It’s time for yet another installment of Throwback Thursday! This week, we’ll go back further in gaming history than we ever have before. We all know that Nintendo is going all out for this year’s 25th Legend of Zelda anniversary. While it’s great to embrace Zelda and all that franchise has done for gaming, it’s important to remember that this year also marks the 25th anniversary of another major Nintendo franchise: Metroid. On August 6, 1986, Samus Aran blasted onto the NES in her debut title, the original Metroid. Since then, Samus has appeared in nine other main franchise releases (ten, if you count Metroid Prime Pinball).
Metroid always ranks highly in “Best of the NES” lists. It’s not really a surprise. The game was praised for intelligently combining the core mechanics of the platforming and adventure genres. The exploration and discovery components of the game set forth new industry standards that would shape games for years to come. When Konami was looking to re-shape the Castlevania franchise, they looked to Metroid to find out how best to integrate exploration into a combat-based game. The result, of course, was the critical blockbuster Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
The legacy of Metroid was felt so strongly for so long that, in 2004, Nintendo released a critically-adored remake for the Game Boy Advance in the form of Metroid: Zero Mission. The remake expanded upon the story and gameplay of the original while paying homage to everything that Metroid had become famous for.
Despite being one of Nintendo’s best-selling franchises and almost always impressing critics and fans, Samus has always taken a back seat to Mario and Link. Despite being a die-hard Nintendo fan for the first ten years of my gaming career, I didn’t discover the Metroid series until Metroid Fusion. After racing through what is considered to be one of the best GameBoy Advance titles, I became hooked on Metroid. Since then, I’ve played every major installment in the franchise. Metroid ranks highly among my favorite game franchises; in fact, it’s probably safe to say the Metroid ranks as my favorite Nintendo series. With all that in mind, it’s my absolute pleasure to take a look at the title that started it all.
Plot & Characters – 7.5/10
The plot of Metroid is simple: Samus Aran, a bounty hunter, is sent to the headquarters of the Space Pirates, where she is ordered to put a stop to the organization and the plots of the devious Mother Brain. While exploring the Planet Zebes, Samus penetrates through a network of caves and bases while killing off the Space Pirates (and several of their commanders). All the while, she encounters the mysterious life forms known as Metroids, vicious parasites that feed off the energy of living beings.
The identity of Samus was only revealed at the end of the game. Nintendo received high praise for creating one of the first female protagonists in games. Since her debut, Samus has received universal fame in the gaming community and is ranked among the best female protagonists in all of gaming. Details about her life and career were not expanded upon until later titles, like Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Other M.
Sound – 8.0/10
Metroid‘s score also received high praise. Composer Hirokazu Tanaka created several themes that have gone on to become some of gaming’s most recognized anthems. Subsequent composers in the Metroid series drew heavily upon Tanaka’s original score and have since expanded the series’ musical profile. Still, the anthems Tanaka crafted for the game have been used in almost every game since the original. Talk about a legacy.
Graphics – 7.5/10
Metroid’s visuals received high praise from contemporary critics. Detailed character models and environments were splashed with color. The result was a very distinct visual style that helped set Metroid apart from other adventure games of the time. While the graphics may look incredibly low-profile to us, it’s important to remember that, for 1986, Metroid looked damn good. Like the score, the visual style from the original Metroid has served as a definitive basis in guiding the graphic style of all subsequent releases.
Gameplay – 9.0/10
Metroid’s most-notable contributions to the evolution of gaming come in its contribution to gameplay. As I said above, this title successfully combined the platforming and adventure genres. The level of exploration and discovery Metroid brought to the table was previously unheard of in games. Combat was tough, especially in boss fights. The power-up system challenged players to explore every nook-and-cranny in order to ensure victory against the game’s toughest enemies. The core gameplay mechanics (side-scrolling combat) have been more-or-less preserved in later releases. Recently, Nintendo has allowed third party developers access to the franchise, the results of which have yielded two new directions for the series (the Metroid Prime trilogy and Metroid: Other M). Even then, the core elements of combat, exploration, discovery, and power-up have not been forgotten. Check out this video of Samus facing off against her nemesis, the Space Pirate commander Ridley:
Overall – 8.5/10
Metroid is a great game. This title gave birth to a franchise that has endured to this day. Samus is one of Nintendo’s most recognizable mascots and has appeared in a respectable amount of games in a starring capacity (as well as appearing as a combatant in the Super Smash Bros. series). The Metroid titles, with very few exceptions, garner universal acclaim. All of that started with this game. While there wasn’t much in the way of “character development” (probably an unknown concept in 1986), the gameplay was intuitive and challenging, the visuals took full advantage of the NES’ resources, and the score immersed players in an atmosphere of mystery. Metroid delivered a great experience to players in 1986. No wonder Nintendo has kept it alive for twenty-five years.
Tags: 1986, comic booked, Kyle Black, Metroid, NES, Nintendo, Samus Aran
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Written by Kyle Black
Classic game. Great article.
Metroid 2 is probably my favorite Game Boy game…next to Mario 2 Six Golden Coins, of course!