Super Metroid
Description
Super Metroid is an action-adventure video game and the third game in the Metroid series; the introduction alternatively refers to the game as Metroid 3. It was designed by Nintendo Research & Development 1, programmed by Intelligent Systems, and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. The game was released in Japan on March 19, 1994, in North America on April 18, 1994, and in Europe and Australia on July 28, 1994. It was released for the Wii Virtual Console in 2007. It was released for a limited time from May 15, 2013 as part of the Wii U Virtual Console Trial Campaign promotion. Super Metroid was directed and written by Yoshio Sakamoto, and produced by Makoto Kano with Gunpei Yokoi serving as general manager. The game’s story follows bounty hunter Samus Aran as she attempts to retrieve a stolen Metroid from the Space Pirates. Due to its detailed and colorful graphics, cinematic elements and progressive, distinctive gameplay the game received universal acclaim, being considered today to be one of the greatest video games of all time and earning an aggregated score of 96 percent from Game Rankings, making it the website’s ninth highest-rated game. Electronic Gaming Monthly named it the Game of the Month for May 1994, gave it an Editor’s Choice Award, awarded it as the Best Action Game of 1994, and named it the Best Game of All Time in 2003. In 2007, IGN ranked Super Metroid seventh in its list of Top 100 Games of All Time. Despite a highly positive critical reaction, the game sold poorly in Japan, but fared better in North America and Europe. Nevertheless, due to the game’s critical success, Nintendo placed it on their Player’s Choice marketing label.
How to Play Super Metroid Online
Press Start Game above to load the Super Nintendo emulator, then press Start, pick a save file and begin. You explore the planet Zebes as Samus Aran, finding upgrades that open new paths through a huge interconnected map. By default the arrow keys are the D-pad and the Z, X, A and S keys act as the SNES A, B, X and Y buttons, with Q and E as L and R; check or remap them in Control Settings in the emulator menu.
Super Metroid Controls
| SNES button | Action |
|---|---|
| D-pad | Move, aim up; press Down twice to roll into the Morph Ball |
| A | Jump (hold Run while jumping for a spin jump) |
| X | Fire the beam or the selected weapon |
| B | Run (with the Speed Booster, keep running to reach full speed) |
| Select | Choose missiles, super missiles, power bombs or the grapple beam |
| L / R | Aim diagonally down / up |
| Start | Open the map and equipment screen |
Tips for Exploring Zebes
- Check the map often. The pause map shows explored rooms and hints at areas you have not reached yet. Map stations reveal whole regions.
- Save at every save station. They also refill your energy, and losing all energy sends you back to your last save.
- Bomb and shoot suspicious walls. Many energy tanks and missile packs are hidden behind blocks that only break with bombs, missiles, super missiles or power bombs.
- Use the X-Ray Scope once you find it to reveal hidden blocks in a room.
- Learn the wall jump. Jump into a wall while spinning and press away from it with jump to climb shafts and reach early secrets.
- Collect missiles before bosses. Kraid, Phantoon, Draygon and Ridley all take far more damage from missiles and super missiles.
Story
After the events of the earlier games, Samus hands the last Metroid hatchling to scientists on the Ceres space station. Ridley attacks the station and steals it, and Samus follows him to Zebes, where the Space Pirates have rebuilt their base. She must defeat the four main bosses to open the way to Tourian and face Mother Brain once more.
Legacy
Super Metroid’s open world, atmosphere and secrets made it one of the most influential games of the 16-bit era, and it remains hugely popular with speedrunners. Play the original NES adventure in Metroid, or try other SNES action adventures such as Demon's Crest and Castlevania: Dracula X.
