Metroid Samus Returns - The Start of a New Era (Retrospective)

[@wasdwazd]

It's kind of hilarious how at the end of this game, Samus was able to accomplish what the Space Pirates and Federation tried and failed to do numerous times without even meaning to do so: taming a Metroid.

[@basedsamtv]

The Space Pirates and Federation foolishly lacked the most important factor of all: motherly love.

[@Reevin]

You just have to kill its momma and pretend to be momma.

[@thierrys85]

The story with the Baby is supposed to be so heartwarming, but after this game Samus sticks it into a small tube and just hands it over to scientists to have it experimented upon. Vile.

[@babaG819]

I'm hoping this comes back in prime 4 or something

[@TeganCantEven]

That’s why we need a Super Metroid remake.

[@justondement4458]

​@@babaG819it won't. The prime series from my understanding takes place between Metroid 1 and 2 and considering what happened in Super, the larva is dead

[@LoneWolf_Cub_Ogami_Itto]

I disagree. It's a biologically engineered specimen capable of mass destruction. It's not a cute puppers. It's a life draining organism.

[@_V.Va_]

Yes, how dare she do her job and recognize the danger these things pose.

[@stevieb274]

Hands be hurting playing this

[@robertkenny1201]

I liked it.

[@stevieb274]

@@robertkenny1201 loved the game, but my hands didn’t lol

[@capitalistpigsa1]

I never played this before i played dread, I never knew all the cool "new" features i really liked in dread actually started here!

[@TeganCantEven]

Samus Returns is my favorite game of all time. Not only is it so much fun and satisfying to progress through, but the story is wonderful! I was entirely overwhelmed with joy by the ending! The bond between Samus and The Baby Metroid is everything! Thanks for making this video!!

[@WCircuit7224]

Since you mentioned progress, How would you compare the progression of this game to metroid Dread. The progression was actually my least favorite part of dread so I'm curious about this game.

[@TeganCantEven]

@@WCircuit7224 well both games have eight areas, but Samus Returns is much more linear and features far less backtracking unless you’re going for 100%. Personally I don’t mind backtracking as I feel like it’s just part of the Metroid experience but that’s just me.

[@nerdiguy2]

Have you played AM2R? If so, how would you say it holds up against the original, and the official Nintendo remake?

[@Dizz2K7]

Limited gaming experience?

[@TeganCantEven]

@@Dizz2K7 nope. My first console was my SNES when I was 7 and I’ve been playing ever since. The lore of the Metroid franchise just hits me in the heartstrings a certain way.

[@miniaturejayhawk8702]

That metroid minigame for the WiiU was what got me interested in the series lmao.

[@Rupcoris]

I used to beam burst the gamma metroids during the grab sequence, that usually gets the job done before they can change rooms.

[@urapoljak9297]

I'm 2 years late but... TGC at home, with less big words and more comfy vibe to it and also you happen to cover a few things TCG didn't mention I like it, I must subcribe at once

[@shock9616]

Wow, just wow! I clicked on this video and thoroughly enjoyed it, only to look down and notice that you only have 49 subs! I would never expect such a high quality video from such a small channel, and while this isn't the first video I've seen in this format (and about this game) I was quite impressed! Glad to be your 50th sub!

[@eternalnerd29149]

Holy shit dude, your channel needs more eyes on it. These Metroid analysis are great, and I can't wait to see your full thoughts on Dread

[@babaG819]

Yeah wtf I just watched three videos in a row and didn't notice the sub count. Hopefully the fact that I'm seeing it means it'll blow up like it deserves to. Just subbed.

[@GiraffeBlood]

The speed booster not being in this game has nothing to do with hardware limitations and everything to do with the map design. There's no way it could be implemented well without completely restructuring the layout. It would be like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. So they just didn't bother trying to make it fit

[@_V.Va_]

Exactly. There's no reason a 3DS couldn't handle the Speed Booster while a handheld from 2001 could. Which...is crazy to realize the GBA and 3DS were only 10 years apart.

[@musictorin]

AM2R does it just fine. "There's no way it could be implemented well without completely restructuring the layout." Which they did anyway because SR's map is barely recognizable

[@holoemiter]

This video series deserves more likes and views. Well done and enjoyed the journey

[@originalsleepyjon]

I bought this on release day along with the limited edition Samus New Nintendo 3DS XL. And while I enjoyed the game, I'm so thankful I bought the console too!!

[@basedsamtv]

That's a great looking system! The 3DS has a lot of great system variants, I wish the Switch had more, especially for some Metroid rep.

[@Taurmega]

This was a really nice little series of videos on the series for sure, and it's always nice seeing people really study up on what makes each and every one of them tick in their own specific ways. Good stuff!

[@MarkRushow]

I bought a physical copy to support the game and borrowed a 3ds to play it on. I played it once on there. After that I went straight to emulation and never went back. Proper controller, big screen, increased resolution and frames. Only down side having to let go of the controller to grab the mouse to switch beams. That is pretty annoying but I prefer it over trying to play on the 3ds. Even The Return of Samus, Fusion, and Zero Mission I had to have the Gameboy expansion on my GameCube to replay those as well. Sit back and chill, proper play. It drives me crazy they haven't rereleased it on the switch with a button to swap beams and a resolution increase. They really don't have to do much at all.

[@clementnelson8193]

A geek critique fan perhaps? I’m joking you put your own spin on this retrospective and i enjoyed it a lot.

[@basedsamtv]

I was wondering if anyone would notice :P Josh makes great content and I was trying not to be TOO derivative, but he's so thorough in his analysis that sometimes it's hard to find anything new to talk about lol

[@clementnelson8193]

@@basedsamtv Thats fair LOL. This is your first foray into game analysis, and it can't hurt to take inspiration from people who are so good at these things. I'm looking forward to what comes next from you!

[@DragoonMS]

This is why I didn't pull the trigger on the Switch right away, I knew it meant risking missing out on certain games, but there would be several that would keep me locked in for ages. Which happened in 2020 when my wife and I both got Switch Lites and Animal Crossing New Horizons...that was only the beginning. Meanwhile, I initially passed on Samus Returns. I was good with the OG Gameboy Metroid II that I had off and on over the years (including this sick GBC-ified ROM hack called Metroid II DX that's on my modded N2DSXL). But now? Sweet mother of Obelisk, Osiris, and Ra...I think I'm gonna have to clear out a good three gigs of stuff to make room for it!! Hopefully you'll do a video on Dread. And it's funny: with Nintendo Switch Online+Expansion Pak, Switch owners literally have the entire mainline series in one place: 1 (the OG & Zero Mission, your pick), 2, 3 (Super), 4 (Fusion), & 5 (Dread)...because you need the stupid Expansion Pak for GBA access to Zero Mission & Fusion. 🤔🤨🧐😒 And with the Prime Trilogy Remastered, that's almost everything that occurs between Metroid 1&2. Hopefully Prime 4 wraps things up so we can go on to get Metroid 6 on Switch 2 to wrap up the mainline.

[@zaqueroberts1975]

I really like this retrospective series. You should do one for the prime games too.

[@LoneWolf_Cub_Ogami_Itto]

You earned my sub as a fellow Metroid and Samus Waifū fan.

[@watto2100]

18:33 dunkey

[@jy285]

Great review. I got into 2-D Metroid in 2017 when I built a raspberry Pi emulation system. I’m playing Dread on the switch now, so Samus Returns is the only one I haven’t played.

[@PlasticCogLiquid]

Dread is great, I still prefer Super Metroid though

[@advmx3]

Dread actually explains why Samus can "tame" the infant Metroid. The first thing its the situation: She finds it, and it hatches, and the first thing it sees is her, so for the longest time we thought the baby thought it was its mother. However Samus has the DNA of two Chozo within her, the Mawkin and the Thoha. The Mawkin is what makes her body compatible with the Power Suit, while the Thoha is what makes her have the ability to control the Metroids. Essentially, only a Thoha Chozo could find a Baby infant hatching and assimilate it as it's "mother" and I believe once the Chozo created the Metroids, they were actually able to control the first infants, but once the Queen was left alone, the metroids would attack anything. Another thing I find interesting is that Samus is the ONLY person in the Galaxy that got the MEtroid Vaccine. Why? It feels someone in the Federation knows something about her OR literally wanted to use her as a test subject. But the Metroid DNA is too powerful. Dread also mentions that the sole reason Samus didn't became a "metroid" right away was her Thoha side controlling it's DNA, but somehow the Metroid see the Mawkin as natural enemies, so the more she fights agains't Raven Beak the more that DNA fucks her over and over. What I really think happens is that the Federation somehow knows that Samus is the only one who could take the Metroid Vaccine, and they didn't even try to do it on others (or maybe they did and they died horribly), because she's the only one that can control said DNA. I also think this kind of can explain what happened at the end of Dread. Either way, that's not what I should be discussing here. I really think that Samus was the only living organism at that point that could Tame a metroid because o her DNA and because of the circumstances. I doubt if any other would see the Baby hatching, it would be able to do the same, the baby would see them and attack them instead of following them, but since Samus has the Thoha DNA on it, and metroids were programed to not attack the Thoha Tribe, it did what the first metroids also did: Followed the Thoha as guardians, while attacking any living beings, especially the X, almost erradicating the X in a way.

[@_V.Va_]

That makes a ton of sense. I could never really buy into something as corny as The Baby thinking Samus was its mother - not in this game franchise.

[@Omizuke]

18:30 Well they could've also added the mic to the controls and have you blowing at your 3DS for some functions. lol Speaking of controllers. That's probably the reason why you drop it more than once to play Switch even if the game was good. Playing on the 3DS I always found so uncomfortable to the hands. It was the main limiter of me playing long sessions as opposed consoles, or even the PSP that although also small I didn't have issues with how to pick the device. The Amiibo thing was such a bullshit thing to do. Not only were they hard to find. But where I live the only way to get them was online and with shipping and what not were more expenisve than the game itself. Plus having the 3DS not the new, means I needed to buy the reader.

[@Thenewbagman]

For me,Phase Drift is way better than the """""iconic fast run"""""" . You move faster than evertything else while keeping the control of the situation. That really gives me a feel of power, not having to react instantly to shit happenin too fast to comfortably react.

[@DavidRYates-tk2tq]

A big list of all the problems with Other M and my biggest (gameplay) complaint isn't on there: that enemies don't drop health or missiles. Granted, that's a gameplay complaint, not a story complaint, so it doesn't matter as much as stuff like Samus' characterization and issues like that, but it's still annoying.

[@basedsamtv]

Oh wow I can't believe I didn't put that on there, yep this is also a big reason.

[@KertaDrake]

I wouldn't blame the devs for the Amiibo thing. There's at least a 90% chance that Nintendo strong-armed them into doing it. Amiibos were a plague upon games during this era.

[@basedsamtv]

yes I agree this is most likely true, should've made that more clear!

[@LoneWolf_Cub_Ogami_Itto]

MSR & Zelda LBW are the best 3DS games.

[@wayneczubakowski]

Yeah. I feel like you watch the review of this game from TGC and decided to follow the same beats.

[@LoneWolf_Cub_Ogami_Itto]

I wish they'd port MSR for Switch.

[@mikecraftbro]

You should do a video on am2r I’m sure you won’t get dmcad

[@basedsamtv]

I'd like to at some point!

[@StiffAftermath]

Great work! Not really a review, but more like a retrospective (too many spoilers for a review), you got a sub from me.

[@calculateddeclination5534]

I really wished we had a 2d metroid 2 remake during the gba or original ds years. Am2r is the closest we'll ever get to a gba/og ds art style 2d metroid 2 remake.

[@robertkenny1201]

Yeah well I'm satisfied with Samus Returns.

[@PlasticCogLiquid]

@@robertkenny1201 Hey everyone, guy with bad taste is satisfied! Nevermind!

[@robertkenny1201]

@PlasticCogLiquid How do I have bad taste for being satisfied with Metroid Samus Returns? Last I checked it was a we'll received game from both fans, casual gamers and critics alike?

[@miniaturejayhawk8702]

Ah yes... the revamped genocide simulator...

[@MudrasofEarth]

c:!

[@spartanq7781]

This game has a weird looking art style not helped by the low res. This should have been on Switch. It did come out the same year as it. The fan made remake has a far more pleasing aestectic.

[@Mc80sEntertainment]

100% agree dude. They should have just went with sprites on 3DS honestly

[@robertkenny1201]

​@@Mc80sEntertainmentMy my don't we hate change.

[@PlasticCogLiquid]

@@Mc80sEntertainment Definitely agree!

[@rebalblazinghard]

we need a switch port.

[@animeking1357]

I've basically accepted that I'll never be able to play Fusion mode legitimately. Last time I looked online for the Baby Metroid amiibo it was 80 dollars. I'm canadian but most prices online are listed in american dollars meaning that 80 dollars is likely even higher. I'm not paying that much for a piece of plastic. Kind of a little rant here but I've always disliked the concept of amiibo. It's basically physical dlc. At least with digital dlc anyone can get it but with amiibo many people are locked out of content *that is already on the cartridge!* That would be like buying a house but a few rooms in the house are locked with padlocks and you need to pay more money to unlock those rooms. I'll look into those etsy cards sometime. I'm on the fence about Ridley being in this game. Not only does he ruin the original ending atmosphere but it contradicts the lore. Super Metroid happens not long after Metroid 2. How is he not only back in Super but having his mechanical upgrades gone? It clashes with his appearance in Super. The fight itself is awesome though. Pretty hard I remember it taking quite a few tries to beat him. His 3 themes here are bitchin. Probably the best remix of his theme ever. Easily my favourite.

[@LoneWolf_Cub_Ogami_Itto]

I'd rather Prime⁴ be delayed over being prematurely released like all AAA not Nintendo.

[@seangowans8975]

Do AM2R, very good fan remake and honestly much better than Nintendo’s own remake

[@jessehcreative]

I’d LOVE to see that

[@robertkenny1201]

Oh please AM2R is so overrated.

[@babaG819]

Al Gore Ithm.

[@imeandmyself3376]

i no have 3ds ☹️

[@Boamere]

I got sent absolutely insane with how tanky enemies were until you parried them, awful addition. Dread does it so much better

I never played this game, but just recently finished dread and I have to say they are the same two games. The enemies are the same, the gimmics are the same, my overall feeling while watching this video is that I can just skip this game entirely as I've seen everything it can offer in dread alread.

[@ericrhodes5174]

Adopt me!

[@robertkenny1201]

I enjoyed Samus Returns just much as any other game I played on the 3DS, it may not be as good as AM2R which I've never played because I'm not interested in fanmade games, so I cant judge, but I fail to see how Samus Returns is in any shape or form a bad game or fails to do the Metroid franchise justice.

[@myleswelnetz6700]

Nintendo did it better.

[@PlasticCogLiquid]

I grabbed this one on the 3DS because of all the people that said it's great. I kind of hate it. The graphics are ass, AM2R blows it out of the water and did the game right.

[@robertkenny1201]

@PlasticCogLiquid God you salty AM2R fanboys truly are Jerks.

[@robertkenny1201]

@PlasticCogLiquid Oh sure bash a game because of its graphics. I enjoyed Metroid Samus Returns just as much as any other game I played on the 3DS.

[@StormsparkPegasus]

Other M is the worst game I have ever played that still counts as a complete game (ie, not an unfinished broken mess, or a crappy asset flip). It's BAD. Everything about it is bad. Story is bad. Gameplay is bad. Controls are bad. Level design is bad. It's not a Metroidania (all linear, no exploration). Sound design and music is bad. The only thing I can think of that's not 1/10 are the visuals...while not great they look decent enough by Wii standards, and it does target 60fps which is rare enough on consoles that I have to give a point for that. That gives the game as a whole 2/10. It's pretentious trash. Sakamoto is a no talent hack that couldn't design his way out of a wet paper bag, and only got where he is by taking credit for the work of others. Samus Returns was quite good...pretty much the best it could be on the 3DS. I'd love to see a Switch remaster.

[@tetermc]

Only Metroid game after 1 and 2 that I genuinely dislike.

[@robertkenny1201]

Oh give it up.

[@bigdeagle1331]

I don’t like this game!

[@robertkenny1201]

Well I do.

[@UnlockedANDunleashed]

If you think this is better than am2r I will know exactly why gaming communities gatekeep

[@robertkenny1201]

We'll I never played AM2R, but I fail to see how Samus Returns in any shape or form a bad game.

[@jhewitt8143]

Why is this game being reviewed (AGAIN) FOUR YEARS after it's release ??? a reboot of "Return of Samus" (Metroid 2), are you bored and can't think of anything else to review ??? I'm not trying to be ugly or rude, I'm just real confused why you are reviewing a 4 year old game on a system than Nintendo stopped supporting back in February 2021, when there are plenty of new games from this past 60 days alone including Metroid 5 (Dread), I don't think this is an unwarranted question

[@113MacGames113]

People make video essays and reviews on old games all the time. Who cares?

[@dr_ubo]

Are you ok? I'm asking this in an honest way. You need to have so much bad stuff going in your life to get tilted by something as small as this that I _honestly_ wonder if you're alright.

[@froddobaggins]

Holy autism, Batman

[@UltaFlame]

@@froddobaggins please don't

[@timmiller1435]

Side scrolling Metroid games are the best. 1. Zero mission. 2. Fusion. 3. Super. 4. Original Samus returns. 5. Original Metroid. 6. Prime one. 7. Prime two. 8. Dread... 🤮 9. Other M. 🤮🚽💩. I never played the others.