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I'm always looking for to a new Metroid game, but nothing breaks the loneliness and solitary vibe of Metroid like characters that interact with Samus (outside of the baddies). It just kills the immersion for me.

Oh well, I'm hoping this isn't THAT bad.

I remember being given this game as a little kid when it came out.... And I hated it soooo much.

It felt like the worst Zelda ripoff in the world. I still look at that NA art and cringe...

I'm happy to hear this. I like this game, bit I think I might enjoy it more with some changes.

I still play them on my 3ds!! I purchased way too many of them on the e shop back in the day...

I am glad to have this game in my collection. Every once in a while I still play it, and it is still a lot of fun.

Congrats!! No big deal that you had never beaten it before. I think the reason my friends and I did back in the day was because it was the new game on a new system (the NES). It is one of my favorite games of all time, but I am sure there is a bit of nostalgia at play as well. There are lots of games I have missed, honestly!

I just beat this the other day. Dang, I wish I would have waited for the restart from checkpoint option.

As much as I like this game and I LOVE the Blasphemous games, I felt this was just missing... Something. I don't know what, but it just didn't feel as iconic as the first time I played Ninja Gaiden 1 and 2 on the NES as a kid.

I hope that there is a DLC with more levels down the road, because it just felt kind of... Incomplete.

You can't go wrong with any of the GBA or DS Vanias. It really was when Castlevania was firing on all cylinders.

@Ganon821 YES!!!

I remember being 15-16 when this hit arcades, and in your opening paragraph you described the experience of playing it in the arcades perfectly. There was just nothing like it, and there would be a line of people with quarters at the local arcade to take their turn.

This game was such a big deal as an arcade racer.

I loved this game so much. Honestly, this was probably the multiplayer game my friends and I played the most on N64.

This is such a fun series, and I can't wait to play this one!

Having 2 kids definitely changed my spending habits anyway, but then having to remodel our kitchen recently due to a massive leak, as well as the rising costs of, well, EVERYTHING, here in the US has really reduced my gaming budget.

My family would love to have a Switch 2 at launch, but it just isn't a responsible purchase for us right now. Instead, I have been encouraging the kids (and myself) spending some serious time on the massive backlog of games we have accrued.

I honestly don't have the free time to finish anything anyway, so I have plenty to play for now.

This news makes me so happy. The Sega CD versions have, in my opinion, the best videogame soundtracks ever created.

In some weird way I like both!

This is one of the games I am most excited to play on the Switch 2! I haven't played it before, and I too am a big Star Wars nerd.

I also don't give 2 bantha poo doos about most people's opinions on fandoms, Star Wars especially. I just enjoy what I enjoy, and don't what I don't, and this looks really fun to me.

It is so sad to hear that people have lost their jobs, and I hope that they all land on their feet soon.

With that being said, I am a staunch Nintendo Life and Time Extension reader for a reason: your coverage is thorough, informed, impartial, and interesting! It's good stuff over here, and I have never felt that the writers here have ever tried jamming an agenda down readers' throats.

Thank you for that! It is refreshing to regularly visit a space that celebrates our favorite hobby and the joy it can bring.

This looks amazing. I had the PS1 editions of both, and kick myself now for giving them away to someone who just ended up selling them.

I love these games... They are total RPG comfort food and I can't wait to replay them.

@KevinPeterson I had the exact same experience.

I am so excited for this. I still have very fond memories of playing 1 and 2 on the NES, and this looks like a beautiful tribute to those games.

I'm so happy to see they are back and hope that they are around for MANY years to come. I have been reading their magazine for many years, and their site (as well as this one!!) are where I have always loved coming for gaming news and reviews.

Much success to you!!

I have an honest question about cash grabs vs. homages or "blank"-likes. This definitely seems like a terrible cash grab / shovelware product, but where is the line drawn between cash grab vs. homages based on popular trends?

I mean, even being a little kid in the 80s and going to the arcades you would see all of the Space Invaders clones, and later on the belt scrollers cashing in on the success of Double Dragon, and later on Final Fight.

Remember when Gears of War became huge and every other game for a while was a 3rd person cover shooter?

How many extremely similar games have there been to all of the Zelda's, Marios, etc.? Many indie games totally pull the "this is inspired by" classic Zelda, Mega Man, etc., and I am just trying to figure out where the line is between tribute and theft.

This is fantastic! Even though I have used deku deals for a long time, I would probably "switch" to this (hahaha) for the aesthetic improvements alone.

I think the only reason I haven't played this yet is because I LOVE Ultimate NES Remix on the 3DS so much, that this felt like a pale imitation.

Maybe I will have to give it a go after all.

@somnambulance I'm so glad your wife is ok. Car accidents are so frightening. Now that my daughter is driving, I fear for her safety everyday.

You're a good spouse!

I'm feeling really nostalgic this holiday season. On the Switch, I'm playing Okami (still a great game all of these years later), and Dragon Quest VI on the DS, as well as Puzzle and Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition on the 3DS.

Fun times!

You know, there is just something special about Nintendo. I have owned most consoles from most manufacturers since the Atari 2600 on, but there is a magic to their hardware, their games, and even the 3rd party games that come to it.

I can't put my finger on any one thing, but I am so happy that I can share that Nintendo magic with my kids. In our house, in addition to the Switch we still also play games on the DS, 3DS, GBA, and GB.

Nintendo, I love where we have been together, and I can't wait to see where we are going in the future.

Happy Holidays, everyone.

You never know, it could come to the Switch 2. Remember when the Witcher 3 would never come to a Nintendo system, especially the underpowered Switch?

Same thing with Nier, and Doom, and many others...

My daughter and I love this game, and I would love to see if they add any extra content. It would be incredible if it launched as a 2 pack with Triple Deluxe (as someone already mentioned).

I have been playing a LOT of DS and 3DS games lately. So many great games that I am revisiting, but I decided to start a new save and finally beat DQ 6. It is truly an underrated title. I love classic DQ games, and this is one of the only ones I never played all the way through, due to life and/or getting overshadowed by other games.

My favorite system of all time (with the 3ds by extension being number 2). I don't think I can come up with a top 5... More like a top 40.

I have really been enjoying it. I picked it up this weekend, and have played it off and on. It very much feels like a lost Castlevania game.

I only have one complaint: the absolute WORST looking werewolf in videogame history. Other than that, it's a game I will fully play twice (both characters).

This really makes me sad. As a 40-something gamer, it has been nice to still have a physical game magazine of quality. Something about that tactile feeling of the magazine itself and the color images..

I've worked for companies that handle layoffs like this, and it is terrible. These are real people that have had their lives upended due to bad management. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but it just disgusts me.

I hope all of the staff land back on their feet soon.

This is a tough one for me, because I played it back in the day and it was... Pretty good?
Also, the Jango Fett story just hasn't aged well for me, I guess. Basically everything in Star Wars is all because of Jango and Anakin and the most important bits were all tied to Tattooine.

I liked the big unanswered questions that the original movies left, and this game story-wise just added even more unnecessary plot.

I always felt this game was passable and maybe a weekend rental, and was popular just because of the license. If it wasn't tied into Star Wars I doubt anyone would be remaking it today.

@ecco6t9 I still play that game! I am really hoping they put out a new one eventually.

@LikelySatan this is the comment of the week. Nice work!

Shovel Knight is an icon, and for me one of my favorite new characters in the last 25 years. His games, as well as all of his cameos have cemented his place in history.

I think I would call him a neo-retro icon.

I know this Direct probably didn't appeal to everyone, but dang it really knocked it out of the park for me. There are so many titles now on my Must Play List, and I felt like they really surpassed expectations on this.

I would have been happy with one or two interesting games being announced, but this was much more than that for me. Best Nintendo Direct (for me) I've seen in years.

I loved Cavill in the show, but man does Hemsworth look like a canonical Geralt. He has a tough gig to follow, but who knows? Maybe the writing will have improved and this will be a killer comeback season!

@d2k Hahaha yes!!! Or maybe the sWIItch!

It will probably be something like the New Nintendo Switch HDS XL.

I still love this game. I probably play it once every year or two!

Thanks for the great article. I think I'm going to play it today.

This was a fantastic read. Thank you for being so vulnerable and sharing your story.
As a Dad and husband in this scary day and age, and at times dealing with lifelong crippling anxiety, (especially after losing my Dad, grandma, someone who was like a brother, and 2 friends in a matter of months), I know as much as I can where you are coming from. Mental health struggles are so important to share; not only for yourself, but for others to know they are not alone.

My go to's are also racing games, but sometimes open world games as well. There is something about immersing myself in a fantasy world and taking things at a leisurely pace that has helped quite a bit.

Thank you again for sharing. A lot of people may not realize it, but it is a very brave and heroic thing to do.

Quiet mornings are great for classic games, or games like Picross!

I also enjoy a nice open world game that I can wander in at my leisure (BoTW, Witcher 3, etc.)

I just started Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Wow.... Just wow. So amazing. As a huge Metroid fan and fan of the genre as well, I think I love this even more than Dread. That's really saying something.

Super Metroid took everything I loved about my favorite NES game (Metroid) and ramped it up to 11.

Not only was the atmosphere a beautiful fusion of visuals and sound, but I feel like this is the first game that really sold what the SNES controller could do.

This (to me) was the game that showed why 4 face buttons and at least 2 shoulder buttons was the future of gaming. It just controls perfectly, and everything was needed.

Isn't Grime out today?

I am so excited for this. Blasphemous is one of my favorite Metroid type games I have ever played.

@DrGonzo No worries. I think we have all been there.