Zero Mission Review

Okay let’s address the elephant in the room. The Original Metroid on the NES is far, far less replay-able than let’s say Mario and Zelda. About a year ago I beat it for the very first time on the NES classic. But, if it were not for two factors I would have never even attempted such a feat. First I had a map, a friend of mine gifted me a Nintendo NES classics collector's book that contained information on all the classics contained on the little console including maps and tips. The map in the book included a step by step guide to beat the game. The second factor was the use of save states to save my progress rather than having to rely on lengthy passwords. Using the guide I was able to complete the game in a matter of hours, as it is surprisingly not a very long game. I enjoyed the experience and will probably review it one day but boy did it need a remake. Fortunately Nintendo provided and that remake stands as the definitive way to play the game today. More than that, some have gone as far as to label it the best Metroid game ever. Do I agree? After recently playing Dread, Samus Returns and Other M I decided it was time to find out.

But first some context. In the wake of Metroid Fusion, released in 2002, someone on the team suggested porting Super Metroid to the GBA. But Yoshio Sakamoto, who has been a part of every Metroid games development except for Metroid II on the Gameboy, steered the team to a Metroid remake in the style of Super. To make the game a little longer, since the original Metroid is kind of short, they added a new segment at the end of the game featuring Zero Suit Samus. The goal was also to expand on the lore of the series without adding too much to it that was new. Fleshing out Samus backstory was a priority and is achieved in the games opening as well as the added segment. The game was a critical and commercial success. The only real criticism for the game was leveled at its relatively short length. But that was all then, what about now?

If I was limited to a single word to summarize the feel of Zero Mission I would be hard pressed to choose between two. Adventure would be the first as the game exudes excitement through every fiber of its presentation, gameplay and especially the music. The other word would be triumph, the confidence of Samus in the game that even at her weakest she means business and Mother Brain, Ridley and Kraid should beware her power. I am kind of fond of watching youtube videos at two times speed. I process information quickly and I find that I can get through more videos in my limited schedule this way. The reason I bring it up is because playing Zero Mission feels like playing Super Metroid set to 2X speed. It does not feel as fast as Dread mind you but compared to every game that had come before Samus strolls through the environments with a confidence unmatched in the series. But all this adventure and triumph comes at a price.

Zero Mission is by far the least capable in the series at creating genuine tension. The only exception is when Samus loses her suit after the defeat of Mother Brain she is incredibly fragile and out gunned by the space pirates until she recovers her power suit. But this feeling is short lived as when she does get it back the space pirates literally begin to hide from her. It is at its heart a cathartic moment, but the rest of the game lacks any of this tension. It may seem unfair to compare the game to Dread in this regard as the developers' more powerful hardware and freedom afforded by a new entry allowed them to craft an experience that couples Samus confidence with genuine tension and suspense. That said Fusion, which came out before Zero Mission absolutely nails this department. Zero Mission is also very very easy, with the only real challenge coming from the Mother brain fight and staying alive without your suit. The “final” boss is kind of a joke and is way too easy. I also did not feel the compulsion to trek back through all the areas of the game to find all of the upgrades. In other games in the series the challenge of the games was incentive enough to go collect more stuff. Not so here as the final boss is so easy I thought to myself, why bother.

Now I do not want anyone to think this means Zero Mission fails as a Metroid game, far from it. Indeed some claim it to be the best in the series and for good reason. But it feels thematically so detached from the original Metroid that it would be a disservice not to mention their largely different tone and approach. I love Zero Mission for giving us an amazing and thrilling adventure to run through and if I did not have the original Metroid on the NES to compare it to I would likely have nothing to say on the matter. It is true that the game is very short, especially to seasoned Metroid fans. I would rather list that aspect as a strength however. Zero Mission is quick enough to be beaten over the course of a long car ride and considering it was built for a portable console, this seems appropriate. Whether you agree that the games short length is a strength might be objective but I would say that Zero Mission is a triumph in all other ways that matter.

For example the game replaces the punishing challenge of the original with equally challenging skill based item collecting and rewarding time saves for those who want to beat the game quickly. This means that a novice can enjoy the game without being punished but the skilled player can also find a lot to love. This makes Zero Mission the most accessible and versatile game in the series to play. There is something here for everyone. The story is handled perfectly, with short cutscenes that wordlessly convey the events and build the excitement for each of the three major boss encounters. The presentation is a massive improvement over the original and might be the best sprite based game in the series. Ridley and Kraid especially shine with their fabulous intro cutscenes and incredible sprite designs. In fact, Ridley's sprite is my favorite version of the character in the whole series. Despite the control being limited to four buttons and a D-Pad, less than Other M I might add, the game handles its variety of moves and power ups with ease. Dare I say in the control department it does more with less than even the incredible Super Metroid.

The game builds to a crescendo that includes a surprise tag at the end which is all very rewarding to play. There is no wasted effort in the game and considering the hardware the game was designed for it is a real contender for the best game on the console. But is it the best Metroid game? Well, “best” is sort of a subjective view I suppose. For me the answer is no. One day I may rate all the 2-D Metroid's so I will not spoil that list here except to say it is in the top five. There is nothing wrong with the game, indeed in some ways it is mechanically superior to other games I prefer. But the sense of tension present in other entries in the series is one of the reasons I play Metroid games. I still prefer it to the original Metroid on the NES though and if anyone asked me what the first Metroid game they should play? I would without hesitation recommend Zero Mission. The game is fantastically designed and good fun, but it just needs some more dread, pun intended.