The Video Game Critic

OK, I did this with MARIO KART, and I figured since this franchise has stretched over generations and systems, might be good to do as well. I'm not gonna vote myself, as I've only played 'Super" and 'Prime", both of which really impressed me and were a ton of fun. Might be cool to break it down by:

Graphics

Sound

Control

Design

Whatever else you think of

Difficulty

PS: I do plan on picking up Zero Mission, Fusion, and Hunters soon though. Which one first?

I only played the original NES Metroid and Metroid pinball. The original Metroid was good but too @#$! long, and I liked the "level" design of the forgotten Kid Icarus better. But for the NES the graphics/music were certainly top-notch for an early game-or even a later game!

Metroid Pinball is the best pinball game I've played on any system, bar none! I love how they incorparated the best of "real" and "video" pinball with a classic game theme. It rolls all over the pathetic Super Mario Pinballand!

Metroid Prime Pinball (MPP). I played some of the first Metroid Prime, and some of the original Metroid, but I couldn't get into them. I love the Metroid-style Castlevania games, so I can't see why I don't like the original Metroid. I think I'll try Super Metroid when it's released on the Virtual Console; I've heard it is much better. I might try Metroid Prime 3 if it gets good reviews.

 

Anyway, MPP is awesome. I'm not even the biggest pinball fan around and I thought so. It has 2 full boards, and 4 boss boards (consisting only of the bosses. That doesn't sound like a lot until you realize how ridiculously hard it is to unlock the last 2 boards. You end up playing for hours just to get them, and once you do get them you'll keep playing to beat your high score.

 

Graphics: It looks really good, and definitely has a pinball table feel.

 

Sound: It's been a while since I've played it, but I remember some nice tunes. It does its job at any rate.

 

Difficulty: Through the roof. Good luck unlocking the last 2 boards.

 

Controls: Shoulder buttons for flippers, ball launches itself. Could it get simpler? My only gripe is you have to shake the table by touching the bottom screen and moving it with your finger; it's hard to do when you're trying to shake the ball out from between the flippers.

 

Design: The DS is a perfect pinball system. The two screens allow for a full-sized table without it scrolling or looking flat. The only system that can do pinball better than this is the Virtual Boy, and I don't think they're still releasing games for that.

My favorite Metroid games in the series, in order from favorite to least favorite:

 

1. Super Metroid
2. Metroid Prime
3. Metroid 2: The Return of Samus
4. Metroid Zero Mission
5. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
6. Metroid
7. Metroid Fusion
8. Metroid Prime Hunters

I love Metroid Prime Pinball, but I honestly don't consider it a Metroid game, anymore than I consider Mario Tennis to be a Super Mario Bros. game.  Some actually consider it to be a sequel to Galactic Pinball on the Virtual Boy.  That's questionable to me personally as the only reasons for thinking it are the sci-fi theme and the fact that Samus makes an appearance in that game.

[QUOTE=m0zart]

My favorite Metroid games in the series, in order from favorite to least favorite:

 

1. Super Metroid
2. Metroid Prime
3. Metroid 2: The Return of Samus
4. Metroid Zero Mission
5. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
6. Metroid
7. Metroid Fusion
8. Metroid Prime Hunters

I love Metroid Prime Pinball, but I honestly don't consider it a Metroid game, anymore than I consider Mario Tennis to be a Super Mario Bros. game.  Some actually consider it to be a sequel to Galactic Pinball on the Virtual Boy.  That's questionable to me personally as the only reasons for thinking it are the sci-fi theme and the fact that Samus makes an appearance in that game.

[/QUOTE]
No offense, but the flood system in Metroid 2 flat-out sucked. Remember how Super Metroid allowed you to go to places where you didn't want to, using creative methods? Well, you can kiss that good-bye in Metroid 2 since you can't travel anywhere near proximity of a new locked area without being incinerated by the abominably hazardous floods. And seriously, I didn't find Fusion that bad even though it was totally linear.

[QUOTE=Pcp]
No offense, but the flood system in Metroid 2 flat-out sucked. Remember how Super Metroid allowed you to go to places where you didn't want to, using creative methods? Well, you can kiss that good-bye in Metroid 2 since you can't travel anywhere near proximity of a new locked area without being incinerated by the abominably hazardous floods.[/QUOTE]

No offense taken.  I simply disagree that the flood system hurt Metroid 2.  I went into that game thinking "it can't be that good -- it's an old scaled-down gameboy game", and then I played it and couldn't believe how much fun I was having.  I ended up playing it through three times in a row, and I was able to get the best ending on the third try.

[QUOTE=Pcp]

And seriously, I didn't find Fusion that bad even though it was totally linear.
[/QUOTE]

Neither did I.  It's a Metroid game, and so far there have been no bad Metroid games.  Metroid Fusion actually has a lot in common with Metroid 2 IMO in the sense that they both take the linear route.  And as much as I thought it would kill both games, I ended up enjoying them immensely.

 

Still, on my list of favorites, it doesn't go near the head of the pack.  Within the Metroid universe, it was one of my least favorites, even though it is one of my favorite games of all time.

if you liked exploration and creativity, then you have to go with the original game. if you are good enough, you can and go directly to mother brain with very little equipment. the original had no hand holding or mapping tools. when you discovered a secret, you didnt get a zelda-like jingle to congratulate you, and there were hidden passages that went nowhere.

compared to anything in the atari generation, there was nothing like metroid for the NES, and the series has yet to capture the spirit of the original. everything since has been story and anime driven, and now the series is simply a first person shooter

[QUOTE=chrisbid]and now the series is simply a first person shooter[/QUOTE]

I really have to disagree there.  Metroid Prime only looked like a first-person shooter on the surface.  If it had been an FPS, I can tell ya I would NOT have enjoyed it.  In fact, the FPS-like direction is what kept me from playing it for almost a year.

 

When I finally started playing it and getting into it, I realized it was the same formula as the exploration-driven Metroid games (i.e. not 2 and Fusion).  It was a first-person Metroid game, not a first-person shooter.

 

Metroid Prime Hunters, on the other hand, was definitely first and foremost an FPS.

[QUOTE=chrisbid]everything since has been story and anime driven[/QUOTE]

I'm having trouble finding either of those attributes in Metroid.

[QUOTE=Conn][QUOTE=chrisbid]everything since has been story and anime driven[/QUOTE]

I'm having trouble finding either of those attributes in Metroid.[/QUOTE]

Agreed!  The only attribute I can think of that is anime-driven is the ending screens on the most recent GBA titles.  Metroid Fusion and Metroid Zero Mission both displayed an anime-like ending screen that allowed you to see Samus in various levels of undress (from her suit, not complete )  I assume he's referring to that, but I'd hardly call that anime-driven.