Zero Suit Samus has a great character model

[Matthew Jabour]

So recently, Zero Suit Samus' new design has left the internet in a tizzy, particularly the new high heels. Now, this is, of course, an Internet Flash Firestorm, which will probably be forgotten in a week, but I've nothing better to do today and might as well get myself sucked in.

First of all, people are complaining that the character has now been 'too sexualized.' This is, in fact, stupid, since Samus has been sexualized in almost every game she's been in. For every 2D game, the faster you complete the game, the more undressed she is in the ending cinematic. Hell, she was even guilty of this in Brawl. Think about the first scene you see her in - dropping down from some air vent, the camera panning over her backside before we even see her face. My non-Nintendo cousins saw this and immediately started laughing at my attempts to explain, no really, she's a badass. So I fail to see how this is any worse.

Secondly, the heels really aren't that sexy. They're big, clunky, and look like a utilitarian piece of gear. Which they are. I remember hearing someone say that if you have rocket boots, a high heel makes sense, since you need a tube for the flames to shoot down. That may not have been the reasoning the designers had, but the point remains that the shoes seem like a standard powerup. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if they end up in the next Metroid game.

Third - and I don't see a lot of people making this point - this new Zero Suit Samus is a really good character model. I'm serious, the design improves on a lot of flaws from Brawl. For example, in Brawl, the Zero suit looked just like it had in Zero Mission, its inception - an undergarment, something you wear so the Power suit doesn't get all sweaty. However, this begs the question of why you would wear such an armor into battle, as you only use it in Zero Mission when you have no other choice. The new Zero Suit looks a lot more functional, with the jet boots offering a strong offensive (no pun intended) capability. Also, the suit itself has a more intricate design, with multiple different colors to give the impression that it might actually be something you could wear in situations other than near total incapacitation. Aesthetically, it's a very streamlined design with a unique appeal. I thought the same thing with Rosalina as I thought here - it's a shame Nintendo doesn't make many new character designs, they're really good at it.

Well, that's all I have to say about the matter. I look forward to being told the 1,009 ways I'm wrong and a terrible person by this afternoon.

P.S. Some people are saying that they made Samus' boobs bigger. I didn't really notice. And you did. What does that say?

 

[Erttheking]

Snip

First of all, while that is technically true, some context is needed. The last 2d Metroid game to come out was Zero Mission, and it came out in 2004. A decade ago, and even then it was a remake of the classic metroid, so people didn't consider it that different. I think the game that a lot of people have fond memories of and think of when they talk about Metroid is the Metroid Prime Trilogy, which had its last game released in 2007 and had a release in 2009. Not only is it the most recent Metroid, but it's one of the most well loved ones too, with it being called incredibly atmospheric, having interesting stories, and fun gameplay. And there was next to no sexualization of Samus in them. In the first Prime, beating 75% (forget the exact number) got you Samus with her helmet off. Second and third games got you in the Zero suit, but both were hardly sexualized as she was fully dressed, and the third was actually a tragic moment because she was remembering her fallen comrades. So most people probably think of those games for how they want Samus to be portrayed. It didn't help that Other M came out right after and made people very passionate about it. In other words, yes she used to be sexualized, but we moved past that. Now we're falling back into old habits.

I seem to recall the double jump managing to propel Samus through the air without having to resort to impractical heels. And that's the reason people hate the heels, they're stupid, impractical, and serve no purpose other than fan service. You may not find them sexy, but the intent with high heels is pretty obvious.

Because in Brawl you start off as regular Samus and only use her Zero Suit after you use her final Smash, a massively powerful beam that overloaded her armor. In fact, Zero Suit Samus' final smash is simply putting the suit back on, implying that that is a massive improvement. No, it is not more functional. Why? Because it asks the wearier to run around a battlefield in high heels. That is much easier said than done. I will hand it to you that aside from the heels I do like the overall look of the suit better though. It just looks cooler. The heels are kind of a deal breaker for me though.

Don't be like that.

That they were looking more closely than you. In fact, what is that even supposed to mean?

 

[go-10]

the new boots look cool, the suit looks leaner and meaner, the character model looks really cool. Honestly this is the best the Zero Suit has ever looked! My only gripe with it is she looks WAY too much like Bayonetta :/

 

[Matthew Jabour]

Snip

First of all, while that is technically true, some context is needed. The last 2d Metroid game to come out was Zero Mission, and it came out in 2004. A decade ago, and even then it was a remake of the classic metroid, so people didn't consider it that different. I think the game that a lot of people have fond memories of and think of when they talk about Metroid is the Metroid Prime Trilogy, which had its last game released in 2007 and had a release in 2009. Not only is it the most recent Metroid, but it's one of the most well loved ones too, with it being called incredibly atmospheric, having interesting stories, and fun gameplay. And there was next to no sexualization of Samus in them. In the first Prime, beating 75% (forget the exact number) got you Samus with her helmet off. Second and third games got you in the Zero suit, but both were hardly sexualized as she was fully dressed, and the third was actually a tragic moment because she was remembering her fallen comrades. So most people probably think of those games for how they want Samus to be portrayed. It didn't help that Other M came out right after and made people very passionate about it. In other words, yes she used to be sexualized, but we moved past that. Now we're falling back into old habits.

You can tell me what your childhood was like, but don't tell me how everyone's was. In MY childhood, Zero Mission and Brawl were the two games with Samus that I played. Both featured the Zero Suit to a great extent. Also, your paragraph has several fallacies. How is the Metroid Prime trilogy the most recent Metroid game? Are we just ignoring Other M (which, incidentally, also sexualized Samus to an insane degree)?

I seem to recall the double jump managing to propel Samus through the air without having to resort to impractical heels. And that's the reason people hate the heels, they're stupid, impractical, and serve no purpose other than fan service. You may not find them sexy, but the intent with high heels is pretty obvious.

To give Zero Suit Samus some kind of offensive strength?
In Brawl, ZSS was one of the weakest characters. Simply put, she had no strengths. No unique weapons, either, apart from that slow-ass whip. Obviously, they decided to give her something to fight with in this game. It's a fighting game, what else could they have given her? Action Sneakers? Power Clogs? Or maybe a couple of Cestus, like Kratos? All of those would have looked stupid. Face it, the heels are the only things that actually made any amount of sense.

Because in Brawl you start off as regular Samus and only use her Zero Suit after you use her final Smash, a massively powerful beam that overloaded her armor. In fact, Zero Suit Samus' final smash is simply putting the suit back on, implying that that is a massive improvement. No, it is not more functional. Why? Because it asks the wearier to run around a battlefield in high heels. That is much easier said than done. I will hand it to you that aside from the heels I do like the overall look of the suit better though. It just looks cooler. The heels are kind of a deal breaker for me though.

You know the heels don't actually affect how she moves, right? If you're going to start judging how characters should move based on their models, then Olimar should be the slowest character in the game due to his stubby little legs. Plus, wouldn't it be a little ridiculous for a fat Italian plumber to be able to make a second jump in midair? I think you see my point.

 

[Erttheking]

Snip

I didn't mean to imply that, I even said that Other M came out after the Prime Trilogy, which is why people hated it so much. My wording there was poor, but it doesn't help that a lot of people don't consider Other M to be a "Real" Metroid game. Not to mention it sounds like your perspective is implying that you've only played a few of the Metroid games, meaning you only have limited experience with the character.

Pardon me, but when I think of offensive strength, I think of weapons or some sort of spiked body armor. Not frakking high heels. Which fit in with the concept of her being depowered and losing her suit. And while I am on board with the idea of Zero Suit Samus being more powerful...heels? How about the boots to her power armor? What's wrong with that? Haloid did that, even had her use them as rockets, and it was pretty awesome. Someone even did a concept art of it that's pretty cool.

Spoiler

http://th01.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2014/100/0/5/zero_suit_samus_minus_stupid_heels_by_gx3rcomics-d7dxo38.jpg

I'm sorry, I don't see how having Samus being aerodynamic requires her to have heels. And no, heels make so fraking sense whatsoever. She wears that suit under the power armor, how the hell do they fit into the boots of the power armor?

Put on a pair of high heels. Try walking around in them. Now try running. Easier said than done. You know why Mario and Olimar don't bother me? Because Mario and Olimar maintain internal consistency. The two of them are goofy characters from goofy worlds. Samus is a serious character from a serious world. High heels do not match her character, and do not fit with the overall serious tone she brings to the party. I'm not asking for realism, I'm asking for consistency. Rosalina has high heels and I don't care because they're fitting for her. They're not fitting for Samus because they make no sense regarding her character.

 

[Lieju]

Think about the first scene you see her in - dropping down from some air vent, the camera panning over her backside before we even see her face. My non-Nintendo cousins saw this and immediately started laughing at my attempts to explain, no really, she's a badass. So I fail to see how this is any worse.

So, even if we assume she has been sexualised in all the games (which isn't true, and it's not like the 2D sprite of her you see in the end is particularly detailed.) how does it make it okay to keep doing it?

By your own admission, she is depicted in a way that doesn't make her look badass. Why is it okay to keep doing that?

Secondly, the heels really aren't that sexy. They're big, clunky, and look like a utilitarian piece of gear. Which they are. I remember hearing someone say that if you have rocket boots, a high heel makes sense, since you need a tube for the flames to shoot down. That may not have been the reasoning the designers had, but the point remains that the shoes seem like a standard powerup. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if they end up in the next Metroid game.

I don't care if they aren't there to be sexy (debatable). They just look silly to me.

Third - and I don't see a lot of people making this point - this new Zero Suit Samus is a really good character model.

I hate it. The way she is depicted without her armor in general.
Does she look like someone who has been through countless battles and hardships?

I know I cannot expect her to be depicted looking interesting and non-traditionally sexy, (with some muscle, maybe scarring etc) but I would have preferred her just wearing her armor then.

 

[endtherapture]

This thread needs pictures for reference.

What is the suit in question? I wanna see it before I can judge the sexualisation of it.

 

[shrekfan246]

In MY childhood, Zero Mission and Brawl were the two games with Samus that I played.

Wow. Thanks for making me feel old, man.

Are we just ignoring Other M (which, incidentally, also sexualized Samus to an insane degree)?

It'd probably be for the best if we did, to be honest.

To give Zero Suit Samus some kind of offensive strength?
In Brawl, ZSS was one of the weakest characters. Simply put, she had no strengths. No unique weapons, either, apart from that slow-ass whip. Obviously, they decided to give her something to fight with in this game. It's a fighting game, what else could they have given her? Action Sneakers? Power Clogs? Or maybe a couple of Cestus, like Kratos? All of those would have looked stupid. Face it, the heels are the only things that actually made any amount of sense.

Er... how often does Samus kick? And didn't she have a gun? I could be misremembering since it's been years since I played Brawl, but I'm pretty sure she did. Either way, a gun still would've been more practical and more logical for the character than a weird pair of high-heeled boots that simply look gaudy and silly.

 

[Zhukov]

Obviously, they decided to give her something to fight with in this game. It's a fighting game, what else could they have given her? Action Sneakers? Power Clogs? Or maybe a couple of Cestus, like Kratos? All of those would have looked stupid. Face it, the heels are the only things that actually made any amount of sense.

This bit made me laugh.

"Sneakers, clogs, boots? No, God no, those would be ridiculous in a fighting game! But high heels? Now those make sense!"

Personally, I am of the opinion that any character model trying to match that yellow with that blue will never be found in the same room as "great".

 

[Asita]

Secondly, the heels really aren't that sexy. They're big, clunky, and look like a utilitarian piece of gear. Which they are. I remember hearing someone say that if you have rocket boots, a high heel makes sense, since you need a tube for the flames to shoot down. That may not have been the reasoning the designers had, but the point remains that the shoes seem like a standard powerup. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if they end up in the next Metroid game.

Then, to be frank, whoever told you this was justifying rather than truly appraising it. Let's boil this down, shall we?

First of all, heels are not practical. Ever. Aside from creating certain balance issues, the sheer comfortlessness of them is well represented at pretty much any get together where women wear them by virtue of how quickly they are abandoned when those women are at rest. Similarly, even walking in high heels is a learned skill dependent in no small part on good posture (read: Stand straight up) and taking small steps, neither of which are exactly conducive to a battle environment, much less agile characters like Zero Suit Samus. Worse still, the boots were very clearly designed with an overriding feminine aesthetic in mind. Were Samus a male character I can pretty much guarantee that the heel design would not even have been considered in any serious sense, much less make it to the final cut (for much the same reasons listed above), and even if they did suggest a need for an elevated heel, there almost certainly wouldn't be that gap between it and the ball of the foot. Truth be told, we'd most likely be looking at something like this. When you get down to brass tacks those jet heels are designed for form rather than function, and that's a bad design choice for this character.

 

[mitchell271]

This thread needs pictures for reference.

What is the suit in question? I wanna see it before I can judge the sexualisation of it.

 

[endtherapture]

This thread needs pictures for reference.

What is the suit in question? I wanna see it before I can judge the sexualisation of it.

They went a little overboard with the sexualization. Seems like they forgot that people already liked Samus for what she was, a badass space bounty hunter that just happens to be a woman.[/quote]

Meh, it's not that bad, the game has a anime style anyway? She's just a girl in figure the only stupid thing is the high heel shoes.

 

[COMaestro]

I agree that the overall model of ZSS is really good. It looks like something a person could effectively wear and fight in. However, the heels REALLY need to go. The color contrast alone is horrible and as nearly everyone above has said, they just aren't practical to run/fight in. To be fair, they look to give a lot of ankle support, so if she loses her balance she shouldn't break or sprain an ankle...

Boots like the concept art posted above would have been much more true to the character and, frankly, look better to me.

 

[KarmaTheAlligator]

the only stupid thing is the high heel shoes.

Which is exactly what people are arguing about. They look seriously out of place and ridiculous on a character like her.

 

[endtherapture]

the only stupid thing is the high heel shoes.

Which is exactly what people are arguing about. They look seriously out of place and ridiculous on a character like her.

It's hardly "highly sexualised" though. I was expecting Dragon's Crown levels of ridiculous. They're not even stilettos, more like just chunky heels which some girls find pretty comfortable and empowering.

 

[Worgen]

Her boots are stupid, it would be ungainly to walk in those things and they make her legs look deformed. She still has normal height so it doesn't look like shes wearing high heels, it just looks like shes got really weirdly short legs.

 

[Grumman]

Those heels look horrible. The Zero Suit makes sense as an item of clothing, even if it's only ever meant to be worn under other clothing or armour. Those heels, though? They don't look good, they don't make sense, they're not even sexy.

 

[TaboriHK]

I think the heels look cool, I don't care how useful they'd actually be, and I miss the green hair.

 

[JagermanXcell]

The Zero Suit itself I don't mind, at least back then the artist(s) who drew it right from the start said NO HEELS, NO. DON'T EVEN EVER NEVER.
(Untill Other: M happened, but that's a topic for another forum...)

The heels here... look stupid and out of place. If they wanted big cartoony heels they might as well just put Bayonetta in the game, she can rock anything goofy. Here they might as well replace Samus' hands with Socker Boppers to balance out the equally dumb heels.

It's at this point Nintendo is just refusing to throw Other M under the rug, so they decided to throw Other M in there some how via atrocious footwear. And hopefully atrocious footwear is all we get from this character.
Worse case scenario: her Final Smash involves Adam.

 

[Olas]

I guess I'm going to be the voice of dissent here and say that the new shoes look fine. Perhaps not the best design decision that's ever been made for Samus, but still fine. They look more sporty than dainty, almost like a pair of roller-skates, and give her Zero Suit design more decoration than just blue on blue.

As for functionality? I think that was already out the window when her zero suit was first introduced. Without her Varia Suit she shouldn't have even a fraction of her typical protections or abilities, not to mention her long wavy hair is probably at least equally impractical in combat. Compared to all that, having high heels, especially ones that appear to be mechanized in some way, doesn't seem quite so stupid.

As for people complaining about the yellow contrasting with the blue of her suit: Seriously? Besides the fact that contrasting colors can actually look really good, and the fact that Samus herself has no reason to care about how she looks anyway, her hair is already yellow. Yellow and blue were already the two colors of Zero Suit Samus (with a little red) so why is adding a little more yellow so glaring?