Metroid II: Return of Samus
Encyclopedia
is an action-adventure
video game, the second game in the Metroid series
, and the only one developed for the Nintendo
Game Boy
. The sixth installment in the overall series story, the game was developed by Nintendo Research & Development 1
(Nintendo R&D1), and published by Nintendo in North America in November 1991, in Japan in January 1992, and in Europe in May 1992. In Metroid II, the developers added round metal shoulders on Samus's Varia Suit to differentiate it from her Power Suit, since both looked similar on the Game Boy's limited greyscale display. The updated suit has since been a staple of the series, appearing in all subsequent games.
The story of Metroid II follows the protagonist and playable character Samus Aran
, who is sent on a mission to exterminate the Metroid creatures from their home planet SR388 before the antagonistic Space Pirates obtain and use them. On the planet, Samus encounters Metroids in different stages of their evolution cycle, ranging in forms from small jellyfish-like creatures to large, hovering, reptilian beasts. Eventually, Samus reaches the Queen Metroid and kills it. Continuing through the planet's caverns, Samus finds a Metroid egg, which hatches in front of her. The creature forms a bond with Samus and follows her to her gunship
, setting the plot for Super Metroid
(1994).
Although not as well received as the original Metroid on the Nintendo Entertainment System
, the game was still given generally favorable reviews, receiving an aggregated score of 80% from Game Rankings
. Praise focused on the game's story and settings, while criticism targeted its graphics and audio. Video game magazine Nintendo Power
ranked the game as the 102nd-best game on a Nintendo console in their list of the Top 200 Games. Tim Jones of IGN
found Metroid II a refreshing departure from the norm, and praised its replay value
, while 1UP.com
's Jeremy Parish felt that the game's visuals were bland and monotonous, noting that the music was not up to par with what the series is known for.
Metroid II is an action-adventure video game in which the player controls the protagonist Samus Aran on the fictional planet SR388. In this side-scroller, players advance through the game by using Samus's weapons to kill a fixed number of Metroid creatures. The player is given a detector that displays the number of Metroids remaining in the area. Once all the creatures are eliminated, an earthquake occurs and the planet's lava levels decrease, allowing Samus to travel deeper through its tunnels. Metroid II features save modules
located around the planet, which allow players to save their progress and continue in another session. After the game's end credits are displayed, the total time taken to complete the game is shown, which determines whether Samus poses with or without her suit.
The game features two weapons new to the Metroid series: the tri-splitting Spazer Laser Beam, and the Plasma Beam, which passes through enemies when shot. Samus can only equip one beam at a time; however, she can switch between them by returning to where they are first found. Metroid II features the Space Jump, a new suit enhancement that allows Samus to access otherwise unreachable areas. The game also sees the return of Samus's Morph Ball, a mode in which she curls up into a ball to travel through small tunnels. In addition, the game is the first in the series to feature the Spider Ball and Spring Ball. The Spider Ball allows Samus to climb most walls or ceilings, giving her freedom to explore both the surfaces and ceilings of caverns, and the Spring Ball gives Samus the ability to jump while curled up into a ball in the Morph Ball form.
, bounty hunter Samus Aran ruined the Space Pirates' plans to use the newly discovered lifeform known as Metroid. To ensure that the Space Pirates can never obtain any more Metroids, the Galactic Federation sends several teams to the Metroids' home planet, SR388, to destroy them once and for all. However, when none of the teams survive, the Galactic Federation contracts Samus to finish the mission.
While exploring the planet, Samus encounters Metroids and destroys them, slowly decreasing the planet's Metroid population. During her mission, she notices the mutations that each creature exhibits: the Metroids grow from small jellyfish-like creatures into large, hovering, lizard-like beasts. After destroying most of the planet's Metroids, Samus encounters and battles the Metroid Queen. Killing it, Samus proceeds to return to her gunship through the planet's tunnels.
Along the way, she finds a Metroid egg that hatches in front of her. A Metroid hatchling floats out of the broken shell and imprints
onto Samus, thinking that she is its mother. Unable to commit to her mission of extermination, Samus spares its life. She exits the tunnels while the Metroid helps clear the way. Reaching the planet's surface, the Metroid and Samus board the gunship together.
s, with graphics that were almost as good as the 8-bit graphics in games for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game featured a battery backup to allow players to continue their games from a previously saved point. Metroid II was designed by Nintendo R&D1 and produced by Gunpei Yokoi; they both also worked on the previous Metroid game. The game features enhancements from its predecessor that include easier controls which allow Samus to crouch while firing at the same time, and jump while shooting straight down to attack anything below her.
The Game Boy's black and white graphics limited the detail in each area of the game, which led to changes to Samus's gear that eventually became permanent. In the original Metroid on the Nintendo Entertainment System, color was used to differentiate between Samus's Power Suit and her Varia Suit, an upgraded version. However, without color on the Game Boy, the two suits appeared similar, forcing the developers to develop a visual indicator for players to determine which suit Samus is wearing. They updated her Varia Suit, adding round metal shoulders that have been a part of the suit in every game in the series since then. The game allowed players to save their progress for the first time in the series outside Japan. To save the game, players entered special portals, which have appeared in every Metroid game since. Metroid II is the only game in the series to show every stage of the Metroid creature's development cycle; the evolution stages that they go through are: Original, Alpha, Gamma, Zeta, Omega, and Queen. The more developed the organism is, the stronger its attack. Because of the Game Boy's small screen, the developers made Samus's model bigger compared to her surroundings, to give more detail in her appearance using limited graphics capabilities. While improving Samus's design, the change also made the environments feel cramped.
Metroid IIs designer, Nintendo R&D1, was also involved in developing the Game Boy Color
, a device similar to the Game Boy but with a color screen. Nintendo's Dan Owsen acknowledged in an interview that the company planned to release a color version of Metroid II. He believed that Nintendo R&D1 included a special "Metroid palette" in the Game Boy Color's hardware, which "makes Metroid II look really, really nice on Game Boy Color", and remarked that the release should have graphics comparable to the original Metroid on the Nintendo Entertainment System. However, the project was eventually canceled.
Due to the black and white color palette used in Metroid II, and because of the canceled Game Boy Color version, there have been attempts to create colored versions of Metroid II. A programmer using the pseudonym DoctorM64 created Project AM2R, also known as Another Metroid 2 Remake. The project aims to update the game's appearance by emulating, and in some cases, trumping the visual design of Super Metroid
(1994) and Metroid: Zero Mission
(2004). The game is in working beta as of March 2008. Ars Technica claims that it features "incredible graphics" and they consider it a "painstaking recreation of the original level design". They observed, "The animations are incredibly smooth, colors vibrant, and backgrounds well-detailed." As of February 6, 2011, Project AM2R appears to be nearing its final stages of development. Because of this, DoctorM64 has put out a what would amount to a minigame
, called Metroid: Confrontation, to test the game's engine and acquire feedback from his fanbase.
released Metroid II in North America in November 1991, in Japan on January 21, 1992, and in Europe on May 21, 1992. Critics preferred the Nintendo Entertainment System counterpart. Although considered by a few to be the weakest game in the franchise, Metroid II still received generally favorable reviews, receiving an aggregated score of 80% from Game Rankings
. Nintendo included the game in its Player's Choice
marketing label. Praise for Metroid II focused on its story and settings, while criticism targeted the game's graphics and audio. In their Top 200 Games list, Nintendo Power
ranked the game as the 85th best game on a Nintendo console, and Videogames.com
included it in their list of the best Game Boy games. Nintendo Power listed it as the 12th-best Game Boy
/Game Boy Color
video game, praising it for introducing several staple abilities to the series.
Because Metroid II has a single large level instead of multiple small ones, IGN
's Tim Jones found the game a "refreshing departure from the norm", which made him feel claustrophobic the further into the game he ventured. He considered the graphics average, however, and noted that the walls appeared mostly the same, which confuses players when wandering through identical tunnels. Jones was also dismayed by the game's audio, commenting "A lot of the time there is no music, just a steady beat, but when you get into certain areas a slow, moody tune begins to play in the background." He praised Metroid IIs replay value
, considering its non-linearity as the primary reason for this. Summarizing his review, Jones stated, "This is a very good game, full of the renowned Nintendo magic: a classic in many ways. It is also very cheap, so if you manage to find a copy then there is no excuse not to buy it. It has great gameplay, heightened by the superb suspense and tension, and a lot of replay value. Go get it!"
Jeremy Parish of 1UP.com
was particularly critical of the game. Disappointed by its graphics, he complained that aside from Samus, the visuals for the environment are "bland and repetitive, full of monotonous rocks and sand with few details to differentiate the various areas, and the enemies are mostly simple and boxy". He also criticized the "downright painful" music, which he compared with the "moody, atmospheric compositions" the series was known for. Parish found the game's premise a saving grace, though; considering it "ambitious", he added that it also provided the series a vital crux: "Samus' actions in Metroid II fuel the plots of both its sequels: Super Metroid [and] Metroid Fusion." Reminding that the game was not without its charms, Parish still found the game painful to play, and described it as "something of a dark spot on a brilliant series' reputation".
GameTrailers
noted that Metroid II is too linear and was unimpressed with its audio and visuals. Despite those shortcomings, the publication believed that the game still maintained the high standards set by its predecessor and noted that it also introduced new methods of exploration to the series that have become staples. GameTrailers also commented that it told one of the most pivotal chapters in the series' overall plot. Ars Technica called Metroid II a "rather bland and ugly game, even for its time". Allgame
believed that Metroid II would please fans of the original Metroid, and they noticed that the backgrounds were more detailed in this Game Boy iteration. GamesRadar
listed Metroid II: Return of Samus as one of the titles they want in the Nintendo 3DS
's Virtual Console
.
(1992), Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge (1991), and several others would be released on the Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console platform at the end of the year. It was later released in Japan on September 28, 2011, and in North America and Europe on November 24, 2011.
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
video game, the second game in the Metroid series
Metroid
is an action-adventure video game, and the first entry in the Metroid series. It was co-developed by Nintendo's Research and Development 1 division and Intelligent Systems, and was released in Japan in August 1986, in North America in August 1987, and in Europe in January 1988...
, and the only one developed for the Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
. The sixth installment in the overall series story, the game was developed by Nintendo Research & Development 1
Nintendo Research & Development 1
was Nintendo's oldest development team. Its creation coincided with Nintendo's entry into the video games industry, and the original R&D1 was headed by Gunpei Yokoi...
(Nintendo R&D1), and published by Nintendo in North America in November 1991, in Japan in January 1992, and in Europe in May 1992. In Metroid II, the developers added round metal shoulders on Samus's Varia Suit to differentiate it from her Power Suit, since both looked similar on the Game Boy's limited greyscale display. The updated suit has since been a staple of the series, appearing in all subsequent games.
The story of Metroid II follows the protagonist and playable character Samus Aran
Samus Aran
is the protagonist of the Metroid video game series. Introduced in the 1986 video game Metroid, Samus is a female ex-army soldier bounty hunter usually fitted with a powered armor suit with weapons that include beams and missiles...
, who is sent on a mission to exterminate the Metroid creatures from their home planet SR388 before the antagonistic Space Pirates obtain and use them. On the planet, Samus encounters Metroids in different stages of their evolution cycle, ranging in forms from small jellyfish-like creatures to large, hovering, reptilian beasts. Eventually, Samus reaches the Queen Metroid and kills it. Continuing through the planet's caverns, Samus finds a Metroid egg, which hatches in front of her. The creature forms a bond with Samus and follows her to her gunship
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
, setting the plot for Super Metroid
Super Metroid
, also known as Metroid 3, is an action-adventure video game and the third game in the Metroid series. 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...
(1994).
Although not as well received as the original Metroid on the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
, the game was still given generally favorable reviews, receiving an aggregated score of 80% from Game Rankings
Game Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
. Praise focused on the game's story and settings, while criticism targeted its graphics and audio. Video game magazine Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
ranked the game as the 102nd-best game on a Nintendo console in their list of the Top 200 Games. Tim Jones of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
found Metroid II a refreshing departure from the norm, and praised its replay value
Replay value
Replay value or replayability is a term found in combination with video games, but it may be also used to describe other kinds of games, movies, music, or theater plays. In video games, the term replay value is used to describe the entertainment value of playing a game more than once...
, while 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
's Jeremy Parish felt that the game's visuals were bland and monotonous, noting that the music was not up to par with what the series is known for.
Gameplay
Saved game
A saved game is a piece of digitally stored information about the progress of a player in a video game. This saved game can be reloaded later, so the player can continue where he or she had stopped...
located around the planet, which allow players to save their progress and continue in another session. After the game's end credits are displayed, the total time taken to complete the game is shown, which determines whether Samus poses with or without her suit.
The game features two weapons new to the Metroid series: the tri-splitting Spazer Laser Beam, and the Plasma Beam, which passes through enemies when shot. Samus can only equip one beam at a time; however, she can switch between them by returning to where they are first found. Metroid II features the Space Jump, a new suit enhancement that allows Samus to access otherwise unreachable areas. The game also sees the return of Samus's Morph Ball, a mode in which she curls up into a ball to travel through small tunnels. In addition, the game is the first in the series to feature the Spider Ball and Spring Ball. The Spider Ball allows Samus to climb most walls or ceilings, giving her freedom to explore both the surfaces and ceilings of caverns, and the Spring Ball gives Samus the ability to jump while curled up into a ball in the Morph Ball form.
Plot
Chronologically, Metroid II: Return of Samus takes place sixth in the Metroid fictional universe. In the previous MetroidMetroid
is an action-adventure video game, and the first entry in the Metroid series. It was co-developed by Nintendo's Research and Development 1 division and Intelligent Systems, and was released in Japan in August 1986, in North America in August 1987, and in Europe in January 1988...
, bounty hunter Samus Aran ruined the Space Pirates' plans to use the newly discovered lifeform known as Metroid. To ensure that the Space Pirates can never obtain any more Metroids, the Galactic Federation sends several teams to the Metroids' home planet, SR388, to destroy them once and for all. However, when none of the teams survive, the Galactic Federation contracts Samus to finish the mission.
While exploring the planet, Samus encounters Metroids and destroys them, slowly decreasing the planet's Metroid population. During her mission, she notices the mutations that each creature exhibits: the Metroids grow from small jellyfish-like creatures into large, hovering, lizard-like beasts. After destroying most of the planet's Metroids, Samus encounters and battles the Metroid Queen. Killing it, Samus proceeds to return to her gunship through the planet's tunnels.
Along the way, she finds a Metroid egg that hatches in front of her. A Metroid hatchling floats out of the broken shell and imprints
Imprinting (psychology)
Imprinting is the term used in psychology and ethology to describe any kind of phase-sensitive learning that is rapid and apparently independent of the consequences of behavior...
onto Samus, thinking that she is its mother. Unable to commit to her mission of extermination, Samus spares its life. She exits the tunnels while the Metroid helps clear the way. Reaching the planet's surface, the Metroid and Samus board the gunship together.
Development
Metroid II marked a "new high point" for handheld game consoleHandheld game console
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
s, with graphics that were almost as good as the 8-bit graphics in games for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game featured a battery backup to allow players to continue their games from a previously saved point. Metroid II was designed by Nintendo R&D1 and produced by Gunpei Yokoi; they both also worked on the previous Metroid game. The game features enhancements from its predecessor that include easier controls which allow Samus to crouch while firing at the same time, and jump while shooting straight down to attack anything below her.
The Game Boy's black and white graphics limited the detail in each area of the game, which led to changes to Samus's gear that eventually became permanent. In the original Metroid on the Nintendo Entertainment System, color was used to differentiate between Samus's Power Suit and her Varia Suit, an upgraded version. However, without color on the Game Boy, the two suits appeared similar, forcing the developers to develop a visual indicator for players to determine which suit Samus is wearing. They updated her Varia Suit, adding round metal shoulders that have been a part of the suit in every game in the series since then. The game allowed players to save their progress for the first time in the series outside Japan. To save the game, players entered special portals, which have appeared in every Metroid game since. Metroid II is the only game in the series to show every stage of the Metroid creature's development cycle; the evolution stages that they go through are: Original, Alpha, Gamma, Zeta, Omega, and Queen. The more developed the organism is, the stronger its attack. Because of the Game Boy's small screen, the developers made Samus's model bigger compared to her surroundings, to give more detail in her appearance using limited graphics capabilities. While improving Samus's design, the change also made the environments feel cramped.
Metroid IIs designer, Nintendo R&D1, was also involved in developing the Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
, a device similar to the Game Boy but with a color screen. Nintendo's Dan Owsen acknowledged in an interview that the company planned to release a color version of Metroid II. He believed that Nintendo R&D1 included a special "Metroid palette" in the Game Boy Color's hardware, which "makes Metroid II look really, really nice on Game Boy Color", and remarked that the release should have graphics comparable to the original Metroid on the Nintendo Entertainment System. However, the project was eventually canceled.
Due to the black and white color palette used in Metroid II, and because of the canceled Game Boy Color version, there have been attempts to create colored versions of Metroid II. A programmer using the pseudonym DoctorM64 created Project AM2R, also known as Another Metroid 2 Remake. The project aims to update the game's appearance by emulating, and in some cases, trumping the visual design of Super Metroid
Super Metroid
, also known as Metroid 3, is an action-adventure video game and the third game in the Metroid series. 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...
(1994) and Metroid: Zero Mission
Metroid: Zero Mission
is an action-adventure video game developed by Nintendo R&D1 for the Game Boy Advance handheld console. It was published by Nintendo in North America in February 2004, in Australia in March 2004, in Europe in April 2004, and in Japan in May 2004. It is the sixth installment of the Metroid series,...
(2004). The game is in working beta as of March 2008. Ars Technica claims that it features "incredible graphics" and they consider it a "painstaking recreation of the original level design". They observed, "The animations are incredibly smooth, colors vibrant, and backgrounds well-detailed." As of February 6, 2011, Project AM2R appears to be nearing its final stages of development. Because of this, DoctorM64 has put out a what would amount to a minigame
Minigame
A minigame is a short video game often contained within another video game. A minigame is always smaller or more simplistic than the game in which it is contained. Minigames are sometimes also offered separately for free to promote the main game...
, called Metroid: Confrontation, to test the game's engine and acquire feedback from his fanbase.
Reception
NintendoNintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
released Metroid II in North America in November 1991, in Japan on January 21, 1992, and in Europe on May 21, 1992. Critics preferred the Nintendo Entertainment System counterpart. Although considered by a few to be the weakest game in the franchise, Metroid II still received generally favorable reviews, receiving an aggregated score of 80% from Game Rankings
Game Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
. Nintendo included the game in its Player's Choice
Player's Choice
Nintendo Selects is a marketing label used by Nintendo to promote video games on Nintendo game consoles which have sold well; Nintendo Selects titles are sold at a lower price point than other games...
marketing label. Praise for Metroid II focused on its story and settings, while criticism targeted the game's graphics and audio. In their Top 200 Games list, Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
ranked the game as the 85th best game on a Nintendo console, and Videogames.com
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
included it in their list of the best Game Boy games. Nintendo Power listed it as the 12th-best Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
/Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
video game, praising it for introducing several staple abilities to the series.
Because Metroid II has a single large level instead of multiple small ones, IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Tim Jones found the game a "refreshing departure from the norm", which made him feel claustrophobic the further into the game he ventured. He considered the graphics average, however, and noted that the walls appeared mostly the same, which confuses players when wandering through identical tunnels. Jones was also dismayed by the game's audio, commenting "A lot of the time there is no music, just a steady beat, but when you get into certain areas a slow, moody tune begins to play in the background." He praised Metroid IIs replay value
Replay value
Replay value or replayability is a term found in combination with video games, but it may be also used to describe other kinds of games, movies, music, or theater plays. In video games, the term replay value is used to describe the entertainment value of playing a game more than once...
, considering its non-linearity as the primary reason for this. Summarizing his review, Jones stated, "This is a very good game, full of the renowned Nintendo magic: a classic in many ways. It is also very cheap, so if you manage to find a copy then there is no excuse not to buy it. It has great gameplay, heightened by the superb suspense and tension, and a lot of replay value. Go get it!"
Jeremy Parish of 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
was particularly critical of the game. Disappointed by its graphics, he complained that aside from Samus, the visuals for the environment are "bland and repetitive, full of monotonous rocks and sand with few details to differentiate the various areas, and the enemies are mostly simple and boxy". He also criticized the "downright painful" music, which he compared with the "moody, atmospheric compositions" the series was known for. Parish found the game's premise a saving grace, though; considering it "ambitious", he added that it also provided the series a vital crux: "Samus' actions in Metroid II fuel the plots of both its sequels: Super Metroid [and] Metroid Fusion." Reminding that the game was not without its charms, Parish still found the game painful to play, and described it as "something of a dark spot on a brilliant series' reputation".
GameTrailers
GameTrailers
GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...
noted that Metroid II is too linear and was unimpressed with its audio and visuals. Despite those shortcomings, the publication believed that the game still maintained the high standards set by its predecessor and noted that it also introduced new methods of exploration to the series that have become staples. GameTrailers also commented that it told one of the most pivotal chapters in the series' overall plot. Ars Technica called Metroid II a "rather bland and ugly game, even for its time". Allgame
Allgame
Allgame is a commercial database of information about arcade games, video games and console manufacturers.Allgame is owned by All Media Guide, along with Allmusic and Allmovie....
believed that Metroid II would please fans of the original Metroid, and they noticed that the backgrounds were more detailed in this Game Boy iteration. GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
listed Metroid II: Return of Samus as one of the titles they want in the Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo 3DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo. The autostereoscopic device is able to project stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or any additional accessories. The Nintendo 3DS features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS series software, including Nintendo DSi software...
's Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
.
Re-release
Nintendo announced on August 17, 2011, that Metroid II, along with other Game Boy games such as Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden CoinsSuper Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
is a platforming video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. It was released in Japan on October 21, 1992, in North America on November 2, 1992, and in Europe on January 28, 1993...
(1992), Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge (1991), and several others would be released on the Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console platform at the end of the year. It was later released in Japan on September 28, 2011, and in North America and Europe on November 24, 2011.
External links
- Official Nintendo Japan Metroid II: Return of Samus site
- Metroid II at the Metroid Database
- Metroid II at IGNIGNIGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...