Metroid: Zero Mission

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.

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!

The Good
Having just completed Zero Mission, I can safely assure you that it is worth every penny. That's all you really need to know. While it is a remake of the first game, and feels a lot like the first game, it somehow at the same time feels like an entirely new chapter in the Metroid saga. For example, at one point Samus loses her suit and must rely on stealth tactics to retrieve it. This was a refreshing twist on Metroid gameplay. The graphics, sound effects, and musical score (which borrows much from the NES version) are all top notch. And, upon beating the game you unlock a Hard difficulty, and the original NES game!

The Bad
I have only one complaint, and it is the length. At roughly 4-5 hours to complete at Normal difficulty, it leaves you starving for more Metroid. Granted, the inclusion of the original game as an unlockable, and the Hard difficulty, certainly give the game some replay value, but the content itself is what I crave more than anything.

The Bottom Line
I would say to anyone with a GBA: buy this game now, without hesitation. If you don't absolutely love it, there's probably something wrong with you.