Current Events > Super Metroid is one of the most overrated games of all time.

(+) Yeah! (+)

Fusion and Zero Mission are both better 2D Metroid games.

Banjo2553 posted...

Yeah no. How is Samus Returns a bad Metroid game while the original is a good one?

Idk man. I guess they don't like the counter, or maybe they're just butthurt over amiibo use. Either way, the "bad metroid game" title is pointless. I like every metroid game I've played besides Metroid. Even Other M, despite some serious flaws, had a fair amount of enjoyable gameplay.
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t_paynes_ghost posted...

Okay, so I played Super Metroid as a kid growing up. I loved the game as a kid, it was just such a unique, fun, expansive game, I've never seen or played anything like it before.

I played through it again about a year ago with the wife watching me. The nostalgia was strong with me but my wife had no prior thoughts or bias towards it. We both came to the same conclusion regardless. That conclusion is this.

Super Metroid is a pinnacle of gaming. Not at all because of the glitches/skips/whatever hardcore gamer stuff is going on in that game because I don't know about that and I didn't do any of that.

What really captivated us was two things
1) The atmosphere
It's well known this game borrows heavily off of Alien, and honestly it really shows, while also making itself unique to it. All the different environments, they all feel so unique, and so different, but also believably all part of the same planet. They all invoke a sense of "where the FUCK am I now?", a little light on tension, but heavy on the excitement to explore and see more. The planet is quaint and beautiful, as well as scary and dangerous at the same time. Games rarely illicit emotion out of me more than "this is fun" but this game captivated us in a way that few can, I felt like I was there, with Samus... no, I felt like I WAS Samus, alone and lost, but pressing forward to save the galaxy, because what else can you really do? The music adds so much to these environments, as do the creatures of the planet... just everything about the visual and audible presentation is top notch, and the game is a classic just for this aspect alone. No other metroid has come close to offering a map nearly as interesting as Super Metroid.

2) I don't even remember my second point anymore, I can't stop thinking about all the locales I got to visit. I really enjoy speed running games and being super action super fast run guy through most games, but Super Metroid I was happy to soak in the atmosphere and take my time to fully enjoy this game.

Really, I love the controls, the map is beautifully designed, the gameplay is excellent. It's at least a 9/10 in every category you could make up. But the atmosphere and presentation of Zebes is just completely mindblowing even 20+ years later.

Excellent post! The only thing I disagree with is the controls. Partly. The wall jumping is weird and annoying. But I was taken in by the atmosphere, music, environments and the otherwise good controls too. I didn't have the benefit of playing it as a kid, because I didn't own an SNES. My friends did.
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The wall jumps are a little weird, it's the thing where you don't do it the way you think you should, you have to do it the way the game wants you to, but it's really easy once you understand how the game wants you to.

Step 1: Make sure you are doing a rolling jump (a walking/running jump)
Step 2: When you hit the wall, pull back in the other direction for about half a second before jumping, you should see Samuses sprite change during this, this is when you want to hit the jump button again.

You'll notice TC didn't even give the game any actual critiques, it's just "dis game suks and is overrated". At least when I ramble on about SoM and Earthbound I always point out the crappy combat and AI in the former and homesickness, inventory and overall dull gameplay in the latter

"I smell something...bullshit!" - Sonya Blade, Mortal Kombat (1995)
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t_paynes_ghost posted...

The wall jumps are a little weird, it's the thing where you don't do it the way you think you should, you have to do it the way the game wants you to, but it's really easy once you understand how the game wants you to.

Step 1: Make sure you are doing a rolling jump (a walking/running jump)
Step 2: When you hit the wall, pull back in the other direction for about half a second before jumping, you should see Samuses sprite change during this, this is when you want to hit the jump button again.

Oh I get that it all becomes muscle memory eventually, but I find it extremely unintuitive and wonky compared to the mechanics of say, the Ninja Gaiden or Mega Man X trilogies. Hell, Samus Returns makes it far easier to execute. For me at least. I haven't quite been able to get the hang of it completely in Super.

I was so relieved when I found the screw attack. Because I could get to where I need to be without struggling and souring an otherwise amazing experience.
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