Metroid

[satoshi_matrix]

JC, here's my advice for playing Metroid. Go to gamefaqs and print yourself a map. Metroid = next to impossible with the map. Its like playing the second quest in zelda for the first time without ANY aid.

General tips: watch enemy patterns. You can get through most areas without getting hit as long as you know where your foes will be. You can use missiles once you find them by pressing Select. Samus will change color. 

As you play, you will have a choice to upgrade your beam attack, either the wave beam or the ice beam. the wave beam travels in a horizontal zig-zag pattern while the ice beam freezes enemies in place so they wont move and you can actually stand on them. Obviously, the ice beam is better, so seek that out instead.

If you've got the NES version, try out the debug code. Go to the password screen and enter in

NARPAS SWORD000
0000000 000000000

or something like that. Just NARPAS SWORD followed by a series of zeros. This will start you off with all your power ups and infinite health and missiles. All you have to do here is go beat the bosses.


Finally, do you have a GBA or DS? if so, I highly recommend Metroid Zero Mission. Zero Mission is a modern remake and my favorite of any Metroid game.  Plus, it can be found pretty cheap nowadays. As a bonus, once you beat Zero Mission, the original Metroid is unlocked as well, allowing you to play through the game on the go. 

[Jedi Master Baiter]

Don't be ashamed, JC. To this day, I don't think I've ever beaten Metroid from beginning to end.  I've always played around with passwords & stuff.

My biggest gripe about Metroid (besides a lack of a map) is that it recycles rooms - most likely to save space, which gets you really lost, & makes you really wish you had a map.  Metroid II does this, too... and no map.

I've always had a heart for this game, though, because it was the first NES game I had & I always played it for fun.

For the longest time, Tourian scared me, not just because of the Metroids, but the music... how they accomplished that with 2 Square Waves & a Triangle is beyond me.

[Trium Shockwave]

I prefer to have the Wave Beam as much as possible. It's a lot stronger than the standard and Ice beams, and the wave movement pattern allows you to hit things moving along the floor. It really speeds up moving through areas of tough enemies, like the boss lairs and Norfair. The only problem with the Wave Beam is that you need to give it up and go back to the Ice Beam before going into Tourian. I believe that password hacking allows you to have both at once in the NES version. I wish they'd let that be in the regular game, like they did in Super Metroid.