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It retains the side-scrolling gameplay of previous Metroid games, alongside the free aim and melee attacks added in Samus Returns (2017). Metroid Dread is an action-adventure game in which players control bounty hunter Samus Aran as she explores the planet ZDR. It became the fastest-selling Metroid game in Japan, the UK and the US, and has sold nearly 3 million copies, making it the best-selling Metroid game. Metroid Dread received critical acclaim and won the award for Best Action/Adventure Game at The Game Awards 2021. After their work on Metroid: Samus Returns in 2017, Sakamoto appointed MercurySteam to develop Dread, the first original side-scrolling Metroid game since Metroid Fusion. Industry commentators expressed interest in a new 2D Metroid game, and listed Dread in their “most wanted” lists. Metroid producer Yoshio Sakamoto conceived Dread for the Nintendo DS in the mid-2000s, but development ended due to technical limitations. It was the first original 2D Metroid game in 19 years. It retains the side-scrolling gameplay of previous 2D Metroid games and incorporates stealth elements.
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Set after the events of Metroid Fusion (2002), players control bounty hunter Samus Aran as she investigates the source of a mysterious transmission on the planet ZDR. Metroid Dread is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo and MercurySteam and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch.
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