For a GameBoy title, this game is very technically impressive. Appealing visuals, great animations, and a still to-this-day iconic soundtrack easily allow this game to stand out amongst the GameBoy's library. What truly holds this game back from the best it could do on this platform is the simplistic level design, in addition to some clunky movement mechanics that can make certain boss fights (especially the new game + variants) a large spike in difficulty. Ultimately, this game lays a solid foundation for the many sequels it would receive, and is a standout in the GameBoy library that is so easy to pick up and play it's an easy recommendation to anybody.