Was on vacation last week so I managed to enough time into the game to actually beat it!
So, Metroid II! A Game Boy sequel to a NES original, I feel it's kind of a unique proposition in that sense. I think most other GB entries of popular Nintendo franchises weren't direct sequels, instead being more like side episodes or spin-offs. Anyway...
... this is how the game looks! I was actually a bit surprised, I expected it to look much worse! The limitations from the Game Boy are definitely noticeable in the backgrounds (or lack of) but it fits the tone of the game. And yes, Metroid can't crawl here, as is tradition.
I don't think I really need to explain how a 2D Metroid game plays on Famiboards but just in case, the shortest explanation is that it's a shooter/platformer where the main gimmick is that the map is interconnected and free to explore, the only limitation (in most cases) being your current moveset. As you acquire new moves/weapons, you can explore new parts of the map and progress through the game. That's the usual Metroid gameplay though, since Metroid II actually handles it a little (or not so little) differently...
In Metroid II, the main "lock" that keeps you from progressing is mostly acid. Usually, you'll enter a new area, start exploring and suddenly find a pool of acid blocking your way downwards. How do you clear it you ask? Well...
In Metroid II, the main objective is killing Metroids. The game's plot is that Samus is sent to planet SR-388 to exterminate the Metroid race entirely, as its deemed too dangerous by the Galactic Federation. The counter you see on the bottom left of the UI even tells you how many Metroids are left to kill in the planet. So, what does this have to do with the acid? Apparently, Metroids can control the acid level of the planet so after you kill a bunch the acid drops and you can progress.
As you can see from the counters, there's actually a ton of Metroids to kill but they come in different variations so it's not
that tedious. In fact, I think the game manages to handle the repetition nicely with variations on the layout of the screens where battles take place and in how you encounter the Metroids. Thanks to the game's music and graphics it can also get a bit "scary" when you explore an area and you don't know when you'll find a Metroid to fight. This is especially true of the final boss.
In terms of gameplay, Metroid II is fairly good. Samus handles well and, despite her large sprite, the screen size is enough for you to see most enemies and obstacles. There's a few moments that feel a little BS but in general it works. The game even manages to introduce new powerups that would become standards like the Space Jump and Spider Ball.
My only gripe with the game really is the world design. Unlike a traditional Metroid game, there's actually very little backtracking to old areas to find new areas, most of the time you just descend until you find acid, then explore a bit killing Metroids until the acid drops and then return to descending. There's nothing inherently wrong with that but it's a bit disappointing for a Metroid game and it's also not helped by the amount of repetition. Many screens look very similar, so at times you'll get a little lost exploring since you're not sure if you're progressing or not. I feel this could be intentional by the devs but it mostly feels like Game Boy limitations to me.
Anyway, after killing enough Metroids you'll finally reach the final boss: the Metroid Queen, although there's some neat surprises along the way I didn't wanna spoil for those who haven't played the game! It's a very hard battle, I barely managed it with the amount of Missiles I had...
After beating the queen, the most iconic and important scene of Metroid II comes: the baby (
DABABY for those with culture). Samus killed every single Metroid in the planet but when she comes in contact with a Metroid newborn she hesitates and lets it live. This Metroid becomes core in Super Metroid's plot and later in both Fusion and Dread, so it's a big part of Metroid II's legacy.
You can share a moment with the baby and the night sky before the game finally ends! 5 hours isn't bad for a first playthrough of the game.
Overall, I'm a bit mixed on the game. It plays well but the map/level design is a bit of a letdown. It kinda grew on me on the final areas though so it left on a positive note, as I was getting a little bored when the Metroid count was around 25. As Fami had warned me, the game's very different from the 3DS remake, much less action focused and with different bosses and stuff. I kinda wanna replay Samus Returns now actually!
On another note, I already rolled the next game but I'll share that tomorrow. I also discovered the "Settings" menu of NSO apps, so in the future my screenshots won't have the controls in the bottom... I feel very silly I had missed them until now