|
Super Metroid, developed by
Nintendo's
R&D1 team and released in
1994 for the
SNES, is the third installment in the
Metroid video game series. With its 24
megabit cartridge size, it was the largest game available for the
console at the time.
Story
After managing to extinguish the
metroids on
SR-388 (the planet from where the species originated) in
Metroid II: Return of Samus, bounty hunter
Samus Aran brings the last surviving metroid larva to the space colony
of Ceres. There, scientists conduct research on the larva and
reach the conclusion that the powers of metroids could be harnessed for
the benefit of mankind. Confident that things are in order, Samus leaves
Ceres in search of a new bounty to hunt.
Only a short time after leaving, Samus picks up a distress call from
Ceres which forces her to head back. As it turns out, the space colony is
under attack by pirate leader
Mother Brain's henchdragon,
Ridley, who manages to capture the Metroid larva right in front of
Samus.
Samus escapes the self-destructing space station and trails Ridley to
the now rebuilt planet
Zebes, home of the space pirates. Her task is to locate the Metroid
larva and prevent the space pirates from using its powers.
Gameplay
Super Metroid is a 2D
platform game with
action and
adventure elements.
Samus starts the main part of the game on the surface of Zebes, from
where she must delve into the planet through its complex cavities. Game
progression revolves around sequentially gathering
power-ups that allow Samus to overcome obstacles in order to access
new parts of the world. The world has a non-linear layout and features
plentiful hidden areas, making exploration a central concept. The
implementation of exploration and item-gathering is almost identical to
that found in the
Legend of Zelda games.
Items and abilities
Items
All the items avaible in the previous two games except for the Spider
Ball exist in Super Metroid along with new ones. For weapons see the
weapon-section below.
- Morphing Ball: This item gives Samus the abilityt
to morph into a ball.
- Spring Ball: Gives Samus the ability to jump while
she's morphed into a ball.
Abilities
The following abilities does not require any special item in order to
be performed.
- Wall-jump: A jumping technique in which Samus can
jump on vertical surfaces such as walls and edges. The technique is
mastered by a group of friendly aliens who teaches it to the player,
although it shall be noted that Samus carries this ability from the
start.
- Running: By holding down the dash-button Samus can
run.
- Moon walk: If activated this enables Samus to shoot
in the direction she's facing while walking backwards.
- Crouch: By pressing down once on the control pad
Samus crouches (this shall not be confused with her ability to morph
after having aquired the morphing ball).
- Crystal Flash: This ability replenishes Samus's
energy. To be performed it requires her energy rate to lie below 50 and
the reserve tanks also have to be empty. In addition it also requires
her to carry a minimum of 10 missiles, 10 super missiles and 11 super
bombs.
Weapons
The use of weapons in Super Metroid is twofold: to defeat enemies and
to overcome obstacles found in the environment.
- Power beam: Samus' starting weapon, which is weak
and therefore mostly useless. Ammunition is unlimited for the power beam
as well as for all the other beam weapons.
- Charge beam: An upgrade to the power beam that lets
the player fire much more powerful shots.
- Ice beam: The Ice beam is capable of freezing
enemies, effectively making them harmless and additionally making them
as a sort of "stepping stone".
- Wave beam: Enables shots to pass through walls and
other solid objects.
- Spazer beam: Triplicates shots.
- Plasma beam: Greatly enhances beam power.
- Missiles: Missiles are used to open locked doors
and to defeat enemies that are invulnerable to regular beams. Samus is
not equipped with any missiles from the start so she has to collect them
on her way.
- Super missiles: Super missiles are similar to
missiles, but more powerful, and capable of opening doors that missiles
can't budge.
- Bombs: Primarily needed for destroying objects that
block Samus' path. Bombs can be used to defeat enemies, but are usually
not very effective for that purpose.
- Power bombs: A single detonation of a power bomb
destroys all regular enemies and bomb-destructible obstacles on the
screen.
- Screw attack: A jumping technique that will make
Samus jump into a flashing light, an enemy will die once they touch it.
Meaning that Samus will be protected if she gets attacked while she
jumps.
Enemies
Bosses
The bosses are listed in chronological order in which Samus encounters
each one of them.
- Ridley
- Kraid
- Phantoon
- Draygon
- Mother Brain
Mini-bosses
- Chozo statue 1
- Spore Spawn
- Crocmire
- Botwoon
- Chozo statue 2
- Metroid Larva
Areas
- The space colony
- Crateria
- Brinstar
- Norfair
- The wrecked ship
- Maridia
- Tourian
Credits
Producers
-
Gunpei Yokoi (general manager)
-
Makoto Kanoh (producer)
-
Yoshio Sakamoto (director)
Graphics designers
-
Hirofumi Matsuoka (backgrounds)
-
Masahiko Mashimo (backgrounds)
-
Hiroyuki Kimura (backgrounds)
-
Tohru Ohsawa (objects)
-
Tomoyoshi Yamane (objects)
-
Hiroji Kiyotake (Samus original design)
-
Tomomi Yamane (Samus)
Sound and music
-
Kenji Yamamoto (sound program, effects, music)
-
Minako Hamano (music)
-
Dan Owsen (voice acting)
Programmers
-
Kenji Imai (program direction)
-
Kenji Nakajima (system coordination)
-
Yoshikazu Mori (system)
-
Isamu Kubota (Samus)
-
Misturu Matsumoto (events)
-
Yasuhiko Fujii (enemies)
-
Motomu Chikaraishi (map)
-
Kouichi Abe (assistant)
Pushing the Limits
In recent times, many players have decided to push the game to its
limits. Many players have begun to manipulate glitches to achieve
extremely fast times. Many players have been able to beat the game with
100% in around one hour. Other players have been able to complete the game
in less than an hour. Other players yet still have attempted to complete
the game with as little or as much as possible with certain boundaries.
Some players have been able to complete the game with only 15%, and others
were able to obtain a very good percentage of completition without
fighting any
minibosses or bosses.
|
