Customer Reviews

Metroid: Zero Mission

5 star:		(60)
4 star:		(57)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Metroid: Zero Mission" is a Game Boy Advance remake of the game "Metroid" for the Nintendo Entertainment System, which started the "Metroid" series of games. Many people consider the original game to be the best, in regards to storyline, originality, and etcetera. The new game includes improved graphics, sound, and enemy AI, along with some new missions after the point where the normal game would be completed.

The storyline will be familiar to all fans of the series, seeing as it's the same as "Metroid". The bounty hunter Samus Aran has been hired to go to the planet Zebes and destroy a race of energy-draining creatures known as Metroids. She must also destroy an evil entity known as Mother Brain. Samus herself was orphaned on this planet by the evil Space Pirates (that's actually the name of their species, at least to the humans) and was rescued and raised by a race known as the Chozo. These highly-advanced creatures gave her the power suit that she wears, so that she may destroy the Space Pirates (as Zebes was also at one time a Chozo colony). Now, using the power of her suit and her natural skills, Samus must destroy this threat to the galaxy.

The graphics in this game are very well done, and are a little bit better than the graphics in Metroid Fusion. They are beautiful and immersive. Samus has her original suit, not the bizarre blue punk-style suit she had in Metroid Fusion. Samus gets multiple suits during the course of the game; the basic power suit (which is dark orange), the heat-and-cold resistant Varia suit (which is bulkier and light orange), and the water-pressure resistant Gravity suit (which is like the Varia suit, but purple). There is also a part where Samus loses her power suit and runs around in a jumpsuit, armed only with a pistol (this is a sequence that wasn't in the original game).

The sound in the game is not really impressive. Even though it's better than the NES game, it's still basically blips and bleeps. The music isn't bad, and sets the tone more than the sound effects. There is also a very annoying "low health" sound, which is a little siren that sounds if your health is less than 10% of its maximum. So basically, if you're really hurt, you just hear "beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeep" over and over again until you get some health, which isn't always easy. The same problem occurs in the "Legend of Zelda" games, too. Of course, if it's really annoying, the sound can be turned off, but then you miss out on other sound effects.

The gameplay is satisfying. Bosses are often of the "hit its weak spot with a particular weapon" variety, though they still look pretty cool. Samus can perform all sorts of maneuvers, such as her morph ball form, in which she can roll around, her freeze missiles, which can freeze enemies and make them into stepping blocks, and her grapple beam, which she can use to swing around on hooks. There is also a good variety of locations, from ancient Chozo ruins to volcanoes.

Overall, this game is very, very good. It's a nice way of introducing newer gamers to the beginning of the Metroid series. For old-school gamers, beating the game will get you the original NES Metroid game to play.
9/10 (I'm taking one point of for the Low Health Beeps).

Remakes of classic games are a risky endeavor. On the one hand, you're working with a classic game recognized by possibly millions of people around the world, most of whom are fans. This means that you start with an existing fan community, but the flipside is that these fans are likely to be far more critical of a remake treading on hallowed ground. Deviate too far from the formula of the original, and you risk alienating the fans who put the source game on the map in the first place. Go to far in the other direction and don't change things enough, and the game will suffer -- presumably the whole reason for the remake in the first place was to address issues in the original game that are no longer up to the standards of modern titles, thereby giving fans a modern-day version of a classic. Fail in this, and the most likely response will be an apathetic shrug from the gaming community, followed by predicable but merely mediocre sales.

Taking this into account, a Metroid 1 remake seems like a great idea that will should fall flat. The Metroid series was groundbreaking for Nintendo, and was a truly remarkable step sideways for the kid-friendly company. Metroid was, and remains, one of the few truly dark Nintendo games, throwing players into a maze of subterranean monster lairs and secret passages. It was a futuristic game with a massive sense of mystery about it, creating the feeling of exploration in an alien world that has become the series' trademark.

However, what worked in '87 doesn't necessarily hold up today. Metroid's backstory has since been fleshed out to a substantial degree, shedding light on many of the mysteries that actually propped up the original game. Half the reason to explore Metroid was just to figure out what all this stuff was about. Now, with games like Metroid: Fusion, the players have been given a much clearer window into the life of the game's protagonist, as well as all the events and occurrences surrounding her. If you go back and play the original game, there are hints of the direction the series' plot would take in future installments, but for the most part it's too full of holes to be considered cannon; it feels like more of a suggestion than a real reference point. While the aesthetics are certainly cool, to be honest, there's not much of a plot to speak of in Metroid 1.

At the same time, if a remake were to go back and try to cram what we now know of the game's origins into a setting that was never particularly meant to hold it, you're going to wind up with a different game entirely -- not exactly a remake. So...What to do?

Well, I'm not sure how they managed it, but they did. This game not only sidesteps every bullet I've mentioned above, it plucks them right out of the air, Matrix-style, and tosses them back without breaking a sweat. This game, as far as what one would hope to achieve with a remake, is absolutely PERFECT.

True to the original game, Metroid: Zero Mission eschews any real narrative style in favor of visual cues. The plot remains the same: Penetrate the defenses below the planet and kill the space-pirate ringleader, Mother Brain. Really, that's it, both in the original and in the new version. However, now, all the unseen stuff that was merely implied in the original is actually present in the game proper. Kraid's been updated to his official size (i.e. freakin' huge). Ridley actually lands his ship (yes, Ridley can fly a ship) partway through the game to intercept Samus as the game wears on. Hey, he apparently wasn't just waiting around for her to show up and kill him that whole time. Who knew?

Really, the whole game has been updated to the point that it's exactly what one assumes the original would have been, had it been made in 2004. All the original layouts, powerups, enemies, and tricky hidden rooms are in there, but they've been streamlined and slightly altered to remove much of the obtuseness of the original game. Of course, as a result, the remake is far easier, but it comes together so well that the difficulty amounts to what it would be if the player was already intimately familiar with the original game. That is, if you know the entire map of Metroid 1 like the back of your hand, the game isn't particularly hard. Metroid: Zero Mission just adds that sort of familiarity artificially by means of a true in-game map and a waypoint system to alert the player where they need to go to advance. If it sounds like hand-holding, it is, but it doesn't serve to make the game genuinely easier. Rather, it takes the frustration level down, which is a perfect tradeoff as far as I care.

On the technical side of things, the graphics have received an obvious overhaul, and the game looks fantastic. Control is spot on, and the music consists of well-done updates of the original MIDI tunes. Metroid had a particularly memorable soundtrack, and the remake keeps everything wonderfully intact. You'll be humming the Brinstar theme for hours, guaranteed.

Lastly, it's worth pointing out that the Original Metroid opens up as a bonus feature once the game is beaten once, so those who want to make a direct comparison can do so right on the same cart. It's a very nice little bonus that rounds out what really is the definitive 2D Metroid experience.

All in all, this game is as good as I ever could have hoped for. Fans of the original are really in for a treat -- especially AFTER the Mother Brain fight. A few things were added, to tie up some loose ends, you might say...

Highly, highly recommended.

Metroid: Zero Mission is a remake of the original Metroid. But this isn't just any remake: It's packed with lots of extras and new gameplay elements to update it from the original. Updated graphics, story and extras. If you've played the original Metroid or LOVE the Metroid series you OWE it to yourself to pick this game up!

Nice updated graphics will enhance the gameplay and exploration of the game. Nice, sharp, crisp graphics that are to die for! Not only that but now the game includes Full Motion Videos to move the story along! This game truly takes advantage of the GBA's capabilities.

The sound has even been improved and you'll undoubtably love the new upgrade in sound. Better sound effects and the music is not so different from the original (though I loved the original).

The gameplay is more or less the same but this time you've got more help. The game now has the map in the upper right hand corner of the screen to guide you. Statues also help lead you to your next objective as well. Hallways are also changed. Also, Samus has a Power Grip and Space Jump ability, previously not in the original game.

The game also includes a whole new mission! After you defeat the Mother Brain there's actually more to follow. This will help to tie all the Metroid games (including Prime) together. Not to mention that as a bonus Nintendo threw in the original Metroid! So you can actually compare the two.

However, the game still has its setbacks. For one, its still rather short. Longer than Metroid Fusion but not by that much. Second, the new statues guiding you make it seem like the game is holding your hand too much. That and the fact that this game is much easier than the original (that can be good or bad). But don't let those things stop you from picking up this title. If you're a Metroid fan you owe it to yourself to pick this up right away!

Metroid: Zero Mission is probably the best GBA game I've played. In fact, it's so good, I had to stop playing it to write this review. It has lots of cool unlockables and fun puzzles! It's hard enough that I can't beat it in one sitting, and easy enough that I never had to read any walkthroughs! (except for the part where I had to find Kraid.)

Gameplay: 9/10

It has a good amount of puzzles, not too many, and it's not all running and jumping like some Sonic games. High replay value also, because you'll have to replay to unlock more cool stuff.

Music: 9/10

The music is great, the only problem is that it's a bit too repetitive (especially the Brinstar theme). But, there's a sound test, and that's always good.

Graphics: 10/10

The graphics are great, especially Ridley and the Metroids. Also, nothing is really distracting.

Story: 9/10

It's almost the same story as the original Metroid, which is to be expected considering this game is almost a remake of the original.

Overall: 9.25/10

It's a great game. The bosses are fun, not too easy like Sonic Adventure 2 Battle, and not too hard like Advance Guardian Heroes. Even better, one of the unlockables is the original Metroid game, which is also fun.

First of all, to clear up any confusion cause by some reviewers below who provided incorrect info (like Samus being in trouble with the law and Samus being a guy; both are false), I would like to inform the reader that Mertroid: Zero Mission is a remake of the original Metroid released nearly 20 years ago on the original Nintendo Entertainmen System.

Zero Mission expands the story of the original and adds totally new gameplay elements to Samus' first adventure on the planet Zebes. She is a bounty hunter sent to Zebes to destroy the lifeform known as the Metroids. They are parasitic creatures that drain the life out of any living thing.

Compared to the original game, Zero Mission is a vast improvement, featuring enhanced graphics, tighter game controls, an impressive orchestral soundtrack of remixed original Metroid songs, and an expanded story that links Samus' first mission with her mission on the GameCube, Metroid Prime.

Compared to the last GameBoy Advance Metroid game, Metroid Fusion, the graphics are similar, if not slightly improved in Zero Mission. The gameplay is similar and intuitive in both games. And unlike Metroid Fusion which was more linear and told you where to go, Zero Mission only hints at the next location, and the hints aren't nearly as often as the ones in Fusion. The only draw back to Zero Mission is the fact that the game is easier that Fusion to beat. There is a hard difficulty that would make a Fusion expert sweat, but you can only access it after you've already beaten the game. But one drawback doesn't stop this from being a great game.

It is also worth mentioning that you can unlock an emulated version of the original Metroid when you beat the game. The original game (which Zero Mission is base on) is quite a challenge for any seasoned game veteran.

This game is a must buy for anyone who has a GameBoy Advance. And if you don't own one, then this is the time to get one. Trust me.

this was a pretty good game from nintendo. i was impressed that nintendo remade the orginal. and it was a big success. so get this game if you like action.

this was a pretty good game from nintendo. i was impressed that nintendo remade the orginal. and it was a big success. so get this game if you like action.

this was a pretty good game from nintendo. i was impressed that nintendo remade the orginal. and it was a big success. so get this game if you like action.

this was a pretty good game from nintendo. i was impressed that nintendo remade the orginal. and it was a big success. so get this game if you like action.

this was a pretty good game from nintendo. i was impressed that nintendo remade the orginal. and it was a big success. so get this game if you like action.