Overview
- Number of Players
- 1 (Single Player)
- Genre
- Release Date
NES
- 6th Aug 1986
- 15th Aug 1987
- 15th Jan 1988
Wii (Wii Shop)
- 20th Jul 2007, 500 points
- 13th Aug 2007, 500 points
- 4th Mar 2008, 500 points
3DS (3DS eShop)
- 1st Mar 2012, $4.99
- 15th Mar 2012, £4.50
- 29th Feb 2012, ¥500
Wii U (Wii U eShop)
- 11th Jul 2013, £3.49
- 14th Aug 2013, ¥500
Nintendo Switch Online (Subscription)
- Available Now
- Series
- Characters
- Tags
- Controller Support
Reviews
Review Metroid (Wii U eShop / NES)
By Zebes, it’s Metroid on the Wii U
The NES section of the Wii U's Virtual Console expands by another notch with the addition of Metroid, regarded by many as one of the best entries that amazing series has to offer. The great news is that it's every bit as wonderful as you remember; the bad news is that it's no more interested in holding your hand...
Review Metroid (3DS eShop / NES)
The classic that inspired so many still holds up today
The NES section of the 3DS's Virtual Console expands by another notch with the addition of Metroid, regarded by many as one of the best entries that amazing series has to offer. The great news is that it's every bit as wonderful as you remember; the bad news is that it's no more interested in...
Review Metroid (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
Where it all started
More than 20 years have past since Metroid first blew away NES owners with its clever mixture of platforming, exploration and character upgrades. It went on to become spawn many sequels over the years, becoming a much-loved franchise for Nintendo fans – but nostalgia aside, is Metroid still high-quality by today’s standards?...
Screenshots 8
Metroid Guides
Guide Nintendo Music App: Every Game Soundtrack Included - How To Download, All Systems
A new mobile app exclusive to Switch Online members
'Nintendo Music' is a new mobile app from Nintendo giving fans access to thousands of songs throughout Nintendo's history. If you are curious to know what exactly is available on this mobile application, you've come to the right place. Keep in mind, you can only use this smartphone application if...
Guide Metroid Prime: The Story So Far - Everything You Need To Know Before Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
It's just a Phaaze
Metroid Prime Trilogy, the Wii compilation of Retro Studios' first-person take on the Metroid series, launched in North America on 24th August 2009, exactly 15 years ago. In honour of that sparking release (well, a little less sparkling than the originals in some places due to a few missing effects), we're taking the opportunity...
Guide Best First-Party NES Games
Nintendo-developed NES games, as ranked by you
Looking for a list of Nintendo's first-party NES games? Wonder what the best first-party NES game is? You've come to the right guide. Our ranked list of the Top 50 Best NES Games Ever covers every game on the system, but here we're looking specifically at Nintendo-developed NES games released in the...
Guide Best Metroid Games Of All Time
Dreadful
Remember, this ranking is based on the games' User Ratings in our database and is subject to real-time change even now. If you haven't rated your Metroid collection, feel free to add your scores and potentially influence the order below. Enjoy! What's the best Metroid game of all time? The reveal and release in 2021 of 'Metroid 5', better...
Metroid News
PSA Metroid Zero Mission's Fusion Gallery Is Already Unlocked On Switch
No link cables required!
Last week was very busy in the land of Nintendo with a new Direct and all sorts of announcements including a new batch of Switch Online titles. One of the releases happened to be the Game Boy Advance classic Metroid: Zero Mission. If you weren't already aware, this game comes with a special Metroid Fusion gallery. As...
News Metroid For NES Could Be Inducted Into The Video Game Hall Of Fame
Other nominees include games like SimCity & Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
The Strong Museum has officially revealed its 'World Video Game Hall of Fame' finalists for 2024 and once again there's some Nintendo representation. The NES/Famicom title Metroid - starring Samus Aran - is featured as a nominee this year alongside an all-star cast made up of...
News Love Metroid And Axiom Verge? This New Metroidvania Might Be For You
'Rebel Transmute' launches next month
Publisher Jandusoft has announced that Rebel Transmute will launch on the Nintendo Switch on 14 March, 2024. If you're unfamiliar with the title, it's a pixel art Metroidvania that takea a few cues from the likes of Metroid and Axiom Verge in which you explore a vast world filled with weird and wonderful...
Mother-load
Get out your very best magnifying glass, folks - it's time to analyse some artwork in the latest edition of Box Art Brawl! We've got a serious big-hitter for you this week, but before we get cracking, let's take a look at how things panned out last time. We looked at Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project for the NES,...
Feature Samus' Suits, Ranked - Every Metroid Box Art Suit Design, From Worst To Best
"Honey, where's my super suit?"
Metroid's protagonist, Samus Aran, has a rather unique privilege in the world of Nintendo. Unlike characters like Mario, Link, and Kirby, all of whom retain the same general look across their respective franchises (okay, Link is a little more varied than the other two, but still), Samus' basic design can be altered...
Random Yes, The District 9 & Gran Turismo Director Would Be Interested In Making A Metroid Movie
You hear that, Nintendo?
The Mario Movie has now banked $1 billion at the box office and Nintendo appears to be up for more films, so it's no surprise famous directors are open to helping out with future big-screen adaptations. If a Metroid movie ever ends up happening, Nintendo might want to consider Neill Blomkamp - best known as the co-writer...
Exclusive Metroid's Kraid Theme Gets Chill Jazz Cover On Upcoming 'Game Music Lullabies' Album
Joins tracks from Zelda, Mega Man, NieR and more
What do you get when you combine the Kraid theme from Metroid will the chilled-out jazz orchestration of Gentle Love — the musical duo behind the Prescription for Sleep: Game Music Lullabies albums? Well, you end up with something a little like the track that you can hear above, exclusively revealed...
Talking Point How Were You Introduced To Metroid?
Lets get this morph ball rollin'
In case you didn't know, tomorrow (Monday, August 15th) marks the 35th Anniversary of Metroid's NES launch in North America. That's insane, right? 35 years! Do you feel old yet? In the years and decades since its debut in 1987 ('86 in Japan), the Metroid franchise has gone on to become one of Nintendo's tentpole...
Feature Seriously, What The Heck Is Going On Inside Samus’ Morph Ball?
5 theories to solve an armour-plated mystery rolled up in an enigma
The Metroid series is now in its 35th year, and over that lengthy period of time Nintendo has happily elaborated on everything from its star’s childhood to flappy parent-killing nightmare Ridley, Metroids, Chozo, and even creepy Phazon-created evil clone. In short, virtually every...
Random Warm Up For Metroid Dread With The Official Series Adventure Book
Play like it's 1989
Make your own adventure books were all the rage once upon a time, at least that's how this scribe remembers the late '80s and early '90s. With nothing but descriptive text, maybe a small number of illustrations, a dice and a good imagination, you would embark on journeys around the world, try to win the league as manager of a...
About The Game
Metroids – the most dangerous creatures in the galaxy – have fallen into the hands of Space Pirates! As bounty hunter Samus Aran, battle through the depths of planet Zebes to take out the pirates' leader Mother Brain and restore peace to the galaxy.
The original NES classic Metroid introduced gamers to a unique mix of action and exploration that has become the series' trademark. Use Samus's Morph Ball ability to search every nook and cranny, and uncover power-ups like the Ice Beam, Varia Suit and Screw Attack.
Comments 130
Me want's! It was the first (besides the budled Ice Climber) i got with my NES and i still think it's one of the best. Clearly the best in it's genre at the time. Although i maybe miss the automap feature every Metroid game got since Super Metroid.
I was actually pretty dissapointed when I first played this, because of the random wandering around, plus the fact I first got it with Metroid Zero Mission and played after completing it so it was basically a major downgrade!
I will consider the download but it's not highly likely.
I'm also undecided as to whether I'll get this or not. I kind of want to, but previous experiences... haven't exactly been favourable. I'm thinking what I might do to make it really fun is draw my own map while I'm playing! Could get annoying, but could also be incredibly fun.
I dreamed Metroid as a younger one. It was so fun playing at night as my parents snoozed. I used to stare at the cover and I am really looking forward to getting this one. Their is some cool music as you get further into the game. Drawing your own map is brilliant. Looking forward to that one. Laterz
This game was godly hard. It was fun, but took some time trying to get your health up to max after you die or restart.
I don't see myself downloading this one. The Metroid seires really has come a long way...
It wasn't THAT hard. This is a great game. Sure its not the best 2d metroid but it was a lot of fun. I'll be downloading this even though super metroid will also be released.
hmmm, honestly, this game still is prob THE greatest game ever made. it is absolutely amazing. it even holds up today. i've played it so many times it's almost all memorized. a must play for anyone who hasn't yet (you are missing out if you haven't. Vastly superior to Super Metroid and a billion times better than Metroid 2 for the original game boy. I'm told that only the gba metroids can come close to this one in terms of fun factor)
Dated ... yes ... fun factor ... high!
While all the Leone family was sleeping, I too was playing this game as a kid. Now you may be thinking, " Dominick " why would you want to down load this game if there are better -- read newer -- Metroid games available on GC??? WELL ... like every other VC game, it's all about reliving the excitement of the past. Really ... did you download Super Mario Brothers because of the gameplay or the graphics? No ... like Dominick A. Leone, you wanted to feel the excitement all over again ... just like when you got your grubby little fingers on the package 20 years ago.
This is not a 1st person game ... and it dates back to the days when you couldn't beat a game just because you sat there long enough ... it took effort and skill.
I love this game! you're like, "boosh boosh boosh" and the enemies go "bleep bleep bleep" then you take their energy yay! easy to die though... unless you gots a map. methinks this game is super fun with a map (hurray for google) although tis easy to glitch, but glitches are fun! its not the greatest game, SM64>OoT>SMB3>every other game
*and it dates back to the days when you couldn't beat a game just because you sat there long enough ... it took effort and skill.*
So true dominick A. Leone this is a muist have for any classics fan
this game does take patience and evidentally it takes A LOT of patience to wait for it to come out!
I didn't like this game. Granted, the first time I played it was on Metroid Prime but even though I like retro games, I just couldn't get into Metroid 1. Way too difficult.
Wow, the game is too hard!? Well put Dom. You don't buy classic games for the graphics, but game play? That is what made this game a classic. You don't have maps of unvisited planets and you don't have someone telling you what to do next. That is the fun. You can get different items in different orders and you don't have the game forcing you to follow a storyline. Too difficult? Pfft! Stop playing games that spoon feed you imho!
The game is a MUST download for old school gamers. The only problem is WHEN? Typical Nintendo, wait until the hype is over and no one is playing anymore.
The game is very repetitive (you see the same areas way to much).
I'm very suprized this isn't out yet, it's out on GBA NES classics and an unlockable in Metroid Zero mission, and on Metroid prime I believe.
I might attempt this some time, will no doubt use maps or something as it looks really difficult compared to other 2D metroids. I have completed Zero mission however.
Not a bad game. It wasn't that difficult, it was time consuming. It was easy to get lost or go in circles, which made it more frustrating than anything. I don't think it is THE best game out there, but it is a fun one and I'll be downloading it when it's released.
Anyone else wish Nintendo would release more "classics" like this one instead of the games they're putting out now for the VC? Come on Nintendo, people are starting to lose interest!
Yeah, this game was neither hard nor particularly confusing. Maybe I just have an unusual sense of direction (I can zoom through the dungeons in Phantasy Star 1 without a map as well), but the sectors here are pretty short and simple to cover, the items are hidden in logical places, and the game never forces you into doing impossible manuevers to get some minor crap (hello, Zero Mission. Or, well, there is that annoying jump in Kraid's lair where you need to wander through endless hallways if/when you miss, but that's the only one).
It's a great game, one of the best for the system.
Thre stars is just downrigfht insulting to the game.
LOL.... I think it's funny that in the movie Jarhead they actually make reference to how difficult Metroid is. Best video game shout out in a movie for a while. Followed closely by Danny Dyer mentioning Donkey Kong in The Business, oh and the Mr Burns playing Pac-Man scene in The Simpsons, even though that's TV.
The beginning of Metroid. For me it was Super Metroid.
This game pales in comparison.
It has the claustrophobic feeling. The classic music. And everything that made the Metroid series popular. Big alien caves, huge bosses, upgradeable items, hidden passages and items and it's the most challenging Metroid of all.
This game came for free with Metroid Prime and Metroid Zero Mission, so I can't give it the 4 Stars, it deserves today.
Back in time it was one of the best action / adventure games.
anyone who likes a challenge in a big dark world and havn't played it before, should give it at least a chance.
While this game was absolutely amazing when it was released, it just doesn't hold up nowadays. To me, Metroid is the single most dated classic Nintendo game ever made. I can't honestly recommend it to anybody, really. Super Metroid does everything it does except 50 times better.
Could care less if Europe got this. As long as we get Super Metroid first.
Ive never really been a fan of the metroid series, on the NES i thought mega man and ikari warriors were better games. i just found the wandering around aimlessly so mind-numbingly dull.
You can get that game too with Fusion link or zero mission, they even made a nes classis.
true classic... only much better with zero mission... this one is too hard... still buying it nonetheless
this is one of the best games for NES, as for it being too hard, I guess I can't concur because I beat the whole game pretty easy without any help from online faqs... but I did play it quite a lot when I was kid... hope it comes to the US soon, I absolutely adore this game... The ambient electronic music is brilliant...
i think it deserves 4 stars (i already commented but 3 stars is low and i want to explain why it needs 4)
- You collect lots of items and make yourself stronger and stronger
- You explore a really big planet
- Music, gotta love the music
- How many 2d platforming shooter games have you played that let you play as a girl?
- Challenging, but not impossible
the reason why i dont give this 5 stars is because of how fast you can die. that's it. if you jump in lava/acid with only one energy tanks with those things flyin around and into you while in the lava/acid... you're dead
Metroid is a great game, though it's unfair to compare it to Super Metroid and the Metroid Prime series. Any game will pale in comparison to those two. Still good fun, though, challenging, but not too much so. Three stars is one too few, I think.
Metroid rules conceptually, and it's one of the only games of its kind on the NES (if not THE only) but to me it always felt like a beta test for Super Metroid. Yokoi clearly knew what he wanted to do, and it sure as hell wasn't Metroid 1 on NES hardware, it was Super Metroid on SNES.
P.S. Anyone who doesn't buy Super Metroid within a day of its release for VC is a traitor. To EVERYTHING.
Hey James, the fact that there are 8 years between Metroid and Super Metroid release dates, does it really make Metroid a beta game?
In 1986 Metroid was something never seen, and it lacking an automap system surely elevates its exploration nature to unprecedent heights in action games.
Do we need to talk about its difficulty, both in 1986 and 21 years later?
No Super Metroid would have existed without Metroid.
Hail to the Hunter.
I had never played this game before, and I find it to be a brilliant game, despite its age. I downloaded it instantly when I saw it, as a game to hold me over the wait for Super Metroid, which is pure briiliance. I don't find it too difficult, but there's definately a challenge.
The only downside is that there's a slowdown when there are a lot of enemies on screen. Particularly in the vertical rooms.
I love the meteroid series but I didn't like the first one as much as all the others. I'm not going to bother downloading it becasue I already got a copy of it through meteroid prime.
I have to agree with everyone else. You are WAY to hard on this game. Ya its hard, but its a classic that many Wii owners love. This will be the first time I am going to actually play through the entire game. I know Zero Mission was "technically" better, but for some reason, I want to play the original more. : shrugs: I am happy they are releasing it for those who love it and those who have never played it.
I will agree that Super Metroid is a better game (which I will be playing for the first time next week when it comes to VC), but Metroid is the one that started it all. Also, where else can you use the infamous Justin Balley code? Using that right out the gate just to see it, then its back the the normal Samus.
PS Here's hoping that it is the version released on GBA, which had the save feature found in the Japanese Famicom Disk version of them game. Would make life a lot easier to have a normal and Suit-less Samus save then to have to keep entering passwords.
Rating this game three stars is a crime against humanity. Sure, the game might be dated in graphics and size by today's standards, but that applies to EVERY release on the VC! Are you going to start knocking off 1-2 stars for every game that has a modern sequel? Better kick Legend of Zelda down to a 3-star rating as well, shouldn't you? It's not NEARLY as good as OOT, after all! And Super Mario Bros? Give me a break, it was outdone on its own console with SMB3! You might want to expand your rating system to at least 10 stars if you're going to be petty and start knocking off stars for every sequel that was released later.
Metroid is a true classic. When it game out it was revolutionary, not only for the ability to "play as a girl", but because it focused on exploration rather than pushing you in a set direction (the latest Metroids seem to have let this feature go by the wayside), it allowed you to customize your experience by grabbing items in whatever order you pleased, and it featured some of the best music and boss fights that had been seen at that time. The corridor leading up to Mother Brain is so unique and is one of the most recognizable areas in any video game. And the tense escape sequence after defeating her is another stand-out feature that has been forgotten in newer titles.
Super Metroid is an excellent game, don't get me wrong, but it should not diminish the quality of this title in any way. Without Metroid, there would be no sequels. All Super Metroid did was take Metroid's tried and true formula and expand on it. It was not nearly so ground-breaking as the original. You need to bump this rating up to at LEAST 4 stars.
Oh, and to everyone whining about how hard it is... Please. Super Mario Bros. 2 is about the same difficulty, and there are much, much harder games already out for the VC. (Castlevania, Ninja Gaiden...)
You really can't make a case for it deserving more stars. Yes it is a true classic and it has its moments, but what it comes down to you cannot recommend this to anyone who hasn't played it before. It is hard and without any kind of map you are gonna wonder around for two hours and quit. Even if you by chance happen to play longer once you die enough times you get really fustrated having to collect about a billion dots of energy to get it full again. Only to fall into the lava to die again.
All in all for a hard core gamer (who has played this to the death before) this might rate as 5 stars, but as a game in the current day it only deserves the three stars.
Wow, I have to agree w/ the general consensus that 3/5 stars is a particularly harsh rating.. If you can give Super Mario Bros. a 5/5 than Metroid should surely deserve one as well for all the same reasons. Flatly, that it was groundbreaking for it's era & has likewise, been outdone by it's successors.
Seriously, it's pretty pathetic that SMB isn't penalized for the fact that every successor has largely improved upon the original while Metroid isn't given the same leniency.
At the time, this game was FAAAR superior to SMB in my eyes & it's quality isn't diminished simply because it has sequels on superior hardware. Furthermore, while Super Metroid did improved upon the winning formula outlined by it's predecessor, as outlined by another comment above, Super Metroid was a walk in the park comparatively. Sure it's a great game, but the original Metroid was much more difficult.
Shame on VC-Reviews for their unfairly biased, unjustified, irrational, & inconsistent rating system.. You should know better.
Guys, guys, guys. Calm down. It's not like we punched your mum in the face or anything, is it? We just rated Metroid 3 out of 5, nothing more!
I really think you need to remove the rose-tinted specs. Metroid is a pain in the arse to play these days. It's amazingly frustrating in a way that the other NES games you mention aren't.
We have to assume that the people reading our reviews have never played Metroid before and therefore have no preconceptions about the series. I can assure you that if you take away the nostalgia element, most people would agree that Metroid has not aged very well.
Please don't accuse us of being 'biased' just because we told the truth about your favourite childhood videogame.
Well said Damo. I like a challenge, but there's no way I'd recommend this to anybody but a hardcore gamer.
Absolutely great game, one of the few NES VC releases that has kept my attention span for more than a few hours so far. Seeing as how I grew up with an NES in the 80's but never got the chance to play a lot of the big boy games due to my young age, it's refreshing to get to play these classics again on a home console. I just wish Metroid weren't so damned sluggish in spots...
This game has aged, but it is still fun.
The thing that is great about this older version is that you don't have to do ridiculous fingerbending twitch moves to get the secret items like in the Zero Mission remake. That just put me off of the remake altogether. I like to be able to finish a game without having to read a FAQ to figure out crazy 12-step button combos that begin 3 rooms over from the item in question.
And for those that lament the lack of an auto-map feature - get a pencil and paper like we did 20 years ago, and suck it up. ;D
Three cheers for the simple classics.
I just came across the site...good stuff you guys have going here. I for one don't miss the password system on any VC games at all. I always found them really cumbersome and difficult. If you mess up one 0 for an O or a B for an 8, you were screwed. If you lost your password there was no way you'd ever remember it either.
I do agree that the game has aged a bit, but I still think it holds up better than 90% of games from that era. To me, it's an easy 4 star pick. Super Metroid, however, is far more worth the price.
I have this game unlocked in Metroid Prime, and I have to say that by today's standards it's not all that great. I'm sure when it was first released it was as awesome as can be, but Super Metroid is far far superior in every possible way, and the Prime series is better as well (though I don't know if they're better than Super Metroid; indeed, I'm willing to bet giant flame wars have been fought over that very subject, so I won't press it any further). At this point the original Metroid is for hardcore fans and nostalgianauts only.
i agree that this is for hardcore fans only. seeing as how i first got into metroid with metroid fusion for the gba this game feels pretty out dated. super metroid is awesome though, that one aged quite well this i can't say the same for.
I've gotten this game already through Zero Mission and Prime, but I downloaded it anyway so its icon can sit next to Super Metroid next week. I shall be worth it.
Though this really is a great game, it's funny how the new gamers are so capable of ignoring all the lessons that a game like metroid teaches. Like sometimes you gotta go backwards before you can go forwards, that you can't always get (where) you want, but patience is a virtue grasshopper. This game is more important for what it shows in level design and game play than it's core as a game. Having said that, it really was a great game back in the day...
After watching the video, there should be a spoiler alert! They give away "Justin Bailey" as a password! And on another note, I can't believe NES sound was so much crappier than Gameboy sound! The game sounds pretty bad!
ok, this is coming from an old schooler gamer who never played the original metroid for the NES till now... I have beaten the game 3 times in the past 2 days and it was amazing! its only hard your first time through when you dont get the right upgrades in time and are vulnerable throughout most of the game. but after that hump the game is real easy imo, i didnt even die my 3rd time through.
and i did take heed to warnings of mindless wondering (which i hate in games) but i didnt have that problem with this game, you know why? I made my own maps as i played. I hate to cheat so i didnt look up for maps online but i did find it quite fun to chart my own progress as i went.
On the one hand i can see how this game gets a 3 star rating because it would be frustrating and repetitive to a casual gamer who doesn't know how to look up maps online. but on the other hand once you do have an idea of where you are throughout the game its so insanely fun _and addictive_ it just boggles the mind that it received 3 stars. tough choice indeed, i suppose the admins need to consider who their target audience is when writing reviews for games.
I also dont agree with comparing old VC games graphically to the present day. I honestly never understood the concept of claiming that an NES game has dated graphics... are they supposed to get better over time or something? Now i know not every NES game is created equal and that SMB3 compared to SMB is a huge graphical leap, but its still 8-bit graphics whichever way you look at it and that is what i expect to see for i dont download NES games for the pretty looks . If you are looking to play games with modern "non-dated" graphics then i believe old NES games arnt for you.
I'm a huge fan of the Metroid series (I regard Super Metroid as the best videogame ever made), but never owned the NES version. I did play the GBA's remake though.
I ended up downloading it, and I think it's worth the 500 points. The visuals show it's age, but aside from that, it's pure Metroid. You just have to commit on playing the game, it starts paying off in the middle levels.
I wish I had paid more attention to the review here rather than some of these comments. I had fond memories of playing Metroid on the NES as a kid so I wasn't sure how it would have dated and if it was worth bothering with in light of the GBA updates and Super Metroid.
I was bitterly dissapointed. This game really is showing it's age now, the gameplay is clunky, level design is tedious and tiresome and I don't have the time to draw my own map! (call me lazy!)
Sorry guys this just gets 2 stars from me. I wish I had saved my points for Super Metroid which will hopefully hit the EU soon.
It may be old and difficult but it deserves a better rating and respect.
You guys have to be kidding! Why on earth should Metroid be given 5 stars just out of respect for the franchise? The fact is this game has dated horribly. I downloaded it just to remininisce until Super Metroid hits the EU but I wish I hadn't bothered. It's just not much fun now.
Great franchise? YES
Great game back in 1987? YES
Great game now? Erm not really!
Lay off the VCA review, it's just an opinion. Still they are not alone in that opinion:
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/vcArt.cfm?artid=14225
Hey Daz, thanks for the well balanced review. I guess I might be in the minority here but I agree, the original NES Metroid is far too repetitive I think. I liked it as a kid but I am finding it flustrating now. I wanted to complete this then move on to Super Metroid but I have just switched off after about 4 hours after nearly tearing my hair out!
There's an interesting review of Metroid here
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=57580
2 stars is the most I could give this by todays standards. Its worth downloading just for the novelty but the game isn't so much fun any more imho.
I am a huge fan of Metroid Prime so I just HAD to download this and Super Metroid when they both arrived on the Virtual Console (I was a bit young to play either first time around)
To be honest I found it very difficult to get into the first Metroid. I downloaded a map off the internet and worked my way through to the end but it was sheer stubborness on my part to do so. Most of the time I was either bored due to uninspiring level design or flustrated due to the brutal difficulty level.
I give this 3 stars, it would have got 2 but it did spawn a fantastic set of games following this so it's got to have some credit. I really love Super Metroid, it is everything this game it not.
Gamespot only rated Metroid a measily 5.5/10....
http://uk.gamespot.com/wii/action/metroid/review.html?sid=6177706
I pretty much agree with the VC:A review and Gamespot. Yeah it's a classic but after playing Super Metroid who would want to go back to this really?
This was one of those frustrating games that I wanted because my cousins loved it, but I couldn't figure it out because I was 7. Two words if you're going to play this antique: Justin Bailey. Otherwise, spend three more dollars and get Super Metroid.
This game was great in its day, but it just doesn't deliver the same fun anymore as it used to. Super Mario Bros. is still as fun to play as it was back then, even after having played Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World. Playing Metroid after having played Super Metroid is a chore.
Great game in the 80's, but lost its appeal (unlike other classics)...
Good lord! This game is great, but if anyone says kid icarus was harder, they should play this game again. I think the most annoying part of the game though was getting your health back to full. Other than that, I really enjoyed it.
Yeah sure this is a classic, but I'd much rather play through the GBA remake, or the incredible Super Metroid. It's very, very repetitve, and more frustrating than later Metroid games, and I can already play it on the Wii anyway (through an unlockable extra in Metroid Prime 1.)
If you don't already have the game unlocked on Metroid Prime or Zero Mission, it's a good buy for 500 points. The graphics are quite dated and the game mechanics feel odd compared to recent 2D Metroids, but the music still remains classic and it's still a fun game.
I've played Metroid: Zero Mission before and absolutely loved it. I don't think I'll download this one, though, because i have a remade version of it. I don't mind games being dated, though, so I would definitely download it if I didn't already have it.
Less than 5 stars is a crime!
The music in this game alone is worth 5 stars.
OI!
Leave metroid 2 alone, it is far closer to the metroid you all know today than the original. It had a far more agreeable difficulty curve and by far the most unique game mechanic of all metroid games to date.
I for one would like to see a 3D or even 16 bit 2D rework of it.
There must be somebody else out there who shares my opinion? Surely?
I still love this game with all my heart, but I take back my comments from earlier that 3 stars is insulting. Compared to the Primes, the flawless Super, and zero missions, it can only achieve 3 stars in comparison to those games. My apologies.
Yeah it's hard but it's so damn fun to play and it came loaded with secrets.
I'm not getting this super metroid is enough for me, I still haven't beaten it. Lol look how ugly samus looks in the nes one!
I own this on the NES. A fun game, but it is very tough. I blew through it in about 10 minutes with the NARPASSWORD and a clever loophole. That was not rewarding, but I have played through a lot of the beginning, and it is fun.
Great game, worth a download if you haven't already played it to pieces. 4 stars.
Really fun game! Worth 500 points! 5 stars
Its like Super Mario and The Legend Of Zelda put together. The platforming of Mario and the non linear gamplay of Zelda.
The music keeps on repeating over and over. The music repeats in Mario but the levels end quickly. Also once you die your health goes back to 30. Thats why the game is so frustrating!
The ugly duckling of the Metroid series. It hasn't aged too well but it has it's place in gaming history. I love Super Metroid though, and managed to enjoy the less impressive Metroid II for GB as well, even though it lacked a map and the environments were even more repetititve than in the NES game.
I'll be the first to admit that Super Metroid is possibly the best game ever made, so I don't feel its fair to compare it with any Castlevania/Metroid type games. On its own, this game is good; as part of the Metroid legacy, its sort of a must play for fans. I've never played through the whole thing, so I had to download it today.
I'm actually loving this. Its much better than the translation on the Gameboy Advance (from the Classics line) or the Metroid Prime "extra" version. Reason for that is the VC's ability to save your progress mid-game. That means you don't have to keep restarting with 30 health whenever you take a break.
Its also a different enough experience from Zero Mission that it feels like its a new game. 4 stars from me.
I would give this 4 stars, 1 star off becouse the level design is repetitive.
Josh: Gunpei wasn't the producer for Super Metroid, he only "oversaw" it. Give Metroid II a chance, it's scary space action with the best sound track and level design I know, and it was the last "true" Gunpei Metroid. Super Metroid is still a great game, of course, big and bright with good controls. This NES outing is a game that I do want to try at one time or another since it was a friends favourite NES game.
This one is worth playing. The difficulty can be cruel sometimes/(all the way), even with a map to follow, but it's a NES game so I forgive it.
I like this game. Metroid 2 was better, and Super Metroid was the best, IMO. Metroid should have stayed 2D.
It crashes a lot! At least i completed the game in the best ending which is... SAMUS IN A BIKINI!!!!
This is quite possibly one of the top games ever, and anything less than 5 stars at the least is a cruel injustice and a blatantly demeaning slap in the face of anyone who actually appreciates the best that classic gaming ever had to offer.
There are thousands of reasons that this game is a masterpiece, and all of them are well documented.
I must say that giving this game a mere rating of three is wrong. Flat out wrong. on every conceivable level.
It is absolutely worth the download, and honestly, should be right up there with the first 2 titles that ALL Virtual Console shoppers simply must purchase to begin with. If not the very first title that is essential for downloading.
@Karma - Sorry, but I simply don't agree and think this is a clear-cut case of rose-tinted specs being worn!
Metroid was a decent enough game back in the day but it has aged badly both in terms of gameplay and visuals. I still have a soft spot for it but I think if someone were to download this game without having heard of the series before they would be underwhelmed.
The SNES sequel is a much better proposition all round. I like to consider this version as the foundation for that game.
Umm...3 Stars, Right....
So I'm gonna disagree on the grounds that Metroid pretty much invented in depth exploring and map roaming in the 8 bit era. Well, to better articulate what it did, Metroid introduced a new potential to the platforming genre. We could explore in an expansive variety of settings, progressing with the help of upgrades we earned along the way. In short, the was hella advanced at the time, it blew my mind out. I mean, there may be other titles that I'm not remembering, but I was around back then, so feel free to refresh my memory...
Yeah, so, Super Metroid may be everything here plus more, but for pure historical significance and contributions to the evolution of video games, no less than 5 stzars.
But for someone just looking for a game to play, that won't matter. Just because it's historically significant doesn't change the fact that it isn't that great by today's standards.
I totally understand this argument, but don't quite get what the use of judging these games by today's standards is...
I mean, if I wanted a game that was great by today's standards, I would buy a game that came out a little less than twenty years ago.
I'm really sad to say that I regret downloading this. Don't get me wrong, I loved Metroid back in the day, but really, like so many people said, today it just doesn't hold up well, especially when compared to Metroid Zero Mission, which makes for a much better experience. If you really really loved it on the NES, maybe give it a go, but if you just want to download it to experience the series' origins, just play Metroid Zero Mission for GBA.
I respectfully disagree with the reviewer. Metroid was an absolutely amazing open-environment action game. It really broke the mold of the standard level-based platformer. The missiles, energy tanks, bombs, freeze beam, etc. which stayed with you as you progressed through the game even added a slight RPG element. The control was outstanding for a game of this era, on par with Megaman or the Super Mario series.
One area where Metroid even managed to surpass The Legend of Zelda was atmosphere - you really do feel like you're in the belly of some hostile, backwater alien planet. You want to carry out your mission and get out!
I can understand why some might be stymied by this game. Back in the day, all my friends were playing it and knew enough to get me started. They showed me where the nearest missile power up and energy tanks were located. Another friend showed me where the entrance to Ridley's area is (one of the bosses) when I couldn't find new areas to explore. In short, there was sufficient "community buzz" about the game that no setback was for long. Contrast that to the average person picking up this game today and I see the potential frustration.
I think a good way to approach this game is with a strategy guide to prompt you along the way. Still, part of what made Metroid great was the exploration. I loved spending hours and hours trying to find all the secret rooms. Metroid really invites you to roll around and drop bombs everywhere to expose new content.
Metroid features one of the most amazing video game bugs of all time: the "hidden worlds". Something like two-thirds of the game's content is not even in the actual game! If you google for info about this you'll find plenty. The hidden worlds made an already mysterious game that much more incredible!
In summation, this is definitely a hardcore game. All the good games back then were. I sense many people playing these retro titles believe that because the game is older and "simpler", they should just be able to blow right through. This game won't have it. In fact the opposite is true: the old school games were MUCH tougher than games today. I wouldn't put the difficulty at the level of say, the original Megaman or a game such as Lifeforce (without the 30 life code, of course), but it is harder than any Metroid made in the last fifteen years, without a doubt. If you do get this for your VC, understand that this isn't a game you're going to beat in an afternoon and probably not without a little help from a strategy guide. You need to pay your respects to the old school gods if you want to hang with the original Metroid!
Yeah... i guess we're spoiled now with all of our maps, and fancy in-game hints... but I say original NES games that just let you adventure around worlds and figured out how things work while rewarding you with more HP, ammo, and weapons for being incredibly diligent in your adventuring deserve a little more credit.
Now, as far as this game goes, everyone has their own opinions. I think its fine to rate any game whatever score you want as long as you look at it not only from your own perspective, and definitely not from a fanboy perspective, but from a calculated, well thought out, chronologically-minded perspective. At the time, this game was the top dog along with Zelda, and SMB. I don't see a reason to rate this below a 4/5 accept to be different. Well, besides the annoying passwords which you stated were taken care of by the VC save feature.
I have to say I agree with the 3/5 star rating. I, too, loved playing this game once upon a time as a little one (and admittedly I never really got too far with it back then, I got about as far as defeating Kraid) and it has its fun moments now, but this game has pushed me to doing something no other game has done...I hate using cheats and walk-thru's and knowing what to do before I even try to figure things out myself, but I refuse to play this game without a walk-thru. It's too frustrating to wander about without a map. Too many of the areas look too similar, and I end up running about in circles.
In a similar way, Super Metroid was probably my favorite game when it came out, and I played it over and over and over trying to collect more stuff and finish in a shorter time, but if I were to download it today it probably wouldn't hold up to what it used to be. Which is why I'm considering not downloading it. Let it be that awesome game it was back then, I'm afraid playing it again would just ruin it.
i download it and it was great,the atmosphere was aswome it gave me the feeling i was alone all by my self,and the music is ok,also the bosses were chalenging
Unless you have fond memories of the game, or if you really want to know what the first game in the series was like, I advise you to stay away from this one. You start with almost no health each time you turn on the game and the planet is so hard to navigate with no map and a lot of the rooms are ones identical (literally) to others.
I say if you want a real, worthy Metroid game, get Super Metroid. It is way better and well worth the added 300 points.
A must have. This is one of those classic titles for the NES.
I was suprised how much I enjoyed this game. It was a little confusing at first, but once I got my bearings, it was a lot of fun. I already have Metroid: Zero Mission, and I treated this one like it was ZM's hard mode. I've already played through ZM twice, so I don't get lost as easily as I probably would've, but even if I do get lost, I just press onwards, hope it's the right way, then turn back if it isn't. While a map would help if you want to find everything, it is otherwise playable without one. I really liked the graphics, once I got over the lack of backrounds. I personally think they added to the atmosphere of the game. Gameplay wise, I took it as a challenge I had to overcome. I've played Mega Man though, so that made trasitioning easier.The password thing is annoying, and I'm not sure if this game came out before Zelda, so I'm not sure whether it was a necessity or what.
Probably my main gripe however, is that it doesn't feel like a Metroid game to me. It's really only in my approach to a usual Metroid game that makes this one a little more problematic: before I can explore an area, I make sure I've killed every enemy, so the place feels "safe" to explore. However, this metroid game respawns enemies even if you're still in the area, so clearing a room is impossible, and it never feels safe. I then begin approaching the game like I would Doom: I'm alone in a Hellhole, and I'm trying to survive and find my way out; every weapon and expansion is simply another way to ensure my safety. That's not how I'm used to approaching a Metroid game, where I feel like I'm exploring an alien planet(a hostile alien planet, but definately no hellhole), so it takes on an entirely different flavor for me.
Edit: Now that I think about it, I had the same problem with The Legend of Zelda, but once I played it enough, and I really got into it, it began to feel like Zelda as I know it! Plus, I don't think the approach I mentioned is how I treated the 2D Metroid games anyways, so I think I'll give it another approach with a new set of eyes, and see if things get better.
I suppose if you don't feel the need to kill every enemy in order to explore a level, it will probably still feel like a Metroid game to you, just a very difficult one.
Eventhough it didn't feel as Metroidy as I'm used to, it was still pretty fun, and if you're a fan of Metroid, or Metroid-esque game, and can't get you're hands on Zero Mission, the Nes classics GBA cart, nor unlock it in Metroid Prime, and you're looking for a challenge, then downloading this is a must!
is this game worth downloading? i've heard some ups and downs, but i'm still lost. any advice?
@pikmin- its fun at first for a bit, but then it gets really boring, personally i would save 500 points for another game
@Pikmin. This game is OK, but it's really confusing and hard, since you don't get any guidance and many rooms look alike. You have to find a map on the internet or something to even tell where you're going. I say get Zero Mission, which is basically a remade version of this. Plus, the original is included as a bonus!
I originally played this game as an unlockable in Metroid Prime. Good thing 'ol NP included a Metroid walkthrough in it's MP guide, as I might've never found my way through it.
Back in the old days, we used to draw our own Metroid maps on graph paper as we went. There was no internet then, sonny boy!
I memerized the map from Zero Mission. I usually don't get lost in Metroid games.
"Metroid is the single most dated classic Nintendo game ever made. I can't honestly recommend it to anybody, really. Super Metroid does everything it does except 50 times better."
For awhile, I thought the same thing. Super Metroid completely improves on this game.
As strange as it sounds, however, there's a certain eeriness to the way this game almost doesn't feel like it's meant to be beaten. Sometimes game design can often feel rather deliberate, like the game-world is clearly catering to the player. In Metroid, oftentimes when you wonder what to do next, the solution is rather unspectacular, like placing a bomb over just the right place that seems completely meaningless. Or "why did I just go through three caverns that were mostly the same thing?" (yes, a few areas are totally redundant, which is not good). Yup. You're in a totally unfriendly, unexplored place. Why should it "make sense"?
I might be inclined to knock certain things as dated game design, but I'm compelled to reconsider, as the fact is the feel of haphazardness actually adds to the eerie atmosphere that this game is aiming for. It's not really nasty-hard, either, and knocking around in it methodically WILL get you through it. I've played through this game like a thousand times, in spite of thinking that I shouldn't be enjoying it as much as I was. 5/5
There are plenty of sequels that supposedly "improve upon the predecessor in every way." People say that about Super Mario Bros. sequels all the time, yet many still respect the original like the Citizen Kane of videogames (which it is). In this case, yes, Super Metroid is superior to its predecessor for sure, but I'm veering away from the camp that calls the original obsolete because of the fact.
I have this on Zero Mission and Metroid Prime. Hopefully everybody else is wise enough to do the same, especially those poor saps who actually spent good money on the NES Classics version. Unless you're a completionist collector, in which case you ought to gift me some games with some of that money. >_>
After reading through all of these comments (and there are a lot) one just has to conclude that rating a game like this is exceptionally difficult. The arguement that a "gamer today" who has never played this game before should be warned beforehand, and thus score the game as low as 3/5 in order to convey how "today's gamers" won't like how it has aged is only indicitive of the reviewer's thoughts on said gamers.
If, for example the reviewer thinks that all gamers from all generations are alike, that is, that in all ages of gaming there are both people who play for fun (casual), and there are people who play for total immersion (hardcore), then this game should never be scored on how it has aged. If it was a 5/5 in the 80's then it's a 5/5 now. Why? Well, because any of the complaints about the game such as a lack of a map can be easily rectified by making your own map. We did it back in the day, and if we were smart enough back then, then certainly newer players are just as smart and resourceful.
If however the reviewer feels that gamers have changed- that these "gamers today" are a new breed, who aren't willing to explore non-user friendly environments, make their own maps and sift through online tips and walkthroughs (the closest you can get to NP guides these days) then well, OF COURSe you rate it as a 3/5. Heck, this game is so harsh to the user that it should probably get a 1/5. When I first played this game as a kid, we couldn't get past the first room because we never considered to shoot the door! We took it back to the rental place an hour later and exchanged it.
So we have to decide (or at least declare) what perspective we are using in these forums. I submit that, for any game from the NES era (or older) there should be a seperate ranking system. Not a different review, but two ranks: one for casual gamers and one for hardcore. You can clarify what those two terms mean if you like, but to a gamer who is persistant, commited and resourceful, Castlevania II and Metroid should be getting 4 or 5 stars. Then, safely we can put a disclaimer for anyone who is casually glancing at some of these quaint games of yore and see that for their style or experience of gaming, that this game rates as a 2 or 3.
To continually debate about "old school" versus "user friendly" perspectives, well, its never going to resolve itself. Personally this sucker is an awesome game and I don't think it should be minimized just so new gamers who don't want to put in the same effort as we did (and lets be honest, it was probably harder for us because there was no internet) don't "accidentally" download it. Just disclaim it! I downloaded Super Ghouls and Ghosts and its SUPER HARD! It is so hard, that there is not ONE SINGLE casual gamer I know that would play it for longer than 5 min. It is a cruel and inaccessable game. It got 5 stars... why, because it looks pretty?
No real comment from me, I just love the beardo nerd rage this review caused.
_
One of the greatest video games ever made. Period!
Hey, you got the wrong page. This isn't Super Metroid, Corbie!
This game is really showing it's age now. I can't see how people think this deserves more than 3 stars. You really need to be a Metroid fan in order to enjoy this game since the game has the samey level design making the game fustrating and you can't shoot in 8 directions.I think 3 stars is just right.
Well said, Corbie! Metroid FOREVER! Make the kids play it.
@Corbie. What Bass said.
BTW, the European box art is way cooler than America's.
It is way too hard. There need to be a lot more checkpoints.
Yeah, I played an emulator to test out metroid, and for the record, it's not bad. It's just that Super Metroid is well...Metroid, um...super? Super Metroid is actually one of the truest names ever. It's metroid, but super. Whatever...anyway...the game is fun if you want a challenge, but it's not as fun as Super Metroid. Then again, what would Metroid be without the original?
There is no way this game could be rated 3.
It is way advanced for NES standards, and personally is my favorite NES game ever.
Although it is pretty hard. XP
This game is the BEST! I remember having dreams playing this when it came out, I would be stuck somewhere, and I would have a dream about bombing this wall, then I'd wake up and before the cobwebs could clear, was sure I had found the secret. Yeah, it IS hard, but that's how gaming used to be, hands weren't held, and asses weren't kissed. People actually complained that the original Zelda was too hard too for similar reasons. This game does not tell, or even hint where or what you need to do next, it is the truest expression of adventure/exploration/action games out there.
Seriously, you land on an alien planet to investigate, wow, could it be? You mean you actually have to think? you need to actually figure out the mystery .. get this.. yourself?? freaky.
5 1/2 Stars. Epic. If you are not at least, oh, say 24 years of age, you may NEVER get it, as you grew up with the SNES or possibly even the N64, which is where the handholding began then flourished IMHO. Not an insult, just an opinion, and we all know the saying about opinions
Wormaster@:"what it comes down to you cannot recommend this to anyone who hasn't played it before. It is hard and without any kind of map you are gonna wonder around for two hours and quit." ... Point made I hope (no disrespect Wormaster).
Three stars isn't low enough. I think I'd give this a 2. Talk about dull.
Having said that, Samus Aran is one of the most interesting characters Nintendo has ever made. She's right up there with Captain Falcon, Wolf, Ganondorf, and, uh...that's about it.
I've been curious about this series. It looks cool, and I might get this or Super Metroid.
@StarFox
I reccomend Super Metroid
Metroid is good. Beat it in 2:57 with NARPAS SWORD
000000 000000
Cheat give you invincibility and all weapons.
Yes I Hax.
This game does absoltely nothing for me. I own the original NES cart. Yes it's alright and it defined a new genre of adventure/shoot em up gameplay but in hindsight it's bland and repetitive. Super Metroid improved on every single aspect of this game. Save your points for Super Metroid, it's one of the best games ever made.
Hey everyone, looking for advice. Though I had an NES as a kid, I never played Metroid. In fact, I've never really played any Metroid games. I figure it's about time this situation was rectified. I already plan on picking up Metroid Prime Trilogy when it's released in August. But right now, I'm wondering which game would be the best to start with. Should I just get the original on VC, or would it instead be worth it to try and hunt down a copy of Zero Mission? Or should I skip the original story altogether and go straight to Super Metroid? Any help here would be great!
This was one of my first NES games years ago, and I was thrilled at the prospect of being able to play it again. The Wii save feature is a HUGE help, as well as finding tips on the Web... but I have to agree, this is a very challenging game that demands a lot of the player's intuitiveness and willingness to explore every nook and cranny. You just can't waltz through this title -- you really have to work to beat the game.
Still, the graphics are decent and the music is great; very eerie and even a little creepy at times. 7 out of 10
i've never been into metroid, but if i wanna give it a chance, i bet this one makes me happy
it looks good for its time, and if you think its not true, then go on the internet and see how many games look bad from those times compared to this one
as for the 6 it got, i cant tell, since i never played this, but if i should rate the looks and music, and maybe even the gameplay (which looks the same an contra to me), i'd give it a 7, but thats how i see it on the video
somehow i'm more into the real old games than newer oldies lately (and sometimes even the newest games)... except for the fact that i still like snes most
ps. i was just looking for a cheaper game, like 500/600 points, cuz i calculated my sooner wannahaves: Mayhem in Monsterland and Super Mario Kart, and scrolled to this one and i really wanted to know more about metroid for a sec, then after seeing this video i really got a nice feeling, it could be a game i might enjoy alot
the video gets 7/10, game is unknown by me yet, so no vote... i said "yet"
maybe i give it a chance after all
i really did type "yet" without thinking, lol
This game is awful. Blaster Master is the better choice for me if I want to explore and get stuff.
I got this game when it came out back in the day. I remember loving every second of it, and I gladly spent an entire Summer (as I did with Legend of Zelda before it) uncovering every power up, writing down egyptian looking passwords on napkins and newspapers and whatever else I could find... Great, brilliant gameplay, and the ending "race to the finish" is phenomenal for any game at the time, and most games today can't even come close to the brilliance of Metroid... I just got the GBA NES Classics version, which saves the passwords in memory for you. (Keep in mind, the password feature was new at the time, used in this game and in Kid Icarus, another awesome game.) I give this a 10/10!
I'll ask here as well since people are enthusiastic about this game: How do you enter passwords in the VC version of this game? I started playing and it loads it where I left off and not at the title screen. How do I get back there (which is where I'm assuming I'd enter a password)?
@darebear you have to bring up the Home Menu, and select reset to go back to the Mian menu and to eneter a password
After having played through Other M after its recent release I went back to play through 'other m'etroid games again. One of them being the original which I had never completed before or ever got close to completion.
I found once I got past the hang ups of going back to 30 life when you die/reset and there being no map (internet saves the day) I found it a much more enjoyable game to play than I had initially found it to be; and the fact that it is so damn awkward etc makes it even more rewarding when you actually begin to make progress with it.
I wouldn't advise it, however if you are willing to get used to its pitfalls and give yourself a hand by getting a map readily available then for some...it might be enjoyable.
If you can find it, just get metroid zero mission, it's a great remake of the first metroid, and you can unlock the original metroid too.
This is one of the best video games of all time!
The only thing that makes this perfect is printing out a map from google then, it makes it a lot more fun and forgiving.
This will finally give me the motivation to finish memorizing this game. I'm kinda excited.
What made this better on the eShop than on the Wii?
@SkywardLink98 It's probably just the different opinions of the different reviewers. I personally agree with the Wii vc review. I don't think its aged well.
Man this game hasn't aged well
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