Details Title:
Platform:
Release Date:
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Pros:
Cons:Metroid Fusion
Gameboy Advance
November 17, 2002 (US)
November 22, 2002 (EU)
November 29, 2002 (AU)
February 14, 2003 (JP)
Action-adventure
A Metroid game with a focus on story for the first time, creates a feeling of tension
Lack of freedom to explore, a feeling of the game holding your hand in terms of where to go
Review Metroid Fusion was the first Metroid game to be released since Super Metroid on the Super Nintendo all the way back in 1994. With Samus Aran having no adventures on the Nintendo 64, save for an appearance in Super Smash Bros. along with her fellow Nintendo mascots, it was not until the Gameboy Advance when a new Metroid game finally released, followed by Metroid Prime on the Gamecube shortly after.
When it comes to presentation, Metroid Fusion is a 2D game, much like Super Metroid. Though you are playing with the smaller screen of the GameBoy Advance, there is surprising detail. I have found that the backgrounds are detailed, which helps to create unique environments, whether it be corridors, caves, or underwater areas to name a few examples. Character sprites are also detailed, especially the boss sprites. While there are new creatures introduced, there are some enemies that have returned from previous Metroid games but have a different twist to them due to being infected by the X parasites. Samus has undergone a significant change in design from her iconic armored look, now sporting a more slender, organic-looking power suit that changes colour (but not shape) when her suit gets upgraded, a lot like the original Metroid game on the NES. I also like the occassional cut scenes that help progress the story, even if they are made up of mostly static images.
Metroid Fusion's controls are just about the same as in Super Metroid, save that there are 2 less buttons to use for controlling Samus. She can run, jump, crouch and fire in all 8 directions. Her jumps don't feel as floaty compared to Super Metroid, but are still precise. Switching to missles is done by holding the button down, while doing so in morph ball form will select your power bombs. Also, rather than having a dedicated run button, the speed booster will automatically activate when you run a certain distance without hitting anything.
A minor nitpick that I have is that you cannot reconfigure the buttons. Though you only have 4 buttons to work with, and the button layout works just fine, I think it would have been nice to have the option to change it to personal tastes.The game, like other Metroid games in the past, involves exploring to advance further. There will be areas where you cannot advance without a specific item or weapon that you will pick up later in the game. Upon acquiring the necessary item, you can continue onward, along with exploring areas that were previously inaccessible. However, in a significant departure from Super Metroid - and what could be seen as a controversial choice - Metroid Fusion's gameplay is broken up in to missions. Throughout the game you will reach a terminal, receive your mission objective and where you need to go, complete the mission before going to a terminal to get your next objective. As a result of this, you do not get the ability to freely explore until much later on, as once you start a mission in a particular area, you are usually locked in there until the mission is complete. This linearity is offset by some environments or routes being sealed off or changing at certain points in the game, to ensure that you are not always taking the same paths when going from points A to B. A path you took earlier may be sealed off due to fallen debris, or a door has been melted shut, forcing you to find alternative ways to advance. Unfortunately, as you reach the end of the game, there are some areas that have been completely sealed off to you, which limits being able to fully explore the game.
On the other hand, compared to previous Metroid games, Metroid Fusion is heavily story-driven. Whereas in previous 2D Metroid games, you have a single objective and freedom on how to go about it, such as wipe out the space pirates on Zebes, destroy all the Metroids on SR388, or retrieve the Metroid hatchling from the Space Pirates. Metroid Fusion instead gives an initial objective of investigating an explosion at the BSL space station, with new incidents occurring along the way, and you start to piece together the story as you progress through the game before it all comes together as you reach the conclusion. Furthermore, this is the first Metroid game that gives some insight of Samus Aran's past that doesn't require prior knowledge of secondary materials. This is done via Samus' internal thoughts that happen occassionally throughout the game through cutscenes, usually when you are taking an elevator, and I appreciate that it relates to a specific time in her life, rather than spilling her entire life story. I also like the attempt to expand on Samus' character and story rather than being (at the time) a mysterious, silent protagonist.Among some of the new mechanics introduced are climbing and ledge-grabbing. While these are nothing spectacular in comparison to some of the other mechanics, it is a new way to navigate throughout the game, replacing the grappling beam from Super Metroid.
However the one mechanic that was unique to the game (until Metroid Dread many years later), is your periodic encounters with the SA-X, a doppelganger of Samus Aran at full power, whereas events at the beginning of the game leave you weakened and without most of your weapons and abilities. As you cannot beat the SA-X in a firefight - even as you slowly recover your abilities and weapons - you need to find ways to avoid being detected, or to escape and hide from the SA-X, otherwise you'll die very quickly. The game handles it well with not only the mechanic itself, but also the soundtrack and sound effects to create a suspenseful atmosphere. The usual background music will slowly fade away, being replaced with a soundtrack simulating a heart beat, which is then followed by the sound of the SA-X's metallic footsteps echoing through the corridors. Sometimes you can hide and wait for the SA-X to pass, while other times you are forced to come out of your hiding spot and make a run for it with the SA-X chasing you down. When this happens, the soundtrack changes in to a high tension pursuit, adding to an already stressful feeling against an enemy you cannot defeat.
There have been some other adjustments to existing game mechanics. This includes the beam system, where beams will automatically stack, rather than let you choose which beams you want active. In addition, missiles and super missiles have been rolled in to one weapon - where the super missile upgrade will replace your regular missiles once acquired. The Shinespark again makes its return, but unlike Super Metroid, you don't lose energy whenever you use it. Furthermore, wall jumping has been tweaked/nerfed in that you can no longer wall jump off the same wall repeatedly - something which allowed you to reach certain areas and sequence break to get items earlier, like the Spazer or Wave beams.Metroid Fusion has the misfortune of being the first game that followed Super Metroid in terms of release. With Super Metroid setting a very high bar, along with the 8 year gap beteween Metroid games, expectations were high for Metroid Fusion. Does this game meet those expectations? Well... yes and no. Metroid Fusion does try new things to create a story-driven game, along with creating an atmosphere of tension and fear when it comes to encounters with the SA-X. On the other hand, the decision to make Metroid Fusion story-driven does make the game feel like you do not have as much freedom compared to its predecessor, along with very few sequence breaking opportunities, though the game tries to overcome this issue in its own way through environmental changes which fits in line with the story. Despite these criticisms, Metroid Fusion is still a good game that is worth checking out.
While it was initially released on the GameBoy Advance, it was later released on the Nintendo 3DS virtual console under the 3DS Ambassadors program in 2011. It was then released on the Wii U virtual console in April 2014, and then released on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion pack service in 2023. Alternatively, you could try finding a second hand cartridge of the game, though expect to pay a pretty penny for it.