Metroid
Metroid is the reason I love gaming.
I am not exaggerating, I am not being sarcastic, the very first video game I ever owned, the first one that I ever played in my own home, with my own system, with my own time, was the original Metroid on Gameboy. I’d played games at the arcade, my grandad took me there when we went to the mall, and I’d played game at friend’s houses, but that was the first one that was mine.
Unreality Magazine led me to a post on UpRoxx about the frustrating nature of Nintendo, how while they refuse to make any new titles that might bring them out of this tailspin, they also ignore core franchises that made them what they are. Metroid is their prime example.
I’m not going to recap the article, go read it if you want to know why Metroid would be a smarter decision than the rest of the shit Nintendo keeps shoveling out. I’m going to focus on what’s great about the series, and why it needs another entry in the franchise.
What makes Metroid great? Core to the franchise is the feeling of exploration. Whether you are playing on a black and white Gameboy or the flashy Gamecube version, you feel like you’re in a big world. It is filled with canyons and mines, mountains and jungles, always leading to a new place. One of its legacies, something that will be felt for years to come in gaming, is the way it deals with sealing off areas, forcing you to have a new attachment, gun, accessory, to get into that new region. It has always handled backtracking with finesse, giving you more to do with new enemies and environmental challenges as you go.
When they introduced Prime, they really made that wide world feel alive. It was filled with enemies, some the villains you’ve been facing, others just the natural fauna of whatever world you’re on. It introduced ruins and lore, lost puzzles and mysteries, and set out to make you record the life, history, and lore of…well, damn near everything.
To me, Prime was the epitome of Metroid and that’s what I loved so much about it. Before I could be wowed by the action, the puzzle solving, the collecting of the weapons, arms, add-ons, I was entranced by the lore. I loved finding something new to scan, whether it was the history of the Chozo, a new critter, or some other piece of lore. I could have spent the game doing just that.
The great thing about Metroid Prime, you don’t have to. The action was top notch, giving you a variety of weapons and style to fight everything. Enemies varied their tactics and abilities, responded differently, and were challenging. Even the Gameboy versions were a challenge that required different tactics.
Prime’s presentation was fabulous. Every moment, whether it’s discovering something new, solving a puzzle, or an encroaching danger, is punctuated by fabulous music. It was beautifully made, with great effects, and better art. The enemies are well designed, the bosses unique, the environments memorable.
And let’s just be clear on this, there is no more beautiful woman in gaming than Samus. You want the strong female character…well, ignore Metroid M and you’ve got it. She’s not the best example of a character in general, that’s never really been the point of Metroid, but she’s a good example of minimalism of design. She always comes off capable, a badass, someone who is control of the situation. Enough is conveyed to make her endearing (and gorgeous) without having to do really anything at all.
I’ve been preaching against Nintendo for years, maybe not here, but I have. Ever since the Gamecube, they have shown a refusal to expand their portfolio. They have embraced far too willingly. They over utilize some properties (looking at you Mario) while ignoring others. Their hardware has lagged behind since the N64 and they fail to innovate. No, the Wii was not in innovation. It was a fad. One day, a day that is approaching sooner and sooner, they will go the way of Sega.
I just hope a serious player buys the rights to Metroid.
Because I want to explore again.
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