Metroid II: Return of Samus

Template:Nihongo foot is a 1991 action-adventure game developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy. The first Metroid game for a handheld game console, it was released in North America in November 1991 and in Japan and Europe in 1992. It follows the bounty hunter Samus Aran on her mission to eradicate the Metroids from their home planet, SR388, before the Space Pirates can obtain them. Players must find and exterminate the Metroids to progress.

Like the original Metroid, released in 1986 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Metroid II was developed by Nintendo Research & Development 1 and produced by Gunpei Yokoi. It introduced several features that became staples of the series, including Samus's Space Jump, Spazer Beam and the Spider Ball, and round-shouldered Varia Suit.

Metroid II received positive reviews, with praise for its story, setting, and improved gameplay, but was criticized for its graphics and audio. By late 2003, it had sold 1.72 million copies worldwide. It was rereleased on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console service in 2011 and on the Nintendo Classics service in February 2023.

A sequel, Super Metroid, was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1994, and a remake, Metroid: Samus Returns, was released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2017. An unofficial remake, AM2R, was released in 2016 for Windows.

Gameplay

A video game screenshot. A person in a powered exoskeleton stands at the mouth of a cave.

Samus enters the caverns of the planet SR388. The figures on the bottom of the screen indicate her energy, stock of missiles, and the remaining number of Metroids she must eliminate.

Metroid II is an action-adventure side-scroller game<ref name=gamerankings>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Better source needed in which the player controls the protagonist Samus Aran on the fictional planet SR388. Players advance through the game by using Samus' weapons to kill a fixed number (47) of Metroid creatures.<ref name="Planet">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="NintendoLife-3DSVC">Template:Cite web</ref> The player is given a detector that displays the number of Metroids remaining in the area.<ref name="screen">Template:Cite book</ref> Once all the creatures are eliminated, an earthquake occurs and the planet's lava levels decrease, allowing Samus to travel deeper through its tunnels.<ref name="Planet" /><ref name="NintendoLife-3DSVC" /><ref name="GT Retrospective Part 1">Template:Cite AV mediaTemplate:Cbignore</ref> The Metroid creatures are encountered in different evolution stages of their development cycle: original, Alpha, Gamma, Zeta and Omega. The more developed the organism is, the stronger its attack.<ref name="NintendoLife-3DSVC" /><ref name="GT Retrospective Part 1" /> Metroid II features save modules located around the planet, which allow players to save their progress and continue in another session.<ref name="NintendoLife-3DSVC" /><ref name="GT Retrospective Part 1" /><ref name="Save">Template:Cite book</ref>

The game features two weapons new to the Metroid series: the tri-splitting Spazer Laser Beam, and the Plasma Beam, which passes through enemies when shot. Samus can only equip one beam at a time, but she can switch between them by returning to where they are first found. Metroid II features the Space Jump, a new suit enhancement that allows Samus to jump infinitely and access otherwise unreachable areas. The game also sees the return of Samus' Morph Ball, a mode in which she curls up into a ball to travel through small tunnels. In addition, the game is the first in the series to feature the Spider Ball and Spring Ball. The Spider Ball allows Samus to climb most walls or ceilings, giving her freedom to explore both the surfaces and ceilings of caverns, and the Spring Ball gives Samus the ability to jump while curled up into a ball in the Morph Ball form.<ref name="GT Retrospective Part 1" /><ref name="Items">Template:Cite book</ref>

Plot

Template:Metroid Story Order In the first Metroid, Samus Aran foiled the Space Pirates' plans to use the newly discovered lifeform known as Metroids. Some time later, the Galactic Federation resolved to ensure that the Metroids' power could never again be used by the Pirates, and sent several teams to the Metroid's home planet SR388 to destroy the species. When the teams disappear, the Galactic Federation contracts Samus to finish the mission.<ref name="MetroidStory">Template:Cite book</ref>

Samus hunts and kills the Metroids one by one. Each exhibits unique mutations: the Metroids grow from small jellyfish-like creatures into large, hovering lizard-like beasts. After destroying most of the planet's Metroids, Samus kills the Queen Metroid.<ref name="SR388">Template:Cite book</ref>

Returning to her ship, Samus finds a Metroid egg. A Metroid hatchling emerges and imprints onto Samus, thinking that she is its mother. Unable to commit to her mission of extermination, Samus spares its life. She exits the tunnels while the Metroid helps clear the way. Reaching the planet's surface, Samus and the infant Metroid board the ship together.<ref name="SR388" />

Development

The appearance of Samus's suit was developed in Metroid II due to the Game Boy's greyscale display.<ref name="GT Retrospective Part 1" />

Metroid II was developed by Nintendo Research & Development 1 (Nintendo R&D1),<ref name="ign-history">Template:Cite web</ref> and produced by Gunpei Yokoi; they both also worked on the previous Metroid game for the Nintendo Entertainment System.<ref name="GT Retrospective Part 1" /> It was directed by Hiroji Kiyotake and Hiroyuki Kimura, and designed by Makoto Kano, while Takahiro Harada serving as the main programmer.<ref name="M2-Credits">Template:Cite video game</ref> Metroid II marked a "new high point" for handheld game consoles, with graphics that were almost as good as the 8-bit graphics in games for the NES.<ref name="SeattleTimes">Template:Cite news</ref> The game features enhancements from its predecessor that include easier controls which allow Samus to crouch while firing at the same time, and jump while shooting straight down to attack anything below her.<ref name="GT Retrospective Part 1" /> The game utilizes the cartridge's battery-backed memory for saving the player's progress.<ref name="GT Retrospective Part 1" /><ref name="SeattleTimes" /> In the 2004 interview for the Nintendo Dream magazine, Kiyotake revealed that the planet SR388 was named after the Yamaha SR400 motorcycle.<ref>Template:Cite interview</ref>

The Game Boy's black-and-white graphics resulted in changes to Samus's gear that eventually became permanent. In the original Metroid, color was used to differentiate between Samus's Power Suit and her Varia Suit (an upgraded version), but without color on the Game Boy, the two suits would have appeared similar, requiring the developers to develop a visual indicator for players to determine which suit Samus is wearing. They also updated her Varia Suit, adding round metal shoulders that have been a part of the suit in every Metroid game since.<ref name="GT Retrospective Part 1" /><ref name="ign-history" /><ref name="GamesRadar History Page 2">Template:Cite web</ref>

Release

Metroid II was released in North America in November 1991.<ref name="SSBB">Template:Cite video game</ref><ref name="NintendoDMG">Template:Cite web</ref> This was followed by the release in Japan on January 21, 1992,<ref name="release">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Game Boy Games List JP">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Famitsu-M2">Template:Cite magazine</ref> and in Europe on May 21.<ref name="release" />Template:Better source needed It has shipped 1.72 million copies worldwide by late 2003.<ref name="whitepaper">Template:Cite report</ref> Nintendo included the game in its Player's Choice marketing label in North America in 1993.<ref name="release" /> It was re-released through the Nintendo Power service in Japan on March 1, 2000.<ref name="Famitsu-M2" /> Metroid II, along with other Game Boy games such as Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins, Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge, and several others were released on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console service in 2011.<ref name="eshop">Template:Cite web</ref> It was released in Japan on September 28,<ref name="Famitsu-M2" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and in North America and Europe on November 24.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Remakes

An unofficial remake, AM2R, was released in 2016.

An unofficial remake of Metroid II, AM2R, was released in August 2016 for Windows.<ref name="Kotaku AM2R Arrives">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="VG247 AM2R">Template:Cite news</ref> It received positive reviews, with critics calling it impressive and commenting on the improved visuals compared to those of Metroid II.<ref name="Ars Technica AM2R">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Shortly after the release, following legal action from Nintendo, development of AM2R was halted and download links were removed.<ref name="Polygon AM2R takedown">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="EG AM2R takedown">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="nintendo life no more updates">Template:Cite web</ref> An official remake of Metroid II, Metroid: Samus Returns, was developed by MercurySteam and Nintendo EPD and released for the Nintendo 3DS on September 15, 2017.<ref name="samus-returns">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="samusreturns3ds_e3">Template:Cite news</ref>

Reception

Contemporary

From contemporary reviews, reviewers in Aktueller Software Markt, GB Action, The Daily Progress complimented the sprites and animation in the game.<ref name="asm-review" /><ref name="gb-action">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="Taylor" /> Reviews in Dorset Echo, Famitsu and Daily Record were generally found the graphics as a whole mediocre, with a Famitsu reviewer finding them plain, and a critic writing for Template:Ill finding them too dark.<ref name="Famitsu-M2" /><ref name="DR">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Gaksch" /><ref name="DE-Rev">Template:Cite news</ref> The reviewer in Video Games said the atmosphere of the game did not come across well through the Game Boy hardware.<ref name="Gaksch" /> A Famitsu reviewer said it still had the "dark atmosphere" from the original Metroid.<ref name="Famitsu-M2" /> Entertainment Weekly described it as giving "the feeling of being trapped in someone else's nightmare — a quality shared by the best science fiction, be it in the form of books, movies, or video games."<ref name="ew-rev" />

Some reviewers compared the game to the original NES game. Two reviewers in Famitsu found it to be a step down from the first game, while Martin Gaksch of Video Games writing that "expectations were only partially met" as a sequel to Metroid.<ref name="Famitsu-M2" /><ref name="Gaksch" /> The Daily Progress commented on the games length and scope, with the former publications writing that as it had a longer playtime than the original, which was "quite an accomplishment."<ref name="Taylor" /> and Entertainment Weekly improves upon the first Metroid by enlarging the terrain and giving its eponymous monsters the ability to mutate, complicating the search-and-destroy mission.<ref name="ew-rev" /> A review in Template:Ill found it to be a "rich and challenging game" and that "the length of the game matches the game's longevity".<ref name="PlayerOne-Rev" />

Discussing the gameplay, a reviewer in Famitsu found there to be plenty of surprises to make it a satisfying Metroid game for the Game Boy.<ref name="Famitsu-M2" /> Gaksch found navigating the game too confusing and wished the game had a map feature while Total! said that the game was full of large and empty featureless areas.<ref name="total!" /> Gaksch concluded that "instead of "real" action-adventure elements, shooting and running dominate" and that the game was "a good action game" but it "doesn't turn out to be the top-notch game we expected."<ref name="Gaksch" /> Template:Ill described it as a "well made and original",<ref name="gen4" /> GB Action summarized that it was "not among the best games" for the Game Boy, and Aktueller Software Markt concluded that it was a "pretty decent game for young gamers."<ref name="gen4" /><ref name="asm-review" /><ref name="gb-action" />

In March 1992, Game Players magazine had their Annual Awards for the best video games of 1991. Metroid II was included in their "Excellence Awards" category for Game Boy games, along with Battletoads, Beetlejuice, Hatris, Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge, Prince of Persia and Super R.C. Pro-Am.<ref name="gp-1991-awards">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Retrospective

Retrospectively, Brett Weiss of Allgame felt that Metroid II's controls were tight.<ref name="allgame" /> He complimented the larger areas to explore, and Game Informer echoed this sentiment, stating it was even larger than Metroid. Both felt that despite Metroid II being larger, there were less secrets to discover than the earlier game.<ref name="allgame" /><ref name="gi-review" /> Jeremy Parish, writing for 1up.com in 2004 and again for USgamer in 2017, said that the zoomed-in perspective led to a terrible impediment for a game focused on jumping and ranged combat, although he felt the alien monsters kept the game interesting.<ref name="Parish-1up" /><ref name="Parish-US-Gamer" /> Parish wrote that exploration felt "long and repetitive" due to a lack of unique areas, stating that "the brilliant level designs for which the series has become known hadn't yet gelled". He also felt that the small size of the Game Boy's screen did not really suit the exploration Metroid was known for.<ref name="Parish-1up" /><ref name="Parish-US-Gamer" /> He felt the music was "downright painful", particularly for a series "known for its moody, atmospheric compositions."<ref name="Parish-1up" />

IGN felt the exploration grew tedious and that first-time players were certain to get lost.<ref name=ign /> Conversely, Nintendo Life found the game fairly linear and felt that the lack of an in-game map would not cause problems to players.<ref name="NintendoLife-3DSVC" /> Nintendo Life found that the music was as a whole was "not really good" and "random bleeps and bloops which are supposed to be environmental tones".<ref name="NintendoLife-3DSVC" /> IGN found the music "strange", but its lack of aesthetic detail boosted the games atmosphere.<ref name=ign />

Game Informer described the graphics as "near perfect" while Weiss complimented detailed backgrounds and the quality of Samus Aran's sprite.<ref name="gi-review" /><ref name="allgame" /> IGN felt the visuals overall were appropriate for the game while being "a tad plain", specifically noting that the walls were too similar, which led to confusion in navigation. IGN felt the sprites overall looked far better on the Game Boy Color, and recommended that it be played there instead.<ref name=ign /> Parish said the graphics were not bad for the Game Boy, but only Samus's sprite looked great.<ref name="Parish-1up" />

Parish summarized retrospective reception to the game, saying "it's still a Metroid game. Which means that as the American gaming press, we can't help but love it a little."<ref name="Parish-1up" /> Parish concluded that the game "painfully antiquated in 2004" and "best left to completists".<ref name="Parish-1up" /> In 2017, he wrote that Metroid II made up for its shortcomings by introducing many new ideas to the series, specifically with a wider array of weapons and powers, save points for the player, and a multi-stage lifecycle for the metroids.<ref name="Parish-US-Gamer" /> Parish found the original NES game superior, while feeling Metroid II was "artificial and contrived" compared to later games in the genre, such as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (1997).<ref name="Parish-1up" /> He suggested that the game was "nearly forgotten" in Japan.<ref name="Parish-1up" /> IGN described it as "very good", heightened by its superb suspense and increased variety compared to the average platforming game.<ref name=ign />

In September 1997, 12 Nintendo Power staff members voted in a list for the top 100 games of all time.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The magazine placed Metroid II at 34th place on their list of top 100 games of all time.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In their Top 200 Games list, Nintendo Power also ranked the game as the 85th best game on a Nintendo console,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and Videogames.com included it in their list of the best Game Boy games.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Nintendo Power listed it as the 12th-best Game Boy/Game Boy Color video game, praising it for introducing several staple abilities to the series.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In 1998, Game Informer included the game in their list of the "Top 25 Game Boy Games of All-Time".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Ben Reeves of Game Informer included it the list of the ninth best Game Boy game and noted that it polarized fans.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Sequel

Super Metroid, the third installment of the Metroid series, was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1994. The game's story takes place after the events of Metroid II, and follows Samus as she travels to planet Zebes in an attempt to retrieve an infant Metroid stolen by Ridley.<ref name="Gametrailers Retrospective Part 2">Template:Cite AV mediaTemplate:Cbignore</ref> Metroid director Yoshio Sakamoto said at the 2010 Game Developers Conference that he was "very moved" by the ending of Metroid II, which motivated him to create Super Metroid.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

• Official Nintendo Japan Metroid II: Return of Samus website Template:In lang
• Metroid II at IGN
• Metroid II at the Metroid Database