Super Metroid
Super Metroid, developed by Nintendo's R&D1 team and released in 1994 for the SNES, is the third installment in the Metroid video game series. With its 24 megabit cartridge size, it was the largest game available for the console at the time.
Story
After managing to extinguish the Metroids on SR-388 (the planet from where the species originated) in Metroid II: Return of Samus, bounty hunter Samus Aran brings the last surviving Metroid larva to the space colony of Ceres. There, scientists conduct research on the larva and reach the conclusion that the powers of Metroids could be harnessed for the benefit of mankind. Confident that things are in order, Samus leaves Ceres in search of a new bounty to hunt.
Only a short time after leaving, Samus picks up a distress call from Ceres which forces her to head back. As it turns out, the space colony is under attack by pirate leader Mother Brain's henchdragon, Ridley, who manages to capture the Metroid larva right in front of Samus.
Samus escapes the self-destructing space station and trails Ridley to the now rebuilt planet Zebes, home of the space pirates. Her task is to locate the Metroid larva and prevent the space pirates from using its powers.
Gameplay
Super Metroid is a 2D platform game with action and adventure elements.
Samus starts the main part of the game on the surface of Zebes, from where she must delve into the planet through its complex cavities. Game progression revolves around sequentially gathering power-ups
that allow Samus to overcome obstacles in order to access new parts of the world. The world has a non-linear layout and features plentiful hidden areas, making exploration a central concept. The implementation of exploration and item-gathering is almost identical to that found in the Legend of Zelda games.
Items and abilities
Items
All the items available in the previous two games except for the Spider Ball exist in Super Metroid along with new ones. For weapons see the weapon-section below.
- Morphing Ball: This item gives Samus the ability to morph into a ball.
- Spring Ball: Gives Samus the ability to jump while she's morphed into a ball.
Abilities
The following abilities does not require any special item in order to be performed.
- Wall-jump: A jumping technique in which Samus can jump on vertical surfaces such as walls and edges. The technique is mastered by a group of friendly aliens who teaches it to the player, although it shall be noted that Samus carries this ability from the start.
- Running: By holding down the dash-button Samus can run.
- Moon walk: If activated this enables Samus to shoot in the direction she's facing while walking backwards.
- Crouch: By pressing down once on the control pad Samus crouches (this shall not be confused with her ability to morph after having acquired the morphing ball).
- Crystal Flash: This ability replenishes Samus's energy. To be performed it requires her energy rate to lie below 50 and the reserve tanks also have to be empty. In addition it also requires her to carry a minimum of 10 missiles, 10 super missiles and 11 super bombs.
Weapons
The use of weapons in Super Metroid is twofold: to defeat enemies and to overcome obstacles found in the environment.
- Power beam: Samus' starting weapon, which is relatively weak and therefore useless against some enemies and most bosses. There are five upgrades, however, which increase the abilities of the power beam somehow. Ammunition is unlimited for the power beam as well as for all the other beam weapons.
- Charge beam: An upgrade to the power beam that lets the player fire much more powerful shots.
- Ice beam: The Ice beam is capable of freezing enemies, effectively making them harmless and additionally making them as a sort of "stepping stone".
- Wave beam: Enables shots to pass through walls and other solid objects.
- Spazer beam: Makes shots larger and more powerful.
- Plasma beam: Greatly enhances beam power.
- Missiles: Missiles are used to open locked doors and to defeat enemies that are invulnerable to regular beams. Samus is not equipped with any missiles from the start so she has to collect them on her way.
- Super missiles: Super missiles are similar to missiles, but more powerful, and capable of opening doors that missiles can't budge. In addition there is also a number of enemies that cannot be destroyed with any other weapon in Samus' arsenal.
- Bombs: Primarily needed for destroying objects that block Samus' path. Bombs can be used to defeat enemies, but are usually not very effective for that purpose.
- Power bombs: A single detonation of a power bomb destroys all regular enemies and bomb-destructible obstacles on the screen.
- Screw attack: A jumping technique that will make Samus jump into a flashing light, an enemy will die once they touch it. Meaning that Samus will be protected if she gets attacked while she jumps.
Enemies
Bosses
The bosses are listed in chronological order in which Samus encounters each one of them.
Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.
- Ridley whom Samus has fought previously in the original NES game, makes its comeback and is perhaps the hardest boss in the whole game. It's responsible for the bloodbath at Ceres space station in which all of the scientists were killed and the kidnapping of the Metroid larva.
- Kraid who was part of the miniboss duo (the other one being Ridley) of the original NES game makes its comeback, but somehow having managed to grow a lot and is now Brobdingnagian. A seemingly "fresh" carcass (insects are still feasting on it when our heroine encounters it) is found outside the chamber where it lurks.
- ghost who taps in to Mother Brain's brainwaves. It maintains control of the Wrecked Ships electricity supply.
- Mother Brain
Mini-bosses
- Torizo statue 1
- Spore Spawn
- Crocmire
- Botwoon
- Torizo statue 2
- Metroid Larva
Friends
Not all of Zebes inhabitants act hostile towards Samus. Some are more or less neutral and are harmless to Samus but there are also aliens who resides in Brinstar who aids Samus on her quest. The aid consist of teaching Samus how to use certain techniques. Curious note: In the best alien-tradition these are all green-coloured, although for some reason the apes are blue in the official artwork.
- Etecoons (The wall-jumping ape trio)
- According to some the most frustrating part of the whole game. The ape-like aliens with antennas sticking out of their heads demonstrates the invaluable and difficult wall-jumping technique with considerable ease.
- Dachora (The running ostrich)
- A green bird which has a striking resemblance to an ostrich. The Dachora demonstrates the "Super Jump" technique.
Areas
Ceres space station is where the game begins and is the scene of the discovery that the Metroids could be used for the good of mankind.
The surface area on planet Zebes. The surface of the planet is plagued by acid rain thus the living creatures are found below surface level.
The jungle area of Zebes, teeming with life.
It lies deep below the surface and thereby requires that its visitors carry sufficient protection from the incredible heat.
A long time ago cosmonauts belonging to an ancient civilisation crashed on Zebes. This is what remains of their spaceship.
The water world of Zebes.
The control centre of the Zebesian space pirates and their wicked leader the Mother Brain. The location has shifted to a more secure location since the first Metroid game, when Samus wreaked havoc on the Space Pirates' plans.
Credits
Producers
- Gunpei Yokoi (general manager)
- Makoto Kanoh (producer)
- Yoshio Sakamoto (director)
Graphics designers
- Hirofumi Matsuoka (backgrounds)
- Masahiko Mashimo (backgrounds)
- Hiroyuki Kimura (backgrounds)
- Tohru Ohsawa (objects)
- Tomoyoshi Yamane (objects)
- Hiroji Kiyotake (Samus original design)
- Tomomi Yamane (Samus)
Sound and music
- Kenji Yamamoto (sound program, effects, music)
- Minako Hamano (music)
- Dan Owsen (voice acting)
Programmers
- Kenji Imai (program direction)
- Kenji Nakajima (system coordination)
- Yoshikazu Mori (system)
- Isamu Kubota (Samus)
- Misturu Matsumoto (events)
- Yasuhiko Fujii (enemies)
- Motomu Chikaraishi (map)
- Kouichi Abe (assistant)
Reviews and awards
"Top 100 Games of All Time" lists
Pushing the limits
In recent times, players have decided to push the game to its limits. Many players have begun to manipulate glitches to achieve extremely fast times, and others have been able to beat the game with 100% in around one hour. Yet other players have been able to complete the game in less than an hour. Still other players yet still have attempted to complete the game with as little or as much as possible with certain boundaries. Some players have been able to complete the game with only 15%, and others were able to obtain a very good percentage of completion without fighting any minibosses or bosses.
