Retro Studios has become renowned for its work on the beloved Metroid and Donkey Kong franchises. However, the studio has also explored numerous fascinating projects that, unfortunately, never made it past the cutting room floor.
The YouTube channel DidYouKnowGaming delves deep into Retro Studios’ history, offering an in-depth look at eight cancelled projects that had immense potential.
The first cancelled project, codenamed ‘Adept’, emerged after Retro Studios completed development on Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. This game employed a first-person perspective and could be described as a blend of ‘Portal’ and combat. Players had the ability to shoot ‘cylinders’ that instantly transported enemies, enabling the potential for trapping or guiding them away from the player.
In addition to the standard cylinders, ‘force cylinders’ could aid in jumping or be strategically placed for object transportation. ‘Attract cylinders’ allowed players to draw healing items from a distance or reverse enemies’ attacks, redirecting their projectiles back at them.
The concept was captivating, and when designer Paul Touzer presented the game to Retro Studios, it received full support. However, when Kensuke Tanabe at Nintendo reviewed the project, he wasn’t convinced of its premise and ultimately passed on it.
This is just one of the intriguing games covered in the video above. If you’re curious and want to learn more, give it a watch. It offers a fascinating insight into Retro Studios’ cancelled projects. Let’s hope that Metroid Prime 4 doesn’t meet the same fate!
