Metroid: Zero Mission

Voices of: N/A
Developer: Nintendo
Directed by: Yoshio Sakamoto
Rating: E
Genre: Action-adventure
System: Gameboy Advance
2004

Times Completed:
Tim: 1

Summary: Samus Aran's first mission is revealed as she travels to Planet Zebes.

Review:
Tim: I typically won't play remakes if I've played the original game. It seems redundant, especially when you just get new graphics. However, Metroid: Zero Mission has enough new content that it feels unique to me. I actually loved playing the game. I'm a huge fan of the Metroid franchise- this is the 9th game in the franchise I have beat. This Gameboy Advance game was sleekly designed, tons of fun, and not especially long.

The game itself is a remake of the original, but there are additions to the story that really round out this experience and differentiate it. It's been decades since I beat the original, but playing this game never felt redundant to me. It felt familiar at times, but still a unique experience. I actually loved that you got to play for a small time as Zero Suit Samus- that was such a cool, original part of this game. It definitely made you realize the difference between not having a suit and having a fully upgraded one. This game hits all the familiar notes- you battle Mother Brain, Kraid, Ridley, several other fun bosses, plus the final boss, who I won't mention here. I'll just say it was a fun challenge- I think it took me three tries to figure out the approach to take down the final boss. The whole game was just so well designed. The map system helped immensely and it was great fun exploring Zebes and finding all the items.

That is obviously a big part of any Metroid game- item collection. It is always fun, but some games can take it to the extreme. Super Metroid is still the one game that I basically gave up and wanted to finish it. Searching for every last upgrade didn't feel worth it. Here, it absolutely did. Most aren't difficult, but the game does throw some brutally challenging item locations at you. I'll admit with no hesitation that I used the Wii U's save system on the last few- the one where you have to perform a ridiculous amount of perfectly timed shinesparks, I definitely saved 3 times as I progressed through that gauntlet. I have so much respect for players who did that flawlessly in one go. The other point I used those load screens on was the final Energy tank, in that absurd underground location where you have to jump between the green lasers. I still probably took 100+ times to get the item. Super challenging, but fun. Although those two were bonkers, there's several others that I had to look up guides online for- it's madness, what the game asks you to figure out at times. With guides, I had a blast playing the game- I was definitely not willing to unnecessarily frustrate myself. That being said, I did try to complete as much of it without guidance as I could.

In the grand scheme of this franchise, Metroid: Zero Mission is a solid addition. Yes, it's a retread of the original game, but it adds enough to feel worth playing. I finished in 7:13:19, but I definitely invested probably another 90 minutes in loading saves and replaying certain parts again-and-again. This game is also a reminder of what a great character Samus Aran is. Her journey through different games has been an interesting one and anytime we learn more about her, it's time well spent. She's definitely video game heroine royalty. I loved my time playing this game and it reminded me of what an incredible franchise this is. 2004 was a great year for Metroid and while Metroid Prime 2: Echoes deservedly gets much acclaim and focus, I wouldn't sleep on this GBA game. It's a sleek modernization of a classic game and feels like a franchise must-play.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



If You Enjoyed This Game, We Recommend: Metroid, Metroid II: Return of Samus, Metroid Fusion