Genre: Action
Perspective: Side view
Visual: 2D scrolling
Gameplay: Metroidvania, Platform
Setting: Sci-Fi / Futuristic
Published by: Nintendo of America Inc.
Developed by: Nintendo R&D1
Released: 2002
Platform: Game Boy Advance (GBA)
After fulfilling his goal in the Bottle Ship in Metroid Other M, Samus continues his space research with the Galactic Federation. On a fact-finding mission, Samus is corrupted with a parasitic virus called X, which stays in his body. Samus, thinking that it's nothing serious, returns to his ship. But by the way, Samus is unconscious and his ship is diverted to a belt of asteroids where it crashes and explodes. The Galactic Federation manages to save it, but the X-parasite continues to expand. Members of the federation only think of using the DNA of the last offspring of Metroid, thereby saving Samus as the metroids were the main predators of the X. In addition the Samus suit changes dramatically due to surgical operations That they do when trying to remove the parasite X, since they could not take away the suit being unconscious.
Thus, Samus continues his travels with a new ship and is informed that a station on the planet SR-388 has been attacked and there are no transmissions. Without thinking twice, Samus is headed there, with the supervision of a computer that Samus is familiar with. Samus lands and arrives at a room called a quarantine station, where he encounters a clone of being that was found on the planet. But this time Samus is not corrupted, thanks to the vaccine gets to absorb it. The computer informs you that the parasite has its original powers and that possibly absorbing new types of parasites X regains all its abilities. After completing his research on the Main Deck, the computer informs him of his next objective. Investigate the sectors, while gathering information for research. In this way, Samus regains his powers little by little, but a problem arises: the SA-X. The SA-X is the result of the surgically extracted remains of the armor of Samus when it was infected by the X, also, the SA-X is responsible for the attack on the station in SR-388 destroying and devouring the scientists. The computer informs that it is a being exactly equal to it with all the updated powers since it has the remains of the armor; Given the native nature of the parasite, to survive, is destroying everything by looking for new guests. In the game, Samus has many encounters with him, one particularly close, but manages to escape and / or to hide.
At one point in the plot, his computer warns him that there is life at the station, with this in mind, Samus goes to that place where there is still life. Here he meets again with the Etecoons and the mother Dachora, who saved in Super Metroid. Samus resorting to the ascesor, it stops, due to a power failure. Along the way, Samus encounters space pirates by investigating the parasite X in order to control it. For a return of the destiny, Samus discovers a secret zone where they were investigated and they raise Metroids. After investigating a little, SA-X appears trying to destroy the Metroids (remember that the SA-X is an X-parasite and, therefore, its natural enemy is the Metroid) and the Metroids manage to stop, however, the system of self-destruction Is activated and Samus manages to escape being the SA-X destroyed in the process.
But there is still something to be solved: the mysterious Metroids room and its relationship with the Galactic Federation. The computer, after a great insistence on the part of Samus, tells him that the federation has been investigating the Metroids for evolutionary purposes and that the SA-X is still alive, since Parasite X is reproduced by mitosis, the computer estimates that There are no fewer than ten SA-Xs at the station. Samus has to find a way to destroy the station so the SA-Xs do not expand. After planning a strategy with her computer, she fights one of the SA-Xs. Finally, Samus activates the process of self-destruction of the station and runs until its ship to escape, nevertheless, a Metroid Omega was in the hangar. The SA-X appears to be trying to quell its natural predator, however, the Metroid Omega exterminates it too quickly and Samus absorbs the SA-X parasite recovering all its powers.
Gameplay
The graphics are very similar to those already seen in Super Metroid Super Nintendo, made in 2D, but much more detailed. The game works as a platform with horizontal and vertical scroll, separating in rooms of various sizes. Samus must navigate these rooms, slowly discovering the entire map of the colony, while recovering skills and defeating their enemies.
Unlike other games of the series, Samus is in constant contact with its leaders of the Galactic Federation, thanks to a intelligent computer, that is its commanding officer. This computer, dubbed "Adam" by Samus, in honor of a long-time official, gives it a series of goals throughout the game, and is able to block or unlock some doors, making sure that Samus fulfills his mission Before going to the next one. These missions vary from picking up some improvement, defeating a certain enemy or reaching a particular room. However, these goals do not usually have an obvious solution, forcing the player to explore and test things on the stage, as in previous titles.
Throughout the game, the scenario changes radically. Some passages may be permanently blocked by explosions, or by some type of enemy. However, the technique of other games is eliminated, which allowed Samus to jump indefinitely in the form of a sphere, limiting the bombs to four units. This prevents skipping concrete scenes.
Samus spends most of the time pursued by the SA-X, which appears unannounced in various locations. Since this one is almost invincible, he must hide or flee until he can face it. The creatures of the game are actually X parasites by imitating them, and by destroying them, they become floating cells. Samus can absorb them to recover energy or missiles. However, if Samus does not absorb them, they can regain their form, mix with each other, resurrect a fallen enemy or fly off the screen.
Sectors
The game is divided into several areas, linked together either by a system of elevators or by secret entrances available later in the game. Each sector has a different theme, and a series of determined enemies. All these sectors have part of the map in pink, and part in green. The pink part is the basic map, which usually provide you when entering the navigation room of the sector. The green zone is the hidden zone and / or of more complicated access, and usually contains numerous items. In order to advance in the game, you must cross the following zones:
Main Deck:. It is where you land. It is the quietest sector, but the most surprises it contains. Here you begin and end the story, and it is the point of access to the other sectors. This area is not available for much of the game due to a breakdown in the main lift. Each time you get back to the spaceship of Samus, your life and ammunition will be recovered, and you can save the game.
Sector 1 (SRX)
Recreation of the planet SR388. The terrain is rocky. It is another of the sectors that you first access, but with surprises later.
Sector 2 (TRO)
A sector based on a tropical theme. Here you will see multitude of plants, and great number of annoying enemies. The worms will develop later in the game to become much more powerful flying enemies. This is the first sector in which you should explore a large area of green map, greatly complicating the progress. You meet SA-X 2 times.
Sector 3 (PYR)
Fire sector where there are rooms at high temperatures. These rooms can not be crossed without some improvement in the suit, and in spite of this, they usually contain lava, harmful for almost the whole game. In this sector there are a lot of enemies based on fire, some of which can shoot you.
Sector 4 (AQA)
Water sector, with large amounts of water and maritime enemies. At first this sector will be under electricity, due to broken wires in contact with the water, but, once you lower the level of this, you will be able to explore it in more depth. The enemies here are very resilient, and the water will slow your movements if you do not have a certain costume.
Sector 5 (ARC)
Sector below zero, which you can not access without a special suit. Here everything is full of ice creatures, and blue X, able to freeze without suit. It is the last sector of the game that you access, and one of the smallest.
Sector 6 (NOC)
A nocturnal habitat, which also contains several blue Xs, which have mutated with the cold of sector 5, taking advantage of the cold weakness of the Metroids. Here the enemies usually hurt you by contact, so you'll have to avoid approaching them. It contains many destructible blocks with enemies inside. It is also the access point to the Resting Area.
PS: The blue X's specified in Sector 5 & 6 will take 60 points so be careful. If you have the Varia Suit, the blue Xs heal 30 points.
Enemies
During the game development you will encounter several main enemies, in the common form of X-parasite (Core-X) or another creature. These enemies usually carry an improvement they usually use against you. By defeating them, they become their natural form, with which you must fight as well. If you shoot them normally, X parasites will come out of it but you will not damage it. The only way is to use the missiles, which will not take effect while the X blinks. After you beat him, you will be able to acquire the skill he possessed.
Arachnus Enemy who possesses the ability of morphosphere. Throw blue waves and attack with fire. It can be complex, due to the little life and ammunition with which you face it.
Charge Beam Core-X. Parasite X that imitates a Chozo statue. Once discovered, it is transformed to its actual form, but stronger. However, open a kind of eye to shoot, instant you must take advantage to attack with a missile.
Zazabii
A huge plant species with one eye. This will jump damaging you, forcing you to use the morphosphere to dodge well. However, once transformed, it will try to eat you. You will have to use it to strain a bomb, until you burst almost all the body. Then you have to strain missiles directly into the eye.
Serris. A sea serpent with a devilish speed. You should try to dodge him while you try to slice a missile into his head. With each blow he will go mad, advancing even faster, and being invulnerable for a while.
Security Robot (B.O.X. Part 1)
A tremendous biomechanical robot armed with fire grenades, and protected by all but the head, having to hit him from above. Staying on the ground with this boss is very dangerous, and it will not take long to finish with you.
Mega-X
A huge sphere of parasites X, protected by several smaller ones. You must shoot with loaded shots destroying the small ones and damaging to the big one, while you try to dodge it in its constant attacks.
Wide Beam Core-X. Sphere similar to Charge Beam Core-X, but with wide shot equipped. Try to pretend to be a scientist.
Yakuza
A dangerous spider that can end your life with few attacks. Basically you must put yourself in a corner in morphósfera so that it does not catch you since if it catches you will calmly remove two tanks and a half of energy. It can throw fire, and in fact it will be the only time it will be vulnerable. After knocking it down, use Space Jump while shooting. Keep shooting until you finish her. In the end only his head remains, which you must destroy with missiles.
Nettori
A chozo full of vegetation. You will have to dodge the spores of plants, a trick is to use energy pumps and thus for a short period do not worry about spores and avoid falling into carnivorous plants. When it is badly damaged, it will start using the plasma beam against you, killing you with few attacks.
Nightmare
A powerful robot capable of controlling gravity. It will try to crush you while you shoot numerous rays. When you start to damage it, it will change gravity, invalidating your space jump and making your missiles something almost useless. Once you destroy your gravity-controlling device, you will have to attack it hard in the face.
Security Robot (Part B.O.X.)
More difficult to defeat this time, since you have to dodge your missiles and be very careful with the electrified water, it will finally become the Wave Beam Core-X and then you will get the ray of waves.
Neo-Ridley
The classic enemy of Samus, Ridley, chief of space pirates, has returned in the form of a transformed X parasite. Ridley will constantly attack with his tail, while filling much of the screen. It will also launch fire attacks, and ... Beware !! If it catches you, it will take a lot of life. You will have to launch numerous Plasma attacks to finish him off, once more, and maybe forever?
SA-X: Samus's nemesis
This parasite X, embedded in Samus costume, will put difficult things in multiple moments of the game, because it already has all the skills. Until the time of the final combat, you must avoid it. When that combat arrives, in spite of everything you will have problems, since it continues being more powerful. You will have to avoid all your skills, find a way to damage it and so on. It is advisable to have the greatest number of improvements for this combat. By defeating him, he will become a bigger monster, and then an Ice Beam Core-X.
Omega Metroid
Ultimate boss of the game. This meter will make it difficult just when you need to escape. You will have to knock it against time, and avoiding the least contact with him, since your life will fall quickly. You can only conquer with the ice attack provided by SA-X to be destroyed by Omega Metroid.
Parasites X
As already mentioned, enemy creatures are actually X parasites by imitating them, and by destroying them, they become floating parasites. There are different types of cells, which, when absorbed, provide different effects.
X Yellow
This is the most common. By absorbing it, Samus can recharge 10 units of energy.
X Green
By absorbing it, Samus recovers both missiles and bombs in amounts of 2.
X Red
Appears commonly in creatures that are hard to beat. By absorbing it, Samus recovers a higher amount of energy (4 tanks) and ammunition.
X Blue
After entering Sector 6, the X parasites mutated into a creature of considerable size, which may damage Samus, but upon acquiring the Climatic Suit, can be absorbed and regenerate 30 units of energy.
Core-X
The powerful enemies that appear at the end of a mission, tend to become an X parasite, with a coating, before being absorbed they must be attacked with missiles. In addition to transferring a skill or upgrade to the suit, it regenerates the same amount of energy and ammunition as the red parasite.
Beam Core-X
Throughout the game are also X-cores that have lightning, just like regular ones, must be attacked with missiles, but having thicker armor, they are only vulnerable when opening an "eye ", Just before they attack with the lightning he will bestow. When launching the missile, the attack will be activated, making it difficult to eliminate them.