Editing Super Metroid (section)

==Development==
[[File:Yoshio Sakamoto - Game Developers Conference 2010 - Day 3 (2) cropped.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Yoshio Sakamoto]], the director and writer of ''Super Metroid'', at the 2010 [[Game Developers Conference]]|alt=Portrait of Yoshio Sakamoto, making a public speech.]]
''Super Metroid'' was developed by [[Nintendo Research & Development 1|Nintendo R&D1]]<ref name="gs-essentials">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1902/game_design_essentials_20_open_.php?page=5|title=Game Design Essentials: 20 Open World Games|author=Harris, John|date=September 26, 2007|website=Gamasutra|page=5|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707055506/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1902/game_design_essentials_20_open_.php?page=5|archive-date=July 7, 2015|url-status=dead|access-date=January 9, 2009}}</ref> with a staff of 15 managed by [[Gunpei Yokoi]]. It was written and directed by [[Yoshio Sakamoto]], and produced by [[Makoto Kano (video game designer)|Makoto Kano]].<ref name="jpint">{{cite book |chapter=あのときサムスは裸だった |year=1994 |script-title=ja:任天堂公式ガイドブック スーパーメトロイド |language=ja |pages=90–95 |publisher=[[Creatures (company)|Ape, Inc.]]; [[Nintendo|Nintendo Co., Ltd.]] |isbn=4-09-102474-2}}</ref><ref name="gp-samus">{{cite magazine|date=May 1994|title=Everything you always wanted to know about Samus|magazine=Game Players|volume=7|issue=5|pages=18–20}}</ref><ref name=gr-history>{{cite web|access-date=March 19, 2011 |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/the-history-of-metroid/ |title=The History of Metroid |work=GamesRadar |date=October 23, 2007 |author=Robinson, Andy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150525045327/http://www.gamesradar.com/the-history-of-metroid/ |archive-date=May 25, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>{{rp|3}} [[Intelligent Systems]], who co-developed the [[Metroid (video game)|original ''Metroid'']] with R&D1, handled the [[Game programming|programming]].<ref name="Elegance">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/4333/the_elegance_of_metroid_yoshio_.php |title=The Elegance Of ''Metroid'': Yoshio Sakamoto Speaks |first=Christian |last=Nutt |date=April 23, 2010 |work=Gamasutra |publisher=United Business Media LLC |access-date=March 21, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512151501/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/4333/the_elegance_of_metroid_yoshio_.php |archive-date=May 12, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The opening was narrated by [[Dan Owsen]], a [[Nintendo of America]] employee.<ref name="jpint" /><ref name="MDb-Owsen">{{cite interview|url=http://www.metroid-database.com/features/owsen.php |title=The MDb Interviews Dan Owsen |subject=Dan Owsen |interviewer=TJ Rappel |year=1998 |publisher=Metroid Database |access-date=January 13, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315080234/http://www.metroid-database.com/features/owsen.php |archive-date=March 15, 2015 |url-status=usurped}}</ref>

''Super Metroid'' was released almost a decade after the original ''Metroid''. Sakamoto said: "We wanted to wait until a ''true'' action game was needed. [...] And also to set the stage for the reappearance of Samus Aran".<ref name="gp-samus" /> It took half a year for Nintendo to approve the project, and two further years to develop.<ref name="gp-samus" />

The developers' primary goal was to make a "good action game". It is the first ''Metroid'' game to let Samus fire in all directions while moving.<ref name="gp-samus" /> It is among the first [[open world]] games with a map feature, which shows the outlines of rooms and indicates important locations and items.<ref name="gs-essentials" /> The team wanted to create a large map, but found it difficult to organize the amount of graphic data involved, and so broke it into smaller parts. Areas from previous ''[[Metroid]]'' games were included to create a sense of familiarity.<ref name="gp-samus" />

Shortly before the game's release, the North American [[Entertainment Software Rating Board]], a self-regulating organization, was formed in response to the increasing violence in games such as ''[[Mortal Kombat (1992 video game)|Mortal Kombat]]'' (1992).<ref name="gspot-controversy">{{cite web|access-date=January 5, 2009 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/when-two-tribes-go-to-war-a-history-of-video-game-controversy/1100-6090892/ |title=When Two Tribes Go to War: A History of Video Game Controversy |date=March 7, 2004 |work=[[GameSpot]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150509213652/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/when-two-tribes-go-to-war-a-history-of-video-game-controversy/1100-6090892/ |archive-date=May 9, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> Asked whether he thought the controversy would cause a backlash for ''Super Metroid'', Sakamoto explained that Samus's purpose is to maintain peace in the galaxy, saying: "It's not violence for the sake of violence".<ref name="gp-samus" /> The game was demonstrated at the Winter 1994 [[Consumer Electronics Show]], and was named the best Super NES game at the show by ''[[GamePro]]''.<ref name="GPro57">{{cite magazine|title=CES Showstoppers|magazine=[[GamePro]]|issue=57|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]]|date=April 1994|pages=74–81}}</ref>

===Audio===
The [[video game music|music]] for ''Super Metroid'' was composed by [[Kenji Yamamoto (composer born 1964)|Kenji Yamamoto]] and Minako Hamano,<ref name="jpint" /><ref name=gr-history />{{rp|4}}<ref>{{cite web|access-date=March 19, 2011 |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/game-music-of-the-day-super-metroid/ |title=Game music of the day: ''Super Metroid'' |publisher=GamesRadar |date=October 23, 2007 |author=Aversa, Jillian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150517223638/http://www.gamesradar.com/game-music-of-the-day-super-metroid/ |archive-date=May 17, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> and uses 16-bit versions of music from previous games.<ref name=gp-samus /> The [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super NES]]'s [[Nintendo S-SMP|sound hardware]] allowed the playback of [[Sampling (music)|samples]] simultaneously on eight channels, as opposed to three [[programmable sound generator|PSG]] channels and one noise channel of the NES. Yamamoto decided that rich and expressive sounds, such as a female chorus, would be required to portray the setting realistically.<ref name="snesclassicmini_interview">{{cite interview |last=Sakamoto |first=Yoshio |subject-link=Yoshio Sakamoto |last2=Yamamoto |first2=Kenji |subject-link2=Kenji Yamamoto (composer born 1964) |interviewer=Akinori Sao |title=Super Metroid Developer Interview |type=transcript |url=https://www.nintendo.com/super-nes-classic/interview-super-metroid |publisher=[[Nintendo]] |location=Kyoto, Japan |year=2017 |access-date=September 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921124849/https://www.nintendo.com/super-nes-classic/interview-super-metroid |archive-date=September 21, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> He composed the main theme by humming while riding his motorcycle from work.<ref name="snesclassicmini_interview" /><ref name="M4G-MP3">{{cite web |author=M4G Staff |url=http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=174 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080315081014/http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=174 |archive-date=March 15, 2008 |title=Interview with ''Metroid Prime 3: Corruption'' Sound Team at Retro Studios and Composer Kenji Yamamoto |publisher=music4games |date=October 5, 2007 |access-date=January 16, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Yamamoto also served as a sound programmer,<ref name="M4G-MP3" /> and wrote a program that sends sound data to the audio chip.<ref name="snesclassicmini_interview" /> He also created [[sound effect]]s,<ref name="M4G-MP3" /> including those created for an infant Metroid to convey different emotions.<ref name="snesclassicmini_interview" /> The simultaneous roles as a composer, a sound programmer and a sound effect creator gave Yamamoto ideas to produce a distinct ''Metroid'' soundtrack "with a sound programmer's ear, with a sound effect creator's ear, and with the approach [[methodology]] and theory of a composer". The [[arrangement]]s and [[remix]]es of the game's themes were used in ''[[Metroid Prime]]'' and its sequels, because Yamamoto wanted to satisfy old ''Metroid'' fans, describing it as a "present" for them.<ref name="M4G-MP3" />

A soundtrack album, ''Super Metroid: Sound in Action'', was published by [[Sony Music Entertainment Japan|Sony Records]] on June 22, 1994. It contains 38 tracks and has a running time of 58:49. It includes the original ''Metroid'' soundtrack by [[Hirokazu Tanaka]], and additional tracks arranged by Yoshiyuki Ito and Masumi Ito.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.squareenixmusic.com/albums/m/metroidsuper.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309022349/http://www.squareenixmusic.com/albums/m/metroidsuper.shtml |title=''Super Metroid Sound in Action'' |work=Square Enix Music Online |access-date=September 10, 2015 |archive-date=March 9, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>