Yes the gaming industry needs to bring this back. I loved buying video game magazines like Nintendo power giving new secrets, maps, and lore. Instruction booklets helped with immersion and giving a full complete product.
There’s just so much frustration as modern gamers going back to the old ways. I’m 42, I was playing these games when they came out. But, we didn’t know any better so “ineffective” in Final Fantasy was annoying but acceptable. Even random battles in RPGs are pretty much dealbreakers for me these days. No map? No save points? Knocked back to the beginning after death? Puke. Zero Mission, on the other hand, is sensational.
All of these complaints are either easily overcome or stupid. Just look at a map onlie or print one out. There is a passwordsytem (and save states if you play on an emulator like the nes app on switch). You just go back to the beginning of the sector you are in and what old nes game doesn't send you back to the beginning of the level when you die anyway, feels like stupid complaint?
@@donkeypong1847 seriously I’ve wanted video games to encourage us to draw maps for the last 20 years. It did it for LoZ on NES when I was a kid and discovery made that game. Same for Dark souls. Why can’t GTA teach us to navigate the streets with signs and landmarks. Then you can draw up you’re own map and figure out the best pathways on your own. Navigation in games is a chore because they’ve taken the game out of it. Following the big arrows isn’t fun because it isn’t challenging in any way.
I played the original when I was nine years old. Never completed it but will also never forget watching a friend complete it and then having our minds blown that Samus was female. We were in love with her.
I’m showing my age, but I was about 5 when I played this game for the first time. It’s always going to be a game I can literally sit down, play from start to finish. It’s like watching a classic movie. Or I’ll just put in the Justin Bailey code and beat it in 5 min lol
@@justintime343 I can’t agree with you completely, because if you already know where all the items are and which order to acquire them, then no it’s not hard. However, back in the day we didn’t have the Internet as I’m sure you’re aware, the only thing we had was a vague map outline in the instruction booklet. Other than that everything that we did was complete trial and error. There was really no way to know how to navigate this game except by literally spending hours figuring it all out. Especially Norfair.
I got this game along with my NES for Xmas 1988 and it was the only game I had beside SMB for maybe 9 months. It's so burned into my brain that when I played it recently for the first time in over 10 years I beat it in under 2 hours without dying. Kinda tripped me out how all that info and muscle memory was still there.
And it gets easier the more times you play it. When I set out this past May to not only play it but also beat it. I used a walk through twice. Third time and beyond? I do not need a walk through. Yeah I've only 100 percent it once and got the "bikini" ending once. But hey. At least I can complete it on my own with no help.
I hate it when people say “play zero mission instead” they are different games. Zero mission is remake and other option. Not a replacement. I played through this game a couple days ago. I loved it, nowadays this game is underrated. This game is not cryptic the game secrets are at dead ends. Go in with mind set to explore and have fun. Then you’ll love it like I do
@@christophe2201 Maybe, but I think I understand. We’re all entitled to our opinions. You expressed a strong valid opinion and so did l because personally I think Metroid is a very good game and agree with IGN’S assessment. Nothing wrong with that. And yeah, maybe MATTAFRACK and myself are a little nostalgic for the games we grew up playing but one day you’ll be too. Fare?
@@christophe2201 I’m not nostalgic for it and never played it anywhere near its era and I find it so compelling. It clicks with me very hard. I like almost everything about it besides it’s visuals
I'd buy that. Considering Nintendo made a Zelda collection for GameCube and a Kirby collection for Wii a few years ago, I wouldn't be very surprised if they made a Metroid collection for either the Switch or its successor. A little surprised but not much.
@@bfish89ryuhayabusa I'd rather it be the other way around (like it is for Metroid 1) for the same reason as this video. Or just include them as well.
@@alexmoore3676 Yes, but if you play Zero Mission first, then you have ruined the experience of Metroid 1, since it's about learning the world through exploration and curiosity. If you've played Zero Mission, you already know the world from having a map given to you, so there's nothing left to learn. I think it's much better to learn and draw the world and get that experience, and then go into Zero Mission and play the same world in a different genre.
When I was a kid in the 80’s I never would have thought in a million years how classic and influential our gaming era would become. We were just kids playing video games and having fun. I miss the old days of gaming. They just don’t make them like this anymore.
Back in the day of it's release, Metroid and Zelda where one of the first games to introduce open world gaming. Where the other 2d games where side scrollers from left to right. Original Metroid was the pioneer and every MetroidVania has its DNA.
You nailed this. I grew up with the nes, but not Metroid. I didn’t play it until the early 2000s, so no nostalgia goggles here. The game is not good for all the reasons you stated. I did like the music though.
Don’t know how old you are,but growing up in this era .top three of the nes .basically was the first game that had no boundaries .karnov was another hidden gem..to me was the best game followed by Zelda after that Mario ,mega man any of them ,karnov
I love playing the original Metroid. Masterpiece for its time, and still brilliant today. The music is incredible, and the upgrades are key to making the game much easier. 10/10
@@Arnell_Mediocrity_Long I am 15 and recently got into metroid, played orginal metroid in 2021.First thinking about playing the game I wasn't sure I would complete it, it aged poorly. But as a person passionate about gaming I wanted to do something out of my comfort zone, I used RUclips guide and finished it. Not gonna play again, but completing it, I can confidently say it was a complete video game experience and a special memory. I completed orginal metroid being in this Gen when even huge fans hesitated doing it, something I never thought I would do. I loved it.
I played it when it first came out. Got it at my neighborhood Fred-rated, er Federated Electronics. I was around 12 or 13 and loved it. I will say having the NintendoPower magazine with the level maps helped. They didn’t show ya where things were but helped you get back more easily to where you were. And yes I spent forever finding stuff. Back then you’d hang out with your buddies and exchange info on what you found in each of your respective journeys in the game.
I was 7 when Metroid was released. Forever heavy nostalgia attached to it. But yes, it didn't age well. Loved Zero Mission, but honestly after about 30 to 60 minutes it just transforms into a new game. Would have appreciated a strict start to finish remake
To answer your question "how would you know to do that?" Three words, Nintendo Power magazine. Without that you were screwed on a lot of games like this. Castlevania 2 comes to mind.
That's just a shortcut. The real answer is you approach the game with curiosity and immerse yourself in it over the course of months or even years, since that's how many games were played back then, and that gives an intimate connection to the game world.
I beat Metroid without any help for a console, never beat Castlevania 2 for that very reason.. the game was too broken in translation.. Metroid you can use your imagination to get it done. Just got to be willing to trust your abilities and use a bit of common sense with the abilities the games offer you
Took your advice, played Zero Mission. Beat it and fell in love with the Metroid series. Now I'm playing original and I love how challenging it is. I think once you dive into the Metroid series this is a very good game, even by today's standards.
I kind of agree with the consensus of this review. The limitations early NES games did indeed mean places looked very similar. If you're going to play it now, do so with emulator save-states and a map. A cheat perhaps, but even Nintendo didn't "yet" understand the importance of foreshadowing. But I also agree, so much of what we see here was a first. For that alone, it's impossible to ignore the game's legacy, even if it hasn't aged as well.
Respectfully disagree about not worth playing Metroid NES. I’ve never played Zero Mission and I’m sure that it’s superior but I recently beat NES for the first time and yeah it has issues especially with navigation and health farming, but I felt so satisfied with the experience having no nostalgic ties to the game. I referenced a map to aid my journey because I would’ve never beat it without that. But the feeling of powering up and taking down Mother Brain was super satisfying. It’s a very important game historically for what it did but I also really enjoyed it.
Same! Beat it a couple of years ago on my old nes but made sure to have a map. I had a blast. This is a must play classic title for anyone interested in gaming history.
I wish they would make a proper remake that actually maintains what makes it a great game. Zero Mission is effectively a different genre, since it lacks the focus on pure exploration and learning the world through exploring. It's a good game, but it's no substitute for the experience of the original, and in fact spoils that experience for you. Metroid gives such a special and essential experience. It's your journey, go where your curiosity leads. Draw it out, and part of the game is now in reality. Think about what you see, and you can find some secrets. (For instance, the game always puts creatures where you can kill them. When it appears to do otherwise, maybe you should investigate.) Don't expect to find everything before you win. Then, once you have won, you can go back and try to find more secrets!
Zero Mission is the result of Sakamoto not understanding what Metroid is about - because he’s a fraud who used his corporate connections to take credit for others’ work since Super Metroid - and handing down directives that the real developers deal with the best they can, hence the ever increasing intrusion of the narrative on exploration. Ironically narratives that Sakamoto then completely ignored when he wrote Other M because aside from being a liar and a thief he’s also an imbecile.
I beat this in 3rd or 4th grade with no map. You just had to explore an learn as you go. At the time, this was one of the original games with space aged upgrades - Mega Man the other. Secret passageways were more common, and wasn't something Mario players expected. We are talking weapons never before seen, and never before seen ways to acquire them. So, that kept you on a scavenger hunt for the unknown. One of my top 5 games of all time. Beating Metroid just feels so good. Looking back, the gameplay isn't as exciting as I wish it would have been, but if you don't know anything about the game, you will probably get hooked on the process.
@@arcticridge I'm glad you brought that up. I couldn't afford anything as a kid. I actually waited until the weekend to get my parents to drive me to Toys R Us just so I could look at their guide they had on display and burn it into memory. It's how I figured out where the screw attack was lol. I had already found the Hi-Jump boots but never knew the screw attack was so close to it. Ah memories...
@@deathinc imo you shouldn't have to buy something extra to finish a game. Nintendo was known for making their games notoriously difficult or cryptic to increase the length of playtime and force kids to buy their guides. It's almost impossible to find all the secret barrels in Donkey Kong Country without a guide, unless you fall to your death at every single pit. Thankfully they stopped doing that in the mid-90's
@@arcticridge Games could be beaten without guides, but I still loved my monthly subscription to Nintendo Power lol. IMO the guides enhanced the games and helped you to find more secrets. Back then there was no internet and gamefaqs. Nowadays games have less secrets and more microtransactions.
@@arcticridge I disagree that you need to buy a map to play it. The map for Metroid is the one that you draw as you explore, just like the game's manual tells you to do.
@@fmar.8311 yes, Zelda had the maps and compasses but we would also draw the dungeons to know which walls you could bomb through or which were invisible walls that you could walk through. Zelda’s maps weren’t telling you all that.
My dad spent months doing this and talking to friends at school about what they discovered. Must have been awesome back in the mid 80s playing Zelda and Metroid for the 1st time
"Bomb this floor? How would you know to do that?" He says, as the area beneath is hollowed out rather than a big chunk of rock, with an enemy flying around all by its lonesome with a different coloured floor. (I realise the footage was probably edited together by someone else and just used as a random example but it still made me chuckle)
And eventually you just know to do that because it's clear that's what the game is employing. Good lord, Metroid Fusion was 10x worse for this. Not only were there dozens of obscure passage ways and roadblocks, the majority of them were actually required to progress, and not secret areas for items.
I'll tell you what. It is definitely worth it but I played it on the NES classic with save states and a great map. With there two additions its awesome, definitely my favorite NES game it was super ambitious.
Dude!!! I played Metroid sometime in the late 90s or early 2000s and beat it with no issues. How you ask? The instruction manual, which is actually very useful. It outright tells you to bomb walls and doorways to reveal passageways! Is it tedious? “Sure” but if you know to do that then it’s not that cryptic. The manual also gives you some hints into the navigation with a partial map.(Encouraging players to create their own full map if they wished) However there’s tons of map scans online now. Back in the day also you had Nintendo magazines which had a complete map of the game. So the game isn’t as difficult as you might think. Using the password system also helps.
Thanks so much for showing the bookllet, reminded me my childhood, but even if they said "he", the sentence after says : "But his true form is shrouded in mystery" :) ...thanks a lot for this video :)
I conquered that game when I was extremely young. With that said, IT WAS HARD I mean, REALLY FKN HARD! YET! the SATISFACTION that came with conquering/beating/surpassing a game THAT DIFFICULT felt like one of the greatest achievements of my youth! Why...? BECAUSE NOBODY ELSE THAT I KNEW BEAT THAT GAME!
Ya. I beat it without a map in 3rd or 4th. Spent alot of hours. I think I beat it on a day I was sick. At the time, I didn't realize I was on track to beating a game that would become a series and cult classic. Has a special feel.
Metroid set up a lot for the future, but it suffers from many pitfalls earlier games did. It encouraged "exploration" but the difficulty in it was artificial. Metroid did not have a map, which I argue can make a game more fun. Problem is, there are no memorable rooms. It's the difference between exploring a maze that you can actually make sense of, and a maze in the dark whose hallways dont show any difference. These two, along with many others, are fixed in the future, both in and out of the metroid series. Take hollow knight, for example. It does exploration in a hostile world, but the difficulty is more real. Rather than being clunky to control and positioning enemies so that you cant hit them, it gives you all the tools to succeed and still asks of you to play skillfully. It gives you a map, but you can very much play it without one just because of how the world is structured and designed. I'm not shitting on Metroid just to shit on Metroid. It's the foundation for all these later innovations. But dont play Metroid as a first dip in and expect the best from a 30 year old game
It definitely has recognizable rooms. There are several that are used multiple times, so you can recognize when you enter one of those rooms, and therefore notice any differences. I'd say the world is perfectly designed to be just the right level of challenge to learn without a given/built in map. Especially if you are drawing the map as you go. (but even if you don't draw it, it's like other games of that era, where you play it spread out over a long period of time, and in slowly learning how it functions, you develop a much stronger connection to it than if you just zipped through in a few days.)
It was fairly easy back then I was a 80s baby this game was pretty easier compared to ninja gaiden/ double dragon 3/ and many others. Some games I can't remember title of were just insanely difficult I never knew of any who beat them. But Metroid was easy peezy in comparison
I honestly don't think the starting at the beginning of the area would be that bad of a punishment for dying if it gave you your max hp. It's really just that part that always bothered me when I would replay it, going from 30 health to whatever your current max is.
I replayed this game about six years ago on original hardware. I liked it a lot as a kid but could never beat it. This time I made sure to have a printed out map (that also showed in which rooms the upgrades were). I had a wonderful time! In my 3-4 hours (don't recall exactly) I don't think I ever died except once on the final boss. My gaming skills are pretty average and I don't usually like super hard games so it's surprising that the reviewer found the game hard. I say: play it with a map! (and make sure that the ice beam is your last beam upgrade)
The original Metroid is unusual fun to play, yes its not for casuals and it does suffer from limitations but i must say the controls are pretty tight and once you memorized the maps you can blast through it, honestly kraid snd ridley are a joke and once you have the varia suit and screw attack, you can raise hell
I could never complete it as a kid. But I did complete it a few years ago using save states. Though I never abused them. Only saved on spawn points (elevators)
Yeah, if you didn't already play this game back in the actual NES era, you're probably going to have a bad time. A few things that can alleviate some of the frustrations are: - Ability to set save states (like with the Wii U release) - Because the levels are assembled whole screens at a time, on one hand this is why the environments are super repetitive but it also means that if you find a secret passage in one room, there's at least a 90% chance that any other room that looks exactly like it will _itself_ have the same secret passage in the same spot.
As a child back then during the original era a lot of games lived on long after your parents get mad and tell you to turn it off for the night. Nowadays I don't think kids stretch their game out past the console and into their imaginations. School meet ups with like minded intellectuals 😂 were pretty good back then too.
NES Metroid is so much fun if played with FFWD & RWND buttons and save states in emulation or switch online. OG Metroid is just frustration taking 10 mins to refill health each play.
I loved original metroid but didn't know why I had trouble with it until I saw your video. The original metroid is cruel. It pokes at experimental irrational, almost no-win situations, maybe along the same lines as ghosts and goblins. If I developed games I would philosophically throw in some that seem almost unconquerable which heightens the win but more importantly questions a persons determination, humility, and pays homage to null mathematical game theory 😉 .....anyways...I still like it
The man is honest. I'm 30 years old and I'll tell you right now games aren't anywhere near as hard as they used to be. This game is a goddamned nightmare. However, it's still a classic and should be regarded as such.
There all great I've played all of them Metroid/Zero mission Metroid II/Metroid II Samus Returns remake Super Metroid Fusion NOW WAITING FOR DREAD IN FIVE DAYS Also Prime remake snd Yes played them aswell :) have fun
I won this game many times as a kid, we did not realize how hard it was and somehow could memorize the crazy map. I have tried to play this game now in the 2020s and it is just a chore. When we (I say we due to the 4-5 Nintendo freaks in junior high who all played the games) were amazed that Samus was a girl.
If you play it on Switch’s NES limited missiles stops being a problem. Draw you’re own map (lots of old games expected you to do this). A big part of older games is discovery by talking with friends.
I have the original NES console. I played and finished this game just the other day. Along with Zelda. Depending on how fast you finish Metroid will depend on how much she shows you at the end of the game. If you finish it quickly you get to see the entire body like in this video. SPOLER. But if you take a long time she only remove's her helmet. Or a little less time she remove's her helmet and upper suit.
I agree that replaying the original Metroid today wouldn't be that enjoyable for the reasons that you mentioned. But as for Zero Mission, I would rather just play Super Metroid. ZM clearly takes a lot of play and design elements from SM. But SM is a game that I would replay today.
The real shame is that people even have to do these recaps at all... Nintendo OWNS Metroid and could easily make the entire franchise available on the Switch.
In all fairness the manual does provide a "mini map" that gives you the basic layout, shows you the approximate location of the bosses and the path to the final section of the game. It also essentially gives you an item guide, so if your stuck you can look at the power ups and see if they can help you. On page 18 it tells you that you need 5 missiles to open red doors. I would also say that when you die you get 30 health is not an ideal programing choice, but I would say that this is one of those "NES Hard" situations. It's like a punishment for dying in the game. I just think they designed the game to be punishing and unwelcoming.
I'm not shocked AT ALL that Nintendo didn't decide to print money but putting out ports or remakes of this series in the year leading up to Dread. Just image the MILLIONS of copies we all would have purchased, with MONEY, even for a PHYSICAL edition.
What old nes game doesn't send you back to the beginning of the curren't level/dungeon you are in after you die? How is this different? Feels like stupid complaint?
Perhaps it’s nostalgia. But Mertroid is an amazing game. It was hard…really hard, but have you played Zelda 2? That game was impossible back in the day. Remember Metriod is an adventure game, there was no map, you had to make your own (or use Club Nintendo’s map which almost every Nintendo owner had a subscription to), and yes everything was trial and error. My friend had this and I had the advantage of him telling me the red doors required 5 missiles etc. Yes super confusing levels due to the similarities of the vertical screens, I always got lost. Today you can follow walkthroughs (how I’m currently getting through Zelda 2 today) or just use any number of online maps. Zero mission is good, but the original is where it all started.
I agree that it's too hard and starting over at the beginning is too harsh, much like Zelda II. And Metroid Zero Mission makes me hope for a Zelda II remake.
You can also get Zero Mission on the 3DS (it was included in the 3DS ambassador program) Not sure if this has been said already, just a generally better console for playing the game in a pocket console
Metroid Zero Mission was not included in the 3DS ambassador program, that was Metroid Fusion. And almost nobody has an Ambassador 3DS, they are extremely rare.
@@YuGiJoe1 No problem. It's very possible to have Zero Mission on your 3DS, just not through an official Nintendo Release. With CFW you can install GBA games to your 3DS, you might have bought a 3DS that had it already installed.
@@wilfredynunez5263 nah, I got mine on original release and have only installed official software, I must have misremembered, will check later today and get back if it is there
Funny how the digital only rerelease of the original Fire Emblem was sold by Nintendo with a HUGE physical collector's edition box but, somehow, the beloved Metroid series got NOTHING leading up to Dread! WTF?
The Metroid series usually gets the short end of the stick unfortunately. I recall reading or hearing somewhere that it's because the series was never a big hit in Japan.
There’s a difference between a game “showing you where something is” and giving any kind of indication for the player to work off of. But instead, the player has to guess and check when it comes to secrets.
The original Metroid is pretty much unplayable now. Very rigid and unnecessarily tough at times. The music is great like you said though… Super Metroid is another story… So playable again and again….
@@evanlanger98 I saw the timeline one first close to when Dread came out and got me thinking about the original's story. Let me say again I think you did a great job with it. I can tell you're a big fan by the effort put into the script and delivery. Don't let the viewcount discourage you because this is a quality video overall. Thank you!
3:54 Ok Evan, go back to play Animal Crossing. The original Metroid does has aged well, even my 11 year old son who is an avid Fortnite liked to the point that he has played all of the versions available in the Switch Online Service and made me pre order a second copy of Dread for him. Back when I plaed for the 1st time in 1990 it has became one of my top 20 video games and it's all about how challenging It was compared to Zelda o SMB 3.
So... having your hand held making it easy to beat... equals "holds up" or "worth playing" ?? I think this reputation that Metroid gets of not aging well... it just means that a lot of modern gamers don't hold up.
I miss instruction booklets with lore and character bios
Yes the gaming industry needs to bring this back. I loved buying video game magazines like Nintendo power giving new secrets, maps, and lore. Instruction booklets helped with immersion and giving a full complete product.
@@Moneyxsharks oh yeah. Thats what current games lack. Especially having a fully completed game.
Those were solid to read while taking a shit back in the day
@@trevorjohnston777 so...... is it flagged? (This might go over some heads)
Same now they want you to buy the special edition just to get it.
There’s just so much frustration as modern gamers going back to the old ways. I’m 42, I was playing these games when they came out. But, we didn’t know any better so “ineffective” in Final Fantasy was annoying but acceptable. Even random battles in RPGs are pretty much dealbreakers for me these days. No map? No save points? Knocked back to the beginning after death? Puke. Zero Mission, on the other hand, is sensational.
All of these complaints are either easily overcome or stupid. Just look at a map onlie or print one out. There is a passwordsytem (and save states if you play on an emulator like the nes app on switch). You just go back to the beginning of the sector you are in and what old nes game doesn't send you back to the beginning of the level when you die anyway, feels like stupid complaint?
@@donkeypong1847 seriously I’ve wanted video games to encourage us to draw maps for the last 20 years. It did it for LoZ on NES when I was a kid and discovery made that game. Same for Dark souls. Why can’t GTA teach us to navigate the streets with signs and landmarks. Then you can draw up you’re own map and figure out the best pathways on your own. Navigation in games is a chore because they’ve taken the game out of it. Following the big arrows isn’t fun because it isn’t challenging in any way.
I played the original when I was nine years old. Never completed it but will also never forget watching a friend complete it and then having our minds blown that Samus was female. We were in love with her.
I’m showing my age, but I was about 5 when I played this game for the first time. It’s always going to be a game I can literally sit down, play from start to finish. It’s like watching a classic movie.
Or I’ll just put in the Justin Bailey code and beat it in 5 min lol
I'm right there with ya. The original is not as hard as these young bloods make it sound like.
@@justintime343 I can’t agree with you completely, because if you already know where all the items are and which order to acquire them, then no it’s not hard.
However, back in the day we didn’t have the Internet as I’m sure you’re aware, the only thing we had was a vague map outline in the instruction booklet. Other than that everything that we did was complete trial and error. There was really no way to know how to navigate this game except by literally spending hours figuring it all out. Especially Norfair.
I got this game along with my NES for Xmas 1988 and it was the only game I had beside SMB for maybe 9 months. It's so burned into my brain that when I played it recently for the first time in over 10 years I beat it in under 2 hours without dying. Kinda tripped me out how all that info and muscle memory was still there.
The game gets a lot easier the more upgrades you collect. The Wave Beam is especially useful, since it allows you to hit enemies on the ground.
And it gets easier the more times you play it. When I set out this past May to not only play it but also beat it. I used a walk through twice. Third time and beyond? I do not need a walk through. Yeah I've only 100 percent it once and got the "bikini" ending once. But hey. At least I can complete it on my own with no help.
And? Do you think it's normal...?
@@christophe2201 yes, it's kind of a time attack game which makes you look for the optimal route to finish in less time.
I hate it when people say “play zero mission instead” they are different games. Zero mission is remake and other option. Not a replacement. I played through this game a couple days ago. I loved it, nowadays this game is underrated. This game is not cryptic the game secrets are at dead ends. Go in with mind set to explore and have fun. Then you’ll love it like I do
I group up with this game. My friends and I never got frustrated. We would stay up till three a.m playing it.
Metroid is a good game only for the nostalgics like you...Otherwise, it's a very bad game!
@@christophe2201 Rated #6 in IGN’s Top 100 NES games. Metroid, a very bad game? I don’t think so.
@@cesarvaldez112975 It's your opinion, not mine. You are not smart enough to understand it...
@@christophe2201 Maybe, but I think I understand. We’re all entitled to our opinions. You expressed a strong valid opinion and so did l because personally I think Metroid is a very good game and agree with IGN’S assessment. Nothing wrong with that. And yeah, maybe MATTAFRACK and myself are a little nostalgic for the games we grew up playing but one day you’ll be too. Fare?
@@christophe2201 I’m not nostalgic for it and never played it anywhere near its era and I find it so compelling. It clicks with me very hard. I like almost everything about it besides it’s visuals
We need a Metroid Collection on Switch that includes: Zero Mission, Samus Returns, Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion.
I'd buy that. Considering Nintendo made a Zelda collection for GameCube and a Kirby collection for Wii a few years ago, I wouldn't be very surprised if they made a Metroid collection for either the Switch or its successor. A little surprised but not much.
Fuck. Yes. That’s all.
Make Zero Mission and Samus Returns unlocked after completing Metroid 1 and 2, then it's better.
@@bfish89ryuhayabusa I'd rather it be the other way around (like it is for Metroid 1) for the same reason as this video. Or just include them as well.
@@alexmoore3676 Yes, but if you play Zero Mission first, then you have ruined the experience of Metroid 1, since it's about learning the world through exploration and curiosity. If you've played Zero Mission, you already know the world from having a map given to you, so there's nothing left to learn. I think it's much better to learn and draw the world and get that experience, and then go into Zero Mission and play the same world in a different genre.
When I was a kid in the 80’s I never would have thought in a million years how classic and influential our gaming era would become. We were just kids playing video games and having fun. I miss the old days of gaming. They just don’t make them like this anymore.
Or, we're still talking about this game because people today are literally making games just like this even now, thanks to this groundbreaking title.
@@BrendanGill I think that he means that the gaming culture from back then was a lot more casual, which I somewhat agree with.
Back in the day of it's release, Metroid and Zelda where one of the first games to introduce open world gaming. Where the other 2d games where side scrollers from left to right. Original Metroid was the pioneer and every MetroidVania has its DNA.
I found this game so frustrating back in the day. It’s definitely a classic, but flawed. Zero Mission is such a better way to play the first game.
@Move_I_Got_This boomer
Zero Mission turned a memorable and dark Metroid experience and turned it into a kids cartoon.
You just described NES games in general
@@minusp895 Dark? Ok wut. Like. Wut. the first game was everything except dark. I understand metroid 2 but……
This game, Kidicarus, Mega Man, and Kirby were the main games I loved to play as a kid. Still play them to this day too.
You nailed this. I grew up with the nes, but not Metroid. I didn’t play it until the early 2000s, so no nostalgia goggles here. The game is not good for all the reasons you stated. I did like the music though.
The music definitely holds up, they're timeless classics. Have you checked out the Famicom version of these tunes? Absolutely god-like. 😍
I love original Metroid, but yes it does have a lot of flaws. But I probably love it for nostalgia.
Don’t know how old you are,but growing up in this era .top three of the nes .basically was the first game that had no boundaries .karnov was another hidden gem..to me was the best game followed by Zelda after that Mario ,mega man any of them ,karnov
I love playing the original Metroid. Masterpiece for its time, and still brilliant today. The music is incredible, and the upgrades are key to making the game much easier. 10/10
IGN- Not enough Call of Duty 7/10
@@Arnell_Mediocrity_Long Nah, it aged poorly. Its frustrating and many times not fun. I think Fusion and Super Metroid, are the PEAK of metroid games.
@@Arnell_Mediocrity_Long so was the first monster hunter and it's now absolutely awful
@@angellara7040 Gotcha.👍🏾
@@Arnell_Mediocrity_Long I am 15 and recently got into metroid, played orginal metroid in 2021.First thinking about playing the game I wasn't sure I would complete it, it aged poorly. But as a person passionate about gaming I wanted to do something out of my comfort zone, I used RUclips guide and finished it. Not gonna play again, but completing it, I can confidently say it was a complete video game experience and a special memory. I completed orginal metroid being in this Gen when even huge fans hesitated doing it, something I never thought I would do. I loved it.
I played it when it first came out. Got it at my neighborhood Fred-rated, er Federated Electronics. I was around 12 or 13 and loved it. I will say having the NintendoPower magazine with the level maps helped. They didn’t show ya where things were but helped you get back more easily to where you were. And yes I spent forever finding stuff. Back then you’d hang out with your buddies and exchange info on what you found in each of your respective journeys in the game.
I was 7 when Metroid was released. Forever heavy nostalgia attached to it. But yes, it didn't age well. Loved Zero Mission, but honestly after about 30 to 60 minutes it just transforms into a new game. Would have appreciated a strict start to finish remake
To answer your question "how would you know to do that?" Three words, Nintendo Power magazine. Without that you were screwed on a lot of games like this. Castlevania 2 comes to mind.
Nintendo power magazine, the very first rendition of pay to win
@@keaganhunter5365 exactly
That's just a shortcut. The real answer is you approach the game with curiosity and immerse yourself in it over the course of months or even years, since that's how many games were played back then, and that gives an intimate connection to the game world.
I beat Metroid without any help for a console, never beat Castlevania 2 for that very reason.. the game was too broken in translation.. Metroid you can use your imagination to get it done. Just got to be willing to trust your abilities and use a bit of common sense with the abilities the games offer you
@@keaganhunter5365the Nintendo tip line holds that title. It predated Nintendo Power.
Took your advice, played Zero Mission. Beat it and fell in love with the Metroid series. Now I'm playing original and I love how challenging it is.
I think once you dive into the Metroid series this is a very good game, even by today's standards.
I kind of agree with the consensus of this review. The limitations early NES games did indeed mean places looked very similar. If you're going to play it now, do so with emulator save-states and a map. A cheat perhaps, but even Nintendo didn't "yet" understand the importance of foreshadowing. But I also agree, so much of what we see here was a first. For that alone, it's impossible to ignore the game's legacy, even if it hasn't aged as well.
Respectfully disagree about not worth playing Metroid NES. I’ve never played Zero Mission and I’m sure that it’s superior but I recently beat NES for the first time and yeah it has issues especially with navigation and health farming, but I felt so satisfied with the experience having no nostalgic ties to the game. I referenced a map to aid my journey because I would’ve never beat it without that. But the feeling of powering up and taking down Mother Brain was super satisfying. It’s a very important game historically for what it did but I also really enjoyed it.
Same! Beat it a couple of years ago on my old nes but made sure to have a map. I had a blast. This is a must play classic title for anyone interested in gaming history.
zero mission is good. fusion is also worth playing before Dread since it directly precedes it.
I wish they would make a proper remake that actually maintains what makes it a great game. Zero Mission is effectively a different genre, since it lacks the focus on pure exploration and learning the world through exploring. It's a good game, but it's no substitute for the experience of the original, and in fact spoils that experience for you.
Metroid gives such a special and essential experience. It's your journey, go where your curiosity leads. Draw it out, and part of the game is now in reality. Think about what you see, and you can find some secrets. (For instance, the game always puts creatures where you can kill them. When it appears to do otherwise, maybe you should investigate.)
Don't expect to find everything before you win. Then, once you have won, you can go back and try to find more secrets!
Yeah, I couldn't agree more
Zero Mission is the result of Sakamoto not understanding what Metroid is about - because he’s a fraud who used his corporate connections to take credit for others’ work since Super Metroid - and handing down directives that the real developers deal with the best they can, hence the ever increasing intrusion of the narrative on exploration.
Ironically narratives that Sakamoto then completely ignored when he wrote Other M because aside from being a liar and a thief he’s also an imbecile.
I beat this in 3rd or 4th grade with no map. You just had to explore an learn as you go. At the time, this was one of the original games with space aged upgrades - Mega Man the other. Secret passageways were more common, and wasn't something Mario players expected. We are talking weapons never before seen, and never before seen ways to acquire them. So, that kept you on a scavenger hunt for the unknown. One of my top 5 games of all time. Beating Metroid just feels so good. Looking back, the gameplay isn't as exciting as I wish it would have been, but if you don't know anything about the game, you will probably get hooked on the process.
8:53 I died a little bit seeing all those missiles going to waste....
😂😂
Zero Mission is my favorite 2D Metroid yet
Metroid did have a map. It was called the Official Nintendo Player's Gude.
that has to be bought separately. that not everyone could afford.
@@arcticridge I'm glad you brought that up. I couldn't afford anything as a kid. I actually waited until the weekend to get my parents to drive me to Toys R Us just so I could look at their guide they had on display and burn it into memory. It's how I figured out where the screw attack was lol. I had already found the Hi-Jump boots but never knew the screw attack was so close to it. Ah memories...
@@deathinc imo you shouldn't have to buy something extra to finish a game. Nintendo was known for making their games notoriously difficult or cryptic to increase the length of playtime and force kids to buy their guides. It's almost impossible to find all the secret barrels in Donkey Kong Country without a guide, unless you fall to your death at every single pit. Thankfully they stopped doing that in the mid-90's
@@arcticridge Games could be beaten without guides, but I still loved my monthly subscription to Nintendo Power lol. IMO the guides enhanced the games and helped you to find more secrets. Back then there was no internet and gamefaqs. Nowadays games have less secrets and more microtransactions.
@@arcticridge I disagree that you need to buy a map to play it. The map for Metroid is the one that you draw as you explore, just like the game's manual tells you to do.
No map? Come on man, half the fun was creating your own with a sheet of grid paper and some colored pencils.
I believe he was not alived when we used to do that.
Oh man. That's all I did for Zelda dungeons.
@@thanhclips Zelda dungeons have maps...Why would you make a map?
@@fmar.8311 yes, Zelda had the maps and compasses but we would also draw the dungeons to know which walls you could bomb through or which were invisible walls that you could walk through. Zelda’s maps weren’t telling you all that.
My dad spent months doing this and talking to friends at school about what they discovered. Must have been awesome back in the mid 80s playing Zelda and Metroid for the 1st time
The amount of times I got killed while going through a door back when I played this as a kid………………
Justin Bailey approves this message
"Bomb this floor? How would you know to do that?" He says, as the area beneath is hollowed out rather than a big chunk of rock, with an enemy flying around all by its lonesome with a different coloured floor.
(I realise the footage was probably edited together by someone else and just used as a random example but it still made me chuckle)
And eventually you just know to do that because it's clear that's what the game is employing. Good lord, Metroid Fusion was 10x worse for this. Not only were there dozens of obscure passage ways and roadblocks, the majority of them were actually required to progress, and not secret areas for items.
I'll tell you what. It is definitely worth it but I played it on the NES classic with save states and a great map. With there two additions its awesome, definitely my favorite NES game it was super ambitious.
Dude!!! I played Metroid sometime in the late 90s or early 2000s and beat it with no issues. How you ask? The instruction manual, which is actually very useful. It outright tells you to bomb walls and doorways to reveal passageways! Is it tedious? “Sure” but if you know to do that then it’s not that cryptic. The manual also gives you some hints into the navigation with a partial map.(Encouraging players to create their own full map if they wished) However there’s tons of map scans online now. Back in the day also you had Nintendo magazines which had a complete map of the game.
So the game isn’t as difficult as you might think. Using the password system also helps.
Thanks so much for showing the bookllet, reminded me my childhood, but even if they said "he", the sentence after says : "But his true form is shrouded in mystery" :) ...thanks a lot for this video :)
I conquered that game when I was extremely young. With that said, IT WAS HARD I mean, REALLY FKN HARD! YET! the SATISFACTION that came with conquering/beating/surpassing a game THAT DIFFICULT felt like one of the greatest achievements of my youth! Why...? BECAUSE NOBODY ELSE THAT I KNEW BEAT THAT GAME!
Ya. I beat it without a map in 3rd or 4th. Spent alot of hours. I think I beat it on a day I was sick. At the time, I didn't realize I was on track to beating a game that would become a series and cult classic. Has a special feel.
Metroid set up a lot for the future, but it suffers from many pitfalls earlier games did. It encouraged "exploration" but the difficulty in it was artificial. Metroid did not have a map, which I argue can make a game more fun. Problem is, there are no memorable rooms. It's the difference between exploring a maze that you can actually make sense of, and a maze in the dark whose hallways dont show any difference. These two, along with many others, are fixed in the future, both in and out of the metroid series.
Take hollow knight, for example. It does exploration in a hostile world, but the difficulty is more real. Rather than being clunky to control and positioning enemies so that you cant hit them, it gives you all the tools to succeed and still asks of you to play skillfully. It gives you a map, but you can very much play it without one just because of how the world is structured and designed.
I'm not shitting on Metroid just to shit on Metroid. It's the foundation for all these later innovations. But dont play Metroid as a first dip in and expect the best from a 30 year old game
It definitely has recognizable rooms. There are several that are used multiple times, so you can recognize when you enter one of those rooms, and therefore notice any differences. I'd say the world is perfectly designed to be just the right level of challenge to learn without a given/built in map. Especially if you are drawing the map as you go. (but even if you don't draw it, it's like other games of that era, where you play it spread out over a long period of time, and in slowly learning how it functions, you develop a much stronger connection to it than if you just zipped through in a few days.)
I found it to be tough as well. HOWEVER I found a video walk through that helps. Hell I finally completed it this past May.
It was fairly easy back then I was a 80s baby this game was pretty easier compared to ninja gaiden/ double dragon 3/ and many others. Some games I can't remember title of were just insanely difficult I never knew of any who beat them.
But Metroid was easy peezy in comparison
I honestly don't think the starting at the beginning of the area would be that bad of a punishment for dying if it gave you your max hp. It's really just that part that always bothered me when I would replay it, going from 30 health to whatever your current max is.
I replayed this game about six years ago on original hardware. I liked it a lot as a kid but could never beat it. This time I made sure to have a printed out map (that also showed in which rooms the upgrades were). I had a wonderful time! In my 3-4 hours (don't recall exactly) I don't think I ever died except once on the final boss. My gaming skills are pretty average and I don't usually like super hard games so it's surprising that the reviewer found the game hard. I say: play it with a map! (and make sure that the ice beam is your last beam upgrade)
I go for laser then ice beam so ice beam is my second upgrade.
The original Metroid is unusual fun to play, yes its not for casuals and it does suffer from limitations but i must say the controls are pretty tight and once you memorized the maps you can blast through it, honestly kraid snd ridley are a joke and once you have the varia suit and screw attack, you can raise hell
I could never complete it as a kid. But I did complete it a few years ago using save states. Though I never abused them. Only saved on spawn points (elevators)
Yeah, if you didn't already play this game back in the actual NES era, you're probably going to have a bad time. A few things that can alleviate some of the frustrations are:
- Ability to set save states (like with the Wii U release)
- Because the levels are assembled whole screens at a time, on one hand this is why the environments are super repetitive but it also means that if you find a secret passage in one room, there's at least a 90% chance that any other room that looks exactly like it will _itself_ have the same secret passage in the same spot.
As a child back then during the original era a lot of games lived on long after your parents get mad and tell you to turn it off for the night. Nowadays I don't think kids stretch their game out past the console and into their imaginations. School meet ups with like minded intellectuals 😂 were pretty good back then too.
It makes more sense that the person writing the instruction booklet didn't want to spoil the surprise
NES Metroid is so much fun if played with FFWD & RWND buttons and save states in emulation or switch online. OG Metroid is just frustration taking 10 mins to refill health each play.
I loved original metroid but didn't know why I had trouble with it until I saw your video. The original metroid is cruel. It pokes at experimental irrational, almost no-win situations, maybe along the same lines as ghosts and goblins. If I developed games I would philosophically throw in some that seem almost unconquerable which heightens the win but more importantly questions a persons determination, humility, and pays homage to null mathematical game theory 😉 .....anyways...I still like it
I remember this game. felt like anything was possible. really needed the map to finish.
Really want them to make zero mission available on the switch. If they do I’ll buy it, but sadly I’ll just have to resort to...other methods for now.
The man is honest. I'm 30 years old and I'll tell you right now games aren't anywhere near as hard as they used to be. This game is a goddamned nightmare. However, it's still a classic and should be regarded as such.
It's technically not all that difficult in a vaccum. The only thing that made subsequent games throughout the years easier was generous saving.
@@bladechild2449 well I tried playing it about 2 months ago and when I wasn't dying I was lost. Lol
Great work Evan!
Thank you grayfox!
There all great I've played all of them
Metroid/Zero mission
Metroid II/Metroid II Samus Returns remake
Super Metroid
Fusion
NOW WAITING FOR DREAD IN FIVE DAYS
Also Prime remake snd Yes played them aswell :) have fun
I won this game many times as a kid, we did not realize how hard it was and somehow could memorize the crazy map. I have tried to play this game now in the 2020s and it is just a chore. When we (I say we due to the 4-5 Nintendo freaks in junior high who all played the games) were amazed that Samus was a girl.
Gamespot should have had someone review the original Metroid that's old enough to have played it when it was new. Just my $0.02
exactly what I was thinking ! not so easy to really appreciate that piece of art if you didn't played it when that came out...
If you play it on Switch’s NES limited missiles stops being a problem. Draw you’re own map (lots of old games expected you to do this). A big part of older games is discovery by talking with friends.
Not being able to crouch to hit those smaller enemies on the ground was a real pain in the ass.
I have the original NES console. I played and finished this game just the other day. Along with Zelda. Depending on how fast you finish Metroid will depend on how much she shows you at the end of the game. If you finish it quickly you get to see the entire body like in this video. SPOLER. But if you take a long time she only remove's her helmet. Or a little less time she remove's her helmet and upper suit.
I'm playing through it with save states and rewinding on Switch. It's a little frustrating, but reasonable with those accommodations.
i think steam has spoiled me over the years, because even though i really want metroid: dread, i feel like that's not a $60 game, but a $30-$40 game.
You’ll have a change of heart after playing it. Worth every penny.
Playing this game now, with save states a quarter the way through. It's fun.
I agree that replaying the original Metroid today wouldn't be that enjoyable for the reasons that you mentioned. But as for Zero Mission, I would rather just play Super Metroid. ZM clearly takes a lot of play and design elements from SM. But SM is a game that I would replay today.
Finally someone to tell the truth about this game. Metroid is archaic nowadays...Its place is in a museum...
Metroid 💥
Revisit ZM - while the NES metroid was a trailblazer and iconic, ZM improved upon it immensely!
The real shame is that people even have to do these recaps at all...
Nintendo OWNS Metroid and could easily make the entire franchise available on the Switch.
The usage of male pronouns was done intentionally to keep Samus's gender a mystery, as the original Japanese manual used male pronouns as well.
I had this game back when I was 9 years old. When I finally beat the game with no codes (in my early 30's), I said never again.
Metroid Aged very well. It just isn't for novice gamers.
In all fairness the manual does provide a "mini map" that gives you the basic layout, shows you the approximate location of the bosses and the path to the final section of the game. It also essentially gives you an item guide, so if your stuck you can look at the power ups and see if they can help you. On page 18 it tells you that you need 5 missiles to open red doors.
I would also say that when you die you get 30 health is not an ideal programing choice, but I would say that this is one of those "NES Hard" situations. It's like a punishment for dying in the game. I just think they designed the game to be punishing and unwelcoming.
I'm not shocked AT ALL that Nintendo didn't decide to print money but putting out ports or remakes of this series in the year leading up to Dread.
Just image the MILLIONS of copies we all would have purchased, with MONEY, even for a PHYSICAL edition.
Don't let GameSpot deter you, you can use save states on Switch Online to prevent pretty much any death. This game is a timeless masterpiece.
If this is a timeless masterpiece then what does that make Super Metroid?
@@franjaff6919 Another timeless masterpiece.
If Nestroid is a timeless masterpiece, then so is half the video game industry.
I was 💩 in the original Metroid on the NES, I went back and finished Zero Mission instead.
What old nes game doesn't send you back to the beginning of the curren't level/dungeon you are in after you die? How is this different? Feels like stupid complaint?
Perhaps it’s nostalgia. But Mertroid is an amazing game. It was hard…really hard, but have you played Zelda 2? That game was impossible back in the day. Remember Metriod is an adventure game, there was no map, you had to make your own (or use Club Nintendo’s map which almost every Nintendo owner had a subscription to), and yes everything was trial and error. My friend had this and I had the advantage of him telling me the red doors required 5 missiles etc. Yes super confusing levels due to the similarities of the vertical screens, I always got lost. Today you can follow walkthroughs (how I’m currently getting through Zelda 2 today) or just use any number of online maps. Zero mission is good, but the original is where it all started.
Sounds about right.
I agree that it's too hard and starting over at the beginning is too harsh, much like Zelda II. And Metroid Zero Mission makes me hope for a Zelda II remake.
Zebeth is the Japanese saying for zebes or it means the same thing because it come out on the Famicom before it was released in the US.
Oh don't worry, Zero Mission will be back one day........ in a limited release 60-dollar port collection.
If the collection includes every Metroid every single Metroid game up until Dread, I'd buy that for $60.
@@derossetmyers47 you know it won't. It'll just be the handheld Metroids.
Sweet video!
Thanks T C!
Metroid is a pretty cool guy, yo.
You can also get Zero Mission on the 3DS (it was included in the 3DS ambassador program)
Not sure if this has been said already, just a generally better console for playing the game in a pocket console
Metroid Zero Mission was not included in the 3DS ambassador program, that was Metroid Fusion. And almost nobody has an Ambassador 3DS, they are extremely rare.
@@wilfredynunez5263 Apologies, I'm convinced that I have zero mission on my 3ds for some reason
@@YuGiJoe1 No problem. It's very possible to have Zero Mission on your 3DS, just not through an official Nintendo Release. With CFW you can install GBA games to your 3DS, you might have bought a 3DS that had it already installed.
@@wilfredynunez5263 nah, I got mine on original release and have only installed official software, I must have misremembered, will check later today and get back if it is there
@@YuGiJoe1 Okay then that's Metroid Fusion. And also you have a rare Mmbassador 3DS, cherish it.
Get a Zero Mission ROM, got it
One of the best games ever made. "This game is though"!? Who is this guy and what kind of games do you play...
Probably the only Metroid game that is unplayable now is Metroid 2 for the original Gameboy. I'm glad that Nintendo updated it with Samus Returns.
It has save stations, recharge stations, better controls and a lot more powerups than Nestroid. I would say it aged better.
Password "Justin Bailey"... Get 1 energy tank and go right to mother brain.
Ist game i ever finished. I was so hooked on this game was hard to put it down. And finding out Samus was a female was cool back then...
The story in the manual seems like it could have inspired Cowboy Bebop.
Funny how the digital only rerelease of the original Fire Emblem was sold by Nintendo with a HUGE physical collector's edition box but, somehow, the beloved Metroid series got NOTHING leading up to Dread! WTF?
The Metroid series usually gets the short end of the stick unfortunately. I recall reading or hearing somewhere that it's because the series was never a big hit in Japan.
I'd poke Samus. Lol
"rarely is there ever any indication there's a secret to be found". Wouldn't be much of a secret if the game showed you where it is, now would it?
There’s a difference between a game “showing you where something is” and giving any kind of indication for the player to work off of. But instead, the player has to guess and check when it comes to secrets.
If you don't want to keep losing energy or starting at the beginning, then don't f***n die.
Kids across the country beat this game with no internet. You had to put in the time
there's a rom hacked version of the original metroid that adds save points and a map.
The original Metroid is pretty much unplayable now. Very rigid and unnecessarily tough at times. The music is great like you said though… Super Metroid is another story… So playable again and again….
The music was the only good thing about this game.
Just play zero mission
Nice video
Thanks Rexen!
@@evanlanger98 I saw the timeline one first close to when Dread came out and got me thinking about the original's story. Let me say again I think you did a great job with it.
I can tell you're a big fan by the effort put into the script and delivery. Don't let the viewcount discourage you because this is a quality video overall. Thank you!
@@Rexen1995 It means a lot to hear you say all that, thank you so much! Comments like this outweigh the view count every time
3:54 Ok Evan, go back to play Animal Crossing. The original Metroid does has aged well, even my 11 year old son who is an avid Fortnite liked to the point that he has played all of the versions available in the Switch Online Service and made me pre order a second copy of Dread for him. Back when I plaed for the 1st time in 1990 it has became one of my top 20 video games and it's all about how challenging It was compared to Zelda o SMB 3.
They would want to remake a remake
So... having your hand held making it easy to beat... equals "holds up" or "worth playing" ??
I think this reputation that Metroid gets of not aging well... it just means that a lot of modern gamers don't hold up.
I remembered when it first came out.. I played of hours
a flawed game. and i’m a metroid fan.