Metroid

Metroid is an NES game. It was later remade as Metroid: Zero Mission.

Overview[]

Metroid is an open-ended platformer and the beginning of the Metroid franchise. This game built upon the adventure-style gameplay flow seen in The Legend of Zelda, but added gravity (and thus platforming) to the mix, pioneering a new genre of exploration-based platforming also known aptly as Metroidvania.

The game's backstory revolves around the parasitic Metroid species: After the Galactic Federation's reserve of them was raided by the Space Pirates, they enlist the help of lone bounty hunter Samus Aran to eradicate the Space Pirates' base on Planet Zebes. The game then picks up and sees the player, as Samus, exploring Zebes to find upgrades for Samus' Power Suit and kill the Space Pirate leaders Kraid, Ridley, and Mother Brain. If one manages to complete the game fast enough, it will be revealed in the epilogue that Samus Aran is actually a woman.

The music, composed by Hirokazu "Hip" Tanaka, was an attempt to create a more ambient feel on the limited NES hardware. In stark contrast to similar games like Kid Icarus (also composed by Tanaka), the Metroid soundtrack generally avoids catchy melodies. The title theme, as well as the game start and item acquisition jingles, would become series staples after the genre-codifying Super Metroid re-used them. Certain tracks from the game have received wider attention by having been rearranged for the Super Smash Bros. series.