"Nintendo lost their touch somewhere"

In 1986, Nintendo brought out a game that would change the way adventure/action games would be for the next decade. 18 years on, they couldn’t come up with any new ideas so just re-made the original. By today’s standards we expect a lot better. Did it deliver? No, not really.
Like many, I waited for the release of this game with eager anticipation. I checked the site and watched the movies. I heard the hype on various forums and saved up my pocket money so I could go out on the day of release and purchase the latest enthrallment.
When I finally started it up I was pleased to see the typical Metroid style introduction but unfortunately, that was all I was going to be pleased with at the start of the game.
The gameplay in the beginning was recognizable Metroid, from the enemies and platform jumping to rolling around with the morph ball through the conveniently sized gaps. The ‘explore as much of the area you can as possible without being limited by your abilities’ feature was still there although I felt limited by how far I could go compared to some previous releases and while I was being directed in the correct direction by the Chozo statues, it seemed unnecessary to make any extra effort to find power-ups.
When you come up against the first boss...well, even by first boss standards he appeared weak and far too easy. It had the trademark, tried and tested formula of moving in a repetitive pattern with a certain number of attacks and you had to shoot missiles at its weak spot.
The game continued like this, it seemed to make no effort to provide a test for the player. The platform jumping was average – nothing spectacular. The enemies were at least what were predicted in each area on Zebes and Nintendo didn’t try to create anything new. The areas had a distinct lack of enemies, not even made up for by clever puzzles or demanding control skill. The way you weren't made to work for the power ups was disappointing, each boss became more and more tiresome to kill, any improvements for the 21st Century didn’t seem to cross Nintendo’s mind.
As the game went on it became more dreary and monotonous as I ploughed my way through the areas. I was surprised I didn't have to use power bombs in Tourian and the Mother Brain was pathetic. I expected something that would blow me away like at the end of Super Metroid.
There was no need to search for the power-ups since the amount you had just by following the main path gave you more than enough to deal with the next boss or two.
Then came some light relief. Without a suit it sparked the gameplay with a new vigor and it is this freshness, however, the shock of Samus Aran being female has long lost its novelty. After getting your suit back, everything became way too easy and the final boss wasn't even worth 2 minutes of my time.
The graphics were nice; the areas stick true to the originals and the bosses had some good quality details on them. The graphics were everything you’d expect from a Metroid game, it takes advantage of the GBA’s hardware but because it is what everyone expects then it can’t be said that graphics will make the game standout.
The score in the game was not quite on track in some places, in my opinion, it didn’t give out the right atmosphere and when compared to music in Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion, even, as well as any other open ended game, the music in the background didn’t work for me. That’s my opinion and musical taste is always subject to criticism so it shouldn’t be looked upon that a terrible or a fantastic score turns a game into a classic or sends it to the pit of nothingness.
Overall, a fan of the series should pick this title up and give it a play. This game can be finished with 40% or completion (or maybe less) and 100% is only for the dedicated Metroid players. The feeling can’t be suppressed that Metroid: Zero Mission has been ‘dumbed-down’ in order to appeal to a larger market and make as much money as possible. I guess that is how the gaming industry has become now days and by making a short game which most people can finish is more appealing than a deep game which is harder. A great example of this is Deus Ex compared to Deus Ex 2: Invisible War – but that’s another review.
Understandably Nintendo are making games for the money but they seem to have forgotten like so many developers out there that you can make money and put in the effort to make a landmark title.
New comers to the series are better off with another Metroid title. Those browsing the GBA market for a top game could do better by playing Castlevania: Aria Of Sorrow – the game has plenty of enemies, better gameplay than Zero Mission and a slightly better score and has, of course, open-ended environments.

Gameplay - 4/10
Sound - 6/10
Graphics - 8/10
Storyline - 8/10
Replay value - 4/10

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 02/20/04