Metroid: Zero Mission

North American box art

Metroid: Zero Mission is an action adventure platform run and gun (Metroidvania) developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance on 2004-02-09. It is a remake of the original NES game using an engine closer to that of Super Metroid rather than the original. I would suggest this version of the game rather than the original NES game to any fan of the Metroidvania genre who hasn't yet played the original.

I played this game, initially not knowing it was a remake of the first Metroid. Having a pretty good grasp of the original, I found it pretty easy to progress, but really enjoyed all the added extras. Some of them even made me jump because I thought I knew what was going to happen, but something different occurred. I would recommend this game as the introduction point of the series.

Status

I do not own the game, but I have beaten it in 2:48:63 with 67% completion on normal difficulty.

Review

• Overall: 8/10
• Best Version: Game Boy Advance

Good

• The game's map and navigation system takes away a lot of the aimless wandering found in the original while still keeping the allure.
• The new area adds extra game play, and was a nice addition for those of us who have already beaten the original.
• The more-fleshed out story, full-screen graphics, larger sprites, updated music, background art, etc. really make the game more attractive.
• After you beat the game, you unlock the original 8-bit game as well!
• You can actually save your game, rather than deal with an obnoxious password system.

Bad

• Some of the difficulties of the original game remain, so, if you don't know where to look to find the Varia or a couple of the energy tanks, you may still miss them and find the game too difficult.
• While the game also contains the original 8-bit Metroid game, the Game Boy Advance resolution isn't large enough to display the game full screen, so it is obnoxiously squished.
• Interestingly, when you're given hints on where to go next, the game is surprisingly short, even with the added content.
• I think the box art is kind of lame.

Ugly

• Nothing.

Media

Box Art

• 

  The American box art shows Samus in her original power suit. While I like the style of the art and the logo graphic, I don't understand what's happening with the gun. Is this supposed to be the charge beam still discharging from the cannon after firing?

• 

  Great art style with a silhouette of suitless Samus in the background, but this kind of looks like a hybrid of the power suit and varia suit. Still, I prefer it over the American art.

Documentation

• Metroid - Zero Mission - GBA - Manual (Australia).pdf

  Game manual (Australia).

• Metroid - Zero Mission - GBA - Manual (EU).pdf

  Game manual (Europe).

• 

  Nintendo Player's Guide.

• 

  Player's guide cover art.

Videos

• youtube.com/watch?v=3WcR9VI_rt8 - Longplay, 100% items, hard mode, best ending.

Titles

Language	Native	Transliteration	Translation
English	Metroid: Zero Mission
Japanese	メトロイド　ゼロミッション	Metoroido Zero Misshon	Metroid: Zero Mission

Links

• mobygames.com/game/metroid-zero-mission - MobyGames.
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metroid:_Zero_Mission - Wikipedia.
• tcrf.net/Metroid_Zero_Mission - The Cutting Room Floor.