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The new comeback chick
Metroid, if you believe it, is eighteen years old. Gumpei Yokoi released this game in the United States and in Japan in 1986. The game has been inspiration for a number of games including Contra and Kid Icarus (made by Yokoi, as well). Metroid has been largely secluded to the NES for the better part of fifteen years. The original made a revival in 2002 with the release of Metroid Fusion. It was part of a bunch of hidden things you could unlock. Metroid: Zero Mission is not a port of the original. Instead, the developers at Nintendo fixed the game up, minimized its flaws, and gave it new life. The result is a game that, in my opinion, beats the original by a few strides.
The story really isn't there, but Metroid was never about story. It was all action and no talk. For that, we accept it. There are a few passages to give the game a little more background, but the original had the same thing. This game seems to play more to the idea that it was a retrospective visit to Zebes, the planet that the game takes place on.
There are a lot of changes between the two versions. Most of them are visual and in the game itself. The maps are pretty close for the most part, but there are a number of physical changes and there are new ways to get to a target. The chronology stays the same and the basic fundamentals are still there. The developers at Nintendo didn't want to confuse the gamer that has beaten this game one hundred zillion times. That was a wise move. Nintendo went one step farther and added about another ninety minutes of gameplay after you topple Mother Brain. That's the real juice to the game. It adds a whole new dimension and allows the game to go in a new, original direction. The result is a game that has so much more muscle to it and it makes it a more replayable game. On top of all that, you can play the original version once you've beaten this game. That's a real sweet deal. Thanks to the highway robbery that Gamestop is commiting, you don't have to pay an extra fourteen dollars like I did to get this little gem.
The graphics make Zebes look much more attractive and the game does have a lot more dimensionally to it. The bosses look more intimidating (especially Ridley) and it helps the game show off its new-age feel to the whole world. Good timing, too.
Control-wise, nothing has changed really. Jumping and crouching have been improved, but Metroid never really needed the changes. It was fine before and it hasn't lost its touch now. This is good.
The game design doesn't go through too many changes in the new, modified version. Yeah, things have been added and spruced up, but the basic fundamentals are all there. As for the added gameplay, it is on par with the original and it keeps the basic juice and flavor. There are plenty of nice secrets and there is plenty of deception lurking beyond every door.
The music is still classic and the sound effects have been improved. Metroid music has always been a favorite of mine and it still hasn't lost anything over eighteen years.
As for the challenge, that never really got changed. Even with the added material, the game's challenge is medium, at best, even on the tougher difficulty. Metroid was never terribly challenging, but it could pull a few surprises. Zero Mission only gets a good surprise at the very end, and by then it is far too late. Super Metroid unloaded its challenge seventy percent into the game and Fusion and Prime did similar things. This game really never gets going in the challenge department until late into the game. That doesn't bother me too much, though. This will make the game more enjoyable to newbies and vets alike who want a good nostalgia trip. Some of the more hardcore gamers might be a little disappointed.
This is a game that should be in every gamer's library because it is so much of a joy to play and it really shows the magic of Gumpei Yokoi's work to the whole world. The original Metroid was a classic, but, let's be honest, it needed some work, especially in the length department. (The fact that you could beat Metroid in thirty minutes is discouraging) Metroid: Zero Mission has plenty to throw on the table and it never holds back. The result is a great nostalgic game that shows Nintendo can bring the classics back in a great way to young and old gamers alike. A great start to 2004, indeed.
Jose's Thoughts: You know, I never played Metroid, Metroid II or Super Metroid. My first experience with the series came with Metroid Fusion, which I loved. I played Prime afterwards and it was another solid game, so I was really hyped for this one. Thankfully, Zero Mission doesn't disappoint; it is really quite awesome. Once you beat the game you can unlock the original game, and boy is it hard. Playing the original though, you can see how much effort Nintendo put into this "remake." -- Chris Vavra, PGNx Media
---- Mar 14, 2004
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