Top 5: The best Metroid games

To mark 40 years of Metroid, we at Gamereactor have sat down and decided to rank the best chapters in this long-running and storied series. Samus has been a familiar face ever since, appearing in numerous titles starting in 1986. Although the series has never achieved the same popularity as Super Mario, it has been around for about as long. It's also one of the medium's first female protagonists. Our ranking is based on the past 40 years of Metroid, and you can view it below. We'd also like to see your list, so feel free to write in the comments which games in the series you rate the highest.

5. Metroid: Zero Mission

When Samus Aran made her debut on the NES in 1986, it was the start of a series that would influence the gaming medium as a phenomenon for decades to come. However, returning to this blocky classic is not the easiest thing to do today, and the simple graphics and ancient controls may well scare away those who want to explore one of the most important titles in gaming history. Fortunately, Nintendo did not want to let the first Metroid game slip into oblivion, so in 2004 they launched Metroid: Zero Mission, a full-fledged remake of the original for the Game Boy Advance. With revamped aesthetics and controls that bore many similarities to Metroid Fusion (released around the same time), Samus Aran's first adventure became a joy to play through, and with new areas, new items, and new mini-bosses, there was plenty of new content even for the most die-hard fans. Metroid: Zero Mission may not reach the sky-high heights that some of the later instalments in the series would master, but for its respect for the source material and its undying playability, the title deserves a place on this list.

4. Metroid Dread

Metroid and horror have never been an odd combination. Several of Samus' adventures always featured elements of horror and darkness. In Metroid Dread, this was taken to a whole new level. In this modern adventure from 2021, horror took centre stage more than ever before. It was also a fantastic return to the 2D style that the series started with. We at Gamereactor thought it was a top game when it was released, and this was largely thanks to its awesome pace, familiar characters, and great gameplay mechanics. It also offered new enemies, good variety, and quality environment design. The classic Metroidvania style was also intact, and you had to do some backtracking to complete the game. This time, the enemies were not only space pirates but also the planet's dangerous life forms, and the occasional robot. The machines are one of the highlights of the game; they are completely immortal, and you have to flee before you can find the trick to destroy them for good. If you find yourself within their territory, they will chase you and end your life immediately if they catch you. This is both adrenaline-pumping and offers moments of panic. Thanks to it being such a high-quality experience, we have chosen to place it in fourth place.

3. Metroid Fusion

Following up on Super Metroid after eight years naturally sets high expectations. This instalment introduced a slightly more cinematic but also more linear experience without manipulating the building blocks of its established DNA in the wrong way. At first glance, it was very similar to its predecessor, but beneath the surface lurked a sense of unease. After an expedition to the planet SR388 at the beginning, Samus is left with little chance of survival when a previously unknown parasite attacks. The heroine's iconic Varia Suit must be surgically removed when the parasite begins to fuse with it and take over both of them.

What then unfolds aboard a vulnerable space station is a display of established genre mechanics where Samus' abilities are acquired progressively as they should be, but where the isolated and claustrophobic narrative is given more space. When Samus Aran's previous and fully upgraded armour from Super Metroid - controlled by the X parasite - mutated and began chasing us through the corridors in heavy, echoing steps in various sequences, where the only way out was to flee, another layer of uncertainty and persecution mania was added. Metroid Fusion being influenced by Ridley Scott's first Alien and other sci-fi horror films was almost obvious, and we believe it belongs among the top tier of the series.

2. Metroid Prime: Remastered

Although the Prime saga is now in its fourth iteration, Samus' first 3D adventure proved to be one of Nintendo's best games of all-time. Metroid Prime was a smash hit on the Gamecube in 2002 in the US and 2003 in Europe. For that reason, we were a little concerned when Metroid Prime: Remastered was announced. Would Samus' adventure still work more than 20 years later? The answer is yes. Even though the remastered edition missed out on some minor effects from the original, it was delightful to watch. Fresh new graphics and an improved control scheme made our return visit to Tallon IV a real pleasure.

One of the best things about this title was that the classic Metroidvania style was intact. The more you upgraded Samus, the more doors and paths opened up in already explored areas. Although the combat doesn't quite match later iterations of the series, there is no other 3D title that captures Metroid quite as well. Even the silent protagonist still holds up today, significantly better than in the fourth instalment, due to Samus having no one to talk to in this adventure. This also made the choice between our first and second place difficult to decide. However, you should play both, and if you own a Switch 2 or Switch, you should get this one.

1. Super Metroid

"The last Metroid is in captivity. The galaxy is at peace..."

You didn't see that one coming, did you? The 16-bit classic for Super Nintendo is still unrivalled today and seriously established the brand with the toughest intergalactic bounty hunter of all-time at the helm: Samus Aran. After the legendary and fateful intro, the adventure begins on the planet Zebes, where we don't know which direction to go or in what order. This is also where much of the core of its greatness lies, with its non-linear gameplay and high level of challenge. The thrill of exploring this mysterious planet with something new and exciting lurking around every corner, but also embedded in the walls.

Encountering patrols was part of the charm; a seemingly impossible passage or new type of terrain only served as a temporary obstacle to further progress. With an ever-growing arsenal of different weapons and abilities, there was a sense of growth as a player, making us think and revisit previous areas to comb through them as well, or unlock entirely new biotopes in the enormous underground labyrinth, which consisted of equally impressive level design as that of the cult-classic bosses Kraid, Ridley, and Mother Brain. Super Metroid did not invent the genre, but it still stands today as a benchmark in all mentions of it and is also one of the very best. It was not only one of the most technically impressive games for the console, it was one of the best for the format, where one could even argue that it belongs among the cream of the crop of games ever made.

Worst: Metroid: Federation Force

The Metroid series has generally been of the highest calibre, but there have been two black sheep, one of which is, of course, the dreadful Metroid: Other M, which some felt completely ruined the character of Samus. But... there is actually a worse game, namely Metroid Prime: Federation Force. It was released when everyone was hoping for Metroid Prime 4 and barely included Samus at all. In terms of gameplay, it was an extremely generic shooter with a chibi look, where co-op completely lost the desolate Metroid feel. There are definitely worse games, because it wasn't that bad, but there are no worse Metroid games.