Where to Start · Metroid
Where to Start with Metroid
Metroid is Nintendo's sci-fi action-adventure series following bounty hunter Samus Aran through hostile alien environments, locking new areas behind ability upgrades and rewarding exploration with backtracking. Half of the word "Metroidvania" comes from this franchise — Metroid defined the genre of map-gated progression long before that portmanteau existed. The series has two distinct branches: the 2D side-scrolling games (Super Metroid, Fusion, Dread) and the first-person Metroid Prime trilogy. Both are essential expressions of the same design philosophy.
The series has been dormant for long stretches but Metroid Dread (2021) and the Metroid Prime Remastered (2023) proved the franchise is as relevant as ever.
If you only play one Metroid game
Play Super Metroid (1994). It is the definitive Metroid experience — atmospheric, perfectly paced, and the template every game in the genre has been chasing since. The SNES controls feel dated for about 20 minutes and then disappear. Super Metroid teaches you everything through exploration and environmental design with almost no text. It is genuinely one of the greatest games ever made and holds up completely in 2026.
Best modern entry point
Metroid Dread (2021) on Nintendo Switch is the best entry point if you want a modern 2D Metroid with contemporary controls and presentation. It is a direct sequel to Metroid Fusion in terms of story, but the story context is minimal enough that newcomers can start here without confusion. Dread is demanding — the E.M.M.I. sequences are intense and the boss fights require real precision — but it is fair and immensely rewarding. It is the best 2D Metroid since Super Metroid.
The Prime trilogy — first-person Metroid
Metroid Prime (2002) is where to start if you want the first-person branch of the series. It translates the Metroid formula — scan everything, explore, backtrack with new abilities — into a first-person perspective without becoming a shooter. The atmosphere is extraordinary. Metroid Prime Remastered (2023) on Nintendo Switch is the practical way to play it today with modern controls and significantly improved visuals. Metroid Prime 2 and 3 are both worth playing after the original, with Prime 2 being the more acclaimed of the two.
The full chronological story
The Metroid timeline in release order tells a coherent story across the 2D games: Metroid (NES) → Metroid II: Return of Samus → Super Metroid → Metroid: Other M → Metroid Fusion → Metroid Dread. The Prime trilogy runs parallel to Super Metroid in the timeline. For newcomers, release order is recommended over story order — Super Metroid is the better starting point than the original NES Metroid regardless of timeline placement.
What platforms you actually need
Super Metroid — SNES physical or Nintendo Switch Online (SNES library). Metroid Dread — Nintendo Switch. Metroid Prime Remastered — Nintendo Switch. Metroid Fusion — GBA physical or Nintendo Switch Online (GBA library). Metroid: Samus Returns (2017) — Nintendo 3DS physical (3DS eShop closed March 2023). Original NES Metroid — Nintendo Switch Online (NES library).
What to skip
Metroid: Other M (2010) is widely considered the weakest mainline entry — uneven game design and a divisive portrayal of Samus that contradicts her established character. Most players should skip it or leave it for last. The original NES Metroid is historically important but mechanically punishing — no in-game map, limited saves, brutal difficulty. Treat it as a museum piece after you've played Super Metroid.
Recommended order for new players
Super Metroid → Metroid Dread → Metroid Prime Remastered → Metroid Fusion → Metroid Prime 2 → Metroid Prime 3. That order gives you the best games first, introduces you to both the 2D and 3D branches, and ends with solid entries rather than historically significant but dated ones.