Super Metroid is a 1994 action-adventure game for the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom. It was made by Nintendo and Intelligent Systems. It is the third game in the Metroid series, coming after Metroid II on the Game Boy.
Like many SNES games, Super Metroid takes the ideas from the original NES Metroid and improves them to better match what the devs wanted from the start. It also adds much better graphics. Because of this, many fans see Super Metroid as the definitive Metroid game, and it is loved and praised by a lot of retro gamers.
The Story
Fight a huge group of Space Pirates and a new group of Metroids as you explore the hidden world beneath the cavernous Planet Zebes! You control armored special soldier Samus who must find and save the last surviving Metroid baby before evil forces use its power for destruction.
Dangerous alien creatures wait around every corner of Zebes’ dark and twisting tunnels. Use Samus’ moves, like her spinning jump attack and her ability to swing across gaps with an electric beam, to get through tough areas.
Samus is strong, but there is a bigger threat ahead and it looks like the alien Mother Brain has returned.
The Graphics and Sound
The gameS had great graphics for its time, and shows that well. It is one of the better-looking games on the system. While it is not as flashy as Donkey Kong Country, it still has plenty of nice visuals. Every area on Planet Zebes has its own style, and some boss battles feel even more epic because of the strong graphics.
The map and equipment screens are clear and easy to use, and the top of the screen gives you all the important info you need in a simple, easy-to-read way.
The best part of the game is definitely the sound. Here, many of the music tracks used in Metroid later games actually came from this game. The music is excellent and really sets the mood for each area of planet Zebes. The boss themes are also great especially. If you have surround sound, it sounds even better. Turn up the volume when you play, because both the music and sound effects are atmospheric.
The Gameplay
Gameplay is where it shines and Super Metroid does it amazingly well. It mixes classic side-scrolling shooting with lots of puzzles and challenges that make you stop and think. You are always figuring out how to escape a room, reach a new power-up, or fight an enemy or boss in a smart way. For its time, the game was also pretty long and most people need about 8 hours or more to finish it, which was a lot back then. It is definitely worth the price because it lasts and stays fun for many hours.
What makes the Metroid games so enjoyable is the thinking part. Fighting enemies and blowing things up is kinda fun, but solving puzzles and using your abilities cleverly is what really makes this one stand out from other 2D action games.
The replay value is decent. The only downside is that because the game is fairly long, you probably do not want to replay it right away after finishing it. Some players enjoy trying to beat it faster, and the ending actually changes slightly depending on your completion time, which is a cool bonus. The game also shows you what percentage of items you collected. It does not affect the ending, but some people will enjoy trying to find all 100 power-ups scattered throughout the game.
My Verdict
What else is there to say? Super Metroid is an excellent game, and it still plays great even today. If you are a Metroid fan, you should definitely play this one. And if you have never tried a Metroid game but want something that mixes action with real thinking and problem-solving, Super Metroid is the perfect choice. Well done and Hooray for Nintendo...
Play it on the immeasurable Super Nintendo/Super Famicom or play it on a fantastic emulator.
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