Developer Diary



Metroid: Samus Returns - Developer Diary is a pre-release trailer for Metroid: Samus Returns. Released on the Nintendo UK YouTube channel on June 14, 2017 - one day after the game's announcement during the Nintendo Spotlight at E3 - it features the series producer Yoshio Sakamoto explaining the new features of Samus Returns, including the amiibo. Throughout the trailer, Sakamoto speaks in his native Japanese, with English subtitles for the Western viewer's benefit.

Sakamoto begins by acknowledging the thirteen year gap between 2-D Metroid games, with the last such title being Metroid: Zero Mission on the Game Boy Advance in 2004. He then explains that Samus Returns takes the story and basic structure from Metroid II: Return of Samus, released 25 years prior on the Game Boy, but completely reinvents the gameplay to the point where he felt comfortable calling it a brand new game. Sakamoto then explains the concept behind Metroid gameplay and reminds viewers that Metroid II featured one of the most important events in the series: Samus's encounter with the baby, a story which he wanted to retell to a new generation of fans with modern technology.

Sakamoto then outlines Free Aim, the Melee Counter, the power-ups Samus can obtain and the Aeion Abilities. The power-ups include upgrades that were not originally present in Metroid II. He ends the trailer by discussing his collaboration with MercurySteam on the game, and displays the two new Samus and Larva Metroid amiibo developed for Samus Returns.

In between each clip of Sakamoto is the in-game flourish that is heard when an Aeion ability is acquired, a remix of the Get Artifact Jingle from Metroid Prime. The diary features music from the game, including the Title theme, the Theme of Samus, In the Cockpit, the alternative Gamma Metroid theme, the Area 2 aquatic theme and Diggernaut theme. Sakamoto wears a "Samus Aran Returns" shirt featuring artwork from Super Metroid throughout the video.