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New Metroid Prime Art Book Reveals How Nintendo and Retro Shaped the Series

Producer Kensuke Tanabe’s margin notes reveal internal decisions across the trilogy, including the 2023 remaster.

Overview

  • The 210-page Metroid Prime 1–3: A Visual Retrospective from Piggyback releases on October 28 with previously unseen concept art, storyboards, and full 2D maps.
  • Kensuke Tanabe writes that Retro proposed entirely new cutscenes for Metroid Prime Remastered, a plan he declined to preserve the originals’ gameplay communication.
  • Tanabe states that work on a Prime remaster in spring 2018 renewed Nintendo’s collaboration with Retro, leading to Retro assuming Metroid Prime 4: Beyond in 2019.
  • The book details Retro’s rejected Metroid Prime 3 ideas—bounty hints, a rewards system, and a mission-based structure—which Nintendo viewed as overly derivative.
  • Tanabe credits a storyboarded 100% ending that introduced Dark Samus with steering the series into a trilogy, while Echoes remake chatter remains speculative and unconfirmed.