After nine games, thirteen million sales and endless waves of enemies sent to monster heaven, this much we know about Samus Aran: she's used to being alone. Maybe that's why nobody's heard Samus speak a single word in over two decades of free-form pirate extermination. Her text dialogue rarely gives much away, either. Even her gender was kept secret throughout the first game, backed by an instruction booklet that told his backstory. Years later, we'd learn she's an orphan ...  Full Biography

Hero Showdown: Master Chief vs. Samus Aran - September 26, 2007 Features
Here at the newly-formed IGN Stars, we like to pose the kind of questions that you and your friends are already arguing about and open them up to the world for resolution once and for all. In the world of videogames, there is nothing more polarizing than console loyalty… and that extends to mascots. In the realm of sci-fi shooters, there are no bigger players than Metroid's Samus and this week's biggest star, Master Chief. Both have tenacity, both have proved themselves in the sales arena, both have withstood the test of time. Both are set up as shining examples of the companies they represent: Chief for Microsoft and Samus for Nintendo.