METROID
A SIGNIFICANT SERIES
Although she might not be as popular as Mario, Link or Donkey Kong, there’s no denying the impact of Samus Aran. When she began exploring Zebes in 1986, she introduced many gamers to a new type of non-linear adventure that put a focus on exploration and atmosphere above everything else. Metroid may not have been the first adventure game of its type, but it arguably helped define what would become the Metroidvania genre, particularly with the release of Super Metroid in 1994.