We shan't be lacking Metroid fan made games any time soon, it seems, as news of Von Richter's take on the adventures of Samus Aran looks to outdo "Project AM2R" in features and function. "SR-388," as it's known, boasts thousand of frames of animation, mini-games, new weapons, new mini-bosses and more, as it's more of a re-imagining than a graphical spit-shine. It looks just super and will hopefully give me, personally, the chance to revisit Planet SR-388 without having to compromise my strict graphics whore principles.

[agentscarlet @ deviantART]

Metroid was optioned for a film deal way back in 2004, according to the Hollywood Reporter. And then, nothing. I can't get this Swedish blog to load, but the date on this poster — if it's European format, that's February 5, 2009 and that's a Thursday. If it's US, that's May 2 (prime blockbuster season — have we ever had a video game adaptation release in May? I don't follow that closely) and that's a Saturday. US releases typically open on Wednesdays or Fridays.

Oh, and John Woo is not in the Comic Con's list of guests.

Debunked?

John Woo to Announce Metroid Film at NYC Comic-Con [Destructoid, via The Tanooki]

As Microsoft explained before, there's nothing illegal about creating or downloading such mods. But that doesn't mean Epic will pay you $1,000,000 for one. Their Make Something Unreal Contest bans the use of "third party intellectual property, including, but not limited to software, images, characters, logos, names and trademarks." Still, some pranks are so good, they're worth the free work.

Character - Samus Aran [UT3Mod via PS3Fanboy]

[Project AM2R - Another Metroid 2 Remake]

While the majority of the Japanese Wii line-up looks to be targeted at families who wear nothing but sterile white cotton, the marketing for Metroid Prime 3 Corruption skews a bit differently overseas. That image of a lonesome gamer transfixed by the blue glow of a monitor in a darkened room, the very thing Nintendo was rejecting? Apparently, it's kosher again and precisely the kind of thing that appeals to women looking for something to play between bouts of Wii Play. We'll see if attractive, wispy Japanese women and fashionable Japanese men take the FPS plunge when the Wii Metroid ships in Japan next week. I'm expecting a debut somewhere in the teens.

Lwelyk's Legos

Final score: A-.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

Samus Aran Cosplay [Pixelninja]

If someone were to post naked pictures of me on the Internet, I'm not sure if the word "tribute" would be the first to come to mind. But if that someone were Playboy, and that Internet were Playboy magazine, maybe I would feel differently (don't worry, I'm joking and would never do anything to hurt pornography). See the KSFW but probably NSFW promo pics after the jump (you pervs).

Just Kidding.

Playboy's Annual Girls of Video Games [via n4g]

Today, October 4th, 2007, marks the tenth anniversary of the death of Gunpei Yokoi, the Nintendo engineer responsible for inventing the company's Game & Watch and Game Boy hardware. Yokoi also acted as producer on Nintendo-developed software like Metroid and Kid Icarus with the R&D1 and Intelligent Systems teams. For those who haven't yet watched RobotBling's fantastic piece on Yokoi titled "The Greatest Inventor", I highly recommend doing so.

Great thanks to Eric for the reminder. RIP Gunpei.

Experiment status report update: Metroid project 'Dread' is nearing the final stages of completion.

When CVG asked Nintendo about their apparent easter egg, they responded killjoy-style:

Nintendo is not making the 2D Metroid at this point in time.

I just wish my heart would listen.

Nintendo denies Metroid Dread [cvg]

WII-KLY UPDATE: THREE NEW CLASSIC GAMES ADDED TO WII SHOP CHANNEL

Aug. 13, 2007

This week it's All About Evil. The "Month of Metroid" continues, giving you the chance to contend with evil, flying, brain-like Metroids that latch onto your head and suck your life forces. Nobody needs that, especially not first thing Monday morning. Luckily, you've got a sweet suit and some nice weapons to help you navigate through this amazing classic game. And if that's not enough, you also have the option of dealing with bad guys named Dark Sol and Zenzombie. You just know when their parents named them that, they were asking for trouble.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel every Monday. Wii� owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points� to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:

Metroid� (NES�, 1 player, rated E for Everyone � Mild Fantasy Violence, 500 Wii Points): The first installment of the immensely successful Metroid series introduces us to the hideous title creatures and the slick, cybernetic bounty hunter Samus Aran. As Samus, your mission is to penetrate the space pirates' home planet, Zebes, and keep them from destroying the galaxy with the dangerous life forms known as Metroids. Metroid has all the high-tech weaponry, creepy tunnels and crawly alien creatures that anyone could ask for. With its deep and complex game play, excellent music and a rare sense of setting, it establishes a frightening ambience that will haunt and entertain you for a very long time.

Shining in the Darkness� (Sega Genesis, 1 player, rated E for Everyone � Mild Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): Dark Sol has vowed to reign over the enchanted Kingdom of Thornwood, and only you can stop him. Find the powerful Arms of Light and battle the deadly beasts that keep your people desperate and starving in this epic journey for peace. Roaming the dark Labyrinth, you'll seek out enemies and collect weapons, all of which will help you pass the test of the Ancients and become a shining knight. Get into the adventure with a stunning 3-D perspective, amazing cinematic views and fast-paced scrolling. You'll move from battle to battle, solving puzzles and discovering secret items in this engrossing struggle between good and evil.

Cratermaze� (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, rated E for Everyone � Comic Mischief, 600 Wii Points): Cratermaze is a comical action game set in a parallel world. While on a trip through time, you and your friends are confronted by Kublai, henchman to the evil Zenzombie. He traps your friends at separate points in the space-time continuum. Now you must fight your way through 60 rounds of mazes to save your friends. Dinosaurs, ninjas, robots and other enemies lurk within the mazes, spanning from primitive times to the future. Escape the enemies by digging holes to trap them in and then filling the holes to finish them off. Collect all the chests within the time limit to get the key and exit to the next round. With special items such as shovels and spring platforms, Cratermaze takes its game play to new heights, making for an unforgettable gaming experience.

Thanks to all who sent this in! Hit the jump for a clip Gamer Named Tim made.

While the ESRB has yet to issue a rating for either Metroid title, usually a reliable measuring stick for what's on deck, that doesn't rule out a smart marketing move by Nintendo. Don't be surprised if both show up next Monday or the following.

Ultimate Awesome Wii Virtual Console Discussion [NeoGAF]

Check out the full-sized version at his devianArt profile and show some love. Michael McWhertor

Samus in Light Suit [deviantArt]

I'm not sure if this is the coolest thing I've ever seen or the saddest. On the one hand, it has two of the biggest video game badass characters ever, first fighting against each other and then teaming up against a common foe. It's got a lightsaber dual, short-circuiting crotches, Matrix references, suggestive girl on girl action, and even a dance number.

All those things are great, but all mashed together along with fighting moves out of a wire-fu martial arts film makes the whole thing feel like a fanfic threw up on camera. Great dance number though. Michael Fahey

GameTrailers User Movie: Haloid [Thanks to Everyone and their Brother]

Top ten list for female gaming characters usually look like this. Old hat and mehsville. So! It's nice to see something, I dunno, different? Interesting? Over at ShinyShiny, they've put together a list of ten female game characters to idolize. They are:

• 10. Claire Redfield from Resident Evil
• 9. Yorda from Ico
• 8. Princess Zelda from The Legend of Zelda series
• 7. Kreia from Knights Of The Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
• 6. Mia Fey from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
• 5. Yuna from Final Fantasy
• 4. Samus Aran from Metroid
• 3. Jade from Beyond Good and Evil
• 2. Carla Valenti from Fahrenheit
• 1. Jill Valentine from Resident Evil

Agree? Disagree? Discuss. Brian Ashcraft

List of Characters [Shiny Shiny via Alice]

It's the game advertising equivalent of a monkey turning into a man! Not quite, but it is still interesting to see how promoting Metroid has evolved. Picking up where Flynn left off, web site Aeropause has a look back at Metroid's American and Japanese TV spots over the years. Nice cross-culture comparison. Just check out Famicom Disk System ad (above) and the NES one (after the jump) with added Rad Racer 3D headaches. Brian Ashcraft

Japanese Metroid Ads
American Metroid Ads [Aeropause]

DeviantArtist, =transfuse (aka Ivan Flores), has an amazing little collection of Metroid fan art that he's created posted to his DeviantArt gallery. Each one was created digitally using Photoshop CS2, a Wacom tablet and a hell of a lot of talent. According to his notes, this particular piece took him only 36 hours which is pretty impressive considering most of us probably couldn't produce something like this in 36 months. Unfortunately, unscrupulous internet art thieves have taken Ivan's work and posted it on various sites with his signature removed and no links to his other works. Here at Kotaku we believe giving credit where credit is due, so kudos to you Ivan, your work is amazing and you deserve all the attention and sweet paying art gigs you can get.

Check out more of Ivan's Metroid works on his DeviantArt gallery or his personal site. (Click on the image above for a larger version.) Flynn De Marco

[Thanks, Scott]

Wow, Japanese commercials are so freaking awesome! This is a spot from 1992 advertising Metroid: The Return of Samus in Japan. Interestingly, the only time you see any actual gameplay footage is towards the end in a reflection in Samus' helmet. The comic book styling and use of what looks like an animated Samus action figure makes this commercial a real standout. Flynn De Marco

Check out the cards by hitting the link. You'll find the DS, the Wii, Zelda, Metroid, and even Phoenix Wright themed cards, ready to communicate your love for you in ways that you just aren't capable of. Michael Fahey

Valentine's Day Cards for the Geeks in Your Life! [4 color rebellion via Newlaunches.com]

Nothing says I love you like a rectangular printed sheet of inkjet paper containing romantic message from a random Nintendo character. The folks at Play-Nintendo have realized this, and in honor of Valentine's Day they are creating new special printable cards every day until the 14th, each containing a different Nintendo game personality. So far they've featured Samus, Tingle, Tom Nook, Link, and my personal favorite so far, Navi, seen left.

The cards range from eh to pretty amusing, and are probably the best way to tell a gaming friend that they are worth 1/6 of a piece of paper and some ink. I really wouldn't recommend giving one of these to your significant other, as Play-Nintendo suggests, unless you are 8 years old or in a special ed program, which oddly enough covers a large portion of our readership. Not you, of course. Michael Fahey

Nintendo Valentines [Play-Nintendo]

From the oddly capitalized item description:

The System Has been Custom Hand Painted With Acrylic Paints and then Sprayed down with 3 to 4 Coats of Clear Acrylic Sealer to protect your Painting from being Scratched or Ruined. It also Gives your Painted Nintendo a Wicked Awesome Shine to it that really does the artwork Justice. Over 10 Hours of Painting Went into this Nintendo! This Hand Painted Nintendo's is 1 of a Kind. No One on Ebay is Doing anything like this and The Painted Nintendo Is in Absolute Center Piece To your Video Gaming Collection.

At those prices, I won't be biting, but those with deeper pockets should check out the whole line. Michael McWhertor

Custom Painted Nintendo Nes Game System Metroid Samus [eBay via Insert Credit]

The folks at BitFlicks have put together another one of their great Lego videos. This time it's Metroid, and if you were wondering, no this isn't a real "stop action" animation. The men behind the BitFlick's curtain published this explanation on their site:

What you can see is a very basic quasi-stop motion animation. Quasi because there was actually only one LEGO block involved, which was photographed in multiple positions and then composited in a photo editing program as a multi-layer image. Producing the animation was then a simple matter of masking the LEGO blocks and then hiding or displaying certain layers. The end result was a simple stop motion animation that didn't suffer from the usual random variations in lighting and position.

Whatever the method, these animations are awesome. If you haven't seen any of the others, be sure to check out their versions of Super Mario Brothers 3 and Donkey Kong as well.

Metroid Lego Animation [BitFlicks]

Game Mashup Painting: Super Metroid Brothers [The Daily Drawing]

This weekend, while you were passed out thanks to that mmm...mmm... sleepy tryptophan in turkey, Japanese folks were lining up to play games Wii games. Nintendo World finally made its way to Tokyo, where the peak wait for Twilight Princess clocked in at almost four hours. The lines for Super Mario Galaxy and Dragon Quest Swords both were over an hour and a half. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption's line was two hours long, and Super Monkey Ball's was 80 minutes. Some of these games, you might already own, so don't forget that the Wii hits The Land of the Rising Sun this December. No more bitching from Americans how Japan gets stuff first, 'mkay? (Europeans, carry on as usual.) Brian Ashcraft

Nintendo World Invades Chiba, Really [Famitsu]

First 4 Figures is making quite a name for themselves in the game world by producing amazingly well executed limited edition figures. You've no doubt seen their Fierce Deity Link and The Skull Kid figures here and you may have read that they are working on a Metroid series.

The first of these figures, Trace, is now available for pre-order. He stands 10.5 inches high and there will only be 1,500 made. This bad boy can be all yours for a mere $89.99 and take his place on your shelf next to your collectible Star Trek plates.

More Here [First 4 Figures]

You know, I've done just about every single one of these, minus the Strider hack (news to me!), despite the fact that I had the cart and Altered Beast back in the day. Classic stuff, but I know they're missing something. What is it? Help me remember my classic cheats, Kotaku retro elite readership! Michael McWhertor

Scott Jon Siegel here, from your pals over at Joystiq. Thought I'd contribute to the ol' nostalgia game. I am most definitely not above public humiliation for the sake of gamer pride: http://flickr.com/photos/testiclesgo/211938002/

To quote myself: "I had one of my parents take this after I beat Super Metroid for the first time (with 93% completion! I thought I was so awesome). I'm probably ten years old in this polaroid. Remember when strategy guides were cool?"

- Anyway, someone should create a Flickr group for these pics, or at least a new tag. As of right now, this photo is the only image on flickr tagged "nerdin it up." Think about that.

Thanks, SJ! And yes, that photo is probably the most archetypical portrayal of "nerd" I have ever seen.

We should probably start thinking about compiling these into a book of retrospectives about being raised by consoles and computers. Taking ideas for the title as of now. Empty NES Syndrome springs instantly to mind. Eliza Gauger

SJ, full size version [Flickr]

Usually, we just snicker when you gaming doofs get yourself inked with whatever fruity pixelated elf you're enamored with. "Whatever!" we larf. "You let us know how that pouty, effete Link looks on your treasure trail when you're sixty."

But this? Well, we have to admit. It's pretty cool. The guy who did it looks like an actual artist, not some jactitating boozer channeling the artist of the Zelda CDi games. We approve. Thumbs up! That's some great ink. Florian Eckhardt

Nintendo Fanboy Sleeve [Modblog]

I'll look for any excuse to post quality fan art, so I was pleasantly surprised to see this link sent in by a couple of beloved tipsters. At first I thought it would be that Samus Aran piece by James "torokun" Chung, but no, it's something new altogether. From the artist, who obviously labored intensely over this digital painting:

I'm taking a visual design course this semester and for my personal project I decided to do three gruelling digital paintings of Samus Aran— as homage to the greatest video game character ever created. I spent over 50 hours toiling away at this (mostly trying to get the damn background to look interesting), but I'm still not satisfied with how it turned out. I may go back later and refine it a bit more, but after working on this almost every day for the past month I can't work on it anymore; I'm just too tired.

This is classy shit! Check out the full, uncropped piece at deviantArt. FYI, the artist's other pieces lean toward NSWF. Just sayin'. Michael McWhertor

One Girl in All the World by =transfuse [deviantArt]

I love these Japanese Metroid commercials. In the first, Samus Aran surfs a 3.5" floppy through the universe to battle gelatinous, brain-sucking slugs. I also love how Japanese pronounce every letter in the English language like a separate syllable. "Muh-eh-tuh-ruh-oid-u!"

In the second, a sexy bikini Samus morphs into full battle armor, but only after we discover that all Anglo-Saxon scientists of the future speak perfect Japanese. Florian Eckhardt

1) Draw an oval.
2) Bisect it with a line.
3) Draw Samus Aran holding a bisected oval.
4) Add chiaroscuro.

We posted Jim from The Daily Drawing sketching Paper Mario on Friday, now here he is again. I dunno, I like this guy. He's done a couple more game drawings, including a Chocobo and Link. Very senescent to watch his disembodied hand work. Florian Eckhardt