Super Metroid (Wii)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 4.0 stars Excellent
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 8.5 (4.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Frank Provo
• Reviewed on: 08/27/2007
• Updated on: 05/20/2009
• Released on: 08/20/2007
• Originally published on GameSpot: Super Metroid (Wii) Review

It's absolutely astonishing that Nintendo let 13 years go by before making Super Metroid readily available again, but the most important thing is that you can now play this masterpiece without having to track down the original Super Nintendo Entertainment System cartridge or fumble with legally questionable emulators. As long as you have a Wii and 800 Wii points (roughly $8) to spend, you can simply go into the Virtual Console shop and add Super Metroid to your Wii's channel lineup. True, what you're getting is basically nothing more than a no-frills, emulated version of a 13-year-old SNES game that isn't a cutting-edge, technical marvel anymore, but the original game was so solid and so well-crafted that the Virtual Console version is worth ponying up those Wii points for. And by doing so, you'll be downloading one of the best 2D action adventure games ever produced.

What makes Super Metroid so awesome is that it fires on all cylinders. You get to run around as Samus Aran, the hottest bounty hunter in the universe, and blast aliens with a dozen different high-tech weapons, including the three-way spazer beam, the ice beam, missiles, and bombs. The ice beam freezes enemies solid, turning them into platforms that you can stand on. Other weapons tend to reveal hidden passageways when they're directed at walls and floors. For her part, Samus can also morph into a ball, perform a wall jump, and dash at supersonic speeds. The general idea here is that the planet Zebes is a large network of interconnected rooms and environments that you have to gradually work through in order to locate and fight the space-pirate bosses that have kidnapped the last surviving Metroid parasite.

Colorful 16-bit graphics and moody, atmospheric music bring the different areas of Zebes to life. If you stop and take a look around, you'll observe water flowing in the background and pulsing light emanating from volcanic vents. The music is full of dramatic beats when it needs to be, but, by and large, the soundtrack consists of subtle instrumentations that make the dank underworld of Zebes seem even spookier. Samus is a fluidly animated sprite with a healthy variety of acrobatic moves. The aliens and space pirates you'll encounter are also nicely detailed. They typically range in scale from tiny to roughly double the size of Samus. Some of the bosses exceed the visible screen area. In fact, one of the earliest bosses you'll encounter is a piglike alien named Kraid that stands so tall that you have to jump atop elevated platforms just to attack his fat head.

In addition to the already lively action and rich presentation, the game's pacing and difficulty are perfectly balanced. You'll come across new weapons and upgrades at regular intervals, which, in turn, allow you to access new areas as well as uncover secret passages in areas that you've already explored. These include the super bombs that every Metroid fan has come to know and love, and an energy grapple that lets you swing across lengthy gaps. Along the way, an automatic mapping feature keeps track of save rooms and refill areas, and shows you what areas you have and haven't yet explored. When you enter a new area, the obstacles and enemies you come into contact with will leech away heaps of health. Yet after you pick up another energy tank or locate the next suit of armor, they won't be so deadly. As for the bosses, you'll probably die two or three times against each of them before you figure out their weaknesses. However, once you figure out the right tricks, you'll totally kick that bad alien's tail the next time you restore your save file.

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