The Metroid Menace

Developer

Nintendo IRD, Intelligent Systems

Publisher

Nintendo

Release Date

JP: March 19, 1994

NA: April 18, 1994

PAL: July 28, 1994

BROKEN PEACE

The galaxy once enjoyed a period of peace and prosperity. Trade lines were open, the citizens were happy and the Galactic Federation kept a watchful eye over the planets.

Not long ago, that peace was broken by a startling discovery.

THE DAWN OF THE METROIDS

On a routine survey mission of the planet SR388, the crew of a Galactic Federation vessel discovered a new airborne life form and gave it the name “Metroid.” These creatures, which could engulf other living beings and take away their energy, proved to be strong and prolific. After just a few seconds of Beta-Ray bombardment, a single Metroid became two Metroids, and then four. Several Metroid specimens were gathered so that the survey vessel crew could take them to Galactic Federation Headquarters for further examination.

As the crew sped towards headquarters, they were ambushed by space pirates from the planet Zebes. The pirates stole the Metroids and took them to their home planet, where the planet-leading Mother Brain created a Metroid force.

ENTER SAMUS

Bounty hunter Samus Aran was commissioned by the Galactic Federation to eliminate the space pirates and do away with the dangerous Metroids. Samus landed on Zebes alone and carried out her mission with speed and precision. After the skirmish on Zebes, a special corps was assigned by the Galactic Federation to destroy the Metroids on SR388. That corps was never heard from again. The Supreme Council gave Samus the job to fly to SR388 and do what the special corps could not do—make the Metroids extinct.

RETURN TO SR388

The Metroids on SR388 were more advanced than the creatures on Zebes. These monsters could shed their skins and grow even stronger. Samus worked deep below the surface and blasted all of the Metroids in her path. Her final victory was against the enormous Metroid Queen. When the queen was defeated, Samus discovered a Metroid egg which hatched before her eyes. Even this hardened bounty hunter could not destroy the Metroid larva. When the larva sensed Samus’ presence, it clung to her as though it had found its mother. Samus packed up the Metroid larva and took it with her to the Space Science Academy on the Galactic Federation Space Colony where scientists could study the creature and understand its special organic structure.

A NEW DISCOVERY

The Science Academy scientists found out that the energy-producing properties of the Metroid could benefit humankind. Their report suggested that the Metroids may have originally been created for peaceful purposes.

Just when it seemed peace and order had been restored, Samus received an emergency directive from the Galactic Federation:

EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY!

RETURN IMMEDIATELY TO THE SPACE SCIENCE ACADEMY!

When Samus made her way to the research facility, she found the building in ruins and the Metroid larva was nowhere to be found. Out from the darkness came a group of Zebesian space pirates and their leader, Ridley, who had the Metroid larva in tow. The pirates fled to a rebuilt planet Zebes and Samus followed them, resolving to finish them off and save the hatching!