Metroid - Samus Returns - and now other 2D Metroid rambling

[JCC]

I searched for but couldn't find a thread for this.

In anticipation of Dread I decided to play through the (newest versions) of the 2D Metroids to get ready. I have never played Metroid 2 or the original Metroid because they are just a bit too rough for me. I have played Metroid Zero Mission and Fusion a few times. Super Metroid I played all the way through once but have stalled out on replays. But I never got around to trying this 3DS remake of Metroid 2 - until last night.

So far I am enjoying it. I am fairly early on so it hasn't been too challenging, although killing my 2nd Metroid was much harder than the first. Given how much I struggled through the replay of Zero Mission I just finished yesterday I am sure I will struggle with this as it gets harder. I like the graphics and LOVE the counter move so far (though I am still bad at it). It's weird what an adjustment going from Zero Mission (with 2 primary buttons) to this (with 4) is. But I am getting worse and worse at these kinds of games as I get older. I hope Dread comes with an Easy setting. Zero Mission on Easy was at times rage inducingly hard. (Seriously, fuck Mother Brain! LOL)

[JCC]

So, I am still fighting my way through this (when not Deathlooping). I have a lot of thoughts on this. It's really very good, and very fun. But, like all 2D Metroids I find it very, frustratingly difficult. I really wish Nintendo would add difficulty options to these games so we could choose to play with lighter damage from enemies, etc. I have been enraged many times. I have also thought many times that I would never get by certain Metroids, but so far I have eventually been proven wrong. I am in Area 6 now and fought a sort of lizard/dinosaur looking Metroid, and I was *certain* it was over for me. But, after around 30 tries (seriously not exaggerating much if at all) I finally prevailed. Now I am at a boss who literally killed me without me landing a blow. LOL (or crying).

As noted before, I find these games so damned hard and yet so fun. I think I have an illness. I will say, that I really wish I could play this on something other than the 3DS. It's a nice machine, but the thumb "disk" is a less than ideal controller for Metroid. I get serious thumb fatigue. In fact, during the boss fight above where I finally prevailed, at one point a piece of it that sits under the "shell" had popped out and I had to do a bunch of thumb pad movements to slide it back in.

It boggles my mind how Nintendo does next to nothing to make these 2D Metroids more playable. If Dread is the last 2D Metroid ever, they should seriously do a 2D Metroid collection with all the games remade in the Dread engine. Or release them individually. I would just throw my money at each one without a thought. It also boggles the mind that we don't have access to any of the non-NES/SNES games on the Switch. The GBA games were on the Wii U VC. Why in the blue fuck aren't these on the Switch VC?! Nintendo is so brilliant at making games but so bad at making their customers happy. In anticipation of Dread, I wanted to replay all the 2D Metroids (I will probably not get through them all but whatever). I of course had to play Zero Mission on a PC emulator, because Nintendo doesn't want my money! The same will be true when/if I get to Fusion. Seriously, Nintendo get these games on the Switch VC. It can't be that hard to do. (Fell free to leave Other M on the dung heap.)

Not to mention how giddy I would be at a Metroid Prime Trilogy upgraded to HD for the switch. (Not sure if the switch can do the goofy motion controls from the 3rd one.) (Feel free to add an Easy difficulty - at least to Echoes please.) Oh how I would salivate at that. I still have my gamecube/Wii versions, though I am running out of TVs with component inputs.

[JCC]

Still grinding my way through this. Just got by the "digger" boss which took about a million tries. I love Metroid, and really mostly love this game, but man it is hard. I really wish all games would provide "easy" difficulty settings. As I get older, I find games like this more and more difficult and frustrating. The game is so fun, that it mostly overwhelms the high frustration factor I have with this, but I do get sick of playing the same boss battle 10-20 times (or more) before getting by it. (I suck.) I *really* hope the "normal" difficulty in Dread is a bit easier than this. Although playing with a proper controller will make it easier by default. (See my earlier rant on the 3DS thumb "disc".)

[Lordnine]

I remember the drill boss being a nightmare that almost made me stop playing the game.

I’ve enjoyed most Metroid games, but Samus Returns was a bit of a disappointment for me. It just felt a bit clunky compared to where other games in the genre, like Ori or Hollow Knight have gone. If you haven’t checked out either of those, I would strongly recommend them.

Still looking forward to the new Metroid though.

[Scraper]

I remember the drill boss being a nightmare that almost made me stop playing the game.

I’ve enjoyed most Metroid games, but Samus Returns was a bit of a disappointment for me. It just felt a bit clunky compared to where other games in the genre, like Ori or Hollow Knight have gone. If you haven’t checked out either of those, I would strongly recommend them.

Still looking forward to the new Metroid though.

I really enjoyed both Ori games. I've given Hollow Knight a couple of different tries and I never seem to make it past the 4 hour or so mark. Not sure why.

[JCC]

FINALLY finished this today. Ridley was a nightmare. By far the toughest boss for me. Took me a LONG time to figure out Ridley's tells and how to avoid them just enough to win. Took me over 35 hours to win - which shows how hard a time I had with so many of the metroids/bosses. Fun, but very very frustrating at times. I really hope Dread is a bit easier than this, but not holding my breath.

[JCC]

So started Super Metroid over the weekend. Was struck by both how great it is (I played it way back in '96 and have restarted once or twice since but haven't finished it since my original playthrough) and how its difficulty largely lies in figuring out where to go. It's odd how Samus feels very sluggish in this compared to Samus Returns. Super Metroid's Samus movement is reflective of the 2 original games that preceded it. Anyway, very fun. Some of the secrets are devilishly hidden. Was watching some videos of people making amazing jumps (that I couldn't replicate) to cheese the game and get powerups early. Amazing how good some of these people are at making these difficult jumps.

I really wanted to play through all the 2D games before Dread - but I am not sure my will power will be strong enough with it coming this week.

[JCC]

Finished Super Metroid last night. I always believed I finished this in the 90's but now am doubtful as I have no idea how I would have figured out everything without help from the interwebs. Help which I used a LOT to get through it this week. I found Samus Returns to be the more difficult game in terms of the actual gameplay/bosses. But, I found it very difficult to know where to go to get "unstuck" in Super Metroid. So, I ended up using walkthroughs liberally once I spent an entire evening playing it trying to find somewhere new to go and failing. As a result, I finished it much more quickly than Samus Returns. While I wouldn't call the game easy, none of the bosses had me enraged like in SR. It sounds like Dread will be very similar (to Samus Returns) - which is worrying to me. At least I can play it with a proper controller.

But first, I need to replay Fusion... I am so happy that Nintendo makes it easy to keep playing old classics on modern systems... Oh right, they totally suck at that, so off to emulation I go...

[JCC]

And, I have started Fusion. I actually enjoy the mechanic of being told where to go (especially after Super Metroid where I did lots of pointless wandering through the same areas). I like the different take on Metroid here with the X parasite. While the GBA graphics aren't quite as nice as the Super Metroid graphics, I do think Samus moves more fluidly in this - which was my main gripe with Super Metroid. I may have played this more than all of the other 2D Metroids (though I have played Zero Mission plenty of times too).

[A nonny mouse]

I remember the drill boss being a nightmare that almost made me stop playing the game.

I’ve enjoyed most Metroid games, but Samus Returns was a bit of a disappointment for me. It just felt a bit clunky compared to where other games in the genre, like Ori or Hollow Knight have gone. If you haven’t checked out either of those, I would strongly recommend them.

Still looking forward to the new Metroid though.

I really enjoyed both Ori games. I've given Hollow Knight a couple of different tries and I never seem to make it past the 4 hour or so mark. Not sure why.

My son (10) is interested in Metroid Dread. He has never played any of the previous Metroids (we have a Switch), and he really liked Ori and the Will 'o the Wisps. I, myself, have trouble enough with the controls for Breath of the Wild, so I will not even attempt Ori . But Ori is a gorgeous looking game.

We are waiting for reviews of the new Metroid to see if he would like it for Christmas. So, whenever anyone is going to take the plunge (ahem, JCC) fill us in. Thanks!

[JCC]

Picked up Dread yesterday while I was already out and about. Still waiting to finish Fusion. Last night I resorted to Save States (on the emulator) to get by Yakuza - in large part because the save room was a bit far from the boss. I probably needed around 30 tries to get by him too so I was pretty frustrated. Quit last night after failing too much with Nightmare. (I was already up way past my normal bedtime.) Haven't yet resorted to save states for him. I just can't keep myself alive long enough with him. I have won Fusion before at least 3 times, so I assume I will get by it all eventually. Was hoping to start Dread tonight, but I have a bit to get through after Nightmare so probably not...

[JCC]

Finished Fusion last night. Really a great game. I liked the inclusion of Adam which gives you an idea of where to go as opposed to Super Metroid where I was stuck for a long time because I hadn't found one hidden access to where I needed to go. I don't remember having as much trouble with Fusion as I did this time. I fear I am just getting worse at these games as I age. It feels me with Dread for the next 2D game on my list.