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[ourumov]

Just when I lost faith in Nintendo games, just when I was bored to death of gaming, just when I was going to sell my soul...I bought this game.

Awesome title. Never played the original one but so far I feel like if was playing Super Metroid again. The music is so good, the levels are so nice and the pacing is so perfect to my tastes that I would like to smash into pieces Metroid Prime.

I have been playing it for only an hour but I am absolutelly in love with it. It's a pretty nice game, that compared to its rivals (COTM, AOS and HOD) only would loose to AOS. Don't know if I am going to enjoy it more than Super Metroid but so far the game is pure crack.

Was it made by R&D1 right ? I am not sure of it but the vibe it gaves me says so. Ah...I wish R&D1 managed the console versions too A 2.5D metroid game would be awesome.

 

[Mama Smurf]

You're not wrong.

I loved it, though I'm not sure it quite touched Super Metroid. Wasn't personally a fan of the new content you've got coming up which I won't spoil, but I know a lot of people were and it didn't ruin the game for me.

I just hope we're still going to see future 2D Metroid games. I don't care what system, and I love the Prime titles (not sure about Hunters, just feels like a FPS), but I've waited a loooooooong time for a new 2D Mario, I don't want to wait that long for Metroid.

 

[AniHawk]

Have you played Fusion yet? It's fun.

 

[Rahul]

I first played Zero Mission when it just came out and breezed right through it; pretty standard Metroid fare until the big twist at the end, which was awesome.

Now I'm playing it in 10 minute bursts on the way to and from work (train/subway) and it's a totally different experience. Rather than meticulously going through each area and really absorbing the Metroid atmosphere (or lack of, since it's just Super Metroid all over again for the most part), you have to focus on being efficient about your movement to actually get through the environment and to the next save point. Playing in this fashion really makes you appreciate the design that went into this, since it's almost like the save points are structured in anticipation of the fact that your train is pulling up in front of you and you have to get on it if you don't want to be late for work -- but you also want to save the game since you just beat a boss, or whatever. Besides that, I've noticed that sometimes I *do* play a stretch and then have to turn off the GBA since I have to get on/off something, but then the next day, since the original play was so short, it's really not a big deal to go through the same 5-10 minutes again.

Makes me wonder if they actually have a testing phase in designing these games that involves optimising play for short spurts. This seems especially important when you consider how Zero Mission was also tuned to prevent the hardcore players from taking too much advantage of it.

Really great work, all in all...

 

[ourumov]

I played it for 5 minutes and didn't like the mission-based gameplay. Perhaps when I end this one I'll get Fusion too.
The lack of interesting PSP games is making my GBA (PAL launch model) to get all my atention again.

 

[Mama Smurf]

I don't mind a twist, I just...please don't infect more games with that sort of gameplay Nintendo.

 

[BenT]

The twist at the end was indeed something that Metroid needs to start using a lot more. I *never* expected that. Talk about genius.

What?

Spoiler

Questionable stealth sequences?

Please, no!

 

[BenT]

I felt the time would have been better spent vacuuming or something. ^_^

 

[Rahul]

The spoilered part of the game was a good first try. I applaud them for introducing something different to the 2d franchise that isn't a minimalistic improvement ("grip"), because Metroid is, face it, pretty much unchanged since 1994. Yeah, Super Metroid was ahead of its time, but not by 11 years! Just re-using the same methods over and over make for a stale, uninteresting franchise and I doubt developers are particularly interested in just doing remake after remake of someone else's ideas that are a decade old.

I'd like to see some real improvements that move away from having all the 2d games being mere rehases of Super Metroid, and that part was at least that: an attempt.

 

[HCgamer]

I'm playing through it for the second time on hard. Good game but not nearly as good as Super or Fusion.

 

[Geek]

I'm playing through it for the second time on hard. Good game but not nearly as good as Super or Fusion.

Disagree. The guided, restrictive adventuring controlled by the master computer in Fusion was annoying as hell.

Zero Mission was fan-freaking-tastic.

 

[Tritroid]

I think Zero Mission was slightly better than Fusion since it felt a lot more open and free. (As a Metroid game should be).

But of course, there probably won't ever be another 2D Metroid that can compete with Super Metroid. Hell, there probably won't be another 2D GAME that can compete with Super Metroid..

 

[Parallax Scroll]

I'm playing through it for the second time on hard. Good game but not nearly as good as Super or Fusion.

Seconded. Fusion is solid.

 

[Blackace]

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night > Super Metroid
Suikoden II > Super Metroid
Street Fighter Alpha 3 > Super Metroid
Final Fantasy Tactics > Super Metroid
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

Need I continue? D:

please don't.... say a 2d fighter is better than a 2d scroller is just...ummm how can I say this gently... reatrded....

 

[Blackace]

Seconded. Fusion is solid.

Fusion is awesome all new content rocks! But Zero mission shows how great the NES game was...

 

[jarrod]

Fusion is a fanatstic game, easily the tightest, cleanest of the Metroids with a definite emphasis on action over exploration. I applaud Fusion for setting itself apart from the pack... in comparison Zero Mission just feels like Super Metroid-lite. The fundamentally broken Metroidvania's being caffine free Super Metroid-lite... someone needs to rescue that franchise from Iga's incompetent mits asap. Someone like Treasure.

 

[Kiriku]

Fusion >>> Zero Mission, and it's probably only beaten by Super Metroid IMO.

Fusion's really special to me in its atmosphere and story, it felt like a really refreshing experience. Gameplay was tight. And I don't get why a more structured game is such a bad thing. In my opinion it makes for a better designed gameplay (since they have more control over where the player can go), and you did have a lot of freedom to explore each of the environments anyway. It also made the experience a lot more memorable through the scripted events and story parts. I mean, Fusion didn't just have a twist at the end, Fusion had a twist through the whole damn game.

 

[Tritroid]

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night > Super Metroid
Suikoden II > Super Metroid
Street Fighter Alpha 3 > Super Metroid
Final Fantasy Tactics > Super Metroid
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

Need I continue? D:

EGM, and I, disagree.

 

[Scrow]

the

Spoiler

stealth aspect

at the end was awesome. the purists can shut the hell up

the whole point behind that was that you were rewarded with the

Spoiler

fully decked out suit

. besides it was fun any way. I wouldn't mind seeing a small portion of it again in another 2D metroid, but making it a little deeper.

 

[Mr. Lemming]

Spoiler

I didn't see it like a stealth sequence... more of a RUN AWAY OMG THEY ARE SHOOTING YOU WHERE IS THE NEXT SAFE POINT WHEW YOU GUYS SUCK! sequence. And then revenge!

 

[snapty00]

Yes, this is actually one of the few incredible games that Nintendo has created in like five years. It's fucking awesome. It's long enough for me to play, but it's short enough that I don't absolutely hate playing through it again.

I wasn't especially pleased with the stealth part, but kicking ass with the music blasting afterwards is fun.

And Fusion gah-damn sucks. Forget the fact that it's not much of a Metroid game; even on its own demerits, it's a load of shit. I'm not even really a Metroid fan at all, so it's not like I have some predisposed nostalgic factor for liking Zero Mission but not Fusion. In fact, I couldn't even be bothered to play that emulated NES mess included in the Zero Mission cartridge. The NES version sucked.

Really, despite the fact that 70% of the controls between the two games (Zero Mission and Fusion) feel similar, the games are total opposites in terms of fun.

 

[Taichu]

I loved the

Spoiler

Samus without her suit

part near the end. I though it worked extremely well.

 

[djtiesto]

Fusion was decent, a bit too much story and a bit too linear... Some of the levels looked real nice, I especially liked the underwater one. Zero Mission was nice but could have done without the end scene. I breezed through Zero Mission, even to get 100% powerups it didn't take very long... The only problem is I can never pull off that damn dash move.

 

[jarrod]

Only the truly weaksauce could trumpet Zero Mission while playing down Fusion. Zero Mission is a bloated, cakewalk retread by comparsion... Fusion is incomparably better designed and tweaked, satifsyingly elegant and difficult. It might not be the better Metroid but it's really the better game. Period.

 

[Infinitemadness]

I loved the

Spoiler

Samus without her suit

part near the end. I though it worked extremely well.

I picked up a figure of her like this. SO cool. That part of the game came as an awesome surprise.

 

[Red Scarlet]

Fusion sucks ass, as does any person who likes it as a Metroid game. Period. As a random game, it still sucks ass.

 

[Mama Smurf]

I wasn't impressed with Fusion either. Decent game, but after the wait since Super Metroid, a let down.

As for the

Spoiler

stealth

part, I just don't like it much in any game. Zelda suffers too in my view, it was a fun little distraction in OoT, but had grown to a tedious, overlong pain by WW.

 

[jarrod]

Naw, the only Metroids that truly "suck ass" are those inept Prime abominations. Period.

 

[el jacko]

Fusion sucks ass, as does any person who likes it as a Metroid game. Period. As a random game, it still sucks ass.

Fusion works well as a game on its own and has music rivaling Super Metroid but otherwise I agree with you. Metroid's core ideals lie in the complete freedom to go where you want, hindered only by your own abilities. The short leash known simply as ADAM completely goes against everything the series stands for.

 

[Teddman]

Zero Mission was awesome. Especially for a fan of the NES original, I loovvved Metroid back in 1987, it was the first game I got with the system.

Playing the remixed Kraid zone was my single most enjoyable hour or two of gaming in 2004.

For those who didn't like the twist at the end, well then just enjoy the excellent remake you got of Metroid and

Spoiler

turn the game off after Mother Brain. I liked the new gameplay, it was like a bonus epilogue. Plus Samus looked cool in that blue hotsuit.

 

[etiolate]

Zero Mission >> Fusion

Fusion was too linear, bosses were less interesting, eviroment didn't interest me. I as well liked that threw something more in at the end, but for the love of god

Spoiler

ANYTHING BUT STEALTH

.

and of course Super Metroid > Your moms

 

[Dragmire]

Spoiler

The ending in Zero Mission never felt like stealth to me. It was like a chase scene for me, and I loved it. It was all about trying to find your way while a group of aliens are on your ass. It's not even possible to sneak by without getting noticed. How is that stealth?

Also, I would hardly say the series has remained unchanged since Metroid 3. Zero Mission is just like it

Spoiler

until the end

, but Fusion is way different (and still excellent IMO). Obviously the Prime games have the same game structure, but are hardly the same.

 

[Johnas]

Spoiler

It's not even possible to sneak by without getting noticed. How is that stealth?

There's a video of somebody who does just that. Check www.metroid2002.com.

On topic: MZM is AWESOME. Awesome awesome awesome. Uber-nostalgia blast, clean, tight gameplay, great graphics. In itself, makes an SP worth owning.

 

[Cragstar]

Shame Samus is being PIMPED out in Pinball.
Such a waste of a game, when she could be used in something else

 

[Deleted member 1235]

Naw, the only Metroids that truly "suck ass" are those inept Prime abominations. Period.

Prime and it's sequel are incredible. you might be suffering from wrong syndrome.

I really hated that nightmare boss on fusion, in the time I borrowed it I never got to beat it

 

[WARCOCK]

"
Suikoden II > Super Metroid
Street Fighter Alpha 3 > Super Metroid
Final Fantasy Tactics > Super Metroid
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow"

YOUR WORLD ROX! CAN I LIVE IN IT TOO!

MADDEN2005> Final Fantasy 7
VF4>granturismo 4
Yoshi's Island> Starcraft

"Castlevania: Symphony of the Night > Super Metroid"

On this one i think you reversed the order you might want to edit!

 

[Mejilan]

F-ckin fantastic game. Played through it 4x already. The surprise at the end was amazing. Never thought that

Spoiler

stealth in 2D

would work so well.

Awesome graphics and animation, incredible soundtrack, solid gameplay. It was a pretty fantastic remake of the original, if not a bit too similar to SMet. Still, SMet was arguably the greatest Metroid game ever, so there are certainly worse examples to ape. Worthy game in a stellar series.

 

[Ranger X]

Zero Mission is giving me that thrill i miss so much from old 2D games. MZM rules!!

 

[suaveric]

There's a video of somebody who does just that. Check www.metroid2002.com.

On topic: MZM is AWESOME. Awesome awesome awesome. Uber-nostalgia blast, clean, tight gameplay, great graphics. In itself, makes an SP worth owning.

Those videos were awesome! here's the link http://www.metroid2002.com/0/other_perfect_stealth.php

 

[Ryck]

I know it's been overstated but Metroid Zero Mission is an awesome awesome game. One of the best games I played last year.

 

[ourumov]

Wow...Just seen the ending and:

Spoiler

Began the stealth mission...It's kinda fun...I guess it wasn't on the original Metroid for the NES right ?

 

[Idioteque]

It was great until the last part, were you had to do that stealth shit.

 

[Red Scarlet]

Yeah, ourumov. The NES game ends after beating Mother Brain.

 

[Sanjuro]

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night > Super Metroid
Suikoden II > Super Metroid
Street Fighter Alpha 3 > Super Metroid
Final Fantasy Tactics > Super Metroid
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

Need I continue? D:

No you don't need to continue. Your status as a fool is secure.

 

[sammy]

ourumov,

give Fusion a go next ... It might not be what purists were desiring, but it's freakin awesome and exciting --- truely a great example of 2d storytelling.

It's a diffrerent pace of eploration from Zero, but it's constant, seemless, and dramatic.

 

[Attack You]

I'll never understand the Fusion hate. Fusion only mixed a handful of objectives into the usual item-hunting Metroid formula. With as short and fast a game Fusion is, the addition of objectives are a non-issue. Instead of just happening upon the Morph Ball Bomb, your objective lands you in a boss fight for it. Big fucking whoop.

I have to set aside a few hours to play through Super Metroid again, to see how it holds up to Fusion and Zero Mission. Super Metroid was my undisputed favorite Nintendo game until Pikmin, but now I'm beginning to wonder if SM is regarded too highly because of Metroid purists.

 

[gstaff]

This game was great. While short, I was impressed that I still had it in me to beat a game in one setting.

 

[Red Scarlet]

I'll never understand the Fusion hate. Fusion only mixed a handful of objectives into the usual item-hunting Metroid formula...Instead of just happening upon the Morph Ball Bomb, your objective lands you in a boss fight for it.

Any time you went to ANY new area, you had to get an objective. Far, far more than a 'handful'. Some places had multiple. You were told exactly where to go in almost every single instance of the forced communication with Adam. Along with a downloaded map, and the spot on the map showing where you needed to go. Just happening upon x item, then seeing where you can use it to get somewhere new is what Metroid is about for many people.

I have to set aside a few hours to play through Super Metroid again, to see how it holds up to Fusion and Zero Mission. Super Metroid was my undisputed favorite Nintendo game until Pikmin, but now I'm beginning to wonder if SM is regarded too highly because of Metroid purists.

It holds up to Fusion and ZM very well, but mostly for those that know some of the quirks that made Super great that were nerfed in Fusion and/or ZM. Super is held extremely high on many people's pedestals, though. Some too high.

 

[el jacko]

Any time you went to ANY new area, you had to get an objective. Far, far more than a 'handful'. Some places had multiple. You were told exactly where to go in almost every single instance of the forced communication with Adam. Along with a downloaded map, and the spot on the map showing where you needed to go. Just happening upon x item, then seeing where you can use it to get somewhere new is what Metroid is about for many people.

To be fair, Fusion does what it does magnificently. It gets the atmosphere down very well, has a coherent and interesting story, and has some of the best music on the GBA (IMO, it seems few agree with me on this). If I weren't such a blind Metroid purist it would be one of my favorite 2D games.

 

[Sullichin]

Zero Mission kicks ass. I've beaten it about 4 times, although I can do it in like an hour now. It's really short once you've gone through it once, but it's such a good game, probably the best on GBA.