Metroid Fusion - Development

Development

Metroid Fusion was developed by Nintendo Research & Development 1, the same development team that created the 1994 video game Super Metroid for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, which visually bears a resemblance to Metroid Fusion. Its gameplay, screen layout, and controls mimic those of Super Metroid, with minor enhancements. Metroid Fusion is the first 2D Metroid game with animated cut scenes; the game's story is revealed through text and visual close-ups. Nintendo announced on August 22, 2002, that the game can connect to Metroid Prime for the Nintendo GameCube, a Metroid game that was released on the same day as Metroid Fusion. While brainstorming for ideas to Metroid Fusion's plot, the game's lead designer, Yoshio Sakamoto, decided to create an original story instead of remaking a Metroid game because he "always to do something really unprecedented, something people have never played before". He continued, saying, "Many of our designers and creators want to challenge something new rather than simply porting over an old title. That's something I hope we'll always do. If you can challenge something new, you can look forward to the public response, be it good or bad." The game introduces gameplay mechanics that are new to the Metroid series. Metroid Fusion offers a more direct, almost mission-based structure that supports the player to explore areas. Objectives are also flexible in how they can be completed, acting "more as a guide for what the player should do instead of giving a completely blank map and saying 'Here you go, figure out what to do and how to do it'".

Nintendo first confirmed an unnamed Metroid title would be released for the Game Boy Advance handheld game console on March 23, 2001. Despite speculation that the game would be based on Super Metroid, Ken Lobb, Nintendo of America's Director of Game Development, quelled rumors by stating, "One of the things I wanted to get across in today's meeting is that Metroid is not Super Metroid. It's something new. And that's something that will hopefully be seen at E3 for our sweet little Game Boy Advance." The first video footage from the game, a 10-second clip, was shown to the public on May 18, 2001 at the 2001 E3 convention; by then, the game was titled Metroid IV. At the E3 convention the following year, IGN awarded the game, titled Metroid Fusion, their Best of Show and Best Action Game awards. In August 2002, the game was schedule for a release date of November 18, 2002.