Metroid is an action-adventure game franchise created by Nintendo. The player controls the bounty hunter Samus Aran, who protects the galaxy from Space Pirates and their attempts to harness the power of the parasitic Metroid creatures. Metroid combines the platforming of Super Mario Bros. and the exploration of The Legend of Zelda with a science fiction setting and an emphasis on nonlinear gameplay. Metroid games are mostly presented as either side-scrolling or from a first-person perspective. Players battle hostile alien enemies and obtain power-ups as they progress through the game world, with few non-player characters.