#lit was a fun game though but weakest 2d Metroid by far

[athetos]

My biggest gripe with Metroid ii on game boy, besides the modern QOL adjustments it really would have benefited from (teleport pads, maps, switching between beams on the options screen, etc.) is that it’s frustratingly linear. Metroid Fusion also struggled with this, but I think it’s worse in this game because of how you unlock new areas. Typically, in metroidvanias of all flavors, new areas are accessed via upgrades you obtain. Double jump, grappling hook, lava-proof suits, the usual. But here, the only way to progress to a new area is through defeating every Metroid in the previous one, which drains the acid in your way. I’m sure speedrunners have found ways to sequence break, but for the typical player, even if you’re brave and curious, you’re not going to be able to get anywhere the game doesn’t want you to go. The upgrades you get throughout the game, like the spider ball and space jump, ultimately don’t feel as cool or powerful because their usage is still highly constrained. The backtracking is minimal, which isn’t a bad thing here since some areas can be confusing and same-y, but feels extremely weird in a metroidvania. There’s no secret power ups you’ll find by going back to a previous area with new abilities. I’m just disappointed it was so railroad-y for a game with zero dialogue (it’s all in the manual, baby!) and a metroid game. However I admit I’m slightly biased because before I realized the Metroid kill count was linked to progression, I was backtracking quite a long ways to try and find new areas I could access, and upon learning what I was doing wrong I bashed my head against the wall.