Metroid was released by Nintendo for the Famicom Disk System in Japan on 6 August 1986. It was co-developed by Nintendo R&D1 and Intelligent Systems and produced by Gunpei Yokoi. The NES version reached North America in August 1987 and Europe on 15 January 1988, and the game also appeared in arcades on the PlayChoice-10 system.
Faster completion times unlock different endings, which made Metroid an early speedrunning favorite. In the third, fourth and fifth endings Samus appears without her suit and is revealed to be a woman. The Western NES version replaced disk saves with a password system, then new to the industry.
By 2004 the game had sold 2.73 million units worldwide. The full game can be unlocked as a bonus in Metroid: Zero Mission (2004) and, by linking Metroid Fusion, in Metroid Prime. It has also been re-released in the Classic NES Series for Game Boy Advance, on the Virtual Console for Wii and 3DS, and on Nintendo Switch Online.1
Names and releases
| Region | Title on the box | Platform | Date | Publisher | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | MetroidPlayChoice-10 | Arcade | July 1987 | Nintendo | 1 |
| NA | Metroid | NES | August 1987 | Nintendo | 1 |
| NA | MetroidVirtual Console; Europe also 2007, Japan 2008-03-04 | Wii | 2007 | Nintendo | 1 |
| JP | メトロイドMetoroido | Famicom Disk System | Aug 6, 1986 | Nintendo | 1 |
| EU | Metroid | NES | Jan 15, 1988 | Nintendo | 1 |
| JP | メトロイドFamicom Mini / Classic NES Series; NA 2004-10-25, EU 2005-01-07 | Game Boy Advance | Aug 10, 2004 | Nintendo | 1 |
| WW | Metroid: Zero Mission (bonus)Unlocked after completing Metroid: Zero Mission; also unlockable in Metroid Prime on GameCube | Game Boy Advance | 2004 | Nintendo | 1 |
| JP | メトロイドVirtual Console; free to Ambassador Program members from 2011 | Nintendo 3DS | Feb 29, 2012 | Nintendo | 2 |
| WW | MetroidNES – Nintendo Switch Online | Switch | Nov 14, 2018 | Nintendo | 3 |
Also known as: Metoroido JP4
Box art by region
NA Metroid 
EU Metroid
Box art © its publishers, shown to identify each release. Scans: libretro-thumbnails.
Version differences
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GameplayNES
The Disk System version has three save slots on the disk; the NES cartridge has no save and uses a password system instead.1
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GameplayNES
The NES cartridge has no loading pauses between areas.2
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AudioNES
Some music and sound effects were changed for the NES, which has fewer sound channels than the Disk System.2
Where to play legally today
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Nintendo Switch Online Subscription
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Nintendo Switch Online Subscription
Metroid: Zero Mission (Game Boy Advance – Nintendo Switch Online)
Remake; the NES original is a bonus unlock
Checked: 2026-10-133gameinformer.com
Reception
Metroid was a critical and commercial success, selling 2.73 million units worldwide by 2004. It is credited with pioneering the "Metroidvania" genre and became an early speedrunning favorite thanks to its endings for fast completion times.1
Sources
Checked: 2026-10-13Text reviewed: 2026-10-13
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