After nearly two decades of anticipation, Metroid Dread is officially coming and is no longer just a dream of longstanding Metroid fans. The game's announcement was one of the biggest surprises from Nintendo's E3 presentation, and now fans of one of Nintendo's tentpole franchises only have to wait until this October to get their hands on it. Metroid Dread's reveal was not only a pleasant surprise for general Metroid fans, but so far it's served as a source of relief for those that have been patiently awaiting more news on Metroid Prime 4.
The return to Samus Aran's 3D adventures has been one of the more frustrating parts of being a Nintendo fan for the past few years, as numerous delays have left some fans questioning whether or not the game will ever come. Metroid Dread has provided some hope, as the game's announcement can be seen as paving the way for Prime 4's eventual release by getting players reacquainted with the series. As true as this may seem however, Metroid Dread is so much more than an appetizer to Metroid Prime 4. It's the culmination of 35 years of video game history, and a sign of things to come for the Metroid series.
Finishing One Of Nintendo's Longest Stories
One of the most exciting things about Metroid Dread is the fact that it will be the conclusion to one of Nintendo's first, and longest stories. The very first Metroid game came out all the way back in 1986, and since then every mainline Metroid game has followed one singular story. This is a rare thing for Nintendo to do with most of its franchises, with The Legend of Zelda possibly being the only major exception. Metroid Dread won't just give longtime fans their first classic Metroid game in almost twenty years, it will also give closure to a story that's been going on since Nintendo's rise to fame.
Nintendo's Return To The Genre It Started
With how long Metroid has lived in the shadow of other Nintendo properties, it can be easy to forget just how important the series has been to the video game industry as a whole. Whenever a new adventure game comes out that forces players to find new abilities in order to explore previously unreachable parts of the game, the word "Metroidvania" is always thrown out to describe it. While Castlevania deserves just as much credit for making this kind of gameplay popular, Metroid is one of Nintendo's greatest contributions to the gaming industry because of this style.
Metroid Dread has the unique opportunity to not only bring players back to the source of this kind of gameplay, but do it in a way that feels like an evolution of what made it successful to begin with. While Metroid Prime 4 will likely take on similar exploration elements, Metroid Dread will be able to do it in a way that draws on the roots of one of gaming's most treasured and nostalgic genres.
Reviving Metroid As A Whole
It's no secret within that Nintendo has a history of abandoning some of its most popular franchises for an extended amount of time. From Star Fox to F-Zero, if it's a franchise that doesn't include an Italian plumber or a pot-smashing Hylian, then it probably hasn't gotten much support from Nintendo over the past ten or so years.
Metroid is one such franchise that has faced a similar fate, but Metroid Dread is a sign that Nintendo has more faith in the series than what might have been previously believed. The fact that Nintendo is giving players another 2D Metroid, let alone a conclusion to the main series, could be a sign of a Metroid revival. Metroid Prime 4's many delays have concerned fans that may have thought the franchise could fade into obscurity yet again, but Metroid Dread shows that Nintendo is willing to support it to some extent now.
The entire Nintendo Switch era has been a sort of renaissance for some of Nintendo's most prolific properties, and seeing Metroid get in on the action is an encouraging sign. Metroid Dread can certainly be seen as a refresher for those looking forward to Metroid Prime 4, but on its own it's also a very important title for the revival of the Metroid franchise. If Dread proves to be a big enough success, Metroid could remain at the top of Nintendo's priority list for a long time.
Metroid Dread releases October 8, 2021 on the Nintendo Switch.