Metroid Dread Director José Luis Márquez Explains Why Samus Always Loses Her Powers

Metroid Dread Director José Luis Márquez Explains Why Samus Always Loses Her Powers Since its inception, Nintendo’s Metroid series has been defined by protagonist Samus Aran’s journey to regain her lost abilities, a formula that has become central to the franchise’s design.

With the release of Metroid Dread on Nintendo Switch in 2021, developer MercurySteam continued this tradition, solidifying the importance of this gameplay loop in modern Metroidvania games.

MercurySteam, known for its acclaimed work on Metroid: Samus Returns for the 3DS and the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate, has helped bring Metroid back into the spotlight with new audiences and longtime fans alike. In a recent interview with Gamereactor, José Luis Márquez, director of Metroid Dread, addressed this hallmark of the series.

Márquez emphasized that starting each Metroid game by stripping Samus of her powers is not just expected but required for the player experience to feel authentic.

As translated by Nintendo Everything, he stated that this aspect is absolutely critical for Metroid as a franchise: "For Metroid games, it’s necessary.

You can’t start without having Samus lose her abilities.

It’s essential, because otherwise, players might feel let down by having access to everything from the outset." Since its launch on the Nintendo Switch on October 8, 2021, Metroid Dread has received universal acclaim, earning a perfect 10 out of 10 rating from a number of outlets, including Nintendo Life.

The title quickly became one of the best-selling entries in the series, surpassing sales milestones for the franchise on the Switch eShop.

Its successful blend of classic exploration and modern design innovations is widely attributed to MercurySteam’s development prowess, building on their previous achievements with Metroid: Samus Returns (2017) on the Nintendo 3DS. During the same interview, Márquez also weighed in on the growing influence of "Souls-like" elements in Metroidvania games, noting that he personally prefers not to include excessive difficulty, though he understands why some players are drawn to these challenging mechanics.

This perspective aligns with MercurySteam’s approach to accessible yet satisfying gameplay that welcomes both new players and series veterans. For those interested in the creative process behind Metroid Dread, voice assistant director Stephen Hughes recently shared insights on the Kiwi Talkz podcast about the challenges of developing a new language for the game, further highlighting the attention to detail and innovation present throughout the project. Metroid Dread and the wider Metroid series remain a testament to Nintendo and MercurySteam’s dedication to evolving traditional gameplay mechanics while respecting the elements that make each new release feel true to its roots.

As long as Samus Aran’s journey starts at the bottom, fans can expect a gameplay experience that rewards exploration and progression, hallmarks that define not only Metroid but the entire genre.

Metroid Samus Metroid Dread Nintendo Samus Aran Switch MercurySteam José Luis Márquez Nintendo Switch