Metroid celebrates 40th anniversary

cultureAug 7, 2026914,527

Metroid has reached its 40th anniversary and fans and creators marked the milestone with tributes focused on Samus Aran. Social posts shared new and older fan art, pixel art and sketches, Blender renders, and reposts of works from as long as 15 years ago. Several posts invoked nostalgia for the series' music and sounds, with one creator saying those songs “live in my head rent-free.” Other posts asked for future game considerations, including a fan hoping Samus keeps all her power-ups in the next game, and another promising new Samus art soon. A few contributors compiled threaded galleries of fanwork or highlighted past stylistic experiments to celebrate the franchise's longevity.

Steven Preston

@stevenpreston.bsky.social

Happy 40th Anniversary Metroid! #fanart

Fan art of Samus Aran from the Metroid series. They are standing with their arms up behind their head wearing a 2 piece bodysuit showing off their abs. Behind them is the red helmet from her power suit

77311h ago

dekleinekobini.bsky.social1

Happy 40th to one of gaming's greatest franchises! Your fanart is a perfect tribute 🎉

Mori [ Training Arc ]

@morimotes.bsky.social

Happy 40th Metroid!! 👾 ‹ #Nintendo #Samus #Metroid #fanart #illustration ›

Digital sketch of bounty Hunter Samus Aran (サムス・アラン) posing after a battle from Metroid, by Nintendo. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the game's release.

6057h ago

zuchysdraws

@zuchysdraws.bsky.social

Today is METROID's 40th anniversary! Happy 40th anniversary to this amazing game, and especially to our beloved Samus Aran!! 😍🤩 #fanart #METROID

32210h ago

SonicHeroXD

@sonicheroxd.bsky.social

Happy 40th Anniversary to Metroid!

32411h ago

EFkyo (Commission Open)

@efkyo.bsky.social

Old fanart repost for Metroid's 40th. #metroid #pixelart

34316h ago

Harperハーパー 🐸 VTuber

@neonharper.bsky.social

Happy 40th Anniversary to one of the coolest franchises out there! Happy Birthday Metroid & Samus! 🎨 @dreadpunk.bsky.social #neonhart #oc #vsky #illustration #metroid

Harper dressed in cosplay as Samus Aran in her iconic zero suit outfit. Harper looks to fit in the suit fine but seems to be a little worried what others will think!

30916h ago

Mina Prime2

Peak artwork! Also, Happy Birthday to the Metroid Series!

Tyrfing | Crow Tengu VTuber 🐦‍⬛👺1

It's fiiine, the suit is working as intended

stupjam

@stupjam.bsky.social

metroid p4 sketches #metroid 40 years!

sammy the space bounty hunter just standing there looking normal (epic imo)

21013h ago

dille

@spacebeer.net

its all about you girl! on your series's 40th birthday! #metroid

Samus Aran at a bar celebrating Metroid's 40th anniversary, looking begrudgingly at a VERY drunk Mother Brain

21812h ago

Retro Brewz

@retrobrewz.bsky.social

Happy 40th Birthday to Metroid! 🪼 🪼 🪼 #Metroid #Samus #SamusAran

1977h ago

Soul Filing Cabinets1

If I had known that Metroid turns 40 years old today I would dug into my game exposition funds and bought a game. I will look around the marketplace tomorrow since it is the same day elsewhere around the world that it still counts and buy a Metroid itemor game.

The Muznick1

I've been doing runs of every 2d metroid to celebrate. Finished AM2R today.

GuilhermeRM_Art

@guirmart.bsky.social

Metroid 40th aniversary 🎂 I'll make a thread of my fan art from over the years. Here's 90s anime styles

13511h ago

corwin

@compasscult.bsky.social

Here’s an older piece to celebrate Metroid’s 40th anniversary! The sounds and songs from this game live in my head rent-free #Metroid #Samus

9213h ago

Stephen Maurice Graham

@smgdraws.bsky.social

Happy 40th birthday to Samus #metroid

6913h ago

Brian M

@legendofnerd.bsky.social

Happy 40th Metroid, I hope Samus gets to keep all her power-ups in the next game, as a treat

989h ago

AverageFanEnjoyer2

It would honestly be extremely interesting to see how a Metroid game would work out where everything is scaled to a “base level” Samus with relatively few meaningful unlockable powers. Metroid Prime games have always opened with Samus having a lot of base level abilities in their opening act.