Ridley (Metroid)
Often considered one of the most memorable Nintendo villains, Ridley has been a mainstay of the series, having appeared (through various incarnations) in almost every "Metroid" game to date (all but "", "Metroid Prime Hunters" and ""). He has also appeared in the "Super Smash Bros." series, however, he had not been made a playable character until "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate" in 2018, making it also the first game overall to have Ridley as a playable character.
Characters in the Metroid series
is a gigantic dinosaur-like beast and a member of the Space Pirate's High Command. His most prominent feature is his grotesquely oversized belly. First appearing in the original "Metroid", he is the first part of the mini-boss duo along with Ridley. In "Super Metroid" he appears in his giant form, two screens tall and almost a screen wide. "Metroid: Zero Mission" retconned his size and appearance, showing he did not grow between games. He was also slated to appear in "Metroid Prime" as a boss in the Phazon Mines, with a metal dome covering his head and blue Phazon veins on his belly, but was removed due to time constraints. Kraid also makes an appearance in the background of the Brinstar Depths stage in "Super Smash Bros. Melee" and "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate" where he periodically slashes and rotates the stage.