Metroid review

I make it no secret that Metroid is my favorite gaming franchise. While my favorite entries are Super Metroid and Metroid Prime (though I think all of them are excellent…sans Other M, sadly), I started back in the late 1980’s with the original on the NES. A few weeks ago, I realized that I hadn’t played through the original since that time. I felt that now would be a great time to revisit the title that started this classic Nintendo series.

The Set-up:

You are Samus Aran, possibly the most feared and greatest bounty hunter in the universe. You are tasked by the Galactic Federation to infiltrate the home base of the Space Pirates on planet Zebes with the goal of ending their (the Space Pirates) efforts to replicate and weaponize the parasitic organisms known as Metroids.

Samus is in some serious trouble here

Unlike most games of this era, Metroid drops you into planet Zebes (yes, into) with little to no direction. You are only limited in your exploration by your own abilities, abilities that are upgraded as you explore the planet. As you gain new abilities, you’ll find that more of the planet is explorable. While this kind of set-up is fairly standard now, at the time it was practically unheard of, especially in a side scrolling game.

The Story:

As noted above, you, as Samus Aran, have been tasked with stopping the weaponization of Metroids. Native to planet SR388, Metroids can latch onto any living organism and drain that organism’s life energy, killing it. The Galactic Federation previously launched their own attack, but were unable to overcome the defenses of the Space Pirates. The federation has turned to Samus as their final hope. Your mission is to infiltrate the planet and destroy the Mother Brain, the biomechanical head of the Space Pirate’s operation.

As with many NES games, you won’t get most of this story in game (though there is a scroll with information if you wait long enough at the title screen). Most of the information comes from the instruction booklet. Probably an odd opinion here, but I genuinely miss video games coming with instruction booklets.

The Gameplay:

As I previously wrote, the gameplay of Metroid is built around the idea of exploration and upgrading Samus. While Metroid is a platformer like many games before it, there is no level system. Zebes is an open world simply waiting for you to explore it. As you do so, you’ll find that there are areas you simply can’t reach. Maybe you can’t make a particular jump or there’s a door that won’t open. You turn around and go elsewhere. Eventually, you’ll find a high jump or a missile tank or a beam upgrade that opens a new path. It makes exploration a very rewarding experience.

A very interesting aspect of this design is how the designers teach you right away that Metroid is not a standard platformer. By default, most people playing Metroid for the first time would immediately move Samus to the right, which is how practically all platforming games began at the time. In Metroid though, you’ll very quickly come up against an wall that has only a small passage at the bottom which you can’t pass through. Backtracking, you’ll discover your first power-up (the Morph Ball) was lying just to the left of where you started. It’s a simple, yet ingenious way to inform the player that they need to think outside the box for Metroid.

The platforming element of Metroid is mostly tight, though it does have moments of feeling at least a little unfair. This is usually due to enemy knockback (not an uncommon feature in NES games) or a jump not executing properly. Specifically regarding this, Samus has two types of jumps. the first sees Samus stay upright and is executed by jumping while not moving. This jump doesn’t travel as far as the second type, but does provide a bit more precision (or this has been my experience, you may have differing viewpoint). The second jump is executed by jumping while moving and sees Samus ball up. It’s always seemed to me that this jump goes further, but can make landing on a small platform a bit trickier. Again, this could just be how I play the game.

If there’s any drawback to Metroid, it is the map system. Or, more specifically, the complete lack of a map system. Zebes is quite large and includes five main areas (linked together by an elevator system), and is very mazelike. The areas do have distinct looks to help you differentiate them from one another, but you need either luck, a photographic memory, or some grid paper to truly explore this game. When I was much younger, I know I used a sketch pad to map out Metroid II, and think I did the same for Metroid, but I’m not 100% sure. I may have just had patience and luck. For this past playthrough, I used an unmarked map I found online. I don’t have the patience or time I once did.

Ten year old me would have found this extremely useful

Now, the mazelike map does have its benefits in that it creates a true sense of isolation and apprehension. I know this is an 8-bit game, but you truly get a sense of being stuck in this strange world. This is aided by an excellent soundtrack that constantly sets the mood for the game. Especially as you go ever deeper into Zebes and encounter stronger and stronger enemies.

Conclusions:

The influence Metroid has had on video games can’t be overstated. Very few games have such an impact on video game design that they get an entire genre named after them, but here we are. Metroid was not the first non-linear exploration based game (I think Adventure or Haunted House on the Atari may have that claim), but I think it is safe to say it has been the most impactful. The Metroidvania (Metroid + Castlevania, for anyone that may not know the source) genre is still very healthy today.

Also, no review of Metroid is complete without also noting that, upon completing the game, you discover that Samus Aran is not your typical guy hero, but is instead a woman. Again, this isn’t at all odd today (Stellar Blade just launched, after all), but for the time, it was twist worthy of The Sixth Sense.

Whenever I revisit a game such as Metroid or Mega Man or The Legend of Zelda, I always wonder if the developers had any clue just how long lasting their work would become. How influential their decisions would be on the games coming after them. Metroid is 38 years old as of this writing, but the franchise is still quite active. Both Metroid Prime: Remastered and Metroid Dread were extremely successful on the Switch and with Metroid Prime 4 still on the horizon, I think the future of Metroid is as bright as ever.

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My Top 8 Games of 1987

Blogger’s Note: I’m doing something here that I don’t like. I’m revising and re-posting an old blog post. I prefer to present new content, and that’s not happening here (well, at least 50% isn’t new). Now, my reason for doing this is that I wanted to do one of these for each year beginning in 1987. I felt that the best way to kickstart that was to update my original post. Also, I’m starting in 1987 because I researched years prior, and I simply couldn’t find enough games I was familiar with or fond of to constitute a list. Please note, this list uses North American release dates as that would be when the game was first available to me.

8. Rygar

Rygar is a game that I’m sad to say I didn’t get to fully experience in my childhood. It is one of the first titles to utilize a non-linear gameplay style and was also unique in the use of the Diskarmor as a weapon. Rygar also included sections that were side-scrolling as well as sections that are presented in from an overhead viewpoint. While Rygar only saw one sequel/remake, the title is still held in high regard today, receiving digital releases on the eShop as well as inclusion on Nintendo Switch Online.

7. Kid Icarus

Considering that this game series was dormant for many years, it’s quite amazing how popular this title has remained since its release. Built on the Metroid engine, Kid Icarus is primarily a vertical scrolling platformer that puts you in control of Pit. Your weapon is a bow and arrow and you ascend each level, fighting monsters, collecting hearts (currency), and purchasing upgrades and/or supplies. The vertical platforming is interrupted by maze like levels that you traverse one room at a time as you search for the boss. This is a difficult game without a doubt, but was designed well enough that it’s still very playable today.

6. Wonder Boy

Re-imagined on the NES as Adventure Island, Wonder Boy is a nifty little platforming game. Instead of a timer, you are forced to constantly pick up fruit as your life meter depletes at a constant rate and fruit increases it. This could be extremely nerve wracking if you missed a few pieces or preferred to take your time in a level. This is also a pretty bare bones game, featuring just a couple of power-ups and none of the more adventure based gameplay that would follow in the sequels, but is still a very fun play.

5. The Goonies II

A sequel to a Japan only game that was based on the movie, The Goonies II is both very fun and very frustrating. A side-scroller, Goonies II allowed you to enter doors and search rooms for items. You could also exit these rooms to find the other side of the map (think of it as a mirror). Hand drawing a map to keep track of your progress was practically a must for this title. Still, in spite of these limitations, I still enjoy playing Goonies II. It has quite a bit of charm and, above exceptions noted, is designed quite well.

4. Castlevania

The roots of one of my favorite series began right here with Castlevania. Taking some lore from Bram Stoker (and, of course, Vlad Tepas), Castlevania put you in the shoes of Simon Belmont and tasked you with taking down the vampire Dracula, as well as a host of other fiends standing between him and you. Castlevania is not without its faults. The difficulty is brutal, as is the realistic but punishing jump mechanic (once you jump, there is no changing direction). Still, the game is extremely well made and while the platforming may be difficult, it doesn’t feel impossible or cheap. In addition to the entertaining gameplay, Castlevania boasts one of the best soundtracks of any NES game, including the now classic Bloody Tears track.

3. Mega Man

It’s hard to imagine that all of the sequels and spin-offs that were familiar with started because of this one title. Mega Man was revolutionary in a few ways. Choosing your level as opposed to progressing as the game dictates was practically unheard of, as was obtaining a boss’s power to use as your own. Mega Man has also endured thanks to excellent gameplay and level design. These staples have endured, resulting in the most recent sequel (11) being the best selling of the entire series.

2. The Legend of Zelda

The grandfather of all adventure games. Much like Metroid, Zelda abandoned most conventions of gaming that existed upon its release and created its own rules. You controlled Link from an overhead perspective and moved one screen at a time. There are dungeon levels, but you are free to attempt them out of order, so long as you have the required items to reach them. The game does give you obscure clues about where to go, but they can be very tricky to figure out. While this can be frustrating at times, once you figure out what to do or where to go, it becomes a very rewarding experience. Legend of Zelda remains one of my top games, not just of 1987, but of all games.

1. Metroid

Metroid broke many conventions upon its release. You were no longer forced to advance from left to right, you explored one large world with no separate stages, and backtracking was a must as your abilities grew. Metroid demanded some expert platforming to traverse the large world and take on the numerous enemies, but it was always well-designed platforming, sparing you from frustration or a sense of being cheated. Metroid also successfully created an atmosphere unlike any seen before. Everything in the game, from the music to the scenery, created an incredible sense of isolation. You were alone in this world and your success or failure was entirely in your hands. No mention of Metroid would be complete without citing the surprise ending, finding out that your adventurer was actually the female bounty hunter, Samus Aran, as opposed to being a man, which is what most players probably assumed. This seems like nothing major now, but in its time, a heroine was almost unheard of, especially one with the toughness of Samus Aran.