Metroid
A new life form called Metroid was discovered on the planet SR388 by the Galactic Federation. These Metroids are able to latch onto a living organism and drain its energy to kill it. While researchers were transporting the remaining captive Metroids from SR388, Space Pirates attacked their vessel and stole the Metroids for their own purposes. If the Space Pirates can use the Metroids as a weapon, the Galactic Federation may be doomed! As a last resort, the Federation sends space hunters out to destroy the Space Pirates' fortress on planet Zebes.
The planet Zebes has many cybernetic upgrades that will give you new abilities to aid you in eliminating the Metroid threat:
Long Beam
Greatly extends the reach of your beam attacks. This upgrade will work in combination with the other 2 beam types.
Ice Beam
This beam will freeze an enemy in place, allowing it to be used as a platform.
Wave Beam
The Wave Beam travels in a wave-like pattern greatly increasing the area of attack, easily hitting ground enemies.
Maru Mari
This allows you to shift into a ball shape and travel through small areas.
Bomb
Use these to attack enemies or to blast through some terrain. Can only be placed while using the Maru Mari.
High Jump Boots
You will be able to jump one and a half times higher with these. Controlling your jumps with this may take some practice.
Screw Attack
You will be able to damage enemies you come into contact with while doing a spin jump.
Varia
This powerful armor cuts the damage you receive in half.
Energy Tank
Each tank will increase your maximum energy by 100. A total of six can be found on Zebes.
Missile Rocket
Finding one of these will increase the maximum amount of missiles you can carry by 5.
Explore everywhere! There are hidden rooms and passages which contain upgrades to help you on your mission to destroy Mother Brain. If you find yourself stuck, try using your beam or bombs. There may be a hidden area nearby!
When enemies are defeated, they will sometimes leave behind an energy ball or a missile that will partially restore you when picked up.
Normal doors can be opened with a beam attack but red doors will only be opened after 5 missile blasts. Once a red door is opened, it becomes a normal blue door.
Zebes is not only home to hostile enemies; it is also filled with dangerous terrain you must cross as you travel down into the depths.
Before you can destroy Mother Brain, you will need to defeat the two bosses who control the dangerous depths of planet Zebes:
Kraid
Armed with deadly spikes, Kraid will shoot them at you while throwing more spikes from his back forward. Bombs and missiles are effective against him. Be careful not to fall into the lava!
Ridley
Ridley will breath a stream of fire at you while jumping up and down. The Wave Beam is helpful for shooting through his attack and the Screw attack will help you avoid taking damage.
When you enter Mother Brain's lair, you will come face to face with the deadly Metroids. They will attempt to latch onto you and drain your energy. Keep them at bay with the Ice Beam and finish them with 5 missiles.
Mother Brain's room will greet you with a deadly gauntlet you must blast through in order to reach her. With her rapidly regenerating health you will need a good stock of energy and missiles.
Metroid
Unlike the majority of games in the platforming genre, Metroid focuses mainly on exploration where you can find many powerups to aid in your survival or even to reach previously inaccessible areas. Exploration and discovery is such an important part of the game that players who don't follow a map or make their own may easily become lost. For exploring, curious players are constantly rewarded with energy and missile upgrades as well as the rarer ability upgrades that will allow you to reach new areas. The focus on exploration and navigation is more than the focus on combat action which really helps set Metroid apart from most other games. The world of Zebes is extremely non linear, allowing one player to follow a completely different route than another player. The play control is great which keeps maneuvering through a challenging room from becoming frustrating.Many of the upgrades will actually change the dynamics of the game instead of simply making you do more damage of have more health. The Maru Mari will allow you to go through small tunnels, the Ice Beam allows you to freeze enemies and use them as platfroms, the bomb lets you blast through hidden segments on floors and walls and the High Jump Boots lets you jump to heights you couldn't reach before though it makes jumping accurately a bit more difficult.
Even though exploration is such a central element in Metroid, that doesn't mean there isn't a lot of action. The creatures of Zebes are quite powerful and will quickly put an end to any player who simply tries to blast through them on the way through an area. Most players will need every missile or energy tank they can find to simply survive long enough to reach one of the 2 mini bosses or Mother Brain at the end. Metroid is a difficult but very satisfying game that will keep you coming back for more even after a few rage quits.