Metroid II: Return of Samus
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| caption = {{#if:metroid2 boxart.jpg|European box art|European box art}}
| label2 = Developer(s) | data2 = Nintendo R&D1
| label3 = Publisher(s) | data3 = Nintendo
| label4 = Director(s)
| data4 = Hiroji Kiyotake
Hiroyuki Kimura
| label5 = Producer(s) | data5 = Gunpei Yokoi
| label6 = Designer(s) | data6 = Makoto Kano
| label7 = Programmer(s)
| data7 = Takahiro Harada
Masaru Yamamaka
Masao Yamamoto
Isao Hirano
| label8 = Artist(s) | data8 = Template:If first display both
| label9 = Writer(s) | data9 = Template:If first display both
| label10 = Composer(s) | data10 = Ryoji Yoshitomi
| label11 = Series | data11 = Metroid
| label12 = Engine | data12 = Template:If first display both
| label13 = Platform(s) | data13 = Game Boy
| label14 = Release | data14 = Template:Video game release
| label15 = Genre(s) | data15 = Action-adventure
| label16 = Mode(s) | data16 = Single-player
| label17 = Arcade system | data17 = Template:If first display both
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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. A remake, Metroid: Samus Returns, was released for the Nintendo 3DS in 2017.
GameplayEdit
Metroid II is an action-adventure side-scroller game<ref name=gamerankings>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Better source 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">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=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>
PlotEdit
Template:Metroid Story Order In the events of the first Metroid, bounty hunter 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 once and for all. When all of the teams disappear, however, the Galactic Federation contracts Samus to finish the mission.<ref name="MetroidStory">Template:Cite book</ref>
While exploring the planet, Samus encounters Metroids and destroys them, slowly decreasing the planet's Metroid population. During her mission, she notices the mutations that each creature exhibits: 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>
Samus proceeds to return to her gunship through the planet's tunnels. Along the way, she finds a Metroid egg. A Metroid hatchling floats out of the broken shell 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 gunship together.<ref name="SR388" />
DevelopmentEdit
Metroid II was developed by Nintendo Research & Development 1 (Nintendo R&D1),<ref name="ign-history">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=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">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
ReleaseEdit
Metroid II was released in North America in November 1991.<ref name="SSBB">Template:Cite video game</ref><ref name="NintendoDMG">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This was followed by the release in Japan on January 21, 1992,<ref name="release">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Game Boy Games List JP">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Famitsu-M2">Template:Cite magazine</ref> and in Europe on May 21.<ref name="release" /> 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">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was released in Japan on September 28,<ref name="Famitsu-M2" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and in North America and Europe on November 24.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
RemakesEdit
An unofficial fangame remake of Metroid II, AM2R, short for Another Metroid 2 Remake (the name being a reference to all of the other Metroid II remakes being produced at the time),<ref name="Ars Technica AM2R">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> was developed by Milton Guasti, under the pseudonym DoctorM64.<ref name="nintendogamer interview 1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> AM2R updates the game's appearance by drawing upon the visual designs of Super Metroid,<ref name="Ars Technica AM2R" /> and features gameplay modeled after Metroid: Zero Mission. It includes elements such as a map system, minibosses, stackable beams, and a log system with non-intrusive narrative. After years of development, AM2R was released in August 2016 for Windows, coinciding with the thirtieth anniversary of the Metroid series.<ref name="Kotaku AM2R Arrives">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="VG247 AM2R">Template:Cite news</ref> Shortly after the game's release, the download links on AM2RTemplate:'s official website were removed after Nintendo sent DMCA notices to websites hosting it,<ref name="Polygon AM2R takedown">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="EG AM2R takedown">Template:Cite news</ref> although Guasti said that he still planned to continue working on the game privately.<ref name="arst celebrates">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In September, the game's development ended after Guasti received a DMCA takedown request from Nintendo.<ref name="nintendo life no more updates">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Several journalists have enjoyed AM2R, frequently calling it impressive and commenting on the improved visuals compared to those of Metroid II.<ref name="Ars Technica AM2R" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=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">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="samusreturns3ds_e3">Template:Cite news</ref>
ReceptionEdit
Template:Video game reviews Although considered by a few critics to be the weakest game in the franchise and not as well received as the Nintendo Entertainment System counterpart,<ref name="GT Retrospective Part 1" /> Metroid II still received generally favorable reviews.<ref name=gamerankings /> Upon the game's release, Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu gave it a 25 out of 40 score.<ref name="Famitsu-M2" /> Because Metroid II has a single large level instead of multiple small ones, Tim Jones of IGN found the game a "refreshing departure from the norm", which made him feel claustrophobic the further into the game he ventured. He praised Metroid IITemplate:'s replay value, considering its non-linearity as the primary reason for this.<ref name=ign>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In their retrospective video on the Metroid series, GameTrailers believed that the game still maintained the high standards set by its predecessor and noted that it also introduced new methods of exploration to the series that have become staples.<ref name="GT Retrospective Part 1" />
Marcel Van Duyn of Nintendo Life writes that Metroid II "expands on the original title quite nicely", and noted that the difficulty was improved over the original Metroid because of the inclusion of "hot spots" that restores health and missiles.<ref name="NintendoLife-3DSVC" /> On the other hand, Jeremy Parish of 1UP.com was particularly critical of Metroid II, finding the game painful to play and describing it as "something of a dark spot on a brilliant series' reputation", but found the game's premise "ambitious", adding that it provided the series a vital crux, as Samus' actions in Metroid II set the plot for Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion.<ref name="1up">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> GameTrailers similarly commented that it told one of the most pivotal chapters in the series' overall plot.<ref name="GT Retrospective Part 1" />
Van Duyn praised Metroid IITemplate:'s visual detail, writing that the foregrounds and the enemies are detailed so players can identify them easily.<ref name="NintendoLife-3DSVC" /> Jones considered the graphics average, and noted that the walls appeared mostly the same, which confuses players when wandering through identical tunnels.<ref name="ign" /> Aside from Samus, Parish complained of the visuals, describing the environment as bland and repetitive, full of monotonous rocks and sand with few details to differentiate the various areas, and enemies as simple and boxy. Parish also found the music "downright painful", which he contrasted with the "moody, atmospheric compositions" the series was known for.<ref name="1up" /> Van Duyn similarly commented that the music is the only negative point in the game, and said that the ambient sounds tend to get annoying after hearing them frequently.<ref name="NintendoLife-3DSVC" /> In contrast, Jones highlighted the music positively, stating that the lack of aesthetic detail boosts the game's distinctive atmosphere, and the music playing at the right times. Jones was also pleased with its sound effects.<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>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=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> Game InformerTemplate:'s Ben Reeves called it the ninth best Game Boy game and noted that it polarized fans.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
SequelEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} 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>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
NotesEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
- Official Nintendo Japan Metroid II: Return of Samus website Template:In lang
- Metroid II at IGN
- Template:Usurped at the Metroid Database
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