Nintendo Fun Club News

Nintendo Fun Club News was a short-lived newsletter marketed by Nintendo of America. It was offered to members of the Nintendo Fun Club, which was free to join. Nintendo Fun Club News was a periodical discussing popular released and upcoming games, offering news, strategies and comics. It started in early 1987 and ran until July 1988, when it was discontinued in favor of the Nintendo Power magazine, which was distributed through paid subscriptions.

The first four issues were delivered quarterly starting in December 1987, with the final three issues releasing bimonthly. As with Nintendo of America, Nintendo Fun Club News was headquartered in Redmond, Washington.

Metroid-related content
The Nintendo Fun Club News has some Metroid-related content, particularly of the first game, which was the only Metroid title out at the time of the newsletter's run. Metroid is covered on pages 4 and 5 of the Fall 1987 issue, the latter page showing images relating to the game.

A Metroid Art Contest was run in the fan club, and over 3,700 people entered. Ultimately, only five people won, with two of them tied in fourth place. The drawings and winners were shown in the April/May 1988 issue:


 * First - Jeremy Gregory of Snohomish, Washington. Gregory drew Samus in the acid pool of Kraid's room with Kraid himself above her, firing two of his projectiles, and the Metroid logo positioned vertically to the left.
 * Second - Sylvester Island of Chicago, Illinois. Island drew Samus in a purple Power Suit with blue shoulders, battling Metroid larvae in Tourian. Samus would receive a purple-colored suit in subsequent games of the series.
 * Third - Zak Kristling of Mill Valley, California. Kristling drew a highly stylized, shouting Samus with a pointy Arm Cannon and spiky hair, with a Metroid beside her.
 * Tied fourth - Scott Clark of Crestwood, Kentucky. He drew Samus as depicted in the "fair" ending of Metroid (earned by completing the game with a clear time of between three and five hours), with her face partly obscured.
 * Tied fourth - Tommy Jones of Sapulpa (misspelled as Sapula), Oklahoma. His drawing depicts Samus firing, with her appearance closely resembling both her in-game sprite. It is identical to a for the game.