Metroid Fusion is Samus’ first adventure on the GameBoy Advance. It is the true sequel Super Metroid, unlike Metroid Prime, which was set further in the past. Fusion remains true to the series’ 2D roots. This was great news to me, because I wish there were more great 2D games these days. The story follows Samus back to SR388, where she is escorting a research team who is collecting wildlife samples on the planet. She comes into contact with a virus, which almost kills her. The researchers come to discover that the reason she did not come across it on her first visit, was because it is prey for the Metroids. Since on her last visit Samus eradicated the Metroids, when she left, the virus was able to multiply freely. The scientists then used the last sample from the last Metroid hatchling to create a serum to cure her. Things turned out to be more complicated than that. The virus had infected and corrupted the majority of her power suit. Most of it had to be surgically removed, and the rest had taken on attributes of the Metroids from the serum used to save her life. The end result is that Samus has new suit! Gone is the orange power suit we have known for so long, and in its place is a spiffy blue and yellow armored Samus.

Unfortunately, the “new” suit doesn’t offer any new abilities. Samus only manages to inherit the Metroids’ weakness to ice, and none of their resistances to, oh uh, everything else. Figures. Although, since she has new antibodies from the Metroid serum, she can now absorb the virus without worry. Absorbing the viruses that are floating around is actually how you restore your energy and weapons. I guess maybe there are some advantages to having Metroid in your blood. The virus has the ability to replicate anything it comes in contact with. All the enemies on the station are virus clones of creatures from SR388. The way you dispose of them is to blast the creatures enough to force them back into their virus form so you can absorb them.

The game itself involves Samus responding to a distress call from the researchers’ station almost immediately after she recovers. Since she just rolled out of the hospital bead, she is of course very weak, and of course none of her suit’s powers are working correctly. The way you get them back is by absorbing the viruses that are inside the game’s area bosses. The areas in the game are in a very specific order. This game felt a lot more linear than any of the other Metroid games. In this one, you have a computer giving you orders. “Go here, do this.” “Go there, do that.” As soon as you complete one objective, it is right there with the next one. While Fusion feels a lot more like an action game than an adventure, it still retains the Metroid feel. The game also has a bit of a survival horror feel to it, because the virus also decided to replicate you, and is wearing your old power suit that the scientists had removed from you. The “Samus-X”, as it is called, is at full strength from the very beginning of the game, and the only thing you can do is RUN FOR YOUR LIFE if you come across it. A Samus at full power is a Samus nobody wants to mess with. The survival horror feel comes into effect because you are always afraid that it will be around the next corner waiting to take you out.

The music in Metroid Fusion is very good most of the time. Almost all of the tracks have an eerie sound to them that very much help add to the survival horror feeling I mentioned before. All the classic Metroid weapon, enemy, and environment sound effects sound as if they have been lifted directly from Super Metroid, and I would expect nothing less. The new sounds are very good as well.

The graphics are top-notch. Samus and the enemies are well detailed and well animated. The backgrounds look great, and many of them aren’t stationary. Some of them have things going on in them. For example, in the first area you can see creatures jumping around in the distance. Some areas even have a foreground with mist, dust, heat, or whatever between you and the screen that help add to the atmosphere of the specific area of the station you are in.

The controls are standard Metroid perfection. Samus handles almost exactly as she did in Super Metroid. The only real difference is that she has added a ledge grab to her move arsenal. This skill only really comes in handy in areas they specifically designed to make its use a requirement. The wall jump is back, and it is executed in the exact same way, and it’s also still a very fun move. This game seems to be more difficult than its predecessor, but I think that is mainly due to the increased damage you take from enemies. Physical contact with enemies is a major no-no, as it will deplete your energy very quickly. Also some bosses’ attacks will drain an entire energy tank with one hit. Increased difficulty is always a welcome change as long as it isn’t impossibly hard, or takes away the fun of the game, and in the case of Metroid Fusion, it does not.

If you were going to point out a major fault with this game, it would be in the area of replayability. The game is over very quickly. It can be completed in 4 hours, and easily in 5. Once you finish the game, there is not much else to do in the game either. It is fun to go back over the areas with a fine-toothed comb and find every missile and energy tank upgrade, but the only time you will want to pick it back up after you find everything, is when you will want to start over and play through it again. But then again that’s pretty standard Metroid stuff, and I am sure you already expected that, right?

When it’s all said and done, Metroid Fusion is a great game. It may be short, and you may not play it all the time, but it’s definitely worth a spot in you collection, and a required purchase for all Metroid fans. If you are willing to keep an open mind about the new suit, and slight changes to the Metroid formula, you won’t be disappointed.