First Metroid

[kainemaxwell]

Should I finally get around to playing the original Metroid via my DC, or go to the Zero Mission remake instead? I used to have the first one as a kid and thanks to the stupid passwords I never got too far. Last Metroid I really played, and loved, was Super Metroid.

[Mayhem]

Personally go for the Zero Mission remake... you'll find it a lot more accessible...

[Scream And Fly]

I say play the original. It's a special game.

[ubersaurus]

Play through Zero Mission, unlock original game, and try that for shits and giggles. It hasn't aged well.

[studvicious]

Play both, but I would start with the original first.

[TurboGenesis]

Play through Zero Mission, unlock original game, and try that…

^^This may be the best way to go about it.^^

The original Metroid is hold a very special place in my life. I play it on my NES from time to time always starting from scratch.

When I got Zero Mission, I played through it and then beat the original on my GBA :D

[AMG]

Definitely play the original Metroid, it's one of my all time favorite games on the NES.

[Family Computer]

I would recommend beating them in order as Metroid 1 for the NES & Metroid 2 for the GB are harder. Next, Super Metroid is the masterpiece but is easier to play than the first two. Finish it off with the 2 GBA titles, which aren't as good as Super Metroid, but are fun to play and visually/sonically nice.

That is the best way to do it in my opinion, if you want to conquer the series ;p

[kainemaxwell]

You recommend fighting Ridley or Kraid first, and when should I get one of the Ice Beams?

[Gentlegamer]

Fight Kraid first.

Two different strategies for Ridley:
1. Use Ice Beam to freeze his fireballs and waste him with missiles
2. Use Wave Beam to shoot him through the platform he stands on as you jump repeatedly out of the lava on the floor

Mind you, I haven't played Metroid in about 15 years, but I still remember this!

[Ulticron]

It's a shame you don't have the original Metroid on the NES, but emulation through the DC is better than nothing. I honestly think you should play the original first, because if you play Zero mission you'll most likely never experience the original and even you do you won't appreciate it to it's fullest. There's nothing like hearing the old 8-Bit music and the room w/Mother Brain still brings terror to my heart, honestly I still freak when I see a Metroid come at me.

I always liked to run through several areas pick up as many E-Tanks as possible, and Missiles, then head back to fight Kraid. I tried the wave beam a few times but I never found it very worth of getting. You ultimately have to get rid of it to fight the Metroid and you get more of an advantage from keeping the Ice Beam through the whole game. Kraid is pretty easy to beat, just ball up get in close and drop bombs like a maniac. Ridley I always used a combo of the screw attack and missiles, I also made sure I was near perfectly powered up before I fought Ridley.

I hope you have a blast playing Metroid it's one of my all time favorite games.

[kainemaxwell]

I have played the originial Metroid, I think it was one of the first NES games I had! Sadly I had sold it off at one point when I thought I would be dropping my NES (which I later changed my mind on considering my collections).

[Jorpho]

Didn't we just go over this a little while ago?

Here we are:
http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=105858

(I picked up Zero Mission for a song. What am I going to do with this GBA Classic Series Metroid?)

[NinjaJoey23]

I think the original game is awful. I'm not sure how such good sequels came out of it. Go straight to Super Metroid, or the first one for Game Boy. Pretend the NES version never happened.

[Snapple]

I've gotten some responses of blasphemy for saying so, but I think the original Metroid has aged INCREDIBLY poorly. Super Metroid has aged phenomenally, but I cannot play the original Metroid anymore.

[Family Computer]

It has aged somewhat poorly, but it is a certified classic nonetheless. If you aren't one of those people that has to beat every game in the series, then by all means skip it and just play Zero Mission.

For me though, for a series like Metroid, I need to complete all of the 2d games at least, and I feel its best to start with the original. I would recommend the same thing for someone playing the Maro series for the first time, even though a game like Super Mario 3 might be far more polished, forgiving, and the better overall game.

[Gentlegamer]

Let me ask a genunine question: in what way can the original Metroid be considered to have "aged poorly" . . ?

[ApolloBoy]

Let me ask a genunine question: in what way can the original Metroid be considered to have "aged poorly" . . ?

That's exactly what I was going to say. I think the original Metroid has a rather nice atmosphere to it that I can't get from Zero Mission.

[chrisbid]

Let me ask a genunine question: in what way can the original Metroid be considered to have "aged poorly" . . ?

modern gamers have to have their hand held as they play through a game with auto-maps, and they need an engaging storyline to give them motivation to finish or else they will die of boredom.

the original metroid is all about pure exploration. if you know exactly where to go, its fairly easy to finish in less than a couple of hours. if you do not, then you can play for hours on end trying to find everything

[kainemaxwell]

modern gamers have to have their hand held as they play through a game with auto-maps, and they need an engaging storyline to give them motivation to finish or else they will die of boredom.

the original metroid is all about pure exploration. if you know exactly where to go, its fairly easy to finish in less than a couple of hours. if you do not, then you can play for hours on end trying to find everything

I would say the lack of an auto-map as mentioned, as well as the off hit detection.

So far in the game, I have a number of missile packs, 2 ETs, the Long Beam, Jump Boots, the Bombs and the Maui Muri. Do I really need to get the Ice Beam so I can get some items?

[ApolloBoy]

You need the Ice Beam if you expect to beat the game, otherwise have fun keeping the Metroids away from you in Tourain.

[kainemaxwell]

You need the Ice Beam if you expect to beat the game, otherwise have fun keeping the Metroids away from you in Tourain.

I know you need the ice Beam in Touran.

[ApolloBoy]

I know you need the ice Beam in Touran.

Oh, I thought you meant if you needed the Ice Beam at all.

[Snapple]

Let me ask a genunine question: in what way can the original Metroid be considered to have "aged poorly" . . ?

In the sense that I don't find it fun to play anymore. I don't like the lack of control compared to later Metroids and the ugly scenery kinda blends together and makes you get lost easier. This is stuff that I didn't mind 18 years ago, because there was nothing else like Metroid.

Everything that has used the Metroid formula since Metroid, whether it's Super Metroid or Symphony of the Night, or whatever, is much better than the original game. I can't play the original anymore. I don't like it. It's not fun. That is as plain as I can put it. I don't think it's aged well.

I'm thankful for Metroid. It started a series of great games and great clones. It was innovative at the time, but other games have done it better now.

[Aussie2B]

I think Metroid has aged well, revealing itself as a true classic despite that it is clearly dated with the lack of modern conventions. I didn't even play the game "for real" until about 2 years ago, and I personally still had a blast with it. (Prior to that, I had a lot of experience with the game since childhood by watching my brother play through it all the time and messing around with it myself, but I never made any significant progress.)

Yes, it can be hard to get into at first, but that's a trait of nearly every adventure game of the time. Honestly, I don't think it's any different from The Legend of Zelda, with how it drops you in the middle of nowhere and you haven't a clue where to go. Few people would claim that the first Zelda hasn't aged well, so why the discrimination against Metroid? Why is it okay to get lost in one game but not in another?

In this day and age, and considering most of us are adults, I think it's forgivable if you use some maps to help with Metroid. I respect anybody who actually has the time and desire to pull out graph paper and do it the old-fashioned way, but, in the end, it's about enjoying the game. Even with maps, I don't think the sense of exploration is lost, and even to this day very few games can touch the atmosphere of the first Metroid, with its haunting Hip Tanaka music and the strange, alien locations. Even though I didn't play it much myself as a child, I really have to acknowledge Metroid's contribution to making me a gamer, with the way it captivated and fascinated my mind.

So, yeah, I think everyone should experience the first Metroid. Metroid II is a perfect follow-up as well. Some claim that that hasn't aged well either, but, again, they just can't handle a game without modern conventions. Metroid II did an exceptional job in creating atmosphere as well. It gives off a similar feel as the original, but it's also decidedly different. Just when you think you've adjusted okay to the original, Metroid II shocks you with an even more uncomfortably bizarre foreign world. The game can be so freaky that it could be considered a bordenline horror game. It's hard to not have your heart skip a beat when a Metroid all of the sudden pops out of nowhere and attacks. Not to mention the disturbing sound effects they emit when hit.

[Tron 2.0]

I think Metroid has aged well, revealing itself as a true classic despite that it is clearly dated with the lack of modern conventions. I didn't even play the game "for real" until about 2 years ago, and I personally still had a blast with it. (Prior to that, I had a lot of experience with the game since childhood by watching my brother play through it all the time and messing around with it myself, but I never made any significant progress.)

Yes, it can be hard to get into at first, but that's a trait of nearly every adventure game of the time. Honestly, I don't think it's any different from The Legend of Zelda, with how it drops you in the middle of nowhere and you haven't a clue where to go. Few people would claim that the first Zelda hasn't aged well, so why the discrimination against Metroid? Why is it okay to get lost in one game but not in another?

In this day and age, and considering most of us are adults, I think it's forgivable if you use some maps to help with Metroid. I respect anybody who actually has the time and desire to pull out graph paper and do it the old-fashioned way, but, in the end, it's about enjoying the game. Even with maps, I don't think the sense of exploration is lost, and even to this day very few games can touch the atmosphere of the first Metroid, with its haunting Hip Tanaka music and the strange, alien locations. Even though I didn't play it much myself as a child, I really have to acknowledge Metroid's contribution to making me a gamer, with the way it captivated and fascinated my mind.

So, yeah, I think everyone should experience the first Metroid. Metroid II is a perfect follow-up as well. Some claim that that hasn't aged well either, but, again, they just can't handle a game without modern conventions. Metroid II did an exceptional job in creating atmosphere as well. It gives off a similar feel as the original, but it's also decidedly different. Just when you think you've adjusted okay to the original, Metroid II shocks you with an even more uncomfortably bizarre foreign world. The game can be so freaky that it could be considered a bordenline horror game. It's hard to not have your heart skip a beat when a Metroid all of the sudden pops out of nowhere and attacks. Not to mention the disturbing sound effects they emit when hit.
Agreed you list the many reason why i play the original metroid still.

[blue lander]

I think the fact that Metroid just drops you off in some sparse alien world with no idea where to go makes it better than a lot of newer hand-holding Metroidvania style clones. While it's true it makes the game less accessible and far more difficult to get in to, it gives you more of a sense of exploring a strange world instead of just achieving a bunch of objectives to finish a game. And to me that's more fun.

[YoshiM]

This thread is motivating me to toss Metroid into the ol' toaster and give it another spin. I think it's been, good gawd, 15 or so years since I last played it to completion?

I think what ruffles some feathers for those who say that it has "not aged well" is the fact that it was designed to be tough as nails. No map, no save stations, no obvious clues-just explore. It was pretty much the same way with the first Zelda, forcing the player to experiment with their items and surroundings.

[rbudrick]

You don't need the ice beam in Tourian, but it sucks balls without it. You certainly need it if you wanna kill a metroid.

-Rob

[kainemaxwell]

Just beat Ridley (used the lava trick). Got the Wave Beam for now, gonna go grab another ET before fighting Kraid and more missiles on my way to his lair.

Game's fun once you get past the slowdown and the the fact when you get hit you get pushed around like a rubber ball. Controls during the Screw Attack suck too.

[tritium]

Two games succeeded in scaring me as a child. Berserk (that death electric buzz freaked me out and still does) and Metroid. Metroid has a super-weird creepy atmosphere. Kudos to Nintendo on that one.

[kainemaxwell]

Defeated Kraid and in Tourian. Area is quite unforgiving and the choppy play control doesn't help either.

[Jorpho]

I seem to recall that the most infamously difficult bits are when you have to propel yourself upwards in ball form using a string of bombs.

[kainemaxwell]

Ok now this is just fucked up.

First part of Tourian with the Metroids, fun. Last part shooting the glass cases and getting pushed around by everything on screen with the slowdown, frustrating to hell! Somehow I managed to lose most of my life (and I was at full too) in seconds and trying to shoot the cases before they regenerate is a pain!! Just trying to get out of the area to recharge your health and missiles is just as bad!!

[Gentlegamer]

Don't blame the game because you suck. :)

[kainemaxwell]

Through the frustrations and the slowdowns...I've beaten Metroid between 3 to 5 hours.

The first war against the Metroids is over

[Gentlegamer]

So now give us your review of Metroid.

[kainemaxwell]

So should I hit Metroid 2 next (once I get a gb dc disc set up)?