Game:

Metroid II: Return of Samus (1991)

Category:

Let's Play

Duration: 9:02

65,534 views

78

[100% upgrades (only one Beam Upgrade: Ice)]

[Metroid Counter: 38]
*Alpha Metroid x 1

Like Metroid for the NES, I haven't played this game a lot EXCEPT, I haven't played this game a WHOLE lot more than its predecessor. This is definitely NOT an easy game because your main targets, the Metroids are extremely aggressive and can easily overpower Samus if you don't know what you are doing which was why my first play attempts were colossal failures due to those very reasons. Missiles are extremely important and the fact that there can be chains of Metroids makes it almost an absolute necessity to retrieve as many Missile Expansions as possible. Recharge stations and Save stations definitely help to relieve the pressure seen in the previous game. A major pain that surfaces very easily during first play is the limited screen space, which actively stops all enemies outside the screen and makes it really easy to catch Samus off-guard and damage her when she moves back to attack it or even when she is just moving around the room itself; the only enemies that can't leave the screen AT ALL, is both the Zeta and Omega Metroids. One strange thing that is present here, but not any other Metroid game is that both acid/ lava and water have no effect on Samus' speed. This is also the ONLY game where Missile Expansions increase by 10 instead of the standard 5; in addition, this is one of the few games where Samus actually starts with an arsenal, Missiles and the Morph Ball (where her other equipment and upgrades went is completely up to interpretation).

Until recently when I read a wiki article on the game; despite the lack of colors and detailed graphics for a Gameboy game, this game paved the way for many Metroid staples to come:
*Samus' Arm Cannon opening up to launch Missiles
*Samus' Varia Suit added padding compared to the Chozo Suit
*Samus' Gunship
*The Ability to Shoot Down and Crouch
*The Ability to Transform into the Morph Ball in Midair
*Spring Ball, often paired with High Jump
*Spider Ball
*Multiple Beam Upgrades
*Save Stations
*Recharge Stations

The game is played with a color patch, and it's a shame that the official game didn't get a re-release like Link's Awakening DX with better color variety than the one seen in Gameboy Color, GBC. There are some noticeable texture problems that arise from the patch, most often when moving from one room to another. The BIGGEST, and possibly most ANNOYING problem with this patch actually occurs near the end when you fight the Metroid Queen where about half the screen continues to flicker like a strobe light which sucks because that is a key important event and encounter.

I know about the AM2R project, and I can't wait to try it out once it is completed. Hats off to the entire team involved, you guys are awesome!

Title Music is called "TallonIV" from Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt.

Metroid 2: Return of Samus is owned by Nintendo, copyright 1991.

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