My experience with this classic Nintendo series

In the leadup to the (at this point fabled) Metroid Prime 4, I’ve been reflecting on the series and thinking about how much fun, frustration, and even fear I’ve experienced with these games. From the working-in-the-dark feeling of the original NES game to the fear-inducing environment and enemies in Metroid Dread, the series always seems to have one surprise after the next.

For this article, I’ll just be writing about official releases of main story games featuring Samus Aran. I’m also not going to do a deep dive on the lore. This is all about the experience. Lastly, I’ll be writing in the order I played the games.

As a bonus, I’ll include the story order of the games and my recommended playthrough order at the end!

Where am I supposed to go?

Playing the original Metroid in 2025 feels…odd. There’s no map or guidance, and no indication of where you are supposed to go. Released in 1986, Metroid for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was a product of the time. Games were hard…really hard. No continues, save points, or respawns to get you out of a jam. As 1980s supervillain Ivan Drago might say; if you die, you die.

There may be no greater sense of defeat than making it to the final boss in an NES game only to die and have to start the game from the beginning. To be fair, Metroid did give players a little bit of help through the password system. When you died, a long password would display. You had to copy the password and enter it on the start screen and you would start at the beginning of the area where you died. Sounds great, right? The issue is that you only started with 30 health. Not even a single full energy tank. So this meant farming. Lots and lots of farming for health. It was tedious and time consuming. But, it beats starting from the beginning, right?

Metroid is from another era of hand drawn maps, secrets and strategies in the Nintendo Power magazine, and chatting with friends at school about how far they had gotten. It’s a unique entry in the series because it was expansive yet basic when compared to the games that followed. The ultimate shock to us young gamers came if and when we beat the game with a good. After defeating Mother Brain and escaping Planet Zebes we were treated to the unveiling of Samus Aran.

She’s a girl? Awesome!

Samus in the palm of your hand.

Nintendo released Metroid II: Samus Returns on the GameBoy in 1992. It plays like the NES game, but with a key improvement; save stations. Players could finally save progress without fear of losing health or missiles if they or their four AA batteries died. You learned some hard truths about life if you had a GameBoy. Like how my dad wasn’t willing to totally derail a family vacation to buy me batteries. Weird.

Metroid II was one of the first games I had for GameBoy and I really liked it. There was only one problem; I’m not very good at video games. I’ve been playing my whole life, but I’m just bad. I routinely play games in easy mode. If there’s a “story” mode, I’m all in! To this day, I have yet to complete the game. I was an adult before I finally beat Metroid on NES and only with the assistance of a Game Genie.

Speaking of Game Genie, if you haven’t seen these commercials, or haven’t seen them in a while…enjoy.

Game Genie for the NES Commercial: watch
Game Genie for the SNES and Genesis Commercial: watch (Excellent!)

Prime Time!

My true love affair with Metroid began with Metroid Prime. Released for the Nintendo GameCube in 2002, it redefined the series. It was the first 3D game in the series and introduced new gameplay elements, a new direction for Samus Aran’s story, and unlocked a new audience for Metroid after a long hiatus during the Nintendo64 era.

Prime was one of the first games I played on the GameCube and I immediately fell in love with the controller and the control scheme. I was nervous about a 3D Metroid, first person games were just starting to become the standard and I was typically more drawn to third person formats like Metal Gear Solid. All my trepidation evaporated within the first hour of gameplay as I blasted enemies, solved puzzles, unlocked abilities, and explored Tallon IV.

Prime’s 3D map and rewards made exploration fun and manageable and the difficulty levels made it approachable. It was also intense. As I progressed through the game, I was surprised at how tense I felt. There were even moments where I was a little scared (looking at you Phazon Elite Pirate). The game’s finale was lengthy and challenging, leaving me exhausted and relieved when it was over. At the time, there weren’t many games I completed, so it felt like a real achievement.

Prime has been re-released twice. First for the Nintendo Wii, complete with motion controls and again as an HD remaster for the Nintendo Switch. I highly recommend both but if you’re going to play one version, the HD remaster is unquestionably the way to go. Modern controls, beautiful graphics, and improved gameplay make it a deal at twice the price.

The dark and the light make me feel not alright.

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes released in 2004, also for the GameCube. The story picks up where Prime left off. Samus has been sent to the multi-dimensional planet Aether to rescue a group of Space Marines. In one of the Prime series’ best storyline elements, we are introduced to Dark Samus, a being born of Samus herself and hellbent on obliteration of our hero.

I was incredibly excited to play Prime 2. Then I played it and realized I was way out of my league. I died. A lot. Prime 2 retained the 3D mapping and general exploration elements, so it felt familiar. But the steep increase in difficulty meant I would never see its conclusion.

Advance to the past.

After playing the first two games in the Prime series, I was excited to return to the 2D world of Metroid. Metroid Fusion, also released in 2002 for the GameBoy Advance handheld system, would return Samus to her sidescrolling roots. It didn’t hurt that Fusion had an absolutely epic (pre-HD) commercial…check it out.

I received a GameBoy Advance SP and both Metroid Fusion and Zero Mission from a friend as a gift. I was overwhelmed by his generosity and I remember it to this day. He knew how much I loved Metroid and wanted me to experience these two amazing games.

Fusion is my favorite Metroid game. It has a great story, lots of suspense, super fun gameplay, and high replay value. Fusion would be the second Metroid game I completed, despite challenging boss fights, confusing paths, and general difficulty. Fusion is generous with savepoints and wayfinding, so much so that the game receives some criticism for its lack of exploration and player guided order of play. For example, players are only able to explore parts of the map that are relevant to the mission at hand.

Fusion is a separate timeline from the Prime series and is a direct prequel to Metroid Dread. Samus has been dispatched to the Biologic Space Laboratories (BSL), where she encounters the deadly X Parasite. Fusion also introduced navigation rooms where Samus interacts with an AI that provides her with intelligence about the BSL, X Parasite, and events that unfold during the game, while providing guidance on where to go next.

Fusion was released on the same day as Metroid Prime. The two games could be linked using the GameBoy Advance link cable, which would allow players to unlock special content for Prime. After defeating Fusion, players were treated to an emulated version of the original Metroid.

This is all very…familiar.

Metroid: Zero Mission was released for the GameBoy Advance in 2004 and kept Samus in the 2D world. Zero Mission is a remake of Metroid for the NES, with significant upgrades to the gameplay including a detailed map and save rooms making it much more approachable than original Metroid.

Samus has enhanced moves and abilities thanks to the increased processing power of the GameBoy Advance. Developers also added an additional mission following the destruction of Mother Brain and Planet Zebes. I finally got to see the ending of the original Metroid story. I will never forget facing Mother Brain for the first time and feeling like I was so close. I had plenty of health, plenty of missiles, and was ready to wreak havoc on the one-eyed menace.

Zero Missions keeps most elements of the original Metroid in place, including exploration and increasing challenge of the first game. The save stations and ample health and missile drops definitely make Zero Mission a really fun outing and another of my favorites in the series.

Wii’re gonna love this!

The developers of Metroid games have never been afraid to take chances, case in point, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. Released in 2007 for the Nintendo Wii, Corruption would be the first and only original Metroid game built with and for motion controls. The experience of using the Wii Remote and Wii Nunchuck were incredible. The controls were fluid and tight and I remember feeling more immersed in the gameplay because of it.

Samus teams up with other galactic bounty hunters in the fight against the Space Pirates, who have been exploiting Phazon for their dastardly deeds. Samus herself is infected with Phazon, which causes some interesting consequences for her (and everyone else).

Prime 3 is a lot of fun and I remember not wanting to put it down. The ending was satisfying (yes, I beat it!) and left me wanting a sequel. Prime 4, has long been rumored and is finally set to release in 2025, nearly twenty years later.

Something’s not right here…

Metroid: Other M was released in 2010 for the Nintendo Wii as a third person game with first person elements. I didn’t like it. I didn’t play it very long. Other M is widely considered to be the worst game in the Metroid series. I don’t have much more to say about it. Sorry, Other M fans.

What have I been missing?!

I didn’t own a Super Nintendo when I was younger. We went from the NES to the Sega Genesis. I had a Super Nintendo later in life, but I had not yet discovered Metroid Prime and so I had no real desire to play Super Metroid, remembering only how difficult the first two games for the NES and GameBoy were.

As part of the Nintendo family plan players have access to early system emulators on the Switch, including Super Nintendo and Super Metroid. This game is the stuff of legend and as perfect a Metroid experience as you can have. Tight gameplay, great story, exploration, and just the right level of challenge make it an absolute masterpiece. It is often featured on “Great Games of All Time” lists and it’s no surprise why.

Super Metroid follows the events of Other M chronologically, but it’s the third Metroid release. You even see the title Metroid 3 when you boot the game. Super Metroid is the only must-play game in the series so get your hands on it however you can and enjoy the greatest adventure of Samus Aran.

What the $%&# was that?!

The Metroid series has always been known for two things; exploration and Samus hunting down her abilities. The enemies she faces have always been challenging, but defeatable. Boss fights take players to the very edge of their skill, levelling up in challenge alongside our virtual bounty hunter.

It’s a formula, and it works. Metroid Dread turns that formula on its head with the introduction of the E.M.M.I., sentries that are impossible for Samus to kill and Raven Beak, an enemy far more powerful than our hero. Dread puts players on their heels. The only way for Samus to deal with the E.M.M.I. (at first) is to run. The encounters are tense and fill players with…well, dread as they desperately flee the E.M.M.I. zones.

Dread is hard. So much so that the developers would later add an easier mode through a software update. Before the update, I made it about halfway through the game. After the update, I reached the final boss, but as of this writing I have not been able to defeat him.

Dread is a great game with really cool gameplay elements and the sidescrolling adventure encourages players to capitalize on the melee system, an ability that makes a huge difference once mastered. And it looks great on the Switch’s screen, especially the OLED, but it really shines if played on a TV. If you’re up for a challenge and not easily frightened, Dread is a great addition to the Metroid lore.

Fusing it all together.

In summary, you can’t go wrong with the Metroid series unless you only play Metroid: Other M, again, very sorry, M fans. Each game is unique and fun in its own way. There are definitely series within the overall releases but they are not so story driven that you can’t pick up any of the games and start playing. If you’re interested, there are tons of videos that do deep dives on the story, characters, and lore behind Metroid and Samus Aran.

Where to start?

This is one of the most common questions Metroid fans get. If you talk to ten people, you’ll get ten different answers. There is no right way, there’s just the way you choose.

Chronologically — Story

Below are the story order of the games. There are obvious advantages to playing through them this way, though the jumping back and forth between console/handheld generations can be jarring.

• Metroid / Metroid: Zero Mission
• Metroid Prime
• Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
• Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
• Metroid II: The Return of Samus / Samus Returns
• Super Metroid
• Metroid: Other M
• Metroid Fusion
• Metroid Dread

Chronologically — Release

This is the order the games were released and how players would have experienced them in real time. Advantages are the improvement in technology along the way. The disadvantage is that the story may feel disjointed.

• Metroid
• Metroid II: The Return of Samus
• Super Metroid
• Metroid Prime / Metroid Fusion
• Metroid: Zero Mission
• Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
• Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
• Metroid: Other M
• Metroid Dread

My recommended play order.

I like this order because it chunks the mini-series together while progressing with technology. It separates Fusion and Dread, but I suggest that because the GameBoy Advance games are so similar in playstyle and Dread feels very modern.

• Metroid: Zero Mission
• Metroid II: The Return of Samus
• Metroid Fusion
• Super Metroid
• Metroid Prime
• Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
• Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
• Metroid Dread

Skippable?

This might be shocking and controversial in the Metroid community, but there are games I feel you can skip.

• Metroid (NES). I know! It sounds bad. But if you’re playing Zero Mission, you’re getting the same story in a better game. If you want to experience the challenge of not having a map, higher difficulty, and the constant farming for health, definitely give the OG a try.
• Metroid: Other M. This game is just bad and the majority of Metroid fans agree.
• Metroid Pinball. It’s pinball.
• Metroid Prime DS Hunters. This game introduces you to characters you’ll meet in Prime 3, but it’s not a critical entry and doesn’t focus on Samus. That said, it’s not a bad game for an early entry on the Nintendo DS.
• Metroid Prime Federation Force. Read about it and decide for yourself.

What do you think? If you haven’t played Metroid before, have I convinced you to give it a try? What will you start with? Metroid fans, how do you feel about my lists?

Thanks for reading! If you want to read more game, music, and movie content, check out the Rebel Replay.

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Metroid: A Prime Fusion of Dread and Exploration was originally published in Fanfare on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.