Scores of Wii owners will gleefully step into the space boots of intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran when “Metroid Prime 3: Corruption” arrives on Monday, Aug. 27.
Until then, gamers can get their fill of blasting away at Mother Brain and her Space Pirate hordes in “Super Metroid,” the groundbreaking Super Nintendo action shooter re-released through the Wii's Virtual Console this week.
Originally released in 1994, “Super Metroid” continued the story of “Metroid II: Return of Samus” for the Game Boy by taking Samus back to Zebes, the home base of the Space Pirates. Pirate leader Ridley flees to the rebuilt site of “Metroid” with the last Metroid larva remaining from Samus' mission to exterminate the deadly parasite race in “Metroid II.”
As Samus, you must navigate the treacherous and puzzling terrain of Zebes to free the Metroid from the pirates, who would use it as a biological weapon.
The resulting adventure is one of the most remarkable video game experiences ever designed. In Zebes' aquatic, volcanic and desert environments, Samus must eradicate wave after wave of diverse alien enemies with her power suit's trusty arm cannon. To complete her mission, she must also destroy a handful of Space Pirate higher-ups who dwarf her fourfold in size.
The subterranean planet is its own obstacle.
Zebes is comprised of endless tunnels and platforms that conceal power-ups Samus can obtain to ease her mission. Each item, in turn, opens up new areas of Zebes to exploration.
The freeze beam enables Samus to turn floating enemies into platforms.
The varia suit protects her from heat damage in the toastier portions of the planet. And the speed boost rockets her through boulders that block off narrow corridors.
But not every power-up is necessary in order to complete the game. In this manner, “Super Metroid” rewards a player's ingenuity.
Within the vast maze of Zebes, players are free to complete the various parts of the game in just about any order they please. By finding tiny hidden tunnels or making calculated jumps, players can access new areas of the game the hard way - without the items that would make it easy.
This nonlinear dynamic of “Super Metroid” also challenges players to beat the game in as little time as possible.
In fact, the game rewards a speedy completion of less than three hours with a prize almost too hot for pre-pubescent gamers: a picture of the blonde Samus in a black one-piece bikini.
Such “speed runs” are all the more difficult because the gorgeous environments of the game invite one to explore every inch of terrain in “Super Metroid.”
Transparent water and heat textures mask the screen in select parts of Zebes.
The green bubble surface of the Norfair section of Zebes and the underwater sand chasms of Maridia stand out among the game's stunning environments.
The bosses are equally rich in detail, namely the bloated and towering lizard, Kraid, and the ketchup-red, four-eyed Crocomire.
“Super Metroid” also boasts a lively soundtrack that still stands up to the orchestral scores and licensed music of modern video games.
The steady military rhythm accompanying Samus' journey through the lower Norfair region of Zebes will echo in your head for hours after putting down the controller.
If the greatest games are the ones that beckon you to play them over and over again, without an ounce of boredom, then the flawless design and highly involved game play of “Super Metroid” place it among the best.
Staff writer David Wilcox reviews video games for The Citizen. He can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net
“Super Metroid”
Score: 97 out of 100
Parental rating: Everyone
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Wii Virtual Console
Retail price: 800 Wii Points
Features: 1 player
Life span: One hour and up
The final boss: “Super Metroid's” open-ended game play, compelling sci-fi story and gorgeous design sustain its status as a marvel among even modern video games.
Originally released in 1994, “Super Metroid” continued the story of “Metroid II: Return of Samus” for the Game Boy by taking Samus back to Zebes, the home base of the Space Pirates. Pirate leader Ridley flees to the rebuilt site of “Metroid” with the last Metroid larva remaining from Samus' mission to exterminate the deadly parasite race in “Metroid II.”
As Samus, you must navigate the treacherous and puzzling terrain of Zebes to free the Metroid from the pirates, who would use it as a biological weapon.
The resulting adventure is one of the most remarkable video game experiences ever designed. In Zebes' aquatic, volcanic and desert environments, Samus must eradicate wave after wave of diverse alien enemies with her power suit's trusty arm cannon. To complete her mission, she must also destroy a handful of Space Pirate higher-ups who dwarf her fourfold in size.
The subterranean planet is its own obstacle.
Zebes is comprised of endless tunnels and platforms that conceal power-ups Samus can obtain to ease her mission. Each item, in turn, opens up new areas of Zebes to exploration.
The freeze beam enables Samus to turn floating enemies into platforms.
The varia suit protects her from heat damage in the toastier portions of the planet. And the speed boost rockets her through boulders that block off narrow corridors.
But not every power-up is necessary in order to complete the game. In this manner, “Super Metroid” rewards a player's ingenuity.
Within the vast maze of Zebes, players are free to complete the various parts of the game in just about any order they please. By finding tiny hidden tunnels or making calculated jumps, players can access new areas of the game the hard way - without the items that would make it easy.
This nonlinear dynamic of “Super Metroid” also challenges players to beat the game in as little time as possible.
In fact, the game rewards a speedy completion of less than three hours with a prize almost too hot for pre-pubescent gamers: a picture of the blonde Samus in a black one-piece bikini.
Such “speed runs” are all the more difficult because the gorgeous environments of the game invite one to explore every inch of terrain in “Super Metroid.”
Transparent water and heat textures mask the screen in select parts of Zebes.
The green bubble surface of the Norfair section of Zebes and the underwater sand chasms of Maridia stand out among the game's stunning environments.
The bosses are equally rich in detail, namely the bloated and towering lizard, Kraid, and the ketchup-red, four-eyed Crocomire.
“Super Metroid” also boasts a lively soundtrack that still stands up to the orchestral scores and licensed music of modern video games.
The steady military rhythm accompanying Samus' journey through the lower Norfair region of Zebes will echo in your head for hours after putting down the controller.
If the greatest games are the ones that beckon you to play them over and over again, without an ounce of boredom, then the flawless design and highly involved game play of “Super Metroid” place it among the best.
Staff writer David Wilcox reviews video games for The Citizen. He can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net
“Super Metroid”
Score: 97 out of 100
Parental rating: Everyone
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Wii Virtual Console
Retail price: 800 Wii Points
Features: 1 player
Life span: One hour and up
The final boss: “Super Metroid's” open-ended game play, compelling sci-fi story and gorgeous design sustain its status as a marvel among even modern video games.
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