Nintendo’s 'Metroid Dread' is primed to be breakout success

Reviews have been stellar for the new game, which has an 88 out of 100 on the critic aggregation website Metacritic. — Screengrab from YouTube

Nintendo Co's video game library is full of universally recognisable stars like Mario, Zelda and Pikachu. Now, the enigmatic bounty hunter Samus Aran has a chance to join the party and vault her under-appreciated Metroid series to success.

On Friday, the Japanese game publisher will release Metroid Dread, the first proper new entry in the sci-fi series since 2010, not counting a remake and multiplayer spinoff. Metroid fans have been eagerly anticipating the new game, which takes place on a planet full of menacing aliens and robots. Many of those fans hope this will be the breakout hit that leads to more support for the franchise.