Metroid: Samus Returns |OT| -[R]EDUX- What's past is prologue.

[TheMoon]

Graphics by Kindekuma! Big thanks!​

Developer: MercurySteam / Nintendo EPD

Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
Release Date: September 15, 2017 (EU/NA/JP) | September 16, 2017 (AU)
Genre: Castlevania-clone / Genocide Sim
Stereoscopic 3D: Yes
amiibo: Yes
New Nintendo 3DS enhanced: Yes, scroll the map with the C-Stick
Demo: No
eShop Download Block Size: 5458 blocks
Game Download/Official Site: Europe | North America | Japan
Game manual PDF: Japanese | English
Reviews: OpenCritic | MetaCritic

3DS Home Menu Theme live in EU/NA MyNintendo (20 Gold Points):

You've always wanted to know where babies come from? Well sit down, buckle up, and grab your favorite member of the Nintendo 3DS-family of systems. You're about to find out in this reimaskening of Metroid II: Return of Samus released on the original Tetris playback device in the year that brought us The Chronic.

The Federation has lost a research team and the recovery team sent to planet SR388, home of the Metroids, and sent Samus Aran to get to Sherlock the heck outta this. And also possibly commit some mild genocide. Hilarity ensues. It's basically a slasher movie from the perspective of Jason.

MercurySteam hit up Nintendo a few years ago to pitch a Metroid Fusion remake but they said "nah, bro" and then Sakamoto hopped on a plain to catch some B6 and holler at his new Spanish besties about doing another Metroid 2 remake. Y'know, because the Game Boy Color version they had in the pipeline probably wouldn't sell so well nowadays.

Here are the facebook profile pics of the sexually overactive teens you will be murdering:

The whole map has been redesigned under direction from 2D Metroid veteran Takehiko Hosokawa (Return of Samus, Fusion, Zero Mission, Other M), abilities from later games have been added (wall jump, ledge grab, etc) along with new Aeion abilities that Samus can activate to get temporary benefits. These Aeion abilities need to be recharged once used, so you'll need to collect Aeion Orbs dropped by defeated enemies to refuel your Aeion Gauge.

You can check out just how much the map has changed in this article on Retronauts in which Jeremy Parish mapped the opening area on graph paper and compared Return of Samus and Samus Returns directly. It's fairly spoiler free unless you start looking too closely at what is placed where but it should give you a good idea about how different his game is from the original.

Also new is the melee-counter, a defensive attack that gives Samus the edge in her encounters with the nasty buggers in the depths of SR388. This opens enemies up to special takedowns, if you really want to tell them what's what. Samus can also freely aim in 360° by pressing a shoulder button, allowing for extra precision.

The music has been rearranged by Daisuke Matsuoka who took themes from Super, Prime, and the original Metroid II and brought them more in line with the later Metroid titles under the direction of Metroid veterans Kenji Yamamoto and Minako Hamano.

The game offers three difficulty modes, Normal, Hard, and Fusion Mode (the latter is only accessible via amiibo, see section below for details):

Metroid Amiibo (Metroid series): Unlocks Metroid Marker, a tool to help you find nearby Metroids. Also unlocks Fusion Mode, which increases the difficulty and puts Samus in the suit she wore in Metroid Fusion after beating the game once. Fusion Mode is harder than Hard Mode.

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Samus (Metroid series): Unlocks an Aeion reserve tank which lets you refill your Aeion energy. Also unlocks a unique Metroid II Art Gallery after beating the game once.

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Samus (Super Smash Bros. series): Unlocks a reserve Missle Tank. Also unlocks an additional in-game art gallery after beating the game once.

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Zero Suit Samus (Super Smash Bros. series: Unlocks a reserve Energy Tank. Also unlocks a selection of music after completing the game at least once.

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PSA: There is no reversible cover in EU!

 

[Masterz1337]

So unpopular opinion here... I was a bit let down by this although I certainly enjoyed it. I was/am a pretty big Metroid fan. I've beat all of them except the original and Other M, but this didn't really do it for me. I don't know if it is because I find the 3DS uncomfortable (I bought the Metroid edition one just for this game), or if because I didn't like how things were slowed down in this with the counter button and locking Samus's location in order to accurately aim, or something else. I also felt that the whole concept of hunting down the same enemies over and over again doesn't really hold up well these days. Looking back at Fusion and Super Metroid, there were always lots of fun interesting boss battles, and the Metroids in this just didn't do it for me. That may be an unfair criticism as this is a remake... but I think I'd love to have seen a continuation of the franchise with fresh new ideas. Sort of crazy the story hasn't moved forward in 15 years almost now.

I've yet to replay it on hard mode as I been slowly going through Prime 1 and 2, Super, and Fusion... with the intent to pick up Zero Mission again. along with AM2R, so maybe my opinion with change. One thing I really did like was the Aeion Abilities, it was interesting to be able to trade off that energy for different uses, such as trying to decide if you wanted to do extra damage or shield yourself up.

 

[Deleted member 135]

I'm still chipping away at this game, slowly but surely. It's so nice to have a 2D Metroid again.

 

[Deleted member 8593]

Was looking for this thread. Currently playing through this and I have 14 Metroids left. Never played the original.

This is quite good. As someone who counts Zero Mission and Super Metroid as two of his favourite games ever, this is a great return that falls slightly short of classic status.

I don't think I can add much more that hasn't already been said. How the counter is satisfying but changes the gameplay rhythm considerably. How the Aion skills make you think about puzzles and encounters in a different way but tend to be overpowered etc.

What I am impressed with is just how Mercury Steam, a developer that showed no indication that they'd get Metroid with their previous games made an entry that makes Other M absolutely pale in comparison.

I really hope that even if this is their first and last attempt at 2D Metroid that Nintendo keeps working with them.

 

[Deleted member 15476]

It's a pretty decent effort from Mercury Steam. My biggest gripes would the somewhat limited selection of enemies and the smooth yet restricted moveset of Samus.

 

[BlockABoots]

I have just beat the

Spoiler

mining/drill boss

and that has to be one of the best boss battles ive played in a long time!!. The pattern memorisation, using almost of Samus's abilities to avoid and attack the boss and working out how to beat its last form was total retro homage, well done MercurySteam!!

 

[TheMoon]

I have just beat the

Spoiler

mining/drill boss

and that has to be one of the best boss battles ive played in a long time!!. The pattern memorisation, using almost of Samus's abilities to avoid and attack the boss and working out how to beat its last form was total retro homage, well done MercurySteam!!

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interesting, lots of people hated it for the same reason you like it :D

 

[BlockABoots]

interesting, lots of people hated it for the same reason you like it :D

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Really!?, i though it was super well design boss tbh .....i can understand some people getting frustrated by it as i did die a good few times but never felt like it was being cheap and every time i die it was my own fault

 

[Mistle]

I have just beat the

Spoiler

mining/drill boss

and that has to be one of the best boss battles ive played in a long time!!. The pattern memorisation, using almost of Samus's abilities to avoid and attack the boss and working out how to beat its last form was total retro homage, well done MercurySteam!!

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I also thought it was a brilliant boss, one of the best I've played in awhile, and I wish the game had more like it. I was super surprised to hear quite a few people didn't like it.

 

[Claude Augario]

I feel like starting a new game on hard mode but I felt like the enemies already did so much damage that I'm kind of apprehensive about it.

 

[CGiRanger]

Holy crap! I just reached Area 4 and had that encounter. I haven't felt such tension since the SAX in Fusion. :O

 

[Nessus]

It's a pretty decent effort from Mercury Steam. My biggest gripes would the somewhat limited selection of enemies and the smooth yet restricted moveset of Samus.

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Yeah, the funny thing is the original Game Boy game actually had more enemy types than Samus Returns.

 

[Marz]

Is this worth buying? Not many people talking about it anymore

 

[TheMoon]

Is this worth buying? Not many people talking about it anymore

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well yea of course. critical and commercial reception speaks for itself. nobody's talking about it anymore because it's been over a month and it's a straitghtforward game to play through as it is a remake after all.

 

[Mivey]

So the OT of the Metroid 2 remake, now has it's own remake here. Kinda fitting.
It still feels strange to play a new 2D Metroid game in 2017, awesome, but strange, like you are in an alternate universe.

 

[TheMoon]

So the OT of the Metroid 2 remake, now has it's own remake here. Kinda fitting.
It still feels strange to play a new 2D Metroid game in 2017, awesome, but strange, like you are in an alternate universe.

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this thread is a port :P

 

[Phil's Empty Chair]

I finished it and completed it afterwards for 100% I'm a big Metroid(vania)fan so I was pretty hyped. I bought the special 3DS and the limited edition plus Samus Amiibo. Never really played Metroid II(or AM2R) before so this was perfect. But it never really got me. The gameplay is solid and the concept of hunting down Metroids doesn't bother me. The world just felt so bland to me, some of the remastered soundtracks did help but also felt out of place. I did like the Aeion abilities and overall sense of progression/unlocking. It never dragged on.

 

[Nelo Ice]

Finally beat the game 100%.. Totally worth the Samus n3dsl xl purchase. Use of 3D was amazing. I'd say bosses were meh and I cheesed em so much lol. Environments all looked the same to me but aside from those issues I loved the game.

 

[Deleted member 2945]

Finished it last night.

Going through now to 100% it. Really enjoyed my time with the game.

Final boss fight was great fun too.

You need to reply to this thread in order to see this content.

Looking forward to finally zapping that fugging metroid amiibo.

 

[Nessus]

Is this worth buying? Not many people talking about it anymore

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I loved it personally. Got 100%.

Metroid's my favorite series by far, and I'm so glad that we got not just one but two great remakes of Metroid II (which I still think is a good game, contrary to popular opinion. Way better than NES Metroid at the very least). I really like that AM2R and Samus Returns are so different, with very different maps, different boss battles, and different approaches to puzzles.

Biggest downside for me was that I have an original 3DS so it could get pretty uncomfortable since the game requires you to hold the R and L buttons a lot. Weird to me how much less comfortable the 3DS is than the DS Lite. No idea why they went with sharp angles.

Also I didn't realize that the Samus Returns Amiibos I got wouldn't work because the original 3DS doesn't have NFC. So if I want to use them I either have to buy a New 3DS or track down one of those weird NFC adapters, for one game, just to unlock the hardest difficulty setting essentially. But I haven't even tried regular Hard mode yet, so I'm in no rush and I just like the way the Amiibo look as figurines.

 

[Ryouji Gunblade]

Area 6 is crazy. CRAZY. But I beat the boss there. Its phase 3 felt so unfair, like less fair than Dark Souls bosses.

Patience and knowledge of attack patterns beforehand are key.

 

[Strifev1]

Finished this last night and absolutely loved it.
100% recommend for any Metroidvania fan.

 

[Nikus]

I beat it a today, 100% in 15 hours and I loved every second of it.
My biggest issue is the re-use of the Norfair and Lower Brinstar themes. I hate when they do that, it's also the only thing I dislike in Metroid Prime. When you ask someone what their favourite track was in Prime, nobody answers "well, the rehash of Norfair's theme of course". No, everybody goes for Phendrana Drifts, a brilliant new theme. Seriously, write some good new themes, don't use old ones that don't belong here, especially in a remake of a game that was released and takes place before Super Metroid. Imagine if you heard some themes from MGS 1 & 2 in MGS 3. Doesn't make any sense and it's creatively bankrupt.
Sorry for the rant lol. It's the only thing that I didn't like in the game and this sort of low-hanging fan-service always rubs me the wrong way.

I'm ready for an original episode by MercurySteam, they did a great job.

 

[Rand a. Thor]

I am never going to listen to the internet again. I went in expecting a solid but sterile experience, with the lack of new powerups turning me off initially, as well as being turned off by the added counter move. Boy was I wrong in listening to even more wrong opinions. The added weight added to her moveset is excellent, and smashing iced foes is stupid fun that never gets old. The caverns of SR338 are massive and a much needed update of Metroid 2, and I love how the wildlife takes over the planet slowly as you kill the metroids. Just reached the 3rd gate, if the game continues being this good, Mercurystream needs to get working on Metroid 5. Will post a more coherent, less excitable review when I finish the game and let it sink in.

 

[Strifev1]

I beat it a today, 100% in 15 hours and I loved every second of it.
My biggest issue is the re-use of the Norfair and Lower Brinstar themes. I hate when they do that, it's also the only thing I dislike in Metroid Prime.

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In their defense, those two themes ARE iconic to the series AND they had new arrangements. IIRC, LB theme is slowed down a good bit, with other instruments and effects added. It's just my opinion but I enjoyed them for their changes.

 

[NeoBob688]

I am now on Area 7.

I think this is a fantastic game. I am not normally a big handheld game player, but the game has really won me over.

-I love the very intricate and layered level designs. I feel like we don't get this much anymore. It is very refreshing compared to the either super linear nature or aimless open world of other modern games.

-The game has a great atmosphere even with the limitations of the device. I have occasionally turned on 3D even though I normally hate that.

-General feel of movement is great overall (a couple of minor control quirks, but got used to it)

-The sense of progression with upgrades is great as you feel more and more like a badass.

-Difficulty level strikes a good balance between not being frustratingly hard, but also giving enough challenges to go along with the sense of isolation/danger the game is attempting to convey as well as to make sure the upgrades trajectoy feels satisfying. I am using the bonus tanks though.

 

[Suede]

I was expecting to be disappointed by this, but I ended up really enjoying it and managed to 100% it because I liked it so much.

Would be happy to see MercurySteam to do another one.

 

[Saikyo]

Its a good game but I dont see replaying it like fusion or zero mission, imho still better than super metroid. Also its the best Mercury Steam game so far, they just need a good director.

Spoiler: Opinions

I really dont like playing super metroid, doesnt help that I played it after the GBA games

About the drill bot boss, its annoying because it has the modern boss thing that "I cant let you damage me until I let you", worst yet in the final phase that it has those 3 dots that need to be aligned with that internal lines so you can damage it, its not a huge problem with the first and second but in the third you have a really small window to damage it and you can screw up because of the eletric attack...and then you need to again evade the 3 stomps, the eight fireballs, morphball and throw 4 bombs, jump...it gets boring fast.

Really end game spoilers:

Spoiler

Was not expecting "that boss" after the Metroid Mom, gonna have to defeat later
Edit: And done, 10h45m.

 

[JusDoIt]

Help me out, y'all. Super Metroid is my favorite game, so I want to support a new 2D Metroid. What I don't really want is a 3DS/2DS. I want a Switch, and buying a 3DS just for this game will delay my Switch purchase for some months.

So is it worth it for the Super Metroid fan? Everything I hear about this game sounds very combat focused, which worries me because I love Super Metroid for its mobility. Combat should not be the main focus in a Metroid game, the exploration should, but discussion about this game makes it sound like they've emphasized shooting and parrying. I also I hear the game doesn't use the d-pad for movement, but the circle pad instead. This is very, very concerning. That doesn't sound very wall-jump friendly.

 

[Deleted member 135]

The standard slab 2DS is only $70 new (last I checked) you might be able to find a used one cheaper.

 

[HighFive]

Help me out, y'all. Super Metroid is my favorite game, so I want to support a new 2D Metroid. What I don't really want is a 3DS/2DS. I want a Switch, and buying a 3DS just for this game will delay my Switch purchase for some months.

So is it worth it for the Super Metroid fan? Everything I hear about this game sounds very combat focused, which worries me because I love Super Metroid for its mobility. Combat should not be the main focus in a Metroid game, the exploration should, but discussion about this game makes it sound like they've emphasized shooting and parrying. I also I hear the game doesn't use the d-pad for movement, but the circle pad instead. This is very, very concerning. That doesn't sound very wall-jump friendly.

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Receive it for christmas, and im enjoying every secong of it. The circle pad havent get me in some control issue, the dpad is use to select aeion abilities. I think im near halfway threw it and so far, its the best thing iv played since Super Metroid for 2d metroid. Sure it does have some more combat, but the action, exploration for Metroid is still there. The parrying is more at the beginning, when you get a weapon upgrade, you wont parry like at the beginning, but even it still feel great doing it. Where i am atm, i really feel im playing Metroid Prime in 2D. Its very gooood. If you dont want to break your budget, a 2DS is cheap atm. Metroid fan can only be happy with this game.

 

[HighFive]

Ok wow. I thought i was like at the half of the game, look online for some help to beat a creature, and realise i havent explore anything at all lol. Thought i was at half of the game, im just like at the 1/4 of it. Just lol.

This game is great!

 

[TheMoon]

Ok wow. I thought i was like at the half of the game, look online for some help to beat a creature, and realise i havent explore anything at all lol. Thought i was at half of the game, im just like at the 1/4 of it. Just lol.

This game is great!

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They stretched out Metroid 2 by quite a bit, yea.

 

[Deleted member 8860]

On the one hand, I'm impressed by how well Samus Returns has turned out mechanically, coming from Mercury Steam and running at half the framerate of previous 2D Metroid games. On the other, I'm in area 4 and quite bored by the game -- it's so repetitive and drawn out (the original Metroid II was repetitive as well, but I made allowances back in the early 90s when I played it on my OG GameBoy). The level design is absolutely atrocious, with far too much padding and far too few shortcuts; teleporters are not a substitute for good design, and the Scan Pulse ability does not mitigate the tedium of the same "puzzles" repeated ad nauseum. Additional pain points include managing Aeion (oh, here's an enemy/obstacle that requires rapid-fire; gotta go grind for Aeion), the over-reliance on melee counters, and the hand cramps caused by the grapple beam (and spider ball).

If we weren't starved for Metroid, there's no way I'd still be playing Samus Returns.

 

[TheMoon]

On the one hand, I'm impressed by how well Samus Returns has turned out mechanically, coming from Mercury Steam and running at half the framerate of previous 2D Metroid games. On the other, I'm in area 4 and quite bored by the game -- it's so repetitive and drawn out (the original Metroid II was repetitive as well, but I made allowances back in the early 90s when I played it on my OG GameBoy). The level design is absolutely atrocious, with far too much padding and far too few shortcuts; teleporters are not a substitute for good design, and the Scan Pulse ability does not mitigate the tedium of the same "puzzles" repeated ad nauseum. Additional pain points include managing Aeion (oh, here's an enemy/obstacle that requires rapid-fire; gotta go grind for Aeion), the over-reliance on melee counters, and the hand cramps caused by the grapple beam (and spider ball).

If we weren't starved for Metroid, there's no way I'd still be playing Samus Returns.

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area 3-4 drag a bit, it gets a bit snazzier after due to the upgrades you get.

 

[Deleted member 8860]

Finished this last night with ~60% completion in ~12 hours. Areas 3-4 were probably the slowest, but by the time I got to area 5 or 6 I stopped backtracking for upgrade-gated items, so that helped with the pacing, too.

Overall, I found Samus Returns to be a competent game overly reliant on constant combat and expansive maps, a workman-like product that never really did much interesting. I can't see myself ever replaying it, but that's true of every Metroid outside of Prime 1, Zero Mission, and maybe Fusion and Prime 2.

 

[LinkStrikesBack]

Finished this last night, went back to get 100% items in 9 hours 2 minutes, according to the end game timer. Playing AM2R last year probably helped.

Definitely felt like the longest 2d Metroid game, and didn't quite justify it. Area 3 or 4 could probably have been scaled down a bit. Like with the other versions of Metroid 2, it could have done with some more bosses that weren't Metroids. Then again, the digger thing isn't one of my favourite bosses in Metroid history, so maybe it was for the best. I did like how the few bosses that were there were much harder than in past games, probably because they added checkpoints and so were less worried about actually killing the player.

The ending hints at other games and potential future story hooks have me interested. I would play another Mercury steam metroid, for sure. Well done to them for the massive step up from the Castlevania 3DS games.

edit: And Now that I think about it, we came so close to never having a dual screen metroid with the map on the other screen. I'm going to miss that so much if/when a switch 2D metroid happens.

 

[Geek of Nature]

I've had my eye on this ever since it was announced but I've been too busy with Switch. Now I'm wondering whether to hold out even longer to see if a Switch port happens. I know it's unlikely but I'm holding out a little longer, just in case.

If/when I did get it, does it play fine on the standard (not new) 3DS? Does the lack of C-stick hinder controls?

 

[TheMoon]

I've had my eye on this ever since it was announced but I've been too busy with Switch. Now I'm wondering whether to hold out even longer to see if a Switch port happens. I know it's unlikely but I'm holding out a little longer, just in case.

If/when I did get it, does it play fine on the standard (not new) 3DS? Does the lack of C-stick hinder controls?

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from OP:

New Nintendo 3DS enhanced: Yes, scroll the map with the C-Stick

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that is literally it

 

[Geek of Nature]

that is literally it

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Thanks, I can live with that. I'll keep an eye out for a decent price. Game looked so good in the Treehouse footage.

 

[Something Creative]

Is Hard mode worth it? I found the game to be a decent challenge as is so not sure I'll bother

Edit - in retrospect this is a silly question. Not difficult to extrapolate what the experience would be like

 

[Deleted member 27469]

Just started working on this game last night. Really enjoying it, especially with a nice pair of headphones. The developers have done a great job enhancing the environments (specifically the 3D backdrops) and it's been a lot of fun to run around and explore. Controls feel great even though I'm just getting used to them. It's also my first video game in far too long, so... icing on the cake.

 

[Phendrana]

There's no general Metroid OT, so I figured this was the best place to ask.

Does anyone recognize this artist? It's signed 'Gabi' but I can't seem to find the source. Ran the image through TinEye and Google Image Search and had no luck there. Are there any other ways to try and find image sources on the net?

 

[ClickyCal']

Can this just be retitled into a general metroid OT instead? No one will ever post in here.

 

[Sub Level]

I beat both Zero Mission and Fusion this week.

Awesome games. I think I actually prefer Fusion despite the linearity because the bosses are more challenging. Zero Mission's last 20% or so (the new stuff) was amazing tho.

 

[Nikus]

There's no general Metroid OT, so I figured this was the best place to ask.

Does anyone recognize this artist? It's signed 'Gabi' but I can't seem to find the source. Ran the image through TinEye and Google Image Search and had no luck there. Are there any other ways to try and find image sources on the net?

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I think I found it: http://www.nesblog.com/les-ruines-chozo/
His page: http://www.nesblog.com/category/gfx/lecoffreauxtresors/

 

[Phendrana]

I think I found it: http://www.nesblog.com/les-ruines-chozo/
His page: http://www.nesblog.com/category/gfx/lecoffreauxtresors/

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Wow. Thanks so much! How did you track it down?

 

[Nikus]

Wow. Thanks so much! How did you track it down?

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I tried Google Image too and if you chose to see other sizes of the same image, some of the first results link to the source :)
It also helps that I'm french and the source is a french site so I could see in the comments that it was the right one.
This guy has a great style!

 

[brownmagic]

I just finished this. Fantastic game, and my first Metroid game (!). Hoping for a remaster of Metroid Prime for Switch since I never had a Gamecube growing up.

The boss rights were challenging and fun, and I never felt like they were cheap. Every time I died, I knew it was because I wasn't dodging on time or generally fucking up in some way.

The hand cramps though, yikes. I was playing on a regular N3DS and had to take breaks because my left thumb would start aching after a while (especially during the boss battles). It doesn't help that the Circle Pad gets slippery as fuck.

 

[TheMoon]

I just finished this. Fantastic game, and my first Metroid game (!). Hoping for a remaster of Metroid Prime for Switch since I never had a Gamecube growing up.

The boss rights were challenging and fun, and I never felt like they were cheap. Every time I died, I knew it was because I wasn't dodging on time or generally fucking up in some way.

The hand cramps though, yikes. I was playing on a regular N3DS and had to take breaks because my left thumb would start aching after a while (especially during the boss battles). It doesn't help that the Circle Pad gets slippery as fuck.

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Now play the direct sequel and one of the best games of all time :)