Editing Metroid (universe)

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Metroid'' (universe)}}

|image            = [[Image:Metroidtitle.png|250px]]

|caption          = [[Image:MetroidSymbol.svg|50px]]

|developer        = [[Nintendo]]<br>[[Retro Studios]]<br>Team Ninja<br>Next Level Games<br>MercurySteam

|designer          = Makoto Kano<br>Gunpei Yokoi<br>Hiroji Kiyotake<br>Yoshio Sakamoto

|genres            = Platformer<br>Adventure<br>First-Person Shooter

|latestinstallment = ''{{s|metroidwiki|Metroid: Samus Returns}}'' (2017)

The '''''Metroid'' universe''' ({{ja|メトロイド|Metoroido}}, ''Metroid'') refers to the ''Smash Bros.'' series' collection of characters, stages, and properties that hail from Nintendo's famous ''Metroid'' series of science-fiction adventure games. It is one of the company's most successful franchises. The series has had eleven official games released thus far, with most of them being near-universally praised by critics and gamers alike. The series also has a compilation (''Metroid Prime Trilogy'') and two enhanced remakes (''Zero Mission'' and ''Samus Returns''). The main series revolves around the space-faring bounty-hunting exploits of a woman named [[Samus Aran]] trying to stop the terrors brought about by the parasitic {{s|metroidwiki|Space Pirates}} and their monstrous commander, [[Ridley]], while the ''Prime'' subseries revolves around Samus stopping the sentient mutagen substance Phazon and its avatar [[Dark Samus]].

After the incredible success of ''[[Mario (universe)|Super Mario Bros.]]'' and ''{{uv|The Legend of Zelda}}'' for the Famicom/NES, Nintendo began work on ''{{b|Metroid|game}}'', an action game inspired by Ridley Scott's 1979 sci-fi horror film ''Alien''. Nintendo set the game in the labyrinthine, subterranean cave network of a science-fiction alien planet to help impress a feeling of desperation and solitude on the player, and attempted to set the game apart from other games by making it a nonlinear adventure-based game that required exploration and backtracking. Like ''Zelda'', ''Metroid'' helped pioneer the concept of acquiring permanent tools during the quest that would open up the way forward once the player returned to earlier areas. ''Metroid'' was also one of the first games to contain multiple endings, which were awarded based on how fast the game was completed; this had a hand in popularizing the concept of the "speedrun". Finally, ''Metroid'' was one of the first video games to feature a female protagonist - and this was initially presented to the gaming public as a concealed secret until the game was beaten in a fast-enough time.

For all these reasons and more, the August 1987 release of ''Metroid'' for the NES was another revolutionary and enormously successful release for Nintendo. ''Metroid'' had a palpable effect on the future of the video game industry, integrating what was technically several styles of gameplay that had already revolutionized the industry on separate prior occasions into a new formula that was married with a foreboding atmosphere. The revelation that the player-character, [[Samus Aran]] - appearing as a suited, mechanized soldier that the instruction manual referred to with masculine pronouns - was a woman underneath the armor plating was lauded as innovative for blowing away established norms of females in video games (like the damsels in distress in ''Mario'' and ''Zelda''). Many retrospectives, however, find faults with some of the original game's design and layout in comparison to modern action-adventure standards, and these shortcomings were only partially addressed in the first sequel, ''Metroid II: Return of Samus'', released for Game Boy in November 1991.

But by far the most significant evolution of the ''Metroid'' formula was the seminal ''[[Super Metroid]]'', released on the SNES in April 1994. With vastly refined combat, exploration mechanics, world design, and dialogue-free storytelling, the game garnered universal acclaim and is often labeled by official publications as not only one of the best games on the SNES, but also one of the best video games ever made. The greatest irony is that the American and PAL versions of ''Super Metroid'' sold well as a result of aggressive marketing by Nintendo that was spurred on by the game's poor sales in Japan. Analysts proclaim that the Japanese release of ''Super Metroid'' was poorly timed, not only because of more commercially successful games being released at the time like ''{{s|dkwiki|Donkey Kong Country}}'', but because of the launches of the next-generation systems Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn. This was a big contributing factor to what became a now-legendary eight-year hiatus for the series, which remained dormant despite Samus' appearance in ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' on the Nintendo 64, and Nintendo mentioning the possibility of an N64 installment which had never came to fruition.

 

The franchise would continue its presence in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series as Samus reprised her role in ''Melee'', but no new core entry appeared to be on the horizon. The rebirth of the ''Metroid'' franchise at the end of 2002 was arguably one of the most daring and ambitious for any video game franchise; two completely separate, high-profile ''Metroid'' titles were released on the same day in the Americas, on November 17, 2002. The first was ''Metroid Fusion'' for the Game Boy Advance, which was an all-new adventure based on the familiar two-dimensional sidescrolling formula of ''Super Metroid''. However the more noteworthy title by far was ''Metroid Prime'' for the Nintendo GameCube, the series' inaugural transition into the third dimension, which was highly controversial prior to release. Not only was it being developed by a then-unknown company in the United States, the Texas-based [[Retro Studios]], but its presentation with a first-person perspective led to accusations of being a complete departure from the ''Metroid'' fabric. The released product ultimately allayed these concerns, to say the least; ''Metroid Prime'' garnered extremely enthusiastic acclaim from critics and fans for managing the task of faithfully transplanting the classic formula into three dimensions and using the first-person viewpoint to its advantage and became one of the GameCube's bestselling titles as a result, securing the franchise’s place as a Nintendo staple for the foreseeable future.

 

[[File:Power Suit Samus - Brawl Trophy.png|thumb|Samus's [[Zero Suit Samus|Zero Suit]], worn beneath her Power Suit, was introduced in ''Zero Mission'' and replaced previous depictions of unsuited Samus. Trophy of [[Power Suit Samus]] from ''Brawl''.]]

Throughout the 2000s, the ''Metroid'' franchise settled into a more regular release schedule following ''Prime'' and ''Fusion''. ''Metroid: Zero Mission'', for the Game Boy Advance in February 2004, was a remake and expansion of the original ''Metroid'' that incorporated elements and design choices from future installments such as the control scheme, power-ups, and movement mechanics. The key difference from the original was that while the first game allowed Samus to be playable without her armor using a cheat code, ''Zero Mission'' established Samus' abilities when outside of the Power Suit, [[Zero Suit Samus|making Samus playable in the new "Zero Suit"]] as part of the narrative. ''Metroid Prime 2: Echoes'', for the GameCube in November 2004, was a ''Prime'' follow-up that changed several concepts and was tuned to a much higher level of difficulty. ''Metroid Prime Hunters'' was an ambitious effort to present the graphically intensive ''Metroid Prime'' first-person formula on the restrictive hardware of the Nintendo DS in March 2006. Retro Studios concluded the ''Metroid Prime'' subseries (albeit temporarily) with the August 2007 release of ''Metroid Prime 3: Corruption'' for the Wii. The final chapter in the core trilogy, the game introduced immersive pointer controls to the series for controlling Samus and aiming her weapons, which were carried over to the Wii rereleases of the first two ''Prime'' games (all three games were later bundled as the limited-edition ''Metroid Prime Trilogy'' compilation for Wii, which eventually came to the Wii U eShop for digital download in January 2015 after the physical version went out of print).

 

After the conclusion of the ''Prime'' trilogy, ''Metroid: Other M'' was introduced in August 2010 for the Wii, developed by Team Ninja of ''Ninja Gaiden'' fame. Its new third-person action-adventure gameplay aspects were generally well-received; however, some reviewers criticized its strikingly linear approach to level design, approach to characterization of Samus, the voice acting and dialogue (with the English dub directed by the non-English-speaking Sakamoto), and the game's methods of telling a cutscene-heavy story, with these aforementioned elements causing a high degree of fan controversy and backlash. This, combined with the game’s poor sales outside of Japan, dealt a critical blow to the series’s success streak and marked the beginning of a second hiatus for the franchise.

 

During the Nintendo Digital Event at E3 2015, a new game in the series, ''Metroid Prime: Federation Force'', was announced for the Nintendo 3DS and is a spin-off of the ''Metroid Prime'' series, with a 2016 release. The game is a co-op first-person shooter, where the player assumes the role of a faceless Galactic Federation Marine and featuring gameplay elements similar to that of ''Metroid Prime Hunters''. The game also featured a side mode called “Blast Ball” in which two teams of four Federation troops blast a large soccer ball to the other team’s goal. Much like ''Other M'' before it, the game was met with a highly polarized reception for its graphical style, heavily reduced focus on Samus, focus on FPS combat over exploration, and its overall departure from the series's general tone. Further criticism was aimed at the fact that the first ''Metroid'' game announced after the franchise's five-year hiatus was a spin-off title and not a core entry in either the 2D series or the ''Prime'' series.  

With the controversy surrounding both ''Other M'' and ''Federation Force'', as well as the five-year hiatus between them, the early-to-mid 2010s marked a period of uncertainty surrounding the state of the ''Metroid'' series. However, two new ''Metroid'' games were announced during E3 2017 - ''Metroid Prime 4'' for the [[Nintendo Switch]], and ''Metroid: Samus Returns'', an enhanced remake of ''Metroid II: Return of Samus'', for the Nintendo 3DS developed by MercurySteam who previously handled the ''{{uv|Castlevania}}: Lords of Shadow'' subseries. The latter title would release the same year in September and the reveal of these two games marked the true end of the main series' hiatus and, together with a new sub-line of ''Metroid'' [[amiibo]], signaled the return of ''Metroid'' as one of Nintendo's flagship franchises.

 

While ''Samus Returns'' saw incredibly positive reception from fans and critics for bringing the series back to its roots, information on ''Metroid Prime 4'' was hazy at best. Shortly after the game's teaser announcement, it was confirmed that longtime developer Retro Studios would not be returning for this latest entry. Instead, it would be handled by an unspecified new development team. Roughly two years later, even after the series saw an increase in representation in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'', it was announced in January 2019 that the game's development would be restarted from scratch. Shinya Takahashi cited development struggles under the new team to meet the quality standards of the previous ''Metroid Prime'' titles and the expectations of series fans. As a result, ''Prime'' series producer Kensuke Tanabe would restart the game's development, but with none other than the original team at Retro Studios.

 

Overall, the ''Metroid'' series is often held up as one of Nintendo's greatest classic franchises and maintains a dedicated fanbase, particularly in the West. ''Super Metroid'' and the ''Metroid Prime'' trilogy in particular have garnered significant praise from fans and reviewers. Samus herself, while not achieving the same level of recognition as [[Mario]] or [[Link]], is widely praised as one of Nintendo's most iconic heroines and a groundbreaking example of proactive female protagonists in gaming.

The ''Metroid'' series stars Samus Aran, a hardened, one-of-a-kind professional bounty hunter raised by a now-extinct race of bird-like humanoids named the Chozo and sporting a powered suit imbued with fantastic Chozo technology. With an arm-grafted cannon that can shoot a variety of projectiles seemingly without limit, and a suit function that affords Samus the seemingly superhuman ability to transform into a perfectly spherical metal ball that can self-navigate tight quarters, Samus is regularly called upon by the primary known sovereign government of the ''Metroid'' setting, the Galactic Federation, to go on infiltration missions into planets and compounds occupied by races of alien Space Pirates. The series' namesake is a floating, jellyfish-like lifeform called a Metroid, which has the seemingly supernatural ability to siphon life energy out of its victims; Space Pirates seek to breed and harness these creatures, so it is up to Samus, seemingly the only individual with the upgradeable weaponry capable of killing them, to explore Space Pirate-occupied worlds and destroy their operations down to the core. Each primary ''Metroid'' title adds to a chronology of canonical games, which is laid out below:

*'''Metroid''' / '''Metroid: Zero Mission''': Samus' first mission is is to infiltrate the formerly Chozo-inhabited planet Zebes, since overtaken by Space Pirates, and destroy their standing forces and their stable of Metroids. Along the way, Samus battles the foremost "enforcers" of the Space Pirates - the colossal reptilian [[Kraid]] and the dragon-like [[Ridley]] (likely named after ''Alien'' director Ridley Scott) - and ends up battling the organic artificial intelligence helping dictate Pirate operations, [[Mother Brain]]. Immediately after a seemingly successful mission, however, Samus runs into some bad luck during her escape attempt, and is forced to find a way off the planet in just a [[Zero Suit Samus|body suit]] while equipped with a [[Paralyzer|stun gun]]. After successfully escaping, Samus is able to harness the power of the ancient Legendary Power Suit (which more closely resembles her usual design) by proving herself at the Chozodia temple. With her newfound power, she tears through the Space Pirate mothership, destroys a giant robot shaped in Ridley’s likeness, and narrowly escapes the planet intact.

*'''Metroid Prime''': Samus tracks remnants of the Space Pirates to another outpost on the planet Tallon IV, and she discovers that they are experimenting on augmenting their capacity for warfare with a mysterious mutagenic substance called Phazon, which was brought to the planet by an enigmatic meteor strike long ago. She destroys the Space Pirates' research and standing forces once again, but along the way inadvertently allows for the incidental birth of a dark opposite to herself, the sentient Phazon entity Dark Samus.

*'''Metroid Prime Hunters''': When the Galactic Federation receives a mysterious telepathic message that the key to the "ultimate power" resides in the Alimbic star system, Samus is sent to investigate and possibly retrieve it, but six other rival bounty hunters from different alien species compete for the same goal.

*'''Metroid Prime 2: Echoes''': The Galactic Federation loses contact with a Federation marine vessel that engages a Space Pirate vessel near another Space Pirate outpost planet named Aether, and Samus is sent to investigate. She discovers the planet was struck by a similar Phazon meteor in its past, which has split the planet into light and dark dimensions. Samus must not only separately contend with the Space Pirates and Dark Samus itself, but even more threatening shadow creatures from the dark dimension, the Ing, who threaten the peaceful Luminoth race.

*'''Metroid Prime 3: Corruption''': With the Space Pirates' Phazon-based operations now in disarray from Samus' meddling, the Space Pirates turn to a rejuvenated Dark Samus for aid, and allow themselves to get indoctrinated by the entity. Dark Samus seeks to corrupt the galaxy with Phazon and has the Space Pirates launch simultaneous attacks on separate Federation planets, and Samus herself gets her suit corrupted during the struggle. Granted new technology that allows herself to harness her own suit's Phazon corruption, Samus goes on a planet-hopping quest to end the Phazon menace forever, even as her fellow bounty hunters become corrupted and turn against her. Along the way, Samus realizes the truth about the origin and nature of the Phazon-filled "living-meteors" called Leviathians. Samus reactivates the Valhalla and takes the fight to the planet Phaaze, the source of all Phazon and home of Dark Samus. After a hard-fought duel against both her dark doppelgänger and a corrupted Aurora Unit Samus ultimately prevails and Dark Samus is destroyed for the last time, along with the entirety of Phazon and the planet Phaaze. Thus the war on Phazon concludes, though not without a mysterious follower tracking Samus’s gunship through the stars.

*'''Metroid Prime: Federation Force''': After Samus' elimination of the Phazon menace, the Space Pirates continue to serve as a threat in their own right. The Galactic Federation therefore initiates "Operation Golem" and deploys mech suits, controlled by elite Galactic Marines, in order to eliminate the Pirates. A significant Space Pirate presence is detected in the Bermuda System and the Marines are sent to eradicate them, with some assistance from Samus. After their success, a mysterious figure infiltrated their base containing a Metroid egg, which the figure then prematurely hatched. He presumably stole it under the noses of the Federation troops.

*'''Metroid II: Return of Samus''' / '''Metroid: Samus Returns''': The Galactic Federation has deemed the Metroid species too great a threat to be allowed to live, and so tasks Samus to cull every individual specimen off the surface of the Metroid homeworld, SR388. Samus destroys Metroids that have matured into advanced, more monstrous forms, and squares off against the Metroid Queen itself, but at the end of her mission, she spares a lone hatchling and donates it to the Federation's research division on Ceres.

*'''Super Metroid''': However, a revived Ridley raids the research division and takes back the hatchling by force, and Samus returns to Zebes on another mission to thwart the Space Pirates' last efforts to preserve and harness the species. She infiltrates the Space Pirates' reconstructed subterranean base on Zebes, and discovers and once again battles each of her classic foes - Kraid, Ridley, and the Mother Brain - before detonating the entire planet and achieving the extinction of the Metroid species.

*'''Metroid: Other M''': Samus follows a distress signal towards a "Bottle Ship" floating near a Federation vessel, and discovers some of her companions from her days in the Federation military, including her former commanding officer Adam Malkovich, on board in the middle of a mission he does not tell Samus about at first. After Adam begrudgingly allows her to cooperate with the platoon, they discover the first signs of a darker side to the Federation.

*'''Metroid Fusion''': While leading scientists on a Federation-sanctioned survey across SR388, Samus is attacked by a native parasitic lifeform, the X Parasite, that was originally kept in check by its natural predator, the Metroids. Samus survives, but becomes permanently bound to a "fusion" form of her suit. The research station floating above the planet later becomes infested with X Parasites that mimic other organisms, and so Samus, whose new form is immune to the infestation, is sent on a mission by the Federation to fight and wipe out the creatures. Or at least, that is what Samus thinks her mission is strictly about.

Despite there being no ''Metroid'' game on the Nintendo 64, the ''Metroid'' franchise is represented as one of several "standard universes" found in ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]''. There is a total of one character and one stage representing ''Metroid'', both which focus on the original ''Metroid'', and the recent ''Super Metroid''. This game makes Samus's only appearance on the Nintendo 64.

*[[File:PlanetZebesIconSSB.png|right|link=Planet Zebes]] '''[[Planet Zebes]]''': This stage is designed to resemble the general environment and hazards of the caverns of the titular planet that ''Metroid'' and ''Super Metroid'' take place in. It is a big platform with three platforms above it, and one on the right moving vertically. The stage features an ocean of acid that periodically rises up and submerges the lower portion of the stage. Touching the acid will damage a character and send them flying upward. Due to the acid, it is impossible, under normal conditions, to die by falling below the main platform.{{clear}}

*'''8''': A remix of the Brinstar music from the original ''Metroid'' for NES. It is heard on [[Planet Zebes]].

*'''18''': The victory fanfare of [[Samus]] is an orchestration of the music heard when Samus finds a new item or power-up in general ''Metroid'' games.

===Character===

*[[Image:SamusIcon(SSBM).png|50px|right]]'''{{SSBM|Samus}}''': Samus returns as a starter character, and as the only ''Metroid'' character, probably because of the nature of ''Metroid'' games and how they do not seem to feature notable supporting characters. As with all returning characters, Samus gained a new [[side special]], being her [[Missile]] attack from ''Super Metroid''. She points her arm cannon in front of her, and shoots either a Homing Missile or a Super Missile depending on how the control stick is tapped. Samus is considered as the one of the [[Jigglypuff (SSB4)|two]] most buffed characters from ''Smash 64''.{{clear}}

*[[File:BrinstarIconSSBM.png|right|link=Brinstar]] '''Planet Zebes: [[Brinstar]]''': This stage is the spiritual successor to the original [[Planet Zebes]] stage, and it features a nearly identical layout; aside from the visuals, the only real difference to this stage is that parts of the stage can be damaged by players attacks, and destroying these can cause the elevated platforms to rise upwards to steep angles and the big lower platform to break apart into two. A large brain-like creature appears in the background, shaking whenever the lava comes up to it.{{clear}}

*[[File:BrinstarDepthsIconSSBM.png|right|link=Brinstar Depths]] '''Planet Zebes: [[Brinstar Depths]]''': This stage appears to be loosely based on Kraid's encounter in ''Super Metroid''. A difficult stage to keep on top of, this is essentially a giant, craggy, circular mass of rock that floats above lava. The lava on the bottom of the screen does not damage the player like other Metroid stages, as it is merely a background effect symbolizing the [[blast line]]. The stage is routinely rotated by the gigantic alien monster [[Kraid]] in the background. It is impossible to grab onto any ledge in this stage.{{clear}}

*'''[[Screw Attack]]''': An upgrade that Samus can obtain ever since the original ''Metroid''. It allows Samus to somersault into enemies in the, killing many instantly. In ''Melee'', a character can pick up this item and perform the same action once they jump, similar to Samus's own up special. The character can also hurl it at an opponent and the opponent will automatically jump up whirling.

*'''7: Brinstar''': A medley of three classic tunes from the original ''Metroid''. First plays a techno remix of the first "Brinstar" area music. It is then followed by the short "game start" tune one hears whenever resuming a game file. Finally, a remix of the title screen plays before looping back into the first track. This is heard in the stage [[Brinstar]], and acts as one of Samus's credits theme.

*'''8: Brinstar Depths''': A synth, techno remix of area music heard later on in the original ''Metroid'', where Samus is particularly close to her encounter with [[Kraid]]. A bridge section consists of the short tune played in item rooms in the original ''Metroid''. This is heard in the stage [[Brinstar Depths]], and acts as one of Samus's credits theme.

*'''41: Samus's Victory''': The victory fanfare of [[Samus]] is an orchestration of the music heard when Samus finds a new item or power-up in general ''Metroid'' games.

===Full Trophy List===

==In ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''==

A fairly-decent amount of content from the ''Metroid'' franchise appears in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''.

===Characters===

*[[Image:SamusIcon(SSBB).png|50px|right]]'''{{SSBB|Samus}}''': Shown by trailers as a returning character for ''Brawl'', Samus Aran has been visually touched up to look like her more detailed incarnation in the final sequence of ''Metroid: Zero Mission'', but otherwise apparently retaining her gameplay. Her [[Final Smash]], the {{b|Zero Laser|Samus}}, is a huge beam that literally blows off her own armor to become a pile of throwable [[Power Suit Piece]]s and renders her as a new playable character, [[Zero Suit Samus]].{{clear}}

*[[Image:ZeroSuitSamusIcon(SSBB).png|50px|right]]'''{{SSBB|Zero Suit Samus}}''': The suitless version of Samus from ''Metroid: Zero Mission'' is playable via Samus' Final Smash. She fights acrobatically and carries a projectile attack in the form of her handheld [[Paralyzer]] gun, which she also uses as the basis for her [[Plasma Whip]] and [[Plasma Wire]] special attacks, both of which can be used for [[tether recovery]]. Zero Suit Samus' Final Smash involves a huge, blinding ball of light forming around her, returning her to status with the power suit.{{clear}}

On the final character select screen (after all characters are unlocked), Samus shares the fourth column with fellow Famicom/NES-originated characters Ice Climbers, R.O.B., and Pit.

====Bosses====

*[[Image:RidleyBrawl.jpg|right|120px]]'''[[Ridley]]''': Samus's arch enemy Ridley makes an appearance in the [[Subspace Emissary]] as a [[boss]] that Samus and {{SSBB|Pikachu}} encounter in a facility on the Island of Ancients shortly after Samus regains her Power Suit.  It would seem he is working for the Subspace Army, but no information really exists on his storyline importance.{{clear}}

*[[File:Meta Ridley SSBB.jpg|right|120px]]'''[[Meta Ridley]]''': Later in the game, when a slew of characters are escaping from the self-destructing Subspace Bomb Factory on Captain Falcon's Falcon Flyer, a rebuilt Ridley in the form as seen in ''Metroid Prime'' appears. While he is canonically just a modified Ridley, the fight plays out nothing like the previous Ridley fight.  It is worth noting that ''Metroid'' is the only represented franchise to feature more than one boss fight.{{clear}}

''See [[List of SSBB Music (Metroid series)]]''.

*'''Main Theme (Metroid)''' - A rock styled remix of the Brinstar theme from the first ''Metroid'' title.  Aside from the vocals at the beginning of the track, this is taken almost directly from ''Metroid Prime Pinball'', with the insertion of some extra instruments and the addition of the original Brinstar NES-like remix.  It is used on the ''Norfair'' stage.

*'''Ending (Metroid)''' - An orchestrated version of the credits theme used in both the original ''Metroid'' and its remake, ''Metroid Zero Mission''.  It is used on the ''Norfair'' stage.  This song is also played during both Samus and Zero Suit Samus' Classic Mode credits.

*'''Norfair''' - A quirky remix of the lesser-known Norfair theme from the original ''Metroid'' game.  It is the theme of the ''Norfair'' stage.

*'''Theme of Samus Aran, Space Warrior''' - An orchestration of the credits theme of the SNES hit, ''Super Metroid''.  It is used on the ''Norfair'' stage.

*'''Vs. Ridley''' - A completely redone version of Ridley's theme that is featured in several ''Metroid'' games and originated in ''Super Metroid''.  It is used on the Frigate Orpheon stage.

*'''Vs. Parasite Queen''' - Taken directly from ''Metroid Prime'', this was the track that played when Samus fought the Parasite Queen during the opening section of the game.  It is used on the Frigate Orpheon stage.

*'''Opening/Menu (Metroid Prime)''' - A medley of two tracks from ''Metroid Prime''--the title screen and the credits theme (which itself was an extension of the menu theme).  With the exception of the vocals at the beginning, the title screen theme is taken directly from the game, while the credits theme is arranged.  It is the theme of the ''Frigate Orpheon'' stage.

*'''Sector 1''' - An orchestrated version of the background music of the first mission in Sector 1 in ''Metroid Fusion''.  It is used on the Frigate Orpheon stage.

*'''Vs. Meta Ridley''' - Taken directly from ''Metroid Prime'', this was the background music that played during the fight against Meta Ridley.  This same, unaltered track was also used in ''Metroid Prime 3: Corruption''.  It is used on the Frigate Orpheon stage.

*'''Multiplayer (Metroid Prime 2)''' - A track taken directly from the multiplayer mode of ''Metroid Prime 2: Echoes'', which itself was a techno remix of the Brinstar background music from ''Super Metroid''.  It is used on the Frigate Orpheon stage.

*'''Samus' victory theme''' - The "got item" fanfare featured in every single ''Metroid'' game to date, except ''Metroid: Other M''.

{|

*{{SSBB|Zero Suit Samus}}

*{{b|Metroid|creature}}

*Metroid Prime (Core)

*Metroid Prime (Exo)

|}

{|

*{{b|Metroid|creature}} (Metroid: Zero Mission)

*[[Ridley]] (Metroid: Zero Mission)

*Ridley (Metroid)

*[[Samus]] (Metroid)

===Characters===

*[[File:SamusIcon(SSB4-U).png|50px|right]]'''{{SSB4|Samus}}''': a galactic bounty hunter who fights to eradicate the Metroid threat. Samus Aran was confirmed to return during the [[E3|E3 2013]] [[Nintendo Direct]]. This is the first ''Smash Bros.'' title where her orange [[Varia Suit]] is no longer based on its design in ''{{s|metroidwiki|Super Metroid}}''. It now reflects its design in ''{{s|metroidwiki|Metroid: Other M}}'', though it includes details not in the source material, such as perforated metal and black vents between the seams. Her [[Grapple Beam]] has been significantly improved as a [[grab]] and [[tether]], and the speed of a fully powered [[Charge Shot]] has been increased. Due to limitations of the Nintendo 3DS hardware, Samus can no longer transform into Zero Suit Samus by any means. She has two new alternate costumes for [[8-Player Smash]]: one is based on the {{s|metroidwiki|Light Suit}} from ''{{s|metroidwiki|Metroid Prime}}'' and the other is based on her rival from the ''Prime'' saga, {{s|metroidwiki|Dark Samus}}.{{clr}}

===[[Mii Costume]]s===

====Costume====

*{{Head|Mii Gunner|g=SSB4|s=24x24px}}'''[[Samus Aran|Samus's Armor]]''' ([[Mii Gunner|Gunner]]): the outfit is based on Samus Aran's Power Suit from ''Other M''. The costume was released as [[downloadable content]] on July 31, 2015. An official Mii based on Samus's likeness can be downloaded via QR code on the official site.

====Hat====

*'''[[Samus Aran|Samus's Helmet]]''' ([[DLC]])

===Items===

*'''{{b|Screw Attack|item}}''' (status): a badge from the original ''{{s|metroidwiki|Metroid}}''. When equipped, the player's first and second jumps are replaced with energized, rotating jumps that damage opponents on contact. It is an iconic item in the ''Metroid'' series and serves as the series icon in ''Smash''.

<small>'''''Bold italics''''' denotes an Assist Trophy new to the ''Smash Bros.'' series.</small>

*'''{{b|Metroid|creature}}''': the eponymous jellyfish-like parasite of the ''Metroid'' series. It hovers around the stage before attaching to a nearby opponent's head, inhibiting their motion and increasing their damage percentage. It does not attack the summoner. It also appears as an enemy in Smash Run and [[Smash Tour]].

*'''''[[Mother Brain]]''''': one of the main antagonists of the ''Metroid'' series. She is an enormous, disembodied brain with one unblinking eye. In ''Smash'', she is restricted to here {{s|metroidwiki|Control Capsule}} and attacks opponents with her Laser Brain Attack from ''{{s|metroidwiki|Super Metroid}}''. Though sessile, a swarm of {{s|metroidwiki|Rinka}}s hover around her and cause damage on contact. Opponents can attack her to stall her attacks and make her disappear prematurely. She does not attack the summoner.

*'''''[[Dark Samus]]''''': an antagonist from the ''[[metroidwiki: Metroid Prime (series)|Metroid Prime]]'' titles in the guise of Samus. She fires rapid-fire beams and large spheres of {{s|metroidwiki|Phazon}} from her arm cannon to attack opponents. She does not attack the summoner.

*'''{{b|Metroid|creature}}''': the eponymous jellyfish-like parasite of the ''Metroid'' series. In Smash Run, it hovers around the stage before attaching to a nearby opponent's head, inhibiting their motion and increasing their damage percentage. It is most weak to [[ice]]-based attacks, an attribute carried over from the ''Metroid'' games. In Smash Tour, it steals stats from the first player it makes contact with on the board and grants the stats to whichever player bumps into it next. It also appears as an Assist Trophy.

*'''[[Geemer]]''': an insectile creature from the original ''{{s|metroidwiki|Metroid}}'' that scuttles on floors, walls, and ceilings. Its body is covered in spikes that cause damage to opponents on contact. It is most vulnerable to projectile attacks. It resembles its appearance in ''{{s|metroidwiki|Super Metroid}}''. A similar being appears in the Wii U version inside [[Master Fortress]].

*'''[[Kihunter]]''': a vespine creature from ''Super Metroid''. It slashes at opponents with scythe-like claws and spits acid that temporarily stuns opponents. Its design comes from ''{{s|metroidwiki|Metroid: Other M}}''. Its larval form, {{s|metroidwiki|Zero}}, appears on the Pyrosphere stage in the Wii U version.

*'''[[Reo]]''': a {{s|wikipedia|cicada}}-like creature from ''Super Metroid''. It hovers and swoops down at opponents in a "U" shaped trajectory, damaging opponents with its giant claws. Its design comes from ''Other M''.

====Boss====

*[[File:Ridley Portrait (SSB4).png|right|120px]]'''[[Ridley]]''': the captain of the {{s|metroidwiki|space pirate}}s and Samus's arch nemesis. This incarnation of Ridley comes from ''Metroid: Other M'' and he is the [[stage boss]] of Pyrospehere. Unlike [[Yellow Devil]] and [[Metal Face]], Ridley's moveset is similar to that of a playable character, just on a much larger scale. He swipes at opponents with his claws and tail, and he fires balls of flame from his mouth. If he is accumulates enough damage, he can fight alongside one of the players. He can also be launched, and players earn points for KOing him. He appears on the [[Smash Tour]] board as well in a dedicated "[[Boss Battle]]" triggered by the first player to make contact with him. The victor is awarded an huge loot of stats. Files left in the 3DS version suggests that he was intended to appear in Smash Run in some unknown capacity.

===Stages===

====''for Nintendo 3DS''====

*[[File:BrinstarIconSSB4-3.png|75px|right|link=Brinstar]]{{GameIcon|SSBM}} '''[[Brinstar]]''': staged in a [[metroidwiki: Brinstar|cavernous area]] on {{s|metroidwiki|Planet Zebes}}, the setting of the original ''{{s|metroidwiki|Metroid}}'' and ''{{s|metroidwiki|Super Metroid}}''. Acid rises and falls at the bottom of stage and burns players on contact. What resembles a massive egg sac wiggles in the distance, and a {{s|metroidwiki|Chozo statue}} is in the immediate background. The acid is more vibrant than it was in ''Brawl'', likely to stand out more on the 3DS's screen. It is one of the possible stages to appear in Level 2 of [[All-Star Mode]] as a [[home stage]] for Samus. Its [[Ω form]] is a spacious floating platform like [[Final Destination]].{{clr}}

====''for Wii U''====

*[[File:PyrosphereIconSSB4-U.png|75px|right|link=Pyrosphere]]'''[[Pyrosphere]]''': a spacious arena within the [[metroidwiki:Sector 3 (Pyrosphere)|lava-filled sector]] of the ''{{s|metroidwiki|Bottle Ship}}'', the setting of ''{{s|metroidwiki|Metroid: Other M}}''. The primary platform is Pyrosphere's Geothermal Power Plant. Secondary floating platforms flank the Power Plant, making the stage similar to [[Pokémon Stadium 2]]. The main gimmick of the stage is that Ridley resides here as a stage boss. Otherwise, [[Joulion]]s and [[FG II-Graham]] units appear as enemies that will attack nearby opponents. {{b|Zero|Metroid}}s also appear but are harmless. They can be picked up and tossed at opponents. Pyrosphere is large enough to accommodate [[8-Player Smash]], but Ridley does not appear and the background lava is removed. It is one of the possible stages to appear in Level 2 of [[All-Star Mode]] as a [[home stage]] for Zero Suit Samus. Its [[Ω form]] is a spacious floating platform like [[Final Destination]].{{clr}}

 

*[[File:NorfairIconSSB4-U.png|75px|right|link=Norfair]]{{GameIcon|SSBB}} '''[[Norfair]]''': staged in a [[metroidwiki:Norfair|magma-filled cavern]] deep within Planet Zebes. Like Brinstar, the volatile magma sea rises and falls, often covering the lowermost platforms. Rushing waves of magma periodically engulf the stage's platforms and can only be avoided by entering the protective safe zones. The magma glows more intensely than it did in ''Brawl''. Norfair is large enough to accommodate [[8-Player Smash]], but the magma does not rise. It is one of the possible stages to appear in Level 6 of [[All-Star Mode]] as a [[home stage]] for Samus. Its [[Ω form]] is a spacious floating platform like [[Final Destination]].{{clr}}

====Original tracks====

*'''Title (Metroid)''': an arrangement of "Title" from the original ''[[metroidwiki:Metroid (game)|Metroid]]''. It plays on Pyrosphere. It is featured on Disc 2 of ''[[A Smashing Soundtrack]]''.

*'''Escape''': an arrangement of "Escape" from the original ''Metroid''. It plays on Pyrosphere.

====Returning tracks====

*{{GameIcon|SSBM}}'''Brinstar''': an arrangement of "Brinstar Area" from the original ''[[metroidwiki:Metroid (game)|Metroid]]''. It plays on Brinstar and Norfair. It is featured on Disc 1 of ''A Smashing Soundtrack''.

*{{GameIcon|SSBM}}'''Brinstar Depths''': an arrangement of "Kraid's Lair" from ''Metroid''. It plays on Brinstar and Norfair.

*{{GameIcon|SSBB}}'''Main Theme (Metroid)''': an arrangement of "Brinstar Area" from ''Metroid'' featuring opening narration by Jay Ward. It plays on Norfair.

*{{GameIcon|SSBB}}'''Norfair''': a remix of "Norfair" from ''Metroid''. It plays on Norfair.

*{{GameIcon|SSBB}}'''Ending (Metroid)''': an arrangement of "Ending" from ''Metroid''. It plays on Norfair.

*{{GameIcon|SSBB}}'''Theme of Samus Aran, Space Warrior''': an arrangement incorperating "Theme of Super Metroid" and "Theme of Samus Aran, Galactic Warrior" from ''{{s|metroidwiki|Super Metroid}}''. It plays on Norfair.

*{{GameIcon|SSBB}}'''Vs. Ridley''': an arrangement of "Big Boss Confrontation 1" from ''Super Metroid''. It plays on Pyrosphere.

*{{GameIcon|SSBB}}'''Sector 1''': a remix of "Sector 1" from ''{{s|metroidwiki|Metroid Fusion}}''. It plays on Pyrosphere.

====Source tracks====

*'''Vs. Parasite Queen''': from ''{{s|metroidwiki|Metroid Prime}}''. It plays on Pyrosphere.

*'''Vs. Meta Ridley''': from ''Metroid Prime''. It plays on Pyrosphere.

*'''Multiplater (Metroid Prime 2: Echoes)''': though sourced from ''{{s|metroidwiki|Metroid Prime 2: Echoes}}'', the piece itself is a remix of "Brinstar Overgrown with Vegetation Area" from ''Super Metroid''. It plays on Pyrosphere.

*'''Psycho Bits''': from ''{{s|metroidwiki|Metroid Prime Hunters}}''. It plays on Pyrosphere.

*'''Lockdown Battle Theme''': from ''{{s|metroidwiki|Metroid: Other M}}''. It plays on Pyrosphere.

*'''The Burning Lava Fish''': from ''Other M''. It plays on Norfair.

*'''Nemesis Ridley''': from ''Other M''. It plays on Pyrosphere.

====Victory fanfares====

* '''Victory! Metroid Series''': an orchestrated flourish of the fanfare played when Samus obtains a power-up or an addition to her {{s|metroidwiki|Power Suit}} in the original ''Metroid''. This same flourish plays when she defeats [[Kraid]] or Ridley as well. It is sourced from ''Brawl''.

===Trophy===

*''{{s|metroidwiki|Metroid}}'' ({{s|wikipedia|NES}})

*''{{s|metroidwiki|Super Metroid}}'' ({{s|wikipedia|SNES}})

 

==In ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''==

The ''Metroid'' series has undergone one of the most substantial expansions of the “perfect-attendance” franchises. Along with the two ''Smash 4'' veterans returning with updated movesets, two newcomers were introduced with one being a unique fighter after being a stage boss and the other an Echo Fighter after being an Assist Trophy in the previous installment. The series's presence has also gone from being heavily skewed towards ''Other M'' to a more generous representation from across the franchise, including the ''Metroid Prime'' titles, even incorporating elements from the more recent installments on Nintendo 3DS. Many Spirits and several new music tracks both sourced and remixed round off rest of the representation of the entire ''Metroid'' franchise.

===Characters===

*04. [[File:SamusIcon(SSBU).png|50px|right]]'''{{SSBU|Samus}}''': The legendary bounty hunter returns as a member of the starting roster. Her appearance and moveset are largely unchanged from ''SSB4'', being based on her Varia Suit from ''Other M'', with a key difference being that Samus can now charge her [[Charge Shot]] in midair. Otherwise she has been heavily buffed to rely on a more patient and threatening playstyle.

*29. [[File:ZeroSuitSamusIcon(SSBU).png|50px|right]]'''{{SSBU|Zero Suit Samus}}''': Zero Suit Samus is now an unlockable fighter after being a starter in ''Smash 4''. Much like her Varia Suited counterpart, her design and moveset are derived from her previous appearance with a few changes, the most notable of which is a new [[Final Smash]] that has her temporarily don the Varia Suit and fire the Zero Laser from the top of her [[gunship]]. Otherwise, she has received a myriad of buffs and nerfs to rebalance her toolkit and not exploit certain techniques.

*65. [[File:RidleyIcon(SSBU).png|50px|right]]'''{{SSBU|Ridley}}''': Samus's longtime archrival, Ridley, makes his debut as an unlockable newcomer in ''Ultimate''. One of the largest playable characters, Ridley's design is largely inspired by his ''Super Metroid'' appearance, with some realistic details loosely similar to his ''Other M'' appearance. His moveset is animalistic in nature, relying on brutal offense to deliver massive damage particularly from his wings and tail. He can jump multiple times in the air, and some of his alternate costumes feature cybernetic enhancements.

*04ε. [[File:DarkSamusIcon(SSBU).png|50px|right]]'''{{SSBU|Dark Samus}}''': Samus's Phazon-powered doppelgänger from the ''Metroid Prime'' series, Dark Samus, makes her debut as an unlockable [[Echo Fighter]] with her design being based on ''Metroid Prime 3: Corruption''. Some notable differences from her base character include floatier movement and jumps, attacking one-handedly, slightly faster rolls, a slightly smaller forward smash, and Phazon-inspired visuals to her attacks and taunts.

===Assist Trophies===

*'''[[Mother Brain]]''': Returning unchanged from ''Smash 4''.

*'''{{b|Metroid|creature}}''': Returns mostly unchanged from ''Brawl'' and ''Smash 4'', but can now be defeated with freezing attacks, like in Smash Run.

All ''Metroid'' stages except for {{gameIcon|ssb}}[[Planet Zebes]] and {{gameIcon|ssb4-wiiu}}[[Pyrosphere]] return from previous ''Smash'' games.

*{{gameIcon|SSBM}}[[File:SSBU-Brinstar.png|75px|right|link=Brinstar]]'''[[Brinstar]]''': Returns as a retro stage.

{{clear}}

*{{gameIcon|SSBM}}[[File:SSBU-Brinstar Depths.png|75px|right|link=Brinstar Depths]]'''[[Brinstar Depths]]''': Returns as a retro stage after a 17-year absence.

{{clear}}

*{{gameIcon|SSBB}}[[File:SSBU-Frigate Orpheon.png|75px|right|link=Frigate Orpheon]]'''[[Frigate Orpheon]]''': Returns as a retro stage after being absent from ''Smash 4''.

{{clear}}

*{{gameIcon|SSBB}}[[File:SSBU-Norfair.png|75px|right|link=Norfair]]'''[[Norfair]]''': Returns as a retro stage.

{{clear}}

===[[Mii Costume]]s===

====Costume====

*{{Head|Mii Gunner|g=SSBU|s=24x24px}}'''[[Samus Aran|Samus's Armor]]''' ([[Mii Gunner|Gunner]])

====Hat====

====Original tracks====

*"'''Brinstar Depths'''": A new, violin-based arrangement of "Kraid's Chamber" from ''{{iw|metroidwiki|Metroid|game}}''.

*"'''Vs. Ridley'''": A new arrangement of "Big Boss Confrontation BGM (Ridley, Draygon)" from ''{{iw|metroidwiki|Super Metroid}}'', with some elements of “Theme of Samus Aran” sprinkled in as well.

*"'''Vs. Parasite Queen'''": An arrangement of "Vs. Parasite Queen" from ''{{iw|metroidwiki|Metroid Prime|game}}'', replacing the original sourced theme from previous ''Smash'' games.

====Returning tracks====

*{{gameIcon|SSB}}"'''Brinstar (64)'''": A remix of "Brinstar" from ''Metroid''. Returns from ''Smash 64''.

*{{gameIcon|SSBM}}"'''Brinstar (Melee)'''": A medely of tracks from ''Metroid'', including "Brinstar", "Samus Appears", and "Title". Returns from ''Melee''.

*{{gameIcon|SSBM}}"'''Brinstar Depths (Melee)'''": A remix of "Kraid's Chamber" and "Silence" from ''Metroid''. Returns from ''Melee''.

*{{gameIcon|SSBB}}"'''Brinstar (Brawl)'''": A remix of the theme from the Pirate Frigate Table in ''{{iw|metroidwiki|Metroid Prime: Pinball}}'', which itself is a remix of "Brinstar" from ''Metroid'', featuring the narration of Jay Ward in the beginning. Returns from ''Brawl''.

*{{gameIcon|SSBB}}"'''Norfair'''": A remix of "Norfair Area" from ''Metroid''. Returns from ''Brawl''.

*{{gameIcon|SSBB}}"'''Ending - Metroid'''": A remix of "Ending" from ''Metroid''. Returns from ''Brawl''.

*{{gameIcon|SSBB}}"'''Vs. Ridley (Brawl)'''": A remix of "Big Boss Confrontation BGM (Ridley, Draygon)" from ''Super Metroid''. Returns from ''Brawl''.

*{{gameIcon|SSBB}}"'''Theme of Samus Aran, Space Warrior'''": A remix of "Ending" from ''Super Metroid''. Returns from ''Brawl''

*{{gameIcon|SSBB}}"'''Sector 1'''": A remix of "Sector 1 (SRX)" from ''{{iw|metroidwiki|Metroid Fusion}}''. Returns from ''Brawl''.

*{{gameIcon|SSBB}}"'''Opening/Menu - Metroid Prime'''": A remix of "Metroid Prime Theme" and "Metroid Prime Credits" from ''Metroid Prime''. Returns from ''Brawl''.

*{{gameIcon|SSB4-WiiU}}"'''Title Theme - Metroid'''": A remix of "Title" from ''Metroid''. Returns from ''Smash for Wii U''.

*{{gameIcon|SSB4-WiiU}}"'''Escape'''": A remix of "Escape" from ''Metroid''. Returns from ''Smash for Wii U''.

====Source tracks====

*"'''Vs. Meta Ridley'''": The theme played when fighting [[Meta Ridley]], sourced from ''Metroid Prime''.

*"'''Multiplayer - Metroid Prime 2: Echoes'''": The default music of multiplayer maches, sourced from ''{{iw|metroidwiki|Metroid Prime 2: Echoes}}''.

*"'''Psycho Bits'''": The theme played when fighting the {{iw|metroidwiki|Psycho Bit}} enemy, sourced from ''{{iw|metroidwiki|Metroid Prime Hunters}}''.

*"'''Lockdown Battle Theme'''": The miniboss theme, sourced from ''{{iw|metroidwiki|Metroid: Other M}}''.

*"'''The Burning Lava Fish'''": The theme played when fighting {{iw|metroidwiki|Vorash}}, sourced from ''Metroid: Other M''.

*"'''Nemesis Ridley'''": The theme played when fighting Ridley, sourced from ''Metroid: Other M''.

*"'''Main Theme - Metroid Prime: Federation Force'''": The title theme, sourced from ''{{iw|metroidwiki|Metroid Prime: Federation Force}}''.

*"'''Magmoor Caverns - Metroid: Samus Returns'''": The theme played in areas of extreme heat, which itself is a remix of the {{iw|metroidwiki|Magmoor Caverns}} theme from ''Metroid Prime'', which itself is a remix of the Lower Norfair theme from ''Super Metroid'', sourced from ''{{iw|metroidwiki|Metroid: Samus Returns}}''.

*"'''Boss Battle 4 - Metroid: Samus Returns'''": The theme that plays when fighting a {{iw|metroidwiki|Zeta Metroid}}, sourced from ''Metroid: Samus Returns''.

*"'''End Results - Metroid: Samus Returns'''": The theme played on the end screen, sourced from ''Metroid: Samus Returns''.

====Victory fanfares====

*"'''Victory! Metroid Series'''": An orchestrated flourish of "Item Acquisition Fanfare" from ''Metroid''. Unchanged from ''Brawl'' and ''Smash 4''.  

*"'''Victory! Ridley and Dark Samus'''": An intense and aggressive remix of "Item Acquisition Fanfare" from ''Metroid''.

==Games with elements from or in the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series==

===''{{b|Metroid|game}}''===

**{{gameIcon|SSB}}Main character and Bounty Hunter [[Samus Aran]] is playable in all five ''Super Smash Bros.'' games. Her [[Screw Attack]], [[Missile]], Morph Ball, and {{b|Bomb|Samus}}s originate from this game. One of her alternate costumes, though ostensibly based upon the Gravity Suit's sprite in ''Super Metroid'', more closely resembles the Varia Suit in this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}[[Ridley]], a boss introduced in this game, appears throughout the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series before finally becoming playable in ''Ultimate''. His smaller size and his fireballs' wave pattern are also from this game. One of his alternate costumes resembles his in-game sprite.

*[[Assist Trophies]]:

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}The main enemies from this game, {{b|Metroid|creature}}s, appear as [[Assist Trophies]] starting in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''.

**{{gameIcon|SSB4}}The final boss, [[Mother Brain]], appears as an Assist Trophy starting in ''SSB4''. She is accompanied by Rinkas, another enemy from the game.

**{{gameIcon|SSB}}[[Planet Zebes]] is a stage in ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]''

**{{gameIcon|SSBM}}Sub-areas of Zebes, [[Brinstar]] and [[Brinstar Depths]], are stages introduced in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]''.

**{{gameIcon|SSBM}}The [[Brinstar Escape Shaft]] is based upon the series's escape sequences, introduced in this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}[[Norfair]] is introduced as a stage in ''Brawl''.

**{{gameIcon|SSB}}The Waver, a background element of Planet Zebes, originates as an enemy from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBM}}The Chozo Statue, a trophy and background element of Brinstar, originates from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBM}}Kraid, a ''Melee'' trophy and Brinstar Depths stage element, originates as a boss from this game.

**{{GameIcon|SSBM}}The [[Screw Attack]], which first appeared in this game, appears as an item starting in ''Melee''.

**{{GameIcon|SSB4}}[[Geemer]] appears as an enemy in [[Smash Run]], and Dark versions of Geemers appear in the [[Master Fortress]]

**{{GameIcon|SSB4-3DS}}[[Reo]] appears as an enemy in Smash Run

**{{gameIcon|SSBM}}[[Samus Unmasked]] is based upon one of the possible endings of ''Metroid'', in which Samus takes off her helmet but leaves her suit on.

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}}Samus wearing the {{iw|metroidwiki|Varia Suit}} appears as a trophy in ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' and ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS''.

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}}Samus wearing the {{iw|metroidwiki|Power Suit}} appears as a trophy in ''Brawl''.

**{{GameIcon|SSBM}}'''Brinstar Depths (Melee)''': An arrangement of "Kraid's Chamber"<!--translated name from "Sound in Action"--> and "Silence" from this game.

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}}'''Main Theme (Metroid)''': An arrangement of "Brinstar" from this game, featuring opening narration from Jay Ward.

**{{GameIcon|SSB4-WIIU}}'''Title (Metroid)''': An arrangement of "Title"<!--translated name from "Sound in Action"--> from this game.

**{{GameIcon|SSB4-WIIU}}'''Escape''': An arrangement of "Escape"<!--translated name from "Sound in Action"--> and "Brinstar" from this game.

**{{GameIcon|SSBU}}'''Victory! Metroid Villain''': A remix of "Item Acquisition Fanfare"<!--translated name from "Sound in Action"--> from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}Stickers of Energy Tank, Ridley, and Samus are based on artwork from this game.

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}}A {{iw|metroidwiki|Chozo Statue}}, Kraid, the {{iw|metroidwiki|Morph Ball}}, a Metriod (as two stickers) and Mother Brain appear as stickers in ''Brawl''.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}Geemer, Chozo Statue, Kraid, Metroid, Mother Brain, Ridley, and Samus appear as spirits.

*{{gameIcon|SSB4-WiiU}}''Metroid'' is available as a Masterpiece in ''Wii U''.

*Playable Characters:

**{{gameIcon|SSB}}The design of the Varia Suit, Samus's default costume, originates from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSB4}}The [[Gunship]] originates in this game, and is used in [[Zero Suit Samus]]'s Final Smash in ''Super Smash Bros. 4'', known as [[Gunship (Final Smash)|Gunship]], as well as appearing in Zero Suit Samus and Ridley's Final Smashes in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''. It also appears in Zero Suit Samus's [[On-screen appearance]] in ''Smash 4''.

**{{GameIcon|SSBM}}The Gunship appears as a trophy in ''Melee''.

**{{gameIcon|SSB4-WiiU}}The Queen Metroid, which appears as a trophy in ''Wii U'', originates as a boss from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}The sticker of the Chozo Statue is based on artwork from this game.

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}}The Gunship appears as three stickers in ''Brawl''.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}Spirits of Chozo Statue and Queen Metroid are based on artwork from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}The Gunship appears as a spirit.

===''[[Super Metroid]]''===

**{{gameIcon|SSB}}Samus's design in ''Super Smash Bros.'', ''Melee'', and ''Brawl'' is based primarily on her appearance from this game. One of her alternate costumes is ostensibly based on the Gravity Suit's in-game sprite, while another alternate costume more closely resembles the artwork of the Gravity Suit. Samus emerges from a ''Super Metroid''-style Save Station when entering battle. Her dash attack animation is based on the Shinespark, and her [[Super Missile]] originates from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}Ridley's design in ''Ultimate'' is primarily based on his appearance from this game. One of his alternate costumes resembles artwork for this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBM}}The [[Brinstar Escape Shaft]] is modeled remarkably after ''Super'', particularly resembling the platform-filled shaft Samus had to escape through in ''Super'' and the original ''Metroid'', going from a cave-inspired scenery to a mechanical elevator room. The room at the top of the shaft seems to be based directly upon a room in Crateria.

**{{gameIcon|SSB}}Ridley and the Waver's appearances in the background of Planet Zebes are based directly on their sprites from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBM}}A Chozo Statue that stands up and walks around in the background of the Brinstar stage is based on the {{iw|metroidwiki|Torizo}} enemies from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBM}}Kraid takes his appearance from this game in ''Melee''.

**{{GameIcon|SSB4-WIIU}}{{b|Zero|Metroid}}s appear on [[Pyrosphere]].

**{{GameIcon|SSB4-3DS}}[[Kihunter]]s, which first appeared in this game, appear as enemies in Smash Run.

**{{GameIcon|SSBM}}Ridley's trophy is based on his appearance from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBM}}The Metroid trophy contains a reflection of the Ceres Space Colony on its membrane.

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}}Samus in the {{iw|metroidwiki|Gravity Suit}}, which first appeared in this game, appears as a trophy in ''Brawl'' and ''Smash for 3DS''.

**{{gameIcon|SSB4-3DS}}The Kihunter appears as a trophy in ''Smash for 3DS''.

**{{GameIcon|SSB4-WIIU}}{{iw|metroidwiki|Phantoon}}, a {{iw|metroidwiki|Zebesian}}, and a Zero appear as trophies in ''Smash for Wii U''.

**{{GameIcon|SSBU}}'''Vs. Ridley''': An arrangement of "Big Boss Confrontation BGM (Ridley, Draygon)"<!--translated name from "Sound in Action"--> and "Theme of Samus" from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}The sticker of the Space Pirate is based on artwork from this game.

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}}Samus in the Gravity Suit and a Zebesian (identified as "Zebes Inhabitant") appear as stickers in ''Brawl''.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}Spirits of Kraid, Gunship, Kraid, Mother Brain (2nd Form), Phantoon, and Zebesian are based on artwork from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}The Gravity Suit appears as a spirit.

*{{gameIcon|SSBM}}A clip of the ''Melee'' introduction features Samus and Ridley fighting in a 3-D re-enactment of their fight on Ceres at the beginning of ''Super Metroid'', with Ridley holding the baby in his talons.

*{{gameIcon|SSBB}}''Super Metroid'' is available as a Masterpiece in ''Brawl'' and ''Wii U''.

*Alternate costumes:

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}One of Samus's alternate costumes introduced in ''Brawl'' is a palette swap based on the {{iw|metroidwiki|Fusion Suit}}.

**{{gameIcon|SSB4}}One of Zero Suit Samus's alternate costumes is the blue outfit she wears underneath her Fusion Suit.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}One of Ridley's alternate costumes is a palette swap resembling {{iw|metroidwiki|Neo-Ridley}}.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}'''Sector 1''': A remix of "Sector 1 (SRX)"<!--name from "Samus Archives Sound Selection"--> from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}Samus in the Fusion Suit appears as a trophy in ''Brawl''.

**{{gameIcon|SSB4-WiiU}}{{iw|metroidwiki|Nightmare}}, who originates as a boss from this game, appears as a trophy in ''Smash for Wii U''.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}Stickers of Samus, her Starship, and a Zebes Inhabitant are based on artwork from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}Spirits of X Parasite and Fusion Suit are based on artwork from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}Nightmare appears as a spirit.

*Playable Characters:

**{{gameIcon|SSB4}}According to Sakurai, one of Samus's alternate costumes is ostensibly based upon the Gravity Suit from ''Metroid Prime''. However, it should be noted that this alternate costume is also present in previous ''Smash'' games that predate ''Prime''.

**{{GameIcon|SSBU}}Ridley has a [[Meta Ridley]] costume.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}The first location the player visits in the game, [[Frigate Orpheon]], is a stage in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''. The [[Parasite Queen]], a boss from the game, appears as a [[Background characters|background character]].

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}}Meta Ridley appears as a boss in the [[Subspace Emissary]].

**{{GameIcon|SSB4-WiiU}}On the [[Pyrosphere]] stage, the Ridley clone's powered-up form is referred to as "Meta Ridley" in the ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U 50-Fact Extravaganza'' video.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}The design of the Space Pirate and Power Suit trophies are based on their appearances in this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}{{iw|metroidwiki|Sheegoth}}, [[metroidwiki:Metroid Prime (specimen)|Metroid Prime]] (Core), and Metroid Prime (Exo), which originate as bosses from this game, appear as trophies in ''Brawl''.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}'''Vs. Parasite Queen''': A new arrangement of the Parasite Queen battle theme from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}Spirits of the Gravity Suit, Meta Ridley, and Phazon Suit are based on artwork from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}The Parasite Queen appears as a spirit, using original artwork.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}[[Zero Suit Samus]] originates from this game. She is able to [[crawl]] and [[walljump]], and her moveset revolves around the [[Paralyzer]], just like in her playable portion of ''Zero Mission''.

**{{gameIcon|SSB4}}One of Zero Suit Samus's alternate costumes is the orange outfit she wears in certain endings.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}One of Ridley's alternate costumes is a palette swap resembling promotional artwork of Ridley for ''Zero Mission''. Another costume is a palette swap resembling {{s|metroidwiki|Mecha Ridley}}.

**{{gameIcon|SSB4}}The Mother Brain Assist Trophy is primarily modeled after her design in this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}Large column-like Chozo statues in the background of [[Norfair]] are based upon a statue seen in the Crateria Chozo Ruins in this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}Stickers of Gravity Suit Samus, Kraid, Metroid, Mother Brain, Ridley, Running Zero Suit Samus, and Zero Suit Samus are based on artwork from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}Spirits of Geemer, Mecha Ridley, Mother Brain, and Ridley are based on artwork from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}One of Samus' alternate costumes introduced in ''Brawl'' is a palette swap based on the {{iw|metroidwiki|Dark Suit}}.

**{{gameIcon|SSB4}}One of Samus' alternate costumes in ''SSB4'' is a palette swap based on the {{iw|metroidwiki|Light Suit}}. Another alternate costume exclusive to ''SSB4'' is a palette swap based on Dark Samus.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}[[Dark Samus]], who first appeared in this game, is a playable character in ''Ultimate''.

**{{GameIcon|SSB4}}Dark Samus appears as an Assist Trophy in ''Smash 4''.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}{{iw|metroidwiki|Luminoth}} appears as a trophy in ''Brawl''.

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}}Dark Samus appears as a trophy in ''Brawl'' and ''Smash 4'', using her original ''Echoes'' design in ''Brawl''.

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}}Samus in the Dark Suit appears as a trophy in ''Brawl'' and ''Smash for Wii U''.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}'''Multiplayer (Metroid Prime 2: Echoes)''': The "Hunters" multiplayer theme, sourced from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}Stickers of Dark Samus, Dark Suit Samus, [[metroidwiki:Galactic Federation Marine|Federation Trooper]], Gunship, Luminoth, Samus, and {{iw|metroidwiki|Warrior Ing}} are based on artwork from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}Spirits of Dark Samus, Dark Suit, and Light Suit are based on artwork from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}'''Main Theme (Metroid)''': While based on "Brinstar" from ''Metroid'', this is more specifically an extended version of the remix heard on the Pirate Frigate pinball table in this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}Stickers of Metroid, Morph Ball, and Special Token are based on artwork from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBB}}All bounty hunters from this game ({{iw|metroidwiki|Kanden}}, {{iw|metroidwiki|Spire}}, {{iw|metroidwiki|Weavel}}, {{iw|metroidwiki|Noxus}}, {{iw|metroidwiki|Trace}}, and {{iw|metroidwiki|Sylux}}) appear as trophies in ''Brawl''.

**{{gameIcon|SSB4-WiiU}}'''Psycho Bits''': The Psycho Bit battle theme, sourced from this game.

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}}Kanden, Sylux, Starship, and Weavel appear as stickers in ''Brawl''.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}Spirits of Kanden and Trace are based on artwork from this game.

*Playable Characters:

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}Dark Samus's design in ''Ultimate'' comes from this game.

**{{GameIcon|SSB4}}Dark Samus's design and attacks as an Assist Trophy are based on her boss fight.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}Spirits of Gandrayda and Omega Ridley are based on artwork from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSB4}}Samus and Zero Suit Samus's designs in ''SSB4'' and ''Ultimate'' are based upon their appearances from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}Ridley's design in ''Ultimate'' incorporates some details and embellishments from his clone in this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSB4-WiiU}}The [[Pyrosphere]] appears as a stage.

*Stage Elements:

**{{gameIcon|SSB4-WiiU}}The Ridley clone is a boss that appears in Pyrosphere.

**{{gameIcon|SSB4-WiiU}}[[FG II-Graham]]s and [[Joulion]]s appear as enemies on the Pyrosphere stage. {{b|Zero|Metroid}}s also appear as enemies, using their design from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSB4-3DS}}Reo, Kihunter, and Geemer enemies in Smash Run are based on their designs from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSB4-3DS}}The Samus (Gravity Suit) trophy is based on the Gravity Feature from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSB4-WiiU}}The Queen Metroid, Zebesian, Phantoon, and Nightmare trophies are based on their appearances in this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSB4-WiiU}}{{iw|metroidwiki|Adam Malkovich}}, {{iw|metroidwiki|Little Birdie}}, {{iw|metroidwiki|King Kihunter}}, {{iw|metroidwiki|Mystery Creature}}, {{iw|metroidwiki|Vorash}}, {{iw|metroidwiki|Melissa Bergman}} (MB), {{iw|metroidwiki|RB176 Ferrocrusher}}, and {{iw|metroidwiki|Madeline Bergman}} are from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSB4-WiiU}}'''Nemesis Ridley''': Ridley's theme, sourced from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}Spirits of Adam Malkovich, Little Birdie, Nightmare, and Young Samus are based on artwork from this game.

 

===''Metroid Prime: Federation Force''===

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}'''Main Theme - Metroid Prime: Federation Force''': The title screen theme, sourced from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}The spirit of the Mech is based on artwork from this game.

===''Metroid: Samus Returns''===

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}Zero Suit Samus' design in ''Ultimate'' is seemingly influenced by the character design changes she received in ''Samus Returns'', with a lighter and more matte texture for the suit (otherwise nearly identical to the ''Other M'' suit in both games) and a more muscular frame.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}'''Magmoor Caverns - Metroid: Samus Returns''': The lava caves theme, sourced from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}'''Boss Battle 4 - Metroid: Samus Returns''': The Zeta Metroid battle theme, sourced from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}'''End Results - Metroid: Samus Returns''': The theme that plays while displaying the clear time, sourced from this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}}Spirits of {{SSBU|Samus}}, Metroid, and Diggernaut are based on artwork from this game.

*''Metroid'' is the only universe with more female than male playable characters.

**It is also the only universe with multiple characters to have only one playable male character and a female villain not counting Wendy due to being an alternate costume for [[Bowser Jr.]]

*''Metroid'' is one of two universes to have more than one playable villain, the other being the {{uv|Mario}} universe.

*The ''Metroid'' series is tied with the ''Mario'', ''Donkey Kong'', and ''Star Fox'' series for the most stages not included in ''Ultimate'', being [[Planet Zebes]] and [[Pyrosphere]].