Metroid

Yes, Metroid. Nothing specific. Just the series. If there was an award for the most errors consistency wise for a video game series, then Metroid would take the cake.

The first game was released on January 15, 1988, and met surprisingly critical acclaim, by both the press and feminists alike. It would go down in history as some of the best level design that was ever hand-drawn and spawned several remakes, both by Nintendo and the game's fans.

Metroid II brought the series into a much more difficult direction on the Gamboy, yet expanded the series into new levels - rather than collecting items and powerups the player was required to hunt and kill Metroids, which was an idea concocted by Hirojii Kiyotake and Gunpei Yokoi to add a much more interesting twist to the series.

Lastly (atleast seemingly) was Super Metroid, or also known as "Project 3" and "Metroid 3" during the development cycle. Noted by the developers as "the last in the Metroid series", Super Metroid remains one of the most intricate games ever created. And I quote, Every detail, from the echoing ice shafts to the statue that shifts color to illustrate which of the game's four bosses have been defeated, is indicative of an almost manic dedication among the developers at R&D1.

Following the death of Yokoi, Yoshio Sakamoto, the director of the Metroid games (and also playfully called "Miyamoto's rival") felt uncomfortable developing any more games in the series, both in terms of the Metroid story being evidently over, and because Yokoi's absence would seemingly "alter" the franchise's intricacy and general feel. Instead he took up projects such as Wario Land 2, and assisted Sakurai with Smash Brothers.

Upon false hope of the trilogy being expanded during the Nintendo 64 era, Miyamoto dismissed these hopes and rumors by simply stating that Metroid was "nothing more than a trilogy", which marked the beginning of a charade of controversy led by fans concerning if the series should have been continued or left alone - Retro understood this and dodged a bullet by making Prime take place in between the Nintendo made games, upon Miyamoto's guidance of the development house.

Although Metroid Prime was generally successful, it's also notable for contradicting (somewhat trivial) consistent and story-wise ideas of the previous games; also, while Metroid had never been an immensely popular series in Japan, Metroid Prime is a running joke in the country for being nothing more than a snorefest; while this was almost inevitable due to Japan's distaste for FPSs, it remains humorous that one of Nintendo's greatest franchises in now the Daikatana in their own territory.

So anyway, discuss the series here. Not only what your take on how Metroid's continuation was for better or for worse (although I'm sure some of you have strong opinions on that), but also what you hope (or predict) for the future of the series.

Metroid is one of those series that are near and dear to my heart. In terms of atmosphere the games (especially Super Metroid) are practically unmatched, you just feel the isolation of being all alone on Zebes, getting deeper and deeper into the planet. There is a genuine sense in Super Metroid of going down, down, down, and it's something I think the Prime games haven't captured at all so far.

I love Metroid Prime 1 and 2 and for a while actually said that Prime was on par with Super Metroid, which to anyone who knows me will be seen as astonishing given I'm one of those people who preach about the GOOD OL' DAYS. These days I see Super Metroid as being superior to all others, but Prime 1 isn't far behind. Prime 2 isn't as good as Prime 1, but I still love both games.

Now the ugly stepchilds of the series: Metroid Fusion and Metroid II. Fusion suffers from an all-too-linear main quest and MII suffers a number of design problems as well as subpar graphics. I have yet to beat MII for this reason, but I really want to because it really is a fine game - it just has a lot of shortcomings. I'd love to see a Zero Mission styled remake of it.

Fusion was fun the first time I played it. It's still not a bad game, but as a Metroid game it kinda sucks.

Zero Mission is wonderful, not quite as good as Super Metroid, but much better than Fusion. The fact that you can unlock the original NES Metroid is just icing on the cake, and I love that they brought back the sequence breaking - this increases the replay value of Metroid games so much.

I was called here by my inert desire to announce that I believe Super Metroid is the most solid game design ever. The entire project was nothing short of brilliance, there are so few flaws to this game; if anything they can be enumerated in the game's very few glitches, or perhaps the fact that it ever has to END because it is a masterpiece most kids now probably don't even know about.

Something about Super Metroid is either just unmarketable or too risky for Nintendo to ever reproduce it. It looks like it won't be until the Wii Virtual Console that any modern gamer will be able to easily access the game, after 13 years it's appeared on one console in one form. And yes, it was on the console that many regard the best ever, and certainly Nintendo's best offering.

The SNES was I think, defined by games like Super Metroid. There is a certain legendary status that only a few games attain, and as of late there have been several undeserving games that hold that title. I won't name them here but if you follow my posts you can probably figure them out... anyhow, what built the name the SNES got? It was having the best of so many genres, Street Fighter II, Super Metroid, Chrono Trigger, Super Mario World... these are just a few of the titles that represented a monopoly in good gaming. Titles that are so tight in their design that they went unchallenged for years if not for all time up to now.


What separated Super Metroid from other random sidescrollers (even the likes of Castlevania)? The music was haunting, the sound effects were unique and spot on, the graphics were crisp and dynamic according to the room's mood, the gameplay never felt constricted despite a fairly linear path youhad to follow...

Combat wasn't even the emphasis, it was simple shooting; an arcade-y SIDE ELEMENT to what was this epic journey through a beautifully rendered planet that was oh so familiar to people that'd owned a large grey cartridge with the name Metroid on it before.

Everything that other games screwed up, a sense of speed, difficulty levels, even story telling was done right in Super Metroid. The entirety of the game's text is only a few paragraphs and yet it has more emotion and value to it than any RPG I've ever played. The "Speed Booster" even made Sonic weep for a time I think. And besides, few 'shooters' (that term is an insult to this game) have so many secret areas that are so cleverly hidden and unique that they merit such complex maps and guides to explain.

Yeah, Yokoi was a genius; Super Metroid is the definitive proof of that. Metroid Prime in a way is a nice thing that introduces kids to Metroid I guess, but not even Zero Mission really compares to the majesty of Super Metroid.

If I could only own one game ever again it would be Super Metroid, end of story.

Metroid prime fails. That's all I have to say.

I like the Metroid games, although I don't care for the first person shooters that much. Not really interested in that Metroid Pinball game either. I think the GBA games are superior to the original "trilogy" (Although Super Metroid is still very good), although I really want to see a remake of Metroid II because it has some cool features that have been forgotten over the years.

Metroid I-I like this game because the graphics are creative and it was the beginning.

Metroid II-I still need to get this game.

Super Metroid-I have it. Right here. In fact, i'm gonna start a new file this afternoon.

Metroid Fusion-I beat it 7 times. Was on my 8th run but lent it to a friend.

Metroid Zero Mission-I still can't beat Ridley in Hard Mode. Beat it about 6 times. Hard mode would be my 7th.

Metroid Prime 1-NO.

Metroid Prime 2-NO.

Metroid Prime Hunters-Good, but needs less godmodding on Wifi.

Metroid Fusion is a good game, but it's not as much "Metroid" as you might expect when you first pick up the game.

When I bought it and read the beginning story I immediately understood it was a followup of the (possibly) greatest game in the series. I expected the beginning to be very misterious and enthralling like its predecessor, but what do I get? The first ten minutes of gameplay, do this, do that, do the other.

I mean, it's okay for Nintendo to try and make their games user friendly but this was just too much. My only word after playing 1:30hrs and having beat it was, "Meh."

...In change, I believe Metroid Prime is slightly sub-par with Super Metroid. It brings back the sense of exploration to what a lot of people thought to be an ended franchise. It is action-packed, the bosses are never easy, and the level design still plays a major part in this game's successfulness.

Metroid: Zero Mission was also an amazing game. It has clean, smooth gameplay, and the shooting and killing is still overtaken by the exploring and the level design. It doesn't have all that great a plot, but that's understandable because the first one was basically the same. The original Metroid addition and the Zero-Suit part were a great addition to the game as it gives an extra plus to the replay value.

As for the franchise itself, I think it was time for it to be brought to a new level. I myself hope to see another well-made 2D Metroid game, but since the Metroid Prime series, I don't really know what Nintendo is going to do with this short-lived yet wonderful series.

I hadn't played Metroid or Metroid II, my first experience was when a friend showed me the final boss of Super Metroid. But It didn't get my attention, perhaps because i didn't own a SNES.

A few years ago, I saw a cheap copy of Metroid Prime. It's a year or two after it was released. I bought it because I had heard good stuff about it online. I've been a Metroid Fan since then, and soon played trough all of the old games that I had missed. (Except for Metroid II)

I love Metroid Prime. Don't feel like typing much so... yeah.

While I haven't fully played any of the original trilogy (just snippets of each), I have to point out that--superior or not--those games are already out of circulation (aside from the original, which you can find just about everywhere). While Metroid II is pretty easy to find in most Gamestop and EBs, and Super Metroid is gonna be on the Virtual Console, we can't keep looking to the past, you know? Sure, I do look forward to playing Super Metroid in full--but at the same time, we're in the Prime generation of Metroid games, with the oddball exceptions like Zero Mission and Fusion.

I really did enjoy Prime and Zero Mission, personally. I think Prime 2 and Fusion are pieces of crap, though--both games are far too restricting. Spending like the first five hours of Prime 2 wandering from one bubble to another and being stuck in there so you can regenerate health is nothing if not tedious.

I never played Metroid ever until I picked up Zero Mission which oddly enough I never knew was a Remake, I quickly fell in love with the series. After I decided to see how well the Metroid Prime series is.
I'm never a fan of FPS but Metroid Prime was a exception which I also loved. So thus i'm a Metorid fan now except I need to play Super Metorid.

As my name suggests, I am a big fan of Metroid.

Metroid I-It's a little too difficult for me but I have played it through. Mother Brain was incredibly hard.

Metroid II-I have played but I don't enjoy it as much as the orriginal.

Super Metroid-I have the ROM. I've beat the game a few times. This game was a major advancement over the last two games in the series for wonderful graphics, eeire music, and that giant crocodile Kraid.

Metroid Fusion-I own this game and have beat it many times. I enjoy this game much more that Metroid 1 and 2 and love it because it has a whole different feel with new bosses and a new place to explore.

Metroid Zero Mission-I don't own but my friend has and I have therefore beat it over 3 times. It's much better than the game it was bassed off and the graphics are nice.
But I perfer Fusion much more.

Metroid Prime 1- This is what a 3D Metroid game should be. This is no FPS. It's an adventure with enemies at every corner. It's great to take out your plasma beam and blow these bugs to bits. The graphics are beatiful, the sound is great, the game-play is unique, the level design is godly, and the music is crisp.

Metroid Prime 2- I liked this game but it was just too linear for a 3D game. However, I loved the bosses and the Ing were a fun new enemy. The sound can get annoying and the graphics were not as appealing as the first Prime. But the gameplay rocked.

Metroid Prime Hunters- The multiplayer is great, but the single-player is disgusting. I don't even recognize this game as part of the series because it has nothing to do with it besides there being Samus. There are no Metroids, no Space Pirates, no Chozo relics. The sigle player fails and it's hardly adventure. I, however, do enjoy the multiplayer and online is fun. Sound is good, graphics are too pixle-y, but the game play wins.

Metroid Prime Pinball- My freind owns this game and let me tell you, it is FAR better than Mario Pinball Land. There are pleanty of challenges and unique gameplay. The graphics are nice, the sound is crisp, and the gameplay is orriginal.

The first Metroid series rocks, same with the game boy series, and same with the Prime series.


EDIT: 666th POST!

This post has been edited by Mariotroid on Aug 29 2006, 11:12 AM

I thought I'd just let everyone know that Metroid Prime 3 is back on track to be a launch title.

http://wii.ign.com/articles/708/708948p1.html

Although this interview is kind of old, but it's the only solid news ever given about the game's release date. Anything else has just been speculation.

This post has been edited by Rurouni Kenshin on Aug 29 2006, 12:18 PM

Super Metroid for life.

Definitely my first Wii classic thingie.

So does anyone have that Metroid Fusion e-comic that verifies Ridley is the actual leader of the Space Pirates and that the Mother Brain is really nothing more than a glorified computer (since that would also explain why the Space Pirates keep bringing him back to life)?

I stopped playing Metroid II for sometime because I couldn't find one of the Metroids you need to kill to lower the lava. After about a year though I finally found and killed it, then proceeded onward to the battle with the Queen Metroid. The battle is grueling and not in a cool way, screw attacking to dodge attacks and then landing a couple of your 200 missles which are required to kill her. Maybe I did something wrong, but dang.

Afterwards though, you get the baby metroid, who follows you as you climb out to outer space =)

It almost felt like it was worth it

Hey Press Start, weren't we gonna remake Metroid 2?

I love Metroid 1.
And Zero Mission.
And DEFINITELY Super Metroid. Awesome.

Why indeedly we were!

Might as well make it Metroid X Kid Icarus