An Instant Modern Classic for New Old School Players
By far one of the best GBA games on the market. Why? Because it held true to what made games so enjoyable, despite being plunged into a modern game culture where the AAA is king and graphics are the future. While it may have more in story than it had, that doesn't exactly kill the game. Aside from all the scenes where Samus stops to monologue about Adam, at it's core, you still have to blast your way through many neatly designed levels that you'll revisit over the course of the game; no doubt finding missile caches and energy tanks as you acquire the abilities to reach them.
Changes...ohhhhohhh Changes....
The Last Suit You'll Ever Wear
That being said, and speaking of abilities, there are a lot of changes to the Metroid formula that I'm sure any die-hard fan of the series would have pointed out by now. For one thing your suit, while remaining similar in appearance, has changed in the form of "Poetic Irony". See, as the story begins, it's explained that Samus Aran was at the wrong place at the wrong time. And after defeating what she thought was just your run-o-the-mill hostile, was actually a parasite that infects it's host on a cellular level. Immediately being rushed to the Space E.R., Space George Clooney used a vaccine to kill the parasite. The vaccine happened to be made from the cells of the very Metroid that Samus hunted. So, ironically, the very thing that nearly killed her in the series, happens to be the very thing that saved her life, The Metroid cells bonded with her and they created a new suit to compensate. Now fused with the Metroid DNA, she visits the very research lab that the deadly parasite was sent to.
You're Your Own Worst Enemy
This begins another change in the series that Metroid Prime 2 would later copy. The enemy is yourself! See, after the parasite attacked Samus, it bonded with her power suit as well. After being surgically removed, the pieces were sent to the same research lab for study. Unfortunately, they didn't discover the parasite's capabilities until it was too late. See, the parasite not only attacks the host's cells, but it copies their DNA and can assemble into any form is contacts. So the parasite that attacked Samus, became Samus. All her armor, weapons, and abilities were copied. This makes for a very interesting twist on the Metroid formula. Not only do you have to worry about acquiring your skills again, but you have to constantly be on guard for a Samus at full power. Who would want nothing more than to turn you into a smear on the wall. So you have to constantly be acquiring weapons and becoming stronger to take on a threat that's as qualified for evil as you are for good.
Atomic Batteries to Power...Turbines to Speed...
Speaking of abilities, this is where some changes don't feel like changes. Nearly all of your weapons and abilities in the game are from previous installments. Somersault, Morph ball, Super Missile, and Hyperbomb all make a show. There is a nice mention of the Ice Beam, but you are told you can't acquire it anymore. Due to your DNA being Half-Metroid, the thing you had to freeze before, your body would immediately reject it. So, instead, you're given Ice Missiles! YAAAY!
I'm the map, I'm the map, I'm the map I'm the map, I'm the map....
Another big change to how you acquire weapons is made with the Navigation Rooms, or Map Rooms for the old school players. Instead of finding your weapons through unexpected boss fights, they're found by "Being told from the computer where your next objective (Boss) is. While some people could say this tears from the game's roots, it doesn't really point out everything for you. While yes it tells you what room holds the "data" you need, it often is just a rouse to get you exploring. It doesn't tell you where Missile Caches and Energy Tanks are, nor does it immediately point out a boss (which still is where your powers come from).
If it Ain't Broke...
There are some things that stay the same though. You'll still have to look around for Energy Tanks and Missile Caches if you want to defeat yourself. You'll have to use all your new weapons and powers to traverse the map and find hidden items. Ridley, cause he never gets old...cough... All this while using the ever so tight (giggity) control scheme that puts you in the boots of Samus. All with the incredible design and sound you'd expect from a Metroid game that makes you want to keep playing and playing and playing.
This, to me, IS the Metroid 4 the we've been looking for.
An Instant Modern Classic for New Old School Players
By far one of the best GBA games on the market. Why? Because it held true to what made games so enjoyable, despite being plunged into a modern game culture where the AAA is king and graphics are the future. While it may have more in story than it had, that doesn't exactly kill the game. Aside from all the scenes where Samus stops to monologue about Adam, at it's core, you still have to blast your way through many neatly designed levels that you'll revisit over the course of the game; no doubt finding missile caches and energy tanks as you acquire the abilities to reach them.
Changes...ohhhhohhh Changes....
The Last Suit You'll Ever Wear
That being said, and speaking of abilities, there are a lot of changes to the Metroid formula that I'm sure any die-hard fan of the series would have pointed out by now. For one thing your suit, while remaining similar in appearance, has changed in the form of "Poetic Irony". See, as the story begins, it's explained that Samus Aran was at the wrong place at the wrong time. And after defeating what she thought was just your run-o-the-mill hostile, was actually a parasite that infects it's host on a cellular level. Immediately being rushed to the Space E.R., Space George Clooney used a vaccine to kill the parasite. The vaccine happened to be made from the cells of the very Metroid that Samus hunted. So, ironically, the very thing that nearly killed her in the series, happens to be the very thing that saved her life, The Metroid cells bonded with her and they created a new suit to compensate. Now fused with the Metroid DNA, she visits the very research lab that the deadly parasite was sent to.
You're Your Own Worst Enemy
This begins another change in the series that Metroid Prime 2 would later copy. The enemy is yourself! See, after the parasite attacked Samus, it bonded with her power suit as well. After being surgically removed, the pieces were sent to the same research lab for study. Unfortunately, they didn't discover the parasite's capabilities until it was too late. See, the parasite not only attacks the host's cells, but it copies their DNA and can assemble into any form is contacts. So the parasite that attacked Samus, became Samus. All her armor, weapons, and abilities were copied. This makes for a very interesting twist on the Metroid formula. Not only do you have to worry about acquiring your skills again, but you have to constantly be on guard for a Samus at full power. Who would want nothing more than to turn you into a smear on the wall. So you have to constantly be acquiring weapons and becoming stronger to take on a threat that's as qualified for evil as you are for good.
Atomic Batteries to Power...Turbines to Speed...
Speaking of abilities, this is where some changes don't feel like changes. Nearly all of your weapons and abilities in the game are from previous installments. Somersault, Morph ball, Super Missile, and Hyperbomb all make a show. There is a nice mention of the Ice Beam, but you are told you can't acquire it anymore. Due to your DNA being Half-Metroid, the thing you had to freeze before, your body would immediately reject it. So, instead, you're given Ice Missiles! YAAAY!
I'm the map, I'm the map, I'm the map I'm the map, I'm the map....
Another big change to how you acquire weapons is made with the Navigation Rooms, or Map Rooms for the old school players. Instead of finding your weapons through unexpected boss fights, they're found by "Being told from the computer where your next objective (Boss) is. While some people could say this tears from the game's roots, it doesn't really point out everything for you. While yes it tells you what room holds the "data" you need, it often is just a rouse to get you exploring. It doesn't tell you where Missile Caches and Energy Tanks are, nor does it immediately point out a boss (which still is where your powers come from).
If it Ain't Broke...
There are some things that stay the same though. You'll still have to look around for Energy Tanks and Missile Caches if you want to defeat yourself. You'll have to use all your new weapons and powers to traverse the map and find hidden items. Ridley, cause he never gets old...cough... All this while using the ever so tight (giggity) control scheme that puts you in the boots of Samus. All with the incredible design and sound you'd expect from a Metroid game that makes you want to keep playing and playing and playing.
This, to me, IS the Metroid 4 the we've been looking for.
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