2002 video game

Metroid Fusion is a 2002 action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. It is the fourth main installment in the Metroid franchise. Players control the bounty hunter Samus Aran, who investigates a space station infected with shapeshifting parasites known as X. Along with the GameCube game Metroid Prime, Fusion marked the return of the Metroid series after an eight-year hiatus following Super Metroid (1994).

Like previous Metroid games, Fusion is a side-scrolling game with platform jumping, shooting, and puzzle elements. It introduces mission-based progression that guides the player through certain areas. Fusion can be linked to Prime using the GameCube – Game Boy Advance link cable to unlock additional content for Prime.

Fusion was acclaimed for its gameplay, controls, graphics and music, though its shorter length and greater linearity received some criticism. It received awards including "Handheld Game of the Year" from the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, "Best Game Boy Advance Adventure Game" from IGN, and "Best Action Game on Game Boy Advance" from GameSpot. It was rereleased on the Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console in 2011 as part of the 3DS Ambassador Program, the Wii U's Virtual Console in 2014, and the Nintendo Classics service in 2023. A sequel, Metroid Dread, was released in 2021 for the Nintendo Switch.

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