Fans Release ‘Metroid II’ Game That Took 8 Years To Make, Quickly Crushed By Nintendo

“The Metroid” series has lost some of its luster since the release of its second installment, which is why fans decided to create their own version of the game and release it for free. The fan version took eight years to make and they are releasing it for free, but Nintendo had no trouble brushing aside these facts as it issued a takedown notice to the makers.

The title of the fan-made game is called “Another Metroid 2 Remake or AM2R” and it was released to coincide with the 30-year anniversary of the franchise. The version is based on the Gameboy original “Metroid II: Return of Samus,” and it features a lot of upgrades, Ars Technica reports.

These upgrades include improved mechanics, which makes it easier to play for modern gamers, better artwork, enhanced soundtracks, and even new bosses. It’s basically a video game that was made by fans specifically for other fans to enjoy.

Unfortunately, the makers of the game were issued a DMCA takedown notice by Nintendo, MyNintendoNews reports. The announcement was made by “Metroid Database,” which Tweeted that they can no longer host the game on their website.

The good news is that the notice only applies to the host site of the makers, which means that it can be hosted elsewhere. Gamers will undoubtedly find other ways to get around the problem, as they always have, so the DMCA takedown move by Nintendo won’t likely mean much to those who really want the “AM2R.”

As TechSpot notes, however, the fan game still requires a lot of polish and improvements. Feedback from players should help a lot in giving the developers a better idea of which areas to focus on, but they will likely have to be more careful about their work in the future.