Samus' Triumphant 2D Return

If the general consensus is to be believed, Nintendo won 2017's E3. The Big N's presentation was the shortest of the bunch, showing games that will be released next year as well as this year. They also dropped the tactical nuke that is two, count 'em two Metroid games. Metroid Prime 4 is in development for the Switch and Metroid II: Return of Samus was at long last getting an overhaul in the form of Metroid: Samus Returns on the 3DS. September 15th has come and gone and I've spent some time with my special edition version of the game (that pixel key chain is so cute and I love the reversarable classic GB Metroid II cover). I hesitate to jump on the "Samus is finally back!" train because I don't think Other M deserves all the vitriol it gets and Federation Force was a harmless spinoff. Now if we're talking 2D or more appropriately, 2.5D, then yes, Samus is definitely back, baby.

One of the best things about a Metroid game is the world around you that you travel. Areas in Samus Returns all sport their own color palette, looking different from one another with detailed background and foreground imagery. Sometimes I can see creatures moving in the background as I'm making rounds and that makes me uneasy as I think they may attack me. Thus far, everything I've seen has been territorial, so I've adopted a "If it moves, kill it" mindset for this game. Thus far, no alien life forms in the background moving about have taken a swipe at me. At least, not yet.

We all know the federation troops that were sent to investigate SR388 are all dead, but the game is none too shy about showing you their corpses as you explore this hostile planet. Seriously, it looks like the locals and Metroids went to town on some of those poor saps. Their dead bodies are some of the first things you see when you arrive on SR388 and it serves as harsh reminder of what can happen to you if aren't on your feet at all times. The regular enemies hit hard, sure, but the Metroids are the true heavy hitters.

If you're unfamiliar with the Metroid series, saw the amiibos and thought Metroids were all cute, jelly, squishy things, well, you're both right and wrong. The jellyfish like appearance is their larva state. The bulk of the Metroids you encounter in Samus Returns are the mutated kind, prime nightmare fuel that look they stepped out of Alien movies. The Metroids are big and take a hit. They can take several of them, actually. Most of the game overs I've gotten have been at the hands of the numerous Metroid types. There are 40 of these freaks and if you wanna beat the game, you gotta kill 'em all. My first few hours, though, they were the ones killing me.

Samus Returns is the most I've died in a Metroid game probably since I first started playing the series in the early 1990s. Yet, despite all my deaths, I never wanted to give up or throw my 3DS in frustration. With every failure, I learned to get better with the free aim, when to counter and just improve overall. Metroid fights are now among some of my favorite parts of Samus Returns. The Metroids change up their attacks with different types and encounters. I found out the hard way that some can electrify entire platforms and some shoot lasers for big damage. When you get the patterns down, though, fighting these guys and ending the battle without damage feels frickin' great.

For all the time I spent playing the original Metroid II, I never did complete that game. I think I got down to 29 or so Metroids before I would always get lost due to so much of the areas looking similar and the lack of a map. Real shame, because as a kid, I loved Metroid II. Samus Returns has areas that all look different with surprisingly lush, detailed backgrounds. Some scenes sport pouring waterfalls, blazing infernos (yes, there are a number of hot spots) and plants that brighten up otherwise drab areas. Sure, Metroid games often have dreary environments but they can still have en interesting look about them and Samus Returns has that in spades. The areas in this game are so teeming with TLC that it was rare for me to realize that I was in a place that was a vastly touched up area from the original Metroid II. Samus Returns truly does feel like a brand new Metroid.

Samus Returns is a wonderful return to 2D form for Metroid (and for those that were soured on the past entries, a return to Metroid in general). Mercury Steam did a bang up job developing this game. I hope we get more 2D Metroid goodness and there should be little doubt towards them for handling future Metroid projects if given the opportunity. If you haven't picked up this game, what are you waiting for? Fulfill your duty and give Samus your support.