Topic: Metroid Chronology

[mouse_clicker]

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the chronological order of Metroid games:
Metroid
Metroid Prime
Metroid II: The Return of Samus
Super Metroid
Metroid Fusion

I seem to remember this being the official chronology but a friend of mine claims Metroid Prime takes place right after Super Metroid and before Metroid Fusion. I'd think the simple fact you're not fused with the Metroid would be enough to prove that wrong, but that's apparently not so. However, Nintendo's website and the official Metroid Prime website offer no details story or order wise, and my friend won't trust Retro for some crazy reason.

[ruby_onix]

Metroid 1 = Metroid (NES)
Metroid 2 = Return of Samus (GameBoy)
Metroid 3 = Super Metroid (SNES)
Metroid 4 = Metroid Fusion (GameBoy Advance)

Retro could've put Metroid Prime just about anywhere in the series, but the official place they picked was between 1 and 2.

Some documents in Metroid Prime apparently refer (I need to play the game again) to the reconstruction schedule of the Space Pirate base on Zebes, which places the game solidly between Metroid 1 and 3 (since it was wrecked in the first game, rebuilt for the third, and the whole planet was blown up by the end of the third).

I think I remember from before the game came out, Retro interviews saying that the game would also have to be set before Metroid 2 if it wanted to have any Metroids in the game (since they were exterminated from SR-388 in number 2).

Personally, I think that was bad logic, and worked some errors into the Metroid storyline. Not the least of which being that I think a grammatical quirk in Super Metroid ruled out the possibility of a Metroid conflict between 1 and 2. (Space Pirate conflicts would be okay. Metroid involvement wouldn't.)

But between 1 and 2 does seem to be the official spot. I'll try and find more proof (beyond the note about Zebes).

[mouse_clicker]

Thanks, Ruby- this guy seems to work beyond logic. Metroid Prime couldn't be set after Super Metroid by the simple fact that there ARE Metroids- every last Metroid was eliminated in some way after Super Metroid and only the Galactic Federation began experimenting with them again, NOT the Space Pirates, who's operation was destroyed after Zebes blew up. Samus is also clearly not in her Metroid-fused form.

[ruby_onix]

Here's a link that says the definitive place that Metroid Prime sits in the timeline.

http://www.planetgamecube.com/news.cfm?action=item&id=3572

[mouse_clicker]

Perfect- thanks, Ruby.

[Oldskool]

Er, what is this doing here?

[Gamefreak]

Um, ok this is what happens. Metroid happens, Pirates defeated. Pirates go off in two groups, one to Zebes and one to Tallon IV. Metroid Prime takes place, Samus takes care of the Tallon IV group. Then Metroid II happens, Samus takes care of the Metroids, at this point there is only one remaining Metroid. Then Super Metroid takes place, Samus takes care of the 2nd Pirate group, the one on Zebes. At this point Zebes is destroyed. Then Fusion happens.......

Basically, Prime could not happen after Metroid II because there are metroid in Prime, and it could not happen after Super Metroid because in Prime both Ridley and Zebes still exist. By the end of Super Metroid both Ridley and Zebes are destroyed. What happens with Ridley is, he is killed in Metroid, resurrected by Pirate group 2 (Zebes group), then defeated but not killed by Samus in Prime (he is only blasted off of the temple), then finally killed in Super Metroid.