Ok, now one of the most recent developments in the gaming industry is Metroid: Zero Mission. Recently reveiled in the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E³), M:TM is one of the most recent additions to the Metroid series, and one of the first to be in the same game system as another game in its series (in this case, Game Boy Advance and Metroid Fusion). With the screenshots and video of the game, there is some speculation that this game is a remake of the classic NES original. I will analyse them now:
01: The return of Kraid
Yes. Kraid. Not only is he still as big as his Super Metroid counterpart, but he also looks almost identical to the NES Kraid. This, in my opinion, is a sign that this game is a remake of the original game.
02: The Mother Brain's Lackeys
Here we see that the Space Pirates are making a return as well. If this is indeed a remake of the original game, it makes sence to put them there, because even though the original game took place on Zebes, the Space Pirates, the ones responcible for stealing a Metroid from the Galactic Federation, never appeared in it.
03: She looks purdy
A nice shot of Samus's face behind her helmet's visor. This, obviously, means that ceminas will play during gameplay. Plus, if this is a remake of the original game, why would the game's instruction manual call Samus a "he" when "he" has such a feminine face?
04: Chozo Statue, work your stuff
A standing Chozo Statue, something the original game never had. Interesting.
05: New Boss
In the original game, there were only three bosses; Kraid, Ridley, and the Mother Brain. If this is indeed a remake, Nintendo decided to expand the boss roster. A lot. Probably.
06: The Original Starting Point!
Yes folks, it's the room that opened up the Metroid Saga. Samus starts with 99 HP, rather than the usual 35, with no E-Tanks, Missles, or Varia Suit whatsoever. The looks of this room is alot cooler than the original's and Super Metroid's take. What's more, if look at the map in the corner, you'll see that Samus just entered this room via elevator, just like in Super Metroid. So if this is a remake, then Samus would start in her ship (yet another thing the original didn't have) instead of this area, just like Super Metroid. She still needs to go here to get the Maru Mari/Morph Ball, though. Chalk down one more for a remake confirmation.
07: Geemers, Geemers, EVERYWHERE!
Those Geemers are making a return as well, and this room, which is identical to some of the rooms in Super Metroid, is full of them! Samus is doing two things here that she never did in the original: crouching (which we already saw in the Kraid pic), and aming diagonally! Plus, by looking at the top of the pic, you can now choose either the Super Missles or thr regular Missles, unlike Metroid Fusion, where the Missles are upgraded into Super Missles and beyond. Nintendo is really adding elements from later Metroid games to the first one. Then again, they're doing the same to
SMB3, but that's not the point! Alpha, Gamma, Zeta, and Omega Metroids, anybody?
08: Look familiar again?
This room looks simular to a room in the original Metroid, though I can't be too sure, since I haven't seen a room like that in the NES game yet. Also, Ice Beam.
09: Title Screen
And here, we have the title screen for this very game. The "Metroid" in the title looks simular to the original game's Title Screen. Also, take note of the little star zooming across the outline. Let's hope they don't call Zebes "Zebeth"...
Promotional Artwork: Samus
Take a look at this nifty drawing of Samus from the game. Now, usually, the first promotional pictures have her in the Varia Suit, but here she has the Power Suit WITHOUT the Varia upgrade! This is pretty interesting...
Also, the magazine Gamepro states that this game has 12 hours of gameplay, and optional help from
Commander Adam Malkovich! Finally, we may get some light shed on the subject of Adam, Samus's CO, before he made the sacrifice mentioned in Metroid Fusion.
"Any objections, Lady?"
Well, there you have it. My analysis on Metroid: Zero Mission so far. I haven't looked at the video yet, but I can asure you, there are a lot of reasons that support or discourage the game being a remake of the original.