Metroid: Zero Mission
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| Metroid: Zero Mission | |
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| Developer(s) | Nintendo R&D1 |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Designer(s) | Yoshio Sakamoto |
| Release date(s) | NA February 9, 2004 |
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Everyone CERO: All Ages PEGI: 7+ OFLC: G8+ |
| Platform(s) | Game Boy Advance |
| Media | 64-megabit cartridge |
Metroid: Zero Mission (メトロイドゼロミッション Metoroido Zero Misshon?) is an action-adventure video game produced by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance handheld console. It is part of the Metroid series, an enhanced remake of the original Metroid game designed to "retell the story of Samus' original mission"[1]. Like the other titles in the series, it features intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran as the player-controlled main character.
Zero Mission was developed by Nintendo's internal team, Nintendo R&D1, under the direction of Yoshio Sakamoto. The game was released on February 9, 2004 in North America, and on May 27, 2004 in Japan.
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[edit] General mechanics
As a remake of Metroid, most players will recognize Zero Mission's general layout as being very similar to the original. However, many new items, areas, and mini bosses have been added as well as an entirely new area near the end of the game. At first glance, it appears to be a linear game, forcing the player to acquire certain items in a certain order. However, careful exploration of the environment allows for the player to disregard a large part of this ordering. This technique has been termed sequence breaking and makes it possible, if very difficult, to finish the game collecting only 9% of the items. Progress can be saved in certain rooms, called, appropriately, "Save Rooms", or Samus's ship on Crateria. The save rooms are marked on the added in-game map with an "S", while Samus's ship is marked by an image of a ship.
Zero Mission makes a strong departure from the series with the inclusion of all-new gameplay sequence in which the player must control Samus without her powersuit. In this portion of the game, Samus is more vulnerable to damage, she must crawl through ducts on her hands and knees without the help of the Morph Ball power, and her only weapon is a weak pistol that can only stun an enemy for a brief moment (Samus does, however, retain all energy tanks she acquired previously, as well as the power grip upgrade). In all previous Metroid games, the ability to see Samus without her powersuit is considered an Easter egg. This marks the first time she is seen during the course of normal gameplay as playable without her suit. Samus was also playable without her suit in the original Metroid, but to do this, the player would first have to beat the game under certain conditions, or by entering a specific code in the game's password feature. Additionally, the suit-less version of Samus in the original game is merely a cosmetic effect; her ability to withstand damage is not impeded and she is able use all of the suit's equipment.
[edit] Metroids
The appearance of Metroids themselves in this game is similar to the original Metroid. Metroids appear only in Tourian, the lair of the original final boss, Mother Brain. Metroids are creatures that, when latched onto Samus, will drain Samus's energy. The only known way to get them off is with bombs. Metroids can be destroyed by first freezing them, and then hitting them with 5 missiles (or one super missile). Metroids make an appearance in almost all Metroid games, even though Samus doesn't necessarily fight all of them.
[edit] Items and objects
Many powerups and items make reappearances from previous games in the series, with similar uses and effects. The core items from the franchise (the Varia Suit and Gravity Suit, the Morph Ball, the Morph Ball bombs, Missiles, and various Beams) are present in the same form as in other 2D installments, and, unlike in the original Metroid, you are able to possess both the Ice and Wave beams simultaneously. The Hi-Jump Boots (simply titled Hi-Jump in this game) and Spring Ball are combined into one item, which was first done in Metroid Fusion. The Wave and Spazer Beams are also combined. The only new item is the Power Grip, which allows Samus to grab ledges and pull herself up with a single hand, an ability that she had innately in Metroid Fusion. The Wall Jump technique is usable in this game, but unlike Metroid Fusion, it can be used infinitely on a single wall to gain height. The Shinespark technique, which debuted in Super Metroid, is also present.
[edit] Bosses
- Charge Beam Beast - Brinstar (Possesses Charge Beam; this battle is strictly optional)
- Acid Worm - Kraid
- Kraid - Kraid (Gives access to Speed Booster)
- Imago Larva - Norfair
- Imago - Ridley (also optional)
- Ridley - Ridley
- Mother Brain - Tourian
- Chozo Trial - Chozodia (Possesses Fully Powered Suit with ability to use Unknown Items)
- Meta Ridley - Space Pirate Mother Ship
[edit] Music and graphics
Most of the music in Zero Mission consists of orchestral arrangements of Hirokazu "Hip" Tanaka's soundtrack from the NES version of Metroid. The game also borrows tracks from Super Metroid and includes a few pieces that are completely new to the series, such as the mother ship music. Zero Mission's soundtrack was produced by Minako Hamano and Kenji Yamamoto, who also composed music for Super Metroid.
A style resembling hand-drawn comic book panels pervades the game's backgrounds, as well as the cinematic cutscenes that appear infrequently throughout the story. Alpha blending is used extensively throughout the game; opaque foreground elements which obscure hidden areas will smoothly fade away once the player finds the entrance.
[edit] Extras
A feature unique to Zero Mission, Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is the ability to unlock extra features, such as an emulated version of the Metroid NES port by completing the game, A sound test screen by beating the game on the Hard difficulty. Using a Game Boy Advance link cable and a second system, players can link this game to Metroid Fusion, unlocking all ending images from Fusion (including the Japanese endings from other difficulties) for view on the Zero Mission cartridge. There is also a gallery where all unlocked endings can be viewed. Time Attack mode is available on a save file where the game has been beaten and a code has been input to unlock it. In Time Attack mode, the player plays through the game on Normal difficulty and receives a password after beating the game depending on their final time. This password was used to enter a contest Nintendo of Japan held.
[edit] Inconsistencies with Metroid
Metroid: Zero Mission contains a number of definite or perceived retcons to the Metroid storyline. First and foremost are the differences in the appearance of areas shared directly with Super Metroid. These include the area of original Brinstar where the player begins this game, the escape shaft and Mother Brain's chamber in Tourian, and various areas in Crateria. Zero Mission also has some completely original territories to cover that can only be explored after Mother Brain has been destroyed, whereas the original game ended with the escape sequence following Mother Brain's defeat.
In this game, Kraid is roughly the size of his Super Metroid incarnation, as is Ridley. In addition, this game contains no decoy "Fake Kraid", although the room he appears in is still present.
In the original Metroid, red Missile doors take five missiles to open, whereas red doors in Zero Mission can be opened with only one Missile.
Zero Mission establishes as a fact in the series that the Chozo once lived on Zebes and that Samus was raised there as a child. These details had never been explicitly mentioned in games themselves before, but had been revealed in various other materials, such as the manual for Metroid Prime and the Nintendo Power comic series.
Due to the placement of the Space Pirate Mother Ship on Zebes, fans have speculated that it is intended to be the Wrecked Ship depicted in Super Metroid due to the same types of enemies encountered in both Zero Mission and Super Metroid. However, Zero Mission director Yoshio Sakamoto has dismissed this possibility, saying that the two ships are separate[2]. Also, the ruins of a ship are seen in Crateria before the pirate mothership lands; these are graphically consistent with the Super Metroid Wrecked Ship's appearance, so it is safe to assume that the Wrecked Ship was already there.
The manual also changes the establishment of the Galactic Federation from 2000 to 2003. It is believed that 2003 is now the canon year.
[edit] Trivia
- Crocomire, the multi-eyed lizard-like creature from Super Metroid was originally intended to make an appearance in Zero Mission, but it was removed for unknown reasons. The unused sprites were discovered in the finished game ROM. [1]
- When Samus removes her powersuit at the end of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, she is depicted with her "Zero Suit" design from Zero Mission. This also occurs at the end of Metroid Prime: Hunters and in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
- Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) is seen playing Zero Mission on a Game Boy Advance SP in the "Occam's Razor" episode of House. The sound effects and gameplay information, however, are not those of Zero Mission.
[edit] References
- ^ Yoshio Sakamoto's opening monologue, during an interview sanctioned by Nintendo. Harris, Craig, "Metroid: Zero Mission Director Roundtable", IGN. Accessed on July 9, 2005.
- ^ Question 2 of the "Metroid FAQ", Metroid Zero Mission Official Site, accessed September 14, 2005. (Japanese)
[edit] External links
- Metroid: Zero Mission at Nintendo.com
- GameFAQs entry for Metroid: Zero Mission
- Metroid: Zero Mission at MobyGames
- Metroid: Zero Mission at MusicBrainz
