Metroid: Zero Mission

aka: Metoroido Zero Misshon, Mìtèluōdé: Língdiǎn Rènwù
Moby ID: 12061
Game Boy Advance Specs
Buy on Game Boy Advance
$85.00 used, $899.99 new on eBay
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Description official descriptions

Pirates have stolen an unknown life-form, recently discovered on the planet SR388. The life-form, called Metroid, is in a state of suspended animation and, according to analysis, was the cause of the complete destruction of SR388. If it ever got loose, the alien could destroy countless other systems.

The pirates have taken the being to the planet Zebes and are fending off the Galactic Federation's attacks. It is up to the space bounty hunter Samus Aran to find her way into the planet's core, destroy the pirates, and take back the alien before the pirates complete their plans of world destruction.

Zero Mission takes Samus back to her first battle with Mother Brain, expanding on the original story line and action from the original Nintendo classic, Metroid, with updated visuals, new puzzles to solve, and cut scenes filling in the personal story of Samus.

The player can perform moves taken from the original game, along with additions taken from the last GBA mission, Metroid Fusion, including the power grab. This game can also be linked to Metroid Fusion to unlock special extras.

Spellings

  • メトロイド ゼロミッション - Japanese spelling
  • 密特罗德:零点任务 - Simplified Chinese spelling

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Screenshots

Promos

Credits (Game Boy Advance version)

50 People (41 developers, 9 thanks) · View all

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 90% (based on 65 ratings)

Players

Average score: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 94 ratings with 6 reviews)

A gem of a game

The Good
It's a Metroid, what's not to like? A polished, more playable, more accessible version of a great, if too hard, NES classic. Take a core game from that old one, add great SNES-style graphics, make it just perfectly playable, add great remixes of the classic music tracks, and you've got a complete and utter masterpiece that you gladly play over and over and over until you are too tired to play anything.

The Bad
I've heard people calling this far too short and simple. You can't do much about the shortness - even slowest players should beat this thing in 6 hours on Normal level on their first try - but I say this is good for replayability in portable games, especially when the thing wants me to play it faster and faster. If I know I have three hour trip ahead, I can usually count on completing this thing in that time.As for simplicity, well, I think this thing is generally pretty straightforward, which is not to say it is challenging at places.

And you have to kill Ridley in this game. Ridley is cute. =(

The Bottom Line
What do you get when you get a chance to take a NES game and turn it into a SNES-like game? A good chance to rework on playability and enjoyability, that's what.

This is a remake of a NES game, and a quite successful one at that. I kind of liked NES Metroid, but that thing is just way too hard by most modern scales. When most developers convert games from NES to GBA, they get things more balanced in this respect. Not a wonder. And it worked just fine in this game's case.

I used to hate all platformers unconditionally and little bit of 2D Metroids too (well, I only played the NES game and Super Metroid a little bit), but nowadays, I'm completely sold, and most of the thanks for that go to this little game. (Well, I still hate platformers, excluding Metroids!) For those who have never played the games, this game should be a good introduction to the series. Then follow that up with Prime and Fusion and Super and... well, just skip Metroid II, but you get my point.

Oh, and if you beat it, it also lets you play the original game. I'm still trying to figure that game out. It's hard.

Game Boy Advance · by WWWWolf (444) · 2005

Though not as good as Metroid Fusion this is still much more than just another remake.

The Good
This game is basically another remake of an old NES classic: Metroid. Though this is a remake it has got so many new things that you won't really mind even if you played the original. The story is therefore not as great as in recent Metroid titles but it does the job: Space pirates want to use the life sucking abilities of a newly discovered life-form called Metroids to create a very powerful weapon to control the galaxy. Interstellar bounty hunter Samus Aran must now destroy the Metroids and the Pirate leading Mother Brain. The gameplay, as in all Metroid games is smooth and easy. It's just plain brilliant. Lots of power-ups to Samus's power suit force you to look everywhere for new ones to proceed to new area's or reach new rooms in area's visited before. This makes Metroid such a good series. The graphics are also brilliant. Though the backgrounds of the caves in which this game is set do not allow as much detail as 2002's Metroid Fusion's space station, but they are beautiful in a different way and make use of a great comic-book style. All other sprites including Samus and her enemies are of the same style and quality as Fusion. The music is simply one off the best on the GBA if not the best. It's very atmospheric and beautiful and really gives you the feel that fits with being alone on a planet full of suspense and monsters.

The Bad
The game is much too short and easy. The difference in difficulty between easy and normal is difficult to notice. However if you complete the normal mode you will unlock a hard mode which is significantly harder. Also unlockable is the original NES game and the usual gallery of pictures. Each picture can be unlocked if you play through the game with certain criteria such as reaching the end with a certain amount of items. You can also link with Fusion to obtain the gallery of that game. These unlockables make up pretty good for the short length of the game, which is nice after all, but it's still not as good as Fusion. The longevity is the main reason for that. You wish there was just more to the game because it's such a great game.

The Bottom Line
Brilliant but because it's a remake and not a sequel you will be better of with Fusion which is longer and harder and gives you more for the same price. But this is definitely not a bad game, don't get me wrong but try Fusion first. If you like this game you'll simply love Fusion.

Game Boy Advance · by Rensch (203) · 2005

Keep'em coming, Nintendo!

The Good
The controls caught me on the most, and also the detailed graphics. The physics are a bit different from Metroid Fushion and goes back to original Metroid roots. I love how Samus always holds her gun with her right hand. I love how the enemies are perfectly balanced. I love the suspense around every locked hatch. Basically, I love everything about this game. Nintendo has made me proud, and it's a surefire thing that such a long expanding franchise won't die out.

The Bad
The gameplay is so addicting that it is beatable in a few days, so it is kinda short. Nothing else is wrong.

The Bottom Line
If you love Metroid games, the addiction is back. If you have a GBA, then by all means buy this now! Why are you wasting time reading this? Time for good ol' fashioned 2-D side scrolling shooter action!

Game Boy Advance · by Lad Holyman (3) · 2004

[ View all 6 player reviews ]

Trivia

1001 Video Games

Metroid: Zero Mission appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.

Endings

Like the rest of the Metroid games, it has a different ending image depending on how long it took the player to complete the game.

Extra Content

The original Metroid for NES can be played once the player has finished the game.

Awards

  • GameSpy
    • 2004 – #4 GBA Game of the Year
    • 2004 – GBA Adventure Game of the Year
    • 2004 – Game Boy Advance Game of the Year (Readers' Vote)
  • Joystick Game Awards

Information also contributed by glidefan and piltdown man.

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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Kartanym.

Wii U added by Michael Cassidy.

Additional contributors: Guy Chapman, Opipeuter, Tiago Jacques, gamewarrior, Keeper Garrett, Cantillon, Patrick Bregger, FatherJack.

Game added February 10, 2004. Last modified December 30, 2023.