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"The anti-FF7 review OR why I believe Super Metroid to be the epitome of video gaming."

I'm not going to try to get around it. Me and Super Metroid go way back. As it is the game that was almost singlehandedly responsible for igniting my love of video gaming (a love that has now blossomed into an almost eerie obsession), I'd be lying to myself and you if I were to deny any personal bias I have for this cartridge. Like most gaming vets, I can now beat the game in less than an hour with a near perfect collection rate, without dying once.

But I still play through it every other month.

How? Well, recently I decided to myself I was going to play the game as a virgin. That sounds weird, and it most assuredly is, but I felt it was necesarry if I were to boast the game's merits to others (namely, you), and also cement the game's place as MY favorite in my mind. This meant I had to be very observant, and try to notice things that I had been glossing over for most of my gaming career. When I finished, I knew exactly WHY the game was so great and came to the conclusion I stated in the synopsis: Super Metroid as the epitome of video gaming. In the rest of this review I am going to explore each element individually. Let's start off with the superficials:

Graphics

Let's be frank. No matter how much you try to convince yourself otherwise, graphics mean a lot to a game of this caliber. Super Metroid would not be as highly touted as it is today had it had the graphical depth of Tetris. While the games visuals are not always what you would call eye-popping (until a boss rolls around), they maintain an inordinate level of detail, creativity, and just plain and obvious effort. I don't mean to short change the game with that sentence either; I prefer the graphical style employed here. Bright colors and silicone sprites look great at first but are very easy to take for granted after ten minutes into the game. Super Metroid's style is more subtle, realistic, and contrary-wise sci-fi oriented (heh). And don't get me started on the animation. While otherwise excellent games like Castlevania IV often have three to four frames for the hero, Samus herself is poetry in motion. Watch as she gently bobs up and down in patient abstinence as you give your mind and her legs a rest while surveying the intricate scenery. Enemies are similar in their fluidity, with giant praying mantises swooping down and mutated fish gently propelling themselves through the waters. Environments maintain the same level of quality and diversity; by looking at any screenshot you will instantly know which sector Samus is exploring. What else could you ask for? Huge, freakish, scary-ass boss sprites will serve as your eye candy. As a Super NES entry, we would expect our price for this to be massive breakup and slowdown. But rest assured, Super Metroid will have NONE of that.

Music

Video game music can be your worst enemy in a game oriented around exploration. Nintendo knew this, and made sure the soundtrack was not overtly catchy, yet undeniably well composed. The music in Super Metroid is lulling and ambient, sometimes melancholy, sometimes psycadelia-influenced (Brinstar comes to mind), and sometimes even comprised of alien chanting and drum beats. But it always remembers that it is video game music and wisely strays away from being too boisterous (with the notable exception of the excellent boss fight tracks). Yes of course I'm going to say that this is one of the best game soundtracks ever. I've had the Brinstar theme stuck in my head for seven years and I still dig it.

Control

One of the reasons this game is so easy to pick up on is the tight controls. Samus responds INSTANTLY to any tap and can launch herself into the air with almost any apex you wish if you adjust the pressure you put on the jump button. The necessity of her suit becomes apparent when you see the ease with which she changes direction or morphs into a ball and drops a bomb in mid-air. With this, the frustration factor of the game is kept at an almost absolute zero. I can honestly say I have never felt a more natural control set up in any other game. In fact, sometimes I even wonder if I AM Samus.

Story

I'll go on record and say that the drama and presentation incorporated into Super Metroid's relatively simple story remains unmatched to this day, with the possible exception of the newer Metroid games which I have not played. I know it sounds ludicrous, and is actually more of a personal preferance than a solid fact, but the ability to tell a dramatic and emotional tale without the use of a single line of dialouge (besides the intro, of course) is a most admirable trait indeed. So you see, it's not so much the story itself but the style with which it is told. Final Fantasy 6/7/8, Ys book I+II, and Chrono Trigger can all boast fascinating and epic stories, but as far as unique presentation goes, they don't really match the artistic quality of the ''figure everything out yourself'' ethic Nintendo seemed to abide by, in my very distorted mind at least.

Exploration

This is where things start getting REAL good. All Metroid games are non-linear, but Super Metroid was the first to feature a mapping system. What this means is that there ends up being a lot more easter eggs and such because exploration isn't nearly as tedious, and gameplay becomes that much deeper. In addition, you get the X-Ray scope which will help you out if you don't know exactly HOW to get to the goodies through the walls, and a screen-wiping power bomb will assist you in clearing blocks if you can't blow them up directly. Your reward for your patience will be missile upgrades, various suits and boots Samus can equip, and my favorite feature, a variety of beams that you can select different combinations of. You need to be resourceful to play this game, because often it demands that you use these skills just to progress deeper into the planet.

General Gameplay

When you're not blowing through walls and collecting hidden treasure, you'll be shooting at whatever freakish alien being whose home you happen to be in. And believe me, there are a LOT of them. Some you must destroy with a charge shot, others can only be frozen temporarily or offed with the ultra-powerful super missile. Sometimes though, you have to be slick and use your seemingly inoffensive grappling beam as a tool of destruction. Bosses require memorization and quick reflexes, and more often than not, a bit of video gaming knowledge. And with the ultra-responsive control, you have the ability to deal with armies of these guys at once.

Difficulty

I think the difficulty level of this game is interesting, because it's very hard to pinpoint. You have to factor in common sense, reflexes, and just overall gaming experience. Like I said before, most Metroid vets can beat the game very quickly with dying once, and I'm one of them. This is due in no small part to memorization of the planet itself and the tight control. But no matter how experienced you are, the game is FUN to play, and you have to keep on your toes, as the enemies will keep you more than busy. The reason you won't die as much as in say, a Castlevania or Mario game is because there are no instant deaths. You can't fall off a cliff or touch a sharp object and lose hours of gameplay instantly. Super Metroid gives you plenty of chances to succeed. The game is patient with you, and should you return the favor, you will find one of the greatest gaming experiences you have ever... experienced.

And now... the icing on the cake

Aesthetics

Super Metroid is a beautiful game. It's not just in the visuals, or music, or any other single category. It's in the way everything comes together. As EOrizzonte put it in his Metroid Fusion review, the feeling of being alone on a hostile planet without any idea of what to do or where to go puts the finishing touch on an already incredible game. The lulling music, the alien environs, the freakishly beautiful enemies all work together to create a sense of atmosphere, of ambience, that I have never seen equalled. It is just you, and the planet.

So that's why I think Super Metroid is the epitome. The flawless combination of practially all elements seen in any video game make Super Metroid a must for any true gaming fan. When people speak of the 'best game ever,' 90% of the time it is because of presentation. But Super Metroid posseses depth of gameplay far deeper than any RPG, and has the presentation element down in spades. If you are lacking of attention span or aesthetic sense, you may want to look elsewhere, but for everyone else, this game is for you.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 12/15/02, Updated 12/15/02