Editing Super Metroid (section)

{{Short description|1994 video game}}
{{Redirect|Metroid 3|the Wii game|Metroid Prime 3: Corruption}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Super Metroid
| image = Smetroidbox.jpg
| caption = North American box art featuring [[Samus Aran]] battling [[Ridley (Metroid)|Ridley]]
| developer = {{Unbulleted list|[[Nintendo Research & Development 1|Nintendo R&D1]]|[[Intelligent Systems]]}}
| publisher = [[Nintendo]]
| director = [[Yoshio Sakamoto]]
| producer = [[Makoto Kano (video game designer)|Makoto Kano]]
| artist = {{Unbulleted list|Hirofumi Matsuoka|Masahiko Mashimo|[[Hiroyuki Kimura]]}}
| programmer = Kenji Imai
| writer = 
| composer = {{Unbulleted list|[[Kenji Yamamoto (composer born 1964)|Kenji Yamamoto]]|Minako Hamano}}
| series = ''[[Metroid]]''
| platforms = [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] <!-- DO NOT add "Virtual Console". VC is software emulation; see [[Template:Infobox video game#platforms]] -->
| released = {{Video game release|JP|March 19, 1994|NA|April 18, 1994|PAL|July 28, 1994}} <!-- No emulated releases (i.e. Virtual Console) per current WP:VG consensus -->
| genre = [[Action-adventure game|Action-adventure]], [[Metroidvania]]
| modes = [[Single-player]]
}}

{{Nihongo foot|'''''Super Metroid'''''|スーパーメトロイド|Sūpā Metoroido|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}}{{Efn|The opening cutscene alternatively refers to the game as '''''Metroid 3'''''.<ref name="game-intro">{{cite video game |title=Super Metroid |developer=[[Nintendo R&D1]], [[Intelligent Systems]] |publisher=[[Nintendo]] |date=April 18, 1994 |platform=[[Super NES]] |scene=Opening |quote=1994 / NINTENDO / PRESENTS / METROID 3}}</ref>}} is a 1994 [[action-adventure game]] developed by [[Nintendo]] and [[Intelligent Systems]] and published by Nintendo for the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]. It is the third installment in the ''[[Metroid]]'' series, following the events of the [[Game Boy]] game ''[[Metroid II: Return of Samus]]'' (1991). The player controls bounty hunter [[Samus Aran]], who travels to planet Zebes to retrieve an infant [[Metroid (creature)|Metroid creature]] stolen by the [[Space Pirate (Metroid)|Space Pirate]] leader [[Ridley (Metroid)|Ridley]].

Following the established gameplay model of its predecessors, ''Super Metroid'' focuses on exploration, with the player searching for power-ups used to reach previously inaccessible areas. It introduced elements such as the inventory screen, an [[automap]], and the ability to fire in 8 directions. The development staff from previous ''Metroid'' games—including [[Yoshio Sakamoto]], [[Makoto Kano (video game designer)|Makoto Kano]] and [[Gunpei Yokoi]]—returned to develop ''Super Metroid'' over the course of two years. The developers wanted to make a true action game, and set the stage for Samus' reappearance.

''Super Metroid'' received acclaim, with praise for its atmosphere, gameplay, music and graphics. It is often cited as one of the [[List of video games considered the best|greatest video games of all time]]. The game sold well and shipped 1.42 million copies worldwide by late 2003. Alongside ''[[Castlevania: Symphony of the Night]]'', ''Super Metroid'' is credited for establishing the "[[Metroidvania]]" genre, inspiring numerous [[indie games]] and developers. ''Super Metroid'' was followed in 2002 by ''[[Metroid Fusion]]'' and ''[[Metroid Prime]]''. It has been re-released on several Nintendo consoles and services.