Research-backed game lineage
Metroid is included in the Series Atlas after independent recognition and an authoritative game-by-game roster audit. Editions, simple ports, DLC, bundles, canceled projects, and cameo-only appearances are excluded.
Release chronology
Ordered by researched series position, then original release date. Ports, DLC, and duplicate editions are intentionally excluded.
17 games in this lineage
Metroid was first released for the Famicom Disk System, exclusively in Japan. Due to the enhanced hardware support, it features a save system, has less slowdown and better quality music. However, when comparing with its International version, it doesn't have the second quest after beating the game, the players can't use Justin Bailey Samus (Zero Suit) and it is much lenient on difficulty and endgame requirements.
A Sinister Planet Threatens the Galaxy! Battle through a sprawling underworld, seeking out every last Metroid, and build up your arsenal by discovering mysterious artefacts. Enjoy new abilities like the Spider Ball, and powerful new weapons like the Plasma Beam, as you attempt to eradicate the Metroids once and for all.
The Space Pirates, merciless agents of the evil Mother Brain, have stolen the last Metroid from a research station, and once again Mother Brain threatens the safety of the galaxy! Samus Aran must don her awesome array of high-tech weaponry to retrieve the deadly Metroid hidden deep within the cave-riddled planet Zebes. Super Metroid features excellent graphics, with a huge variety of enemies and worlds to explore. The side-view action will be familiar to many players, only now there are new weapons and items, including the Grappling Beam, which allows Samus to swing across large chasms, and the X-Ray Scope, which reveals secret passages.
Metroid Fusion is a side-scrolling action-adventure game that combines exploration, combat, and progression within a structured environment. Players navigate distinct sectors, acquire new abilities, and unlock access to previously restricted areas as they advance. The game emphasizes guided objectives alongside ability-based traversal, with a focus on atmospheric tension, evolving threats, and progression through upgrades.
A 3D exploration-focused metroidvania with first-person shooting mechanics and the first 3D entry in the Metroid series, Metroid Prime follows Samus Aran after the events of Metroid (1986) as she boards a Space Pirate frigate, then chases her escaping archrival Ridley into the intricately structured Tallon IV, a planet full of deadly wildlife and former home to the advanced and ancient Chozo race.
The full story of Samus Aran's first mission finally unfolds... The first Metroid game just scratched the surface of the cataclysmic events on planet Zebes, and at long last the rest of the tale has come to light. Experience the first of Samus's legendary adventures through all-new cut-scenes and action sequences as the bounty hunter races through the deeps toward her showdown with the leader of the Space Pirates. But will the end of Mother Brain really mean the end of the story...? Completion of the game unlocks an emulated version of the original Metroid game. Zero Mission also allow players to unlock the Metroid Fusion picture gallery by linking between Zero Mission and Fusion cartridges via the Game Boy Advance Game Link Cable.
An exploration-driven 3D metroidvania/first-person shooter hybrid and sequel to Metroid Prime (2002) in which Samus lands on Aether, an intricate planet torn into light and dark versions of itself, to help its remaining inhabitants defend against the invaders from its dark incarnation by traversing both the light and dark worlds, acquiring new power-ups and braving oppressive environments.
An episode in the Metroid Prime series which started on the GameCube, this game takes place between Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. Interstellar bounty hunter Samus Aran is sent to the distant Alimbic Cluster by the Galactic Federation to investigate a message saying that the source of ultimate power lies in this desolate part of the galaxy, once home to an advanced culture.
Samus Aran's entry into the bumper-and-flipper world is a sleek, sci-fi classic gaming adventure that has her careening into gigantic boss monsters and bouncing through a variety of exciting pinball tables. Play tables across two screens at the same time using the touch screen to nudge the pinball table. Battle deadly enemies and experience a number of special modes such as Clone Machine Multiball and the Wall-Jump Challenge while you blast and bomb your high score into a state of pure pinball pandemonium.
Metroid Prime Hunters is a first-person action-adventure game that combines exploration, shooting, and competitive multiplayer gameplay. Set across interconnected locations, it features objective-based progression alongside encounters with rival bounty hunters, each with distinct abilities and weapons. The game emphasizes fast-paced combat, environmental navigation, and upgrade-driven progression, with both single-player and multiplayer modes supporting a variety of playstyles.
The trilogy closes as corruption creeps over the universe… and into Samus Aran. Using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, players control Samus as she partners with other bounty hunters, shoots down enemies, and explores alien worlds in a harrowing mission to stop the mutagenic Phazon from spreading across the galaxy.
The Special Mission is a flash game that was made available on the Japanese Metroid Prime 3: Corruption website in promotion of the game. The home page of the website is navigated through a first-person perspective similar to that in the game, with the mouse being used to control Samus Aran similar to the in-game Wii Remote motion controls. Clicking the left button of the mouse causes Samus to shoot. The purpose of the Special Mission is to collect fifteen Bonus Credits (five each in Red, Yellow and Blue) hidden around the website, which reveal access codes that unlock desktop wallpapers.
A part of the Metroid series, it features gameplay in both first- and third-person perspectives, and is the first installment of the franchise to feature melee attacks which could only be executed when an enemy's health was reduced to a certain degree. The game gave significant focus on plot and characterization, with extensive usage of cinematics and voice acting. The regular gameplay features a third person perspective, where players hold the Wii Remote horizontally. Samus can jump, fire the arm cannon, and turn into a morph ball, which can roll into narrow passages and drop energy bombs. While gameplay is similar to early Metroid titles, the game's environments are three-dimensional and movement is not limited to a two-dimensional plane. Other M is the first in the series to feature a melee combat system. With well-timed button presses, players can use special techniques such as the Sense Move, which allows them to dodge enemy attacks, and the Overblast, where Samus jumps on the enemy and fires a charged shot at point-blank range. When the Wii Remote is pointed towards the screen, the angle switches to a first-person view, where players can lock onto targets and fire missiles; however, players cannot move in this perspective. There are several instances where players will have to constantly switch between play modes; for example, fighting off a horde of flying enemies in third person, while switching to first person to destroy their spawn points. Additionally, the first-person mode is also used in exploration, such as locating hidden items.
Metroid: Samus Returns is a remake of Metroid 2: Return of Samus. It uses a 3D graphic style with a side view camera that zooms in and changes for cutscenes. It also has new mechanics, items, and abilities. "Brave the hostile terrain of an alien planet teeming with vicious life forms as legendary bounty hunter Samus Aran. Her mission? Terminate the Metroid menace in this masterful reimagining of her 1991 Game Boy adventure. Samus Aran’s arsenal has been enhanced with new moves and abilities that are sure to help her face the deadly surprises that await. This intense, side-scrolling action platformer is a great entry point into the Metroid franchise and perfect for returning fans as well, and it’s available only on the Nintendo 3DS family of systems."
Join intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran in her first new 2D Metroid story in 19 years. Samus’ story continues after the events of the Metroid Fusion game when she descends upon planet ZDR to investigate a mysterious transmission sent to the Galactic Federation. The remote planet has become overrun by vicious alien lifeforms and chilling mechanical menaces. Samus is more agile and capable than ever, but can she overcome the inhuman threat stalking the depths of ZDR?
Get behind the visor of intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran in her critically-acclaimed first-person adventure. Step into the boots of Samus Aran as you navigate the winding paths and interconnected environments of an alluring-yet-dangerous alien planet. Use powers like the iconic Morph Ball and Grapple Beam to revisit hard-to-reach areas and find a path forward. With revamped graphics, sound, unlockable art, and updated control schemes, Samus’ 3D platforming debut has reached greater heights. Calm and capable, Samus takes on this solo mission...but she is far from alone.
Deadly sharpshooter Sylux has finally caught up with renowned bounty hunter Samus Aran! After an unexpected accident in the wake of their clash, Samus finds herself transported to Viewros— a mysterious planet once inhabited by an ancient race. Now she must explore this planet, all while battling the strange creatures that inhabit it, to find her way home. Scan your surroundings for clues, make the most of your equipment and weapons, and use Samus's newfound psychic abilities— and her technologically advanced bike, the Vi-O-La— to traverse and explore the environment. Operate mechanisms, control your charge beam, and more— you'll need every tool at your disposal to survive and escape Viewros!
No games use that relationship label.
Sources and method
Membership is researched from external official and independent sources. Mainline games, direct spin-offs, remakes, remasters, and standalone expansions are included; DLC, simple ports, duplicate editions, compilation-only duplicates, rumors, cancellations, and cameo-only crossovers are excluded.
IGDB maintains a distinct collection record for Metroid and supplies the authoritative roster used for membership verification.
The independent catalog recognizes Metroid as a multi-game franchise and supports its inclusion in this major-series research sweep.