Metroid: Zero Mission Playthrough

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Published on October 5, 2021 11:00:11 AM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vll0Rp4eT78

Game:

Metroid: Zero Mission (2004)

Duration: 2:01:21

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2

2004, GBA. Rating: 3 out of 4 stars

Remaking the original Metroid might have seemed like an odd idea at the time, but Nintendo clearly wanted to make the game feel more like a modern title. The original certainly had innovative, non-linear game design, but Samus’s movement was limited and the game had a steep learning curve. The original was not a game that offered much in the way of handholding and was inaccessible to newer gamers. So Nintendo softened the game’s edges and offered the player some of the more modern movements like wall jumps, grabbing ledges and being able to shoot in many directions.

The general fealty to the original through the first two-thirds is evident. There are some minor pacing changes with an added emphasis on the Chozo lore early on. Otherwise, the general beats of the game are quite similar to the NES version. Samus has to explore Planet Zebes, take out Kraid and Ridley and then Mother Brain on Tourian. All very much in line with the original. It’s a perfectly enjoyable romp and there are some very nice game design touches throughout that do a good job involving the gamer.

Then the game pulls a U-Turn at the two-thirds mark and creates a whole new third act that goes beyond what happens with Mother Brain. This unexpected development forces the gamer to use stealth skills that feel more at home with Solid Snake than Samus Aran. It’s a very interesting turn of events for a solid 30 minutes as you delve deep into the Space Pirate stronghold and the Chozo Ruins before we get to the usual slam-bang finish.

The choice to create an original storyline at the end of the original is audacious, though the Chozo angle doesn’t get played up as much as it should. It feels like a kind of nod to Retro Studios’ Metroid Prime rather than something fully developed. The final boss is also lame, but that’s been a general weakness for the Metroid games. The music, gameplay, game design and visuals are solid across the board. The OST very much in line with the original soundtrack, but it is a little more foreboding and atmospheric.

While the original is certainly worth playing, Zero Mission is a worthy remake and does a credible job giving the gamer a more modern approach while sticking true to the original’s beats. The third act will raise a few eyebrows, but it doesn’t hurt or enhance the game. If nothing else, it’s a different way to approach the Metroid games and ones future installments might well consider.

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0:00 Intro/Prologue
0:43 Brinstar (Morph Ball, Long Beam and Bombs)
10:49 Norfair and Crateria (Power Grip and Ice Beam)
18:37 Brinstar #2
20:00 Kraid (Speed Booster)
34:49 Brinstar #3
37:01 Norfair #2 (Hi-Jump)
39:46 Brinstar #4 (Varia Suit)
49:34 Norfair #3 (Wave Beam)
1:02:20 Ridley (Super Missiles)
1:10:36 Race to Tourian (Screw Attack)
1:21:31 Tourian and Mother Brain Fight
1:26:26 Escape and Crash
1:28:44 Infiltrate Space Pirate Ship
1:34:44 Chozo Ruins Infiltration
1:41:00 Chozo Ritual Fight (Samus Restored)
1:42:51 Escape Chozo Ruins
1:46:08 Space Pirate Ship (Power Bombs)
1:51:00 Final Prep
1:53:00 Mecha Ridley Fight
1:55:09 Space Pirate Ship Escape