"A Great Game You Must Download"

I never played Metroid in my life until I downloaded it onto my Virtual Console a few days ago. I had wanted to play it for so long and now I have and here's what I think of it.
Story - 7/10

The story isn't very well developed by today's standards but considering this game was originally released in 1986, the story is pretty good. Samus Aran is hired to take on the Mother Brain on Planet Zebeth in an attempt to stop the threat of the Metroids, parasitic creatures which drain the life from living beings.

Graphics - 6/10

This game was released in 1986 originally and, being on the VC, its graphics have not changed. There are some nice sprites in this game and the enemies are imaginative. However, black backgrounds and the occasional slow-down scupper things somewhat. This is a NES game so the graphics wouldn't be anything compared to something of today and they do their job well enough, though at times they aren't particularly stirring.

Game play - 8/10

This is the important one. This game is an action/adventure game. It is also a side-scrolling shooter. In Metroid, you must explore the planet in an attempt to find your eventual target, the Mother Brain. While exploring every nook and cranny with Samus's many abilities such as the Morph Ball and the High Jump, you must defend yourself from attack from the resident creatures living on the planet. This is done using a variety of weapons. Your standard weapon is simply a weak, short-range blaster. This is upgraded via collecting power-ups hidden throughout the game world which will increase its range, or allow you to fire missiles or even freeze enemies with the Ice Beam. Morph Ball bombs allow you to attack enemies on the floor and to discover hidden areas. This game is about exploration as much as it is about shooting and only by exploring the world that Samus is now on can you find the equipment necessary for completing your mission.

This game can be controlled with just the Wii Remote and that is how I played it. The Wii Remote is held sideways, like in Sonic and the Secret Rings, and the player uses the D-Pad and 1 and 2 buttons to control Samus. The + button equals the NES Start button. Holding the Wii Remote in this manner is not uncomfortable and makes the game feel more retro than it already is.

Lifespan - 7/10

This game will last you a while. I haven't finished the whole thing yet and finding every single power-up will have you searching for a while. It's not long by today's standards but this adventure will last you a good length of time and you'll no doubt come back to try to find power-ups you never found the first time or to try to finish it faster than before.

Summary

Metroid on the Virtual Console is showing its age but that shouldn't stop you from downloading it. This is a very well made game which is just as much fun to play now as it probably was in the 80s. If you have 500 Wii Points then get this. If you are a fan of shooting or exploring or just want a good game to play, Metroid is for you.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/23/07