The World Design of Metroid 1 and Zero Mission | Boss Keys

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Making a Metroidvania is an enormous design challenge. How do you let a player loose in an interconnected world, without them becoming lost or frustrated?
In this series, I'll be looking at key Metroid titles, and games inspired by the franchise, to see how this type of world is structured. Starting with Metroid 1, and its 2004 remake Metroid Zero Mission.
Contribute translated subtitles - amara.org/v/C3...

[@tubekiller26]

My one criticism of this video is the lack of context that Zero Mission is given. ZM was released on the game boy advance. So the game was made more linear to better suit shorter game sessions like that of a 10-20 min transit ride to work or school. players were given a goal but not a route. this maintained the puzzle exploration gameplay of a metroid while making sure players were not wandering aimlessly and wasting short play sessions. ZM is not an over correction NES Metroid but rather a happy medium between Super and Fusion. Looking forward to next few videos.

[@Phobos_Anomaly]

That's an excellent observation. I do agree that Zero Mission has to be viewed within the context of a mobile game. However, I think that only serves to highlight that if you can't make a proper, non-hand-holdy Metroid on a mobile device because it wouldn't fit with the playing conditions of most GBA users - well, then you shouldn't make a Metroid game on a mobile device. It's like saying that a flight simulator with an NES controller shouldn't be criticized for bad input options because of the platform...well then, don't try to put a flight simulator on the NES! Lol, I hope you see what I mean.

[@hockeycrafter6086]

Phobos Anomaly I mean at the same time the video ignores the fact that the chozo statues disappear later in the game. It’s a fantastic introduction into not just metroid but all Metroidvanias it starts you off with a little bit of guidance. In then starts telling you were to go but not how to get there (my personal favorite way of exploration as it’s a happy medium) and then letting out all the brakes at the end and just letting you explore. I feel like it’s very intentional. And while none of the exploring is mandatory (as would be shown in his chart) it very much still turns into non linear exploration after you’ve become accustomed to and familiar with the world. Also not making gba Metroid games would be a large mistake zero mission and fusion introduced large swaths of new fans to the series. And it would be far more niche today otherwise. We wouldn’t have the insane push for prime 4 without these games.

[@adamwolfram6126]

Exactly. Fine observation.

[@orinanime]

Mr. Fission I was coming to say the exact same thing. Metroid zero Mission is basically the perfect combination of the original Metroid and the original Metroid 2 it combines the exploration and overall gameplay and setting of Metroid, would be more short burst pick up and play linearity of Metroid 2 for the Gameboy.

[@zebug4762]

@@hockeycrafter6086 I agree with you 100%. Considering I was one of the people who was introduced to Metroid via ZM way back in 2004, I would actually have been a little put off if not for the guidance. Back at that era of games, Metroidvanias were a foreign species of game to me, since I'd grown up on a staple of linear platformers such as Sonic and Megaman (I actually thought Metroid was some sort of Nintendo rip-off of Megaman before I actually started playing it); the only Metroidvania I'd played prior to that was Symphony of the Night. Metroid quickly turned into one of my all-time favourite game series from there on. However, I can also understand why long-time fans of the series would find the hand-holding to be distasteful. Being veterans of the series or genre, they would have picked up the game with certain expectations; having so much hand-holding would, I feel, rob them of the feeling of satisfaction they would otherwise have by memorising the locked paths that open up when they acquire a new powerup. Now, one might argue that 'well, they could just avoid the hint-giving Chozos then', but in all honesty, if it were your first time playing a game, wouldn't most people want to know what the developers are telling them? This brings me to another point: the sequence breaking in this game. By having so much hand-holding present within the game, there's a certain feeling of empowerment among players who purposefully break the developer-intended sequence in the game and instead find their own paths, and this is a sensation that definitely affects both old and new fans. Veterans would quickly find ways around the intended sequence and new fans to the series would get that huge buzz of satisfaction when they discover that they can do something that somehow almost feels illegal, simply because you can skip these things that you once thought were mandatory for progress. Besides, you can't tell me it doesn't feel good to wipe the floor with Kraid a bare second or two after you enter the fight with three Supers. It's a pity that ZM becomes a game that feels just a little too short once you get around to sequence breaking though. TL;DR: I agree that GBA Metroids successfully introduced new fans to the series, and that guidance went a long way to avoid putting potential fans off, but long-time fans may feel robbed of satisfaction for doing something that comes more naturally to them. Ultimately, the hand-holding is offset (in the case of ZM) by the feeling of empowerment that sequence breaking brings. Sorry for the wall of text. I get incredibly verbose when talking about games, more so when it comes to one of my favourites.

[@The_Kenster]

I feel like it was a bit of a mistake just comparing Zero Mission to Metroid 1 without any of the context of how Metroid's design evolved from 2 to Super to Fusion. While Zero Mission is a remake of Metroid 1, it's very much also a Metroid 5 and when you take into account Super and Fusion you see how we got to Zero Mission and how it lines up with the games made between 1987 and 2004. A lot of the Zero Mission portion of this video was focused on the chozo statues, but the chozo statues are actually a really clever take on how Fusion worked where you'd get a specific mission laid out for you and you then acted out what you were told. Then in Zero Mission instead of having very specific directions, the chozo statues would direct you to a point on the map without any actual information about what was there, of which only one actually points you to a point of the map you have recorded. They keep you on track with a very general "yeah, the next big upgrade is over there somwhere" but you have to actually find how to get there which give plenty of room for finding cool stuff along the way. And they're all frontloaded and you don't have any past the halfway point of the game so they do a good job of gradually having you think for yourself more and more. Another thing I think that you kind of wrongly dismiss is multiple playthroughs. Since every 2D Metroid game incentivizes you to try again by showing your completion time and giving you a different ending based on it. Heck, Zero Mission even has an extra difficulty mode with new ending pictures and special ones for getting less than 15% items collected. I think it's safe to say that many first time players would be encouraged to become second, third, and etc. time players since there's a lot of things in the game pushing you to play again and find those extra items and little shortcuts. Just because the first hour of a first playthrough may be vaguely handhold-y doesn't mean that the game isn't packed to the brim with new things to find. Also, finding the sequence breaks in Zero Mission during a first playthrough is significantly more common than you think. I've heard many stories of people skipping Imago or getting Varia Suit early because they realize that bomb jumping is a thing and just kind of try it everywhere. Oh geeze this turned into a pretty huge nerd post about Metroid and I was supposed to be getting ready for work. Uh, excited to see more Boss Keys!

[@skipperdmudkipz]

You’re completely right on the sequence breaking part, I managed to fight Ridley first on my first time around due to bomb and wall jumping. Granted, this wasn’t my first Metroid game but still did a few sequence breaks first time around.

[@skipperdmudkipz]

You’re completely right on the sequence breaking part, I managed to fight Ridley first on my first time around due to bomb and wall jumping. Granted, this wasn’t my first Metroid game but still did a few sequence breaks first time around.

[@johanrosenberg6342]

It's also a REALLY short game by most standards. I think I beat it in like 3 hours on my first run. It wasn't my first Metroid by a long beam though. Still, making games short and full of things to do differently is fantastic incentive for extra playthroughs.

[@2200Gill]

Now we have a real Metroid 5 hahaha

[@Enzed_]

I bomb jumped a lot in zero mission. And it was my first Metroid game. But I don't think I did any sequence breaks tho

[@benredfield6643]

I think it might be worth considering that as Zero Mission and Fusion are both relatively linear takes on the Metroid formula, Nintendo might have been intentionally trying to craft something more suitable to the handheld nature of the Game Boy Advance. Metroid 2 on the original Game Boy was also much more linear than its predecessor. Perhaps they designed Zero Mission and Fusion with short-burst gameplay in mind, as the gamer might be playing on the commute to work, for example. With this in mind, they may have wanted to guide the player more, so they would be more likely to progress in a quick 15-30 minute session, rather than wander around a labyrinth for a while, maybe get nowhere at all, and then turn it off when they get to their stop. If this is the case, then I think it's pertinent to consider a game not only in the context of it's series, but also with regards to the situation that the designer expects the game to be played in. So in this situation, designing with gameplay taking place in short and frequent sessions may well have been the intention. This may not be the case too, but I thought it was definitely an idea worth presenting.

[@OtakuUnitedStudio]

Totally agree. The save system I in the original, even the Famicom Disc System version, kind of punished you. You'd start with 30 health and limited missiles if you quit and used a password or save file to continue. Never mind that they made the NA and European versions harder by making some enemies do extra damage. So if you quit and came back, you'd be at a disadvantage until grinding for health. The save system removes what was probably an unintentional stumbling block. And despite the handholding being present IF you follow the prescribed path, sequence breaking even once turns it off for most of the rest of the game.

[@raemmio2761]

This video really undermines the sequence breaking of zero mission. Which is a shame since the devs made zero mission with speed running in mind. There is so much sequence breaking in the game due to it. Not analyzing those parts really undermine the work the devs put in. But if you are new to both games you can follow the path set for you. Which was made with the short bursts you were talking about.

[@supersmashbro596]

zero mission is something i call "deceptively linear." as in, the obvious path is very linear. but then you see the completion time and wonder what might have been done to get it lower. then you discover the walljump you have can scale a single wall with proper timing. then you discover you can bomb-jump indefinitely. so you learn to use these to get things early. then you discover what might have been necessary to beat the game wasn't really needed at all. then you beat the game again. a new ending pic. so you wonder what can be done to push the time and the item percentage lower and lower. and you know what the minimum requirements to beat zero mission is? morph ball, bombs, a missile tank, ice beam (required to kill the metroids) the unknown items (plasma beam, space jump, gravity suit), the power grip. and, the varia as it will automatically be given to you after completing the ruins test and will be counted towards the percentage all totalling about 9%. and you're given an ending for having a completion % below 15%.

[@syweb2]

@@raemmio2761 This video is mostly about the first-time play experience, which is something that it looks like is going over most viewers' heads.

[@matesafranka6110]

Completely agree, and I don't even think it's solely because of the handheld aspect. It reminds me of discussions I've seen/taken part of, where people will defend the original Zelda's worst game design decisions (e.g. "burn down this random unmarked tree to find the next dungeon, oh and btw you can only use the candle once per screen") by insisting that it "rewards persistence and experimentation". To these arguments, I always respond that I'm not an 8 year old who has nothing to do all summer but play the same game every day for 16 hours ─ I'm a 30+ years old man with a full time job and a whole host of other interests and obligations. Most days I have less than an hour to spare on gaming, and I have absolutely no intention of spending that with exiting and reentering each screen sixteen times. Because of this, I for one really appreciated the "handholding" in Zero Mission, and even then I managed to get lost a couple times (although that's probably just me sucking at the game). And I think it's just a natural consequence of the time that passed since the NES that there are more and more busy grownups who'd like to play the same kinds of games they did as kids, only streamlined to fit it into their schedules.

[@CrimsonMoonM]

Moreso than any other Metroid game, I feel that taking sequence breaking into consideration when analyzing the level design of ZM is a must since the devs actively put in secret paths throughout the game solely for the sake of speedrunning. Disregarding that really deemphasizes a lot of the effort that went into this game.

[@HerMi.T]

True actually. I also didn't like handholding nature of zero mission at my first playthrough but second playthrough literally changes because i started new ways to complete it.

[@Scuuurbs]

I came down to say something like this. Handholding for first timers and casual players is fine, as long as they keep the spirit of metroidvania sequence breaking alive. I think Zero Mission excelled at that. It’s funny, I remember watching Mark years ago and thinking he was this inspired guru of game philosophy. Revisiting these videos after the release of Dread, I find myself more at odds with his analyses.

[@maximedemers3467]

Hell, you don't have to follow the indications from the Chozo statues.

[@milesprower6110]

Yeah, if they didn't want to sequence break, they for sure would have not changed the wall jumping nature which in Fusion it was impossible to do it in the same wall, and this game comes after and from Fusion

[@robertgoss7971]

The fact that they hold your hand constantly EVEN WHILE SEQUENCE BREAKING is not a good thing, and I don't understand how you can try to present it as one.

[@Selatein]

Mark, I feel like you left out one important detail about the Chozo statues. Metroid: Zero Mission is a mobile title, and the extra direction is really useful for a game medium that can be picked up and put down so easily. IIRC, Metroid Zero Mission (and Fusion) actually had a sleep mode in the pause sub menu, so that's a big reason they added the feature. Definitely undercuts the design philosophy of Metroidvania games, sure, but there's a good reason for it.

[@Elbasunu]

I really don't want this to be overlooked: This is 100% of the reason why the game is structured this way. They designed it around short jaunts from goal to goal, because it was for a system they knew players would need to have defined stopping points that were pretty frequent. It also keeps you from forgetting what your were doing the last time you stopped playing. It's all still a valid criticism, and maybe we've discovered better techniques since then (or not? I'm not sure), but the handheld ethos is very apparent here.

[@ughanotheroneofthesenames8207]

Selatein Very true. Both of you are spot on and it really makes me love Phantom Hourglass and The GBA Metroids. I can still play through both with the limited time I have because I can't play games every day.

[@LieseFury]

GBA is not a phone. Zero Mission is a handheld game. Until Samus gets a stamina bar and obnoxious pop-ups in her visor, Metroid isn't mobile.

[@Selatein]

Lieselotte Aya mo·bile adjective able to move or be moved freely or easily.

[@LieseFury]

Selatein sounds prescriptivist but okay

[@NakeyJakey]

the thumbnail for this video is so pretty. you got a source on that artwork?? also your video was super good too love u bye

[@GMTK]

Picture of Samus was from the Metroid Database, and then I made it all purdy with Photoshop :D

[@pezvonpez]

stretch that guinea pig

[@CheaCliatt]

Our King

[@Spenceycat123]

@@CheaCliatt 😍

[@reilynn7891]

I think "90% of players will get a guided tour on their first playthrough" isn't a good argument because the secrets in the original metroid are hardly part of the initial experience either. In fact, 90% of people playing the first metroid would probably go "I'm stuck, this game sucks" and then stop playing.

[@colelawton4901]

That is in fact what 90% of us did lol. That said, it would have been cooler to allow more sequence decision making.

[@realmrpger4432]

And that exact experience is why the first game is criticized. I fail to see how "and the first game has poor design too!" is somehow a counter-argument.

[@steel5897]

Zero Mission is masterfully designed, it's the only Metroid game with 100% intentional sequence breaking and low% routes, it takes it all into account. The hand-holding is optional if you know the game inside-out. First thing I do in a Zero Mission playthrough is get the Varia Suit and head straight to Ridley, in the first minutes of the game, that's how good it is.

[@captainsnake8515]

> It’s the only Metroid game with 100% intentional sequence breaking Metroid dread: hehe not anymore

[@ArcNeoMasato]

@@captainsnake8515 For real though! I love some of the hidden things that ONLY exist if you sequence break, especially in a particular boss fight ;)

[@warwicksulista8320]

I had played metroid 1 2 super and fusion before zero mission Stil lthe game felt really confusing and made me fell lost many times It was just frustating

[@BrendanGill]

Yes! And, if intentional sequence breaking is a good thing (and I totally think it is), wouldn't it be even better to not really have a sequence at all? That's my wish, that we get another Metroid one day as open as the first.

[@syweb2]

Yeah, but that's only for people who are already experienced with the game. This video is about the design in regards to people who are playing for the first time - he said as much near the end.

[@benwasserman8223]

Metroid 1’s biggest innovation: a platformer where you move LEFT

[@ShinoSarna]

That was invented by Activision in 1982 with Pitfall... 3 years before Super Mario Bros and 4 before Metroid.

[@Canadas_Very_Own]

You joke, but at the time that was pretty freaking revolutionary.

[@ShinoSarna]

Stephen Sandoz - no, it wasn't revolutionary. Metroid wasn't the first Metroidvania, there were many more before it like Xanadu, Jet Set Willy, Brain Breaker and Pitfall 2. Metroid simply POPULARIZED the genre, it didn't invent anything.

[@metroidfannumber1234]

@@ShinoSarna not to mention Monty on the run on the c64

[@krautgazer]

Are you all forgetting that you control Mario/Jumpman in both ways in the original Donkey Kong (1981)?

[@gabrielledebourg2487]

Great video! Though I do think you forgot a very important aspect to the "linearity" of Zero Mission and the reason Nintendo gave you all of these beacons and restrictions: Zero Mission is a handheld title. A vast Metroidvania-style game requires a great amount of focus and memory to really get through and are often played in prolonged stretches of time. Then it's easy to remember where to go all the time, as you are so focused and invested - and possibly even making notes. But a handheld title is very restricted in this. These titles are made to be played in bursts, during a car ride, or on the bus or the like. They need to be able to quickly get in and out of. As such, why Zero Mission hold your hands is because it knows it's limitations of it's own medium. On a handheld we can't simply make notes and our stretches of playtime are often condensed, so to keep the memory focused can be hard. Zero Mission therefore restricts us in it's exploration and always gives us a beacon to not get lost where we are. We can play it for a few minutes, then pick it up later during the day and know where we are. We always have a pointer where to go, so that if our headspace has been "emptied" due to not playing we can easily get our bearings. It keeps what we open up with new power ups simple so that we can easily remember our backtracking between our bursts of play. While I do agree that it is restricting, I also greatly appreciated it when I played the game back in 2004. It was limiting, sure, but it was also a limitation that made sure that every time I picked up my Zero Mission whenever I had a chance for a few minutes, I had fun. I never went into the game with confusion: just a simple look at the map screen reminded me of what I was doing earlier - and the few secrets I had to keep in mind meant that I managed to properly remember and get excited when I got the item to unlock them, as it could have been a day or so earlier when I encountered it. Much of this design aspect is lost today for people playing the game on emulators or stationary consoles, where we now enjoy it in the comfort of prolonged and focused sittings, not in the back of a bus on our way to school with a small 20 minute window which we had to play.

[@DarylTalksGames]

11:48 Man it's so important to make the distinction between implicit and explicit goals. Amazing how a task that you decide to do loses all of its charm when you are *told* to do so. I think this is why we all so desperately want open world and non linear games. Glad Boss Keys is back!!

[@soullinks]

Daryl Talks Games Seamus returns did it well, backtracking was actually fun

[@C0nFus3KuN]

But then, we have open world games, that have that dotted line saying what to do and where to go, this don't change nothing.

[@subprogram32]

Another reason why BOTW works so well - 'Destroy Ganon' is your goal, but the lead up to that goal is very open-ended, and you don't even get the divine beast locations on your map until you willingly follow the main quest for a while - but very importantly, you can still find and beat the beasts even without the main quest helping out.

[@Telodor]

Am I the only one who actually prefers linear games over most open world games? In most open world games like GTA V I never know what to do, I need some sort of guidance. Also, the story offen suffers under the open world design.

[@Elonyx.studios]

I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with linear gameplay or having an explicitly stated goal/destination. As long as the path to get there is interesting it can feel more like a declared challenge that asking to be beaten, and reaching that point can still feel just as satisfying, or even moreso, than discovering something on your own

[@NintendoCapriSun]

Heh, i was just binging the Zelda series last week, a real pleasure to see this pop up today! As someone who grew up with Metroid 1, I know firsthand what it feels like to get wholly lost in that game. I think we all had more time on our hands as kids, and so wandering through a world for 4-5 hours was no big deal back then. Especially for those who grew up in a world without internet and social media. But despite having all the extra free time, even I almost didn't make it through M1, in no small part due to the fact that I kept running into the "fake" Kraid in Hideout 1 (as they called it at the time) and beating it over and over, convinced I surely must have been doing it the wrong way. It wasn't until much later that I stumbled onto Hideout 2. I told my best friend about it, and he wrote out a handwritten note for me with directions on how to get to Ridley. I wonder how often anyone gets to share info that way nowadays.

[@okguzelce]

Soulsborne games with players writing online notes to each other simulates a similar feeling, I think

[@magictriangle6878]

@@okguzelce Except everyone tries to kill you instead of help you in those games lol

[@eebrozgi]

I'd call Zero Mission's first playthrough a tutorial: It encourages replaying with different difficulties & mission clear screen and timer and so on. You have a point about the more guiding nature of the game, but I'm not completely buying the "99% of players will leave it at this" -point. That said, ZM is basically a hug-pillow of mine so it's refreshing to see some on-point criticism about it once in a while too!

[@syweb2]

From what I understand, a lot of people will play a game once and then leave it at that, and that's probably the mindset that he's referring to.

[@cheesewedge]

@@syweb2 And playing that way is the antithesis to the design goals of the series - people who play that way arent gonna have the perfect experience because it quite litterally isnt designed for them.

[@GamingWithCalvin1]

13:39 which is kinda the point, zero mission is the most replayable one, and sequence breaking was always meant to be done after you'd already beaten the game. And besides, it still has those sequence breaks. Bosses can be beaten in reverse order just like in super, and you don't need to use any crazy obscure techniques or glitches to do so. Plus, it feels a lot less handholdy coming from fusion, which released 2 years prior, since that game directed you much more... directly. And coming from a new fan, it will seem just as bombastic as it would for super metroid. Coming from a prime fan though they'll think it's to short. Besides, chozo indicators become much rarer later in the story, and you can literally navigate norfair 2 different ways. It may be more straightforward then super, but it's the exact right amount of straightforward. And then the part of the game after you get shot down just completely goes off the rails

[@feisty-trog-12345]

I think you should really include sequence breaking when discussing these games, since (at least for MZM) they are an intended part of the game and for those who replay the games, a great part of the fun. I'd argue that searching for ways to break the game and complete it without the "required" items is actually an important part of exploration in these games.

[@nachostv4217]

Feisty I agree, figuring out how to break a metroid game is literally half the game. Like trying to get wave beam before you need to in Super Metroid by doing a perfect walljump off a tiny ledge and stuff like that. Edit: I know it's not literally literally half the game but please bois.

[@legrandliseurtri7495]

He did include sequence breaks. Did you not finish the video?

[@ytplayer03]

@@legrandliseurtri7495 He did include sequence breaks but he barely talks about them and just kinda diminishes them because "99% of the player won't find them on their first playthrough", which not only isn't really accurate but it also ignores the fact that the game was made with replayability in mind (a big factor of most Metroid games)

[@Thrashman138]

I like this video and love the Boss Keys series in general, but this was far too critical of Zero Mission. That is my favorite game in the series, no contest. To me, Zero Mission is a near-perfect distillation of the Metroid series' best concepts in one package. ZM is nowhere near as linear or as guilty of hand holding as Fusion. And being linear is not necessarily bad, even for a Metroid game. Sorry GMTK, but I've got some serious disagreements with you here.

[@CzarGear]

Super Metroid is the cornerstone, but Zero Mission is the foundational one.

[@HerMi.T]

You should not compare it with fusion which doesn't even try to be non linear. Linearity is not bad and gmtk himself stated that. Didn't you watch his video completely. But he want to say that it's progression is not as much natural and rewarding as super metroid. Super metroid also guided you to teach how to find secrets and find new mechanics. Then it branch out into many possibilities. By didn't providing obvious path. You can stumble upon new secrets with your toolkit or even unreachable secrets. But eventually you would find the path forward. For this you have to make a mental map of world which is one of the most important part of these games which i think reviewers forget except gmtk. Take the example of castlevania symphony of night and it's sequel like aria of sorrow. They did have intentional paths but didn't Directly tell you where to go. There should be small challenges like this for players

[@Davian2073]

Metroid Zero Mission is Super Metroid but with better physics and the same story as Metroid. Metroid II is Metroid with better physics and continuing the story. Metroid Fusion is linear in many ways. That's it.

[@Alufear]

I'll be honest, I'll take a guided tour with subtle deviations and shortcuts over blindly groping through areas I don't remember if I've been in before any day...

[@RichardBlaziken]

I think the point is that it's not an all or nothing design space, and we'll be shown that in following episodes :)

[@gamedesignwithmichael]

I'm glad game designers stopped using destructible walls with no tells. That's for sure.

[@titanfall222jorge6]

Many people are saying that because those games that have done that are not done well. Super metroid has that design but because it has done so well it just works so goodly. Its so good that nobody has managed to top it.

[@carlosaugusto9821]

Yes, but you have to consider in those games the points that are merely result from technical limitations. I'm not sure, but i believe it wasn't possible to make a map in the NES game, not that it's bad design. That perspective is always kinda unfair with old games. A much better perspective, at least to me, is thinking that since ZM has the evident technical capacity to do everything that Metroid 1 did and much more, AND everything that SM did and more, then it has to be judged in a more strict context. And then what if the first Metroid had been released in time there were means to make a map?

[@samy29987]

Hidden destructible walls that had no particular distinction made for progression? That is a huge no-no in games. I am also glad that is not a thing anymore. However, I do feel that the time these games were made in, allowed for such cryptic design. Metroid should always be about being able to get lost and not having strict direction what to do, or where to go. It should always be about encountering things in the world that may be unreachable at the time, but after exploration you find the means and decide to investigate that previous location by _YOURSELF_. This rewards players immensely and encourages them to keep going, even if it was hard to find the path to progression.

[@SmokingSpoon]

Zero mission's level design is genius imo. *MOST of the sequence breaking in it was intended.* Effectively making the game different and much harder and different in the way you explore. And I think this is incredible. I can't imagine what a confusing chaos that was to create for the game designers. *You even get rewarded at the end if you complete the game with a low item %.* An item % seemingly impossible to achieve if you follow the bread crumbs without question. I'm a Metroid fanatic, but I think it's obvious that it's never been a game for everyone. So making it this way (apparently very linear, but secretly very opened) was an intelligent way to please both: new people not much into metroivanias & metroid veterans.

[@SmokingSpoon]

Furthermore, what's funny is that a lot of people don't enjoy open-world games. But somehow it's been implied nowadays to be the desired standard.

[@KTSpeedruns]

I’ll be honest, I’d prefer something a little too guided than something as obscure and frustrating as Metroid 1. Zero Mission stops giving you statues 1/3 through anyway. And, even though it is more “guided” I was still able to find myself lost.

[@KTSpeedruns]

Paul Deaton I love Metroid Fusion. It is linear, but it’s still a great game.

[@jober1905]

I find getting lost in metroid 1 part of the fun, but I might be a bi-i-i-t biased as it was my first metroid game.

[@JohannesEckhoff]

+

[@gamedesignwithmichael]

I'm the same. If there's one thing I hate, it's having no idea what I'm doing. And in this day and age of games, I don't think there is any reason why we can't have both in a design. There is a balance there. Obviously these games are old though.

[@BobbyJoeHill95]

Every nes game is so hard to finish without a walkthrough or emulator savestates

[@jetstreamjackie3437]

“There are only a few optional items in the game” Low% runners: wanna bet

[@BigJ_404]

I have a video where i do kraid before going to norfair. Zero mission is one of the most flexible and varia-ble games in the series.

[@Joseph-li3df]

@@BigJ_404 Ba-dum tss

[@MrThetronica]

@@BigJ_404 super metroid rbo runners: wanna bet

[@thorscape3879]

Fusion 0%: Laughs in Adam

[@MrThetronica]

@@thorscape3879 that only means No missile, power b, or energy tank upgrades. Rest are collected, besides maybe diffusion missles.

[@kierany9]

I'm pretty sure Zero Mission is designed with repeated playthroughs and sequence breaking in mind considering how there are so many skips that are intentional and/or don't rely on bugs, and I'm a little disappointed at how you didn't cover it more. A graph with all the skips taken into account would definitely look like a hybrid between the OG Metroid and Zero Mission graphs, or at least remove some of the dependencies. While Zero Mission definitely feels more linear on a first playthrough (it's pretty much idiot-proofed), I wouldn't call it an overcorrection by a long shot, as on repeated playthroughs (or if you want to go off the beaten path), there's far more exploration and experimentation to enjoy.

[@Glockenspheal]

Agreed, 2D Metroids are meant to be played multiple times, there's a reason for that timer at the end and that reward final picture with Samus.

[@NimonoSolenze]

Exactly, that's the EXACT point of Metroidvania games. It's not to be taken at face value- you're meant to enjoy them over multiple playthroughs. Metroid 1...isn't really that kind of game. But Zero Mission absolutely is. It was DESIGNED with that kind of thing in mind, and it shows. The "hand-holding" path is to help you learn how the game works, and makes sure you can beat it. Then you replay it and find all the other paths.

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

You guys _did_ watch the video all the way through, right?

[@kef0205]

A game that holds my hand all the way through is exactly the sort of game I would avoid playing multiple times, as the obvious assumption is that there's little else to explore or discover since the developers have actively precluded that in your first playthrough. Is it obvious in your first playthrough of Zero Mission that there's a reason to revisit it?

[@bfish89ryuhayabusa]

OG Metroid is that kind of game, though. It's designed to be explored and poked at through multiple playthroughs. Draw your maps. Write down where you find stuff. Like you're really exploring. Super Metroid loses that element, but then SNES games are too big and complex to make cartography possible. And it's so good otherwise, that I can overlook it. The secrets are super helpful, but unnecessary. I'll agree that they don't have the same "feeling like you could be the first person to discover this" charm of the secrets in Zelda 1, and are a little too hidden in some cases, but Zero Mission completely removes that sense of "here's a world, go explore and find whatever you can" with not just telling you where to go, but restricting you to only go there unless you've already played enough to know the exploits.

[@TheRokunana]

I don't really see how it's a problem that Zero Mission puts a waypoint on the map to help players know where they need to head next. It can be really handy if you're not able to pick up the game for a few days and can prevent you from just running around aimlessly without an idea of where to go.

[@SumitKumar-oc6cd]

It's a problem only to the purists. It's in fact VERY helpful because you can explore all you want all the while being aware of the fact that you'll never be stuck. If it wasn't there, I would just waste my time roaming around and will ultimately, get bored. I love the feature and Unlike what GMTK said in the video, it makes the game more enjoyable for me. Currently playing it and loving every second of it.

[@hugo-garcia]

The problem is that by putting a waypoint the game is not a metroidvania anymore it becomes a platformer/action adventure game

[@ToxikDnB544]

@@hugo-garcia ignore the waypoint? Though an option to turn them off would be the best of both worlds :)

[@KuraIthys]

What I noticed some time ago, is that if you strip out all the thematic and stylistic stuff, arguably metroid and Zelda are very close to being the same core concept. The main distinguishing points appear to be the perspective (in older titles at least - 3 quarters top down for zelda and side-on for Metroid), and that a Zelda title tends to be broken up into an overworld and a bunch of smaller self-contained sections (eg. Dungeons), where in a Metroid title there may be identifiable sub-regions, but it's effectively just an overworld, and the whole thing plays out like one giant continuous dungeon instead... I'm sure there's a lot more subtleties to it than that, but when you look at it they really are surprisingly similar concepts...

[@DanielisAwesome52]

I want to agree with you, and it became more and more true when Fusion and Zero released (Definitely Prime games are essentially Zelda games) But Metroid shouldn't be Zelda like to an extent. Because a huge thing in Metroid is the sequence breaking, it is the finding alternate routes and missable upgrades, whereas a Zelda the entire point of entering a Dungeon is that one upgrade/item. Zelda should be made so every item/powerup can be used in more than a couple ways, but they just aren't and we've seen when Zelda is made nonlinear like that (BotW) they just drop the item powerups entirely. Good Metroid work like the first and Super, Where having bombs essentially opens 50% or more of the map up to you by virtue of player skill

[@bfish89ryuhayabusa]

Sequence breaking is part of the Legend of Zelda. I rather dislike how linear the games became, and missed being able to find a random entrance, walk in, and realize I'm in a way higher level than I'm equipped to handle.

[@Ichigo111293]

BFisch You must love BOTW then.

[@bfish89ryuhayabusa]

Ray01X I greatly look forward to eventually playing it, when I can afford to buy a Switch and the game. It appears to be exactly what I was hoping for in a Zelda game.

[@PauLtus_B]

+Peter Glagowski I found it rather insane how well balanced Breath of the Wild remained. There are a lot of parts of Breath of the Wild that scale with you, and there's still barriers, most of these barriers are just soft barriers.

[@Kohdok]

I actually disagree on the handholding of Zero Mission. Maybe it helps that it was the first Metroid game that I played, but I feel like it gets handholding right. At the start of the game, as seen in 10:30, it shows you your destination clear with a map, but once you get to 12:35 where your goal point is n the middle of freaking nowhere and the game is basically telling you "Have fun trying to figure out how to get over THERE!" It's actively teasing you at that point, rather than providing straightforward answers. And by the final chapter, you no longer get any hints to proceed. The game starts with a firm hand on your shoulder, but as you progress, the hand slowly lifts away and disappears, leaving you to fend for yourself. My sessions with Zero Missions tended to involve trying to figure out how to get to the next portion of the game which, as you adeptly pointed out in 10:47, the path forward isn't always obvious or involves heading straight for that room; you have to figure out navigation to that point on your own. Metroid Fusion, for all of its complaints of linearity, is the same way: You know where to go, but you don't know how to get there. That is sort of the essence of Metroid, it's just that earlier games don't really detail the first part, either. Don't get me wrong, Super Metroid is still the Apotheosis of the Metroidvania, but Zero Mission cleared out the clutter, sharpened the controls, and offered what I think is still one of the best examples of the Genre. I recently replayed a couple of the games that put the "Vania" in Metroidvania (Aria of Sorrow and Harmony of Dissonance, in a handy little double-cart) and found out how lacking their game design is. You are expected to kill every enemy and grind and level up and find all the weapons and things, but in my recent play of both games, I tackled them in a Metroid fashion; avoiding fights and simply finding the way forward without hunting down all the optional content. There is so much wasted space in those games (Even the exploration rewards: A missile tank is always useful, a sword with 20 less atk than your current one is not) and so many enemies that you can literally run past or jump over since the game expects you to fight and kill everything you encounter, versus Metroid Fusion which teaches that discretion can be the better part of valor, doesn't waste any space, and uses enemies that obstruct your way rather than just be floating exp bags that you can casually stroll past. I mean, Aria was fun when I was younger and I was a huge fan of grinding to get all the souls, but take that away (See also: Julius Mode) and the game is remarkably spacious and empty.

[@TonyStarkCLC]

Hand Holding in ZM is nowhere as intrusive and intelligence-insulting as in Fusion. I actually loved you could sequence break in the game VERY early on. It's possible to get the Varia right after you get the bombs. How? By bomb jumping at the easternmost point in the vertical shaft where the Ripplers are. ZM gives you a ton of options as to what to do and how to do it.

[@Kohdok]

Well, the hand-holding in Fusion is actually part of the game's theming. Samus is only wearing half her armor in Fusion, so she takes horrendous damage from anything (even with the Grav suit some regular enemies can shear off a whole Tank). The point of Fusion is that you feel **helpless**. You are literally told to turn and flee from the SA-X purely because of how badly it will wreck you. In Super Metroid, you pretty much always feel like you can take on the world(With maybe the exception of Phantoon and Ridley); in Fusion you have to pick your fights and manage your health carefully. Fusion was designed to be a lot scarier than Super, and the dangers posed even from room-to-room travel heightens the tensions and makes you almost afraid to try a new door. There's even a part where you are forced to shut down the typical Escape Countdown! And this is all while the SA-C is handing out your powerups like candy to the other X-Parasites and hunting you down with the good half of your armor. In this situation, even what little help the ship's computer gives you is a welcome reprieve.

[@NoNameC68]

I didn't mind Fusion telling the player which sector to go to next, but it was frustrating how the game insisted on telling you where to go after you entered each new sector, since each sector was already quite linear in design. But I think the biggest issue with Fusion is the amount of dialogue in the game. It was just too much and it slowed down the pace of the game to a crawl. And being told where to go when it was already quite obvious felt pretty insulting.

[@BeniRoseMusic]

I agree 100%. I'm playing Zero Mission right now for the first time (Super Metroid was my first Metroid) and I'm so thankful for the guidance. I think Mark just has an over appreciation for mental maps. I think that's ok, but not everyone likes building them, for me they're incredibly anxiety producing, feeling like I need to remember all of the branching paths. I much prefer a game that tells me where to go, but not how to get there (which is why the map markers in BotW are much better than waypoints in other games). In Zero Mission, I just passed a place where I know I need to come back with high jump. Am I gonna be mad when the game tells me to go back there after I get high jump? Maybe. But not as mad as I would be if I had 5 different dead ends on my map and I can't remember which one is the place I needed high jump for. Maybe Mark would've preferred to have to remember which one it was, but I certainly don't. It also lets you go different directions, I went a different way once I got down to Norfair and thought I was gonna have to reset the game cause I went somewhere I wasn't supposed to yet. It was exciting, and in the completely opposite direction of where the game was telling me I needed to go.

[@TonyStarkCLC]

@@NoNameC68 Talk about that horribly long intro sequence explaining the X parasite and the metroid vaccine, the crash, the exploration of SR-388, etc...

[@linguinisescapology7567]

THE GRAPHS ARE BACK, BOYS

[@LordEvrey]

About the unfair bomb blocks and lava in Metroid 1: Yes, they are unfair, but they do have an obscure logic behind them. You can discover it by clever observation, though slightly more explicit hints or tutorial rooms would have been better. For example, in the bubble areas, the large bubbles are always solid, never breakable with bombs, never used as a hidden path, or whatever. So, if you look at a horizontal or vertical line in the walls or floors/ceilings, and if you spot a row/column without any big bubble blocks in them, chances are you can bomb your way through that line. In addition to that, the "same-y" look of the game helps out. Most of the hidden bomb paths are put into quite similar rooms, so if room A1 had a bomb path, chances are that room A2 also has a bomb path at about the same spot. Not so much room B, however. And about the lava: The developers hoped for you to ask yourself why the fuck they'd put an unreachable enemy inside a cave with only walls and lava. In a way, every enemy carries a big "shoot me" sign on its back, so... how do you kill that thing below you? There must be a way to reach it.

[@deathtoll2001]

Well said. I do feel, however, that this would be pretty unintuitive to players who did not play games with similar but more obvious versions of that technique, like Wolfenstein 3D (which was primarily a DOS game). Not because it was a bad implementation at all, but because it was SO subtle and, like Mark said, guarded key progression rather than just awesome secrets.

[@BrendanGill]

This is why the game has so much "atmosphere". Its general obscurity is a huge part of the storytelling. Samus is breaking into a stronghold that used to be a Chozo planet but got leveled, wiped out, and sloppily, hastily rebuilt by the space pirates. Scant few Chozo ruins remain - many buried behind walls of rock and rubble. It's a world that was once built for a powersuit like Samus' to run around in, but no longer. It's hostile and perilous, designed on the whole for no one in particular, other than an AI gone mad. It would only make sense, then, that the way forward would not be obvious. It also makes Samus' powerups so much more powerful and valuable that she can alter the very walls, floors, and ceilings of the caverns with her beam and bombs. It's the Metroid that feels the most believable as an actual event that takes place in some distant future. So many of the other Metroid titles are presented as genre puzzles, filled with hints and guides. The isolation that made the franchise unique is largely gone. There are still fantastic titles in the series, but I feel so lucky to have this original one, and to be reminded how special it is every time it gets remade.

[@Mooglepies]

First of all - appreciate the effort that went into this (and your other videos). They're always engaging. This is one of the rare occasions I'm going to disagree with you though I'm afraid, firstly because I don't think Zero Mission ever felt forced in the way you describe, and secondly because the intention with these games was always that they were played multiple times - hence the different endings based on speed and completion. I get that this video is primarily about how games in this genre guide the player first and foremost, but certainly my first experience with the game involved a fair amount of sequence breaking from the critical path, and the three other people I know that played it had similar experiences. I recognise the (lack of) value in anecdotal evidence, but given the audience for this genre and the fact the gamestend to be contained to the niche (Metroid games have never really sold that well, in spite of how well-regarded the series seems to be), I find it hard to swallow that the vast majority of players will do as they're told just because they're told so. When the techniques required to go off the beaten track are so much easier to pull off (infinite bomb jumps being mashable, much more lenient walljumping) and especially when the developers went to so much effort to let the player go their own way, I'm not sure I can agree with you about Zero Mission. Compare and contrast with Metroid Fusion for example, which rigidly forces you down the critical path, although it allows for limited exploration within each segment of it. I'll look forward to your video on that, assuming there will be one of course. All that being said, I 100% agree with your comments on the original Metroid, it's beautiful for its time and incredibly significant but very difficult to love nowadays for a number of reasons (not least the fact that you get reset back to 30 health on death).

[@wackity]

agreed, there are numerous tricks you can use to skip major sections of the "intended" route. the game gives you a direction to follow but isn't exact on how to get there, and with the 99% of players statement I'd argue is due to not wanting players to mindlessly wander, find an upgrade, repeat. the game was designed with casual play intended at heart, with extra paths and tricks for more experienced players on their second playthrough, being encouraged through the hard difficulty and NG+ mechanics.

[@DaveGrean]

the wall jump is considered lenient in zero mission? damn i am not looking forward to playing super metroid

[@occamsbeatinstick.3076]

So here's something Zero did that the original didn't; the corrupted powerups. There were some upgrades that you got that didn't activate the moment you collected them, and you even got a strange musical cue when you picked them up. It was a fresh idea that did add a little mystery to what you just picked up, even if you might recognize the icons themselves. Trying to find these things and hoping that eventually you'll be able to crack open their secrets and get the shiny inside was actually legitimately intriguing and was something fresh the original didn't have.

[@DavidZMediaisAwesome]

When I played through Zero mission for the first time, I never paid attention to the waypoints. I legitimately just ignored them. I also had a much harder time, because I never learned how to read the map, and I got to Mother Brain with only 4 health upgrades. I couldn’t get past it without advice from a friend on how to read the map. I guess not everyone had the same experience!

[@FreddeGreddeMusic]

What I like about these obscure "super secrets" in Metroid and The Legend of Zelda is that you're not meant to figure out all of them on your own. You had friends talking about the game, and if one of them found a regular block you can destroy to get a game-changing power-up, it was the coolest thing ever, and he shared it with the others. It gave the games so much more mystery and wonder, that there could be ANYTHING hidden within their worlds. That's something that's completely absent today. (Even Celeste's pretty awesome gem hunt could have been more hidden, but it's all ruined anyway because the combined forces of the online community will find everything within a couple of days regardless.)

[@metalicarus8372]

I kinda have the same thing with hollow knight. I randomly heard about this indie metroidvania, bought a steam key for the game, and loved it. I showed it to a friend and he got the game too. At some point in kingdom's edge, he shot at enemies and accidentally discovered the hive. He told me about it at school, and I used the charm that was hidden inside to beat Hornet's second fight.

[@Christopher-md7tf]

Yeah, but if you don't have friends playing the same game as you, then you're fucked. That's why the internet is a god-send in this regard.

[@hollandscottthomas]

Dark Souls did this for me. I was playing it at release, before it was completely and exhaustively explored, and talking to other people about getting lost in the world and finding random stuff or giving each other cryptic clues was such a throwback.

[@benlindquist3302]

The winged golden strawberry in Celeste was only found after a developer leak, so the internet can't always find everything.

[@Cleve_Crudgington]

I think Metroid is a pretty cool guy. Eh kills aliens and doesn't afraid of anything.

[@ughanotheroneofthesenames8207]

Cleve Crudgington in before...well, you know.

[@android19willpwn]

doesn't afraid of anything indeed

[@theplatformerreviewer6905]

I just hate how Metroid can't crawl

[@StarlasAiko]

The character's name is Samus...Metroid are the monsters in the later part of the game, (Spoilers) alien viruses that are genetically engineered to kill a parasite plague but went out of control..or rather fell into control of Mother Brain.

[@hdaikamo6793]

@@StarlasAiko Metroids aren't viruses. They are dinosaurs.

[@mdstevens0612]

Also I get that people enjoy non-linearity but: 1. Calling the game a "guided tour" is a bit of a hyperbole. Can't remember the last time I had to fight a space pterodactyl on a guided tour. Linearity is not a dirty word and it's not very hard to figure out the sequence breaks, unless you've never heard a thing about Metroid and Zero Mission is your first Metroid game. Zero Mission's linearity is perhaps a good thing, as you don't want to stuff about on your first run wondering which obscure block to blow up or why there's a sudden difficulty spike. Because yes, non-linearity compromises a smooth difficulty curve. 2. Esoteric design and Non-linearity need to stop being conflated. If I have a case of "where the fuck do I go?", it's esoteric design. If I say "I wanna go there" and can go there, it's non-linear. 3. Unless playing the excellent MDBtroid or mOther hack, Metroid 1 isn't much worth revisiting outside of academic or fanatic purposes. It's esoteric and clunky with NES quality music and sound, and TBH, it's just not a very good looking game. 4. Don't get too caught up in the semantics of the naming of the Metroidvania genre. Super Metroid and Symphony Of The Night are the grandpappies (although I personally much prefer Symphony) so the naming is apt enough.

[@littlebigphil]

Not that this matters here, but non-linearity only compromises smooth difficulty curves in certain situations. Let's say you have 2 areas A and B. You can do them in either order. If doing area A doesn't help you complete area B, and vice versa then the game has what I'll call orthogonal difficulty. This is only really possible without having interconnected game mechanics, which means that orthogonal difficulty is usually bad design. However, you can artificially create a smooth difficulty curve by adjusting the second area after completing the first. Complete area A, and now area B has extra enemies. Complete area B, and now area A has less platforms. Additionally, a smooth difficulty curve isn't necessarily what you want. Sometimes, to give the player a breather, you want a calm after a storm. Let's say area A is as hard as area B, but you get an item which makes you more powerful upon completion. The area you do first is the storm, and the area you do second is the calm. Another reason to not have a smooth difficulty curve is that players learn at different speed, and having a curve molded to the player is more important. Why have a curve of the average learning speed when you can tailor a curve to every individual player? A sequence break shouldn't be about looking for walls to blow up, but about passing a test that shows you could beat the part you are skipping. Zero mission basically tells the player to not even look for one of these tests, so the players that learn quickly are likely to get bored. The second type of non-linearity isn't only for people that enjoy non-linearity in itself. You don't need to take pleasure from having control over your own narrative to benefit from it. Done well it's basically the dynamic difficulty of games like Left 4 Dead.

[@titanfall222jorge6]

It is not as guided as mark says. Even tough it tells you where to go. It does not tell you how to go there. That is another puzzle that players need solves.

[@stevobox8726]

You're watching Mark Brown my guy. If you need pen and paper just to play a game he will always praise it

[@bfish89ryuhayabusa]

In Metroid 1, the answer to "where do I go" is wherever you want. That's the point. Just explore the world and see what you find, and draw a map as you go. It's not supposed to be beaten in a single session. Not the first time you play, anyway.

[@chaosmiles07]

Certainly an interesting take on the changes that Zero Mission brings to the table. I'm glad to see that Metroid is going to be getting the Boss Keys treatment.

[@HS-eq3gk]

no leaveplz

[@ThePuzzleExpert]

Hackmi HaKMI have you heard of the fanhack bofa?

[@PlasmaSnow12]

I find it very liberating in a way to play through the once-limiting Zero Mission with a more experienced pair of hands. Intentionally avoiding as many items as possible, using clever tricks and careful observation to break the game apart, to discover what new paths you can forge. Super Metroid does this legendarily well, but a lot of it is broken apart by glitches, not just clever techniques. Zero Mission, however, was clearly built from the beginning to house additional playthroughs and knowledge of the Wall Jump, Bomb Jump, Shinespark, and the secret paths, could be considered upgrades the same way that knowing the way things interact in Toki Tori 2 can change the way you play the game. I think it'd be interesting to see how the graphs of yours would change if you factored in those abilities one by one The New Game Plus of sorts of a good metroidvania game, then, would simply be the foreknowledge to cast aside whatever chains the game uses to bind you to the intended path, and making your own instead,.

[@mikeletxarri5432]

Hey man, I'm really excited about this series but I feel that talking about the original Metroid and ZM at the same time was a mistake. ZM is not simply a remake of the first, it's also directed by Yoshio Sakamoto (the man behind Super and Fusion) and he applies a ton of the things he learned by designing those in ZM. I think that coming back to ZM after studying his previous work would be valuable. Other than that, great work, keep it up!

[@SumitKumar-oc6cd]

I actually love Zero mission specifically for the reason that it "holds hands". Maybe that's because I know that the directional markers are just an indication of where I'll find the next thing to progress and I can explore as much as I want, return to pursue markers and I'll NEVER be stuck. Can't say the same for NES Metroid. There's no way I'll ever manage to finish it blind. Ain't got that much time at hand!

[@Lojemiru]

Super excited to finally see the Metroid series getting put under the Boss Keys microscope!

[@wafflemangreen]

"super" I see what you did there...

[@shad8635]

I believe a good metroidvania game is one that has good replay value. This game has 8 different endings depending your item completion, how fast you beat it and difficulty. Through multiple playthroughs one can find hidden paths and items and just multiple ways to solve a puzzle. For example you can either use the path the game gives you to get the screw attack after fighting ridley or simply use 3 missles and bomb jumping before fighting him to make his lair much more easier

[@thomasmcelroy5785]

I feel like having an overly constrained initial experience further inspires the desire to break the game on subsequent playthroughs, which leads to the discovery of just how much freedom is possible as you grow familiar with the full scope of Samus' abilities

[@mcdrums87]

Think you missed an important bit of context on this one. Metroid Fusion preceded Zero Mission, and it felt far, far more restrictive. That game has 6 sectors (plus main station), and most missions lock Samus in the mission sector until she completes the objective (collecting the key item/items). It’s been a while since I played Zero Mission, but I remember it feeling more open because of this. Still more restrictive than Metroid 1 or Super, but that could partially be attributed to the handheld start/stop nature (which also affected Fusion).

[@m_d_c_t]

I feel like ignoring sequence breaking as a pro/con of the series is a mistake and that new players wouldn't discover any given one is a poor faith assumption. If a player is in fact bombing walls or experimenting with their tools like they were taught to while playing the game, they're pretty likely to find a few of them, especially in Zero Mission where doing so is actually super easy and explicitly doesn't require super-advanced movement tricks like bomb jumping or the wall jump.

[@NimonoSolenze]

I personally think it's a mistake because while I agree that the new players are incredibly unlikely to do sequence breaking on their first go, that's just the thing: *on their first go* To me, Metroidvanias are not once-and-done games, nor are they mere "exploration" games. They are very much *replayable* games- it's not about how your first experience goes, it's how much you want to replay it, and how many different experiences you can have depending on the way you play. It's why I feel Super Metroid is objectively the best Metroid game- I feel Fusion and ZM got the controls perfect, but Super Metroid has the most "different experiences" due to the vast amounts of ways to utterly break the game, the vast amounts of alternate paths. It's all about the *many* experiences you have, so I feel like ZM is a very good Metroidvania due to that- you start off with no knowledge of the game, and yes, you get your hand held through it- but it's clearly meant for people new to the Metroid series, which is fine. Once you learn the game, once you get Power Bombs, you can return to the world and find all those secret paths with ease, which will make you go "Huh. I wonder if I can get that the moment I get THAT upgrade?" and then you replay it and do it. And each time you do it, you learn different paths through the game, and you learn different ways to beat it. Those statues that always told you where to go? HAH! Only one needs to be activated now! And what of Bomb Jumping? That's not hard to learn, a curious player might try to see if they can chain them. Or maybe they'll see it in the gameplay demo. (I'm pretty sure that has bomb jumping in it?) That's actually pretty much the whole point of those ever since Super Metroid, actually- the 2D ones keep showing you advanced tricks every now and then.

[@morgaine3792]

There are some sequence breaks in ZM which involve fairly skillful bomb jumping. For instance, Varia Suit before Norfair, or Acid Worm skip before Power Grip. But yes, they usually depend on knowledge of shortcuts.

[@skynes]

In my earliest playthrough of Super Metroid. I noticed the hole in the ceiling that led to Spazer beam, and managed to (accidentally) wall jump up there. I was only able to wall jump infrequently until I figured out the pattern. In my VERY FIRST Zero Mission run, I had player Super Metroid many times, so wasn't a total newbie to the series. But I noticed this big shaft and decided to bomb jump up it. Then bomb jump across gaps. Go further up. And bam, Varia Suit sequence broke. Now like I said, I wasn't a newbie to the series, so I went into Zero Mission LOOKING for sequence breaks. So I was very happy to find the Varia Suit earlier than intended.

[@immortallix]

I certainly discovered some neat tricks on my first go

[@Elonyx.studios]

You're making the assumption that most players will immediatly replay the game once they finish. Most players just put the game down after they reach the end, or will attempt a second go but get bored 1/3 of the way in and move on to something else

[@halowillneverbegoodagain1868]

Have to disagree on alot said of ZM. I think ZM is brilliant in how its initial experience is linear but as the newcomer grows into a veteran they discover all new techniques and paths that emphasize how much they have grown. Showing them outgrow the training wheels. Sure Metroid 1 accomplishes that by just tossing you in the ringer, but ZM has its cake and eats it too by introducing how fun Metroid can be for casual and hardcore alike.

[@jjtheenton]

I'm honestly fine with the fairly structured approach to the main path in Zero Mission simply because it's a handheld game. Handheld games are often designed to be played in quick bursts, and the Chozo Statues & more linear approach allow for that. The beauty of Zero Mission comes from it being able to cater to a more casual playstyle without compromising the heart & soul of the original game due to the insane amount of secret paths intentionally laid out for more advanced players to find.

[@Mike14264]

Another good way of doing it would be... Add custom markers! You could add your own markers once you got to a dead end, so you'll remember where you have to go once you find the power-up.

[@brotheeh7375]

I tried playing through the original Metroid and I got lost and died a lot, so I gave up but when I was playing Zero Mission I we excited to explore all the little things I could in the limited space, sequence breaking where it seemed obvious, I even accidentally fought Ridley before Kraid!

[@SlyBeast]

I replayed Zero Mission recently. I find the original NES game hard to go back to and I grew up with that one. I'll take the changes in ZM any day over the original. One of the rare cases where the remake actually replaces the original in my opinion.

[@benghis_kaan]

100% Agree

[@RaengStinger]

After a few videos that I personally found lacking, it is great to see a video that's a return to form. Absolutely cannot wait for a Metroid Prime video, and wonder if you can do Super Metroid's legacy justice (or how it holds up). Two things I do feel is off is how this video shows the first and last (real) Metroid games, so some comparisons really feel overdone since there's just so many years and games between them in terms of changes, development and so on - making it feel like Zero Mission changed so much, while it otherwise was just a continuation of where the series was going. I feel Zero Mission would've benefitted from a more isolated look, instead of as how it compares to the original. You technically, maybe even without realizing, showed the whole evolution of Metroid's evolution (or devolution) as a series in a single video. Also to note, it is a handheld game. As such you can expect the game to be structured differently. Though not noted, the game has noticable more save points than the console counter parts and is a lot easier (at least on Normal, Hard is balls to the walls). The game's lack of exploration and more lineair approach might have been a consious design due to the nature of the platform. My last (and secretly third) point is super subjective. While I understand the critism that Zero Mission is lineair for casual players and open for the more harder core, this is something Metroid really needed to up its reputation. "Why can't Metroid crawl" is a meme for a reason, the series is very difficult to understand for many people and titles like Super Metroid haven't aged well for the modern consumer who expects a clear direction where to go. I feel this was a fine balance. On my first trip I just had an enjoyable experience and found some items out of order because, hey, that's my jam. But on the subsequent runs I had an even better experience ripping the game apart, while the casual consumer also had its fun with the game. Compare this with people who just got stuck in the original series and quit, I'd rather have this. And it is a lesser evil. If it was the only way, I'd have been pissed. Despite being a well made game Metroid Fusion is very lineair even for the more advanced players, in hopes of not alianating the more casual consumer. I'd rather then they make it lineair to the naked eye, but open for the trained one. Enfin, this comment will probably fall on deaf ears. Again, thank you for the video and I look forward to the next one, keep up the work!

[@xXFoiXx]

A sort of weak defense for Zero Mission being that handholdy is that it was meant as an easy entry point into the series for newcomers on a more casual platform AND it also included the entire Metroid 1 if you want the more "hardcore" experience.

[@MimoAnimations]

Electrix 272 but to be fair, Metroid Fusion used it's linearity to it's advantage. It wanted to be scary in a different way, so the linearity was necessary. That may not be what you want from a Metroid game, but Fusion executed what it wanted to do fairly well.

[@scrub_jay]

I don't think that's a weak defense; in fact I think it's the crux of the issue. Comparing a handheld game to a flagship console game is bound to reveal differences in design philosophy, especially taking into account the games were released almost 20 years apart.

[@pforgottonsoul]

and tbh zero mission told you where to go but it was never straightforward you always had an obstacle in the way so you had to take side paths and find hidden tunnels so its not like the exploration was gone, i remember as kid knowing i had to find the boss room for Kraid but taking forever to find the path to get there.

[@pforgottonsoul]

besides the chozo statues there wasn't much hand holding at all, it told you the next place to go not how to get there and iirc you can even turn the hint function off so you really don't have much to complain about.

[@rex_yaldabaoth]

One thing I'd like to say about Zero Mission, is that because the first playthrough is effectively a guided tour, that's what makes sequence breaking the later playthroughs so much more fun. Knowing that, in reality, it's very easy to completely ignore the path the game has set out for you. I remember what made me sequence break it for fun was the realisation there was a path to easily get screw attack early, and all I would really need was the varia suit and bombs, for bomb jumping. (Be aware that it's been rather a while since I actually did this, so there might be one or two other things needed) Plus a few other items that were easy to get on the way, like the ice beam and missiles. This made it possible to play almost the entire game with the most powerful item in the game, and it was amazing. The sequence breaking is easily the best part of Zero Mission, so in a way, it still has touches to satisfy long term fans. But for a first playthrough, I'll agree that it's not the ideal approach to a Metroid game.

[@elijah_9392]

I was able to go all over the map on my first try. This game makes bomb jumping so easy. Along with wall jumping, I found super missles early. It was fun, and it didn't feel wrong.

[@danielleanderson6371]

Just played through Super again, and you'd be surprised how quietly linear that game can be if you pretend to be oblivious to all the well-known tricks and shortcuts. It rarely tells you exactly where to go, but it very often ushers you in a particular direction with restricted backtracking, until you get the power bombs, but even then the game still nudges you towards exploring the east wing of Crateria, discovering you need the grapple beam, and then the only place left to explore is Norfair, which has a pretty clear power bomb path right by the entrance that leads to the grapple beam. You have to really know what you're doing in order to go off the path, so I'm interested in what you have to say about that, given what you said about sequence breaking in this video. Super is great, but it's not nearly as non-linear as everyone says it is. For that we'll have to see what you have to say about Hollow Knight and Axiom Verge, if you plan on talking about that game again.

[@titanfall222jorge6]

Yeah thats why the Super metroid game map is the best ever and nobody has managed to top it. The maridia is the only hard part to figure out but the game give you cryptic tutorial how to bomb the glass tube.. This how you make linear game a non linear. This is why I liked Super metroid more than Zero mission. Non linears maps are very pain in the ass if they are done badly.

[@morgaine3792]

Titanfall222 jorge What about ZM's map do you find annoying?

[@titanfall222jorge6]

The rooms are itself very well designed. The game is also shorter if compared to Super metroid. What I liked in Super metroid is that some areas like Norfair were not just one time wonder. It had like 3 different places inside of it. When you finish ridley lairs you dont need go back to the area where you came. There is so many shorts cuts that helps you travel the map very easily.

[@danielleanderson6371]

I would say even the glass tube is more clear than people remember, no pun intended. After you defeat Phantoon and clean up the Wrecked Ship, the only path forward, assuming you didn't previously break the tube, is through the top of Maridia. The game locks any doors that stray away from a direct path to the tube, at which point it drops you right next to it, almost as if to say, "Remember this area? There's more here. Figure it out." The player might think they missed something and go all the way back around to the top, only to be dropped off again. Eventually they might notice the broken tube the game makes absolute sure that you see, and if the player grabbed the map in one of the few available forks they'll see there's tons of Maridia above, and a save point below. Logically the player might deduce that because they're already done with Brinstar that the save point is meant for Maridia, and from there they might realize that the save point below is a dead end, especially if they've combed the area around the tube for secrets with the X-ray. The only way into the save point is from above, and the only way into the rest of Maridia is from below, so if the player is smart they know they absolutely have to do something with the tube. From there it's a simple matter of trying every weapon. We all think it's cryptic because we were either too young to figure it out or we watched someone else do it out of order and didn't realize the game carefully nudges you towards doing that, if you play the game blind on your first go. Tl;dr the glass tube is one of the only puzzles in Super Metroid and it's not even that hard if you think logically about it.

[@Jarekthegamingdragon]

I majorly disagree about linearity being bad and backtracking being good. Zero mission is not cod linear, it lets you do what ever but doesn't let you get lost. This is A GOOD thing. Backtracking on the other hand just wastes time going from point a to point b. At least in zero mission, if I'm backtracking I KNOW I'm not wasting my time. I know there is something there, instead of mindlessly wondering lost, not progressing at all. Putting players on a guided path first, then allowing them to break it in following playthroughs makes it waaaay better than the original.

[@otooandoh9556]

I couldnt agree more. I really ended up disagreeing a lot with Mark on that aspect.

[@dubiousrhino]

I mean he doesn't say linearity is bad and backtracking is good. In fact he points out that you do both of them at the same time in Zero Mission. In fact he even says, in the video, "do you see the difference" with regards to the two types of backtracking. What he's saying is that backtracking is good when you've been given an item or powerup that recontextualizes (a Mark Brown favourite word) everything you had seen before, allowing you to more thoroughly explore a space. And with linearity, he's not saying it's bad so-to-speak, but that for a Metroidvania game, giving the player point a -> point b -> point c on the map without any room to explore offshoot areas kind of defeats the purpose.

[@Jarekthegamingdragon]

I understood exactly what he said, but backtracking when you're unsure if that's even where you're supposed to go is even worse than backtracking if you know where to go. I don't want to wonder around, wasting time in a place I've already been.

[@321cheeseman]

I don't think I could possibly disagree more. I don't find directly telling the player where they need to go to be compelling in the slightest. There are far better and more subtle ways to point players in the direction of intended goals than forcing them into the map screen, pointing at a location, and saying _"Go here next, idiot"._ *_"I don't want to wonder around, wasting time in a place I've already been."_* Perhaps metroidvanias just aren't your thing, then. Exploring and navigating game worlds with minimal and subtle guidance is a huge focus of many of these games.

[@snoxeri]

Never once did Zero Mission feel constraining or restrictive, even if it happened to be linear. The exploration felt real and I never felt lost but still felt like I was figuring out where I should be going.

[@idunno...someguy3252]

Hi! I'm new to the channel, but I'm a pretty big fan of Metroid. I agree with many of the previous commenters about how downplayed the element of multiple playthroughs is important to the Metroid experience as a whole. Metroid has an important history with multiple playthroughs due to its multiple endings spawning a healthy speedrunning community. With the first Metroid, there are fewer design choices made with speedrunning in mind, but Zero Mission has those in spades, and when I first played it, there was an undeniable joy in finding a speedrunning exploit, a trick, or something to make the experience seem like I was progressing faster than the developers would expect. There's also the balance between story and linearity which I also feel was not addressed in this video. Metroid 1 tries to tell the most bare-bones story. There was no mythology in the beginning beyond the message in the title screen. Therefore, all you had to do was jump, shoot, and monitor your health. By 2004, four other games and a manga series had come out explaining who Samus is and what she does. Perhaps Zero Mission's greatest strength is that lore. Saying that Zero Mission is just a remake of the original is perhaps a bit reductive, since Zero Mission is also very much a prequel to Super Metroid, borrowing design choices and story elements to create a more cohesive story and context. Therefore, a balance must be struck between the jumping, shooting, and health monitoring part of the game and the story part of the game, which I think was what Nintendo did. Anyway, I enjoyed this video. I'm looking forward to the next one.

[@saskiaviking9447]

The Chozo gods have answered my prayers.

[@AlexJames840]

Great video, though I really hate the continued trend of using a zoomed in picture instead of black bars for 4:3 videos. It looks hideous and it's so distracting. What's wrong with black bars?

[@siegfriedfinal343]

STAND USER : MARK BROWN STAND NAME: BOSS KEYS

[@leetri]

+Deborah Meltrozo It just works.

[@jelanistowers6504]

Deborah Meltrozo Makes you follow the path.

[@J2000Lord]

IS THAT A JOJO REFERENCE?!

[@marinanicole5693]

Boss Keys vs The Lock

[@siegfriedfinal343]

Elia, forse That would be the best stand battle

[@CesarDaSalad]

When Ridley is considered only a "mini-boss"... ;~;

[@technicalmachine1671]

See? He wasn't too big for Smash.

[@Blackthornprod]

Damn that was such a great video :) !! Metroidvanias are epic, hopefully you'll be talking about Ori and the blind forest and Hollow Knight during this season of boss keys, those two creations are masterpieces :) !

[@MimoAnimations]

I think he already covered Ori in a previous video, but Hollow Knight is a game he has yet to cover.

[@Dom-ns7pq]

in the letter to Patreon supporters, he mentioned that Hollow Knight is indeed going to be covered in this series.

[@DavidPatMathis81]

Symphony of the Night was so good, it added the "Vania" to "Metroidvania". If anything, I'd like to see that.

[@dddmemaybe]

Before I watched this video I just clumped metroidvania games into a mental "trashbin" that I put all shitty games into. I thought the backtracking I experienced in other games was too detrimental to the experience and hearing about all the backtracking made me hate it before playing any.

[@rspy24]

+dddmemaybe yeah, the thing is that a lot of metroidvania games are really boring, it's a hard "genre" to master. Metroid obviously did it right (almost every time at least)

[@emmettturner9452]

“It’s not what 99% of players will be experiencing on their first go through.” I really doubt that. I bought the game at launch and got stuck. I was forced to explore and ended up fighting Ridley first. Upon completing it 100% I played through again on Hard Mode or whatever and swore I would take the normal path. Once again, I stumbled on Ridley first with no way to go back and look for the correct path. 12 years later I played again and it happened again. I swear: I’m not trying to do this! I genuinely don’t know where else to go when I end up facing Ridley and I’m usually extremely under-powered. Luckily, the game scales down boss health according to your collection rate/percentage, but it’s still nearly impossible if you were low on health at the save point before Ridley (can’t go back to farm health).

[@legrandliseurtri7495]

Hum...what? Did you just ignore the chozo statues? The path to Kraid's lair is extremely obvious.

[@emmettturner9452]

@@legrandliseurtri7495 I likely bypassed those too when exploring.

[@fanb1536]

You praise Breath of the Wild for putting markers on your map but not telling you how to get there, yet when Zero Mission does this you criticize it? Besides, Zero Mission is for all intents and purposes a game meant to be replayed, and sequence breaks are plentiful and placed entirely *intentionally*. Almost all of the Chozo statues are completely optional too, and can be completely avoided with, again, those completely intentional sequence breaks, if the tiny dot gets under your skin so much. You don't even have to follow the dot immediately, you can usually go and follow one or two other objectives. Again though, this is usually if you know about the hidden sequence breaks, which is why I say that Zero Mission is very much a game that's meant to be replayed. Though I do wonder what it would've been like if they locked the Chozo hints behind Easy mode only, but at the end of the day, it's not the end of the world.

[@dripp_dropp]

breath of the wild isnt a metroidvania. The whole point of playing metroid is that the whole world is a puzzle and you are unlocking it as you play. Where as botw is a completely different genre

[@myrealusername2193]

The difference to me is that Metroid is much more driven by exploration of the world and remembering what is in it so when you get an upgrade or something you then know where to go to get to the next part. But in BOTW, while it is partly about exploration, it’s more about discovery than puzzle-solving. Additionally, in BOTW, the dots all appear at once, and in every corner of the world. So it’s not like zero mission where you basically just follow the dot to get to your objective, then it gives you a new dot to follow, on and on until the end. That’s not to say that zero mission is much worse for it, since it’s a game for a handheld where you don’t want to have to remember things for long periods of time between play sessions. Having shorter objectives that are clearly marked on a map makes sense, since when you return you might not remember what you’re meant to do or where to go.

[@nokne]

@@dripp_dropp BotW is rubbish

[@adamcolejones]

I think the reason it’s confusing to you is because you’re pllying the same rules to two entirely different games. In botw you have full 3D camera motion, and you can always see what your walking towards. In zero mission you get a small screen that has to be paused to see the map

[@RedMarcus14]

​@AbyssWalker121 no its not Its a solid title

[@ThunderRazorYT]

Mark, really happy you are kicking this off again with Metroidvanias. One key difference I see between Zelda titles and Metroidvania titles is that Metroid games are meant to be played more than once and that knowledge of previous playthroughs impacts new attempts. This is why they show your time and collection % at the end. It is something for you to work on in another go. Zero Mission really comes to life on subsequent plays, which massively redeems it, not just for hardcore speedrunners, etc.

[@CrazyConnor2]

Love the AM2R music in the background

[@ughanotheroneofthesenames8207]

TheGameGuy First rule of AM2R: We do not talk about AM2R. (But yeah good catch. I thought it sounded familiar.)

[@Incrediblefatslug]

Just got hip to this channel and I have to say I am very impressed by the content that you are creating. I love seeing how you break things down. Keep it up . :D

[@richardroberts6021]

It's kinda funny to hear you say "what if they remade Metroid 1 for a modern audience?" in 2021. Metroid 1 came out 18 years before they remade it as Zero Mission, and we are now 17 years past Zero Mission 😬

[@SechristCircus]

Another great idea for a game analysis series. I'm so glad you found a new topic to keep Boss Keys going, as they were some of my favorite videos you made, though I do like almost all of them.

[@DZLier]

What a perfect and obvious (now that i see it) candidate for season two of BK. Very excite!

[@Tyveris]

I'm SO excited about this series! I loved your previous season a lot and this new one is everything I've been wanting from a sequel. Not only am I really digging your application of your approach to Zelda Dungeon design to Metroid games, but also I'm excited to hear your commentary about metroidvania games in general and to be introduced to new ones through your series. You're awesome, Mark, keep up the good work.

[@shawnheatherly]

A strong start to season 2 of Boss Keys. While I'm excited to hear you discuss many Metroid games, I'm so happy to know games inspired by Metroid will also be mentioned. Here's hoping Axiom Verge and Hollow Knight get the Boss Keys treatment.

[@Zorglorfian]

I just want to thank you for using AM2R’s music in the video. I haven’t watched the full video yet, but I’m glad that game has not been forgotten.

[@twosoup3252]

I accidentally fought Ridley before Kraid when I played through

[@Qwertyguy86]

so glad you're doing a series on metroid for boss keys, cant think of any other series more deserving of it.

[@hasiumcreeper5384]

I cannot wait for the Hollow Knight episode. It is *LITERALLY MY FAVORITE GAME!*

[@Blackthornprod]

Yep :) ! Same for me! Hollow Knight is an all time favorite (with Spelunky)

[@randywilliams6248]

Playing through it now, loving it!!!

[@kaeldeath]

I think it's my best experience with metroidvanias, the way it guides you gently at the beginning to open up MASSIVELY when you get the mantis claws, the gameplay, "gamefeel" and the global atmosphere are all just perfect. There's some parts that are only decent, like the waterway, but overall this game is just amazing.

[@dvirarazi7351]

Hasiumcreeper Love this game too! I hope Mark will branch the series to one-offs like Hollow Knight

[@addisoneng3682]

Same, best metroidvania I've ever played. I'll never forget the first time I got hit, just that CRUNCH and then the sound goes all muted for a sec…

[@jessestahl8418]

Favorite game of all time, always wanted you to do an episode on zero mission , thanks for the upload!

[@Sleepless_Sam]

Every time he said "varia" my eye twitched.

[@HarmoniChris]

Vuh-REE-uh instead of VAY-ree-uh, yeah, I know.

[@Densoro]

Before I found out about the 'Barrier Suit' translation, I thought it was 'Varia Suit' in the same sense as 'multi-tool': a suit that supports Various upgrades, features, and applications. Figured it was the name of her Power Suit itself as a hub for all her upgrades. ...which would still be pronounced with the same cadence as 'barrier' :P

[@DroolingLizard]

"missiles"

[@HarmoniChris]

That one doesn't bother me because that's just British English. But somehow vuh-REE-uh *_does,_* and it's a made up word. Hm.

[@azerkablam]

Except that the suit name was a mistranslation of "barrier suit", so the name should sound like that.

[@Bradlyeon]

I cannot explain how stoked I am that you're doing this series. Easily one of my favorite channels. Keep up the good work!

[@WonderlandSnack]

Ok, so I am onl at 8:49 but I hope you know you can beat the whole game without picking up long beam, Edit: 9:44 itis mot really sequencing breaking when the game gives you all the tools to do it any order, all you have to do is know how to do it, 10:18 technically speaking you can skip the variation suit if you are good enough, and hi jump if you place bombs and wall jumps correctly, and a couple others too 10:29 aside from one or two, these are entirely skippable, and unnecessary 11:27 again, most of these are skippable, so it’s more like an option to get help, if you skip them you get more of that exploritave feel 11:38 right here you if you freeze the flyer (don’t feel like getting the proper name) and then shoot the wall, you can go to Ridley early 13:26 ok doesn’t change that the Chozo are completely optional casual or not, saying that the game is boring if you take the hints is just kinda like duh, I liked the part for Metroid nes, but I feel like you pushed too hard on the guided idea in Zero mission, the chozo are kinda out of the way sometimes, hell I even skipped most after the first two on accident in my first playthrough, the chozo are more like a system to help not get lost then to make you go where they want you to

[@lpsp442]

Top content as ever. Highlighting the prominence of Metroid as a genre-namer makes me realise just how few Metroid games there are.

[@kiddingh9874]

zero mission is a master piece i loved it so much and have played it 4 times def the best way to play the first game

[@pedroinogueiras]

Hey Mark, thank you for making this EXTREMELY awesome videos. Not only you are a great game design teacher and make it fun to learn, but also you inspire to make good, decent original content on KZbin. You are the best.

[@TurboButton]

shoulda renamed Boss Keys to Chozo Artifacts, buddy

[@MewtwosPie]

Doesn't have the same ring, does it?

[@DanielisAwesome52]

And lose all that SEO Juice? Do you not understand KZbin algorithms?

[@jackedwards5747]

No! Dont remind me of those accursed chozo artifacts! *has chozo artifact vietnam flashback*

[@Slither93]

Chozo Artifacts Sky Temple Keys Energy Cells Season 1

[@anthonyeaton9049]

Or perhaps "Boss Corpses?" Since Metroid 1-3 and all applicable remakes were designed to require the deaths of all prior bosses before challenging the final boss. Again, not the same ring to it.

[@ASolidSnack]

I'm glad you noted the "the developers expect you to instinctively go right" thing from the first moment of Metroid 1. It's one of the most absolutely brilliant pieces of design, and one of those things that immediately flipped expectations on their head for players who'd only played NES games up to that point, and pretty much the exact moment that the "genre" was born, in my eyes.

[@VARIOUShorses]

I was expecting (and looking forward to) the Super Metroid episode, but I'm surprised by, and even more excited for the Hollow Knight episode. It's fantastic to see Boss Keys return and I can't wait to see how the rest of the episodes turn out. Great stuff as always.

[@KoboldCommando]

This was a delightful analysis of the design of the two games and the properties of Metroidvanias in general. I discovered this video completely by chance, and I have been thinking of starting on my own painstaking analysis of Super Metroid's successes and flaws because I think it contains some incredibly useful lessons about game design. Now I'm waiting excitedly to see the next installment of this series!

[@delusionsofyou]

This video makes me very happy!

[@XularusXIII]

Okay, I haven't finished the video yet, but I wanted to say I love what you did where as you say "the very first... Metroid." the music finishes. That really had an impact on me. Metroid is my favorite series and I am _very much_ looking forward to the rest of this video and any other videos concerning Metroid that you may make in the future.

[@gucketjug]

Nothing is “needed” to get through zero mission besides long beam, bombs, morph ball, and missiles. You can finish the whole thing with just those items. I wouldn’t say a chozo statue slapping a dot in the middle of an empty map is exactly holding your hand. Some will show on paths you’ve already seen, if you took the time to explore them, but most of the time it will just stick it in the middle of nowhere, and you will have to contextualize the map marker yourself.

[@BrendanGill]

Same as the original!

[@GabCom888]

I just noticed that youtube has added kind of a synced led around the videos, i like it. Great video by the way, like always ;)

[@Hanokaze]

I'm quite happy that Zero Mission at least let you go off the rails by choice... in Fusion, you don't even have that.

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Depends what sort of Metroid experience you want, and what a Metroid game should be. Obviously everyone prefers the open ended exploration angle, but Fusion allows for constructed tense situations that sometimes isn't possible in a linear game. (Still prefer the Super style, obvs)

[@Hanokaze]

Fusion tried something different, which I cannot fault; it felt like it tried to grab the relative linearity of Metroid 2 and also integrate some of the exploration that was present in both the Original and Super. I think the main problem is that the aforementioned two games set a particular expectation as far as Metroid games go, and since that open-ended nature wasn't a common thread in the industry (post SOTN Castlevania notwithstanding) it wasn't viewed quite as favorably. The same applies to most of the other more linear Metroid releases.

[@omicron3012]

Keep in mind that ZM and Fusion were designed for a handheld console. They probably structured them around short and clear goals so that people could grab the game for 15 to 20 minutes sessions and complete something instead of just wandering in a maze and get lost. Also, Fusion is designed around fear and tension, sometimes voluntarily blocking your paths and retreats so you feel trapped and hunted down. Obviously, it draws more heavily from its Alien/Horror sci-fi. inspirations than the other games do. I would say that non-linearity, today, is viewed too favorably and anything that tries something different will instantly receive criticism from the fans without any regard to the reasons that might have inspired a more linear design. It leads, unfortunately, to Fusion receiving a whole lot of undeserved hate.

[@anthonyeaton9049]

I'm looking forward to see Fusion's visual graph resemble the Burj Khalifa, while Other M's will be an outright space elevator with all the mandatory unskippable text/dialogue. But in all seriousness, and to piggyback on many previous comments, Fusion actually made a strong sci-fi/horror entry with its design. Other M, meanwhile, . . . hm.

[@ryco9669]

While Fusion is entirely linear and locks you into small parts of the game, people forget that it's still pretty handsoff with your exploration. Like, when you get to Sector 2 for the first time, you're told to find the security room to get to the data room to get bombs. But only the data room is marked, so even though the security room isn't hard to find, it is something you have to look for. And then when you do get bombs, you're sealed off. You can't go back to the nav room because the way back was destroyed and even though you downloaded the map when you first came in, it's useless now. It only showed enough to get bombs, so you're on your own. There's some missile tanks to reward you for looking around and it's not made abundantly clear that you will be fighting a boss until you finally see an eye door and win back Hi Jump, so you can get back to the Nav room

[@michaelhernandez1841]

Zero Mission is my favorite Metroid game! I'm here after beating AM2R in fusion mode for the first time. The way you break down maps of our favorite games is so eloquent. Great stuff!

[@samus88]

No, no, and no. Zero MIssion isn't linear. It can be played linearly, as the game guides you if you're inexperienced, or it can be explored fully. You should have reviewed Fusion first. That's a linear Metroid. There's hardly any sequence breaking to perform, and the game holds your hands without you having ANY alternatives.

[@avpmfanatic]

The graphs are my favorite thing from Mark Brown. Proof of his rigor and the time and thinking invested. Props.

[@wolfgangromine8341]

During the Zero Mission section, your phrasing and tone heavily implies, and almost explicitly describes, Zero Mission's linear design as a bad thing. Linearity isn't inherently a bad thing, and an open-world design isn't inherently a good thing.

[@magicjohnson3121]

Sick of “linear=bad non-linear= good” takes. The biggest midwit take.

[@GeneralBrwni]

Honestly, if you decide from the outset to ignore the beacons in Zero Mission, I actually prefer it to Super Metroid, though not by a wide margin. Finding secrets and sequence breaking are really fun in Zero Mission, and if you want a challenge, the game rewards you for doing low% runs with gallery images, which are the game's way of saying that you did something important. The little touch that the developers are *challenging* you to break the sequence and skip a bunch of items really makes it more satisfying to do. I guess for me, the linearity of Zero Mission actually had a little bit of the opposite effect. When I started looking for secrets, it was even more satisfying, because it felt like I'd discovered a completely different side of the game. Figuring out how to beat the game with 15% items and the extra challenge that it added made for the most fun run I've ever had through any Metroid game. Plus, Zero Mission is just begging you to play through it multiple times; it's short, rewards you with something different based on how you beat the game, shows you how much you missed in percentage (like any Metroid), and even adds an extra difficulty when you beat it once. I do think the game would've benefited a lot by making a few small adjustments, like adding the option to turn off the beacons, and making the challenges for the gallery images explicit (which, I don't think they were? I'm not breaking out my GBA right now to check, so somebody correct me if they were made explicit within the game) instead of expecting players to just guess conditions that they would be rewarded for.

[@pizzafeline4062]

OH MAN, super metroid will be next??? WHY U DO DIS

[@DanielisAwesome52]

Precisely, I don't think he covered Metroid 1 or Zero thouroughly enough, and skipping Return of Samus kinda makes me worry he's going to gloss over important factors in what make Super Metroid the only perfect video game

[@edwnx0]

DanielisAwesome52 i'm guessing that it's because he already did a video on Metroid 2 and the remakes.

[@anthonyeaton9049]

However, Mark already addressed Metroid II and its remakes in a prior video. It wasn't a proper Boss Keys-style video, but he does take a close look at the design, gameplay, and player experience of Metroid II, AM2R, and Samus Returns, each in their own right and in the lens of "original vs remakes." Had he decided to give Metroid II a full Boss Keys entry, that video would be at least 60% rehashed from the first script, with some graphics thrown in. I imagine Metroid II will get at least a quick glimpse in the spotlight, but we don't need to redo a video that is hardly a year old.

[@jimmyjohnjoejr]

DanielisAwesome52 super metroid is far from perfect

[@Galespark234]

Jimmy John Joe How dare you.

[@supersonicgamerguru]

Boss keeeeeys is baaaaaaack. I'm so happy, you don't know how much I love these breakdowns of games I've loved nearly all my life.

[@shad8635]

Funny enough an experienced zero mission player would know that you only need 9% of items to beat the game 10% on hard (cause of limited missiles).

[@ryco9669]

9% Hard is possible in EU

[@TheFlashfalcon]

One other piece of criteria that you seemed to gloss over is that Metroid: Zero Mission is a handheld game, which has different requirements from a console game, needing to be capable of handling shorter and more spaced out sessions. If you've just picked up the game after a break lasting a month or so, you'll appreciate that the game is giving you a direction forward, saving you hours of trudging through everything you've already seen to find where your current power-ups allow you to go next.

[@TheShadowOfNidhoeggr]

I hope La Mulana is part of this series.

[@Yesnomu]

Ahaha, I can't imagine what that chart would look like. Props for anyone that managed to beat the game without a guide.

[@TheShadowOfNidhoeggr]

Currently roughly halfway through the second oen without guides. It's possible, just need to think smart and out of the box ;)

[@samuraishuyin]

I’m so pumped for the Super Metroid video! I’m almost complete with my first play through, and boy is the exploration and discovery fun.

[@Hazzardous13]

Hmm. I think you're missing the point of the design changes to zero mission though. It sounds to me like most of the design decisions of zero mission aren't targeted towards Nintendo wanting to redesign metroid, as much as they're pointed towards a portable experience. The large worlds of metroidvanias tend to lend themselves best to a longer play session, perhaps with the opportunity to draw maps, and not so much to the kind of staggered, brief interludes of play that portable games allow. Thus decisions like adding waypoints to the map, offering smaller areas to explore, and giving the player less to keep in mind in general isn't a bad design choice. However, I agree with everything you've said about the effect these changes have, and think a portable metroidvania may be better served by something like Hollow Knight's (on switch, anyway, where it's portable) different coloured map markers you can use however you please. Letting the player manage the map markers maintains that self-directed exploration, while still allowing the player to forget things between intermittent play. Anyway, eagerly anticipating your episode on hollow knight, and this whole new season of Boss Keys!

[@travelguy8431]

YES! More of this please! Metroid is my favourite franchise of all time and I’ve recently been going through loads of Metroidvanias. Thanks.