2D Metroid: The Most Ingenious Design Ever?

I personally prefered his work with Seisen no Keifu, but Super Metroid is a close 2nd on my list of favourite Yokoi games, and my 3rd favourite to date.

Originally Posted by Dark Wyrm

Go play metroid 2. It will make you appreciate SM a whole lot more.

I played Metroid 2. It was a little more playable then Super Metroid.

Originally Posted by Blodia

What do you mean "even Fusion"?

Fusion has been the best Metroid game since Super Metroid. Only the original Prime comes even remotely close.

Fusion is good, but that's just because there's no such thing as a bad Metroid game.

The best thing about Fusion was its villain, the SA-X. But, putting that aside, the game in general has a feeling of linearity to it that is not really experienced in any other Metroid. The game also holds your hand quite more than any other in the series, even Metroid Prime 3. Some mention that this is unfair to say when Metroid: Zero Mission had a non-optional hint system as well, but at the same time, the hints in that game were far fewer and more vague. The exploration and feeling of discovery were still more satisfying and rewarding, or at least, it felt that way. Plus, Zebes is a much more interesting world than a space station.

On top of that, Zero Mission had improved control, music, and level design. In my opinion, it's the true 2D Metroid game that lived up to expectations after Super Metroid, where Fusion was just a hold-over. Like I said, it was good, but it represents the wrong direction to take for the Metroid games, in my opinion, just like Metroid Prime 3 and Metroid Prime Hunters.

That said, maybe I'm biased. No Metroid game is bad, but I put Fusion at the bottom-tier anyway, right where Hunters, Pinball, and Metroid 2 are. I think all of the Prime games are better than Fusion, and Super Metroid/Zero Mission are far above.

And, as a side note, I'm not bashing Metroid 2 either. That game is definitely underrated. It's not terrible like some would make it out to be, and it introduced some important mechanics to the series.

My top four for the series looks like this: Super Metroid, Metroid Prime, Metroid: Zero Mission, Metroid Prime 2.

Originally Posted by Rash

Fusion is good, but that's just because there's no such thing as a bad Metroid game.

The best thing about Fusion was its villain, the SA-X. But, putting that aside, the game in general has a feeling of linearity to it that is not really experienced in any other Metroid. The game also holds your hand quite more than any other in the series, even Metroid Prime 3. Some mention that this is unfair to say when Metroid: Zero Mission had a non-optional hint system as well, but at the same time, the hints in that game were far fewer and more vague. The exploration and feeling of discovery were still more satisfying and rewarding, or at least, it felt that way. Plus, Zebes is a much more interesting world than a space station.

On top of that, Zero Mission had improved control, music, and level design. In my opinion, it's the true 2D Metroid game that lived up to expectations after Super Metroid, where Fusion was just a hold-over. Like I said, it was good, but it represents the wrong direction to take for the Metroid games, in my opinion, just like Metroid Prime 3 and Metroid Prime Hunters.

That said, maybe I'm biased. No Metroid game is bad, but I put Fusion at the bottom-tier anyway, right where Hunters, Pinball, and Metroid 2 are. I think all of the Prime games are better than Fusion, and Super Metroid/Zero Mission are far above.

And, as a side note, I'm not bashing Metroid 2 either. That game is definitely underrated. It's not terrible like some would make it out to be, and it introduced some important mechanics to the series.

My top four for the series looks like this: Super Metroid, Metroid Prime, Metroid: Zero Mission, Metroid Prime 2.

Metroid Fusion felt like an upgrade over Super Metroid in a couple ways, to me. It had those moments of intensity due to the SA-X that Super Metroid completely lacked, and Fusion was just harder overall. Fusion definitely had superior boss fights.

Don't get me wrong, Super Metroid is light years ahead of Fusion overall, but Fusion was definitely a worthy sequel to me. I actually played Fusion first, and after beating Super Metroid and going back to Fusion, there was that little navigation dot telling me where to go, and I was like "What the hell is that thing on my screen telling me what to do? That's so WRONG."

Fusion also removed infinite wall jumping, which just disturbed me.

I recently beat Fusion for the first time in quite a while. I love that game.
But seriously, the Metroid series really has yet to have a bad game. Prime Hunters, Metroid II, and Pinball might not exactly be one's cup of tea, but still, they're not bad.

I'm getting back into Metroid mode, as I go to beat Zero Mission (also for the first time in a long time), Prime (which I've gotten close to beating but got stuck at a boss due to lack of upgrades), the other Primes (which I have not beaten), and finally check out Super Metroid for the first time. (I never had a Super Nintendo.)

Metroid's one of my favorite series, and both its 2-d and 3-d outings are magnificent.
Metroid is also one of my very first gaming experiences-- it's one of the first games I had on NES way back as a kid. Me and this series go way back, and I'm glad to see that the quality hasn't faltered.

I also like the Castlevania ("Metroidvania") games that are similar in design, such as the GBA/DS and PS1 outings, but I don't think they're quite as good as Metroid.

I still have to beat SA-X. And I haven't finished Super Metroid. I got the fusion suit, but that's all I remember.

I want a Metroid II remake...if Nintendo did that I'd buy it the day it comes out. 8D

Originally Posted by Tonchiki

I recently beat Fusion for the first time in quite a while. I love that game.
But seriously, the Metroid series really has yet to have a bad game. Prime Hunters, Metroid II, and Pinball might not exactly be one's cup of tea, but still, they're not bad.

I'm getting back into Metroid mode, as I go to beat Zero Mission (also for the first time in a long time), Prime (which I've gotten close to beating but got stuck at a boss due to lack of upgrades), the other Primes (which I have not beaten), and finally check out Super Metroid for the first time. (I never had a Super Nintendo.)

Metroid's one of my favorite series, and both its 2-d and 3-d outings are magnificent.
Metroid is also one of my very first gaming experiences-- it's one of the first games I had on NES way back as a kid. Me and this series go way back, and I'm glad to see that the quality hasn't faltered.

I also like the Castlevania ("Metroidvania") games that are similar in design, such as the GBA/DS and PS1 outings, but I don't think they're quite as good as Metroid.

I'm just going to agree with this post, aside from maybe a small few things here and there.

The first being that Corruption should also be there along with Hunters, II and Pinball.

The second being...well, that was the only thing I really disagreed with. And even that is debatable (let's not go into that )

Also interesting point you bring about the Castlevania games there. While I do agree that the Metroid games are in general more enjoyable than the explorational Castlevania games ("Metroidvania" makes me go all bleargh), with the exception of perhaps Ecclesia and Symphony, which are still not as good as Super Metroid, I myself have found the older Castlevania games to be even more enjoyable than the Metroid games (again, excluding Super), especially the 16-bit ones.

But then, my favourite Castlevania game is Belmont's Revenge, so what do I know :|

Fusion was good but it was way too linear.

Originally Posted by Bobby Emerald

I want a Metroid II remake...if Nintendo did that I'd buy it the day it comes out. 8D

http://metroid2remake.blogspot.com/

Check this out, looks very promising.

I've now gotten as far as killing Kraid in Super Metroid.. I suppose that isn't very far, but man, it took me a while to get to him with all those rooms like the one with the plants nipping out of the spikes.

Originally Posted by Great Gibdo

I've now gotten as far as killing Kraid in Super Metroid.. I suppose that isn't very far, but man, it took me a while to get to him with all those rooms like the one with the plants nipping out of the spikes.

That's, what, 45 minutes?

Yeah, something like that. I also wasted a lot of time trying to master wall jumping and get to a ledge to skip around a bit like in a video I watched after reading this thread, but I'm not quite ready to do that. Maybe on my next playthrough.

I'm really warming up to the game. At first the dark colors and everything really set me off, but now I kind of understand how the whole feeling of loneliness adds to it. Thanks for sharing this stuff, guys.

Originally Posted by Great Gibdo

Yeah, something like that. I also wasted a lot of time trying to master wall jumping and get to a ledge to skip around a bit like in a video I watched after reading this thread, but I'm not quite ready to do that. Maybe on my next playthrough.

You'll probably master wall jumping before you finish your first playthrough. It's an extremely useful and easy to learn skill.

Originally Posted by Great Gibdo

Yeah, something like that. I also wasted a lot of time trying to master wall jumping and get to a ledge to skip around a bit like in a video I watched after reading this thread, but I'm not quite ready to do that. Maybe on my next playthrough.

I'm really warming up to the game. At first the dark colors and everything really set me off, but now I kind of understand how the whole feeling of loneliness adds to it. Thanks for sharing this stuff, guys.

You really don't need wall jumping unless you're trying to speed run or get all the items. So I wouldn't worry about it on your first playthrough.

Originally Posted by Dread

You really don't need wall jumping unless you're trying to speed run or get all the items. So I wouldn't worry about it on your first playthrough.

Infinite wall jumping? I would definitely learn how to do it. Very, very easy, and extremely useful.

I think I stopped playing Super Metroid. :/

I don't think I've ever beaten a metroid game. I always get them, get rather far, enjoy them, and stop. The metroid games keep me entertained, but they don't keep me playing until it's finished. Maybe the isolation that everybody loves is what makes me end up stopping, I don't know but...something about those games is doing it.

Metroid
Super Metroid
Metroid Fusion
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime Hunters
Metroid Prime 3

I paid for all of those and didn't complete any of them.

Originally Posted by Forte

I think I stopped playing Super Metroid. :/

I don't think I've ever beaten a metroid game. I always get them, get rather far, enjoy them, and stop. The metroid games keep me entertained, but they don't keep me playing until it's finished. Maybe the isolation that everybody loves is what makes me end up stopping, I don't know but...something about those games is doing it.

Metroid
Super Metroid
Metroid Fusion
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime Hunters
Metroid Prime 3

I paid for all of those and didn't complete any of them.

Get off your ass and beat Super Metroid, Prime, and Fusion.

2D Metroid is masterfully designed, but vastly overrated. After hearing all of the majestic stories about Super Metroid, and finally getting around to playing it, I have to say, it isn't all it's cracked up to be. Metroid Prime is superior to Super Metroid, Fusion, and Zero Mission in most ways; I'd nominate Prime for "best game of all time" with far more haste than I would Super Metroid.

Anyway, no, the pinnacle of 2D game design is Sonic 3 (& Knuckles).

I prefer Fusion to Zero Mission. While Fusion was more linear, I loved the story - while it only contained two, maybe three chaarcters, it was somehow compelling and driving. Also, Fusion had the driving urgency none of the other titles had - running from the SA-X when you are low on health was one of the best parts of the game. I've always thought her encounters should have been random, and not scripted, so you never know when she'll appear. Finally, Fusion had the best boss fights of any of the 2D Metroid titles, and they were challenging and bizarrely well designed, compared to Super Metroid and Zero Mission's intensely easy bosses, Metroid II's stupidly difficult bosses, and Metroid's almost complete lack of bosses.

On the other hand, Zero Mission, while an excellent remake, and non-linear, made no new ground, was far, far too easy, the ZSS section was tedious and dull, and was much too short, even in a non-speed run game. That's not to say it was bad, it was still amazing, I just prefered Fusion.

And Andross, if you honestly think Sonic, even if it was Sonic in his heyday, had better level design the Super Metroid, then you need immediate brain surgery. I loved Genesis Sonic, but even I can see Metroid is superior.

Incidentally, my list would go something like this:

Super Metroid (99%)
Metroid Prime (96%)
Metroid Fusion (95%)

Metroid Zero Mission (90%)
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (89%)

Metroid (85%)
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (85%)
Metroid: Return of Samus (80%)

Metroid Prime: Hunters (75%)
Metroid Prime Pinball (70%)