Metroid 35th Anniversary - Thoughts/Memories/Rankings
Aug 5, 2021 7:59:22 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Aug 5, 2021 7:59:22 GMT -5
OK, so I'm a day ahead of schedule, but I wanted do a thread to celebrate the anniversary of the Metroid series. Though only ever a moderate success in its own right the series included some of the most acclaimed games of all time and effectively launched it's own genre (though I'm certainly happy to call them Platform Adventure's as a descriptor too). Anyway, this thread is pretty much to post your thoughts about the series however you want to go about it, whether a discussion post, ranking, posting your memories etc.
Personally, I'd had some previous experience with the series, but it was over Christmas 2009 and into the early part of the following year that I truly discovered what Metroid was all about and I pretty much fell for it's unique offerings, playing every entry available at the time within that timeframe. I started with Metroid Fusion, moved to the Wii versions of Prime Trilogy (which I was gifted that year) and then moved onto Super, Zero Mission etc before looking forward to the impending release of Other M (I thought it looked promising - and I don't think it's as bad as people say). I have to remove some objectivity in this, but when it delivers Metroid is my absolute favourite game series. I love exploration in video games, and the sci-fi environment does a great deal more for me than Zelda's high fantasy. The isolated environments and tightly packed level designs are something I haven't really seen recreated - Metroid has it's own feel, even amongst it's contemporaries. Here is my ranking:-
12. Metroid: Other M - So yeah, I don't think it's as bad as people say, but still a disappointment. I'm not a fan of the lack of exploration and the pixel hunt segments, but I think the switchable perspective concept had potential, even if that wasn't reached here. I really liked the post credit sequence.
11. Metroid - The first two games don't have the modern QoL features, most specifically the map, nor the variable environments to help us navigate through the mazelike world, so to me they don't hold up so well.
10. Metroid 2 - A little better than the original imo, but only by a nails length.
9. Metroid Prime Hunters - A nice experiment, but the demo version that came with the DS delivered more than the full release did. Aiming was awkward for me, but I didn't hate it.
8. Metroid: Samus Returns - I liked this entry, but didn't think it lived up to the best the series had to offer. I feel the game is limited by it's hardware and would like to reexperience it elsewhere. Metroid Dread looks like an improvement - let's hope it delivers.
7. Metroid Prime 2 - The most moody of the games I found it a little drab, and the light and dark world mechanism had been done better elsewhere. Still, it delivered a fine sequel with more of the action/exploration expected after the previous game.
6. Metroid Prime Pinball - I know there was a collective sigh from the series fans when Pinball was unveiled, and it is somewhat derided. Personally though I've always liked Nintendo's forays into the pinball genre. The use of Samus' Morph Ball is an obvious fit, and the theme and soundtrack add a nice feeling of adrenaline. I found this an addictive and welcome spin off.
5. Metroid Zero Mission - A big improvement on the original; and with added surprises. My only real issues with it are too much linearity and that it's too short.
4. Metroid Prime 3 - More of an action take, but the puzzles were still nice, and I liked that Samus' gunship was incorporated more. It was way too easy but there were some nice boss encounters and the added motion control elements were a nice touch.
3. Metroid Fusion - Fusion added more depth to Samus' backstory and greater context for the overall plot. The series had kind of been written into a corner with this entry, however we're finally at a place where we can look forward. I prefer this version to Zero Mission since I prefer it's sprite work and appreciate the added horror elements.
2. Super Metroid - In my opinion Super Metroid delivers the most on the alien environment, and the exploration is at it's most open. It can be a little difficult to approach by modern standards and the controls have been bettered elsewhere but the world itself is top notch.
1. Metroid Prime - I really love everything about Prime. The world is so tightly designed, and the atmosphere is so thick. I liked that Retro kept to basics with this entry whereas with the two follow ups they felt the need to try something a little different. As there aren't even many other 3D Metroidlike's around I feel like there hasn't been a real attempt to outdo this game. Hopefully we see a back to basics approach with the eventual Prime 4.
Personally, I'd had some previous experience with the series, but it was over Christmas 2009 and into the early part of the following year that I truly discovered what Metroid was all about and I pretty much fell for it's unique offerings, playing every entry available at the time within that timeframe. I started with Metroid Fusion, moved to the Wii versions of Prime Trilogy (which I was gifted that year) and then moved onto Super, Zero Mission etc before looking forward to the impending release of Other M (I thought it looked promising - and I don't think it's as bad as people say). I have to remove some objectivity in this, but when it delivers Metroid is my absolute favourite game series. I love exploration in video games, and the sci-fi environment does a great deal more for me than Zelda's high fantasy. The isolated environments and tightly packed level designs are something I haven't really seen recreated - Metroid has it's own feel, even amongst it's contemporaries. Here is my ranking:-
12. Metroid: Other M - So yeah, I don't think it's as bad as people say, but still a disappointment. I'm not a fan of the lack of exploration and the pixel hunt segments, but I think the switchable perspective concept had potential, even if that wasn't reached here. I really liked the post credit sequence.
11. Metroid - The first two games don't have the modern QoL features, most specifically the map, nor the variable environments to help us navigate through the mazelike world, so to me they don't hold up so well.
10. Metroid 2 - A little better than the original imo, but only by a nails length.
9. Metroid Prime Hunters - A nice experiment, but the demo version that came with the DS delivered more than the full release did. Aiming was awkward for me, but I didn't hate it.
8. Metroid: Samus Returns - I liked this entry, but didn't think it lived up to the best the series had to offer. I feel the game is limited by it's hardware and would like to reexperience it elsewhere. Metroid Dread looks like an improvement - let's hope it delivers.
7. Metroid Prime 2 - The most moody of the games I found it a little drab, and the light and dark world mechanism had been done better elsewhere. Still, it delivered a fine sequel with more of the action/exploration expected after the previous game.
6. Metroid Prime Pinball - I know there was a collective sigh from the series fans when Pinball was unveiled, and it is somewhat derided. Personally though I've always liked Nintendo's forays into the pinball genre. The use of Samus' Morph Ball is an obvious fit, and the theme and soundtrack add a nice feeling of adrenaline. I found this an addictive and welcome spin off.
5. Metroid Zero Mission - A big improvement on the original; and with added surprises. My only real issues with it are too much linearity and that it's too short.
4. Metroid Prime 3 - More of an action take, but the puzzles were still nice, and I liked that Samus' gunship was incorporated more. It was way too easy but there were some nice boss encounters and the added motion control elements were a nice touch.
3. Metroid Fusion - Fusion added more depth to Samus' backstory and greater context for the overall plot. The series had kind of been written into a corner with this entry, however we're finally at a place where we can look forward. I prefer this version to Zero Mission since I prefer it's sprite work and appreciate the added horror elements.
2. Super Metroid - In my opinion Super Metroid delivers the most on the alien environment, and the exploration is at it's most open. It can be a little difficult to approach by modern standards and the controls have been bettered elsewhere but the world itself is top notch.
1. Metroid Prime - I really love everything about Prime. The world is so tightly designed, and the atmosphere is so thick. I liked that Retro kept to basics with this entry whereas with the two follow ups they felt the need to try something a little different. As there aren't even many other 3D Metroidlike's around I feel like there hasn't been a real attempt to outdo this game. Hopefully we see a back to basics approach with the eventual Prime 4.
