Top 100 FAVORITE Video Games: 9

As we near closer and closer to the finish line on this huge ol’, stupid-as-hell list (that’s gone on FOREVER by now, I might add), I’d like to really take a moment to appreciate everyone for any and all comments. I mean, I will really enjoy re-reading my thoughts in the years to come, but I really am doing it for others to read, see some love for games they too enjoy, and just as a forum for people to talk about nerdy things that isn’t on their own personal site. So, thanks for chiming in!

9: Super Metroid (SNES)
Developer: Nintendo
Year: 1994

Super Metroid is one of those games I feel I wouldn’t have to talk about at all. All that would be required is me putting up the title, saying its #9, and people would nod their heads, thinking “Yep, that’s a great game” (or, alternatively: “what the hell, #9?! Why not just make it #75! You fool!”) But, if anything would do this game little justice (aside from my write-up, that is!) it would be to not talk about the game at all, and why its so damned important to me.

As stated, my experiences with Samus and her quest to kill all Metroids originate in the first Smash Bros. and not in any game featuring her adventures. Now, I don’t know which came first: my playthrough of this game or my playthrough of Metroid Prime (my first Metroid purchase). But what I do know is that this game is the clear victor, the easy answer for “Best Metroid game in history”, and an sure-fire contender for “Best Nintendo Game of All Time” (matter of fact, this is the last Nintendo game on the list, period). Why such high praise? What has the game done to deserve it? Well, that’s a huge deal to kinda explain. The first reason would have to be the simple idea of “size” realized in this game.

Game worlds can be huge, but they have to flow well. This game flows well. Even though there’s tons of backtracking to be done in this game, every new area to explore is an adventure in and of itself. The crashed ship that houses Phantoon, the jungle underbelly of Brinstar (with its kickass theme), the final battle with Riidley, etc. All of this time spent gaining new powers amounts to one thing: furthering your quest. There was always drive to keep going, always a desire to see which batshit insane thing would be behind the next domed door. If you ever grew bored playing this game, you were foolish, in my opinion, because there was always something new to do. If the game world had been huge but without fresh experiences, it would have stunk. Super Metroid nailed the balance of finding things and using things, through and through.

what a bitch

But, really, if I had to pick any real reason I have such love for this game, it would be the animation. I don’t know why, but this game (I think… the final sidescroller on this list, too, if I remember correctly…) seems so lush, so alive. The eeriness of the vast emptiness of Zebes would be nothing without quality animation and design, and the sprites found in this game are the best the SNES ever produced, with clear differences between everything to be seen, a wide variety in terms of enemies to do battle with, bosses to topple, and hazards in the world to avoid taking damage from. It just seems so fully realized, like the final product is exactly what the designers had in mind. Few games present themselves this way, at least to me, and its one of the major reasons this game is so loved.

All in all, a short statement on this game isn’t enough, but to go on too long is too much, so its best to comment on my love and appreciation for the game, then allow you – the reader – to comment on the things that make it special for you. To me, Super Metroid is a prime example of how great “old school” gaming could be, without compromising anything in the creation process. These days, it seems that – with the need for HD graphics, short load times, and cutting edge cinema sequences – games have to let something go in order to attain peak quality. Super Metroid left nothing on the cutting room floor once completed, giving a 100% kickass experience to every player, every time.

Classic Moment:
For me, it was simple: fighting those consarned “ninja space pirates” late in the game. They block everything, jump around like a-holes, and can deal massive damage. But, while they were pains to deal with, they were a treat to do battle with because of how radically different their tactics were. Fighting two at a time, for example – while frustrating – was awesome because it caused you to immediately change your fighting style to beat them. I mean, once you learned their moves and how to avoid them and deal damage… they got pretty easy. But if there’s one thing this game nailed, it was the balance of your strength vs the strength of your enemies. These guys are dickish examples of that.

<insert easy “open wide!” style joke here>

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Added April 12, 2017
As stated here (https://skylerbartels.wordpress.com/2016/05/12/super-metroid/) I just got through this game recently and it was a hoot. If Zero Mission and/or Fusion become available on Switch’s Virtual Console, I’ll be there like shareware, homestar!