Topic: Finished Super Metroid for my first time

[Belmont legacy]

So last night while trekking through the dank and dark abyss known as Miridia and taking out Draygon I thought to myself "Screw it. This game is getting beat tonight. Made my way to Ridley and fossilized him then exterminated mother brain. Now as I lay cozy in bed sipping on tea, I must say.... Super Metroid was and is possibly one of the all time best gaming experiences I have ever had the pleasure of playing. I was never a fan of the metroidvania games until I played portrait or ruin (which I adore) but I think this game has changed my opinion on that now. After delving into endless corridors and getting endlessly lost only to find a hidden passage which led me to throwing my fist in the air with a "hell yes!" and taking on some pretty tough bosses, I can say that this is one of the few games made that I think every gamer should play to fully appreciate a true gaming experience. Now I know that this isn't everyone's kind of game which is totally understandable but for me, this game will always hold a very special place in my heart. I had thought that I had played all the best snes games ranging from the DKC series, Super Castlevania 4, Chrono trigger, etc. which are all amazing, don't get me wrong. This game was just a completely different feeling though. It was.. dare I say.. SUPER?! XD But seriously I love this damn game.

[X]

Jeeze you're on a role with classic gaming aren't you? Super Metroid is essentially the epitome of the entire Metroid series to date. Even after playing all of the games Super Metroid stands out as being the best experience out of all the rest. It is essentially Metroid but enhanced and put on steroids. The entirety of the game's atmosphere really puts the player into a sense of being really, really alone. I've not felt this with any other Metroid game. The music is prefect and the musical ques are placed in certain spots in order to invoke a sense dread and fear. Like the first time I set foot into Norfair. I did not want to be there! This game, like Super Casltevania IV, is one of the best SNES titles out there and I'd highly recommend it!

[Belmont legacy]

Jeeze you're on a role with classic gaming aren't you? Super Metroid is essentially the epitome of the entire Metroid series to date. Even after playing all of the games Super Metroid stands out as being the best experience out of all the rest. It is essentially Metroid but enhanced and put on steroids. The entirety of the game's atmosphere really puts the player into a sense of being really, really alone. I've not felt this with any other Metroid game. The music is prefect and the musical ques are placed in certain spots in order to invoke a sense dread and fear. Like the first time I set foot into Norfair. I did not want to be there! This game, like Super Casltevania IV, is one of the best SNES titles out there and I'd highly recommend it!

I prefer classic gaming over any kind of new games any given day hahaha. I know EXACTLY what you mean. When I played I turned out all the lights in my room and just delved in to zebes. This game even though not considered horror is actually pretty terrifying at times. I mean I'm not say poop my pants scary but like what you said. Just a pure sense of dread and fear. When I stepped into the wrecked ship I was pretty damn creeped out. Seeing ghosts of the past crew now trying to kill me! All the power being out and finding the reason why was pretty damn scary lol! Then miridia. Oh god miridia. While this was probably my least favorite part of the game it was still EXTREMELY satisfying finding my way through. It's dark, tense, and very unsettling. Especially the music there. And draygon was no walk in the park with his unsettling appearance. What the game does so well is what you said. You feel isolated. Alone and afraid yet you're dedicated to finding your lost metroid not only because it could be a potential threat to the universe but also because you actually care about it as if it were a lost child. (Cough cough newt from aliens comes to mind) and knowing Ridley (evil bastard) you know that he only wants to exploit that creature for his own. This game taps into your mind and emotion VERY well without even having to know the player and damn does it do it (and other things) VERY well.

[Belmontoya]

Super Metriod is amazing.

Something was in the air at that time.

Scv4 and Super Metriod are both impossibly beautiful masterpieces. It just doesn't get any better than those 2 games. Within there own franchises and beyond.

These games get into your head in a way I can't express in words.

That's the biggest reason no Metriod or Castlevania since has been able to live up to them for me. There's something deeper that these two games offer the player. I'm not sure that I'll ever be able to pin down what it is either.

[BLOOD MONKEY]

I love SM.
SM is my favorite game.
The best to me.
But I also love Zero Mission.
Zero Mission is close to taking SM's spot, so I need to play SM again to see if it holds up.

[theANdROId]

While there are many who can't stand them, I enjoyed the Prime Trilogy for the same reasons (though I haven't actually sat down to play the third yet so...I enjoyed 2/3 of it?).  I feel like they captured a pretty good bit of the same atmosphere created in Super Metroid on the SNES.  I wouldn't really say they are better -- I do believe I greatly favor Super Metroid over the Prime Trilogy -- but I did love their atmosphere.  Without the guide feature, there is much more of that "alone" feeling, the music cues are still fair, and I was definitely afraid of certain places or enemies!
...creeping along...trying not to be seen...straining my neck to look around the corner as if I'm physically there...yeah, that was great.

I don't often hear of anyone enjoying the Prime games in that way though.  Super Metroid, yes, but not Prime.

[Belmontoya]

Zero mission was great!

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

I was (and am, somewhat, still) in love with Metroid Prime 1.
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is pretty great as well.

[PFG9000]

I just finished another playthrough of Super Metroid last night.  Every time I play it, I find myself marvelling at how tightly designed it is.  The formula is really fairly simple, but the game has so much depth.  You can experiment with different combinations of equipment, turning it on and off as you please.  There are those secret little things like the Crystal Flash and the charge bombs.  I love how the etecoons sing the "item acquisition" theme when you first meet them.

I love every Metroid game except Other M.  I didn't care for Metroid Prime the first few times I played it.  I think that was because I was at a friend's place with him looking over my shoulder, and I didn't really feel free to explore and play at my own pace.  Once I picked up the game and played it alone, I fell in love.  I really like Prime, and I like Echoes almost as much.  I didn't care for Corruption too much, but I've only played through it once and need to give it another shot.  I actually like Hunters quite a bit, but it's not in the same league as Prime and Echoes.

I'll never understand why Nintendo doesn't release more sidescrolling Metroid games.  They use Mario and Zelda as their go-to series, but they forget about Metroid.  It really seems like Metroid/Zero Mission and Super Metroid are the only genuine sidescrolling games that stay true to the formula.  Fusion and Return of Samus are much more linear, and all the others are 3D.  I'm dying for some more authentic Metroid...

[Neobelmont]

Hmm how do all of you do it? I've must have tried SM like ten times already but I get so uninterested in it, yet I will pour hours and I mean hours into fusion and Zero mission(this is my favorite in the series) and I would even play other m ( and yes I do actually enjoy this game) over SM. Yet thinking about why I don't enjoy SM over the gba titles is for me, the control. I really don't like Samus's movement in SM and when compared to fusion or ZM it does not feel as fluid and to me having a good moving character is important to me and I do not like the feeling of controlling her. This is not the first time that I have not been to keen on popular games I have the same feelings toward Chrono trigger in the sense that I don't feel it. I'm not trying to be negative but I do have a hard time enjoying this game as much as I should. 

[theANdROId]

It does feel rigid or awkward at first, but I've always felt it gets better the further you get and the more upgrades you find.  Not true for you?
Except for the grapple beam...that always feels awkward to me.

As for Chrono Trigger, I dunno...that one never felt awkward to me, I just love it.

[zangetsu468]

I love SM.
SM is my favorite game.
The best to me.
But I also love Zero Mission.
Zero Mission is close to taking SM's spot, so I need to play SM again to see if it holds up.

This. And the fact there is a part of the game where

(click to show/hide)

enemies follow ZSS between screens adds to the suspense and isolation

The only other game aside from SM/ZM that evokes the same feeling for me is Prime 2. It's the closest thing to SM in 3d with a twist of ALTTP thrown in.

[PFG9000]

The only other game aside from SM/ZM that evokes the same feeling for me is Prime 2. It's the closest thing to SM in 3d with a twist of ALTTP thrown in.

Prime 2's areas seem much more natural, flowing, and real than Prime's.  Prime's seem a little too video-gamey in comparison.  That's why I liked Prime 2 better than Prime at first, although I had not played all the way through Prime when I first tried Prime 2.

My biggest complaint with the Prime games is that you never go too far underground.  If you think about Metroid, Metroid 2, and Super Metroid, you get positively buried underground in some area, like Norfair, where the surface feels like it's miles above you.  That feeling of being isolated deep underground is one of my favorite things about classic Metroid.  But in the Prime games, you're always pretty close to the surface.  Even in the lower areas of Magmoor, there are still places where you come out onto the surface.  The Prime games are still fantastic; I'm not trying to make it sound like I don't like them.  I just miss that feeling from the old games.

[X]

@PFG9000

I noticed this as well. However I also know it takes a lot longer for a 3D character to climb out of a deep hole then a 2D one. Gameplay is faster on 2D then 3D. The game designers probably thought of this when conceived the environments of the three Prime games.

Prime 2's environment was well designed as it also made me feel alone and isolated. But even then Super Metroid still holds the top spot in that regard. Still have not played all the way through Prime 3. I guess I just can't be bothered to. The corruption part is an interesting and unique element to the series, but I also feel it's too invasive during the gameplay for my personal tastes. I'd rather just play through the game without worrying about dying suddenly when my Phason meter reaches critical mass. I know you can discharge the build-up but it just feel like a big hassle to me. Personally I'd rather see the corruption thing as a pure story-driven element rather then a real-time game mechanic. I also did not like the look of Samus' suit redesign. It was too generic for a game like Metroid, and it bore some similar elements to the Master Chief's outfit from Halo.

[zangetsu468]

@PFG9000 I understand the underground element. One thing I will say is that Prime 2's areas especially the underwater level (which feels like Samus is quite deep underground in parts) and the spider all levels, he'll all the levels in general had much more verticality to them than the other 2 Prime games. The areas were more organic and flowed better and the light/ dark element meant you had to know where you were going and opened up interesting transitions where you'd find yourself in smaller pockets to collect upgrades.

Prime 1 and 3 were more 'flat' in comparison aside from a few areas. Aside from the surface world (where the ship lands) in prime 1 the only stages with any significant verticality  were the wrecked ship and the space pirates tower in Phendrana drifts.

Prime 3's exploration and levels were less 'video gamey' than Prime 1's, beam stacking was handy, the action scenes were good, controls were fantastic with the wiimote, I liked the action scenes and the immersion was still there for me.

Prime 2> Prime 3> Prime 1