Here we are; it's time to talk about the "Metroid" game that is often considered the "magnum opus" of the franchise, "Super Metroid." A game that helped pioneer the "Metroidvania" genre, this game is still held in high esteem today, not just as the best entry in the franchise, but also one of the best video games ever made. Full disclosure, though; I did play this game right after "Metroid: Samus Returns," so jumping in after a remake made me think that I would pick out some dated elements while playing. And sadly, yes, I do think that holds it back from being my favorite in the series. Even so, it's still a damn great game.
Even if it's not my favorite in the series, "Super Metroid" still gets a lot of things right. The game takes a masterful approach to storytelling, handling the "show, don't tell" approach pretty amazingly. I'd go so far as to say this may have been one of the best early examples of storytelling in games. The 16-bit graphics still hold up wonderfully, and the dark, moody atmosphere is crafted with impeccable detail. It's also worth mentioning that the excellent music really adds to that mood. The gameplay also refines the classic "Metroid" formula with enjoyable new features, and the overall pacing of the game is excellent; it always feels like there is something to do. The levels are dense and encourage lots of exploration, and much like the other 2D entries in the franchise, this feels like the type of game that is worth multiple playthroughs.
All that said, some flaws do stop me from seeing this game as the "magnum opus" others do. Sure, many of them can be chalked up a bit to age, but they are still noticeable. Some of the controls can feel a bit janky for me, and while I see why others enjoy them, I feel like the boss fights haven't quite aged as gracefully. Also, I played the game on the Wii U port, and while this could specifically be tied to that version, the frame rate can be intolerable at points. Yes, it very well could be the port, but even so, that lack of optimization does hurt it a bit.
Even so, what does it matter if "Super Metroid" isn't my favorite in the series? It's still a great game, and it's most certainly had a huge impact on the "Metroidvania" as a whole. That's worth a lot. It might not be my personal favorite entry in the franchise right now, but that doesn't take away from the things it does extremely well, and it's certainly worthy of playing now to see how much of an impact it's really had.
Final rating: 8 out of 10 "Great"