"Metroid Zero, why isn't this series stale yet?"

Before I played Metroid Zero Mission, which I heard was a remake of the original Metroid game I played the original Metroid first. And that game had many problems. For one you can only shoot in two directions, the frame rate is very slow, and the music is extremely choppy and almost makes you not want to play. Not only that but there are no energy recharge stations, you must get your energy back from enemies which also endangers you to taking more damage. And the most annoying part was having a password instead of saving your current in game progress. Zero Mission fixes these problems, then it makes it presentable for the twenty-first century.

Story 10/10
The story of Zero Mission is to go onto planet Zebus and destroy Mother Brain, the leader of the Space Pirates. That is your mission and as simple as it sounds, it is a very strong storyline. Not only does it start off Samus’ first adventure, but it also links this games story line with all the other Metroid games(excluding Metroid): Metroid Two: The Return of Samus, Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion, and Metroid Prime. So you star as Samus Aran, a Chozo blooded human who’s purpose is to rid Zebus of these pirates, all the while you discover upgrades to your power suit that enable you to take on stronger enemies.

Graphics 8/10
These are not the best graphics on the Gameboy Advance, but they are not lackluster either. These graphics are worth talking about though. And you will be talking about them. Before you even start your mission you see a cut scene with wonderful graphics that makes you feel giddy inside. Then once you start playing the game, the graphics are just as good if not better than Super Metroid. All the enemies are remade, and look like they own the place and have settled down to what they are doing. The respective beams and missiles you shoot are no exception to the wonderful graphics either. Samus is also looking very nice in her Powersuit. Even though graphics do not make the game, they sure make it more enjoyable. And in this game the frame rate is solid and makes the game even more enjoyable when you are doing precise jumps or shots.

Sound 9/10
The sound in this game is awesome, a few scores of music are remastered versions of old Metroid music, so if you have played any of the other great games you will feel right at home. There is also new music that suits the environment they are playing. Nintendo did not slouch on the sound effects either. When you charge it sounds just right, as does the rip when you let it go, and the explosion of the enemy you just destroyed! Samus has many moves to do, and they all have unique sounds that give you this great feeling.
Some rooms have alarms that go off and the pirates look around for you then once the alarm goes off they settle down but still stay on screen which is a good indicator and another reason how the wonderful sound plays a factor. You will also enjoy hearing the bosses scream when you shoot a missile at them, it is so fun and it really sounds like there is some giant lizard in pain directly behind you.

Gameplay 10/10
Now this is the meat and potatoes of this game. While the graphics make you enjoy every step, and the sound makes you feel good, it is the great game play intertwined with both of those factors that makes this game all the better. At first you start out like a new born, you know nothing of your current abilities and you are very weak. Then as you progress through the games puzzles you discover that you have many powers, and some powers can be used in different ways. Most of the game you are backtracking to get what you need. Say you just found a new weapon, usually you can use that weapon right away but if you want to finish the game, you must go back an open a different path and fight harder enemies. But unlike the first Metroid game this game has a map, and there are also statues that once you activate them, direct you where to go by giving you a location, but they do not show you exactly how to get there. The controls are also great for this game, it uses its four button to their extent. Making navigating the map much easier and also selecting your missiles easier too. There are also save points put in very critical places, they make you think twice about what you are about to do. You can go into the new room and maybe die, or you can go a long way back and save, so most of the time you find yourself heading straight on into the next room unaware and scared and what is to come. In the last part of the game, there are even fewer save points, so you must be very brave about your choices, because once you go forward there is basically no going back.
One thing I must warn you about is that If you press ‘A’. ‘B’, ‘L’, and ‘R’ at the same time you do a soft reset of the game and you will have to start from your last save.

Replay Ability 7/10
Most one player games have low replay ability because once you beat them you really have nothing left to do except beat them again. This game has much more to do once you beat the game the first time through. After you beat the game you can go back and play on hard mode, not only that but the game will show your time and the amount of items you have collected in each area because many players enjoy going through the game as fast as they can while still completing it one hundred percent, Nintendo added in that extra only once you beat the game. And if you do get tired of the game, there are still more things you can do. You can unlock a gallery, you can link your Gameboy Advance to Metroid Fusion, and you can even play the second mission. I would recommend that you buy this game, then let a friend borrow it, then once you get it back you will love it all the more.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 02/12/04