11th May 2025, 8:43 AM
That's certainly AN interpretation! I mean, it's a remake in the sense it's got more or less the same original story and locations, but yes it's a dramatic reimagining with improvements seen in later entries put in. It also walks back from the very narrative and "guided" design of Fusion, but I do still think it forces a few too many glowing markers on the map for my taste. I like a good wander, after all. I've also become less and less a fan of that "sneaking mission" section near the end. I appreciate eventually finding out that I can "break out" of the pirate ship and explore all the old areas again, so that does make up for it a bit. All that said, on the whole it's one of the best in the series.
I still appreciate Metroid NES for what it was, and how it was the first of it's kind so yes, it's a bit rough. It does pretty much require you to draw your own map though, which I did way back when. There are user created mods that add in maps as well.
Oh, it's worth adding one more complaint, and that's the password system. Now, I have the Famicom version, the one released on a floppy disk, and I certainly appreciate that this one allows you to save. Considering just how little text there is, if I'm going off official releases, it's kind of the better way to play that version in some ways, load times aside. That said, even restoring puts you right back on whatever the last major elevator you took was. It's a pretty long walk, but at least not as bad as Zelda 2.
I have a lot of nostalgia for Metroid 1, and it invented a genre, but let's face it, there was a lot to learn on how to do these games. I don't think there was any passive aggressiveness being done there. Someone coming along and doing what you did, but better? I'd be nothing but proud of that, because let's face it. They are STILL doing what Gunpei did. I mean, would a scientist get mad that another scientist took their discovery and took it further? That's the attitude I have for game design. If Metroid Zero Mission has seen further, it's because it stood on the shoulder of a giant.
Not to mention Gunpei also dramatically improved his own game. Super Metroid is basically the story of Metroid, again. Back to the original planet, the same original locations plus new ones, the same end boss, with a twist. He did it himself to his own game, dramatically improved it in every possible way. Then again, Super Nintendo entries in Nintendo's own series had that quality, didn't they? Every last one was like a "return" to the first entry, but improved in every way. Earthbound was Mother 1 all over again, but better. Link to the Past was Zelda 1 all over again, but better. So on, so forth. Heck, Super Mario Bros 3 was Super Mario Bros 1 all over again but better.
I still appreciate Metroid NES for what it was, and how it was the first of it's kind so yes, it's a bit rough. It does pretty much require you to draw your own map though, which I did way back when. There are user created mods that add in maps as well.
Oh, it's worth adding one more complaint, and that's the password system. Now, I have the Famicom version, the one released on a floppy disk, and I certainly appreciate that this one allows you to save. Considering just how little text there is, if I'm going off official releases, it's kind of the better way to play that version in some ways, load times aside. That said, even restoring puts you right back on whatever the last major elevator you took was. It's a pretty long walk, but at least not as bad as Zelda 2.
I have a lot of nostalgia for Metroid 1, and it invented a genre, but let's face it, there was a lot to learn on how to do these games. I don't think there was any passive aggressiveness being done there. Someone coming along and doing what you did, but better? I'd be nothing but proud of that, because let's face it. They are STILL doing what Gunpei did. I mean, would a scientist get mad that another scientist took their discovery and took it further? That's the attitude I have for game design. If Metroid Zero Mission has seen further, it's because it stood on the shoulder of a giant.
Not to mention Gunpei also dramatically improved his own game. Super Metroid is basically the story of Metroid, again. Back to the original planet, the same original locations plus new ones, the same end boss, with a twist. He did it himself to his own game, dramatically improved it in every possible way. Then again, Super Nintendo entries in Nintendo's own series had that quality, didn't they? Every last one was like a "return" to the first entry, but improved in every way. Earthbound was Mother 1 all over again, but better. Link to the Past was Zelda 1 all over again, but better. So on, so forth. Heck, Super Mario Bros 3 was Super Mario Bros 1 all over again but better.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)