The remake of the original Metroid is as compelling as it was when it was first released. A must-have for any GBA owner!
The story is pretty basic, as is the case with most of the Metroid games. You play as Samus Aran, an intergalactic bounty hunter who's mission is to stop the Space Pirates whenever they decide to cause some terror. This time they have inhabited the planet of Zebes after attacking the Galactic Federation and stealing a batch of Metroids; a strange alien creature that absorbs life from anything it attaches to. It's nothing extraordinary and it's not really detailed during the game aside from less than a handful of scenes during the elevator rides between zones. Even if it isn't part of the game as much as most other games, it's pretty great for a remake of an NES game.
The gameplay is where Metroid obviously shines. This one is a remake of the NES title, albeit a heavily enhanced remake, it plays almost the exact same. You move around on a 2D plane exploring a huge map and multiple sectors, blasting enemies and collecting power-ups. The most important feature that was added to the game was a map, something the original and the sequel lacked. This helps with navigation and can help on backtracking. Other than that, the main game plays the same just with alterations to layout and the addition of save points.
I said the main game because this game adds an end game scenario that is the Zero Mission. You play as Samus in her Zero Suit; a skin tight blue sneak suit. It's very different from the main game as Samus cannot kill things in this form and cannot survive many attacks. This portion of the game is stealth based and can get quite difficult. This section of the game asks you to solve the situational puzzles that it throws at you, mainly enemy placements and trying to avoid getting spotted. If the enemies spot you, they will chase you until you lose them, even following you through doors and following you through your own sneak spots. It gets very intense and, while short and infuriating, it does nothing but add to the game. This was worth the time rebuilding.
The audio is classic Metroid, mainly using the tracks from the original, just redone. If you like the previous Metroid music and sound effects then you will enjoy it here.
The presentation is excellent for this game. It looks as good as Super Metroid on the Super Nintendo and it lets you experience the original game in a new way, the point of most remakes. There are some things that I personally have issues with, mainly the static position Ridley has for a sprite and how Samus has her arm outstretched all the time, but other than those personal issues, the game looks great. Every environment looks unique despite being designed in a similar manner and all the creatures look great, the Metroids and Space Pirates stand out as do the bosses. It also brings the classic Metroid series atmosphere full force. It's a Game Boy Advance game at it's finest.
PROs
- Fantastic gameplay, combat is simple but satisfying and exploration is exciting
- Memorable soundtrack
- Challenging gameplay and excellent boss fights
- Power-ups keep you wanting more, making it easy to push forward through the maze
- Helpful map
- Fantastic remake of a classic game
- Looks great for a Game Boy Advance title
- Addition of a save feature helps a lot
- The post-game Zero Mission is an excellent, tense addition
- Atmosphere is front and center
CONs
- Some personal issues with the visuals
- Difficulty could turn some away, especially during the boss fights
- Game can seem quite short