[Mama Robotnik]

I've been having a look through a few online portfolios for the first time in a while, and come across this stunning collection of images from the immensely talented Retro Studios artist Danny Richardson. I've never seen any of these anywhere before.

First of all, this appears to be a ferocious Omega Metroid.



This is the first Omega Metroid seen in any Retro Studios art, and as far as I am aware the first hint that one was intended to appear in Metroid Prime at some point.

Next we have what seems to be a very early take on Mecha/Metal Ridley:



In this stage of development, Ridley appears to be much more machine than organism. Note the cable going from his spine to the back of his skull and the entirely mechanical wings.

Another discovery - it appears that Metroid Prime may have originally connected to Metroid Fusion to provide a full, Gamecube-playable Super Metroid!



(yellow highlight added by me)

Next we have some creatures that, based on the tri-clawed designs, could be mutated or deformed Metroids:










Also, some unknown creatures:






Some renders, including the legendary Metroid Prime 2 boss Quadraxis:
















Some nice environment and prop renders:








Some wonderful shots of those incredible menus, opening animations, visors, reticules and title screens.


































The save file system in the final release doesn't name these subareas (Main Plaza, Dust Core, Ash Drifts) - it just says the main territory.



Its quite interesting to discover the actual in-game names of some of these areas!

And some vague images I don't quite recognise to end us on:





The talent of Retro Studios continues to shock me. Even with things like menus and save screens, there's elegant thematic beauty throughout everything. These guys are master craftsmen.


(My previous discoveries, if you missed them:

Mother Brain and Crocomire Metroid Prime art

Kraid and other abandoned Metroid Prime boss concepts.

Metroid 1.5 - the unmade Metroid Prime sequel.)

[Oni Link 666]

Badass monster designs.

[Electivirus]

Welp. *whips out Prime Trilogy disc*

[Hot Coldman]

Awesome finds.

The Game Over screen on Metroid Prime 2 is still genuinely shocking. That game has a knack for overwhelming you in so many ways, and when you die it carries on that feeling up until the reload screen appears. So good.

[Johnas]

Beautiful, thanks for sharing.

Metroid 004? I wonder if they initially considered calling Prime 1 "Metroid 4" when Fusion was still early in development.

That first image in the last batch of new images almost looks like it has Crocomire's skull in it.

[EatChildren]

Gee thanks Mama Robotnik now I have to play through all three games again.

[Jiguryo]

This reminds me of why the Metroid Prime series was so awesome. Retro Studios' art team is amazing.

[Akai]

Oh great, and just when my desire to see Retro's next game had calmed down a bit...

[ViewtifulJC]

Metroid Prime? More like MEHtroid Prime

[Schweinehund]

Fantastic pictures.

Retro studios is truly talented.

MP3 is still my favorite wii game to date, I like it even more than SMG.

[Lord Ghirahim]

So good.

[Hypertrooper]

Want to play Metroid Prime again.
Want a Sci-Fi IP by Retro Studios. Want a HD title for WiiU by Retro Studios.

Damn. Retro Studios are soo good. And the art shit.

[Door2Dawn]

Metroid Prime 4 please.

[King of the Potato People]

It's strange that the cut monsters are more imaginative than the creatures in Other M.

I kinda like the Ridley Pokemon though.

[Coen]

Looking at this, I can't help but hope Retro's next project is at least something a bit darker in tone and content than DKCR (even though I really liked that).

[Truth101]

I see Kojima influence everywhere here

[Bending_Unit_22]

Welp. *whips out Prime Trilogy disc*

Gee thanks Mama Robotnik now I have to play through all three games again.

Luckily I decided to start replaying them last weekend.

[Metroidvania]

Fuuuuuuuuck. Why must you do this to me, GAF.

I had just gotten over not having a Metroid game that wasn't Other M in years, and now this.

[Rezbit]

Such amazing games with such great art. Agree with Hypertrooper - get these guys back on sci-fi. In HD too. *drool*

[SteeloDMZ]

Metroid Prime? More like MEHtroid Prime

Oh everybody, look at this controversial opinion!
-----

Awesome, awesome art, specially the Prime 2 stuff.

[DeaconKnowledge]

Hated this fucker.

[Croc]

God what I would give to see an HD Metroid (or anything Sci-fi really, as others have said) on Wii U.

[Mama Robotnik]

Woah, just spotted this:

(nevermind, added into the OP)

[Correctomundo]

Also, some unknown creatures:

Not too terribly unknown.

[SteeloDMZ]

Is there a bigger version of this? I want to have it as wallpaper!

[Johnas]

Woah, just spotted this: Was Super Metroid meant to be downloaded from Metroid Fusion using the GBA link cable? [IMG]

Good eye. First I've ever heard of that.

If I remember rightly, in game - the save file system in the final release doesn't name these subareas (Main Plaza, Dust Core, Ash Drifts) - it just says the main territory, doesn't it? [IMG]

Right, just the main area.

You know, seeing all this makes me want Retro to remake Metroid 2 in 3D.

[Exeunt]

Nice finds! That first "unknown" image at the end gives me a great horror vibe... I'd really like to see how Retro would execute a game with that sort of atmosphere. I think they have pulled off some intense atmospheres really well in each of the Prime games and I would love to see an entire game by them that captures that feeling... Almost like a Metroid game that feels like Alien the whole way through.

But in any case, this is some fascinating art, even if some of it never made it past the point of conceptual sketches.

[Dusk Golem]

I still think Retro had some fantastic talented and creative artist on their team.

Also lucky they had some pretty good modelers and texture designers to back-them up back then as well.

[SteeloDMZ]

Nice finds! That first "unknown" image at the end gives me a great horror vibe... I'd really like to see how Retro would execute a game with that sort of atmosphere. I think they have pulled off some intense atmospheres really well in each of the Prime games and I would love to see an entire game by them that captures that feeling... Almost like a Metroid game that feels like Alien the whole way through. But in any case, this is some fascinating art, even if some of it never made it past the point of conceptual sketches.

A "survival-horror" type Metroid game would be incredible. Retro has done something similar in parts of Echoes and Corruption (ike the G.F.S Valhalla), but I'd love to see them go all the way in.

[Criminal Upper]

Metroid Prime? More like MEHtroid Prime

Go play your Other M then, Lady.

[linko9]

Cthulu!?

[SteeloDMZ]

Something funny about Retro is that they have some of the best artists on the industry, but they also have the worst website of any AAA developer. I mean, wtf is this shit:

http://www.retrostudios.com/news.asp

[GaussTek]

Some nice environment and prop renders:

Just imagine a Wii U Metroid Prime 4 looking like that... my God...

[LiK]

GREAT FINDS

[sixteen-bit]

Woah, just spotted this: (nevermind, added into the OP)

Maybe the Super Metroid Varia or Gravity suits?

[Exeunt]

A "survival-horror" type Metroid game would be incredibly. Retro has done something similar in parts of Echoes and Corruption (ike the G.F.S Valhalla), but I'd love to see them go all the way in.

Part of the reason I became interested in such a game—beyond the aesthetic of the unused title sequence—is the skill Retro has shown in creating such an atmosphere in the Prime games. I feel that all three Prime games had "horror-lite" sequences like the Valhalla to an extent. Prime had the Thermal Visor sequence as well as parts of the Phazon Mines. In Echoes you had the beginnings of the Dark World (though many found it too purple and annoying) but what stood out to me was the sequence before you fight the Grapple Guardian and you can hear it nearby. Parts like those really make me believe that Retro would have what it takes to create a really atmospheric horror title without relying too much on so-called "cheap scares." Even a Metroid Fusion-esque scenario with a persistent stalker would be welcome (think a more proactive Dark Samus or a more intelligent SA-X).

But of course, I'm sure whatever they make next will be great.

[Bagu]

Like I needed needed more reasons to think Retro is awesome.
Very lovely art.
Oddly I just finished Super Metroid last night.

[Truth101]

Something funny about Retro is that they have some of the best artists on the industry, but they also have the worst website of any AAA developer. I mean, wtf is this shit: http://www.retrostudios.com/news.asp

Sometimes artistic talent doesn't translate well to aesthetic appreciation.

No idea why not.

[bengraven]

God, I always wanted to enjoy Metroid Prime games. Too bad they sold out on the trilogy discs.

[Mama Robotnik]

Maybe the Super Metroid Varia or Gravity suits?

The "Fusion Suit" is labelled explicitly as being a suit. The "B" download of "Super Metroid" seems pretty unambiguous.

Though it would be cool to have been able to have played with the SM suits in 3D, the most direct conclusion would appear to be that a Metroid Fusion connection via the GBA link cable would have unlocked Super Metroid.

[TheCongressman1]

Just imagine a Wii U Metroid Prime 4 looking like that... my God...

I just crapped myself, and I don't care.

[dancrane212]

As much as I want to see Retro tackle another IP I wouldn't complain about them sticking around a bit longer in the Metroid Universe, Prime 3 was incredible.

How is Metroid Trilogy in Dolphin by the way? Any improvements?

[evilromero]

Fantastic pictures. Retro studios is truly talented. MP3 is still my favorite wii game to date, I like it even more than SMG.

Totally with you on that. I think I sunk more hours into MP3 than any game on the Wii. Five playthroughs including one on the Trilogy release. Crossing my fingers Retro has something in store for Metroid fans. I would love a Retro-developed 3DS Metroid game.

[Randdalf]

Cthulu!?

Chozo, I think.

[SteeloDMZ]

God, I always wanted to enjoy Metroid Prime games. Too bad they sold out on the trilogy discs.

If you are lucky, you can get them for $70 bucks (used) from third party sellers on Amazon.

[Mama Robotnik]

As much as I want to see Retro tackle another IP I wouldn't complain about them sticking around a bit longer in the Metroid Universe.

As much as I'd like to see them create their own epic IP...

Other M poisoned the franchise and Retro Studios are the cure.

[MechaX]

Gee thanks Mama Robotnik now I have to play through all three games again.

GET OUT OF MY HEAD CHARLES.pic

But seriously, Retro always really interested me with their art designs, even though I can't tell what in the fuck some of those monsters are. But I would have liked to see Retro's take on the Metroid evolutions at one point or another. If they got to the higher ones like the Omega and maybe the Queen, it would have been a hell of a lot better than what Other M gave us. However, that early Meta Ridley is quite... bootleg looking.

But this does make me want to bust out that Metroid Prime Trilogy disc that I suffered through Black Friday to obtain.

[Bagu]

Chozo, I think.

That don't look like no beak to me sir.

[Agent Unknown]

Wow, great finds. I love Richardson's take on the Omega Metroid. Super Metroid was originally going to be a bonus in Echoes but never knew they tried to get it in the first game, wonder why Nintendo kept shooting them down?

[Hot Coldman]

As much as I want to see Retro tackle another IP I wouldn't complain about them sticking around a bit longer in the Metroid Universe.

DKCR proved Retro, even without Pacini, can probably nail every Nintendo property. So what needs them most? I say Metroid, because that franchise is fuuuuuuuuuccked at the moment