Metroid: Samus Returns Developer Diary Features Nintendo’s Yoshio Sakamoto

At E3 2017 yesterday, we learned MercurySteam was working on Metroid: Samus Returns. It is a Nintendo 3DS remake of Metroid II: Return of Samus for the Game Boy. Today, Nintendo has released a developer diary video starring Yoshio Sakamoto, Nintendo EPD’s Executive Officer, in which he speaks about the upcoming 2.5D adventure.

The six and a half minute video begins with Sakamoto setting the stage. He notes this is the first 2D Metroid game in 13 years, then notes it based on the 25-year-old Game Boy game. However, he also notes that Nintendo considers it “new” due to the action, controls, and new abilities. Essentially, Metroid II was a base that MercurySteam built off of, then used as a springboard to new concepts and ideas. He then talks about the Free Aim system, Melee Counter, some special abilities, and some new powers, all while footage of these new features and systems are shown.

Metroid: Samus Returns will debut on the Nintendo 3DS on September 15, 2017.