Metroid: Zero Mission
Encyclopedia
is an action-adventure
video game developed by Nintendo R&D1
for the Game Boy Advance
handheld console
. It was published by Nintendo
in North America in February 2004, in Australia in March 2004, in Europe in April 2004, and in Japan in May 2004. It is the sixth installment of the Metroid series
, an enhanced remake
of the original Metroid
game designed to retell the game's story. Like the other titles in the series, it features intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran
as the player-controlled main character.
Samus Aran travels to Zebes after learning that Space Pirates are experimenting with Metroids in an attempt to duplicate them and use them for their own gain. Samus finds and destroys Mother Brain, the mechanical life-form that controls the Space Pirates' base. However, while she escapes the planet in her gunship
, she is attacked by Space Pirates, causing the ship to crash back onto Zebes, near the Space Pirate Mothership. Samus decides to explore the ship and encounters Ridley Robot, who she defeats. Finding a shuttle, she uses it to escape the planet as the Metroids and the Space Pirates' research are destroyed in an explosion.
Reviews were generally positive towards the game; it received an aggregated score of 89% from Metacritic
. Praise focused on the new content, while criticism targeted the game's length. Metroid: Zero Mission received several honors, including a 46th-place ranking in a list of the Top 200 Games compiled by Nintendo Power
. It was also chosen as the 9th Best Game Boy Advance Game by IGN
. The game has sold over 439,000 units in the United States and 69,000 in Japan as of February 2005.
Metroid: Zero Mission takes place on Planet Zebes, a large, open-ended world with areas connected by doors and elevators. The player controls Samus Aran as she travels through the planet's caverns and environments, hunting Space Pirates. Along the way, the player collects power-up
s that enhance Samus's armor and weaponry, as well as grant her special abilities. These abilities allow Samus to access areas that were previously inaccessible, so that the game can be played linearly or non-linearly. For example, the player may come across underground caverns that bypass certain sections, a method termed sequence breaking
. To save their progress, players can enter either Save Rooms or Samus's ship on Crateria. As a remake of Metroid, Metroid: Zero Missions layout bears a resemblance to the original's. However, new items, areas, and mini-bosses
have been added, as well as a minimap and an area near the end of the game called Chozodia.
Metroid: Zero Mission is the first game in the Metroid series to include a sequence in which the player controls Samus without her Power Suit. In this portion of the game, Samus is more vulnerable to damage, must crawl through ducts on her hands and knees without the help of her Morph Ball mode, and has a weak pistol that briefly stuns enemies as her only weapon. However, Samus retains all energy tanks she acquired previously. In Metroid: Zero Mission, power-ups and items make reappearances from previous games in the series, with similar uses, effects, and appearances.
and seize samples of Metroid creatures. Dangerous floating organisms, Metroids can latch on to any organism and drain its life energy to kill it. The Space Pirates plan to replicate Metroids by exposing them to beta rays and then using them as biological weapons
to destroy all living beings that oppose them. While searching for the stolen Metroids, the Galactic Federation locates the Space Pirates' base of operations on the planet Zebes. The Federation assaults the planet, but the Pirates resist, forcing the Federation to retreat. As a last resort, the Federation decides to send a lone bounty hunter
to penetrate the Pirates' base and destroy Mother Brain, the mechanical life-form that controls the Space Pirates' fortress and its defenses. Considered the greatest of all bounty hunters, Samus Aran
is chosen for the mission. Samus lands on the surface of Zebes and explores the planet, traveling through the planet's caverns. She eventually comes across Kraid, an ally of the Space Pirates, and Ridley, the Space Pirates' commander, and defeats them both. Along the way, Samus finds and destroys Mother Brain. However, while Samus leaves the planet in her gunship
, it is attacked by Space Pirates, causing it to crash back on to Zebes, near the Space Pirate Mothership. Exploring the Mothership, Samus eventually reaches the Ridley Robot, a mechanized form of Ridley. After defeating it, Samus escapes the planet using one of the Space Pirate's shuttles, while the Mothership self-destruct
s.
first revealed Metroid: Zero Mission at the E3 convention in 2003, and its release date of February 9, 2004 was announced later that year. The game was directed by Yoshio Sakamoto
, a Nintendo
veteran who has been involved with the Metroid series since it first appeared on the Nintendo Entertainment System
and has played a role in every Metroid game except for Metroid II. Official positions that he held include director of Super Metroid
for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
and Metroid Fusion
for the Game Boy Advance
, producer of Metroid Prime
for the Nintendo GameCube
, and supervisor of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
. Sakamoto is the only member from the Metroid development team to also work on Metroid: Zero Mission.
While working on the concept for the next Metroid game after Metroid Fusion was released in 2002, one of the developers for Metroid Fusion suggested that Super Metroid
be ported to the Game Boy Advance; however, Sakamoto decided to port Metroid instead. The development team decided to return to the roots of Metroid gameplay by creating a game based on the original. Sakamoto, noting that Metroid Fusions gameplay was drastically different from previous Metroid games, wanted to "show people who had never played a Metroid game prior to Metroid Fusion, the roots of the Metroid franchise, that this is what Metroid is, this is the style of gameplay that Metroid sprang from [...] at the same time, retell the story of Samus' original mission".
One of the biggest challenges that the developers faced was in adding enough elements to Metroid: Zero Mission to make it feel new, while keeping the spirit of the original Metroid. Because both games were made for the Game Boy Advance, Metroid: Zero Mission uses a rebuilt version of the game engine
used for Metroid Fusion so that it did not need to be built from scratch. This marked the first time two Metroid installments have been released for the same video game console. Metroid Fusion had offered connectivity with Metroid Prime on the Nintendo GameCube, but Metroid: Zero Mission did not offer such a feature. Sakamoto explained that the developers wanted to make the game connect to Metroid Prime 2: Echoes on the GameCube, but the fact that both their release dates were far apart and not enough development time to implement connectivity features prevented them from doing so. However, they managed to include the ability for Metroid Fusion to connect with Metroid: Zero Mission.
In addition to borrowing the plot from Metroid, Metroid: Zero Mission introduces new cinematics to push the story forward. Sakamoto believed in the importance of having a story to complement a game. He found it particularly difficult to convey the game's plot accurately in a way that the player can understand, because of the sparse use of dialogue in the Metroid series. The story for Metroid: Zero Mission was rewritten to explore Samus Aran's backstory more than in the original Metroid. Cinematics are used to show Samus' memories to move the story forward and to keep the plot open for interpretation. Sakamoto claimed that this was intended to expand the original story while retaining some mystery. The game is the first Metroid game to let the player choose a difficulty level
at the start of the game; each of three levels varies in the amount of damage caused by enemies. The battle with Mother Brain marked the end of the original Metroid; however, Metroid: Zero Mission offers players extra levels to play after the battle.
for the Game Boy Advance
in North America on February 9, 2004, in Australia on March 19, 2004, in Europe on April 8, 2004, and in Japan on May 27, 2004. It was given generally favorable reviews, receiving an aggregated score of 89% from Metacritic
. Praise focused on the new content added to the remake, while criticism targeted the game's short length. The game was praised by a number of reviews, several which called it one of the best games available for the Game Boy Advance. X-Play
and GamePro
enjoyed the game; X-Play said the game was "perfect for blasting space pirates on the go", and GamePro was "constantly surprised" with what the game offered. GameZone
found it "hard to imagine a Game Boy Advance game that could match the style and addictive action of Metroid Fusion", but admitted that Metroid: Zero Mission surpasses the game quite easily. Agreeing with GameZone, Nintendo World Report
called the game a masterpiece and the perfect example of how a Metroid game should be done: "The designers carefully mix all the best elements from the other games and layer them on top of the already brilliant level design and concepts of the original Metroid." Eurogamer
appreciated every minute of the game, affirming that Metroid: Zero Mission should be considered one of the best games available for the Game Boy Advance.
A number of reviews were pleased with the new content added to Metroid: Zero Mission. Game Informer
appreciated the new material, and believed that fans of the Metroid series would "absolutely adore" Metroid: Zero Mission, which they considered one of the greatest video games in the history of gaming. 1UP.com
considered Metroid: Zero Mission to be one of the "most ambitious, comprehensive and successful" remakes for a game such as Metroid, noting that "[Metroid: Zero Mission] expands on its source material with refined control, gameplay ideas retrofitted from its sequels, new plot hooks for subsequent chapters of the saga, and some jaw-droppingly cool innovations which add new layers of complexity to the series."
Criticism of the game stemmed from its short length. Regarded as a "weak one-shot experience", IGN
felt that players would enjoy the game only after they had completed it and played it again Eurogamer stated simply: "We can't help but wish that it had been longer." Even though GamesRadar
liked the game's quality, they said that Nintendo should have "[made] the experience last longer." GameSpot
was disappointed with the "short-lived experience", but blamed the game's captivating quality that compelled them to complete the game in a few sittings. Calling Metroid: Zero Mission stale, GameSpy
asserted that players less familiar with Metroid games would get more enjoyment out of it because of its similarities to previous Metroid games.
Metroid: Zero Mission was ranked the best-selling Game Boy Advance game in the United States in its debut month of February 2004, selling 151,807 units, and it was the 3rd best-selling game across all video game systems in that month. In May 2004, the game's sales dropped to 7th among Game Boy Advance games, with 31,619 copies sold and $938,681 in revenue. By February 2005, the game had sold over 439,000 units in the United States and 69,000 in Japan. The game was ranked the 46th-best game for any Nintendo system in Nintendo Power
s Top 200 Games list. In their March 2010 issue, the magazine also ranked Metroid: Zero Mission as the eighth-best game to be released on a Nintendo console in the 2000 decade, in their "Best of the Decade" feature. Metroid: Zero Mission was voted IGN
's Game Boy Advance Game of the Month for February 2004, and the website's staff picked the game as both the Best Game Boy Adventure Game of 2004, and the 9th Best Game Boy Advance Game. Electronic Gaming Monthly
also picked it as the Best Handheld Game of 2004. Official Nintendo Magazine ranked the game 94th in a list of the best Nintendo games. Nintendo Power also ranked it the best Game Boy Advance game of all-time in its August 2011 issue.
Action-adventure game
An action-adventure game is a video game that combines elements of the adventure game genre with various action game elements. It is perhaps the broadest and most diverse genre in gaming, and can include many games which might better be categorized under narrow genres...
video game developed by Nintendo R&D1
Nintendo Research & Development 1
was Nintendo's oldest development team. Its creation coincided with Nintendo's entry into the video games industry, and the original R&D1 was headed by Gunpei Yokoi...
for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
handheld console
Handheld game console
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
. It was published by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
in North America in February 2004, in Australia in March 2004, in Europe in April 2004, and in Japan in May 2004. It is the sixth installment of the Metroid series
Metroid
is an action-adventure video game, and the first entry in the Metroid series. It was co-developed by Nintendo's Research and Development 1 division and Intelligent Systems, and was released in Japan in August 1986, in North America in August 1987, and in Europe in January 1988...
, an enhanced remake
Enhanced remake
A video game remake is a game closely adapted from an earlier title, usually for the purpose of modernizing a game for newer hardware and contemporary audiences. Typically, a remake shares essentially the same title, fundamental gameplay concepts, and story elements of the original game...
of the original Metroid
Metroid
is an action-adventure video game, and the first entry in the Metroid series. It was co-developed by Nintendo's Research and Development 1 division and Intelligent Systems, and was released in Japan in August 1986, in North America in August 1987, and in Europe in January 1988...
game designed to retell the game's story. Like the other titles in the series, it features intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran
Samus Aran
is the protagonist of the Metroid video game series. Introduced in the 1986 video game Metroid, Samus is a female ex-army soldier bounty hunter usually fitted with a powered armor suit with weapons that include beams and missiles...
as the player-controlled main character.
Samus Aran travels to Zebes after learning that Space Pirates are experimenting with Metroids in an attempt to duplicate them and use them for their own gain. Samus finds and destroys Mother Brain, the mechanical life-form that controls the Space Pirates' base. However, while she escapes the planet in her gunship
Gunship
The term "gunship" is used in several contexts, all sharing the general idea of a light craft armed with heavy guns.-In Navy:In the Navy, the term originally appeared in the mid-19th century as a less-common synonym for gunboat.-In military aviation:...
, she is attacked by Space Pirates, causing the ship to crash back onto Zebes, near the Space Pirate Mothership. Samus decides to explore the ship and encounters Ridley Robot, who she defeats. Finding a shuttle, she uses it to escape the planet as the Metroids and the Space Pirates' research are destroyed in an explosion.
Reviews were generally positive towards the game; it received an aggregated score of 89% from Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. Praise focused on the new content, while criticism targeted the game's length. Metroid: Zero Mission received several honors, including a 46th-place ranking in a list of the Top 200 Games compiled by Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
. It was also chosen as the 9th Best Game Boy Advance Game by IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
. The game has sold over 439,000 units in the United States and 69,000 in Japan as of February 2005.
Gameplay
Power-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
s that enhance Samus's armor and weaponry, as well as grant her special abilities. These abilities allow Samus to access areas that were previously inaccessible, so that the game can be played linearly or non-linearly. For example, the player may come across underground caverns that bypass certain sections, a method termed sequence breaking
Sequence breaking
In computer and video games, sequence breaking is the act of performing actions or obtaining items out of the intended linear order, or of skipping “required” actions or items entirely...
. To save their progress, players can enter either Save Rooms or Samus's ship on Crateria. As a remake of Metroid, Metroid: Zero Missions layout bears a resemblance to the original's. However, new items, areas, and mini-bosses
Boss (video games)
A boss is an enemy-based challenge which is found in video games. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight...
have been added, as well as a minimap and an area near the end of the game called Chozodia.
Metroid: Zero Mission is the first game in the Metroid series to include a sequence in which the player controls Samus without her Power Suit. In this portion of the game, Samus is more vulnerable to damage, must crawl through ducts on her hands and knees without the help of her Morph Ball mode, and has a weak pistol that briefly stuns enemies as her only weapon. However, Samus retains all energy tanks she acquired previously. In Metroid: Zero Mission, power-ups and items make reappearances from previous games in the series, with similar uses, effects, and appearances.
Plot
Space Pirates attack a Galactic Federation-owned space research vesselResearch vessel
A research vessel is a ship designed and equipped to carry out research at sea. Research vessels carry out a number of roles. Some of these roles can be combined into a single vessel, others require a dedicated vessel...
and seize samples of Metroid creatures. Dangerous floating organisms, Metroids can latch on to any organism and drain its life energy to kill it. The Space Pirates plan to replicate Metroids by exposing them to beta rays and then using them as biological weapons
Biological warfare
Biological warfare is the use of biological toxins or infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi with intent to kill or incapacitate humans, animals or plants as an act of war...
to destroy all living beings that oppose them. While searching for the stolen Metroids, the Galactic Federation locates the Space Pirates' base of operations on the planet Zebes. The Federation assaults the planet, but the Pirates resist, forcing the Federation to retreat. As a last resort, the Federation decides to send a lone bounty hunter
Bounty hunter
A bounty hunter captures fugitives for a monetary reward . Other names, mainly used in the United States, include bail enforcement agent and fugitive recovery agent.-Laws in the U.S.:...
to penetrate the Pirates' base and destroy Mother Brain, the mechanical life-form that controls the Space Pirates' fortress and its defenses. Considered the greatest of all bounty hunters, Samus Aran
Samus Aran
is the protagonist of the Metroid video game series. Introduced in the 1986 video game Metroid, Samus is a female ex-army soldier bounty hunter usually fitted with a powered armor suit with weapons that include beams and missiles...
is chosen for the mission. Samus lands on the surface of Zebes and explores the planet, traveling through the planet's caverns. She eventually comes across Kraid, an ally of the Space Pirates, and Ridley, the Space Pirates' commander, and defeats them both. Along the way, Samus finds and destroys Mother Brain. However, while Samus leaves the planet in her gunship
Gunship
The term "gunship" is used in several contexts, all sharing the general idea of a light craft armed with heavy guns.-In Navy:In the Navy, the term originally appeared in the mid-19th century as a less-common synonym for gunboat.-In military aviation:...
, it is attacked by Space Pirates, causing it to crash back on to Zebes, near the Space Pirate Mothership. Exploring the Mothership, Samus eventually reaches the Ridley Robot, a mechanized form of Ridley. After defeating it, Samus escapes the planet using one of the Space Pirate's shuttles, while the Mothership self-destruct
Self-destruct
A self-destruct is a mechanism which causes a device to destroy itself under a predefined set of circumstances.Self-destruct mechanisms are also found on devices and systems where malfunction could endanger large numbers of people...
s.
Development
NintendoNintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
first revealed Metroid: Zero Mission at the E3 convention in 2003, and its release date of February 9, 2004 was announced later that year. The game was directed by Yoshio Sakamoto
Yoshio Sakamoto
is a Japanese video game designer working for Nintendo. He is a key member in the development of the Metroid series, having worked as director, scenario designer, and script writer for many of the games. Sakamoto grew up with Nintendo toys, which he noted to be inventive and occasionally "strange"....
, a Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
veteran who has been involved with the Metroid series since it first appeared on the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
and has played a role in every Metroid game except for Metroid II. Official positions that he held include director of Super Metroid
Super Metroid
, also known as Metroid 3, is an action-adventure video game and the third game in the Metroid series. It was designed by Nintendo Research & Development 1, programmed by Intelligent Systems, and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console...
for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
and Metroid Fusion
Metroid Fusion
, also known as Metroid 4, is an action-adventure video game published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. It was released in North America, Europe, and Australia in November 2002, and in Japan in February 2003. The game is the fourth main installment in the Metroid series...
for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
, producer of Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime is a video game developed by Retro Studios and Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube, released in North America on November 17, 2002...
for the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
, and supervisor of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, known as in Japan, is a first-person, action-adventure video game developed by Retro Studios and published by Nintendo for the GameCube video game console. It is the seventh game in the Metroid series, a direct sequel to Metroid Prime, and the first game in the series with...
. Sakamoto is the only member from the Metroid development team to also work on Metroid: Zero Mission.
While working on the concept for the next Metroid game after Metroid Fusion was released in 2002, one of the developers for Metroid Fusion suggested that Super Metroid
Super Metroid
, also known as Metroid 3, is an action-adventure video game and the third game in the Metroid series. It was designed by Nintendo Research & Development 1, programmed by Intelligent Systems, and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console...
be ported to the Game Boy Advance; however, Sakamoto decided to port Metroid instead. The development team decided to return to the roots of Metroid gameplay by creating a game based on the original. Sakamoto, noting that Metroid Fusions gameplay was drastically different from previous Metroid games, wanted to "show people who had never played a Metroid game prior to Metroid Fusion, the roots of the Metroid franchise, that this is what Metroid is, this is the style of gameplay that Metroid sprang from [...] at the same time, retell the story of Samus' original mission".
One of the biggest challenges that the developers faced was in adding enough elements to Metroid: Zero Mission to make it feel new, while keeping the spirit of the original Metroid. Because both games were made for the Game Boy Advance, Metroid: Zero Mission uses a rebuilt version of the game engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
used for Metroid Fusion so that it did not need to be built from scratch. This marked the first time two Metroid installments have been released for the same video game console. Metroid Fusion had offered connectivity with Metroid Prime on the Nintendo GameCube, but Metroid: Zero Mission did not offer such a feature. Sakamoto explained that the developers wanted to make the game connect to Metroid Prime 2: Echoes on the GameCube, but the fact that both their release dates were far apart and not enough development time to implement connectivity features prevented them from doing so. However, they managed to include the ability for Metroid Fusion to connect with Metroid: Zero Mission.
In addition to borrowing the plot from Metroid, Metroid: Zero Mission introduces new cinematics to push the story forward. Sakamoto believed in the importance of having a story to complement a game. He found it particularly difficult to convey the game's plot accurately in a way that the player can understand, because of the sparse use of dialogue in the Metroid series. The story for Metroid: Zero Mission was rewritten to explore Samus Aran's backstory more than in the original Metroid. Cinematics are used to show Samus' memories to move the story forward and to keep the plot open for interpretation. Sakamoto claimed that this was intended to expand the original story while retaining some mystery. The game is the first Metroid game to let the player choose a difficulty level
Difficulty level
In general usage, difficulty level refers to the relative difficulty of completing a task or objective.In computer and video games, the term specifically delineates the ease or difficulty with which an average user may complete a game or a part of a game. Arcade games as well as many early console...
at the start of the game; each of three levels varies in the amount of damage caused by enemies. The battle with Mother Brain marked the end of the original Metroid; however, Metroid: Zero Mission offers players extra levels to play after the battle.
Reception
Metroid: Zero Mission was released by NintendoNintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
in North America on February 9, 2004, in Australia on March 19, 2004, in Europe on April 8, 2004, and in Japan on May 27, 2004. It was given generally favorable reviews, receiving an aggregated score of 89% from Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. Praise focused on the new content added to the remake, while criticism targeted the game's short length. The game was praised by a number of reviews, several which called it one of the best games available for the Game Boy Advance. X-Play
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
and GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
enjoyed the game; X-Play said the game was "perfect for blasting space pirates on the go", and GamePro was "constantly surprised" with what the game offered. GameZone
GameZone
GameZone is an American multiplatform video game website. GameZone's daily coverage includes reviews, previews, news, hints & cheats, and editorials. Additionally, GameZone offers downloads, a child-targeted website and in association with GameStop, hosts GZGameShop, an online retailer...
found it "hard to imagine a Game Boy Advance game that could match the style and addictive action of Metroid Fusion", but admitted that Metroid: Zero Mission surpasses the game quite easily. Agreeing with GameZone, Nintendo World Report
Nintendo World Report
Nintendo World Report is a Nintendo-specific video game website that covers Nintendo's current consoles, the Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, and Wii.-History:...
called the game a masterpiece and the perfect example of how a Metroid game should be done: "The designers carefully mix all the best elements from the other games and layer them on top of the already brilliant level design and concepts of the original Metroid." Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
appreciated every minute of the game, affirming that Metroid: Zero Mission should be considered one of the best games available for the Game Boy Advance.
A number of reviews were pleased with the new content added to Metroid: Zero Mission. Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
appreciated the new material, and believed that fans of the Metroid series would "absolutely adore" Metroid: Zero Mission, which they considered one of the greatest video games in the history of gaming. 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
considered Metroid: Zero Mission to be one of the "most ambitious, comprehensive and successful" remakes for a game such as Metroid, noting that "[Metroid: Zero Mission] expands on its source material with refined control, gameplay ideas retrofitted from its sequels, new plot hooks for subsequent chapters of the saga, and some jaw-droppingly cool innovations which add new layers of complexity to the series."
Criticism of the game stemmed from its short length. Regarded as a "weak one-shot experience", IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
felt that players would enjoy the game only after they had completed it and played it again Eurogamer stated simply: "We can't help but wish that it had been longer." Even though GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
liked the game's quality, they said that Nintendo should have "[made] the experience last longer." GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
was disappointed with the "short-lived experience", but blamed the game's captivating quality that compelled them to complete the game in a few sittings. Calling Metroid: Zero Mission stale, GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
asserted that players less familiar with Metroid games would get more enjoyment out of it because of its similarities to previous Metroid games.
Metroid: Zero Mission was ranked the best-selling Game Boy Advance game in the United States in its debut month of February 2004, selling 151,807 units, and it was the 3rd best-selling game across all video game systems in that month. In May 2004, the game's sales dropped to 7th among Game Boy Advance games, with 31,619 copies sold and $938,681 in revenue. By February 2005, the game had sold over 439,000 units in the United States and 69,000 in Japan. The game was ranked the 46th-best game for any Nintendo system in Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
s Top 200 Games list. In their March 2010 issue, the magazine also ranked Metroid: Zero Mission as the eighth-best game to be released on a Nintendo console in the 2000 decade, in their "Best of the Decade" feature. Metroid: Zero Mission was voted IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's Game Boy Advance Game of the Month for February 2004, and the website's staff picked the game as both the Best Game Boy Adventure Game of 2004, and the 9th Best Game Boy Advance Game. Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
also picked it as the Best Handheld Game of 2004. Official Nintendo Magazine ranked the game 94th in a list of the best Nintendo games. Nintendo Power also ranked it the best Game Boy Advance game of all-time in its August 2011 issue.
External links
- Metroid: Zero Mission at the Metroid Database