Metoroido

When I was little, I loved Metroid, and I still do, every single one of them. Now, I think Samus Aran is a great role model for girl gamers, much better than Lara Croft or any of those slutty Final Fantasy heroines. Samus Aran stands up for what she thinks is right, and that's an important message for females to learn. She also teaches us female gamers that they don't have to be quiet, docile, and perfectly proportioned. Sure, Samus is very curvy and proportioned, but that's not all she is, unlike other heroines geared toward little girls. She actually wears *gasps* armor usually when going out to battle, unlike most game heroines whom fights in leather thong bikinis or Las Vegas stripper showgirl outfits.

If you want a great series of games by Nintendo besides Mario and Zelda, Metroid is a great treat.

I remember having a little notebook with the saves written in it as I slowly worked my way through the game...and then I remember Nintendo Power's reveal and trying over and over again to beat the time it took to see her face, just to do it, which made the game even more playable...especially since at the time it was one of the few with an open world and a really cool sci-fi one at that.

It was just...addictive fun.

Beginning of the Space Saga This is one of my favorite video games of all time and one of my favorite games of the NES console. It's also no doubt the game that begin or helped begin the Metroid Vania genre which just like this franchise is still going strong today. Sure, there have been plenty within that genre but to me the Metroid franchise is the one and still the best in my book. It's true that this NES game might seem a tad dated compared to some of the later entries in the franchise along with Metroidvanias, which is why this game is a little lower on my list, it's sometimes that fundamental factor even with the movie franchise like with the Bond films. But it's still fun to play for its retro goodness and just to see where it all began.

Not a whole lot I can say that hasn't already been there is so much to like about it from the graphical presentation where it was dark and gothic. In a way it was sort of a haunted house but in space and instead of a giant mansion it was caverns on an Alien planet. The game was different as it wasn't the linear point A to B, but actually nonlinear where you had to actually explore, figure out and map out where certain things are and where you need to go. I'll admit that was part of what hooked me on the game as there were always so many more places yet to explore, I always wondered what was behind that door that has yet to be penetrated or what's beyond the cavern channel I'm exploring.

I'll admit the only misfire of the game is that you don't have a map to track down your movements which can make the game a little troublesome as it can mean some pain in the butt backtracking or even just being plain lost. Which is why when you play this game you might have to watch a visual guide to figure out where to go next.

Gameplay is very solid it's the typical platform action as well as action RPG action as your character collects some items and weapons to make yourself stronger than before. Also each of the cavern channels and section you explore are always a different challenge and surprises, so make sure your well-armed because you never truly know what's behind that next door and cave. Yeah, I know all this is commonplace, but you must understand this game was in the 80's none of these things were commonplace, so it's easy to see how anyone back in that decade was blown away by this game; I know as I was a kid from the 80's.

You have a good variety of enemies to fight as they consist of aliens that are all weird and cool looking at the same time. Like those dreaded alien porcupine crawlers, not much of a threat depending on where their placed and how many there are. Missile bats that just drop right down on you. But of course the most memorable is the head honcho Mother Brain, really like that you have an antagonist that is female and inhuman as she's just some evil alien brain that's all messed up and just want to kill you and take over the universe, all you need to know.

And of course, you have a protagonist Samus whom was one of the first female video game protagonists and one of my first fictional character crushes. I always thought that was cool as even as a kid strong female protagonists I've always had the biggest crush on as they not just could kick ass but are actually interesting characters.

And of course, it was the 80's where strong female protagonists and characters were on the rise like Ellen Ripley from "Aliens" which was one of the partial inspirations for this game. Scarlett, Lady Jaye and Cover Girl from "G. I. Joe", martial arts now academy award winning actress Michelle Yeoh, you name it they were everywhere and here to stay.

She was just cool from that power armor suit she was in, the color scheme of it were just the colors of a hero. But also, how that armor had capabilities that put you one step ahead in the game and a step above your enemies, I wanted power armor suit of my own. You could say it sort of a big homage to the sci-fi genre mainly the book "Starship Troopers" which had armored power suits. And of course, just seeing what she looked like without the armor which was a mind-blowing surprise at the time, and I leave that to you if you ever beat the game, but I'll just say it didn't disappoint me.

Just like the constellations in the sky, Metroid is a vintage classic that stays forever.

Rating: 4 stars.

In Metroid you are the famous bounty hunter Sammus Aran. You've been hired to deal with the pirate on planet Zebes. The pilots have stolen a mysterious lifeform called a Metroid from the research team on planet SR388.

The challenge factor of this game is extremely high. The bosses are tough, items are well hidden and the Mother Brain and Metroids are lethal. Another item adding to the challenge is a password save system (one password even allows you to play as Sammus without the armor!). Fortunately for you, Sammus is wearing a power suit, a special type of armor that can be easily upgraded with the items you find on Zebes. You have 3 types of weapons, your laser that has several beams: The Regular beam, it's just a laser, The Ice beam (freezes enemy) and Wave beam (shoots shots that go in wave motion). Missiles that do great damage against bosses and open sealed door. Bombs can only be used when you are rolled up into a ball.

The big surprise in the game is no well-kept secret anymore: Sammus is a woman! She has been holding her own in the gaming world longer that Lara Croft of the Tomb Raider series. Not that I'm knocking Lara, it's just that the Metroid series is a really captivating one, despite an overall lack of plot development. The basis of the game is exploration and the action and conquering your foes (a lot easier in the sequels). Players will find themselves searching and exploring the labyrinths for most of the game. Please note however, that the monsters are no wimps, for the most part.

Overall this is a highly challenging and enjoyable game, with good graphics and is just plain fun to play. Be warned though, some parts are very frustrating. I give it a full 10!

This is by far the best video game to have come out, ever. I know that's a heck of a sweeping statement, but it is. The play is fantastic, the objectives and goals of the game are extremely well thought out, and it actually requires skill! Even with the new, fancy shmancy video game systems out there with the far better graphics capabilities, I've yet to see one game since the original Metroid that actually meets the goals of video games: fun! As far as I'm concerned, Metroid shows that impressive graphics and sound don't make the game.