Dan Geeks Out: Video Game Review #411: Metroid: Zero Mission

Metroid: Zero Mission

Game Boy Advance

Nostalgia Factor:

Onward through the years we go. After a brief stop in 2003, Mop Up duty rolls into 2004 with its mind set on bigger and better things. First stop: Metroid Zero Mission. If you've been paying attention, this is now the third straight Game Boy Advance title I've played for Mop Up Duty. What can I say? I never owned a GBA growing up, so I'm just now getting the chance to explore some of these old games.

Metroid: Zero Mission is something I've been looking forward to for a while now. All I knew about this one coming into it was how it was a remake of the original Metroid for the NES, complete with new graphics, new areas, new story elements, improved gameplay, and several quality of life upgrades.

I've been wanting to play through the Metroid games in order lately, so it's awesome that this remake exists. I played through the original Metroid about four years ago, so this is a great way to revisit the events of that game without actually having to play the old NES version again. I'll take the new, updated version please!

Story:

At first glance, this is a basic retelling of the original Metroid game, where Samus is sent down to the planet Zebes to wipe out the Metroids and defeat Mother Brain. While that is indeed the main focus of the game, Zero Mission adds some depth to the surrounding storyline. Everything is more fleshed out through cutscenes. There are clear references to the Chozo this time around which add to the lore of the series. And, spoiler alert, the game doesn't end when you defeat Mother Brain this time around. When you think the game is over, you are presented with a bonus mission where Samus is captured by the Space Pirates and has to escape their clutches and get off the planet.

I have to say, I really enjoyed the extra content at the end of the game. I plan to play further games in the Metroid series, so it is nice to have a more in-depth look (sorry, NES version!) of Samus's very first outing.

Gameplay:

The clear goal of Zero Mission was to take the original Metroid title and turn it into a game that would do well in present times. And I think Nintendo succeeded. There are so many quality of life improvements here, like a map, save points and areas that completely refill your health and ammunition. The controls are much, much more fluid and easy to handle.

The action is pretty intense. Instead of throwing a limited number of enemies at you that act like bullet sponges and take a lot of damage, this game throws a ton of enemies at you that can be killed very quickly and easily. I often felt overpowered running through these levels and mowing down everything in sight.

Samus is easy to control. She's faster in this game than in the original Metroid. Her jumps aren't as floaty, and you can easily move around mid-jump. She can fire diagonally, and can crouch and fire. Double tapping down turns you into the Morph Ball, which is a great move. The ability to duck and shoot allows you to hit enemies that are low to the ground that you wouldn't be able to hit in the NES game. However, the biggest improvement in regards to the controls, in my opinion, is the ability for Samus to grab onto ledges and pull herself up. That move is a life saver.

The basic formula of Zero Mission follows the classic NES version of the game. You have to navigate a giant, maze like area, collecting weapon and suit upgrades as you go. You have to defeat the bosses Kraid and Ridley in order to open up the final area that takes you to Mother Brain.

The first major difference is the map system. This game NEEDED a map. And it is terrific. I was never a fan of the aimless wandering in the original Metroid, and the map cuts down on it tenfold. It also does a good job of letting you know when there is an item to collect in your area. I think the game wavers on being a bit too "hand-holdy". It shows you on the map where you are supposed to go, and in very clear detail. But I'd much rather have this than the aimless wandering and meandering.

This game is also much easier than the original Metroid. Enemies are easier to kill. They drop useful items at a much higher rate. Samus's maneuverability makes the game much easier to control. The map obviously is a giant help. I breezed through most of this game. I hate to say this, but part of me was missing the challenge of the original Metroid. I always found that game to be so daunting as a kid. This version, however, is an absolute walk in the park.

There are many changes made to the game's map. While the same very very basic layout is similar, there is a LOT of new content added. Boss fights that didn't exist before. There's a giant worm that follows you around for a while. Little parasite creatures can become attached to your suit and start to drain your health.

The more you play this game, the more it begins to feel like a brand new game rather than just a rehash of the original Metroid. And that's a great thing. I'm normally a purist when it comes to these kinds of things (see my opinion on the original Final Fantasy VII vs the remake), but I think this game might actually be more fun than the original. Yes, it's easy and it holds your hand. But it also doesn't drag you down with its slow pace, and it allows you to actually make some progress right off the bat, rather than leave you floundering and not knowing where to go.

Samus at full power is a force to reckon with. She has a speed rush attack. A screw attack. An ice beam that actually kills enemies rather than just freeze them (another great change made to this game). I went into battle against Mother Brain fully confident I was going to kick some butt.

The game's final chapter focuses more on stealth. Samus needs to escape the Space Pirates, but if she's spotted, her position is swarmed by guards until she runs away and she loses them, kind of like Snake in Metal Gear Solid. I'll admit, the sudden change in gameplay was a bit startling and caught me by surprise. I like that they tried something new with the game, but it felt a bit out of place - at least in my humble opinion.

Graphics:

This game looks really good. Take the NES Metroid and give it Super Metroid's graphics, and that is pretty much what you have here. The colors are nice, the areas are well-designed. I love the atmosphere of the game as you dive deeper beneath the surface of Zebes. This game isn't quite as immersive as Super Metroid, but it does an admirable job.

Sound:

One area that the NES game does better is in the music... at least the Brinstar theme song, that is. I feel that this version of the song is too fast paced and happy and upbeat, and it doesn't capture the mood of the game quite as well as the NES version.

Other than that one song, Zero Mission does a much better job with the music. I love the save room music. I love the jingle that plays when you find a suit or weapon upgrade. I love the mysterious Chozo music. Many of the deeper areas of the game have very atmospheric songs that fully capture the spirit of Zero Mission.

I still love the charm of the NES music, but this version is better, no doubt. The classic sound effects made it over intact, and that's great. Metroid does have some iconic sound effects.

Overall:

I didn't expect to love this game as much as I did. My initial impression that this would be just a watered down version of the original Metroid game was completely wrong. This is a fun and exciting addition to the Metroid franchise that is an absolute joy to play through from beginning to end. While the quality of life improvements make the game much easier, they make the game more fun, too.

It's rare that I like a remake more than the original version of the game, but it happened here. Put these two games in front of me and I'll choose to play Zero Mission any day of the week. I have sentimental love for the original Metroid, true. But this game just has that extra fun factor that was otherwise lacking for me. I'm not going to give this game an A+, because I feel it is far from a perfect game. So I have to give it an A. Giving it the same score as the original Metroid, even though I said it is better, seems a bit strange. But chalk it up to a flaw in the scoring system. This is the definitive version of the original Metroid. If you haven't played Zero Mission, you need to change that.

THE GRADE:

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1983:

1984:

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