Super Metroid

"Could I pleeeease turn off the mapping system?"

Super Metroid is a bona fide classic, a perfect merging of action and adventure and an excellent update for Samus Aran from her other two excellent exploits (on the NES and GB, by the way). As the now famous space bounty hunter, you must recover the Metroid hatchling that you rescued from the alien planet in the Game Boy game (nice continuity there, Nintendo). Ridley has stolen the poor little thing from the research facility in which it is being studies for its energy-producing qualities. You get to play through this introduction, which really helps to draw you in to the storyline. Following Ridley's spaceship, Aran lands on the old planet of Zebes, ready to rescue the fledgling alien with whom she shares a special bond.

Graphics
I still think the graphics look fantastic in this game. Super Metroid has a look to it that no other sci-fi themed game has ever quite done since. Zebes has several distinct areas, including traditional locales like Torian and Brinstar and newer places like an a Sunken Spaceship and the watery world of Maridia. These areas are integrated perfectly; when you pass through a glass tunnel that runs through the bowels of Maridia, the water is given a beveled, beaded type effect that is just gorgeous. Samus Aran looks great and moves fluidly, and the weapons effects (like the Power Bomb) can be fantastic. The enemies and bosses are well detailed too. There are lava-spitting dragons in Norfair whose bodies seem to ooze with hot magma. There is even a mini-Boss in the game who melts right before your eyes, and it is one of the most spectacular atmospheric effects to hit the Super Nintendo. Efforts like this kept the system viable even as people were upgrading to 32-bit in droves later on.
(9/10)

Sound
The music is excellent. The tunes that accompany each level are well composed and engrossing- the Maridia music seems to fit. It's just like I imagined a sci-fi aquatic environment to sound. The effects, like the cryogenic Ice Beam, make really appealing sounds that further your appreciation for the game. The monsters make this crackling freezing sound when they are hit (I don't know exactly why, but it reminds me of the movie Demolition Man. The enemies make high pitched, feral groans and grunts that improve on the sound effects found in previous efforts on the Game Boy and NES.
(9/10)

Control
Aran controls beautifully for such a complex game. She can jump, double jump, switch arm guns and use an X-Ray beam all on the fly (nice usage of the often forgotten Select button!). Using certain jump techniques towards the end of the game can get kind of hairy, but it is masterable. There are even super secret energy replensihing moves that lie in wait for you to discover (and good luck figuring these out without the aid of a FAQ!). A job well done overall.
(8/10)

Gameplay
This game is true to the Metroid series, which is your basic adventure around the planet game with plenty of action along the way. Samus Aran treks through a natural progression of levels, collecting weapons enhancements and defeating bosses along the way. She learns special techniques and there are multiple ways to complete the game (a la the original). As you progress through the game a second or even a third time, you will discover new ways of going about things, and this can make the game much easier (or harder). This is a relatively lengthy game, and the Save option (in the form of special rooms) is well done. This game screams production values. You must also discover armor enhancements, energy increasers, and get cute little indigenous animals to teach you new techniques. Everything is immersive, and it doesn't even have dialogue after the intro. The only thing that brings this down is the mapping feature. You can find a map for each area which displays every room (excluding secret rooms). However, a part of the fun of the first two games was the whole exploration aspect of the game. I almost felt cheated out of the true length and splendour of the game, and I kept wishing that I could turn it off. It is truly too tempting to use the map to help chart your way...as a result, Super Metroid lacks the airy expansiveness of the NES original or the cramped claustrophobia of the Game Boy adventure.
(7/10)

Replay Value
It really suffers due to the mapping system (the game REALLY feels smaller), but there are a plethora of secret areas to discover that will keep you coming back for a little while. The first time you complete this game, you will have discovered about only sixty to sixty-five percent of all of the special items in the game. Second and third trips through will net you more secrets and a (slightly) better ending.
(7/10)

Average (8/10)...Well, this game could have been an easy 9 or even maybe a 10 without the mapping feature. However, what is here is excellent nonetheless and I would encourage anyone to give Super Metroid a try. A couple of tries, even. It is well worth the effort, and technically it is one of the best around. It is nearly cinematic in its scope.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/20/00, Updated 06/20/00