Metroid

"This game has classic written all over it."

Introduction
I have enjoyed to play a lot of classic NES games over the years. One of the games I played a lot as a kid is Metroid. The sheer volume of this game is good enough for me, as this was probably the most in-depth game released for its time. The main reason for this is because the game did not feature stages, nor levels. There is just one huge world, and you have to go through it, collecting items to help you along the way. There is definitely a lot of fun to be had in this game, as it is one of the all time classic NES games. It may not be as gooas Super Metroid, but that is to be expected because the Super Nintendo version is one of my all time favorite games.

Graphics (8/10)
The graphics in the game are okay, although they are really not that special. I mean, what would you expect from a game released in 1986? So, basically, the graphics are basic, yet suitable enough considering the age of the game. The backgrounds are relatively plain, as most of the backgrounds in the game are basic black screens. You then get a color on the top and bottom, and these colors are mixed. For instance, in some parts of the game the graphics are of the purple color, but in other sections they are green and yellow. The main character looks great, despite the fact that she doesn’t have the best design ever. The enemy designs are solid, and I like the variety of enemy designs in the game. Overall, the graphics in the game are above average and perfectly acceptable for a 1986 video game.

Music and Sound Effects (8/10)
Come on, who can forget the classic theme music of this game? Or the music featured when you first start the game? This music is so classic that Nintendo decided to remix it and release it for the Super Nintendo version of the game (Super Metroid). The music in the game borders on awesome, as I like the variety of music in the game. I especially like most of the music at the start of the game, as it sounds wonderful. It definitely deserves the title of being classic, because the music sounds absolutely amazing. Sound effects in the game are not as good as the music in the game, but they get the job done. I didn’t really like the fact that the sound effects in the game were kept to a bare minimum, meaning that there were not a lot of sound effects featured in the game. Overall, the music is great and classic but the sound effects don’t quite measure up.

Gameplay and Control (9/10)
Metroid was really one of the catalysts in the reformation of the video game industry into the dominant force that it is today, along with such classics such as Super Mario Brothers and Kid Icarus. The main reason for the fact that this game is so revolutionary is the basic setup of the game. Think of it like Castlevania, with no stages. Yes, think of a huge world with items splattered everywhere. Instead of just walking from stage to stage, beating bosses along the way, you instead have to find items and collect weapons to open up parts of the game, while fighting bosses along the way. For instance, you need to find a bomb to open up the rest of the game, because some parts of the game you need to place a bomb to continue. The control in the game is great, I like how you have to roll in a ball and press A to place a bomb. Overall, this is a classic and fun game with great control.

Replay Value: Medium
This game doesn’t have incredible replay value, mainly due to the fact that I would rather play Super Metroid or Metroid 2 (the Game Boy version of the series). However, this game can prove to be quite addictive at times. One of the problems with the game is the fact that you have to type in long passwords to continue, instead of using the save system. That can prove to be quite annoying at times. Overall, the game has decent replay value.

Challenge: Decent
This game seemed to be very complicated and challenging back in the day, because nothing like it had ever been seen before. However, nowadays, this kind of game has been seen a lot, therefore a lot of the challenge luster has been taken away. Regardless, this is still a challenging game, and some of the bosses can prove to be downright annoying. Overall, the game has decent, not spectacular, challenge.

Overall (9/10)
This is a very great and classic game that helped the NES become the major force that it was to become. It may have been outdone twice now, but that does not mean that this game is not good, because this is still a fun game well worth buying, if not for the fact that it is classic, then for the fact that it is so fun to play.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/06/00, Updated 07/06/00