From the start of the game, you are put into the action packed life of
our leading woman, Samus Aran. Briefly, she educates you on past
experiences of the Metroid franchise and thus sets the back story to
this sci-fi adventure. After an awesome (by 1993 standards)
self-destruction sequence and "orchestral synth beat" laden song, you
are thrust upon the familiar planet Zebes. Here you will gain
"power-ups" for Samus' signature ketchup and mustard colored Power
Suit; some old and some new, all badass. Because the game is so heavily
based on exploration, secrets, and exploits, these "power-ups" will
make the adventure unfold in many fun and impressive ways. For example,
the "Morph Ball" power will allow Samus to access small tunnel-like
passages and the aquiring of the "Grappling Beam" will allow her to
climb into areas that jumping would not. The game still has the classic
doors that require missiles to open and creative usage of the "Ice
Beam" will reveal new ways of advancement. The armor, weapon, and power
upgrades of Metroid 3 create a new level of exploration on a
conventional and extreme level (ie, speed demo).
The action of Metroid 3 is great and players will find the game's many
enemies fun and challenging to fight. The boss fights are difficult but
can be beaten after their attack patterns have been solved. The weapons
allow for various styles of fighting, but players will usually find
themselves sticking with the basic arm cannon blaster (which also
upgrades in power). The game, like many 2D adventures, involves a lot
of jumping. The "physics" of the game are surprisingly good; water
actually feels restricting and there is a sense of speed that is
satisfying. However, trying to jump out of lava can be quite annoying
at times.
The game has many ways of qualifying the length of the adventure and
overall experience of the game. Save points, ammo and energy
replenishing, and map databases are conveniently placed throughout the
game. Also, you can always return to Samus' ship to replenish energy
and ammo as well as save the game.
A new player to the 2D Metroid series will take anywhere from 10-20
hours to complete (even though the game clock will say otherwise as it
does not take into consideration how many times you die, change zones,
etc). And no new player will get all 100% of the game's items from the
start, which will surely have you going through the game multiple times
to get every item. After a while, you'll be able to go through the game
in about 3 hours! The faster you beat the game and the more items you
find, the more Samus strips once you beat the game. Once you've beaten
the game in record time and collected 100% items, you can brag to your
friends about how you saw 16bit Samus in a gray bikini. But don't worry
if you'll never accomplish this feat, because every time you die, all
of Samus' armor will explode revealing her hot yet early 90's look for
all to see.
Metroid 3 is a great experience with action and sci-fi style to boot.
If you like games like Castlevania Symphony of the Night, chances are
you will like Metroid 3. The dark atmosphere, illusory soundtrack,
intense action, and beautiful style make this game a must play for all.
