# Y Cant Metroid Crawl > Y Cant Metroid Crawl is a 2013 Miiverse screenshot meme from PaulyU, who misidentified protagonist Samus as "Metroid" and failed to discover Super Metroid's Morph Ball ability. "Y Can't Metroid Crawl" is a gaming catchphrase meme originating from a Miiverse post by user PaulyU on May 16, 2013, while playing Super Metroid on the Wii U Virtual Console. The post became an instant joke across gaming communities because PaulyU both failed to discover the Morph Ball ability and referred to protagonist Samus Aran as "Metroid." Nintendo later acknowledged the phrase directly, and it was referenced in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. ## Origin On May 16, 2013, Miiverse user PaulyU posted the comment "Y Can't Metroid Crawl?" with a screenshot of Samus standing before a narrow passage in Super Metroid[3]. The game had recently been released on the Wii U Virtual Console, bringing it to a new generation of players who had never experienced the 1994 SNES classic. PaulyU had missed the Morph Ball power-up early in the game and couldn't figure out how to get through the corridor. His phrasing, which mistakenly called Samus "Metroid," was pitch-perfect for internet mockery[1]. - **Platform:** Miiverse (original post), NeoGAF / Reddit (viral spread) - **Creator:** PaulyU (original Miiverse poster) - **Date:** 2013 ## Overview "Y Can't Metroid Crawl?" is a screenshot of a Miiverse comment posted alongside a still from Super Metroid showing Samus standing in front of a low passageway. The joke works on two levels: PaulyU skipped the Morph Ball power-up (which lets Samus roll into a ball to fit through tight spaces) and then called the character "Metroid" instead of Samus, a classic marker of someone unfamiliar with the franchise[1]. The phrase became shorthand in gaming circles for clueless newcomers struggling with basic game mechanics. ## How It Spread The post went viral almost immediately. By May 17, 2013, threads appeared on NeoGAF and Reddit collecting PaulyU's comment alongside screenshots of other first-time players struggling with Super Metroid on Miiverse[2]. The NeoGAF thread compiled a collage of confused newcomers, with PaulyU's post as the crown jewel[3]. On May 28, 2013, Kotaku reported that PaulyU had actually finished Super Metroid, documenting the journey through his other Miiverse comments. One standout moment came near the end of the game when an actual Metroid creature appears, prompting PaulyU to write "Jellyfish is helping yes"[3]. The original Miiverse post picked up over 3,000 "Yeahs" (Miiverse's equivalent of likes) by September 2015[3]. On April 28, 2014, Nintendo's official Twitter account acknowledged the phrase with a joke referencing it[3]. Then on October 3, 2014, Twitter user @Electivirus spotted what appeared to be a direct reference to the meme inside Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, where a tip screen seemed to address the question of why Samus can't crawl[1]. The implied answer: because she doesn't need to, she has the Morph Ball[1]. The Miiverse service was shut down by Nintendo in November 2017, and PaulyU's original post was lost along with it. But screenshots had been saved and shared widely enough that the phrase lived on well beyond the platform's closure. ## How to Use "Y Can't Metroid Crawl" is typically deployed in a few ways: - **Calling out gaming inexperience:** When someone struggles with a basic mechanic or calls a character by the wrong name, dropping the phrase signals they're pulling a PaulyU. - **Metroid community in-joke:** Fans use it as a greeting or rallying cry, often paired with other PaulyU quotes like "Jellyfish is helping yes." - **Format template:** Some users post similar confused questions about other games in PaulyU's style, like "Y can't Zelda use sword" or "Y can't Halo shoot." The humor works best when the question reveals both ignorance of the game and a fundamental misunderstanding of the character, mirroring the double punch of PaulyU's original post. ## Cultural Impact Nintendo's direct acknowledgment of the meme in both an official tweet and an apparent in-game reference in Super Smash Bros. gave "Y Can't Metroid Crawl" unusual legitimacy for a meme born from making fun of a player[1]. It's one of the few cases where a game company leaned into fan mockery of its own audience. The phrase also became a touchstone for discussions about retro game difficulty and the gap between classic game design (where the game expects you to explore and figure things out) and modern hand-holding tutorials[2]. Engadget covered the Smash Bros. reference, noting that the original phrasing "was pretty much perfect" for instant meme status[1]. The meme also fed into broader conversations about the Miiverse as a goldmine for unintentional comedy, a reputation that only grew before the service's shutdown. ## Fun Facts - PaulyU actually beat Super Metroid despite his rocky start, with Kotaku documenting his full playthrough via Miiverse comments[3]. - The Miiverse post got over 3,000 "Yeahs" before the service shut down in November 2017[3]. - Calling Samus "Metroid" is one of gaming's oldest pet peeves, similar to calling Link "Zelda," which made PaulyU's phrasing hit even harder. - Nintendo's Smash Bros. reference was spotted by @Electivirus on Twitter on October 3, 2014, roughly 17 months after the original post[1]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is "Y Can't Metroid Crawl"? It's a catchphrase meme from a May 2013 Miiverse post by user PaulyU, who was confused about how to navigate a narrow passage in Super Metroid and mistakenly called protagonist Samus "Metroid"[3]. ### Where did "Y Can't Metroid Crawl" come from? PaulyU posted it on Miiverse on May 16, 2013, while playing Super Metroid on the Wii U Virtual Console. It spread to NeoGAF and Reddit within a day[2]. ### What does "Y Can't Metroid Crawl" mean? PaulyU was asking why his character couldn't fit through a low passageway. The answer is the Morph Ball power-up, which he had skipped. The meme pokes fun at both his confusion and calling Samus "Metroid"[1]. ### How do you use "Y Can't Metroid Crawl"? It's used to joke about gaming inexperience, especially when someone misses an obvious mechanic or calls a character by the wrong name. Fans also riff on the format with other games[3]. ### Is "Y Can't Metroid Crawl" still popular? The meme is a recognized classic in gaming communities, though the original Miiverse post was lost when Nintendo shut down the service in 2017. It still surfaces in Metroid fan discussions[3]. ### Did PaulyU ever beat Super Metroid? Yes. Kotaku reported on May 28, 2013, that PaulyU finished the game, documenting his journey through additional Miiverse comments including the memorable "Jellyfish is helping yes"[3]. ### Did Nintendo acknowledge the meme? Nintendo tweeted a joke referencing the phrase on April 28, 2014, and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS included what appeared to be a direct nod to it in a tip screen[1]. ### What is the Morph Ball? The Morph Ball is an ability in the Metroid series that lets Samus curl into a ball to roll through narrow passages. PaulyU skipped picking it up, which caused his confusion[1]. ### Why is calling Samus "Metroid" funny? Samus Aran is the protagonist of the Metroid series, while Metroids are the alien creatures in the game. Mixing them up is a classic sign of unfamiliarity with the franchise, like calling Link "Zelda"[3]. ## References 1. ["y cant metroid crawl?" first time (Miiverse) players cry for help in Super Metroid | NeoGAF]() 2. ['Y can't Metroid crawl?' Smash Bros. has the answer]() 3. [Y Can't Metroid Crawl - Know Your Meme]() 4. [Glossary of video game terms]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/y-cant-metroid-crawl Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library