Intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran took some time off after the events of Super Metroid, as Nintendo could not find a satisfactory way to bring her space-faring exploits to the N64. But, when it was finally time for Samus to return, Nintendo hired Retro Studios to develop Metroid Prime for the GameCube. It was unusual for Nintendo to license their property to other developers, but as games like Prime and The Minish Cap by Capcom have shown, the results tend to speak for themselves.