Metroid is a legendary action-adventure franchise created by Nintendo, starring the iconic bounty hunter Samus Aran as she battles Space Pirates and the parasitic Metroid creatures. The series is renowned for its nonlinear exploration, blending the platforming of Super Mario Bros. with the open-ended discovery of The Legend of Zelda, all set in a solitary, foreboding sci-fi atmosphere. Debuting on the NES in 1986, the franchise evolved through landmark titles like Super Metroid (1994), the 3D first-person Metroid Prime (2002), and the acclaimed Metroid Dread (2021), with the latest entry, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, releasing in 2025. Alongside Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, the early games defined the "Metroidvania" subgenre, inspiring countless other titles with their interconnected, explorable worlds. Having sold over 17.44 million copies by 2012, the series is consistently ranked among the greatest in gaming history, and Samus remains one of the most prominent and influential female video game characters ever created.