Man, I completely forgot about actually retro-reviewing every game I care about! Well, no more! Off to continue spouting my opinion in a sea where no one really cares what I think and how I rate things!
There's something about myself I've realized that bothers some people I know - I give most remakes the benefit of a doubt, especially when it comes to video games. For films, it depends if I've ever seen the original or on trusted word of mouth. Modern movie magic can help out a film I otherwise wouldn't've given the time of day to. When it comes to video games, I'm on board a good 95% of the time. Unlike films, a game must be actively played to advance anywhere and can definitely benefit from the advancement of technology and the lessons learned from other iterations of a series and inspiration from other titles to make the experience smoother and enjoyable, as Metroid has.
While I have multiple access to the original Metroid for NES, I prefer and will henceforth be referring to the remake Metroid: Zero Mission for GBA that released back in '04. I find it a much more accessible game than the original, to be honest. It controls a lot better than it did back in '87 (diagnal aiming is a godsend) and is more accessible for it, with more clearly defined goals. Whether or not that's an improvement depends on what you think makes a Metroid game. The extreme feeling of isolation is diluded somewhat with a map and clearly-marked goals, but the original's hidden passages and secrets are nigh-impossible to decipher to the modern gamer if they're not completely obsessed with 80's gaming mentality or have an extremely good memory.
There's something about myself I've realized that bothers some people I know - I give most remakes the benefit of a doubt, especially when it comes to video games. For films, it depends if I've ever seen the original or on trusted word of mouth. Modern movie magic can help out a film I otherwise wouldn't've given the time of day to. When it comes to video games, I'm on board a good 95% of the time. Unlike films, a game must be actively played to advance anywhere and can definitely benefit from the advancement of technology and the lessons learned from other iterations of a series and inspiration from other titles to make the experience smoother and enjoyable, as Metroid has.
While I have multiple access to the original Metroid for NES, I prefer and will henceforth be referring to the remake Metroid: Zero Mission for GBA that released back in '04. I find it a much more accessible game than the original, to be honest. It controls a lot better than it did back in '87 (diagnal aiming is a godsend) and is more accessible for it, with more clearly defined goals. Whether or not that's an improvement depends on what you think makes a Metroid game. The extreme feeling of isolation is diluded somewhat with a map and clearly-marked goals, but the original's hidden passages and secrets are nigh-impossible to decipher to the modern gamer if they're not completely obsessed with 80's gaming mentality or have an extremely good memory.
