Despite Metroid arguably being Nintendo’s third major pillar, they’ve never given the franchise the same attention they do both Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda, even ignoring the series’ 25th anniversary. Considering just how influential Metroid is, it’s disappointing Nintendo doesn’t take care of the series as well as it should.
It does make some degree of sense, though. For as good as Metroid is at its very best, the series has enough not-so-stellar entries to the point where its catalog is stained in a way neither Mario nor Zelda is. Game quality also varies drastically. For every Super Metroid, there’s an Other M right around the corner.
Updated March 29, 2023, by Jason Wojnar: Only in the past couple of years does it seem like Metroid is really getting the respect it has deserved for so long. Several games in the series are often considered among the best ever made, yet it has significantly fewer games than other big Nintendo properties. To be fair, its sales are not as impressive as Mario or Zelda, but the critical praise is almost always notable. As the best Metroid games demonstrate, even a franchise as celebrated as this has a few duds. While some of the worst of the worst are inconsequential spin-offs, there are a couple of main entries that were hyped up as a true return to form that either completely missed the mark or failed to live up to the series' high standard of quality.
14 Federation Force
When a franchise lies dormant for so long, a non-traditional entry can be frustrating to see. At the same time, it’s important to consider that spin-offs do happen and don’t signal a death knell. On the other hand, however, context does matter, and, when fans were hungry for Metroid, Nintendo gave them Federation Force.
Far and away one of the worst first-party titles Nintendo has ever developed, Federation Force is Metroid in name only. It does away with the series’ signature tone, atmosphere, and gameplay so it can be a generic team shooter. Federation Force is the game nobody wanted, and Nintendo should have known better.
13 Other M
It’s hard to believe nowadays, but Other M did actually have a considerable amount of hype behind it. It was not only following the critically acclaimed Prime trilogy but it was being helmed by the series’ creator. Traditional Metroid was back, and it was supposed to be better than ever. Unfortunately, that’s not how things played out.
Samus Aran became an overwritten character who actually lost depth, the series’ emphasis on exploration was railroaded by hard linearity, and the story, which should have been the highlight, ended up taking priority over the actual gameplay, cannibalizing Other M inside out. Federation Force is the worst Metroid game, but Other M is the most disappointing.
12 Metroid Prime Pinball
It's difficult to be too mad at this game. It really does not do anything egregiously wrong as a simple pinball game. All the same, it lacks any ambition or intense creativity, so it is difficult to compare it with some of the very best Metroid games. Still, players struggling to find something quick and simple on their Nintendo DS back in 2005 could have done a lot worse than Metroid Prime Pinball.
The ultimate shortcoming many reviews complained about was a lack of content which led to repetitive gameplay. Then again, players should know exactly what they are signing up for with a pinball spin-off and temper their expectations accordingly.
11 Metroid
The original Metroid certainly isn’t a bad game, but it is a convoluted one. It’s a Metroidvania with just the bare essentials, which means there's no saving, no map, and no real overworld cohesion. Veteran players will know where they are at all times, but newcomers will likely find themselves incredibly overwhelmed sooner rather than later.
Gamers who were there when it first came out will certainly fondly remember drawing out a map by hand or finally learning the game's secrets through a copy of Nintendo Power magazine. It’s still a game worth playing at least once in full, but it’s very much reflective of its era. Good game design is good forever, but Metroid really is just the bare necessities for better and for worse. The franchise's debut entry is still worth playing, but players will have a better time with a guide at their side or at least a map.
10 Return Of Samus
The second Metroid game, the Game Boy title chose to take the series in a different direction. More open-ended than most games in the series, Return of Samus sees the titular bounty hunter hunting down rogue Metroids. Interestingly, despite being a Game Boy title, it’s actually incredibly important to understanding Metroid’s overall plot.
It’s also just a fairly decent game, even if it can get a bit tedious at times. Short, simple to understand, and generally fun, Return of Samus is a good enough sequel to the original. It doesn’t take things as far as Super Metroid, but it’s admirable for a Game Boy follow-up nonetheless. Though the remake is available on Nintendo 3DS, this original Game Boy version is also out on the Nintendo Switch.
9 Metroid Prime Hunters
Metroid Prime Hunters is as “mixed bag” as games come. A very early Nintendo DS title, Metroid Prime Hunters’ main goal was to show off the DS’ wifi and its potential for multiplayer. Surprisingly, it actually did an incredible job and ended up being one of the best multiplayer games on the handheld.
Unfortunately, everything ended up suffering a bit. While the core gameplay loop is very addicting, the single-player campaign leaves a lot to be desired. Areas aren’t all that well designed, and fighting against bosses isn’t nearly as fun as fighting against a player. It’s just a shame the online servers are permanently down now.
8 Metroid Prime 3
Metroid Prime 3 isn’t a bad game by any means, but it’s not on the same level as its predecessors. Atmospherically and tonally, it’s a bit off, placing too much emphasis on the grand story of the Prime trilogy—something that was very much left in the background in the first game.
That said, Prime 3 does make good use of the Wiimote and features some great level design. Even better is how the first two games took advantage of the Wiimote's unique features when they were re-released with the third game as Metroid Prime Trilogy. It never meshes as well as the first two games in the trilogy., but it isn’t too much of a dip in quality either. Disappointing? Definitely. Still a good game? Of course.
7 Samus Returns
A remake of Metroid II: Return of Samus for the Nintendo 3DS, Samus Returns isn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s one of the best Metroid games in recent memory. Taking Return of Samus’ core concept and fleshing out the combat, Samus Returns makes for a very interesting remake. The remake adds in full-on melee combat, and it’s surprisingly fluid. While the 2.5D visuals are a bit on the bland side, the game uses color extremely well, and, in motion, the action feels right at home with the GBA entries.
Unfortunately, it all felt a little underwhelming at the time of release since it was the first game since the disappointing Metroid: Other M. Fans were expecting a real comeback for the series rather than a remake. It also came out on the Nintendo 3DS after the Nintendo Switch already launched, which only made it seem like the company considered the whole series an afterthought
6 Metroid Prime 2: Echos
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is a clear step down from its predecessor, but it’s still an excellent game. While there’s a bit too much padding, hurting the pacing in some areas, Metroid Prime 2 is dark, dreary, and atmospheric. It arguably does a better job of establishing a tone than the original Metroid Prime.
If nothing else, the actual combat is improved, and Metroid 2 makes use of some very creative visuals. If Metroid Prime is Ocarina of Time, Metroid Prime 2 is the wildly creative Majora’s Mask, building off its predecessor in a very unique way so as not to be derivative. That’s what a sequel should be.
5 Metroid Fusion
The most linear of the traditional 2D Metroid games, Metroid Fusion almost feels like it has no right to be as good as it is. In many respects, it shares the exact same flaws as Other M. There is one key difference, though: Metroid Fusion is reserved. It knows how to properly balance gameplay and story, expanding the narrative while still giving fans the sense of isolation and dread for which the series is known.
More importantly, Metroid Fusion knows how to build tension. It’s the only entry in the franchise that could be described as full-blown survival horror, and it does an amazing job of establishing a mood. It’s very reminiscent of Alien in that regard. Any Metroid fan looking to get their blood pumping owes it to themselves to play Fusion, which is easier to do these days with the Nintendo Switch Online service.
4 Metroid: Zero Mission
Metroid: Zero Mission is there for modern gamers who cannot handle the old fashion design of the debut entry. It is a complete remake of Metroid on the NES. Not only does it accurately bring the game to life, it actually adds new content without stepping on the original’s toes. Zero Mission feels like the fully realized vision of the original Metroid.
Zero Mission is one of the most balanced games in the entire franchise. It doesn’t excel in any one area, but that’s what makes it so great. Zero Mission is a consistently strong game from start to finish.
3 Metroid Dread
Since Other M was so disappointing and Samus Returns was a remake of the second game, it felt like almost 20 years since there had been a proper 2D Metroid game. Metroid Dread had some giant shoes to fill living up to greats like Super Metroid, but it certainly did the job properly.
The map is elegantly designed to organically let players discover all the game's secrets, yet players rarely feel like they are lost or frustrated. The combat and movement are smooth and fast, with boss battles being a particular highlight. The game also offers a surprising challenge, and the last boss is one of the most difficult and exciting bouts of any Nintendo game in recent memory.
2 Metroid Prime
One of the most important first-person shooters of all time, Metroid Prime is a beacon of quality in a generation that wasn’t hurting for great games. With its masterful level design, slick controls, and a second-to-none atmosphere, Metroid Prime is one of the best transitions from 2D to 3D a Nintendo franchise has ever seen. This accomplishment didn't come without its own share of hard work though. The series completely skipped the N64 generation as Nintendo struggled with adding a new dimension to the gameplay.
Outside developer Retro Studios finally cracked the code by making it an FPS. It’s so vastly different from what came before but similar enough that playing Prime after Super Metroid only makes sense. Its legacy has been preserved too, thanks to a beautifully done remaster in 2023 for the Nintendo Switch that updates the visuals and adds dual-analog controls.
1 Super Metroid
Super Metroid is a game so well designed that it ended up leading to the invention of an entire genre. All modern Metroidvanias link back to Super Metroid in some way, and, honestly, most are actually worse than the Super Nintendo classic. Super Metroid is easily one of the greatest games of all time.
It’s basically a greatest hits version of three Metroid games. Not only does it improve every single feature the first two games established, but it brings plenty of its own, giving the franchise a layer of mechanical depth it didn’t previously have. Everyone owes it to themselves to play Super Metroid at least once, and it's pretty easy to do these days since it is a part of the retro library on the Nintendo Switch Online service.