I doubt that tbh Metroid has never really moved units on any platform, they're right in what they're saying it's a niche series with a loud following this is because Metroid as a game is not very accessible to the tastes of many people. Despite the noise Metroid fans make over the series its just a niche series, an exceptional one yes but still niche, it falls more in the boat of being a game that decorates a library rather then sell consoles.

I'm actually pretty indifferent when it comes to Tropicial Freeze and Metroid Prime (I wanted a new IP).  Isolated from any outside factors and circumstances, it made financial sense at the time for Retro to choose to do Tropical Freeze considering how well DKCR sold and the only real criticisms I had over the decision was that it was an unambitious and 'safe' choice.  I've said before though that a Prime game would have added a lot of needed diversity to the Wii U's platform/party game heavy, kid-friendly library and it was a game that a lot of people wanted after Other M was received so poorly that people go out of their way to pretend like it never existed.  Would it have moved a ton of consoles?  Probably not, but I'm convinced it would have sold more Wii U's than Tropical Freeze.

I'm not even sure if a Metroid game would have sold all that much better than TF! Heck, Prime 3 sold 1.5m on the damn Wii!

- Skyward Sword 2011
- A link Between Worlds 2013
- Zelda U 2016

2 and 3 years. WoWoW we dont have enough new zeldas we need 2 per year!

Hell, Bayonetta 2 is niche and I think it did a better job at selling Wii U's than Tropical Freeze.  I just don't think Tropical Freeze is a game a lot of people look at and think "yup, this is the reason why I'm going to get a Wii U", especially on a console saturated with kid-friendly, side-scrolling platformers.

On the other hand though, Metroid Prime sold 2.8 million on a base of just 22 million Gamecubes.

Although I am not sure why it seems everyone is treating this like Tropical Freeze and Metroid Prime 4 were the only options. Retro could have made something else entirely; a new IP, for example.

The way I see it, the issue is less "it's not Metroid" and more the fact that it was another cartoon platformer on a system that was oversaturated with cartoon platformers already.

DKC Returns sold 5 million copies, was Retro's best selling game and sold more than any Metroid game in history.

It was always going to get a sequel.

Metroid Prime 4 maybe would've sold 500-600k on the Wii U and then hit the crapper.

Only 2/6 mainline console Metroid games have sold over 2 million, on the other hand only 1/6 mainline console Donkey Kong games have sold under 3 million.

That's looking at the past though, when the market was different to today.

Nowadays, cartoon platformers are waning in popularity, while dark gritty games are in fashion.

Personally I don't think it not being Metroid is even the issue. I think the issue is more "gee, another Wii U platformer, yawwwwn..."

Ya and u just did the same thing in ur last post by bringing up a game from 2002.

Dark, gritty games were very popular in 2002-2010 yet DKC: Returns sold more than all 3 Metroid Prime games combined.

GameCube, Wii, & Wii U all have a plethora of dark, gritty games yet all three of those consoles are/were dominated by cartoony, family-friendly titles.