Posted on March 8, 2009 by DK

Metroid is a Nintendo NES game and the first in the Metroid Series. 

Developed and published by Nintendo, the game was released in North America in August 1987. Set on the planet Zebes, the story follows Samus Aran as she attempts to retrieve Metroid creatures that were stolen by Space Pirates, who plan to replicate the Metroids by exposing them to Beta Rays and then use them as biological weapons to destroy Samus and all that oppose them.

The game’s style influenced other video games with its focus on exploration and searching for power-ups used to reach previously inaccessible areas. The varied endings for fast completion times made it a popular game for speed Playing through the game. Metroid was one of the first video games to feature a woman, Samus Aran, as a heroine. Nintendo Power ranked Metroid 11th on their list of the best video games made on a Nintendo Gaming Console. On Top 200 Games lists, Metroid was ranked in the top 10 by various gaming magazines.

Metroid takes place on the planet Zebes, a large, open ended world with areas connected by doors and elevators. The player controls Samus Aran as she travels through the planet’s caverns and hunts Space Pirates. She begins with a weak gun as her only weapon, and with only the ability to jump. The player explores more areas and collects power-ups that grant Samus special abilities and enhance her armor and weaponry, allowing the access areas that were previously inaccessible. Among the power-ups that are included in the game are the Morph Ball, which allows Samus to curl into a ball and roll into tunnels, and the Screw Attack, a rolling attack that destroys enemies in its path. In addition to common enemies, Samus encounters several bosses whom she needs to defeat along the way. Defeating an ordinary enemy usually gives additional energy or ammunition, while defeating a boss usually unlocks new weapons or abilities.

Story

Space Pirates attack a Galactic Federation-owned space station and seize samples of Metroid creatures. Dangerous floating organisms, Metroids can latch on to any organism and drain its life energy to kill it. The Space Pirates plan to create millions of Metroids use them them as weapons to destroy all living beings that oppose them. While searching for the stolen Metroids, the Galactic Federation locates the Space Pirates’ base of operations on the planet Zebes. The Federation assaults the planet, but the Pirates resist, forcing the Federation to retreat. As a last resort, the Federation decides to send a lone bounty hunter to penetrate the Pirates’ base and destroy Mother Brain, the mechanical life-form that controls the Space Pirates’ fortress and its defenses. Considered the greatest of all bounty hunters, Samus is chosen for the mission. She lands on the surface of Zebes and explores the planet, traveling through it’s caverns. She eventually comes across Kraid, an ally of the Space Pirates, and Ridley, the Space Pirates’ commander, and defeats them both. Eventually, Samus finds and destroys Mother Brain, triggering the self destruct mechanism and forcing Samus to escape the collapsing lair.

Metroid Legacy

The Nintendo Entertainment System version of Metroid sold over one million NES Games in North America. The game was re-released or made available several times after its original launch. Sequals included are, Super Metroid (SNES), Metroid Fusion, Metroid Prime (GC), Metroid Zero Mission (GBA) and many more. Commenting on the entire Metroid Series www.DKOldies.com remarked that search and discovery is what made this franchise and what continues to make it one of the most popular games of all time and without the ground breaking first game the video game world would look very different today!