Super Metroid

"Super Metroid masterfully combines aesthetics, entertainment and atmosphere into one of the best games ever made."

Super Metroid is without a doubt the best adventure game on the SNES. This brilliant game takes the exploration-combat concept and great gameplay of the previous two Metroid titles, introduces new power-ups, and adorns it with lavishly crafted graphics, creating one of the most atmospheric and entertaining games ever. The third Metroid title takes Samus Aran back to the Space Pirate base on planet Zebes previously visited in the first Metroid, once again to challenge Mother Brain and the Metroids. Unlike other SNES titles that tack "Super" onto the beginning of their name, Super Metroid is truly deserving of the recognition.

Graphics/Game Design: 10/10
For 2D graphics, it doesn't get any better than Super Metroid. The staggeringly detailed environments and enemies are easily the best visuals on the console, or even the generation. Once you take in the sights Super Metroid has to offer, you'll wonder why other games on any 16-bit system can't look this good. Not only do they look great, but they set a convincing mood, too. One of the new areas, the Wrecked Ship, uses the game's graphical prowess to set an impressively atmospheric mood, as the lights flicker, sparks fly out of walls and robots, and tiny insects scurry away from your footsteps. Graphical touches like these make for an unprecedented feeling of immersion, something you just don't normally get on the SNES. Then there's the enemies. Each creature is meticulously crafted to be as realistic as possible, complete with intricately detailed bodies and life-like animations.

In terms of design, once again, nothing tops SM. Zebes has evolved from a simple world with three main areas that look almost identical to each other to a living planet full of well-designed creatures, labyrinthine pathways, and cleverly hidden secrets. The planet now houses a total of six worlds. The rocky Brinstar, Lava-filled Norfair and Pirate hub Tourian return, along with three newcomers. Crateria, which functions sort of like an overworld, linking the others together, Maridia, an entirely waterlogged territory, and the aforementioned Wrecked Ship. The returning areas, contrary to what you may expect, may as well be completely different locales, as each of them has more than doubled in size, and contain only about three rooms that match the original game, so you won't have to worry about doing the same thing from seven years earlier. Zebes also contains tons of secrets hidden within its walls, floors, and just about anywhere, and the world is displayed with impressive detail and creativity.

Music/Sound: 10/10
It is utterly impossible to have a decent atmosphere without music to complement it. The music of Super Metroid sets the perfect mood, and perfection a term given away freely. When you're escaping a space station about to explode in mere seconds, you need fast-paced, urgent music ushering you out, which Super Metroid delivers. When you're walking down a dark, deserted cavern, some brooding, eerie music suits the scene, and Super Metroid has that in spades.

Another thing that contributes to the feel of SM is its sound quality. Everything about the sounds is done remarkably well. From the shrieks of everyday enemies to the roars of the massive bosses, all the enemies are convincing. And not just the enemies, either. The sounds of Samus' weapons help to convey a great sense of destruction as you mow through swarms of enemies with a barrage of missiles.

Gameplay: 10/10
It can't be stressed enough how hooked you're likely to become with this game. The gameplay's basic concept is taken directly from the other two games in the series. You take control of Samus Aran, an interstellar bounty hunter with a grudge against Space Pirates. You then set down on a planet which contains multiple territories, each of which has new enemies, new environments, and new power-ups. There really is no one path through the game, and you're never told where to go. This forces you to explore every nook and cranny of planet Zebes in order to move on. As you explore, you'll sometimes come across a special door, a high ledge, or a large gap, none of which you can get past. Luckily, Samus has plenty of power-ups scattered across the surface of Zebes to help her.

Your starting equipment consists of the Power Suit (Samus' protection) and the Power Beam. However, one of the best features of any Metroid game is that you're constantly making your character better with power-ups. In Super Metroid, power-ups include powerful missiles and super missiles, as well as upgraded beams like the enemy-freezing Ice Beam, and the Wave Beam, which contains the ability to shoot through walls. Power-ups aren't always weapons, either. They often provide new forms of movement, such as the classic Morph Ball or Space Jump Boots. In addition to these, Super Metroid contains lots of new upgrades. The heat-resistant Varia Suit returns, along with the new Gravity Suit, which allows easy movement underwater. Two of the most creative power-ups are the Grapple Beam, which can allow Samus to swing from ceilings, and the X-ray Scope, which reveals special types of blocks that may be disguised as regular ones. Hunting for power-ups is one of the most rewarding parts of the game, as not only do you get to squeeze everything the game has to offer out of it, but you'll be able to return to a previously visited area and find you can obliterate former threats with ease, which is immensely satisfying.

But it's not all random searching for power-ups. The passages and caverns of Zebes are filled with enemies, from tiny spiked bugs to powerful, life-sucking Metroids. All of Samus' weapons will come into play during combat, letting them be used for more than just shooting doors. Super Metroid has found the perfect balance between power-up finding, and creature battling, which is probably what makes it so fun to play. The boss battles are the most exciting affairs of the game, and provide a great challenge, too. Nothing is more of a thrill than blasting Super Missiles into a hundred foot-tall lizard's mouth while he shoots organic missiles and claw-like boomerangs at you, . The game also has a nice balance of fast and slow parts, which is always a plus.

Play Control/Innovation: 9/10
The controls are yet another strong point of Super Metroid. That is to say, they're perfect. Also, the hit detection, which I always find poses a significant threat games with Super Metroid's play style, is spot on. They're also very simple (It's really just move, shoot, jump and switch weapons.), which makes it so there is very little learning curve. though even with simple controls, this is not a game for non-gamers.

Most of Super Metroid's innovation comes from the power-ups it introduces. Super Metroid has its share of new power-ups, most of which are pretty creative. The Grapple Beam and X-ray Scope are some of the best ideas to come to the adventure genre. The Gravity Suit and Speed Booster (it's more complicated than it sounds) are also surprisingly well thought out. Some new things like Super Missiles and Power Bombs, which are simply stronger versions of established weapons aren't all that great, so it's not all perfect. The small bit that isn't about power-ups is done with new manoeuvres like the wall jump. These things add a bit of variety to the constant running and shooting of most games of this type, though places where they're useful are often few and far between.

Replay Value/Challenge: 10/10
Super Metroid is very long for a game of its type. At six areas, it may not seem like it, but keep in mind, those areas are very large. When you take into account that there are also dozens of extra power-ups to be collected (such as missile ammo expansions and energy tanks), finding every power-up in the game will take at least double the normal amount of time to accomplish.

As was stated before, SM is not a game for non-gamers. It was meant for those who care about the games they play. Therefore, the challenge level is fitting for that audience. While this may scare off some people, the rest of us can enjoy the challenge. It starts out with no enemies, lets you see how to control everything, then introduces some weak enemies and then a minor boss, and then picks up from there. Speaking of boss fights, Super Metroid contains some amazing ones. By the final two boss fights, every hit you take will matter, which really is what should be happening by the end of any game worth its salt.

Overall: 9.7 (not an average, rounded to 10)
Super Metroid raises the bar for many things on the SNES, including graphics, sound and gameplay, and is easily one of the best adventure games ever created. In short, if you own a SNES, you owe it to yourself to pick up this game.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 01/08/07, Updated 05/27/08

Game Release: Super Metroid (US, 04/18/94)