• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Super Metroid or Metroid Prime for best game in the series?

Best game in the series?


  • Total voters
    114
Here's one to knock your heads on a table Metroid Prime (just replayed myself) and Super Metroid are two games that are often cited as the best games in the franchise and some of the best games ever produced.

Metroid Prime and Super Metroid are extremely valued and highly rated by fans even today. It may be the case they are rated more highly now then back in the day when both were still sold in stores.

But which is the best game in the series? Bet you never thought about it before now. Not so easy.

1241882026401339052.gif


l6btqsjwe1g01.gif
 

jaysius

Banned
Super Metroid was peak 2D.

Metroid Prime was "what the fuck is a 3D game" but still a good game.
 
Last edited:

Variahunter

Member
Dread is so bad in comparison, I don't even begin to understand how someone can choose that.

Of course Super Metroid is the GOAT, the best game ever made. Prime is also incredible, but not as refined as Super Metroid.

As long as we'll have Samus confined in a FPS for 3D games, we'll never be able to approach the right 2D to 3D translation of Metroid's roots, which are Platforming/Action/Shooter/Exploration dependent on a great level design. The platforming part is so integral to Metroid gameplay that also define the complexity of the level design, hence why the level design in Prime games won't ever be as good as Super.

I'm still waiting on a 3D Metroid with fully controllable 3rd person camera, great level design, and of course great gameplay.
Sekiro in many ways is close to that (outside of the aesthetics, and parry of course), but would need to have an heavier emphasis on platforming and more freedom on hookshot mechanics. And of course totally new shooter gameplay.

Well, as Retro Studio seems to be willing to only make FPS for that series, I'd say give that IP to From Software. They already have plenty of experience for shooters with the Armored Core series, they're great with level design, atmosphere, exploration, gameplay and art. Problem is tech, they're not good on that department (imagine From Soft going back to PS360 level of power... ugh) but Nintendo could help them. Maybe on Switch 2. Can't wait to see AC 6 btw.
 
Last edited:
As long as we'll have Samus confined in a FPS for 3D games, we'll never be able to approach the right 2D to 3D translation of Metroid's roots, which are Platforming/Action/Shooter/Exploration dependent on a great level design. The platforming part is so integral to Metroid gameplay that also define the complexity of the level design, hence why the level design in Prime games won't ever be as good as Super.

Sounds like you want Other M.
 

Astral Dog

Member
Super Metroid is a bona fide classic,i don't think Metroid Prime is even the best in the FPS trilogy, great game it just wouldn't be what it is without Super
 

Bakkus

Member
Super Metroid easily. I know Maridia can be a bit annoying but it's absolutely nothing compared to Phazon 'what are save checkpoints?' Mines...

Oh yeah and it's a lot for fun to move around in Super Metroid. At least as base Samus. Morph Ball segments in Metroid Prime are incredible so I'll give it that.
 

Variahunter

Member
It continues the story and the gameplay is super fluid. That's a win for me.

If Super Metroid has anything it's sequence breaking and exploration.
But exploration is what the series is known for... It's a Metroid after all, the series that changed going from left to right, to all directions.

And Gameplay is fluid yes, but much more rigid than Super which allows much more control over Samus. Hence why Speedrun are so impressive on Super but on Dread it seems everybody could do it with enough memorization. I'd argue that Super Metroid has a much, much better atmosphere, music, graphics (the art style of Dread is really plain), and way less tedious phases upon replay. The E.M.M.I. encounters, the first one is ok, but it gets very repetitive even on first playthrough. I liked the emphasis on Chozo though.
 

Azelover

Titanic was called the Ship of Dreams, and it was. It really was.
Ooh tough one...

Metroid Prime was fantastic, Super Metroid is just too good, and timeless..

Super Metroid ❤️
 
Last edited:

ZoukGalaxy

Member
Super Metroid has my heart, for sure. The first time I played and finished the game back in time was so memorable with that incredible atmosphere in the game and musics were so perfect.

Metroid Prime was not so memorable for me.
 
Last edited:

nkarafo

Member
Though i prefer Prime's style being a first person 3D game, meaning the exploration is more immersive, the game has some issues that make it less re-playable then Super Metroid.
 

kunonabi

Member
Both are in my top 3 but Super is tops for me especially after replaying it again in the lead-up to Dread.
 

Hollowpoint5557

A Fucking Idiot
Insert the "same same but different" meme here. Both are amazing, but we are talking about the pinnacle of 2d that has an entire genre named after it.
 

Paltheos

Member
In the lord's year 2023, probably neither of them, although I think Prime's aged much better. Super Metroid kinda sucks. Super Metroid sucked when I played it for the first time 10-15 years ago.

Top dog is a tough pick, but I'm really partial to AM2R, even though I know the inherent repetitiveness of the metroid fights should probably put it out of the running. Of the official releases, probably Prime 2? One second.

...

Looking around, this is my tier list from 6 years ago (I could swear I wrote one with descriptions at some point but a few minutes of searching has not produced it). I think I'd shuffle around the top 1-4 spots, plug Samus Returns in between Metroid II and Super, and... I don't know where to put Dread. Probably above Fusion. Everything else I'd keep the same.
 

Mr Branding

Member
I tried to get into Super Metroid twice now on NSO but just couldn’t do it. I feel the gameplay is too antiquated for me to care about anything else, but for what it’s worth, I absolutely loved Dread and it’s snappy gameplay.
Going to jump into Prime soon to see if the 3d formula works for me.
 
Top Bottom