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| A new mission awaits. |
1986's sci-fi platformer Metroid, proved to be a hit for Nintendo's NES console, spawning a fan-favorite series full of classics like Super Metroid, Metroid Prime, and Metroid Fusion over the years. In 2004, a remake of the game that started it all was released called Metroid Zero Mission, for the GameBoy Advance. Built from the ground up with new visuals and gameplay, the remake aims to retell Samus' first adventure for a new audience. So does Metroid Zero Mission prove to be a worthy remake?
In a faraway galaxy, Space Pirates led by the enigmatic "Mother Brain" have captured Metroids, the galaxy's most dangerous, life-draining creatures in a plan to build a massive army. The Galactic Federation enlists the help of bounty hunter Samus Aran, who must infiltrate planet Zebes, home-world of the Space Pirates to end their plans and save the galaxy from the Metroid threat. The plot's straightforward given its NES roots, but being a remake, Zero Mission adds new story content with new scenarios and cut-scenes between story events, amplifying the game's ominous tone. Samus also gets fleshed-out as she narrates the adventure with some of her past gets explored as well.
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| Samus' first adventure gets retold with more backstory. |
Metroid Zero Mission is a 2D platformer where you control Samus as she shoots her way through enemies while exploring planet Zebes. The goal is to find Mother Brain, whose located in the planet's lower depths and to do that, you'll need to unlock various areas of the planet. Samus starts off bare-bones in equipment with her trusty blaster but as you explore the environment, you'll find new abilities like the Morph ball, Missiles, Varia Suit, and more that will unlock previously locked areas and new ones as well. This where the term "Metroidvania" is often thrown around. Zero Mission introduces new additions to the gameplay such as the ability to shoot in multiple directions, the Power Grip that lets Samus hold on to ledges, and snappier movement overall.
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| The gameplay revamps makes it much more fun to play. |
Chozo statues that are scattered in levels offer guidance on where to go next while healing up Samus completely. Some may dislike the linear nature of the game, but I found it helpful rather than aimlessly wandering for clues, which can get boring quickly. Enemy variety was plentiful as you'll shoot various alien creatures, space pirates, and the infamous Metroids. The boss fights-- notably the ones with Kraid, Ridley, and Mother Brain-- were great and a cakewalk if you come fully loaded with missiles. The game is short, clocking at around 5 hours long, which was often typical of the NES era. I enjoyed the new additions to the game, which extended the runtime by a few hours. Upon beating the game, you unlock a gallery mode and the original Metroid game, which was a nice touch.
No surprise, Zero Mission updates the graphics from the ground up. From colorful character sprites, flashier visual effects, and detailed backgrounds, it's a massive visual upgrade over the original. Also, Samus' design is more in-line with her looks from Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion too. That said, some of the drawn backgrounds did look rough upon closer inspection. The soundtrack is- as you'd expect- mellow and moody, fitting of the game's lonely tone. Tracks like the Title theme, Brinstar, Norfair, and Credits theme were my favorites.
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| Zero Mission looks and sounds great. |
Overall, Metroid Zero Mission was a great remake of a beloved classic that managed to be a fun time as well. It's full of great moments and fun gameplay that encourages constant exploration. Coupled with an open-ended story as well as great production values and Metroid Zero Mission is among the GameBoy Advance's best games, though it's on the short side, which is a shame. Fans of the series and platformers should easily give it a play.
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