is being developed by the same core team behind Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate, which was itself a Metroidvania title. The game will have no story or mechanical connection to Metroid Prime 4, which was announced on the same day. Tim O'Leary confirmed to Kotaku on June 19 that the game's development is complete.

Samus Returns will support amiibo, including the figures of Samus and Zero Suit Samus from the Super Smash Bros. series, as well as two new amiibo of Samus in her classic Metroid II pose, and a Metroid (with a squishy texture). What features the amiibo will unlock is to be announced at a later date. The game will also come in a special edition, including a a CD soundtrack with 25 classic Metroid tracks, called the Samus Archives Sound Selection. European players who pre-order the game will obtain a Legacy Edition that includes a download code for Metroid II to be redeemed in the Nintendo eShop, a SteelBook, the soundtrack, a Gold S-Mark Pin, a Morph Ball 3D Keyring and a 40 page Metroid: Samus Returns Artbook.

A Metroid II remake had been requested by fans for many years, to the point where a widely popular unofficial remake, AM2R was developed and released in 2016, in time for the 30th anniversary of Metroid. Shortly after its release, it was taken offline by Nintendo. In response to Samus Returns, DoctorM64, the creator of AM2R stated: "N won E3 for me, #SamusReturns looks like the Metroid 2 I always wanted to play. Looks like the ANOTHER part of #am2r still makes sense now." Interviewed by Kotaku, Sakamoto stated that he was aware of AM2R and while he had not seen the game, he appreciated that DoctorM64 cared so much about the Metroid series. Reggie Fils-Aime, the president of Nintendo of America, addressed AM2R and implied it was shut down in order to protect profits that Samus Returns would generate.

On-Screen Tutorials

 * "Grab a pin from the bottom of the screen and drag it to a location of interest on the map. Drag a placed pin back to the bottom of the screen to delete it."

Creatures
Creatures that cannot be positively identified at this time.