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Wikitroid
This article is written from the Real Life point of view Globe


This is a list of version differences of games of the Metroid series, including regional, cultural and revision differences.

Metroid[]

FDS to NES[]

The original Metroid was first released on the Famicom Disk System in 1986 and on the NES a year later. Localization and hardware limitations meant that the NES and Famicom Disk versions have several differences. The most notable difference between the two versions is the inclusion of game file saving in the Famicom Disk version, which came on a floppy disk that could be easily written to. At the time, saving to a game cartridge was effectively impossible without the inclusion of an internal battery, a high-cost solution Nintendo opted not to use for Metroid in order to produce more copies of the battery-backed The Legend of Zelda, which Nintendo viewed as the stronger game with higher sales potential. Thus, the NES version of Metroid uses a password system. Future Metroid games would include saving in all versions.

  • On the Title Screen, there is a space between the copyright symbol and year 1986.
  • Also on the Title Screen, the color of the Zebesian surface is changed to a deeper green than is on the FDS version of the Title Screen.
  • The letter O in the NES version includes a dot in the center, and the number 0 appears to be slashed. This is likely to distinguish between the two better.
  • Music and sound in the FDS version are much richer, since it utilizes the system's wavetable sound channel.
  • During a Game Over, the words "Game Over" are centered and white in the Famicom version, but higher in frame in the NES version, with reduced spacing as well. The color scheme changes depending on the area (for example, if Samus died in Brinstar it will be blue).
  • The Samus Data Screen in the Famicom version includes counters measuring the number of times a file has been played and the amount of hours, or "days", played.
  • The NES version includes a New Game + feature in which Samus retains all of her power-ups, but not Energy Tanks or Missile Tanks. If the better endings were scored, she will also be wearing her Justin Bailey suit. In the Famicom version, when restarting, the game simply restarts with no power-ups and armorless Samus is not playable.
  • In the Famicom version, the Missile Counter digits have a blue drop shadow, which also appears on the timer during the countdown at the end of the game. This does not appear in the NES version.
  • When fighting Mother Brain in the Famicom version, the entire lower half of the Control Capsule will shatter when struck with a Missile; in the NES version, only a small hole will appear in it, through which Samus can attack Mother Brain.
  • The ending text is yellow in the English version, and blue in the Famicom version. The line "In the space" from the Famicom version is changed to "In space" in the NES version, but the text is overall still poorly translated.
  • The credits in the FDS version are blue, and cyan in the NES version, which also changes "Main Programmed By" to "Main Programmers" and "Chief Directed By" to "Chief Director". The credit "Tohryu Mako Benkei" is removed and replaced with "Converted by T . Narihiro". When the credits end, the words "The End" appear. In the FDS version, "Push Start Button" appears underneath, which it does not in the NES version.
  • The directional patterns of attacks from Squeepts, Sidehoppers and Dessgeegas, Polyps, Dragons, Kraid and Ridley vary between versions. They have set patterns in the NES version, but varying patterns in the FDS version. For example, Polyp projectiles are fired erratically and randomly to both the left and right in the FDS version, but only one of the two in the NES version. This is because the FDS version uses the random number generator in the FDS BIOS, while the cartridge version uses a poorly programmed replacement.
  • The FDS version has short loading times when moving between the areas of Zebes to load the different tilesets for the graphics. When starting or saving the game and right before the ending, the disk must be flipped.
  • The FDS version has much less slowdown than the NES version, most notably during boss battles, in Tourian, and when using the screw attack. This is because the lack of wavetable on the NES requires dedicating more CPU time to making replacement sound effects.
  • The Escape theme in the NES version includes an uplifting verse, which the FDS version does not.
  • Samus can rapidly fire in the NES version by holding down the B button.
  • The time requirement for the best ending is two hours in the FDS version, and one hour in the NES version.

Nintendo GameCube[]

Metroid is available on the Nintendo GameCube as a feature in Metroid Prime, unlocked by using a Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance Cable to link with a copy of Metroid Fusion containing a completed save file, which is identified with a Metroid to the right of the area in which the file was last saved.

  • The color of the Zebesian surface is changed from green to orange. This carried over to the Game Boy Advance re-releases of Metroid.
  • Several sounds, such as firing a Missile or using the Screw Attack, are fainter, likely to prevent speakers overloading.
  • It is now possible to save passwords generated when Samus dies. This carried over to the Game Boy Advance re-releases of Metroid.

Game Boy Advance[]

Metroid is available on the Game Boy Advance as part of the Classic NES Series/Famicom Mini series of re-releases, and as an unlockable in Metroid: Zero Mission.

  • The logo and text have also been compressed, and in Zero Mission, the year is changed from 1986 to 1986-2004, the year Zero Mission was released. Furthermore, "Push Start Button" has been repaired to simply "Press Start"
  • All instances of "pass word" are changed to "password".
  • The sound made when pausing the game plays rather shrilly compared to previous versions.

Gallery[]

Metroid II: Return of Samus[]

Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console[]

  • Like all other 3DS Virtual Console games, players may tap the touch screen to access the Virtual Console menu, which allows them to resume the game, create a restore point, load a restore point, or reset the game.
  • Like all other Game Boy games on the 3DS Virtual Console, pressing Y while holding the L and R shoulder buttons will swap the game's color palette from black and white to grey and green, emulating the appearance of the original Game Boy.
  • The periodic rapid blinking on the Title Screen is reduced from four frames in the original Game Boy release to three frames in the Virtual Console version.

Metroid Fusion[]

  • The European version changes "Press Start" on the Title Screen to "Start Game" and adds a Language option. The Screw Attack logo in the Japanese version has a duller color scheme than that of North America and Europe and replaces the ™ with an ®. The word FUSION is also noticeably larger in the Japanese version.[1]
  • The North American and European versions do not have a customizable difficulty setting, with the game locked to Normal Mode. The Japanese version includes an Easy and Hard Mode.
  • The Japanese and Chinese versions include an Adult Mode and Child Mode, which changes the text to kanji or hiragana. This also affects which endings are displayed. Child Mode's endings depict events from Samus's past, and Adult Mode's endings depict Samus in increasingly revealing outfits. The Child Mode endings are inaccessible in Western versions of the game but can be unlocked by connecting the game to Zero Mission.
  • The Japenese version, in addition to the 5 extra endings obtained through child mode, has 3 additional ending received for completing the game in under 2 hours with 100% on Hard, achieving 1% completion on Normal, and achieving 1% on Hard. These endings also can be unlocked in the Fusion Gallery by linking the game to Zero Mission.
  • The Japanese version will save the sound settings on the Samus Data Screen.
  • A Gallery of unlocked ending images becomes available in the Japanese version after completing the game, and can be accessed on the Title Screen, replacing the "Language" option. Obtaining all 13 ending images adds stars on either side of this option.
  • In subsequent playthroughs of the Japanese version, the introduction cutscene can be skipped.
  • In the Japanese version, the central Morph Ball tunnel in the room outside the Sector 4 Data Room is removed, and the other two Powamps are moved further away.[2]
  • The Japanese version fixes some glitches, notably an out-of-bounds glitch[3] that allows to skip the Missile Tank in Sector 3 (PYR) more easily.

Gallery[]

Metroid Prime[]

Changes are carried over to later versions unless stated otherwise.

0-01 US Player's Choice[]

Japan[]

  • Saving is quicker, and files take up 3 blocks instead of 1.
  • Exclusive to the Japanese version, the Nintendo logo is blue instead of red.
  • The Title Screen has a new animation. "Copyright 2002-2003" is also displayed.
  • The game demos are different in the Japanese version, likely because they had to include the Japanese text. Although they take place in the same areas, the gameplay is noticeably different.
  • The Samus Data Screen can be exited by pressing B.
  • The font is larger and the dots on top of lower case i's are visible.
    • The English text in the introduction and ending is blue, and Japanese subtitles are also included. This is repeated in the New Play Control! version.
  • The introduction[4] and ending[5] cutscenes both feature an English-speaking male narrator with English subtitles.
  • Samus's suit has vocalized dialogue for different scenarios, replacing the sounds that play when a Logbook entry is added or a hint is received. The suit also warns Samus of her malfunctioned power-ups on the Frigate Orpheon, if she steps into a superheated room without the Varia Suit, and when she is near Phazon or meta-viprium gas, among other hazards.
  • Several more cutscenes can be skipped:
  • Doors open quicker, with occasional crashes in the Chozo Ruins.
  • The position of "Next" and "Back" in the Options menu are switched.
    • The Inventory screen displays Samus's current Item and Scan percentages.
  • The warning noise produced by the Threat Assessment when in close proximity to hazardous things is pitched down.
    • The Threat Assessment gauge will now increase as Samus approaches Phazon rather than only when in contact.
  • The "ENERGY" text in the HUD no longer has brackets.
  • The Missile Counter shows the amount of Missiles Samus is capable of carrying and the amount she is carrying, instead of just the latter.
  • There are three types of Missile Ammo that restore 3, 5 and 10 Missiles instead of just one type that restores 5. The old 5-Missile pickup is used for the 3-Missile pickup.
  • Some enemies can drop more pickups when defeated:
  • Samus automatically equips a new beam when one is obtained.
  • New particle effects are added to the Ice Beam's shots.
  • The map displays a compass point.
  • The sounds made when the Hint system opens the map are changed.
  • The sound effect that plays when using a Map Station is changed.
  • Damage incurred from touching Phazon is reduced by 13% with the Varia Suit and 20% with the Gravity Suit and Phazon Suit, but damage incurred from touching toxic water in the Chozo Ruins is more than doubled.
  • The Scan Dashing glitch is no longer possible.
  • A rocket blast effect is added when Samus jumps off of her Gunship upon docking at the Orpheon. A projection shadow is also added under her when she lands.
  • When shooting the switches on the Exterior Docking Hangar with lock-on, the lock-on effect will end and the Targeting Reticule will no longer be displayed afterwards.
  • Samus will be teleported forward after scanning the first terminal on the Orpheon if she is far away.
  • The Frigate: Parasites cutscene now displays nine Parasites entering the Map Room instead of two.
  • The Parasite Queen displays its death animation before the cutscene plays.
  • The Space Pirate in front of the ventilation shaft in Biotech Research Area 1 during the Frigate escape sequence is removed.
  • The circular stone blocks leading up to the central platform in Hive Totem are adjusted, featuring more steps.
    • The location of Hive Mecha's scan point is moved up.
  • The root in the Ruined Shrine used for Sequence Breaking is removed. This makes it harder to get into the room above without the Boost Ball.
  • The Flaaghra battle theme loops correctly.
  • The Twin Fires room has two horizontal flame jets instead of two vertical ones and one horizontal one.
  • The Ice Shriekbats do not disappear in the Ice Ruins West.
  • Baby Sheegoths have twice as much health.
  • If Samus stands near the wall where the Sheegoth appears, it will no longer try to attack her with a close range breath attack when she is teleported away after the cutscene.
    • The Sheegoth's breath now freezes Samus.
  • Sentry Drones have three times as much health.
  • Several rooms in Glacier One are darker, reducing visibility.
  • The Power Conduit in the Ruined Courtyard no longer exists until Samus acquires the Thermal Visor.
  • The battle with Thardus is altered, requiring the Thermal Visor.
  • The rotating shafts in Research Access now send electricity through the center of the room.
  • The door to Storage Depot B, where the Grapple Beam is kept, is blocked by Bendezium, requiring a Power Bomb to get by.
  • The Grapple Beam acquisition cutscene now shows Samus using it, rather than showing the cutscene that plays after collecting a Chozo Artifact, where Samus merely stands still.
  • The stalagmite in the Geothermal Core used to obtain the Plasma Beam early is removed, and the metal ring running around the outside of the room was made unmountable. Also, Bendezium was added in front of the door to Plasma Processing.
  • All Trooper Pirates are vulnerable to Power Bombs.
  • Elite Pirates have a new sound effect when blocking Samus's beam fire.
  • After the battle with the Cloaked Drone in the Central Dynamo, the door behind the rubble locks until Samus gets the Power Bomb upgrade.
  • Power Bombs can be used to destroy the Omega Pirate's Phazon Armor.
  • If Samus defeats the Phazon Elite in Elite Research and leaves the room, the Artifact of Warrior does not disappear.
  • The Omega Pirate can no longer be caught off guard by boosting into the room towards the right of his tank and immediately skipping his cutscene.
  • The Phazon Suit acquisition cutscene is different.
  • After defeating the Omega Pirate, Fission Metroids will begin to appear in the Phazon Mines, including Elite Quarters and Phazon Processing Center, as opposed to just in the Impact Crater.
  • The door to the Phazon Processing Center after the Omega Pirate takes longer to open to avoid crashing issues.
  • The second part of the Meta Ridley boss fight has several changes:
    • He can perform a ground-stomping attack.
    • He can be successfully stunned using lock-on as he leans back to charge.
    • The Wavebuster's effectiveness is reduced.
    • He will drop Ultra Energy pickups when:
      • His attacks destroy a pillar entirely. The pillars take 3 hits to be destroyed from his non-physical attacks. This also applies during the first part of the fight.
      • He is stunned the split second before he charges.
  • The area name isn't displayed when moving to and from Tallon Overworld and Impact Crater. This is repeated in the New Play Control! version.
  • Lumigeks move in a slightly different pattern.
  • The fight with Metroid Prime has several changes:
    • Subchamber Three has two grooves instead of three, while Subchamber Four only has one groove instead of three.
      • When Metroid Prime charges across the room, Samus does not bounce out of the grooves.
    • Metroid Prime makes a special noise when it reflects Samus's fire.
      • Samus's reflected beam shots no longer harm her.
    • When Metroid Prime uses its Snare Beam on Samus, it will close its face, preventing harm to it.
    • Metroid Prime's Core Essence form has twice as much health and moves twice as fast.
    • When skipping the cutscene that triggers the fight with its Core Essence form, the boss theme will still play.
  • Samus's Gunship looks more detailed as it goes to warp in the final cinematic, and the engine flare is improved.
  • The Japanese staff are listed first in the credits. Holding down the analog stick to speed up the credits no longer works.
  • A full image of Samus with or without her helmet depending on ending will appear on the Mission Final screen.

PAL[]

  • Optimized to run on PAL TVs and GameCubes, this version uses the new "slower" loader which prevents crashing. 50Hz and 60Hz refresh rates are available; the game asks when booted if it should switch to 60Hz mode from 50Hz mode, which it will do automatically after several seconds if nothing is selected.
    • At 50Hz, the third spinner in the Geothermal Core raises much more slowly when done without using the Boost Ball.
  • The Samus Data Screen in this version offers a language selection of English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian.
  • Logbook entries are rearranged.
  • Four Pirate Data logbook entries found in Elite Control (Metroid Prime, Prime Breach, Prime Mutations, and Chozo Artifacts) are replaced (Impact Crater, Gate System, Artifact, The Key) in an attempt to fix a plot hole with the Space Pirates interacting with Metroid Prime, who is encountered in the Impact Crater behind an impenetrable barrier. Despite this, Metroid Prime still utilizes Space Pirate technology.
  • All 16 Chozo Lore logbook entries are updated.
  • Exclusive to the PAL demo version: the male narrator will voice the introductory "Unidentified space vessel" text as it appears on the screen.
  • The Hunter Metroid in Frost Cave is missing.
  • In the Main Quarry, the door at the top of the room to Waste Disposal is locked until Samus gets the Power Bomb.
  • The launcher on an Elite Pirate's back is destroyed by attacking the Pirate itself instead of the launcher.
  • Exclusive to this version, the narrator announces each area name when moving to and from Tallon Overworld and Impact Crater.
  • European staff credits are only present in the PAL version.

0-02 US Player's Choice[]

Functionally the same as the original North American version, with many glitches and exploits still fixed.

  • The glowing spidervine used to obtain the Space Jump Boots early in Tallon Overworld cannot be locked onto.
  • The Missile Launcher can't be grabbed early unless Samus comes from behind because the Hive Mecha battle trigger area is much larger.
  • Doors load much slower, fixing the Gamecube console's crashes in the Chozo Ruins.[6]
  • A lock is placed on the door to Plasma Processing, which goes away when the Grapple Beam is collected.
  • Collecting a Power Bomb Expansion will also unlock the door in the Main Quarry.
  • After defeating the Phazon Elite in Elite Research, the doors will remain locked until the Artifact of Warrior is collected.
  • Like the PAL version, the Hunter Metroid in Frost Cave is removed.

New Play Control! Metroid Prime[]

  • The game supports 16:9 widescreen.
  • The Title Screen has a new animation again, and "Copyright 2002-2009" is displayed.
  • New clips are present in the attract mode.
  • The Samus Data Screen is redesigned so that its user interface resembles that of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. It is now possible to copy files from one slot to another.
  • There are three difficulty levels, Normal, Veteran and Hard. The Normal difficulty is a new, easier difficulty, while Veteran reproduces the Normal difficulty in the original GameCube release. Hard still requires beating the game to unlock.
  • When starting from a previous save, Logbook scans will be retained.
  • Bonus material is unlocked by collecting and spending Credits throughout the game.
  • Metroid is no longer unlockable as a bonus, due to its availability on Virtual Console.
  • The game has a control scheme similar to Corruption. The Spring Ball is also included and can be used by flicking the Wii Remote up, but only once the Morph Ball Bombs have been regained.
    • Due to the availability of the Spring Ball, some Morph Ball platforming passages become easier (or even safer) to navigate than in the GameCube version. For example, Transport Tunnel A in Magmoor Caverns contains some blocks in the lava in front of a ledge that would give way and cause Samus to fall (and scorch herself) after they are hit with two Morph Ball bombs, which would punish those who did not properly use the Morph Ball bombs to jump in the GameCube version. This can be easily bypassed with the Spring Ball in the Wii version.
    • When the Wii Remote aims at the edge of the screen, the HUD withdraws and shows a white circuitry pattern like the one in Corruption.
    • Unlike Corruption, if Samus aims at the center of the screen and keeps the Wii Remote still, she will put her hand on the Arm Cannon.
  • The Sight Window is circular instead of rectangular and features a reticule.
  • Bloom lighting is added throughout the game, most noticeably during the Thardus battle.
  • Doors open much faster, with no likelihood of crashing.
  • The spinning GameCube in the Options menu is changed to a Wii.
    • The Visor, Display, Sound, and Controller options are reordered.
  • The names of Beams will not show up on the map screen legend until the beam is acquired.
  • Samus no longer automatically equips a new beam when one is obtained.
  • The Charge Meter that fills up as the Charge Beam is being charged has been removed.
  • Particle effects on the Charge Beam, such as frost forming on the Ice Beam, and water ripple effects were removed.
  • A glitch involving the Power Beam's shots displaying the Charge Beam effect is fixed.
  • The narrator in the intro and finale cutscenes lacks subtitles.
  • Samus's suit uses all of its quotes.
  • The blue doors in Exterior Docking Hangar and Reactor Core Entrance cannot be opened with a Missile.
  • During the Orpheon's self-destruct sequence, the tutorial prompt for the Grapple Beam that should show up in Biotech Research Area 2 is missing, due to an apparent bug.
  • The elevator animations used when loading a new area are shown at an incorrect aspect ratio, regardless of widescreen setting.
  • During the boss fight against Hive Mecha, the doors will lock, even as the acid water rises, to fully prevent players from trying to escape the Hive Totem until the battle is finished.
  • Baby Sheegoths have reduced health.
  • The Ice Shriekbats in Ice Ruins West will disappear again after finding the Thermal Visor.
  • The missing Hunter Metroid in the Frost Cave is readded.
  • The Wavebuster no longer paralyzes enemies.
  • Ice Troopers can no longer be shattered with a missile after being frozen with the Ice Beam.
  • Space Pirates struck by a Power Bomb will be paralyzed and thrown back, similar to the effect of a Missile or Super Missile.
  • Samus can no longer jump when standing on a Stone Toad.
  • A graphical glitch is introduced involving the Arm Cannon when using the X-Ray Visor: Samus's hand is no longer affected by recoil.
  • The Boost Ball will no longer heavily damage Meta Ridley.
  • The Infinite Speed glitch is fixed.

Metroid Prime Trilogy[]

  • The Title Screen is replaced.
  • Hard Mode is renamed Hypermode.
  • "NEXT" is changed to "SELECT" in the Options menu.
  • 8 Chozo Lore entries are slightly altered again. Notably, the Chozo describe the Phazon corrupting the planet at a much quicker pace, which is more consistent with the rapid effects seen in Corruption. The 12 Chozo Artifacts are also mentioned more prominently.
  • The narrator is absent in the North American version, and appears in the intro and finale in the PAL version.
  • Samus's suit only says "Recorded to Logbook" and "Data received" in the North American version.
  • Additional credits are displayed before the original credits.

Metroid Prime Remastered[]

Gameplay[]

  • The logo that appears in the Title Screen has a animation that appears for all versions. This logo animation was not used in the original American GameCube version as it was just a simple fade in effect.
  • Different clips are present in the attract mode. The first three are from the European versions and the final four are from the American/Korean versions.
  • The Main Menu has been redesigned with a modernized look.
    • The Samus Data Screen is also redesigned and it now shows the number of Energy Tanks you've collected so far.
  • New concept artwork and model galleries, as well as a Soundtrack Gallery, are included, the majority of their contents being unlocked by completing requirements throughout the game.
    • These requirements include: collecting each of the primary power-ups (excluding Energy Tanks and expansions), completing 25% of the Logbook and Item Collection ratios each time, defeating Meta Ridley and Metroid Prime, and completing the game on the Normal and Hard difficulties.
  • The Options menu replaces the Wii with a Nintendo Switch, with its Joy-Cons attached.
    • The Bonus Credit Messages option is replaced with an "Extras Alerts" option.
    • A Color Assist option is added for color-blind players.
    • The male narrator at the beginning of the game and additional Suit Voice clips are re-added, with options to enable or disable them.
    • The Screen-Shot Tool and Fusion Suit are not present, the former's functionality replaced with the Switch's built-in camera feature.
  • Difficulty modes (Normal, Veteran, and Hypermode) are renamed Casual, Normal, and Hard.
  • A loading screen that depicts the player's current location is added, with a loading symbol resembling the Chozo Artifacts.
  • Doors now open much faster due to increased loading speed.
  • The Targeting Reticle is now blue instead of green.
  • The "ENERGY" text in the HUD is replaced with a series of dots denoting capacity for Energy Tanks.
    • The "Energy Low" text is changed from orange to red and it now appears on the top of the HUD.
    • During boss fights, the boss energy bar and energy text now have a shadow to make them more readable in the difficult to read parts like when the fog is active in Thardus' fight.
  • The Scan Visor is mapped to the right directional button instead of the left, swapping places with the X-Ray Visor, though the Classic control scheme will revert this change.
  • Much like in New Play Control! Metroid Prime, the Morph Ball has the Spring Ball included as long as Morph Ball Bombs are also reclaimed.
  • The Grapple Beam tutorial on the Orpheon is restored.
  • The malfunction text when Samus loses her power-ups is red instead of blue.
  • Tower Chamber is renamed Meditation Chamber.
  • The title of the Missile Door Lock Logbook entry is changed to Blast Shield.
  • The Tallon Metroid's scan refers to it specifically as a "Tallon Metroid" instead of simply "Metroid", retroactively adopting the name introduced in Echoes.
  • The Charge Beam fires three shots for the Power Beam prior to charging, or two shots for the Wave Beam and Plasma Beam, instead of one. This makes consecutive charged shots with the latter two beams slightly slower.
    • Releasing the fire button near the beginning of the charge animation will release the shot rather than cancel it entirely.[7]
  • When standing in Phazon puddles, the on-screen text now says "Hypermode" instead of "Hyper-mode".
  • The credits are updated to feature the remaster's development team, and not the original team. This led to criticism from Zoid Kirsch and Jack Mathews.

Graphics[]

  • The hatches has been redesigned and are now akin to the doors from Aether. Because of this, they were incorrectly used by the wrong alpha level. This however caused criticism from Zoid Kirsch once again.
  • Visual effects on the Arm Cannon when charging and water ripple effects are reintroduced.
    • Samus will briefly let go of the Arm Cannon when she fires a charged shot.[8] Note that this does not occur when using the default dual-stick control scheme.
    • The Plasma Beam has visible magma on the Arm Cannon (resembling its appearance in the prototype build of the original game) and the beam's charged shots now appear as a swirling beam of energy similar to the Wave Beam's shots from Metroid: Other M.
  • The Arm Cannon's bobbing when moving is reduced, and the HUD now tilts slightly when something explodes near Samus.[8]
  • A new animation is used when the Arm Cannon is pointed at a wall, tilting it to the left. If Classic controls are enabled, Samus will take her hand off the cannon.[8]
  • Light sources from beam shots and the Morph Ball no longer illuminate environments.[8]
    • The lights that emit from the Morph Ball (yellow with the Power Suit, blue with the Varia Suit, green with the Spider Ball, purple with the Gravity Suit, and red with the Phazon Suit) are more saturated.
  • Samus's face model is changed, more closely resembling its recent appearances in Other M and Dread. The visor is now less transparent.
    • It is now possible to see Samus's face reflected in the visor when firing Missiles close to a wall.[8]
  • Enemies now cast more detailed shadows instead of simple round shadows.[7]
  • The Gunship's thrusters now emit smoke.[7]
  • When Samus loses her power-ups on the Orpheon, the energy currents that surround her suit are different.
  • Falling rain on Samus's Arm Cannon now splashes and flows dynamically, adapting to the grooves in the cannon when being aimed.[7]
    • Raindrops can be seen on the green window of the Artifact Temple, and the mosaic-like pattern on the window has been turned into imperfections in the glass.[8]
  • The Chozo Ruins skybox is no longer static and it now shows moving clouds.[7]
  • The wind in desert areas of the Chozo Ruins is reduced, while the volume of falling sand in some rooms has increased.[8]
  • The lens flare effect in the Main Plaza is significantly reduced.[7]
  • The light sources in Crossway Access West are shorter and their glare when the visor is in their line of sight has been removed.[7]
  • Wall hangings in the Chozo Ruins no longer show Samus's reflection.
  • Butterflies now more closely resemble mosquitoes, and are quieter.[8]
  • Lava now more closely resembles a flowing substance, with rippling and splashes on its surface, and a new heat distortion effect has been added in hot environments.[8]
  • Flame jets are shorter, and they now illuminate the surrounding environment.[7]
  • Red magma crystals are no longer transparent.[8]
  • Puddle Spores now make ripples and a larger splash in lava when they are upturned.[7]
  • Falling snow in outdoor areas of the Phendrana Drifts, particularly Phendrana Shorelines and Phendrana Canyon, is reduced.[8]
  • The light effect on exploding bombs dropped by Pulse Bombus is removed, and they no longer reflect Samus's face in her visor. The bombs have gained a lens flare effect.[8]
  • A motion blur effect has been added to the Thermal Visor. In superheated areas, the blur and lower contrast make seeing with the Thermal Visor more difficult.[7]
    • The heat signature of each beam configuration is more accurately detected by the Thermal Visor. The Ice Beam naturally gives no heat signature, and turns even darker in the Thermal Visor when it is charged. The Plasma Beam gives off the most heat, with its signature completely engulfing the Arm Cannon when it is charging. When the Power Beam is rapidly fired, it warms up, and cools down when the shooting ceases. The interior portions of the Arm Cannon heat up more when the Wave Beam is charged compared to the exterior.[7]
  • Certain cutscenes, such as Samus landing in the Quarantine Cave, or running from Thardus' destruction, have been remade with increased focus or zoom and new animations.[7]
    • During the ending scene where Samus watches the Artifact Temple, she no longer removes her helmet with her left hand, instead dissolving it in a similar fashion to how she removes her helmet in Corruption.

Gallery[]

Metroid: Zero Mission[]

  • The Japanese version, Like Fusion, includes Adult Mode and Child Mode, which change the text to kanji or hiragana.
    • Adult Mode is the only language option to feature a name of a location in both English and Japanese. All other language options feature one name in the language chosen.
  • In the European version of the game, two missile blocks in the Space Pirate Mother Ship are changed. Instead of coming back after being destroyed and leaving the room they were in, they stay destroyed.[9]

Gallery[]

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes[]

Changes are carried over to later versions unless stated otherwise.

PAL[]

Japan[]

  • The game's title in Japan is Metroid Prime 2: Dark Echoes.
  • Exclusive to the Japanese version, the Nintendo logo is blue instead of red.
  • "Press Start" and "Copyright 2004-2005" are added to the title screen.
  • Similar to Prime, although the demo movies run in the same order with the same settings and enemies, the actual contents are different.
  • In the Samus Data Screen, the font isn't bolded and the button icons on the bottom of the screen are mirrored from left to right.
  • The introduction text has Japanese subtitles.
  • The music played when acquiring the Energy Transfer Module or a Dark Temple Key is different.
  • It is no longer possible to boost through the bottom right corner of the 2nd and 3rd Luminoth Webbings, which resulted in the webs disappearing and the sacs suspended in mid-air.
  • It is no longer possible to bypass having to drop the first and second lenses in the Portal Terminal, where only the third lens was needed to trigger the cutscene that powers up the Portal.
  • The Jump Guardian's invisible pre-loaded form can no longer be damaged before the fight with it begins, as it only loads after the cutscene.
  • It is no longer possible to stand on top of the laser that leads to the Grapple Guardian's room.
  • The glitch where Samus receives a massive boost in jumping height by standing in Dark Water before shooting off the last part that keeps the Chykka Larva attached to the wall is fixed.
  • The sonic locks in Main Research will no longer disappear if Samus moves more than two rooms away without unlocking all of them.

New Play Control! Metroid Prime 2: Dark Echoes[]

  • The game supports 16:9 widescreen.
  • New clips are present in the attract mode.
  • The Samus Data Screen is redesigned so that its user interface resembles that of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. It is now possible to copy files from one slot to another.
  • There are three difficulty levels, Normal, Veteran and Hard. The Normal difficulty is a new, easier difficulty, while Veteran reproduces the Normal difficulty in the original GameCube release. Hard still requires beating the game to unlock.
  • When starting from a previous save, Logbook scans will be retained.
  • Bonus material is unlocked by collecting and spending Credits throughout the game.
    • The Screen-Shot Tool from Corruption can be unlocked and used.
  • The game has a control scheme similar to that of Corruption. The Spring Ball is also included and can be used by flicking the Wii Remote up, but only once the Morph Ball Bomb ability is regained.
    • When the Wii Remote aims at the edge of the screen, the HUD withdraws and shows a white circuitry pattern like the one in Corruption.
    • Unlike Corruption, if Samus aims at the center of the screen and keeps the Wii Remote still, she will put her hand on the Arm Cannon.
  • The Sight Window is circular instead of rectangular.
  • Doors open much faster, with no likelihood of crashing.
  • The names of the Beams will not show up on the map screen legend until the beam is acquired.
  • The Light Beam and Dark Beam's positions on the HUD have been swapped (the Dark Beam now appears on the left hand side of the rightmost Missile bar, and the Light Beam appears on the right. These positions are also reflected when changing Beams).
  • The Charge Meter that fills up as the Charge Beam is being charged is removed.
  • The four lights on top of Samus's HUD indicate an estimate of the Wii Remote's battery life.
  • Some Luminoth Lore locations have been changed.
  • Logbook entries for Light and Dark Portals can be scanned from any active portal, not just portals generated by fixed machines.
  • Locked doors will resemble white hatches, rather than appearing de-energized.
  • Damage incurred from touching the Boost Guardian in its amorphous form is reduced.
  • The Spider Guardian's hitbox is smaller, granting Samus more protection through walls.
    • The "Zoom" text is removed from the HUD, though zooming is still possible.
  • When the Ingsmashers in the Hall of Combat Mastery awaken, the doors will lock until they are defeated.
  • A message no longer appears when picking up Samus's first Power Bomb Ammo.
  • Worker Splinters will still appear in the GFMC Compound upon revisits, scavenging the trooper corpses. Additionally, the bodies of defeated Dark Troopers in this room no longer remain.
  • When entering a Phazon-rich area inhabited by Dark Tallon Metroids, the Impact Crater theme from Metroid Prime will play.
  • The theme played during an Energy Controller restoration cutscene is extended instead of simply looping.
  • The theme for the Dark Troopers is altered, and now plays every time they show up.
  • The Ing Battle theme plays in Training Chamber when the Blogglings become Dark Bloggs.
  • Main Gyro Chamber will play the Elevator Theme until both Gyroscopic rings are deactivated.
  • The Emperor Ing's final form no longer has a small spot vulnerable to the Screw Attack. Furthermore, its Logbook entry has been updated, fully replacing its Bonus Disc entry.

Metroid Prime Trilogy[]

  • The Title Screen is replaced.
  • Hard Mode is renamed Hypermode.
  • Additional credits are displayed before the original credits.

Metroid Prime Hunters[]

  • In the Japanese version, there are additional credits, which are noted on that article.

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption[]

Changes are carried over to later versions unless stated otherwise.

PAL[]

Japan[]

  • Exclusive to the Japanese version, the difficulty selection is removed in favor of a Galactic Federation survey that occurs before major gameplay. Depending on the choices, the game sets its difficulty.
  • Some of the NCL credits are rearranged compared to the English version. Japanese developers have their names written in Japanese first, with the romanizations in parentheses. Additionally, Tomoko Ichikawa (Japanese text art), Yuji Ichijo (localization support), Tomoaki Kuroume, Shigeo Kimura and Super Mario Club (all special thanks) are credited in the Japanese version exclusively.[10]

Metroid Prime Trilogy[]

  • The title screen is replaced.
  • The Bryyo Cliffside theme is extended.
  • The Boss Reptilian theme is modified to include the clacking and clanking beat heard in the Boss Reptilian2 theme.
  • The first few seconds of the Space Pirate battle theme played when fighting them at the Temple of Bryyo are louder.
  • The Metroid Battle Theme and Bryyo Thorn Jungle themes have been removed from the Soundtrack Gallery, and replaced with the Berserker Lord and Aurora Unit 313 themes.
  • The "Armored Pirate" in Concourse no longer has a separate Logbook entry or grants an extraneous Red Credit.
  • Three of the Galactic Federation Data locations were changed.
  • The inactive terminal in Data Storage B on Norion can now be scanned, providing the codes to hear the secret messages on the Transmission Console in Samus's Gunship.
  • The Piston Hall no longer has Sky Puffers or a rotary hatch, and now has an alternating Force Field blocking the north side of the room.
  • The final scene in the SkyTown migration cutscene is changed to a lower, wider shot of the facility moving towards the Leviathan Seed (it was originally a top-down distant view).
  • The glowing effect of the Hazard Shield (which indicates that Samus is being shielded from a hazardous substance) is removed while standing in pools of Phazon.
  • In Mine Lift, activating one Spinner and moving more than two rooms away won't deactivate the other Spinner.
  • When Dark Samus is defeated, the sound heard when receiving her Gold Credit is now the same as when other bosses are killed; before, it was the same sound when receiving a Friend Voucher.
  • Additional credits are displayed before the original credits.

Other[]

Gallery[]

Metroid: Other M[]

  • The English version of Other M allows the player to select French or Spanish subtitles, but the Japanese voice dub is not accessible. The voices and subtitles can be changed between English and Japanese in the Japanese version. It is likely that Japanese voices cannot be selected in the American version because of licensing issues with the voice actors. In the European version, French, Spanish, German and Italian subtitles can be selected.

Localization changes[]

A video uploaded to YouTube in late May 2020 outlines the differences in plot between the Japanese and English versions of the game, and makes the case that changes to the game's dialogue during localization may have contributed to fan criticism of the story. The Japanese version also includes multiple references deepening its connection with Metroid Fusion, such as the role of the Galactic Federation Army in both the BOTTLE SHIP and BSL research station, and differentiates the Army's involvement from the Galactic Federation as a whole, which the English version makes less clear.

  • The Head Quarantine Officer's assessment of Samus's abilities in Japanese is less condescending than it is in English. In Japanese, the officer suggests that although Samus returned from Zebes wounded, her combat proficiency was better than ever. In English, he says she took "quite a bit of damage", and "it's unbelievable how well you've held up."
  • The Head Quarantine Officer informs Samus in English that she is to appear before "the big dogs" in the meeting room. In Japanese, he specifies that the room is where Galactic Federation parliament meets. Anthony Higgs says in Japanese that his orders came from the "Head of Parliament" (i.e. Prime Minister), while in English he identifies the executive as the chairman of the Galactic Federation, a title also used in the (unofficially translated) English version of the Metroid manga.
  • Samus's description of Adam in her monologue in the Cargo Hold is more detached, i.e. "This is Adam Malkovich, a commanding officer in the Federation Army, and the man who was in charge of me in my army days."
  • Samus takes Adam's remark that she is an outsider less personally in Japanese. In English, she says it "pierced my heart", while in Japanese, where Adam calls her "unaffiliated", she says the word slightly stung.
  • Adam asks for Samus's assistance during the Brug Mass battle in Japanese, whereas in English he sternly authorizes her to use her Missiles.
  • In English, Samus muses that her behavior as a Federation Army soldier was "childish", "inexperienced" and "naive". In Japanese, Samus always references herself as a "child", states that she faced ageism and sexism in the military, and that she hated being called "Lady" by Adam (but didn't hate him for it). This was because she did not want to be made to feel weak. Instead of saying she hated being called "Lady" in English, Samus says she was "grateful for the nod". The references to sexism are more subtle in the English version; ironically, it was Western players who accused Nintendo of portraying Samus in a sexist way.
  • Samus is more concerned about Adam's perception of her in English than in Japanese. In English, she wonders how he feels about her, and in Japanese, she wonders if sparing the baby negatively impacted how he saw her.
  • In Samus's monologue in the long elevator shaft (Japanese), she questions whether Adam's presence on the BOTTLE SHIP, where the Army was developing bioweapons, was a coincidence. This indicates she has doubts about him, although he is a strong opponent of bioweapons in both versions. In English, she merely questions if he came there knowing the Federation (i.e. the organization itself) was doing so.
  • As Samus enters the "red-lit corridor", Adam tells her in Japanese to limit her search to areas accessible with her current equipment. In English, he tells her start her search by accessing such areas. In short, Adam is asking Samus in Japanese to explore "safe" rooms and avoid superheated areas without her Varia Suit. Adam finally authorizes the Varia Suit at the top of the Crater Interior, with an uncharacteristic urgency in Japanese: "Samus! Activate the Varia Feature right now!" Many Western fans derided the "Hell Run" - their term for the game's forced run through Pyrosphere's heated areas without the Varia Suit - as a negative of the game's authorization system, and blamed Adam for his seemingly refusing to let Samus use her Varia Suit until the last minute. The Japanese localization implies that Samus subverted his order by exploring the hot Pyrosphere without the Varia Suit's protection, and fans misinterpreted Adam's intentions.
  • This sequence was subverted in Fusion, where the computerized Adam specifically orders Samus to avoid the extremely cold Sector 5 (ARC) until she regains her Varia Suit.
  • Regarding the death of Adam's brother, Samus says in English that she questioned his authority and made things for difficult, while in Japanese she blamed him for what happened. She pleads with Adam to let her save Ian in English, while in Japanese she is more assertive in asking him to order a rescue. When reflecting on the incident, Samus says in Japanese that Adam made the right call, but if a similar incident would happen again, she would stubbornly keep betting on a small chance she could still save everyone. In English, she says she "would hold fast to that glimmer of hope and try for redemption", either meaning she would not act in the way she did on that day, or she would ensure to save the person's life.
  • The Japanese version makes a clear distinction between the Galactic Federation itself and the Federation Army when the characters are speaking about both factions' role in the events aboard the BOTTLE SHIP. For example, in English, the BOTTLE SHIP begins to intercept "Galactic Federation orbit" near the end of the game. In Japanese, the P.A. Announcer and Adam state that the BOTTLE SHIP is on course to reach the Galactic Federation home planet's orbit, which is indicated to be Earth. Adam suggests in Japanese that the minimum that would happen is the ship could collide with the planet, while in English he says "some sort of attack is clearly imminent."
  • Adam states that he was asked to write the Metroid military program report from "Galactic Federation Headquarters" in English, but in Japanese he says "parliament" (possibly the Supreme Council) enlisted him to do it. In English, he says "HQ listened", in Japanese, he is clearer in stating that parliament agreed with his conclusions. In English, he says his report was co-opted by a "small group within the Federation", and in Japanese he identifies the ringleaders as a "splinter group in the Federation Army".
    • In addition, the English version of the ending and post-game indicated that the ringleaders were still at large and operating, while the Japanese version explicitly states that the group was shut down, with most if not all of its known members being arrested.
  • In English, Madeline Bergman suggests her presence on the day MB was detained "caused a disturbing reaction in her". In Japanese, she says her attitude - her seeming indifference to the fact she was to be reprogrammed - made MB snap.

Connections to Metroid Fusion[]

In the Japanese version of Metroid Fusion, Nightmare is said to have been created by the "old/former" Federation Army. This indicates that by securing a witness, Samus was able to expose the activities of the splinter group in Other M, and it was restructured as a result. In English, Nightmare is simply said to have been built for "military applications".

At the end of Fusion, the Army is said to be on its way to the BSL station to collect the SA-X and X Parasites. This, along with the presence of Nightmare and Ridley's clone, which were both removed from the BOTTLE SHIP after the Army's intervention, suggests that some within the splinter group were able to remain undetected, and subverted the Biologic Space Laboratories' study of life-forms for peaceful applications. They are presumed to remain in power after Fusion.

References[]

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