The Ultimate Guide To Super Metroid

By BlackNES Guy and TBD

Think you know Super Metroid? Think again!!

This is the ultimate guide to Super Metroid on the SNES Classic and original Super Nintendo Entertainment System, from the creator of The Ultimate Guide series; bestselling author The BlackNES Guy!!

This book is a complete walkt

• Language: English
• Publisher: BlackNES Guy Books
• Release date: Jan 29, 2018
• ISBN: 9781989120507

Book preview

History

Released in March of 1994 to Japanese audiences, Super Metroid would show up on North American shelves a month later and in European stores just three months later. Since its original SNES release, it has been rereleased for the Wii, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, and SNES Classic. The game sold better to North American audience than it did in Japan. By 2003, it sold over 1.4 million copies worldwide.

Super Metroid consistently ranks among top video games lists, having been featured in prominent rankings in Nintendo Power, IGN, GamePro, GameSpot, and many others. Its popularity revived the series, causing Nintendo to produce eleven more as of this moment. Another game is even currently in production. During Super Metroid’s development, the team struggled to even gain approval to create the game. It was a year and a half before Nintendo approved its production.

A staff of fifteen people created Super Metroid. They were led by Gunpei Yokoi, the original creator of the series. Unlike previous games in the series, Yokoi did not direct it. That job was given to Yoshio Sakamoto, who had worked on the original Metroid. Sakamoto would continue to direct and produce several more Metroid games.

Basic Gameplay

Super Metroid is mostly non-linear, allowing player to choose which sections to explore and which Items to collect. With each power-up collected, Samus can explore more of the planet. Collecting more Items make boss battles easier. Because of its non-linear gameplay, Super Metroid has become famous for speed running (trying to complete the game as quickly as possible). This is further encouraged through the three different endings a player can receive based on the game time.

The game contains new aspects not found in previous Metroid games. Most notably are the Maps and the ability to customize Samus. From the Samus Screen, player can choose which suit to wear and which beam to equip. These would later become staples of the franchise.

Various Items throughout the game aid Samus on her quest. She can find two more suits, six different beam upgrades, and three types of boots. There are also Missiles, Super Missiles, and Super Bombs as weapons. Various other Items can be collected to give Samus special abilities or new ways to interact with the environment.

Players also have a long list of techniques that can choose to master, such as the Wall Jump or Super Jump.  These techniques will allow the player to collect certain Items earlier and complete the game more quickly. However, it is possible to complete the game without many of them.

Controls

Controls can be changed in the Controller Setting Mode on the title screen. Below are the initial button assignments.

Start: Pause the action and show the map screen

Select: Cycle through the special Item icons at the top of the screen

L: Aims Samus’ weapon down at an angle

R: Aims Samus’ weapon up at an angle

L & R: Press when Samus is kneeling to aim straight up

Y: Cancel; Turn off the selected special Item and switch back to Samus’ beam weapon

X: Fire; Fire beams and launch missiles; Hold to rapid fire or charge a beam; When rolled in a ball, plant a Bomb

A: Jump; While running, Samus will spin in the air

B: Dash; Run faster

Up: Aims Samus’ weapon upwards

Left/Right: Run to the left or right

Down: Press once to make Samus kneel; Hold to make Samus roll into a ball; While in the air, make Samus aim her weapon downwards

Title Screen

Once the game turns on, the title screen will appear along with a demonstration of gameplay. Press the Start button or A button to go to the Samus Data screen.

Samus Data

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Samus A/B/C. Select one of the three game files (A, B, or C) to open the Option Mode screen for that file.

Data Copy. Copy one of the game files to another game file location.

Data Clear. Clear the data from a game file.

Exit. Return to the title screen.

Option Mode

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The Option Mode screen allows you to change the controller settings for the selected game file. You can also switch the language between Japanese and English.

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Controller Setting Mode. To change the initial controller settings on the Controller Setting Mode Screen, move the cursor up or down. Once you have selected the Item you wish to change, press the button you wish to set it to. The Start button cannot be changed. If the L and R buttons are set to anything other than diagonal firing, the control Item will not function.

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Special Setting Mode. The Special Setting Mode screens allows you to customize your gaming experience. Changing Icon Cancel to Auto will deselect a Special Item whenever Samus goes through a door. If Manual is selected for Icon Cancel, Special Items will not be canceled unless you use the Cancel button. When Moon Walk is turned on, it allows Samus to shoot while walking backwards.

Game Screen

The game screen is the most common screen. It is the screen that allows Samus to move and attack. Various Icons line the top of the page to give the player vital information about Samus’s inventory.

Energy Tank Display. The Energy Tank display is in the top left corner. Samus can carry a total of 14 Energy Tanks, each containing 100 units of Energy. Once her energy reaches 0, however, the game is over.

Energy Display. Directly beneath the Energy Tank Display, the Energy Display shows the amount of energy remaining in the currently selected Energy Tank.

Auto Supply. Just right of the Energy Tank Display is the Auto Supply. This reveals how Energy from the Reserve Tanks is supplied.

Icon Item Display. In the center of the screen is the Icon Item Display. This shows which Icon Items can be selected and what their current amounts are.

Map Display. A small map can be found in the top right corner. It shows Samus’s position in relation to nearby areas. Blue indicates unexplored areas.

Map Screen

Press the Start Button during game play to bring up the Map Screen. Areas in pink have already been explored, while areas in blue have not. The Map Screen will only show the current section that Samus is in and will only reveal things she has already found. If Samus comes across a Map Computer, this Item will give her access to more of the area’s data. The Map Screen will show Samus’s current position and her last saved location as well as the locations of area bosses, Missile Charge Units, Data Save Units, and Map Computers.

Samus Screen