Metroid: Samus Returns

Bounty hunter Samus Aran is one of the gaming world's icons, and yet she had to wait long years for a proper return in the classic 2D style. Metroid: Samus Returns from 2017 is a remake of the Game Boy game Metroid II, bringing the lonely hunt for alien metroids back to the 3DS in the form fans love.

Development was handled by the Spanish studio MercurySteam in collaboration with Nintendo, taking the ancient black-and-white title from 1991 and rebuilding it into a modern metroidvania. Your task is to descend deep into the interior of the planet SR388, explore its tangled tunnels, and gradually exterminate the metroids, which evolve here into ever more dangerous forms.

The most striking novelty is the counterattack system called the melee counter. When an enemy attacks you at the right moment, a well-timed strike stuns it and opens it up to a devastating shot. This mechanic gave the battles a rhythm and tension the original version lacked. There's also 360-degree aiming and the so-called Aeion abilities, such as scanning your surroundings or a temporary shield, which significantly deepened both exploration and combat.

Visually the game combines 2D gameplay with 3D models and backgrounds, giving the claustrophobic caves of planet SR388 a dense, gloomy atmosphere. Stereoscopic 3D emphasizes the depth of the environment and turns the lonely descent into darkness into an experience that holds the tension from start to finish.

For the series it was an important moment. After a long pause in the classic 2D line, it was proof that this form of Metroid still has a strong base, and it served as a harbinger of the highly acclaimed sequel Metroid Dread on the Switch. With this remake, MercurySteam earned the trust to keep developing one of the most influential gaming concepts of all.

Why play it: It brings back classic 2D Samus in a modern, polished metroidvania with a thrilling counterattack system. A great entry into the series and a reward for longtime fans.