Metroid: Zero Mission
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| Metroid: Zero Mission {{#if:{{{image|}}}|<tr><td colspan="2" style="text-align: center;">{{{image|}}} | |
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| Developer(s) | Nintendo R&D1 {{#if:{{{publisher|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Publisher(s)<td>{{{publisher|}}} |
| Release date(s) | Image:Flag of the United States.svg February 9, 2004 Image:Flag of Canada.svg February 9, 2004 Image:European flag.svg April 8, 2004 Image:Flag of Japan.svg May 27, 2004 Image:Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg June 15, 2005 |
| Genre(s) | Action-adventure, side-scrolling |
| Mode(s) | Single player {{#if:{{{ratings|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Rating(s)<td>{{{ratings|}}} |
| Platform(s) | Game Boy Advance {{#if:{{{media|}}}|<tr><th style="background-color: #ccccff;">Media<td>{{{media|}}} |
Metroid: Zero Mission 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"Template:Ref. 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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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 minibosses 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 only in certain rooms, called, appropriately, "Save Rooms", and marked on the added in-game map with an "S".
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.
Items and objects
Template:Main 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. 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 it can be used on a single wall repeatedly to gain height. The Shinespark technique, which debuted in Super Metroid, is also present.
Music and graphics
Image:Screen10.gif Most of the music in Zero Mission consists of orchestral arrangements of Hirokazu "Hip" Tanaka's soundtrack from the original Metroid. The game also borrows tracks from Super Metroid, and a few pieces are completely new to the series. Zero Mission's soundtrack was produced by Minako Hamano and Kenji Yamamoto, who also composed music for Super Metroid.
The graphics are more colorful and vibrant than those in Metroid Fusion and Super Metroid. A style resembling that of hand-drawn comic book panels pervades the game's backgrounds, as well as the cinematic cutscenes that appear infrequently throughout the story. Boss enemies are large and well-animated, and Samus herself moves fluidly with a subtle motion trail effect (During somersaults, a blue "afterimage" of Samus can be seen.). Alpha blending is also used extensively; opaque foreground elements which obscure hidden areas will smoothly fade away once the player finds the entrance.
Extras
Image:Mzmjp.jpg A feature unique to Zero Mission, Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is the ability to unlock extra features, such as an emulation of the original NES Metroid, and a sound test, by completing the game on different difficulty levels. 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. Also, there is a gallery where all endings unlocked 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.
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.
In this game, Kraid is nearly as large as in Super Metroid. In addition, this game contains no decoy "Fake Kraid," which is a departure from a short but celebrated tradition.
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. However, Zero Mission director Yoshio Sakamoto has dismissed this possibility, saying that the two ships are separateTemplate:Ref.
The manual also pushes back the establishment of the Galactic Federation by five years.
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.
References
- Template:NoteYoshio Sakamoto's opening monologue, during an interview sanctioned by Nintendo. Harris, Craig, "Metroid: Zero Mission Director Roundtable", IGN. Accessed on July 9, 2005.
- Template:NoteQuestion 2 of the "Metroid FAQ", Metroid Zero Mission Official Site, accessed September 14, 2005.
External links
- Template:Nintendo.com
- GameFAQs entry for Metroid: Zero Mission
- Template:Moby game
- Template:Musicbrainz album
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