Date played: November 10th
Platform: 3DS
I finished Metroid Samus Returns!
What an incredible game it was... It's truly a great swan song for the aging and slowly dying 3DS. I started with some backtracking, clearing most areas to 100%. This took a while, and some of the hidden items were pretty tricky to get, requiring smart use of all my abilities. Still, there were a few items that eluded me, as they were walled off by crystals. Once I got everything I could from previous areas, I continued Area 7, which I had almost completed already.
I faced off against another Omega Metroid, though this time, I was well armed and had plenty of super missiles and power bombs, so he ended up being really easy. I quickly moved on to Area 8.
Area 8 has a different vibe and atmosphere... My metroid counter showed only 1 of them left to hunt, but I had the feeling something was wrong. There were eggs in the background, mysterious sounds and a level that wasn't designed the same way as the others. It was more like one or two big rooms rather than a collection of small rooms...
I was right. Some of the eggs had hatched and contained metroids... 10 of them to be exact. They were different though, as they only wanted to latch onto my head, rather than fight like the Alphas I had fought previously. To defeat them, I had to freeze them with a charged ice shot, then shoot a Super Missile at their face. This wasn't too hard, but they move pretty fast so I had to be careful.
When I killed them all, I faced off against the biggest metroid evolution, the Queen Metroid! This battle was pretty hard, but I quickly picked up on the patterns. The giant's mouth was the weak point, so I had to shoot it with missiles or ice beam when it was open. The Queen would often set the floor, wall or ceiling on fire, forcing me to dodge with the space jump or the spider ball.
After a few solid hits, it would snap at me with it's giant jaw, but it could be countered. When successful, I could then grapple the beast and bring it down. It took me a few tries to figure this out, but I was able to roll into it's stomach and use a power bomb to deal heavy damage. The next phases were all very similar, with added projectiles and faster attacks. I took it down relatively easily and it took me about 4 or 5 attempts.
My mission seemed like it was over, but then another egg hatched. The baby metroid must have been confused because it seemed to think I was it's mother (Super Metroid!) and oddly enough, Samus seemed to show compassion, lowering her weapon when she saw the baby seemed harmless. The baby followed me around. I was pleased to see that the hatchling was able to destroy those fucking crystals that blocked off many areas...
I made my way back to my ship on the surface through an elevator in Area 8. Just as I thought I was safe, I was ambushed by none other than Ridley, the famous space pirate that looks like a dragon. He captures the baby metroid, but Samus wasn't about to let that happen.
This battle was fucking spectacular and the highlight of the entire game. It was difficult, it was fun, it explains a lot about Super Metroid and it had some of the coolest looking animations and cutscenes in the game.
The battle took place near the gunship, so I had a lot of room to maneuver. Thank God for that too because this battle was fast and challenging. I had to use my plasma beam or super missiles to damage Ridley, as it attacked me with a variety of projectiles and melee attacks. Eventually, Ridley pinned down Samus, but the baby came to the rescue! It drained energy from Ridley, giving Samus a fighting chance.
It took me at least 10 attempts to beat this guy... I eventually ended up using rapid-fire during the first few phases, then super missiles and regular plasma beam in the later phases. The problem was simply that Ridley is fast and deals a lot of damage, so I had to really be good at dodging. It worked out eventually and I beat the famous space pirate!
Samus and the baby escape narrowly, as Ridley was downed but not dead. Having played every other game in the series, I know that basically everything Samus did was a huge mistake. The metroids are actually a way to control and contain the X Parasite. It also seems like the metroids were a product of the Chozo, millennia ago. I really feel like replaying the Prime series now, particularly the first one...
I went back and completed the game to 100%, thanks to the baby's ability to destroy crystals. This unlocked some pretty cool 3D images that show the Chozo on SR-388 and their actions to control the X Parasite, as well as their use of the metroids. This was a nice little bonus. I also unlocked hard mode, though I'm never really a fan of replaying games on a higher difficulty.
Metroid Samus Returns is one of my favorite games on 3DS, and one of the best in the Metroid series. I'd say only Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion are better than this one, but even then, barely. Samus Returns is amazing, and I hope that Nintendo keeps making 2D games in the series.
Platform: 3DS
I finished Metroid Samus Returns!
What an incredible game it was... It's truly a great swan song for the aging and slowly dying 3DS. I started with some backtracking, clearing most areas to 100%. This took a while, and some of the hidden items were pretty tricky to get, requiring smart use of all my abilities. Still, there were a few items that eluded me, as they were walled off by crystals. Once I got everything I could from previous areas, I continued Area 7, which I had almost completed already.
I faced off against another Omega Metroid, though this time, I was well armed and had plenty of super missiles and power bombs, so he ended up being really easy. I quickly moved on to Area 8.
Area 8 has a different vibe and atmosphere... My metroid counter showed only 1 of them left to hunt, but I had the feeling something was wrong. There were eggs in the background, mysterious sounds and a level that wasn't designed the same way as the others. It was more like one or two big rooms rather than a collection of small rooms...
I was right. Some of the eggs had hatched and contained metroids... 10 of them to be exact. They were different though, as they only wanted to latch onto my head, rather than fight like the Alphas I had fought previously. To defeat them, I had to freeze them with a charged ice shot, then shoot a Super Missile at their face. This wasn't too hard, but they move pretty fast so I had to be careful.
When I killed them all, I faced off against the biggest metroid evolution, the Queen Metroid! This battle was pretty hard, but I quickly picked up on the patterns. The giant's mouth was the weak point, so I had to shoot it with missiles or ice beam when it was open. The Queen would often set the floor, wall or ceiling on fire, forcing me to dodge with the space jump or the spider ball.
After a few solid hits, it would snap at me with it's giant jaw, but it could be countered. When successful, I could then grapple the beast and bring it down. It took me a few tries to figure this out, but I was able to roll into it's stomach and use a power bomb to deal heavy damage. The next phases were all very similar, with added projectiles and faster attacks. I took it down relatively easily and it took me about 4 or 5 attempts.
My mission seemed like it was over, but then another egg hatched. The baby metroid must have been confused because it seemed to think I was it's mother (Super Metroid!) and oddly enough, Samus seemed to show compassion, lowering her weapon when she saw the baby seemed harmless. The baby followed me around. I was pleased to see that the hatchling was able to destroy those fucking crystals that blocked off many areas...
I made my way back to my ship on the surface through an elevator in Area 8. Just as I thought I was safe, I was ambushed by none other than Ridley, the famous space pirate that looks like a dragon. He captures the baby metroid, but Samus wasn't about to let that happen.
This battle was fucking spectacular and the highlight of the entire game. It was difficult, it was fun, it explains a lot about Super Metroid and it had some of the coolest looking animations and cutscenes in the game.
 |
| Samus Aran uncharacteristically shows compassion towards the baby metroid |
It took me at least 10 attempts to beat this guy... I eventually ended up using rapid-fire during the first few phases, then super missiles and regular plasma beam in the later phases. The problem was simply that Ridley is fast and deals a lot of damage, so I had to really be good at dodging. It worked out eventually and I beat the famous space pirate!
Samus and the baby escape narrowly, as Ridley was downed but not dead. Having played every other game in the series, I know that basically everything Samus did was a huge mistake. The metroids are actually a way to control and contain the X Parasite. It also seems like the metroids were a product of the Chozo, millennia ago. I really feel like replaying the Prime series now, particularly the first one...
I went back and completed the game to 100%, thanks to the baby's ability to destroy crystals. This unlocked some pretty cool 3D images that show the Chozo on SR-388 and their actions to control the X Parasite, as well as their use of the metroids. This was a nice little bonus. I also unlocked hard mode, though I'm never really a fan of replaying games on a higher difficulty.
Metroid Samus Returns is one of my favorite games on 3DS, and one of the best in the Metroid series. I'd say only Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion are better than this one, but even then, barely. Samus Returns is amazing, and I hope that Nintendo keeps making 2D games in the series.
