Another Metroid 2 Remake

AM2R (also known as Another Metroid 2 Remake or AM2R: Return of Samus) is an unofficial fan 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, one day later, 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.

On June 13, 2017, Nintendo announced an official remake, Metroid: Samus Returns, for Nintendo 3DS. It is speculated that this was the true reason AM2R was shut down by Nintendo. DoctorM64 stated in response: "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."

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 automatically download Logbook entries similar to the Metroid Prime series that reveal additional lore about areas and bosses. 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 these Federation teams, despite mentioning them in the manual. Samus also 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 Logbook reveals that the cave system is located between two tectonic plates on SR388. 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, Samus speaks the famous introductory phrase from Super Metroid: "The last Metroid is in captivity. The galaxy is at peace." 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 "VariaZim" 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. More endings were planned for a future update before development was forced to end. The images below are high definition versions of the endings; ingame, they are pixellated.

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 (thereby removing duplicates from Metroid II), 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, dedicated keys to morph and aim lock, and an Ukemi ability to breakfall an attack that knocks Samus off her feet in similar manner to Super Smash Bros. ' teching performed by pressing the jump button right as Samus is about to land on the ground. Moreover, the remake allows abilities to be toggled on and off at will - a feature formerly exclusive to Super Metroid. The Five-Bomb Drop technique from Super Metroid and Other M returns, and holding the down button while deploying will create a vertical row or a triangle of Bombs when used on the ground and midair respectively and propel Samus far into the air when they explode.

Unlike in the Metroid Prime series, Logbook scans are obtained automatically upon entering new areas, and encountering 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, Speed Booster, 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 Torizo, Serris and Genesis, the former being an animated Chozo Statue on planet Zebes in Super Metroid and the latter two being 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 from 48 to 55, adding 5 Alphas, 2 Gammas and 1 Zeta Metroid. The Metroid Detector rises up to 1 after the baby hatches, unlike the original game.

Several changes have been made to the Power Beam. In addition to stacking, the Spazer Beam and Plasma Beams are now stackable, a feat not possible in Super Metroid without glitching. However, as a result of stacking, the beam's rate of fire decreases as the more beams are stacked together, for balancing purposes. Also, the Ice Beam has notably undergone a complete revamp, mirroring Metroid: Other M: instead of freezing enemies in place to be used as a suspended platform like in other 2-D games, all frozen enemies would defy gravity (midair enemies will drop to the ground and enemies submerged in water or lava will float briefly) before shattering after a few seconds (the latter does not apply to Larva Metroids however). This change was made as there was no situation where the platforming feature could be used, and was quickly rendered irrelevant with the Spider Ball and Space Jump being acquired shortly after. As the most powerful weapon in the game, the Ice Beam was moved from Area 1 to a new area between Area 5 and Area 6 as the final suit upgrade.

Missile and Super Missile impacts notably create a harmful splash effect (in the original 2-D games the impact splash was merely a visual effect), allowing them to hit enemies and destroy Missile Blocks and Super Missile Blocks without coming into direct contact with the missile itself, as well as multiple enemies and blocks close together.

Missile Batteries and Big Energy Balls were removed; Save Stations will now replenish Samus's energy and ammo while simultaneously saving the game. However, Save Stations will automatically save the game when stepped on without providing any prompt. Power Bomb Ammo is also absent in the game due to balancing purposes, forcing Samus to use Save Stations to replenish Power Bomb supply.

In the game's Hard Mode, in addition to strengthening enemies and enhancing some bosses attacks, defeated Metroids will not yield any pickups.

Log Book entries
The Golden Temple's Logbook entry was changed mid-development.
 * "This temple stands at the base of a hollow mountain. Statues and carved stones decorate the exterior. Its solid design also attests that the structure was built to be a sanctuary. It can withstand the constant earthquakes and falling rocks from the cave ceiling. Extendable bridges are used to access the temple, since the isolated seismic-resistant base of the building shifts its position with each earthquake. Structural damage is minimal, showing the building knowledge and experience of the Chozo, even in unstable a" [text cut off]

Items
Note: Bold denotes new items that have been added to the game. A list of expansions can be found here.

Suit

 * Power Suit
 * "Samus's standard Armored Suit."


 * Varia Suit
 * Acquisition: "Reduces Damage taken by 50%"
 * Samus Screen: "Provides extra protection against enemies and dangerous environments."


 * Gravity Suit
 * Acquisition: "Liquid friction eliminated - Improved Defense"
 * Samus Screen: "Protects from all environmental hazards, no friction while in fluids."

Beam

 * Charge Beam
 * Acquisition: "Hold [shoot button] to charge your beam"
 * Samus Screen: "Hold [shoot button] to concentrate Beam Energy, release to Fire."


 * Ice Beam
 * Acquisition: "Instantly freeze enemies. Extra damage"
 * Samus Screen: "Instantly freeze enemies. Extra damage."


 * Wave Beam
 * Acquisition: "Beams can now go through solid objects."
 * Samus Screen: "Beams go through solid objects."


 * Spazer Beam
 * Acquisition: "Beams now have a wider range"
 * Samus Screen: "Enhanced Beam width."


 * Plasma Beam
 * Acquisition: "Beams can pierce enemies"
 * Samus Screen: "Beams pierce through enemies."

Misc

 * Morph Ball
 * "Allows Samus to Morph into a ball and traverse narrow passages."


 * Spider Ball
 * Acquisition: "Press [button 1] or [button 2] in Morph Ball mode to climb walls"
 * Samus Screen: "Samus can stick to walls and ceilings in Morph Ball Mode."


 * Spring Ball
 * Acquisition: "Press [jump button] in Morph Ball mode"
 * Samus Screen: "Gives Samus the ability to jump while in Morph Ball Mode."


 * Bombs
 * Acquisition: "Press [shoot button] in Morph Ball mode to deploy"
 * Samus Screen: "Bombs can be deployed in Morph Ball Mode."


 * Power Grip
 * "Samus can grab ledges and pull herself up."


 * Screw Attack
 * Acquisition: "Jump into enemies to inflict massive damage"
 * Samus Screen: "Unleashes a lethal amount of energy when Spin Jumping."

Boots

 * Hi-Jump Boots
 * Acquisition: "Maximum Jump height increased"
 * Samus Screen: "Increases maximum jump height."


 * Space Jump
 * Acquisition: "Jump continuously in the air"
 * Samus Screen: "Allows the execution of multiple Spin Jumps in mid-air."


 * Speed Booster
 * Acquisition: "Run continuously to begin Speed Boosting"
 * Samus Screen: "Run continuously to break obstacles and damage enemies."


 * Missile Tank
 * "Missile capacity increased by 5" (2 on Hard Mode).


 * Energy Tank
 * "Suit Energy increased by 100 units"


 * Super Missile
 * "Press [Missile button] to select, 5x damage"


 * Power Bomb
 * "Press [Missile button] in Morph Ball mode to enable"

Bosses
As in the original Metroid II, it is possible to escape from some Metroids and return to fight them later, though 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; Larvas and Gammas are shown molting, while Alphas and Zetas are shown mutating into their new forms. Unlike Metroid II, where Alpha, Gamma, Zeta and Omega Metroids would sustain damage from being hit anywhere on their body, their weak points are now limited to the green membrane on their underside (and back, in the case of the Omega Metroid).

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. In addition to trying to ram Samus, Alphas can also charge at her at high speeds, and will often dart out of the way of missile fire. Some Alpha Metroids have small talons, or legs, suggesting they are starting to evolve into Gamma Metroids. Two Alpha Metroids are encountered and battled together in the Research Lab sub area, and may have been responsible for the deaths of the Federation research team. One chamber in the Distribution Center contains five Alpha Metroids at once. Their log entry states that the larva Metroid's transformation into the Alpha stage resulted in the loss of all but one nuclei, 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 purple fireballs that spread out in the air and then disappear, six green fireballs that impact the ground (only leaving a safe spot under the Guardian) and a yellow fireball that spreads a wave of fire across the ground on both ends. When attacking, the Ancient Guardian is invulnerable to damage, but is otherwise easily destroyed with Missiles. The Guardian cannot use both features at once due to its archaic design, which constricts it to operating at low power. As the Ancient Guardian takes more damage, the spike-lined walls close in, giving Samus less room to fight. The Ancient Guardian's logbook states it is programmed to detect foreign beings carrying stolen Chozo upgrades; one of AM2R's writers explains this idea originated from the X Parasites' capabilities of absorbing Chozo items, therefore the creatures' strange body compositions would activate the Guardian. Consequently, Samus' unnatural DNA triggers the boss to attack her as well. Ancient Guardian shares its battle music with The Tester. According to DoctorM64, the Ancient Guardian was an "improvised" boss from Chozo Statue sprites in Zero Mission.


 * Gamma Metroid - It takes 10 normal Missiles to kill a Gamma Metroid. In addition to occasionally pausing to shoot electricity, the Gammas in AM2R will often dart out of the way of missile fire and can charge at high speeds which, if it connects, allows them to 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, although this can be nullified with the breakfall technique. One underwater chamber in the Distribution Center contains a pair of Gamma Metroids, although they are noticeably slowed down by the water. According to the Log Book entry, Gamma Metroids transfer negative electrical charges from its nervous system to its horns, which allows for the electricity to be discharged in an arc of lightning. The exoskeleton has expanded to provide additional protection to compensate for its nuclei membrane, which remains vulnerable. Their legs are long, sharp and spindly at this stage, and the Gamma Metroid uses them to capture prey and drain them of their energy.


 * Arachnus - The Arachnus battle combines elements from the fights against the creature in Metroid II and Metroid Fusion, and has been expanded beyond simply firing at the creature. While on the ground, it will launch fiery attacks at Samus or its slashing attacks from Fusion; unlike Fusion, it fires red fireballs with wide gaps in between their flaming spots or green fireballs that bounce around the room, and its slashing attacks have no wind-up and can be fired diagonally upward. It can also curl into its ball form in the air and launch itself at Samus, in a similar manner to Sonic the Hedgehog's Homing Attack. After it sustains enough damage, it will roar and begin to ram into Samus in its ball form. Samus must lay Bombs 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, the bottom-most set disappears and the Arachnus takes damage. If Samus takes too long to launch Arachnus, it will briefly uncurl to launch fireballs that move horizontally at standing face height and bounce along the walls, which can be avoided by staying in Morph Ball. 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 animated Chozo Statues from Super Metroid is fought in the beginning of the Industrial Complex, after Samus acquires the Space Jump from its hands. A logbook entry states that this Torizo is partially organic, with a concentration of organic matter on its chest constituting a weak point. This is further implied to be the case for other Torizos, such as the ones fought in Super Metroid. This Torizo is initially fought much like its Zebesian brethren, with its upper body being the main target and its attacks consisting of energy waves and fireball projectile volleys. However, its energy waves curve in a similar manner to the Wave Beam instead of moving straight. The Torizo walks much faster the more damage it takes, up to the point where it matches Samus' running speed, although Samus can duck under its legs using the Morph Ball. After taking enough damage, the Torizo will appear to be destroyed. After a moment of silence, though, the music will return, faster than before, as the Torizo deploys mechanical wings and a jetpack to take flight. The ceiling rises with it, revealing platforms in the air, and spikes will begin to emerge from 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. In this second phase, it will no longer fire energy waves, but instead spit a continuous stream of fireballs, fire egg-like objects from its stomach that hatch into small birds which briefly chase Samus before disappearing, and attempting to ram into Samus at high speed four times in succession. Its projectiles can be destroyed for Energy Capsules and Missile Ammo. The Torizo's sprites were designed in 2012. According to DoctorM64, the Torizo originally had wings, but they were difficult to animate, so he ended up giving it a jetpack. He also experimented with a skeletal look for the mechanism.


 * Zeta Metroid - Zeta Metroids will die after being hit with 20 normal Missiles, although Super Missiles will help to speed up battles with them. In AM2R their behavior is similar to their own in Metroid II and the Omega Metroid from Metroid Fusion, being a land-based bipedal creature instead of hovering in midair. The Zeta Metroid will stomp around its chamber and spit a stream of corrosive acidic saliva at Samus, in addition to slashing at her with its claws, throwing a pair of energy waves, and charging at her at high speeds. One chamber in the Distribution Center has a Zeta Metroid surrounded by energy cells which it can detonate with its energy waves, which can disable Samus' weaponry if she does not have the Gravity Suit. According to the Zeta's log entry, the Alpha and Gamma Metroid stages are the pupal phase of the species' life cycle, and its evolution into a Zeta Metroid marks the beginning of its adulthood. Its immense weight causes it to lose the ability to levitate.


 * The Tester - A spherical mechanism present in a very tall shaft in The Tower. The Log Book states that it performs 360° live-fire tests of prototype weapons. It is a sphere that floats up and down in its chamber, guarded by four side plates, which are resistant to beam weaponry and are used in a drilling-like attack. It also spins in its position while firing streams of missiles as well as the Ice, Wave, Spazer, and Plasma Beams from its four turrets, which can be destroyed for pickups. To defeat the Tester, the side plates must be destroyed with missiles, along with its interior shield with beam weaponry, and finally the core of the machine itself. However, the interior shield has an auto-repair system, and will regenerate over time on Hard difficulty. Partly helping Samus stay close to the machine in the air are numerous Proboscum mechanisms on the walls. The Logbook reveals that this was applied after earlier models' cannons were unable to stand up to exceedingly violent tests; the logbook writer explains he envisioned the Chozo trying out the effectiveness of various weapons against captured X Parasite specimens. Much like Samus's Power Suit, the Tester's design allows for the assimilation and removal of equipment. The Tester shares its battle music with the Ancient Guardian. DoctorM64 later said that the Tester was an "excuse for Samus to use all her weapons", meaning all of the Beams she had acquired by that point.


 * Tank Prototype - The Tank Prototype is battled during the escape from the Power Plant. The prototype attacks with missiles and beam projectiles; the former can be destroyed for pickups. Sensors on its head allow it to aim accurately at Samus, although its armor has weakened over time. It will also slowly move toward Samus, destroying the generators on the ground along the way. Its head, arms and base can be destroyed, which will stop it from accurately targeting, firing beam projectiles, and moving respectively. The prototype's chest is its weak spot, and is guarded by a destructible chest plate. The Logbook states that this mechanism was planned to be mass-produced and remote-controlled by the Chozo, however a basic A.I. is now active due to a lack of commands. Although AM2R's logbook writer intentionally left the machine's purpose highly ambiguous, he states that the Chozo designed it to be remote-controlled in order to remove the need for live pilots in the battlefield, thus preventing both infection and their Tanks being turned against them when they would have been launched against X Parasites; this mass-production never came to fruition due to the creation of the highly efficient Metroids.


 * Genesis - The Genesis enemy encountered in Metroid Fusion is fought as a miniboss inside the G.F.S. Thoth, having escaped from one of 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, and attacks Samus in the open. 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 auto-hemorrhaging as its main attack, will slash Samus if she gets too close and 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 is revealed to be derived from its DNA, which analyses indicated that it belongs to the oldest living lineage on SR388. According to DoctorM64, programming of Genesis was finished in the span of a few hours, only a week before the game's release.


 * Serris - A boss from Metroid Fusion that is fought in an underwater room in the Distribution Center. Serris is the fastest animal on SR388. The skin on its underside, a respiratory organ, can be frozen over with the Ice Beam and attacked with Missiles or Super Missiles to nullify its hardened skin and render it vulnerable to attack. It will swim through the water and destroy platforms made of Missile Blocks as it navigates. As Serris takes more damage, it begins to swim faster, but cannot not use the Speed Booster like in Fusion. After its death, it segments will detach and float in the water for a few seconds before exploding. The Logbook reveals that a Serris will move to another location by digging passages to channel water from its previous home to its new one; this is speculated to be the cause of the Distribution Center's flooding. DoctorM64 later said that he felt Serris was too easy, and would have increased the difficulty of its fight if he was allowed to update the game.


 * Omega Metroid - As the apex predator of SR388, the Omega Metroid is the most powerful of all Metroids, before the Queen. In version 1.0 they required 40 Missiles to kill, while version 1.1 reduced the amount to 35 Missiles. In AM2R, like the Zeta Metroid, the Omega Metroid's behavior is combined from Metroid II and Metroid Fusion. It breathes a long stream of fire (an "organic flamethrower") from its mouth, which is actually saliva ignited by the creature's mouth glands. It also 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 briefly open up on its lower back, which can be targeted for triple damage. The Log entry states that the Omega Metroid's large size is caused when the Zeta Metroid's muscles rapidly expand to massive proportions during its evolution into the next form.


 * Queen Metroid - The Queen Metroid's cell structure is suggested in the Logbook to be very old, perhaps almost as old as the Genetics Laboratory in which she is found, hinting at her being the very first Metroid created by the Chozo. Her genetic coding is distinct from other Metroids and it is suggested that the creature went through a unique life cycle to attain its form. It is the only Metroid in the natural life cycle capable of producing offspring, and the mother of every Metroid on SR388. The Queen's mobility has been hindered by her time spent in the hive, but this has caused her to develop a long neck and massive head that can strike enemies at a distance, and an impenetrable torso. The Queen is fought in very much the same manner as before, but the battle is expanded. She will launch a number of projectiles from her mouth, which can be destroyed and yield Energy Capsules and ammo (if the Plasma Beam is skipped, the projectiles will not yield any pick-ups, making the battle more difficult). She will then ram at Samus's position with her head several times. Her weak spot, her head, is vulnerable to Missiles and normal Bombs (Five-Bomb Drops are particularly effective), but only while she is attempting to lunge at Samus. When Super Missiles are used, the Queen's red "eyes" will flash; when Power Bombs are used, her "eyes" will close until after the explosion, but it does no damage. 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. This is similar to the battle against the Metroid Prime. The Queen will be fought in two corridors and one room where she has more ability to move her head. In the corridors, she will sink or raise her head before launching. In the final room, the Queen will put Samus in her mouth before throwing her away, and can be finished off in several ways. The first way is by shooting 15 Missiles or 3 Super Missiles at her head before she can eat Samus, which will cause her to release Samus from her mouth and shake violently before anticlimactically exploding into a puff of smoke (much like the other Metroids), leaving no trace of herself behind. The other, more popular way to kill the Queen requires Samus to allow herself to be eaten, entering her stomach with Morph Ball and laying 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 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. Finally, normal Bombs can be laid inside the Queen's mouth or stomach until she dies, although again, none of her body will be left behind if she is killed this way. Samus can also unmorph and exit through the Queen's backside if she uses normal Bombs. 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, and Samus's energy is no longer fully restored after the Queen is killed.

Areas

 * Surface - the surface area of SR388, where Samus lands her Gunship, and later returns with the Metroid Hatchling. 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 time of day on the surface changes over the course of the game: when Samus lands on SR388, it is morning; after Samus explores the Research Site, dusk occurs; and when Samus returns from the Genetic Laboratory, it is nighttime. The name "Surface" is also used for this area in the official Metroid II remake, Metroid: Samus Returns.
 * The Golden Temple - the AM2R version of Area 1, 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. The Log entry states that it stands at the base of a hollow mountain. It was built as a sanctuary, possibly a religious one, and has not fallen into disrepair like many other Chozo ruins. All of the robotic entities found here operate autonomously, with no control signals to be found. They are placed at strategic points within the temple.
 * Breeding Grounds - Similar subareas of the Golden Temple, Hydro Station and Industrial Complex, engineered for the cultivation and breeding of Metroids. These areas are rife with corrosive tendrils, which are explained in the Log Book as synthetic lifeforms that absorb nutrients from dead matter. Predating and scavenging animals often take advantage of the terrain here, feeding on carrion.
 * Hydro Station - the AM2R version of Area 2. 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, possibly including the Distribution Center. 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. Area 2 in Samus Returns also features a hydroelectric power plant aesthetic.
 * Industrial Complex - the AM2R version of Area 3. It is a factory that assembles Chozo drones, which run autonomously to supply SR388's facilities with replacement parts. The facility has remained remarkably intact and operational considering its age, although robotic workers have begun to malfunction and show signs of aggression. 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 Super Missiles, Spazer Beam and Speed Booster are also acquired here. The Samus Returns version of Area 3 also features an industrial complex aesthetic.
 * Research Site - the AM2R equivalent of the first half of Area 4. 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. The Log entry reveals that the access tunnel leading to their research vessel has collapsed, and their equipment is no longer functional.
 * Mining Facility - the AM2R equivalent of the second half of Area 4. 1 Gamma Metroid and 1 Alpha Metroid are fought here. 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, a substance from Metroid Prime is found here, but in a raw, green crystallized form, and is presumably what the Chozo was mining on SR388. It can still be destroyed with Super Missiles. The Log Book states that Cordite is among the most durable and naturally forming crystals in the galaxy, and a more malleable resource than diamonds. The Chozo found uses for Cordite in constructing both machinery and art. The Mining Facility supplies Cordite and other materials to the Industrial Complex.
 * The Tower - the AM2R version of Area 5, which has been greatly expanded. 3 Zeta Metroids and 3 Gamma Metroids are fought in here. The Tower is a weapons R&D factory, and is guarded by aggressive combat drones using advanced shield plating. These robots are programmed to fire at any living target and seek to quickly eradicate any organic matter that may enter the Tower. The logbook writer reveals the robots' goal behind the severe cleansing is to prevent an organism (alive or dead) to be present and become an X host, an incident that would allow the parasites to multiply within the Tower and manipulate/sabotage the otherwise fully sterilized area. 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. A miniboss, The Tester, is also battled in a very tall shaft, guarding the way to the Plasma Beam. 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 warrior Chozo holding a planet, possibly SR388, in their hands.
 * Power Plant - A new sub-area not present in Metroid II, where geothermal power is generated to power all facilities within the complex cave system of SR388. Water from the Hydro Station is transported into the system via insulated pipes, while sophisticated turbines use the environment's heat to ensure efficient power with minimal usage of water. At its heart is a chamber with power cells, one of which is structurally unsound. After Samus uses a Power Bomb, acquired in the same chamber to escape, this cell explodes, the Plant begins to melt down and she is forced to escape. This countdown is both timed and scripted, meaning that the "power cell temperature" bar that appears during the countdown will fill both over time and as the closer Samus is to escaping. The Tank Prototype is battled during the escape. As she reaches the entrance of the Power Plant, Samus is stuck behind slowly-unlocking gates; the power cell temperature suddenly reaches critical levels and the Plant explodes, blasting her through the gates, 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 1 Missile Tank and 1 Energy Tank, and a Chozo Statue that survived the destruction carrying the latter. 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. In addition, a Morph Ball slot distributes drones across the entire planet carrying energy cells used to power nodes to unlock doors to progress through the Distribution Center or hidden power-ups in previous areas. These energy cells contain excess energy, and when shot with beam weaponry, will explode, creating an electrical field similar to an electromagnetic pulse that renders Samus unable to shoot unless she has the Gravity Suit; Bombs and Missiles will not cause them to explode, and can be used to move them around. The explosion from these cells will also cause mechanical enemies to shut down, which makes clearing rooms easier. New enemies called Robo Mines (or Robomines) are present throughout the area; when touched or shot at without the Ice Beam they explode and release lots of electrical energy that will damage Samus severely. The best ways to dispatch these mines is to shoot the power cells, which disable the mines with their explosion, or use the Screw Attack or Ice Beam. The Screw Attack and Ice Beam are now exclusively located inside this Center, and the Gravity Suit is found in a subarea above it, with numerous rooms containing an electrical field similar to that created by the destabilized energy cells. 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 boss, intercepting Samus after she acquires the Ice Beam. The Distribution Center's flooding is suggested to have been caused by Serris. According to DoctorM64 in the April 2017 developer's livestream, the Distribution Center was originally more of an Atlantis-style sunken temple.
 * G.F.S. 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. To access this area, a Power Bomb is required to remove Power Bomb Blocks just outside of the Research Site to reveal an elevator. No evidence of either team could be found in Metroid II. 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. The Log Book entry reveals that the Thoth originally escorted Olympus-class battleships, before it was converted into a research vessel. The crew has explored many planets and studied ancient civilizations and species across the cosmos. To this end, it carries portable drilling machinery for its excavations. There are three levels in the ship. Upon entering the ship, the entry is expanded with information from the display of the ship's motion sensor monitor system. The first level contains the storage area and ship lobby, the second level contains the communications room and west wing, and the third level contains only the east wing and a Save Station. All rooms except the east wing have no signals, while movement is detected in the east wing, revealed to be Genesis. In keeping with Federation starship-naming customs from the official series, the Thoth is named after the Egyptian deity of the same name. In mythology, Thoth was known as the God of Knowledge, and was credited as the inventor of writing and all kinds of science, and he was often depicted by artists as man with a bird head. These features bear striking similarities with the Chozo, who used to travel through the galaxy sharing their knowledge and technology with underdeveloped civilizations.
 * S&R Hideout - the AM2R equivalent of Area 6, 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.
 * The Nest - the penultimate area of the game as Area 7, where the (supposedly) final Metroids are fought before the Queen. Three Omega Metroids are battled here, each in rather small corridors. According to the Log Book, the Nest is composed of "thick, globe-like masses composed mostly of crystallized carbohydrates", and only the most adaptable bioforms can thrive in its ecosystem.
 * Genetics Laboratory - the final area of the game and the location of the Queen Metroid and the egg from which the last living Metroid hatches, serving as the AM2R equivalent of Area 8. 8 normal Metroids are fought here as in Metroid II. It now features stasis tubes and organic matter coating the background. The Ice Beam is no longer found here due to the inclusion of Beam stacking, although the broken Chozo Statue where it was found in Metroid II is still present in AM2R. The logs and several visual decorations in the Genetics Laboratory 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. In addition, the small shaft where Samus can escape from during the Queen battle has been removed in AM2R. With the final update to the game, a transportation pipe is added that connects the Laboratory to the Hydro Station.

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.
 * 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. If left idle, Samus fiddles with her arm cannon similarly to Prime's idle animation.
 * 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. The Ice Beam's functionality mirrors that of its Metroid: Other M incarnation, where enemies frozen in midair fall to the ground and shatter.
 * 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). The Save Station aboard the G.F.S Thoth uses the same sprite found in Navigation Rooms, Data Rooms, Security Rooms, Recharge Rooms and other control panels placed throughout Fusion, highlighting the use of common Federation technology. The Ice Beam in AM2R is also the final suit upgrade in the game, though this may be for balancing reasons due to the game's beam stacking system rather than a reference to Fusion.

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.

Guasti, a 26 year old man who co-owned a recording studio, became a fan of the Metroid series in the 1990s through playing Super Metroid on emulators. He became interested in gamemaking and downloaded GameMaker when he was 26. Archaic gambling laws imposed by Brazil classified video games as gambling and imposed taxes, making the retail version of GameMaker too expensive for Guasti's budget. However, he was able to procure a license and began to familiarize himself with GameMaker. The seeds for AM2R were planted. Guasti felt that a remake of Metroid II would be suitable as a first game, and played the classic Metroid titles to become familiar with their gameplay and Metroidvania formula. With a remake of Metroid II, Guasti felt it especially important that he capture the uneasy feeling one would get when playing the original game, while modernizing the game in line with Metroid Fusion and Zero Mission. The lack of customers at his recording studio meant that Guasti had plenty of free time to develop AM2R.

GameMaker alone did not have the resources to develop a game as complex as AM2R, so Guasti downloaded GameMaker Platform Engine, a plug-in containing physics that were more suited for the development of classic-style 2-D adventure games. The resolution of 160x144 in Metroid II was increased to 320x240 for AM2R, which necessitated the expansion and refinement of the original game's environments. For instance, the Landing Site, a recognizable landmark in any Metroid game, needed to retain an air of familiarity and begin to drum up the feeling of dread that would follow players as they played the game. Speedrunning was also taken into consideration, and Guasti consulted prominent Metroid speedrunners to playtest and provide feedback on the environments and Samus's movements.

Initially, Guasti believed that AM2R would be a simple project, completed within a few months. However, over the course of the game's development, new features such as a minimap, more non-Metroid bosses and item-toggling in the Samus Screen were added. Guasti's personal life became an issue in 2006: his recording studio was dismantled a week before Christmas, leaving him unemployed, and he nearly ended a long-term relationship. Near the end of 2007, Guasti's newly constructed recording studio was running smoothly, and he was able to resume development of AM2R, creating a small demo. The response from the Metroid fan community was overwhelmingly positive, and over time, other fans with varying skills in game development came forward to offer their assistance. Hiring new developers had benefits and drawbacks. Originally, most of the sprites of the game were ripped from past Metroid entries, but the addition of new developers allowed the creation of original sprites. However, more artists meant more coordination of assets, and higher standards of the development. Development was coordinated via Discord and Skype.

In 2011, Guasti was hired at a software development company. This provided him with a stable job and money at a time when he was expecting his first child. However, this meant more time at the office and less time spent with his new family. Reflecting on this period in his life, Guasti said: "I just some guy that showed up and spent some time with her [his daughter] before she fell asleep, and helped with household chores. I won't do that again." In an effort to free up time, Guasti once again closed his recording studio to focus on his day job and AM2R.

One decade after beginning production of the game, in early 2016, AM2R was nearly finished. It was planned for release in December, but Guasti chose to release it on August 6th, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the franchise (which was otherwise ignored by Nintendo). Ryan Barrett/Infinity's End of the Metroid Database contacted Guasti, having followed AM2R for years and offered to host download links for the game when it was released. A countdown timer was placed on the blog on July 6th, exactly one month before release date. It was released at 4pm EST August 6th.

Half an hour before the game went live, Guasti was alerted by one of the playtesters to a game-breaking bug, but he was able to remove the bug and re-upload the game within 10 minutes of the countdown hitting zero. The MDb reported that their site was inaccessible due to the load on the servers; 1 terabyte of bandwidth was downloaded that day from the site from people downloading the game.

Mere hours after AM2R was released, the MDb received a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notice, asserting that AM2R infringed on Nintendo's intellectual property and requesting that any download links be removed. The notice came from Miller Nash, a Seattle law firm representing Nintendo of America.

Going against the DMCA, 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. Some fans have suggested that he release the game's source code so development can continue from other programmers, but Guasti cannot do this as it would go against the DMCA.

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.

Achievements were planned for AM2R at one point before being scrapped. DoctorM64 mentioned that he was having trouble programming the game to recognize when players met the criteria for each achievement. The Medals were to be mostly common to both AM2R and Confrontation. A reference to Medals was found in translation files for the game. Guasti approached Jessica Martin, Samus's voice actress in Metroid: Other M and offered her a chance to voice Samus again in the ending of AM2R, but she could not due to contractual obligation. Lastly, Guasti revealed in an April 2017 livestream that blood graphics were removed from the game so that it would be more authentic, as if Nintendo made it (and they would not include such graphics).

Samus wears her orange Ending Outfit from Zero Mission instead of the Zero Suit in the game's Game Over sequence and best ending. This was the idea of Sabre230, the game's sprite artist.

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 Upper Brinstar, 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 Distribution Center, 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.

The game is dedicated to Satoru Iwata, the late CEO of Nintendo who died in 2015. The game's credits can be found here.

AM2R was briefly nominated for Best Fan Creation at the 2016 Game Awards. However, it was removed along with another nominee, Pokémon Uranium without notice. Geoff Keighley, the host of the Game Awards, explained that they would not have received clearance from Nintendo to retain them, and retaining them might have meant risking a takedown of the award show.

April Fools' jokes
Every year, Guasti would post an elaborate Metroid-themed April Fools joke on his blog. No joke was posted for 2012 as he could not come up with a better idea than the previous two.


 * 2010 - Guasti rediscovered his Commodore 64 and became nostalgic. This year, he joked that AM2R would have a mix of sprites from different games in the series, a "classic 8bit interface" to replace the "ugly, and obtrusive GUI". First-person mode, inspired by Search View in Other M, was added by rotating the player's joypad or keyboard 90 degrees clockwise, turning the game's combat into an RPG-style battle. Beams, Bombs and Missiles could be combined, but all of them would be obsolete with the Screw Attack. Secret Worlds would return from Metroid II as a shortcut to later areas, or "even other games". Lives were added with an instant game over if all were lost, to add "frustration". The password system from the original Metroid returned, and Save Stations were removed. Another new mode, "I wanna be the Samus" (parody of I Wanna Be the Guy), which was a one-life mode with infinitely respawning enemies. The game was planned for release on PC, Mac, Vectrex and Turbografx16.
 * 2011 - A simple demo of the first part of the game was released. The demo covered the Landing Site, the first tunnels and the battle with the first Alpha Metroid. As a joke, it featured Mario as the playable character instead of Samus. The download links are no longer available.
 * 2013 - Project Another Metroid Other M Remake was announced, intended as a remake of Metroid: Other M for the NES. The game would have had a limited edition of 50 gold-painted cartridges. Guasti referred to Other M as a masterpiece (despite many Metroid fans disliking the game) and said this game would be compatible with the NES Controller and Zapper. Since the original game's cutscenes could not be properly rendered with NES technology, the solution was to include a VHS tape with all the cutscenes. Players would press the TV/VIDEO button on their remote to play the tape with the corresponding scene. Guasti, seeking to address "complaints" that the relationship between Adam and Samus was underdeveloped (it was one of the most controversial aspects of Other M), added radio chats between the two. They included Adam saying "I heard you defeated Mother Brain wearing just a bikini..." and Samus saying "I won't use Varia in the pyrosphere, I don't have plans to fall into the lava." The Deleter's name was changed to The Eraser, to make it "40% more awesome". AMOMR had a projected release date of April 1st the next year. The Adam graphic used in the joke was designed by Sabre230.
 * 2014 - Downloadable content was announced, with microtransactions using ingame currency called Galactic Federation Credits. These credits could be used to purchase content, gift to other players, or bid at a "casino area". DLC in the store included Missile and Energy Refill Packs, ad removal and an Incredible Weapons Pack ($8; includes Flamethrower, Metroid Thrower and Cat Thrower). Reserve Tanks from Super Metroid were to be added. Players could buy up to 10. The Varia and Gravity Suits were optional, and accessible to those who acquired the "Ad Removal Premium Pack", which also included a 5% discount on all hints and puzzle solutions. Screenshots were shown asking if players would like to purchase the Varia Suit, access to "Area 3" and a solution to a Missile Tank puzzle. During the first 24 hours after the release of the next demo, the game would be fully playable ad-free, and Hard Mode would be free. Guasti asked fans of AM2R to suggest weapons or items for the game along with estimated prices; the top 3 winners would receive a free season pass.
 * 2015 - Inspired by Oculus Rift, Guasti joked that he was enhancing AM2R with Anaglyph 3D, an inexpensive technology that could turn AM2R into a 3-D game. It would include a quick-save feature and a full-screen notification reminding players to take breaks. What very few people realized is that if you ran the latest demo on April 1st, you played it with the Anaglyph 3D effect in real time.
 * 2016 - Guasti uploaded Another Metroid Text Adventure v1.0. It was a choose-your-own-adventure text-based game with multiple paths and CRT-style text. The download links are still available.
 * 2017 - Guasti announced AS2R, or Another Sonic 2 Remake.

Planned content
More content was planned in future updates to the game, before development was forced to end.


 * There were plans to add a New Game Plus mode after completion of the game, which would remove the lava and boulder blockages from the main tunnels of SR388, granting access to every area of the game (except the Genetics Laboratory). The Genetics Laboratory would become accessible when all Alpha, Gamma, Zeta and Omega Metroids were killed, similar to the Stone Statues in Metroid/Zero Mission and Golden Statues in Super Metroid requiring the defeat of 2/4 bosses before it would open the path to Tourian. The NG+ mode would create more freedom for players, enabling the collection of all items before exterminating the Metroids, or hunting them in reverse order.
 * Beam Combos would have been added that would be exclusive to NG+, and would be carefully hidden to encourage re-exploration of SR388. The Combos would have used either Missile Ammo or Power Bomb Ammo for balance purposes, but they would all have been capable of damaging Metroids. The Power Beam alone would fire a set of Proximity Bombs like those found in Federation Force. The Plasma Beam would fire a draining variant of the Slow Beam, the Spazer would fire a Cluster Bomb that would explode with a blast like the Tester's Spazer attack, the Wave Beam would fire a Spectral Burn which would be a larger charged shot with a lingering damaging trail and the Ice beam would fire a Deepfreeze blast, which would be a freezing Power Bomb. Additionally, the various Beam combinations would have their own combos which would become usable when the component Beams' combos have been collected, including a Fission Burst, which is based directly on Other M 's Diffusion Beam, for Wave + Spazer, a Salvo Blast, which would be akin to the Hyper Beam of Corruption, for Spazer + Plasma, and a variant of Super Metroid 's Hyper Beam for all four beams.
 * Three more endings were planned for the game, but were not ready for the game's release. The first ending would have shown Samus on her bed playing on a Game Boy (the home console of Metroid II), surrounded by plush toys of Metroid creatures and characters. The second ending would have shown Samus in an orange dress playing a cello on a stage, a reference to her cameo in Tetris. The final ending would have shown her speed boosting, suitless, since a fast completion time was required to obtain it. Azima "Zim" Khan, the endings artist, has said she will eventually draw these endings anyway. Other endings to honor the 30th anniversary of Metroid were discussed. These would feature memorable events from prior games in the series, such as Samus fighting the Metroid Prime and her reunion with the Etecoons and Dachoras on the BSL Station. The methods for unlocking the additional endings would be similar to Zero Mission, determined by the file's difficulty, percentage of items collected and play time.
 * Additional log entries were to be added. Prior to the game's release, Latinlingo (the author of the logs in AM2R) wrote several that would shed light on the mysteries surrounding the biology of larval Metroids, such as their loss of nuclei as they evolve, why they cannot evolve normally on other planets, whether Beta-Ray manipulation works on later stages of the life cycle, and why the larvae are favored as bioweapons. These logs would have been collected in the G.F.S. Thoth in a future update. Other logs that were considered are diary entries belonging to dead Galactic Federation personnel, one of which would include a reference to Metroid Prime Hunters.
 * A message written in Chozo dialect was planned to be carefully hidden in the Genetics Laboratory. It was to be partially translated through Samus' scanners, revealing enough letters for players to make out the entire message. It was also considered to be left entirely untranslated, leaving the task for fans to translate it on their own similar to many Hylian texts found in The Legend Of Zelda games. The message would ultimately read as following: We have released the Ultimate Warriors. Pray for their success. Pray for the safety of all life in the cosmos.
 * There were discussions regarding the inclusion of a secret post-credits ending cutscene that would reveal the crystals eaten by the baby at the end of the game to be crystallized X Parasites. After the initial ending was viewed, a scene would have begun in the egg chamber, where an X broke out of its crystal and infected a Hornoad, foreshadowing the X's resurgence in Metroid Fusion. How the X became crystallized would not be explained, but one hypothesis put forward was that they were crystallized with a chemical secreted by adult Metroids that hardens the X before they are brought to the egg chamber as baby food.
 * Even though this ending never came to be, a very similar ending can be seen in Samus Returns
 * A cutscene showing a battle between an Omega Metroid and a Federation Force Mech was considered near the end of development. This would have been a direct homage to the climax of Aliens, where Ellen Ripley battles the Alien Queen with a Power Loader. DoctorM64 was interested in the idea, and considered that the Mech would have to be non-chibi. He also had the idea for a Mech that Samus could pilot in-game, which would have taken a month or more of work to properly implement. Ultimately, the idea was shelved for a future update.
 * Septoggs and Blob Throwers would likely have been planned in the future, as well as a cutscene of an Omega Metroid eating a Serris specimen, asserting their dominance in the SR388 food chain.
 * An update for the Queen Metroid battle was near completion and was going to address some complaints regarding the boss' attack patterns or lack thereof, but the DMCA prevented its release. What changes the Queen Metroid would receive is unknown, but discussions/suggestions in the forums included additional attacks such as breathing fire akin to the Omega Metroids and an earth-shaking stomp/roar that would cause rubble to fall from the ceiling. The latter attack would further cement the idea of the Queen being directly responsible for SR388's many earthquakes.

Soundtrack
As stated, some tracks in AM2R are remixed from official Metroid games. An asterisk (*) denotes songs from the original Metroid II that have been remixed for the game. Version 1.2 was planned to include new and remastered music tracks, which were released on September 21, 2016 as part of a soundtrack. The new tracks include a remix of the Queen Metroid's battle theme that would begin playing as she released her first fire attack. While the two corridors would play the rhythmic base, the final phase of the battle would play the full melody. A piano medley composed by Torbjørn Brandrud, was also included in the soundtrack.


 * 1) AM2R Title (partial remix of Title (Metroid); transitions into the melody from Metroid II)
 * 2) Intro (remix of Theme of Samus Aran, Space Warrior)
 * 3) Samus Fanfare* (remix of Samus Aran's Appearance Fanfare)
 * 4) Initial Descent* (remix of Surface of SR388
 * 5) Alpha Metroid Fight*
 * 6) Abandoned
 * 7) Golden Temple* (remix of SR388 Underground)
 * 8) Breeding Grounds (remix of Golden Temple)
 * 9) Ancient Guardian
 * 10) Hydro Station (remix of Upper Brinstar)
 * 11) Growing Deadlier (slower remix of the same song)
 * 12) Arachnus (remix of its battle theme in Metroid Fusion)
 * 13) Gamma Metroid Fight*
 * 14) Industrial Complex (remix of the Great Temple theme in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes)
 * 15) Overgrown Caverns (remix of the same song)
 * 16) Torizo (remix of the Chykka Larva theme)
 * 17) Torizo Ascendant (remix of the Chykka Adult theme)
 * 18) Research Lab
 * 19) Forlorn Descent (slower-paced remix of Surface of SR388; begins playing after the Research Lab is visited)
 * 20) Vertical Darkness (slower-paced remix of the Lower Norfair/Magmoor Caverns theme)
 * 21) Zeta Metroid Fight*
 * 22) The Tower (remix of Lower Norfair/Magmoor Caverns)
 * 23) Power Plant (slower-paced remix of the Lower Norfair/Magmoor Caverns theme)
 * 24) Escape
 * 25) Flooded Complex
 * 26) Ancient Power
 * 27) Transport Room (remix of the classic Elevator/item room theme in Metroid)
 * 28) Serris (remix of its battle theme in Metroid Fusion)
 * 29) Thoth
 * 30) Genesis
 * 31) The Nest*
 * 32) Omega Metroid Fight*
 * 33) Genetics Lab*
 * 34) Genetics Lab 2*
 * 35) Final Corridor*
 * 36) Queen Battle Part 1*
 * 37) Queen Battle Part 2*
 * 38) The Last Metroid*
 * 39) Credits*
 * 40) Item Fanfare* (remix of Item Acquisition Fanfare)
 * 41) Bonus Track - SR388 (piano medley)

Metroid: Confrontation
A very short, five minute demo of the Golden Temple was released in the early years of the game's development. It featured an electronic dance remix of the series theme, and simplified rooms. Notably, the jingle that was heard when acquiring Energy and Missile Tanks from the original Metroid II is retained. Ridley is battled at the end of the demo, with his attacks and behavior partially recycled from Zero Mission. Following his defeat, the demo ends.

Released on October 10, 2008, Metroid: Confrontation is a tech demo for AM2R. It features a roughly 40 minute story set before Metroid II, with no relation to the game.

In version 2.0 of Confrontation, Samus tests the Confrontation Project, a Galactic Federation virtual reality program used for the training of GFMC recruits. The scenario she is given is that her ship has crashed on an unknown planet. While her Gunship's auto-repair function has completed, a fuel cell is still needed to make the ship capable of flight again. In Confrontation, Samus explores environments similar to SR388 and fights three classic Metroid series bosses: Crocomire, Kraid and Ridley, before entering a room with statues of the three bosses (similar to the stone and Golden Statues). The statues lower and allow access to the fuel cell. Since this was only a tech demo, it uses sprites from existing Metroid games, including Crocomire's scrapped sprites from Zero Mission. The download links for Confrontation provided on release are still available, apparently overlooked in the DMCA takedown.

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. Additional positive reviews came from Kotaku, Siliconera , Nintendo Life , Nintendo Gamer , PC Gamer , NF Magazine issue #23, Eurogamer and Rock, Paper, Shotgun.


 * Kotaku - Mike Fahey called AM2R brilliant, and favorably compared the gameplay, graphics and music of the game to that of the original Metroid II.
 * Siliconera - Ishaan found the game impressive, and stated that it is of a higher quality than many fan-made remakes.
 * Ars Technica - Sam Machkovech said that AM2R would be enjoyed by fans of Zero Mission, and that its quality and polish put it on par with official Nintendo games. Machkovech said that the game looks "phenomenal", and that its 320x240 resolution was made up for by the game's "beautiful, easily discernible sprites" and 60-frames-per-second animation. The improved color palette made AM2R feel like a completely new game to him.
 * Destructoid - Zack Furniss believed that some of the ideas in AM2R were solid and that Nintendo should use some of them in future Metroid titles. Another Destructoid journalist, Jonathan Holmes, said that AM2R filled the void made by Nintendo's lack of new 2D Metroid games (Zero Mission was the last of this kind released in 2004), and called it "even more of an extensive re-imagining" than Zero Mission was to Metroid. Furniss found that the new features, including ledge grabbing felt natural, and called the user interface "sleek". He praised the Logbook and opening for adding more story to the game while not overdoing it, akin to the introduction of Super Metroid. Furniss also praised the game's colors and increased graphical detail as "gorgeous". Holmes commended the boss battles, believing they were the best across all 2D Metroid games.
 * Nintendo Life - Gonçalo Lopes said that AM2R was a great way to celebrate the series' 30th anniversary and a dream come true for Metroid fans. Lopes called the music "fantastic" and also imagined that players would be willing to pay money for it if it was sold on the Nintendo eShop.
 * Nintendo Gamer - Matthew Castle called AM2R an example of how to do a remake right.
 * PC Gamer - Tom Sykes praised AM2R as a "great game in its own right" regardless of whether one had played Metroid II prior or not.
 * NF Magazine - Tony Ponce was initially worried that the game would lose the "eerie charm" of Metroid II, but found this was not the case, and praised it for including new features that would appeal to longtime fans of the original game. However, Ponce found that the precise conditions for defeating Metroids were annoying considering how often the battles occur. At the same time, he thought that the new non-Metroid bosses were among the most exciting and challenging in all 2D Metroid games. Ponce's favorite new gameplay elements were the "gimmicks" such as the tunneling drill machine in the Mining Facility and the Autoad minigame in the Industrial Complex.
 * Rock, Paper, Shotgun - Alec Meer said that the game's graphics were a large improvement over the original version's green screen.
 * Eurogamer - Jeffrey Matulef found it impressive how closely AM2R resembled Super Metroid visually.

Response from Nintendo
Nintendo had seemingly been unaware of, or ignored the game's existence during its ten-year development. Immediately after its release, however, Brian Sniffen of Miller Nash, a law firm representing Nintendo, 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. Nintendo's action against it has angered many Metroid fans, whose satisfaction with Nintendo's treatment of the Metroid franchise had deteriorated after the release of Metroid: Other M and Metroid Prime: Federation Force, both of which were panned. Fans of AM2R have cited other companies' leniency towards fangames based on their properties in justifying why Nintendo should have left the game alone. Guasti discouraged criticism of Nintendo's action since it was within their legal rights to protect their intellectual property. He did state that he planned to continue improving on the game privately, producing one final update. He also encouraged fans to buy the original Metroid II on the Nintendo eShop. Nintendo sent another DMCA to his email in early September after the update was released, forcing the end of development.

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.

Yoshio Sakamoto, the Metroid series' longtime director revealed that he was aware of AM2R, but had not personally seen it: “We heard about it first after we had already started development [of Metroid: Samus Returns]. We know it exists, the fact that a fan is out there and really likes the series this much.”

Reggie Fils-Aime, the president of Nintendo of America, was asked about AM2R and explained that it was a "commercial product" despite the fact that Guasti and the other developers made no money from it. Fils-Aime said that "When it turns to driving the direction of the IP, or somehow monetizing or becoming a commercial project, that's where for us, the line has been crossed." He seemed to have been implying it, as an unofficial and freely available Metroid II remake, was a threat to future sales of Samus Returns.