Editing Retro Studios (section)

===2003–2009: The ''Metroid Prime'' trilogy===
{{Further-text|Development of [[Metroid Prime 2: Echoes#Development|Metroid Prime 2: Echoes]], [[Metroid Prime 3: Corruption#Development|Metroid Prime 3: Corruption]], and [[Metroid Prime: Trilogy#Development|Metroid Prime: Trilogy]].}}
After the critical and commercial success of ''Metroid Prime'', Nintendo asked Retro Studios to produce a sequel. The developers decided against recycling the features of the first game while creating ''[[Metroid Prime 2: Echoes]]'', and instead used new sound models, weapon effects, and art designs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/10/13/metroid-prime-2-echoes-interview |title=Metroid Prime 2 Echoes Interview |author=IGN Staff |date=October 12, 2004 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=October 18, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519080430/http://cube.ign.com/articles/556/556375p1.html |archive-date=May 19, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> A multiplayer component was also added to the game.<ref name="post-game">{{cite web |url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=112761 |title=Post game report: Retro Studios talk Metroid Prime 2 Echoes |author=NOM Staff |date=December 3, 2004 |website=[[Computer and Video Games]] |access-date=November 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122114008/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=112761 |archive-date=January 22, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In April 2003, Steve Barcia left the company. Michael Kelbaugh, who had worked with Nintendo for over 15 years, was appointed president, a job he retains to this date.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-appoints-new-president-at-retro/1100-6025021/ |title=Nintendo appoints new president at Retro |first=Giancarlo |last=Varanini |date=November 4, 2003 |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=December 15, 2010 |archive-date=May 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140520034105/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/nintendo-appoints-new-president-at-retro/1100-6025021/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Retro tried to include some extras, such as a hidden version of ''[[Super Metroid]]'', but were halted by the short development time.<ref name="post-game" /> Producer [[Kensuke Tanabe]] later revealed in an interview that the game was just about thirty percent complete three months before the strict deadline Nintendo had set for a release in the 2004 holiday season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wii.com/jp/articles/metroid-prime3/crv/vol/page2.html |title=The President Asks About "Metroid Prime 3: Corruption": Virtues of the West and Virtues of the East |website=[[Wii]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101029215715/http://wii.com/jp/articles/metroid-prime3/crv/vol/page2.html |archive-date=October 29, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The critical reception for ''Metroid Prime 2: Echoes'' was very positive,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerankings.com/gamecube/589573-metroid-prime-2-echoes/index.html |title=Metroid Prime 2: Echoes for GameCube  |website=[[GameRankings]] |access-date=October 18, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121213095740/http://www.gamerankings.com/gamecube/589573-metroid-prime-2-echoes/index.html |archive-date=December 13, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> but earned some criticism on the game's high difficulty.<ref>{{cite news |title=Computer Games |first=Rebecca |last=Armstrong |date=December 18, 2004 |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |page=98}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/25/technology/circuits/a-big-sequel-thats-worthy-of-its-lineage.html |title=Game Theory; A Big Sequel That's Worthy Of Its Lineage |first=Charles |last=Herold |date=November 25, 2004 |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020103350/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/25/technology/circuits/a-big-sequel-thats-worthy-of-its-lineage.html |archive-date=October 20, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> Sales for ''Echoes'' were lower than the first ''Prime'', with a total of 800,000 units.<ref name="bounty" />

Retro Studios was then put to produce the next game in the ''Metroid Prime'' series, ''[[Metroid Prime 3: Corruption]]''. Retro intended to give ''Metroid Prime 3: Corruption'' larger environments than ''Echoes''. The developers were also interested in using the [[WiiConnect24]] feature to provide additional content for the game that would be accessible from the Internet.<ref name="IGN Retro Studios Interview">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/05/16/interview-metroid-prime-3-corruption |title=Interview: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption |first=Matt |last=Casamassina |author-link=Matt Casamassina |date=May 16, 2006 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=June 27, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070625172202/http://wii.ign.com/articles/708/708948p1.html |archive-date=June 25, 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> Retro announced that ''Corruption'' would be the final chapter of the ''Prime'' series and would have a plot "about closure, told against the backdrop of an epic struggle".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/devs-talk-metroid-prime-3/1100-6130348/ |title=Devs talk Metroid Prime 3 |first=Tim |last=Surette |date=August 5, 2005 |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=April 10, 2008 |archive-date=April 11, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411140707/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/devs-talk-metroid-prime-3/1100-6130348/ |url-status=live }}</ref> After the [[Wii Remote]] was revealed, Nintendo demonstrated how ''Metroid Prime 3'' would take advantage of the controller's special abilities with a version of ''Echoes'' modified for the Wii and shown at the [[Tokyo Game Show]] in 2005.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3143782 |title=Revolution Controller Revealed |first=Mark |last=MacDonald |date=September 15, 2005 |website=[[1Up.com]] |access-date=April 10, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106014509/http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3143782 |archive-date=January 6, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Originally envisioned as a launch game for the Wii in November 2006,<ref name="IGN Retro Studios Interview" /> ''Corruption'' suffered many delays, but eventually being released in August 2007 with generally positive reviews, and over 1.60&nbsp;million copies sold worldwide.<ref name="sales">{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2008/080425e.pdf#page=6 |title=Nintendo Co., Ltd. Financial Results Briefing for Fiscal Year Ended March 2008 |date=April 25, 2008 |website=[[Nintendo]] |page=6 |access-date=August 3, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080910032513/http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2008/080425e.pdf#page=6 |archive-date=September 10, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>

While Retro was busy with the ''Prime'' sequels, they had to pass on the [[Nintendo DS]] game ''[[Metroid Prime Hunters]]''. The eventual developer, [[Nintendo Software Technology]] (NST), worked closely with Retro to design the game's art and characters to make sure that they fit into the overall Metroid series.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/interview/11162/nst-discusses-metroid-prime-hunters |title=NST Discusses Metroid Prime: Hunters |first=Daniel |last=Bloodworth |date=March 2, 2006 |website=Nintendo World Report |access-date=December 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609112838/http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/interview/11162 |archive-date=June 9, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/05/19/e3-2005-metroid-prime-hunters-creator-interview |title=E3 2005: Metroid Prime Hunters Creator Interview |first=Craig |last=Harris |date=May 18, 2005 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=January 28, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205185913/http://ds.ign.com/articles/616/616902p1.html |archive-date=December 5, 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>