Another Metroid 2 Remake

Another Metroid 2 Remake (often shortened to AM2R) is a fan-produced remake of Metroid II: Return of Samus, developed by Argentinian independent programmer Milton "DoctorM64" Guasti. The game updates the 1991 version with color, a visual style similar to Super Metroid and gameplay similar to Metroid: Zero Mission. After years of development, the game was released for free to Windows-based computers on August 6, 2016, coinciding with the Metroid series thirtieth anniversary. However, shortly afterward, Nintendo sent DMCA notices to websites hosting the game, including the official blog and the Metroid Database, forcing their removal. The game is still available through torrents.

Plot
The game's plot is largely unchanged from Metroid II. It now features a Super Metroid-style introduction narrated by Samus Aran (narration above), about the nature of her mission on SR388. Over the course of the game, Samus's scanners download Logbook entries similar to the Metroid Prime series that reveal additional lore. She can uncover optional areas that include the landing sites of the G.F.S. Thoth and an Anhur-class patrol ship carrying the two ill-fated Galactic Federation teams sent to rescue the previous research team. Metroid II did not feature the final resting places of the three Federation teams. Samus encounters surviving Federation Marines battling a Zeta Metroid that metamorphoses into an Omega Metroid before effortlessly killing them. The mysterious earthquakes linked to the deaths of Metroids are insinuated to be caused by the Queen Metroid herself, as her cries can be heard during the last few in the game. The game ends with Samus killing off the remaining Metroids, the Queen, and discovering an infant Metroid she later calls the baby.

After the credits, the famous introductory phrase from Super Metroid is heard: "The last Metroid is in captivity. The galaxy is at peace." before "To be continued..." appears onscreen. In the best ending, Samus is seen in her Gunship calling the Space Science Academy about the baby, leading into Super Metroid.

Endings
The endings were conceptualized, drawn and detailed by Azima Khan, an artist who has created several 3D models pertaining to Metroid including the Samus Aran model seen in Rainfall Films' short film Metroid: The Sky Calls.

Gameplay
As stated, the gameplay has been updated in the style of Super Metroid and Zero Mission, and now allows for some Sequence Breaking in the way of hidden paths to skip otherwise required items. A Map system, stacking of beams, the Power Grip and the previously mentioned logbook have been added, as well as the new abilities to automatically morph into tunnels, autoclimb small ledges and dedicated keys to morph and aim lock. Moreover, the remake allows abilities to be toggled on and off at will - a feature formerly exclusive to Super Metroid.

Unlike in the Metroid Prime series, Logbook scans are obtained automatically upon entering new areas, and defeating Metroids and bosses. Items that were not present in Metroid II but later became series staples now appear in AM2R, such as the Gravity Suit, Charge Beam, Super Missiles and Power Bombs. The "tractor beam" effect from the Prime series is present in AM2R, which allows Samus to use her Charge Beam to draw in nearby pickups.

The game also features two new areas and several new non-Metroid bosses, including Serris and Genesis, creatures that were present on the Biologic Space Laboratories research station orbiting SR388 in Metroid Fusion. Curiously, Blob Throwers and Septoggs are completely absent from AM2R, and were planned for a future update before the game's cancellation. The number of Metroids has been slightly increased.

Intel

 * Mission Briefing
 * Planet SR388
 * Earthquakes
 * Research Team
 * Rescue Team

Metroids

 * Metroid Species
 * Life Cycle
 * Alpha Metroid
 * Gamma Metroid
 * Zeta Metroid
 * Omega Metroid
 * Queen Metroid

The Chozo

 * The Lost Race
 * The Golden Temple
 * Breeding Grounds
 * Hydro Station
 * Industrial Complex
 * Mining Facility
 * The Tower
 * Power Plant
 * Distribution Center
 * The Nest
 * Genetics Laboratory

Hostiles

 * Native Species
 * Ancient Guardian
 * Arachnus
 * Torizo
 * The Tester
 * Tank Prototype
 * Serris
 * Genesis

Bosses
As in the original Metroid II, it is possible to escape from certain Metroids and return to fight them later, however, their health will have regenerated upon return. The first encounters with each type of Metroid now feature a short cutscene showing them evolving from their previous form.

Note: Bold denotes new bosses that have been added to the game.
 * Alpha Metroid - As with the original game, it only takes 5 Missiles to kill an Alpha Metroid. Some Alpha Metroids have small talons, or legs, suggesting they are starting to evolve into Gamma Metroids. One chamber in the game contains 5 Alpha Metroids at once. Two more are encountered in the Research Lab subarea, and may have been responsible for the deaths of the Federation research team. Their log entry states that the Larva Metroid's transformation into the Alpha stage resulted in the loss of all but one Nucleus, leaving its membrane vulnerable to Missiles for all future stages in the Metroid life cycle.
 * Ancient Guardian - The Ancient Guardian is fought on the way out of the Golden Temple, in a short corridor. It blocks off the corridor on both sides with spike-lined walls and attacks Samus from above. It unleashes several attacks: a quick blue laser burst, a set of six fire balls that spread out in the air and then disappear and six green fireballs that impact the ground (only leaving a safe spot under the Guardian). When attacking, the Ancient Guardian is invulnerable to damage, but is otherwise easily destroyed with Missiles. The log entry insinuates that it targets Samus due to the Morph Ball and other potential items she has "stolen" from the Golden Temple.
 * Gamma Metroid - It takes 10 normal Missiles to kill a Gamma Metroid. In AM2R, they can now grab Samus and channel their electrical power into her, before dropping her to the ground. Samus will fall back and be unable to move for a few seconds when they do this.
 * Arachnus - The Arachnus battle has been expanded beyond simply shooting at the creature. While on the ground, it will launch fiery attacks at Samus or its slashing attacks from Fusion. After some time, it will roar and begin to ram into Samus in its ball form. When laying Bombs on the ground, Samus must do so in a fashion that the Arachnus will be launched towards a set of twelve mounted electrified spikes on the walls. After it hits one set, that set disappears and the Arachnus takes damage. It will curl into its ball form in the air and launch itself at Samus, in a similar manner to Sonic the Hedgehog's Homing Attack, before using a stronger flame attack. After it is damaged by the last set of spikes, Arachnus will die and leave the Spring Ball as a reward. Its power and agility are stated to be a result of the item it carried.
 * Torizo - A more advanced version of the live Chozo Statue from Super Metroid is fought as a boss in the Industrial Complex. It spawns from the Chozo Statue after Samus acquires the Space Jump from it. The Torizo is initially fought much like in Super Metroid, with its upper body being the main target and its attacks consisting of energy waves. However, after taking enough damage, the Torizo will open up wings and take flight, and the ceiling will rise. There are platforms in the air, and spikes will begin to appear on the ground. Samus must use the Space Jump to destroy the Torizo in its second form. While only its upper body was vulnerable to attacks in the first phase, its entire body can be attacked in the second phase. Its projectiles can be destroyed for Energy Capsules and Missile Ammo. It will also attempt to launch itself at Samus four times, periodically.
 * Zeta Metroid - Zeta Metroids will die after being hit with 20 normal Missiles, although Super Missiles will help to speed up battles with them. The Zeta Metroid will stomp around its chamber and spit a stream of acidic saliva at Samus, in addition to slashing at her with its claws. According to the log entry, the Alpha and Gamma Metroid stages are the pupal phase of the species' life cycle.
 * The Tester - A spherical mechanism present in a very tall shaft in The Tower. It is a sphere guarded by four side plates, which it uses in a drilling-like attack. It also spins in its position while firing powerful lasers, or an interweaving stream of smaller projectiles that can be avoided by staying to the side. To defeat the Tester, the side plates must be destroyed, along with its interior cannons, and finally the core of the machine itself. Partly helping Samus are numerous Proboscum mechanisms on the walls.
 * Tank Prototype - The Tank Prototype is battled during the escape from the Power Plant. It will destroy the generators on the ground as it comes toward Samus. Its head, arms and base can be destroyed, which will stop it from accurately targeting, moving and attacking respectively. The prototype's chest is its weak spot, and is guarded by a destructible chest plate. The prototype attacks with missiles and beam projectiles; the latter can be destroyed for pickups.
 * Genesis - The Genesis enemy encountered in Metroid Fusion is fought as a miniboss inside the G.F.S. Thoth. It escaped from the specimen tanks within the ship. Genesis is blind and relies on its hunting senses. Unlike the ones from Fusion, it is agile and stronger. Its entire body is weak to damage, forcing it to conceal itself in the shadows in an attempt to avoid harm. It spits corrosive acidic blood via autohaemorrhaging as its main attack, will slash Samus if she gets too close and it climbs on the ceiling and floor. The Logbook entry for this creature states that it naturally hunts in groups and has little need to evolve. Its name was granted from its DNA, which when analyzed, indicated that it belongs to the oldest living lineage on SR388.
 * Serris - A boss from Metroid Fusion that is fought in an underwater room in the Distribution Center. Parts of its body can be frozen over with the Ice Beam and attacked with Missiles or Super Missiles to damage it. Serris is also susceptible to Power Bombs. It will swim through the water and destroy platforms made of Missile Blocks as navigates. As Serris takes more damage, it begins to swim faster. After its death, it will float to the top of the water before exploding. It is described as the fastest predator on SR388.
 * Omega Metroid - The Omega Metroid is the most powerful of all Metroids, before the Queen. In AM2R, the Omega Metroid's behavior is combined from Metroid II and Metroid Fusion. It breathes a long stream of fire from its mouth, slashes with its claws and jumps around, with the force of its landing knocking Samus off her feet if she is on the ground when it lands. When it lands from a jump, a small, second weak spot will open up on its lower back, which can be targeted for damage. It is the Apex predator of SR388.
 * Queen Metroid - The Queen Metroid battle is extended in AM2R. The Queen is fought in very much the same manner as before. She will launch a number of projectiles from her mouth, which can be destroyed and yield Energy Capsules and ammo. During this time, her weak spot, her head, cannot be attacked. Her head will now seek Samus's position before striking at her. When she has taken enough damage, the Queen will charge a fire ball in her mouth and then launch it at the wall behind Samus, destroying it and extending her chamber. This will repeat at least four times. In the final room, the Queen will attempt to eat Samus, and can be killed in several ways. The first way is by shooting Missiles at her head before she can eat Samus, which will cause her to explode and leave nothing. The most practical way to kill the Queen requires Samus to allow herself to be eaten. She will enter Morph Ball mode and end up in the Queen's stomach, where she must lay a Power Bomb to instantly finish off the Queen as in Metroid: Other M. Her head and backside will be left behind, with green blood, or amniotic flood dripping from the ceiling. The Power Bomb can also be laid inside her mouth, which will cause her body to go limp, before exploding and leaving no trace of her behind. It should be noted that the escape route tunnel that was present in the Queen's chamber in Metroid II has been removed in AM2R.

Areas

 * Surface - the surface area of SR388, where Samus lands her Gunship, and later returns with the baby. In the original game, this area was called Phase 1. As with the original game, Space Jumping too close to the atmosphere results in Samus taking damage. The first Metroid, an Alpha Metroid, is encountered here.
 * The Golden Temple - the AM2R version of Phase 2, which has been updated with an architectural and visual style similar to Chozodia in Zero Mission. 4 Alpha Metroids are fought here. The Bombs, Charge Beam and Spider Ball can be acquired in the Golden Temple. This area can be revisited via the transportation shafts in the Distribution Center.
 * Breeding Grounds - Similar subareas of the Golden Temple, Hydro Station and Industrial Complex, created for the cultivation and breeding of Metroids. These areas are rife with harmful vegetation.
 * Hydro Station - the AM2R version of Phase 3. As the name implies, it has been transformed into a water filtering and pumping facility. The Chozo used this area to filter clean water through complex pipelines into further cave systems. Despite it being abandoned, most of the technology is still functional. 6 Alpha Metroids and the first Gamma Metroid are fought here, as well as the Arachnus. Items that can be collected here are the Wave Beam, Spring Ball (guarded by Arachnus), Varia Suit, High Jump Boots, 8 Missile Tanks and 2 Energy Tanks. There are launchers here that connect to The Tower and to the Distribution Center.
 * Industrial Complex - the AM2R version of Phase 4. 8 Gamma Metroids and 2 Alpha Metroids are fought here. The Space Jump is acquired here, but Samus must destroy a Torizo before she can leave the room with it. One segment in this area has Samus take control of an Autoad, to pick up stray Super Missiles and drop them onto Super Missile Blocks in order to create a passageway. The Spazer Beam and Speed Booster are also acquired here.
 * Research Site - a new area not present in Metroid II. This is where the Federation research team made their base and were killed by Metroids. Two Alpha Metroids ambush Samus here, which may have been responsible for their deaths. After the Power Bombs are acquired, a shaft above the Research Site leads to the G.F.S. Thoth site.
 * Mining Facility - the AM2R equivalent of Phase 5. It is a long and winding set of old mining tunnels. Two mining drills can be found here. One of them is non-functional, while the other is used by Samus to get further into the base. Cordite, in a raw, green crystallized form is found here, and is presumably what the Chozo was mining on SR388. It can still be destroyed with Super Missiles. One Gamma Metroid is battled here.
 * The Tower - the AM2R version of Phase 7. It has been greatly expanded. Upon first arrival, the facility will have no power and some of its rooms will be inaccessible. Samus will find a Morph Ball slot further into the Tower that will turn the power back on. 3 Zeta Metroids and 3 Gamma Metroids are fought here. A miniboss, The Tester, is also battled in a very tall shaft. The Plasma Beam is acquired here. After the Metroids have been killed and the lava subsides, the Power Plant becomes accessible. At the very top of the Tower is a massive statue of two Chozo holding a planet, possibly SR388, in their hands.
 * Power Plant - A new subarea not present in Metroid II, where the Tower's power is generated. At its heart is a chamber with power cells, one of which is unstable. After Samus uses a Power Bomb, acquired in the same chamber to escape, the Plant begins to melt down and she is forced to escape. This countdown is scripted, meaning that the "power cell temperature" bar that appears during the countdown will only fill as Samus enters new rooms. The Tank Prototype is battled during the escape. As she reaches the entrance of the Power Plant, Samus is stuck behind slow-unlocking gates, and the Plant explodes, knocking her down and reducing her energy to 5 units. Part of the ruined Power Plant can still be explored after its destruction, and will yield previously unavailable items. No Metroids are present here.
 * Distribution Center - an entirely new area added to the game. The Center's main purpose is to serve as a backtracking hub which connects to prior areas using fast-traveling pipes. The Ice Beam is now exclusively located inside this Center, and the Gravity Suit is found in a subarea above it, with numerous rooms containing extreme gravity that renders Samus unable to shoot when she is passing through them. The Screw Attack can be found here as well. With the final update to the game from DoctorM64, the Distribution Center also contains a transportation pipe linking to the Genetics Laboratory, the final area of the game. 8 Metroids are battled here: 1 Zeta Metroid, 5 Alpha Metroids at once, and 2 Gamma Metroids at once. Serris is also fought here as a non-Metroid miniboss.
 * GFS Thoth - a new area not present in Metroid II. The G.F.S. Thoth and Anhur-class patrol ship carrying the two ill-fated Galactic Federation teams mentioned in the Metroid II manual are found here, and Genesis is fought as a miniboss. The room where Samus is infected by an X Parasite prior to Metroid Fusion can be visited here. A Hornoad is present inside, the same creature that the X which infects Samus spawns from. No Metroids are present here.
 * S&R Hideout - a new subarea, where the search and rescue team made their base. Samus will hear gunfire on her first visit, and discover the team still alive, battling an evolving Omega Metroid, before they are killed by it. An Alpha Metroid is fought prior to this encounter. Besides the Metroids, the only thing found here is a Super Missile Tank. Phase 8, which contained an Alpha Metroid and four Omegas, was split into two areas for AM2R, the S&R Hideout and the Nest. The other three Omega Metroids are fought in the Nest.
 * The Nest - the penultimate area of the game, where the (supposedly) final Metroids are fought before the Queen. Three Omega Metroids are battled here, each in rather small corridors.
 * Genetics Laboratory - the final area of the game and the location of the Queen Metroid and the egg from which the baby hatches. This is the AM2R equivalent of Phase 9. 8 normal Metroids are fought here as in Metroid II. It now features stasis tubes and organic matter coating the background. The logs and several visual decorations serve to hint at the Chozo being responsible for the creation of the Metroid species. During the Queen battle, she will destroy the walls behind Samus and chase her, extending her chamber in the original game into a corridor.

References to prior Metroid titles
The game has many Easter eggs and references to prior games in the Metroid series, including the Metroid Prime series.
 * Metroid/Metroid: Zero Mission - The intro sequence in AM2R shows an image of what is likely Tourian with several Metroid larvae. This same intro's text, as well as logs, describe the Space Pirates' interest and attempts in using Metroids as bioweapons, in direct reference to both the original game and its remake. Samus wears attire similar to, but different in appearance from, her orange Ending Outfit from Zero Mission in the Game Over and the best ending. The G.F.S. Thoth has a unique Save Station that closely resembles those used in Metroid: Zero Mission
 * Metroid Prime - A log mentions the Space Pirates' use of abnormal stimuli (Phazon) on Metroids. The Chozo history records in the Torizo log refers to the Chozo Lore entry "Statuary". Cordite minerals can be found in the game, though in their raw, green crystalline form. The intro sequence's text states the existence of several Metroid-related incidents prior to AM2R, covering the entirety of the Prime trilogy.
 * Metroid Prime 2: Echoes - The Anhur-class patrol ship belonging to the search and rescue team is the same class as the G.F.S. Tyr that landed on Aether, and also had its entire crew massacred. When Samus steps out of the chamber that grants her the Gravity Suit, her suit's lights are a bright blue while the rest of her body is briefly shrouded in darkness; this is a visual reference to Dark Samus. Several tracks from Echoes are also remixed for the game, including the Chykka battle theme and Great Temple theme.Dark samus.png
 * Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - The G.F.S. Thoth is a Griffin-class frigate that once escorted Olympus-class battleships, ship classes that are present in Corruption. Within the Thoth, there is a room with a Mounted Blast Shield door in the background with the 5 combination locks on it.
 * Metroid Prime: Federation Force: The four soldiers fighting the first Omega Metroid have colored armorsuits, which are a subtle nod to the titular characters of Federation Force.
 * Super Metroid: The best ending in AM2R shows Samus contacting the Ceres Space Colony. After the credits the introductory phrase "The Last Metroid is in captivity. The Galaxy is at peace." appears followed by "to be continued." The Moon Walk technique, which was present in Super Metroid, is also present in AM2R. The baby's screeching sound effects are reused from Super Metroid.
 * Metroid Other M: The banner of the Federation and some Federation personnel's armor suits are based on the designs from Other M. Also present is Anthony Higgs's Plasma Gun, carried by a large, bulky soldier fighting the first Omega Metroid.
 * Metroid Fusion: The research crew's suits are based on Biologic's research team, that Samus later escorts in Fusion ' s intro sequence. In that same sequence, the chamber where Samus is infected by an X Parasite can be visited in AM2R near the G.F.S. Thoth site. A Hornoad is present there, which is the creature from which the X that infects Samus spawns. In the nearby G.F.S. Thoth, there is a room with three tanks, containing the brain of the B.O.X. Security Robot, an Evir, and a section of Nightmare's arm. A shattered fourth tank previously held a Genesis specimen, which is fought as a miniboss. The Arachnus battle, which did not have its own music in Metroid II, now has a remix of the Arachnus-X's theme from Fusion (later remixed into Berserker Lord in Corruption).

Development
Blog posts pertaining to development of the game began in 2008, the very first of which stating the game's engine had been in the works for a few years before that. The game was created using Game Maker 7 at one point, before being moved to Game Maker: Studio Master Collection. It was developed almost entirely by Milton Guasti, a devoted fan from Argentina.

The game's title, "Another Metroid 2 Remake", refers to the fact that at the start of its development, it was one of many fan-made remakes of Metroid II in development. While others were cancelled or never made it past the conceptualization stage, AM2R was completed and released.

One of the criticisms of the original Metroid II was that some of the areas had little to no music, or that it was not riveting. AM2R corrects this by using remixes of tracks from official Metroid games. For example, the Hydro Station's theme is a remix of Brinstar Overgrown With Vegetation Area, the Industrial Complex's theme is a remix of the Great Temple theme in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, and The Tower's theme, as well as the Power Plant subsection, is a remix of the Lower Norfair/Magmoor Caverns theme in Super Metroid and Metroid Prime. Some of the tracks from the original Metroid II are retained and remixed, such as the SR388 tunnels theme, which now has two versions that change halfway through the game, similar to the Tallon Overworld theme in Metroid Prime. Some of the music appears to be original as well, such as the G.F.S. Thoth and Genesis themes. Of note is that the Queen Metroid's theme now includes sound bytes present in many tracks throughout the Prime series.

Despite the original DMCA takedown, an update was released on August 18, 2016, which fixes translation issues and a glitch where the Gravity Suit did not render correctly, and adds a transportation pipe to the Genetics Laboratory, the final area of the game. On September 2, 2016, DoctorM64 announced that Nintendo had sent another DMCA request to his email, and that there would be no further updates to AM2R.

The game is dedicated to Satoru Iwata, the late CEO of Nintendo who died in 2015.

Reception
Another Metroid 2 Remake received largely positive reviews from many gaming websites and fans of the series. In 2008, when the game was still under development, Arstechnica called it "one to watch out for". After its release, Destructoid referred to it as a "labor of love" and praised its "punchy" gameplay.

Response from Nintendo
Nintendo had seemingly ignored the game's existence during its ten-year development. Immediately after its release, however, the company's legal team approached the official blog and other sites that hosted download links, including the Metroid Database, with DMCA requests forcing them to remove the links. It did not issue a cease-and-desist letter, which would have forced the game's removal from the internet and the end of its development altogether. While the game is still available through torrents, Nintendo's action against it has angered many Metroid fans, whose satisfaction with Nintendo's treatment of the Metroid franchise has deteriorated following the controversial releases of Metroid: Other M and Metroid Prime: Federation Force. In a statement released after the takedown, Guasti harbored no ill will towards Nintendo and encouraged fans not to criticize them as it was within their legal rights to protect their intellectual property. He did state that he plans to continue improving on the game privately (which eventually did, by releasing a new version on August 18, 2016 through the AM2R official boards). He also encouraged fans to buy the original Metroid II on the eShop.

Ben Sprout, an environment artist who worked on Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, praised AM2R in a blog post before its release and promised to try it out.