Episode 48: Super Metroid

Retro Spectives

The Metroidvania genre has a long and complicated history, but the game that invented the modern model is without a doubt Super Metroid. Released in 1994 for the Super Nintendo, it blew critics away with its smooth gameplay, open level design and incredible boss battles. While previous metroid games had similar open ended level structure, it was Super Metroid that refined it into the smooth progression and pacing that we take for granted today.

But does Super Metroid still hold up today in the face of the many advancements made in the genre over the past 25 years? The genre has seen a renaissance in the last 5-10 years, particularly in the indie sphere, headlined by Hollow Knight and Ori. Can the original possibly hope to stand strong when compared side by side to these masterpieces?

On this episode, we discuss:

• How well does Samus control? Is her awkward, vertical inclined jumping a dealbreaker, or can you adapt to her moveset with time and practice?
• How linear is Super Metroid? Are metroidvanias really as open as they appear, and if not, is this even a problem?
• What’s in a secret? How does Super Metroid incentivise secret hunting, and is the process of uncovering them really all that enjoyable?

We answer these questions and many more on the 48th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!

Intro Music: KieLoBot - Tanzen K

Outro Music: Rockit Maxx - One point to another

Super Metroid OST: Minako Hamano

Is there another Metroid game we should play? Were there more diverse routes to explore the world than we gave Super Metroid credit for? Come let us know what you think on our community discord server!