Developer: Nintendo RD1
With the recent shadow drop of Metroid Zero Mission on Nintendo Switch Online, I thought now would be a better time than any to revisit a fond favourite of mine. Super Smash Bros Melee opened my eyes to many niche Nintendo franchises, the one I was most interested in and thankful to this day I checked out was Metroid. Even though I had a GameCube and every Nintendo handheld under the sun, the series never came across my radar.
As kids, my brother and I religiously read Official Nintendo Magazine every month. We always looked at the back where they had a list of the highest-rated games on the current platforms. We’d only get a couple of games a year through birthdays and Christmas, so to make sure we didn’t pick up any duds, we knew the best bet was to choose from the list. It was our bible. After being exposed to the series thanks to Smash Bros, I picked up the highly acclaimed Metroid Prime and fell in love. So much infact, it was a formative piece of media during my young teenage years. Even to this day, I'm still rocking the same email and social handles influenced by the series.
I was uneducated on the other mainline games. So, I slowly went back and tackled them as they became available through re-releases or finding carts of the older games at my local games shop. Even when the NES Metroid became easily available on the Wii Shop, the gruellingly harsh difficulty, no map and the lack of a save system put me off entirely. I knew it would be better to play the more modern re-imagining of Samus Arans first journey, Metroid: Zero Mission. I got my hands on Zero Mission off a close friend and beat it in a single weekend and loved it.
Before Zero Mission, I’d only played Metroid Prime and Metroid Fusion, which even when disregarding the visual differences between them both, gameplay-wise was unique in their own way. Even at the time with my minimal knowledge of the franchise, I picked up that no two games are the same. This was true after beating Zero Mission. A great middle-ground for the polar opposites of the two previous games I had played, with Primes' self-discovery and Fusions' one-dimensional focus. At the time as much as I liked it, I personally preferred the linearity and length of Metroid Fusion, as well as the decent narrative.
Right away my eyes are treated to some beautiful pixel art. Even 20 years past its launch it's still timeless. Its bold, vibrant colours have a totally different vibe going for it versus the other 2d Metroid’s at the time and it contrasts nicely with Super and Fusion’s dark moody palette.
Loads of memorable series staples tunes here, many might recognise a good few of them from the far more popular Nintendo IP Smash Bros. Unlike the art style, the chiptunes played through the far superior Switch speakers sure do crackle a lot more than back when I played this on my original DS. Creature design is not as gruesome/horror-inspired as the series can be, but the morbid environmental storytelling of nature’s hierarchy is ever present, subtle but effective, it helps really flesh out Zebes. Sprites are more like the ones in Super Metroid and not their original shrimpy NES versions. It does seem that some of them have been ripped directly from the other games, with extra added animations and brighter colours used, giving them a new life.
Much like the original game, Zero Mission has little to no story or main objectives that need to be met. Key moments are told through brief cutscenes and like many other handheld games from this era, used sparingly. You land on a mysterious planet and need to uncover dark hidden secrets. Even directions of where to go are a bit muddy at the get-go, but as soon as you come across a Chozo Statue, a marker is placed on your map to show the next point of interest.
Back when I first played Zero Mission, I did think it led more towards Fusion’s intent of funnelling progression. With foresight/this most recent playthrough now, I noticed most of what I thought was forced handholding can be entirely skipped altogether, I am curious to find out what new players today view on the ‘linearity’ will be.
As I’m more than familiar with the planet Zebes, I made my own fun with this playthrough, attempting to sequence break where I saw possible. A series favourite option is bomb jumping, I got a good knack for the rhythm of exploding bombs to reach new heights that weren’t meant to be reached yet. Playing this handheld on the switch did come with a tiny caveat, the horrible d-pad. So, there was some adjustment in getting used to the analogue stick, controlling Samus is far snappier and more fluid than any previous 2D entry, so it didn’t take long.
While it’ll take new players only a handful of hours to reach the end, it's deeper than the runtime lets on. There’s never a dull moment exploring, overrun with constant power-ups from the start, across interconnected biomes. It’s the new additions from newer entries like Fusion’s ledge grab and Super’s Powerbombs that really make it equal part new and familiar. For someone like me who played many Metroid games in the wrong release order, it was cool that they retroactively added QoL features.
Zero Mission is far from a difficult game, the total opposite of the obtuse NES classic. Front loading you with power-ups to help you tackle the early game, I’m talking a new item every 5 minutes. There is a surprising bit of challenge to obtaining some of the energy tanks and missile upgrades, especially those being hidden behind a method the game never teaches you, the Shinespark. If you’ve played the most recent 2D entry; Metroid Dread, then you’ll be aware of what term I’m referring to, for layman’s terms it’s using the speed booster charge for an incredibly precise use in a puzzle.
One thing I overlooked with my replay was the fact it doesn’t allow you to retread certain areas once you’ve hit credits. I had this same exact problem when I replayed Metroid Fusion on NSO last year, wanting to clean up missed collectables at a later stage, it’s something to this day I don’t understand. Some of the best fun I have in Metroid games is revisiting early sections of the game that I once struggled with, overpowered beyond belief. It’s a shame this option isn’t available.
Zero Mission isn’t a cakewalk the entire time, the tail-end of the game ramps up a decent bit. After beating the two main bosses - Kraid and Ridley - and entering the final area Torian, you must be on the constant lookout for Metroid’s in the shadows that are bullet sponges. It ends with an encounter with Mother Brain, the main antagonist. Unlike the other bosses in the game, Mother Brain requires you to be well prepared with boatloads of health, rockets and to have quick reflexes to deal with her constant barrage of projectiles all in a small, enclosed hell-room.
Rather than end with the demise of Mother Brain, Zero Mission has an all-new epilogue. One that includes the series debut of Zero Suit Samus, who later became a mainline feature in many other Metroid games and another fighter for the Smash series. Adding a fair chunk of not only time but a decent challenge to the game. Enemies now don’t drop resources and are still a struggle when you regain your power suit.
Stripped of all your previously acquired powers, it completely changes the way you approach combat with only a stun pistol to help, Samus is vulnerable. It’s a welcome change from the overpowered Bounty hunter you got accustomed to being. That said, I wish it was executed better. The constant pursuit of Space Pirates grows old quickly, even all these years later. That can quickly turn this cool twist into a frustrating one.
Nintendo could have gone down the easier route of a simple remaster, which just looked better visually but at heart still felt archaic and old. This Remake/Re-Imagining is a total flip on the originals blueprint for the better. After making Metroid relevant again with the GameCube classic Metroid Prime, Nintendo further delivered on strengthening the resurgence of the IP by releasing another classic title. It's great to see this game on a modern platform, within legal means. Tracking down an original cartridge will send you back a decent amount of money, even now the marketplace is littered with counterfeit GBA carts.
Albeit brief, Metroid: Zero Mission doesn’t overstay its welcome with little to no bloat. Over the years, it’s been my go-to for a cosy comfort-food game, I’d pick up when I have an itch to play a Metroid, as I can beat it in an afternoon. Even today, it remains one of the best remakes and a good lesson on how to give new life to a classic game for a new generation of players.
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Hours to beat: 3
Pros:
Timeless pixel art
A dream to control
Smartly placed collectables
Cons:
Criminally short
Will be a cakewalk for some
Rating: 8.5/10
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