Super Metroid! There's a double meaning to behind those words: Super
Metroid for the SNES was a phenomenal game in its own right, but was
also one of the best SNES games ever made. Metroid: Zero Mission
builds on that same, excellent gameplay which is still as fun as a first
time through the original Super Metroid.
The graphics are quite reminiscent of the SNES game, but have been
improved for the 32-bit platform of the GBA. The images and
animation are sharp, and the effects are what you have come to expect
from the series. Arguably, graphics don't make a game--they can certainly
add to the experience, but it should not be the most important
aspect. When graphics start to detract from the experience, then
there's a problem... these are perfectly adequate and do nothing to deny the player.
The music in the game brought me right in, despite the tiny speakers of
the GBA. The sound effects immersed me, so if you tend to play with
your GBA's volume off, I can only encourage that you change your habit
while you play this game. The music is almost mesmerizing, and enriches the experience.
Overall, I had just as much fun, if not more, with this game as I did
with Super Metroid for the SNES. The only complaint I could make
against it was that there wasn't more of it; it went by faster than I wanted it to. For the avid gamer, there are lots of
secrets to uncover, and the game can prove difficult at times, so that
may add to the otherwise short length. Even with very casual play, I was through Metroid: Zero Mission in a couple of weeks.
