By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
Illusion on 06 June 2015
Edit Thread

Sorry for the thread resurrection, I just wanted to get this prediction in writing and I wasn't sure which thread to put it in.

Prediction for E3:

Metroid on Wii U.

I predict that is what Retro Studios has been working on for the past 1.5 years and the game will come out before Christmas. That said, I predict that it is going to be a 2D Metroid on the Wii U and not a 3D one. Here is my reasoning:

- 2 years is not enough time for Retro to make a cutting edge Prime style Metroid game on the Wii U. We know that Retro was working heavily on Donkey Kong up until about December of 2013. Unless they staffed up enormously (like they did for the original Prime) or Nintendo secretly brought in another studio to help Retro then there is no way that Retro will be able to put together the visuals and world size necessary for a modern 1st person shooter-esque game that meets today's expectations of the genre in such a short period of time.

- Nintendo needs a major franchise release this year to make up for Zelda U. Retro could be working on a Metroid Prime style game with a release window of Holiday 2016 or later but this would not meet Nintendo's needs for the Wii U. 2016 will (hopefully) have Zelda and 2017 is probably when the NX arrives. The time for Metroid U is this year.

- A first-person Prime style game will not be as big of hit on the Wii U as it was on the Gamecube. First person shooters today are defined by having cutting-edge graphics. The original Prime gave the original Halo a real run for its money in terms of graphical quality in 2002. In 2015, however, even if Retro Studios puts together an amazing team , they are going to have an uphill battle making a game that looks as realistic as Halo 5 simply because of the Wii U's hardware. Metroid Prime U will be shoved aside by mainstream shooter fans the same way that Corruption was on the Wii simply because it can't compete with the graphics offered on the other consoles. Graphics will not be as big of a focus on a 2D Metroid game since the genre has different priorities and a different audience.

- Retro Studios has demonstrated that they are very capable at re-creating 2D experiences with Nintendo's IP. While I have not played the recent Donkey Kong games, I hear repeatedly about how well Retro has handled the series. Combine this with their past experience on the Prime games, and I think that Retro becomes the perfect studio to make a 2D Metroid game.

- Consistent with Nintendo's direction of embracing 2D gaming on the Wii U. a 2D Metroid will fit perfectly with NSMBU, Kirby, Donkey Kong, Mario Maker, Shovel Knight, Yoshi's Woolly World. The audience that Nintendo has built up on the Wii U will be very receptive to a 2D Metroid. Metroid wil also bring a very different 2D experience to the Wii U.