Metroid: Two Reasons Why I Still Love My Game Boy Advance

When 2000 finally rolled around, and as the PS2, GameCube, and Xbox 1 joined the Dreamcast, the days of 2D gaming (something that’s always been dear to my heart, and still is) appeared to be finally numbered. Sure you still had a few quality fighters, but virtually every game otherwise was all about the stunning 3D environments and characters that were finally possible thanks to the new systems being introduced that seemed finally up the task (as nice some of the best PSone & N64 games were leading up to this point, for the most part they were experiments as many game makers struggled to make the dimensional jump).

But wouldn’t you know, along came a little something the Game Boy Advance, and all of a sudden pixels had a new place to call home (while it waited patiently for 8 and 16 bits to become en vogue a few years later). Many games got the sequels folks had been patiently waited, albeit shrunk down. Perhaps the most famous example were all the number Castlevania installments; while Konami tried over and over again to make a 3D version that worked on the consoles, true fans knew where the real action was at: in their pockets. Though my favorite series to shine once again during this era was most definitely the two Metroids.

First there was Metroid Fusion, without a doubt the most misunderstood and needlessly maligned installment of the franchise. Not helping was how it was under the shadow of the aforementioned greatest Metroid game of all time. It was quite different compared to previous editions: it was far more linear and there was a greater emphasis on story, somewhat ruining the mystique of the series. Though to be honest, after the super solid Super Metroid, something dramatically different was what was needed, so the game’s creators should be applauded for sticking their necks out. Plus the very idea of Samus being infused with a parasite and become Metroid-like was simply awesome, though far and away the best part was the evil Samus, the SA-X. Every time she made an appearance and threatened to thrash your ass it was cause for great concern, yet also giddiness. And that last battle at the end is all the more exciting, due to all the incredible build-up. Oh, and did I mention the absolutely gorgeous graphics?

And then you had Metroid Zero Mission, which pretty much everyone loves and for good reason: so few classics have ever been so properly remade and actually improved upon. Granted, it’s not totally perfect (at least imho); Zebes revamped was significantly smaller when compared to the original (plus being told directly where to head towards made the place feel even tinnier as well), plus the environments weren’t as interesting (the other worldly architecture of Brinstar on the NES for example simply looked like boring rock). Though stuff were simply tossed out but actually streamlined, plus lots of new stuff got added to the mix, to bring the game up to 21 Century standards. Though what everyone really likes is the additional epilogue featuring Samus running around in a skintight blue outfit!

Anyway, after looking all over YouTube for a good hour for the best fight scenes from both games, and coming up short (due to annoying commentaries and good old fashioned crappy encoding), here instead is a collection all the portraits you get when you defeat both games. Enjoy!

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