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Fansite Spotlight: Metroid Database

Years Online: 20

@MetroidDatabase | Facebook.com/metroiddatabase | Metroid-database.com

“My favorite part about the Nintendo community is that there is just so much information available, from wikis to scans and interviews, if a fan wants to delve really deep into a game, these sites have all that information.”

Established in 1996, Metroid Database had the same intent as most newly minted fansites: provide a wealth of franchise information in a single space in order to unite people with a shared passion. “Back in the ’90s, the only way you could get this information was by word of mouth or digging through strategy guides or back issues of Nintendo Power,” explained Devin “CapCom” Monnens, a longtime editor on the site.

“The initial goal was to be the place people could go for Metroid news and strategies, discuss ‘Metroid 64’ rumors, and enjoy chatting with like-minded individuals about Metroid,” elaborated Ryan Barrett, known as “Infinity’s End”, an editor and designer. “The original website was all the creation of TJ Rappel, who had no clue at the time that its legacy would last this long.” Rappel eventually passed the torch to Monnens, Barrett, and a web programmer named Jesse, all three who were previously community members active on the original forums.

While many consider Metroid Database the “hingepin” of the fandom’s community, especially due to the Bestiary which aims to catalogue every creature in the series, the Metroid community as a whole appears to strive for solidarity. “I have interacted with people and staff of all the other major English Metroid fansites in some form or fashion—Metroid Headquarters, Metroid Recon, Shinesparkers, Metroid2002.com, Metroid Construction, the Metroid Reddit, and so on,” listed Barrett, giving his fellow fansites a shout-out.

“My favorite part about the Nintendo community is that there is just so much information available, from wikis to scans and interviews,” detailed Monnens. “If a fan wants to delve really deep into a game, these sites have all that information.”

“I have made friends and met many people in real life through the Metroid community,” continued Barrett. “I have met Devin and Jesse in real life, as well as a few other Metroid fansite admins, and I keep in touch with a good many of them to this day.” Barrett also has quite a memorable gift from fansite creator Rappel, who also happens to be a professional tattoo artist—a Samus tattoo on his left arm. “People have told me, unflinchingly, that the Metroid Database has drastically impacted their lives in one way or another. It’s been very satisfying and gratifying being a part of this community and I would never regret a moment I spent helping it grow.”

“It’s a surprise how excited some people can get when people find out you work on the site,” added Monnens. “I’m really glad our fans are as happy to visit our site today as I was back in 1999.”

Super Nostalgia: Super Metroid

“I had been a big Metroid fan at that point,” said Barrett, reflecting on the release of Super Metroid. “I played the original and the Game Boy sequel but had never beat them. They were too difficult for me even then, and I didn’t know about NARPAS SWORD.” Super Metroid became the first Metroid game he beat in full, before returning to complete all the games later on. “I can remember being blown away by the animations and graphics and especially a general feeling of enormous expanse while traversing the map. I knew in my heart this game was special. It was different than anything I had ever played before and it was definitely the most ‘mature.’”

Not yet old enough to drive, Monnens recalled performing his new-game ritual, jumping in the car and furiously reading the game’s manual while his parents navigated back home from the store, before rushing into his house to pop the cartridge in the Super NES. “My favorite moment started when I first turned on the game, from the eerie title screen, the fantastic theme song of the intro, the whole Ceres fight with Ridley and escape, then exploring a supposedly deserted Zebes, each new area had a vibrant environment, cool and creepy enemies, and a fantastic soundtrack. Although I was a fan since first playing Metroid II, Super Metroid’s introduction is what really cemented it for me. The game certainly captured the hearts of many players, and some of them eventually became game developers as a result.”

Barrett expanded on how he feels the game influenced the industry; Super Metroid’s legacy is a topic he has literally written essays on. “A lot of people will say it established the Metroidvania genre, but it goes far beyond that. The game emphasizes a dark, eerie mood and atmosphere; this was territory that was rarely touched on during games made in that time period. The game takes its grip on you immediately after you flip the power switch on the Super NES, and never lets go until the final shot of Zebes exploding. It’s intense. Super Metroid has deeply inspired more games that I could possibly list.”

“The game also does something very courageous: despite the brief cutscene at the beginning of the game, there is nearly no text in the whole game, yet it’s able to tell you strictly through visual cues how to play, where to go, what to do, and never really leaves you in a place that you can’t eventually figure out. It’s one of the pinnacles of game design. Countless other people have waxed poetic about the intricacies of Super Metroid, and I could probably spend hours talking about it, but it’s definitely made an immense impact on game designers’ lives, the industry in general, and 2D platformers overall,” concluded Barrett. “It belongs in the World Video Game Hall of Fame, but that time has yet to come. I’m confident it will, someday.”