Share your Metroid memories
By just_nonplussed 5 Comments
I noticed a blog post on Game Informer the other day. It was a reader discussion on memories of Zelda games, for the 25th birthday of that series. Then I thought, well that's all fine and good but it's Metroid's 25th this year too , so it should also have something similar.
There's also no better time than now to celebrate Metroid. Recently we've had a flood of games that all pay tribute to Metroid. If you think about it, it's really as influencial as the Zelda games, if not more so! The only recent game that I can think of that is directly inspired by Zelda, is Darksiders. Recent Metroid-type games include: Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, Aliens: Infestation, Outland (To some extent), Fez (Said to have a wide-open, inter-connected map), Cave Story, Shadow Complex, Aquaria, Batman: Arkham Asylum, and a TON of Castlevania games.
So it didn't invent Z-targeting. It hardly matters. Its contributions are just as valid: silent, atmospheric storytelling, non-linear design, seamless combination of action and exploration gameplay, and a general level of elegance and polish that is rarely seen.
Anyway, share your Metroid memories here. :-) They can be anything from memories of the time, to the actual in-game memories.
Personally, I first discovered the series through Super Metroid on the SNES. I was at Secondary (High) school and unwittingly borrowed a copy from someone I didn't know so well (Couldn't even really be called a friend of a friend). But I took it home and played for a bit. It didn't really make much of an impression on me. I think at the time I was used to N64 graphics and Playstation. I did recall fond memories of Mario games and Donkey Kong Country games on the Super Nintendo, but for some reason never knew about Metroid and its sheer detail and subtleties were lost on me at the time. I remember my friend came round to see the new game, and he was more interested than I was! He was transfixed. I know I shouldn't of but I lent him the game that I had been lent (But I did eventually give it back!). Eventually my friend bought a copy himself and for years preached about the game and its merits, saying it was his favourite thing. I just kept playing my N64 and eventually Gamecube. Then I got Metroid Prime on import from the US because it got good reviews and I had this souped-up all-region GC with component-type cables that I wanted to use. So with Metroid Prime I experienced the brilliance, the beauty and the elegance of Metroid. It was so involving, exploring lush alien planets and searching for mysterious powers. It captured me at the time. But it was only a few years ago that I really got into Super Metroid. I went back and played it on a whim, and finally understood its genius. The rest is history, and I've been a fan ever since.
:-)