Super Metroid

🎮 Super Nintendo ⏳ 10 hours ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

16-Bit Landmark #

This Metroid entry is one of the defining games of the 16-bit era and remains one of the most influential titles ever created. The game refined nearly every idea introduced in earlier entries of the series and established a formula that countless games would later imitate. Even decades later, it still feels remarkably focused and confident in its design, offering an experience built around exploration, atmosphere, and gradual mastery rather than constant spectacle or hand-holding. Though it really shows that it is the first iteration of this idea, with less mature mechanics and less organic exploration, when compared to subsequent similar entries, at least when it comes to the classical 2D Metroid entries.

Return To Zebes #

The MC is again Samus Aran, who returns to the planet Zebes after a dangerous creature known as a Metroid is stolen by the space pirate Ridley. What follows is a lonely journey through an interconnected alien world filled with hidden passages, hostile wildlife, ancient ruins, and mechanical laboratories. Dialogue is minimal, and much of the narrative is communicated through environmental storytelling and visual details. And while this narrative style perpetuates in the entire franchise, Super has the strongest feeling ot empty and loneliness. In later entries, there are more well developed dialogs, with interesting characters and even some plot twists. Great examples are Fusion and Zero Mission, with a lot of dialogs and good story-telling, as opposed to the almost completely mute Super.

Masterful World Design #

One of the greatest strengths of this game is its world design. Zebes feels like a real place rather than a collection of disconnected levels. Areas loop back into one another naturally, and progression is tied to the discovery of upgrades that expand your movement and combat abilities. It cemented the most iconic upgrades for the entire series, such as the grappling hook and the different bomb types. Every major item feels meaningful because it permanently changes how you interact with the environment. Finding them opens previously unreachable paths and encourages revisiting earlier areas, and while this may sound very common nowadays, this was one of the first videogames to ever introduce this kind of mechanic. This structure creates a constant sense of curiosity and reward that remains satisfying from beginning to end.

Atmosphere Isolation #

The atmosphere is one of the game’s most impressive achievements, the OST shifts between eerie ambient tracks and intense battle themes, perfectly matching each environment. Just don’t expect catchy and iconic song, it’ll very much be more than enough if you like ambient music though. Quiet moments are allowed to breathe, creating tension and anticipation in a way many modern games rarely attempt. The pixel art is also exceptional, using detailed sprites and strong color palettes to make each region visually distinct. This was a huge technical advancement at the time since you could now distinguish areas clearly by their visuals. On previous titles, you needed to memorize them based on color-pallets. Despite the hardware limitations of the time, the world still feels immersive and alive.

Weighted Mechanics #

The gameplay itself is responsive and surprisingly deep once fully understood. Samus controls with a certain weight that may initially feel unusual to modern audiences, but mastering her movement becomes extremely rewarding. So don’t expect the same level of fluidity as recent subsequent entries. Or even the ones from portable consoles such as the GBA, which already has a more mature implementation of Samus’ movement mechanics. The SNES entry feels much more grounded, and it really feels like controlling an armored character that has weight to it. Combat combines platforming precision with careful positioning, especially during boss fights. The bosses are memorable not only because of their designs but because they often feel like climactic tests of everything learned up to that point.

Genre-Defining #

What truly elevates this entry beyond being simply a great SNES game is its long-lasting influence on the industry. The modern “Metroidvania” genre owes much of its identity to this game’s structure and philosophy. Titles such as Hollow Knight, Ori, and Symphony of the Night all carry ideas that were refined or popularized here. Its emphasis on exploration, nonlinear progression, and environmental storytelling became a blueprint for generations of developers. The community also has a big role on this whole genre, creating fanmade titles such as AM2R (Another Metroid 2 Remake) which I consider one of the best metroidvanias I’ve ever played. Fun fact: the developer of AM2R was hired by the Ori team to help with level-design for the Will of Whisps title.

Aging With Strength #

Even with its age, this title remains remarkably playable today, some controls and interface elements reflect its era, but the core experience still feels polished and purposeful. The game trusts you to observe, experiment, and get lost, which gives exploration a genuine sense of discovery. Rather than overwhelming you with constant objectives and signposting, it allows the atmosphere and level design to carry the experience naturally. Though I got to admit that, this is the least polished Metroid I’ve played when it comes to the initial difficulty curve. You can easily get yourself soft-locked if you don’t follow a certain upgrade path, which happens way less often in future entries of the series.

Lasting Masterpiece #

Despite all that, Super Metroid continues to deserve its legendary reputation. It is not merely important from a historical perspective, it is still genuinely engaging, atmospheric, and rewarding to play. For those that like Metroidvanias to any extent, this is an absolute must-play masterpiece. It remains an essential experience and one of the greatest achievements of the 16-bit generation. That being said, I still enjoyed playing Fusion and Zero Mission a bit more, since they are not as hard as Super. But when it comes to experiencing the foundational game which still inspires a lot of the gaming industry, even today, there is no match for this SNES Metroid entry. And lastly, while I consider myself a veteran of this genre, this was one of the hardest titles for me when it comes to the exploration, I still need to put some more effort into 100% it.