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The Metroid series has built itself up on giving players a steady stream of upgrades as they explore with Samus and take on new challenges. This mechanic is what has made Metroid, and the Metroidvania genre as a whole, so popular over the last few decades, and that tradition is set to continue with the upcoming release of Metroid Dread. The newest trailer for Metroid Dread showed off a handful of new abilities that will be at Samus' disposal, and it looks like developer MercurySteam is doing everything it can to make this new entry in the franchise one of the most dynamic yet.
Of the many new abilities that were shown off in the newest Metroid Dread trailer, one of the most exciting was an upgrade to Samus' iconic missile launcher. Known as the Storm Missile, this upgrade will allow Samus to lock on to multiple targets and fire a volley missiles at each of them. The trailer showed how this will allow Samus to take down all kinds of enemies at once, or solve complex puzzles, and it should prove to be a worthwhile addition to her arsenal. Metroid Dread seems determined to build on what has made the franchise so memorable, it's worth looking at how Samus' missile launcher has evolved over the years.
Super Metroid: The Classic Super Missile
The very first Metroid game introduced players to the iconic alternate fire for Samus' arm cannon, but it wasn't until Super Metroid that her missiles got a major upgrade. The Super Missile takes the normal Missile and ups the damage significantly, making it much more effective against certain enemies. In classic Metroid fashion, it also gives players the ability to destroy certain walls so that they can access new areas. The Super Missile has been featured in almost every 2D Metroid title since, even becoming so iconic that it's a part of Samus' moveset in the Super Smash Bros. series.
Metroid Fusion's Ice Missile And Diffusion Missile
Metroid Fusion was the last mainline 2D game in the franchise, and it did not shy away from making big leaps in the franchise's formula. The game's story introduced the terrifying X Parasite, which infected Samus and left her more susceptible to ice attacks. This forced her to abandon her iconic Ice Beam, and in place of them she received the Ice Missile upgrade. They essentially fuction the same as the Ice Beam, but later on in Fusion, players could receive an additional upgrade called the Diffusion Missile. This charged version of the Ice Missile has a much larger damage radius, giving her an even stronger tool against the X Parasite.
Metroid Prime's Many Missile Upgrades
The Metroid Prime series introduced a lot of different things to the franchise, bringing it into the first person while still maintaining the core of what made Metroid so popular. The experimental philosphy of the series meant that Samus also got a bevy of new upgrades, with some of the most exciting going to her missiles. The Seeker, Hyper, and Homing Missile upgrades all appeared in the Prime series, with the Seeker and Homing Missile appearing to be direct inspiration for Dread's Storm Missile. The Hyper Missile is one of the more unique to appear in the franchise, as it's one of the most powerful and replaces the Super Missile.
Metroid has been dormant for a very long time now, so it's refreshing to see how Nintendo is committed to making Metroid Dread a stand out installment. The several upgrades that Samus is getting should help diversify gameplay from previous games, and the Storm Missile looks like it could be very fun to use once players are given access to it. Hopefully there will be even more upgrades to Samus' arsenal outside of what fans have been able to see in trailers.
Metroid Dread releases on October 8, 2021, for Nintendo Switch.