Why Myles Mackenzie Might Actually Be Exactly What Metroid Needs
When Myles Mackenzie first showed up in the Metroid Prime 4: Beyond previews, my brain did exactly what every lifelong Metroid fan’s brain did:
“Wait. A chatty NPC? In Prime? What are we doing here?”
And as a life long fan of the world famous bounty hunter; our Glorious Queen Samas Aran, I instantly had the same thoughts. Metroid has always hit hardest when it drops you truly alone on a hostile planet with nothing but your wits, your cannon, isolated trying to find your way out. That sense of isolation is practically a second protagonist.
So yeah, I get the concern.
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| Mackenzie - GB Pixel Art from Metroid Prime 4 Beyond #1 |
Mackenzie is actually a step in the right direction for the Metroid prime series and here is why...
The Shadow of Other M (A.K.A. Where the Fear Comes From)
Before we talk about what Mackenzie adds, we have to talk about where the fear of NPCs comes from.
The last time Samus had a little squad of Federation Force helpers was Metroid: Other M — the only Metroid game I still haven’t played, which I think says everything you need to know.
The community didn’t exactly embrace Other M.
Players hated the overly hands-on narrative, the lack luster voice acting, and especially the way Samus’ abilities were locked behind whatever the Federation felt was “appropriate.” Instead of the classic bonk-your-head-on-the-ship-door-and-lose-every-power-up trope, instead we got “permission system”; our heroine's abilities gated by the federation giving her permission to use her tools when they thought appropriate.
And then there was Samus’ portrayal — the infamous PTSD freeze during Ridley’s appearance. For a character defined by resilience, confidence, and sheer force of will, it felt wildly out of character.
One… highlight (if we can call it that) was the reintroduction of Adam Malkovich. First introduced in Fusion, this marked the only time outside of the Chozo... and "the baby" a positive character returned in the franchise. Of course this time in Metroid: Other M it was Adam only to spend the whole game deciding when Samus was allowed to use missiles.
But we’ll come back to Adam soon — he actually matters to this argument.
So yes, like many of you Other M was the first thing I thought of. The minute Mackenzie opened his mouth in the trailer, we in the fandom collectively whispered: “Oh no… not again.”
But lets take a step back.
“It’s About to Get Real Nerdy in Here…”
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| Mackenzie - GB Pixel Art from Metroid Prime 4 Beyond #1 |
This was the last (and fastest) of the three pieces I made.
I started sketching it after seeing all the memes forming around Mackenzie. The guy radiates “Nintendo meme” energy. They're going to spawn generational of meme from him, and this line absolutely feels like one of them. Maybe he'll be the Anti-Nintendo mascot of the December?
Metroid Has a Problem Nintendo Has Been Trying to Solve
We love Metroid. We are all-in, obsessed, devoted. (Or else you'd have skipped this line)
But in the grand Nintendo pantheon, Samus has always been overshadowed by her big brothers — Link and Mario.
Even with critical acclaim, brilliant design, and a rabid fan base, Metroid has underperformed sales-wise. In fact it wasn't until Metroid Dread the series has lived up to the expectation of fans and Nintendo.
But lets explore why this game see has an active core but fails to reach the masses.
1. High execution ceiling
Bomb jumping, scanning for weak points, backtracking through mazes… it’s amazing when you’re experienced, but completely overwhelming for newcomers a best, or not worth the effort at worst.
2. Few memorable recurring characters
Mario has Bowser, Peach, Toads.
Zelda has Zelda, Ganon, Impa, Midna, and Wild's Breath of village NPCs. (see what I did there?)
Metroid mostly has… Samus, the titular Metroid.
And if we’re being generous, Ridley...
It’s the best loner franchise in gaming — but loneliness doesn’t create mascots, merch, or mainstream appeal. It won't keep Samus alive, or at least not with a Triple A budget.
And this is where Mackenzie comes in.
I like his design!
I based this one on a screenshot from the trailer. I love his design — especially the side-mounted “goggle-ears.” They create such a unique silhouette.
What does it look like he’s saying here?
How Mackenzie and the Crew Solve Metroid’s Problems
Mackenzie as an approachable guide
In Fury Green, Mackenzie feels like he’ll serve as a guide character — something Metroid has never really had. For newcomers trying 3D Metroid for the first time, that’s huge.
Think about other adventure games:
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Zelda has Navi, Midna, Fi.
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Banjo has Kazooie.
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Mario has Cappy, F.L.U.D.D.
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Donkey Kong even has Pauline now!
Metroid has always resisted this because it cherishes isolation.
But I believe if Prime 4 wants to break records and reach wider audiences, taking advantage of guide characters will really help pull this from a niche fandom to a household name.
Characters add life to the world
NPCs give players something to fight for — not just fight through. A few familiar faces can make a hostile world feel more grounded and more emotionally sticky. They give voice to the world and will make it feel that much more lived in and tangible.
And let’s be real:
Nintendo will absolutely give one of these characters a tiny, cute, weird alien creature pet that is this close to being marketable plush-material.
Metroid might finally get its own emotional hook — its own Zelda or Peach; something personal, immediate, and lovable to protect.
Mackenzie and his team can do that.
Myles "Memes" MacKenzie
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| MacKenzie - GB Pixel Art from Metroid Prime 4 Beyond #3 |
This one took forever — it’s the Mackenzie sprite everyone’s been sharing online. I made it in real Game Boy proportions. Purists might quibble about tile counts, but honestly? It was a blast working within those extreme limitations.
I can hear him saying, “Samus, look out behind you!”
Final Thoughts
If the worst Mackenzie brings to Prime 4 is a few cheesy quips, we’re honestly in a good spot.
Navi is widely ranked as one of the most annoying characters in gaming history, and Ocarina of Time is still considered one of the greatest games ever made. (Pun 100% intended.)
We won’t know what we really think about Mackenzie until we play the game ourselves, but I want to leave you with this:
Metroid Fusion.
Remember how earlier I mentioned Adam Malkovich? In Fusion, he was our AI guide; cold, clinical, and frustrating. But as the story unfolded, we started bonding with him… only to find out that he was literally built from the mind of Samus’ former commander; Adam.
It felt... Human. I think Adam's voice really made Metroid Fusion a much much better game.
That’s what good NPC integration can look like in Metroid.
Not intrusive, or annoying, but meaningful and memorable.
If Retro Studios is willing to introduce new characters like Mackenzie, it tells me something important:
They’re thinking deeply about what Prime 4 needs to succeed.
They’re building not just a world, but a cast.
They want this game to reach players who’ve never touched a Metroid before.
And honestly?
As much as I adore Samus; those cold isolated planets is one of the reasons I got into game design; I want her universe to grow, evolve, and win on more than just my screen.
Myles Mackenzie might just be one piece of the pie that makes that happen.
Enjoy the Art? Check Out My Game, Your Class Rep
If you enjoyed the Mackenzie pieces sprinkled throughout this article, you might also like the game I’m working on: Your Class Rep it's a middle-school election card game full of hand stippled pixel art, that's easy to play and fun to master.
It’s been a passion project for a while now, and I’m sharing progress, behind-the-scenes art, and development updates all the time. If you want to follow along, join the community, or just yell at me about how wrong my Metroid opinions are:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/lessthanpi
Discord: https://discord.gg/mZXwqtUXw4
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lessthanpi_art/
Come hang out — I post new art, devlogs, and Mackenzie Memes.
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