The Great Metroid Marathon
[ SPOILERS AHEAD ]
The only Metroid games I've ever beaten were Prime 1 and Prime Hunters. I'm fixing this now to prepare for Dread.
Games are ranked from most to least favorite.
The only Metroid games I've ever beaten were Prime 1 and Prime Hunters. I'm fixing this now to prepare for Dread.
Games are ranked from most to least favorite.
9 Games
BEATEN: 10/02/2021
TIME: 10h56m
ITEMS: 80%
The first and still the best Metroid game I've played. The Scan Visor breathes so much life and optional lore into the world of Tallon IV, and ultimately to the entire Metroid universe, that it remains my favorite method of optional storytelling. Environments are breathtaking, combat is gripping, and this has some of my favorite music and sound design in video game history. I do think it's pretty easy though, I didn't die once and I was always close to full health. Maybe hard mode is in order.
TIME: 10h56m
ITEMS: 80%
The first and still the best Metroid game I've played. The Scan Visor breathes so much life and optional lore into the world of Tallon IV, and ultimately to the entire Metroid universe, that it remains my favorite method of optional storytelling. Environments are breathtaking, combat is gripping, and this has some of my favorite music and sound design in video game history. I do think it's pretty easy though, I didn't die once and I was always close to full health. Maybe hard mode is in order.
BEATEN: 01/02/2022
TIME: 10h34m
ITEMS: 100%
Fucked up how MercurySteam went from making my least favorite Metroid game to making a Metroid game that's on par with Prime.
This is everything I wanted from a 2D Metroid game. The action is fast, responsive and snappy, movement is better than ever, level design is great all around, enemies are varied and bosses are all amazing. It's really hard not to ramble about how good this game is.
The only complaints I really have are that the EMMIs can occasionally be a bit frustrating, but that's really only the last couple ones. And while I still don't like how most 2D Metroid games handle their endgame item hunt, this at least makes it a little more exciting. The map is also occasionally hard to read when item hunting, but I can honestly look past all of these things.
Metroid Dread is a perfect game.
TIME: 10h34m
ITEMS: 100%
Fucked up how MercurySteam went from making my least favorite Metroid game to making a Metroid game that's on par with Prime.
This is everything I wanted from a 2D Metroid game. The action is fast, responsive and snappy, movement is better than ever, level design is great all around, enemies are varied and bosses are all amazing. It's really hard not to ramble about how good this game is.
The only complaints I really have are that the EMMIs can occasionally be a bit frustrating, but that's really only the last couple ones. And while I still don't like how most 2D Metroid games handle their endgame item hunt, this at least makes it a little more exciting. The map is also occasionally hard to read when item hunting, but I can honestly look past all of these things.
Metroid Dread is a perfect game.
BEATEN: 12/27/2021
TIME: 4h29m
ITEMS: 58%
Now THIS is what I wanted from a 2D Metroid. The action is fast and kinetic, platforming and level design rules, and the art style is goddamn fantastic. I really like it when Metroid leans into the horror influences, so the introduction of the X Parasites make me really happy, not to mention they're really cool as a gameplay mechanic. The SA-X is fuckin terrifying, though I kinda wish they used it a little more.
The linear design is contentious to some, but I really vibed with it. I really liked the BSL station and the secrets within it, making for some really fun item progression.
Bosses range from boring to fun to frustrating, and the fact that you take so much damage made for a lot of retries during the last third of the game. I also really wish you didn't get locked out of getting the rest of the items you missed if you accidentally activated the last objective. Only made the last boss much more frustrating.
Overall, god this game rules. Fuck yes.
TIME: 4h29m
ITEMS: 58%
Now THIS is what I wanted from a 2D Metroid. The action is fast and kinetic, platforming and level design rules, and the art style is goddamn fantastic. I really like it when Metroid leans into the horror influences, so the introduction of the X Parasites make me really happy, not to mention they're really cool as a gameplay mechanic. The SA-X is fuckin terrifying, though I kinda wish they used it a little more.
The linear design is contentious to some, but I really vibed with it. I really liked the BSL station and the secrets within it, making for some really fun item progression.
Bosses range from boring to fun to frustrating, and the fact that you take so much damage made for a lot of retries during the last third of the game. I also really wish you didn't get locked out of getting the rest of the items you missed if you accidentally activated the last objective. Only made the last boss much more frustrating.
Overall, god this game rules. Fuck yes.
BEATEN: 10/28/2021
TIME: 16h45m
ITEMS: 88%
God, this doesn't quite top Prime 1, but it's really really close. While Echoes does start off a bit slow, the pace just gradually keeps picking up until it's all killer, no filler. I love the exploration, the Luminoth and the Ing are both really cool additions to the universe, and I love how this game gets so much mileage out of most of its upgrades. I guess it's just not as consistent as MP1, the constant transition screens are exhausting and some enemies/bosses were a pain to deal with, mostly in the first third of the game. It's also hella backtrack-y, which is why this is the game I invested the most amount of time into. Imagine if it was a 100% run.
TIME: 16h45m
ITEMS: 88%
God, this doesn't quite top Prime 1, but it's really really close. While Echoes does start off a bit slow, the pace just gradually keeps picking up until it's all killer, no filler. I love the exploration, the Luminoth and the Ing are both really cool additions to the universe, and I love how this game gets so much mileage out of most of its upgrades. I guess it's just not as consistent as MP1, the constant transition screens are exhausting and some enemies/bosses were a pain to deal with, mostly in the first third of the game. It's also hella backtrack-y, which is why this is the game I invested the most amount of time into. Imagine if it was a 100% run.
BEATEN: 11/29/2021
TIME: 12h05m
ITEMS: 100%
Definitely the weakest of the Prime Trilogy, but still a very good game. It ends up streamlining and simplifying the 3D Metroid format into something a bit more digestible for newcomers to the franchise. This has its benefits, but it has some pretty big flaws as well. Prime 3 is more linear and plot-heavy this time, sacrificing some of the previous two games' open-ended exploration in favor of something more focused. We can also travel between worlds on Samus' ship, which is a really great concept, but it also makes the load times and transitions from Prime 2 feel like a smooth bullet train ride.
I like some of the new upgrades, especially the improved Grapple Beam mechanics, but combat feels like a step down. You'll be relying on Hypermode frequently to deal a lot of damage, to the point where it's seldom worth using your regular weapons. God forbid I played on a higher difficulty where the enemies are apparently even tankier— noooo thank you.
Still a fun game, though. There is no bad 3D Metroid.
TIME: 12h05m
ITEMS: 100%
Definitely the weakest of the Prime Trilogy, but still a very good game. It ends up streamlining and simplifying the 3D Metroid format into something a bit more digestible for newcomers to the franchise. This has its benefits, but it has some pretty big flaws as well. Prime 3 is more linear and plot-heavy this time, sacrificing some of the previous two games' open-ended exploration in favor of something more focused. We can also travel between worlds on Samus' ship, which is a really great concept, but it also makes the load times and transitions from Prime 2 feel like a smooth bullet train ride.
I like some of the new upgrades, especially the improved Grapple Beam mechanics, but combat feels like a step down. You'll be relying on Hypermode frequently to deal a lot of damage, to the point where it's seldom worth using your regular weapons. God forbid I played on a higher difficulty where the enemies are apparently even tankier— noooo thank you.
Still a fun game, though. There is no bad 3D Metroid.
BEATEN: 12/19/2021
TIME: 6h54m
ITEMS: 75%
It's a classic for a reason. I actually thought it would play faster than I expected, but that quickly became no concern once I started getting the upgrades. The controls are tight and responsive, music is rock-solid, it still looks great today, and the level design tends to be fantastic. It's also got the best progression in a 2D game so far; I'm not a fan of the "end-game item hunt" that was introduced with Fusion. But this pace where you'll typically get most items as you go feels perfect to me, and getting said items isn't too difficult, with only a couple making me wonder how some people figured that out without a guide.
However, I do think some of the bosses are a bit underwhelming and while Maridia is aesthetically pleasing, actually playing through it tested my patience. I hope whoever came up with the quicksand idea is burned at the stake, but I digress.
Super Metroid feels like an adventure. It's not hard to see why this game is so beloved and influential.
TIME: 6h54m
ITEMS: 75%
It's a classic for a reason. I actually thought it would play faster than I expected, but that quickly became no concern once I started getting the upgrades. The controls are tight and responsive, music is rock-solid, it still looks great today, and the level design tends to be fantastic. It's also got the best progression in a 2D game so far; I'm not a fan of the "end-game item hunt" that was introduced with Fusion. But this pace where you'll typically get most items as you go feels perfect to me, and getting said items isn't too difficult, with only a couple making me wonder how some people figured that out without a guide.
However, I do think some of the bosses are a bit underwhelming and while Maridia is aesthetically pleasing, actually playing through it tested my patience. I hope whoever came up with the quicksand idea is burned at the stake, but I digress.
Super Metroid feels like an adventure. It's not hard to see why this game is so beloved and influential.
BEATEN: 09/16/2021
TIME: 6h22m
ITEMS: 74%
You won't catch me dead playing NES Metroid when we have this, eat my ass. Anyways, Zero Mission is great. I'd say this has some of my favorite level design in a 2D Metroid so far, it can feel so damn good to navigate the planet of Zebes. Combat and movement is tight and responsive and basically flawless, and the upgrades you get all feel like huge changes to how you play the game. However, I don't really like the bosses and the late-game item hunt fucking sucks, I'm sorry. I know some people like the Shinespark puzzles you need to do to get some of these items, but I personally just wish the game told me what a Shinespark was in the first place. I will never 100% this game because of it.
TIME: 6h22m
ITEMS: 74%
You won't catch me dead playing NES Metroid when we have this, eat my ass. Anyways, Zero Mission is great. I'd say this has some of my favorite level design in a 2D Metroid so far, it can feel so damn good to navigate the planet of Zebes. Combat and movement is tight and responsive and basically flawless, and the upgrades you get all feel like huge changes to how you play the game. However, I don't really like the bosses and the late-game item hunt fucking sucks, I'm sorry. I know some people like the Shinespark puzzles you need to do to get some of these items, but I personally just wish the game told me what a Shinespark was in the first place. I will never 100% this game because of it.
BEATEN: 10/09/2021
TIME: 6h12m
ITEMS: 77%
Man, I remember playing bot matches in this game way too often because I didn't have any friends who even know what the fuck a Metroid was. Kinda weird how solid the multiplayer is for an OG DS game, though it makes sense in context considering the campaign is pretty barebones. NST did a pretty solid job at translating Prime's gameplay to a handheld, but there isn't much to the single-player other than "collect diamond, dunk on the hoes trying to collect diamond, kill the bad thing and save da galaxy". Level design is passable but the graphics are impressive for the hardware, sound design is responsive and clean, though I do see people that aren't used to FPS games on DS having some struggles with the aiming. Just hold it with one hand and support it with your pinky on the other hand, 4head.
Also I wish this game had bosses that weren't just phallus and eyeball.
TIME: 6h12m
ITEMS: 77%
Man, I remember playing bot matches in this game way too often because I didn't have any friends who even know what the fuck a Metroid was. Kinda weird how solid the multiplayer is for an OG DS game, though it makes sense in context considering the campaign is pretty barebones. NST did a pretty solid job at translating Prime's gameplay to a handheld, but there isn't much to the single-player other than "collect diamond, dunk on the hoes trying to collect diamond, kill the bad thing and save da galaxy". Level design is passable but the graphics are impressive for the hardware, sound design is responsive and clean, though I do see people that aren't used to FPS games on DS having some struggles with the aiming. Just hold it with one hand and support it with your pinky on the other hand, 4head.
Also I wish this game had bosses that weren't just phallus and eyeball.
BEATEN: 12/14/2021
TIME: 12h58m
ITEMS: 100%
I'm very lukewarm about Samus Returns. It did light the spark that resulted in the revival and release of Metroid Dread while bringing some interesting new ideas to the 2D Metroid formula, but as a full experience, this game left me a bit empty.
While it's not a bad game, I still consider it to be good and competently made— but the new Aeion abilities feel a bit underwhelming despite how cool they are, and the melee counter mechanic makes most enemies trivial. Progression is very bland and meandering, level design and environments are forgettable, boss fights range from mindless to frustrating... It left much to be desired.
Might be a bit harsh to rank this under Prime Hunters, but I just like 3D Metroid gameplay that much, so.
TIME: 12h58m
ITEMS: 100%
I'm very lukewarm about Samus Returns. It did light the spark that resulted in the revival and release of Metroid Dread while bringing some interesting new ideas to the 2D Metroid formula, but as a full experience, this game left me a bit empty.
While it's not a bad game, I still consider it to be good and competently made— but the new Aeion abilities feel a bit underwhelming despite how cool they are, and the melee counter mechanic makes most enemies trivial. Progression is very bland and meandering, level design and environments are forgettable, boss fights range from mindless to frustrating... It left much to be desired.
Might be a bit harsh to rank this under Prime Hunters, but I just like 3D Metroid gameplay that much, so.