Metroid: Zero Mission

 Game Boy Advance
Metroid: Zero Mission Image
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 50 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 303 Ratings

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  • Summary: She's battled baddies on nearly every Nintendo system, and now, Samus Aran returns to her roots. Metroid: Zero Mission relives the story that started it all--revealing for the first time full details of her meeting with the Metroids. The plotline will be familiar to longtime fans of theShe's battled baddies on nearly every Nintendo system, and now, Samus Aran returns to her roots. Metroid: Zero Mission relives the story that started it all--revealing for the first time full details of her meeting with the Metroids. The plotline will be familiar to longtime fans of the Metroid series, but the challenges are new, the power-ups are plentiful, and the graphics and sound are supercharged. Plus, if you thought that the original Metroid had a surprise ending, wait until you get past the Mother Brain in Metroid: Zero Mission. A new twist provides a deeper adventure than ever before.… Expand
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 50 out of 50
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 50
  3. Negative: 0 out of 50
  1. GamePro
    100
    Rarely does a game (much less a GBA one) keep the player so constantly surprised. [Mar 2004, p.75]
  2. NintendoWorldReport
    95
    A masterpiece...This is the epitome of Metroid gameplay. The designers carefully mix all the best elements from the other games and layer them on top of the already brilliant level design and concepts of the original Metroid.
  3. Gamezilla!
    92
    A great bit of gaming that should be enjoyed instead of rushed so make sure you explore the whole game because it will all be over too soon. I guess all wonderful things come in small packages.
  4. Yahoo!
    90
    The original Metroid is also an unlockable bonus, which provides a great demonstration of how far video games have come in just under two decades.
  5. Nintendojo
    90
    Besides the slight easiness and linearity of the main game, there isn't much to complain about. There is an added bonus to this game in that the game actually has further story after you escape from Zebes, and the gameplay goes in a direction never explored in the Metroid series.
  6. Gamers' Temple
    86
    Buy--don't rent this game as it is one to keep in your library and show off to future generations.
  7. GameCritics
    75
    Although Zero Mission's overwhelming quality wins out in the end, the first play reveals a game that's just too slick for its own good, toeing the fine line between a fun, streamlined experience and a hollow, transient one.

See all 50 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 72 out of 75
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 75
  3. Negative: 0 out of 75
  1. Tokyochuchu
    Feb 14, 2011
    10
    A true masterpiece of 2D gaming. For me, this is the best Metroid game in existance. The balance and refinement of the gameplay is at it'sA true masterpiece of 2D gaming. For me, this is the best Metroid game in existance. The balance and refinement of the gameplay is at it's zenith for the series. It just cannot be improved upon. The difficulty, the sense of exploration with just the right amount of guidence, the controls, the graphics.... Perfect!… Expand
  2. Yohannn
    Aug 31, 2019
    10
    Great game ! The graphism and the music are awesome for a GBA game, the gameplay is absolutely perfect, the story is cool and the game designGreat game ! The graphism and the music are awesome for a GBA game, the gameplay is absolutely perfect, the story is cool and the game design is really clever !… Expand
  4. SeaSphynx
    Oct 24, 2021
    10
    I went from having never played a Metroid game to becoming the biggest Metroid fan ever. I cannot express how much I love this game. VeryI went from having never played a Metroid game to becoming the biggest Metroid fan ever. I cannot express how much I love this game. Very often with most games I will play for a few hours and stop playing out of being tired of the game and need some time away from it. NOT WITH THIS GAME. I literally needed to tell myself that I had to take a break even though I genuinely believe I could play through the whole game from start to finish in one sitting purely because of how much fun it is. The snappy controls, goosebump-inducing music, visually-striking enemies, and incredibly tangible sense of place in the game's world is everything I wanted it to be and more. If you have never played a Metroid game (or just a good 2D exploration game) and are interested in the idea of being a badass space bounty hunter that blasts tons of evil aliens with some interesting twists and turns in the story, this game will satisfy that desire and then some.… Expand
  5. Ridley
    Aug 16, 2008
    9
    A good Metroid, but not the best, it's an excellent place to start the series with because it's easy and short and it retells the A good Metroid, but not the best, it's an excellent place to start the series with because it's easy and short and it retells the original game. It lacks the scale and balanced difficulty of Super Metroid and toned down from Metroid Fusion and it doesn't try to break any new ground like Fusion or the excellent original Metroid Prime. My only real complaint is once I started to get into it, it was over. I personally prefer Super and Fusion, but by no means does that make this game inferior. Definitely check it out.… Expand
  6. PizzaW0lf
    Nov 22, 2021
    9
    As the first Metroid game in the story, it's a brilliant way to introduce the series! After playing this game, it has really made me into aAs the first Metroid game in the story, it's a brilliant way to introduce the series! After playing this game, it has really made me into a Metroid fan and I can really see the beauty of the series. The exploration is really great and feels really open. You can sequence break in this game and use some items out of order. The boss fights are quite good but some of them are pretty simple. The music is top-notch and includes modern remixes of classic Metroid songs. And the gameplay is fine too. This is the perfect Metroid game to play if you want to get into the series.… Expand
  7. CineAutoctono
    Sep 18, 2019
    9
    "Metroid: Zero Mission" was a great video game, with good colors in the graphics and a story that gives rise to one of the greatest heroines"Metroid: Zero Mission" was a great video game, with good colors in the graphics and a story that gives rise to one of the greatest heroines of video games, Samus Aran, its degrees of difficulty and handling of the character make the game very interesting and its history is just as great, a video game that opens a whole universe.… Expand
  8. DinoBeam
    Jun 19, 2022
    5
    This can be a cool and very frustrating game. If you don't want to be super frustrated with puzzles don't play this. One time it sent me toThis can be a cool and very frustrating game. If you don't want to be super frustrated with puzzles don't play this. One time it sent me to a point in a new area, and after unlocking the map for that area I still had no clue how to get there. So, I thought i needed a new item or something and re-explored the whole game for nothing, as you had to find a secret to progress.

    The world has some really cool design and some creative surprises, and is overall well designed and very well paced.

    The final boss is one of the most poorly designed things in a videogame, and they say it is much improved from the original NES version. You are just constantly getting knocked off of 2 small bricks by 4 turrets as you try to fight the boss. It just seems like something someone made to piss a sibling off as much as possible. Skip this game, I am now wary to trust Metroid fans.    … Expand

See all 75 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best Game Boy Advance Game of 2004
2
#2 Most Discussed Game Boy Advance Game of 2004
4
#4 Most Shared Game Boy Advance Game of 2004