Metroid fans should immediately get to Amiibo-hunting if they wish to experience everything Samus Returns has to offer.

To the shock of fans around the world, Nintendo finally announced the return of gaming’s prized bounty hunter Samus Aran during their E3 2017 presentation. Despite the 2016 releases of Metroid Prime: Federation Force and its sports-based Blast Ball component, Samus Aran hasn’t starred in her own Metroid game since 2010’s Metroid: Other M for the Wii; the last “traditional” 2D exploration-focused game in Nintendo’s long-running saga was 2004’s Metroid: Zero Mission, a Game Boy Advance remake of the original 1986 game. Casually wedged into both the E3 2017 presentation and the following Nintendo Treehouse broadcast were a teaser for Metroid Prime 4 on the Nintendo Switch, and Metroid: Samus Returns for the 3DS.

Under Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate developer Mercurysteam, Metroid: Samus Returns is a complete remake of the 1991 Game Boy title Metroid II: Return of Samus. The new version retains its 2D exploration elements, but now sees Samus fighting the evolutionary chain of Metroids in stereoscopic 3D, complete with fully-modeled characters and environments; to counteract the limitations of the original Game Boy version, Samus Returns includes extra abilities borrowed from Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion and Zero Mission.

To celebrate a return to classic Metroid, Nintendo will release two more Amiibos next month modeled after Samus’s Varia Suit and a previously-contained Metroid Hatchling; this brings Nintendo’s Metroid-based Amiibo count up to four, including the “Samus” and Zero Suit Samus” Super Smash Bros. figures. What might come as an unfortunate shock to those who haven’t succumb to the Amiibo craze, Metroid: Samus Returns will have extra content that can only be accessed through these Amiibos- “these”, being all four.

Amiibos are rarely used to unlock content outside of cosmetic items, however this isn’t the first time Nintendo has locked in-game bonuses behind physical items; GameCube titles Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles and Metroid Prime required Game Boy Advances for “Moogle Radar” perks, Crystal Chronicles multiplayer, and the ability to use Metroid Fusion‘s “Fusion Suit” in Metroid Prime.

The additional Samus Returns features and their corresponding Amiibos are listed as follows:

Samus (Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS):

• Additional Energy Tank, Exclusive Art Gallery Content (available upon completion)

Zero Suit Samus (Super Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS):

• Additional Energy Tank, Metroid: Samus Returns soundtrack theater (available upon completion)

Metroid (Metroid: Samus Returns):

• In-Game “Metroid Radar”, revealing locations of nearby Metroids
• “Fusion” Difficulty Mode, lets players use Metroid Fusion‘s “Fusion Suit” (available upon completion)

Samus Aran (Metroid: Samus Returns):

• Additional Metroid II: Return of Samus Art Gallery Content (available upon completion)

Metroid: Samus Returns will release for the 3DS on 9/15; a friendly reminder to all Nintendo 3DS owners, the New 3DS XL possesses a built-in NFC reader, but older models require an NFC Amiibo Reader accessory.

Sources: Nintendo, Eurogamer
Image courtesy of Nintendo