The Metroid series is one of Nintendo’s oldest, and yet there are relatively few entries when compared to something like Super Mario. The series originally started out in 2D on the NES before branching out via the Metroid Prime spinoffs for the Nintendo Gamecube. The Metroid Prime Trilogy is its own independent story, and whether or not it is even canon is unclear, as its events have never been mentioned in any other game. However, it is still a very good story and gives a lot of characterization for Samus. Metroid Dread is carrying on with the 2D game series story, picking up right where 2002’s Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Other M left off.
In a game franchise with very few lines of dialogue, much of the story’s events must be interpreted by the player. Oftentimes, the atmosphere and exploration are a larger part of the Metroid games than the story. The exception to this rule is Metroid: Other M, which is the most narrative-heavy game in the series. It’s worth noting that the order the games released does not reflect the order of events for the narrative. Whether Metroid Dread will be more like the older titles or place narrative at the forefront likely won't be known until it releases, but either way, here are the events of the story so far.
Metroid
Throughout the galaxy, there is a species of energy-draining lifeforms known as Metroids. This species was created by the ancient Chozo to kill off the X parasite, which plays a large role in later titles like Metroid Fusion and the upcoming Metroid Dread. The player steps into the shoes of galactic bounty hunter Samu Aran, who is told that Space Pirates are attempting to harness the Metroid’s power for their own military conquest. Samus explores the planet Zebes to foil their plans, collecting suit upgrades to take on fierce Space Pirate generals Kraid and Ridley. After defeating them, Samus battles the Space Pirate AI, Mother Brain. She then escapes, having successfully claimed victory over the pirates.
In the 2004 remake of the original NES title, Metroid: Zero Mission, there is an extensive scene after this. Samus is instead shot down as she leaves the atmosphere of Zebes and is forced to crash-land once again. This time, however, Samus does not have her power suit and is only equipped with a stun gun. She enters the ruins of Chozodia, avoiding Space Pirates along the way, before coming across an ancient Chozo test room. It is then revealed that the Chozo raised Samus after Ridley attacked an Earth colony, which is why Samus’ power suit is able to interact seamlessly with Chozo technology. Samus then steals a Space Pirate ship and finally escapes Zebes.
Metroid Prime Trilogy
The Metroid Prime Trilogy takes place in between the first and second 2D games and is Samus’ first foray into 3D gaming. The plot follows a radioactive substance known as Phazon as it corrupts several planets in the galaxy, starting with Tallon IV, through surface impacts. The player encounters and defeats Meta-Ridley, a cybernetically enhanced version of her old foe. She also takes on Dark Samus, a villain who was birthed from Samus’ Phazon suit after a battle with the Metroid Prime. In Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, Samus ventures between the light and dark Aether and uncovers that Phazon corruption is a result of living ships known as Leviathans.
With Metroid Prime 4 still in the works, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is currently the final game in the series. It has the player and other bounty hunters investigate organic supercomputers known as Aurora Units which share a resemblance to Mother Brain. During the Galactic Federation briefing, the group is attacked by Dark Samus and exposed to Phazon corruption. The player must cleanse the galaxy of Phazon through the repairing of these Aurora Units to find and destroy its source planet.
Metroid 2 and Super Metroid
Metroid II: The Return of Samus takes place sometime after the destruction of Phaaze. The Galactic Federation contracts Samus to travel to the home planet of the Metroids, SR388, and destroy every last Metroid. Samus does as instructed, except when encountering a new hatchling, as she finds herself unable to kill the child. The first thing the baby Metroid saw after being born was Samus, and as a result it believes Samus to be its parent. The two leave SR388 together in a very rare and harmonious sequence for the series. Samus then leaves the baby with scientists to study before blasting off in her ship.
Next in the timeline is the SNES classic Super Metroid. The game begins with one of the few pieces of narration until Metroid: Other M, with the chilling line “The last Metroid is in captivity, the galaxy is at peace.” This is also one of the very first English pieces of narration Nintendo made. Immediately afterward, Samus is notified that the research center she was just at has been attacked by Space Pirates. She returns and sees Ridley escape with the Metroid hatchling back to planet Zebes.
Samus battles her way through Zebes again, including Ridley and Kraid as well as new bosses Phantoon and Draygon. The player fights a new version of Mother Brain, this time with legs. Samus struggles throughout this fight and is on the verge of defeat when the baby Metroid, now a large adult, swoops in and drains the energy from Mother Brain. Mother Brain gets loose and is about to finish Samus when the Metroid sacrifices itself. Samus absorbs its power and escapes Zebes before it explodes.
Metroid: Other M
Metroid: Other M is by far the most controversial entry in the series, in large part because of its melding of traditional 2D gameplay with the Prime series’ first-person shooting. It also gives a lot of narration to the character of Samus who has been largely voiceless until then. With the baby Metroid still on her mind, Samus is compelled to investigate a “Baby’s Cry” distress signal. There she meets her old Commanding Officer, Adam Malkovich. She is then told that the ringleader behind Metroid experiments, Dr. Madeline Bergman, is still aboard the ship.
Samus and the Federation come across the Doctor who leads them to Sector Zero, a place where unfreezable Metroids are being bred. Adam Malkovich sacrifices himself and tells Samus of a survivor aboard the ship. The survivor turns out to be the real Dr. Bergman and the other is a malfunctioning AI known as MB. The android MB attempts to kill Samus and Dr. Bergman with the help of a Metroid Queen, but it fails and they both die.
Metroid Fusion
Metroid Fusion is the closest title to the upcoming Metroid Dread in terms of timeline. While serving as a bodyguard on the Metroid home planet SR388, Samus is attacked by the X parasite, the natural prey of the Metroids. As a result, her power suit is heavily damaged. With the help of a Metroid DNA vaccine, Samus gains immunity to the X and is sent with an AI to investigate the X presence on a research station.
Meanwhile, Samus’ old power suit, now known as the SA-X, comes alive and terrorizes the player while exploring. It’s revealed that there is another Sector Zero-style Metroid breeding zone on the ship and Samus plots to destroy it and the X with one fell swoop. The ship's AI won’t let Samus do this, and in a heated exchange, she calls it “Adam” after her deceased CO. Adam’s programming faulters, and the two work together to destroy the SA-X’s and all X parasites before they can spread.
Metroid Dread
It's been confirmed that Metroid Dread takes place after Metroid Fusion, but exactly how long after is still unclear. The ramifications of Samus' disobedience of the Galactic Federation are also unknown. The new title will reportedly end the personal Metroid arc that began with the first two titles, but will not be the end of the franchise. Samus will be investigating the planet ZDR after there were reports of surviving X parasites. However, dangerous E.M.M.I units have also been dispatched. They see Samus as an enemy, possibly due to her still having X parasite DNA in her suit or possibly due to the malfunctioning Central Unit AI.
The presence of Metroids and how they relate to the X parasite, aside from being prey, has yet to be detailed by Nintendo. Despite extensive pre-release footage and confirmation of returning antagonists like Kraid, there are likely to be many secrets, twists, and turns as this final chapter of the Metroid saga is revealed. Fans have patiently waited nearly two decades for a new 2D Metroid title, and it's shaping up to be a triumphant return for the bounty-hunting Samus Aran.
Metroid Dread is releasing on October 8th for the Nintendo Switch.