In the release of Metroid: Samus Returns on the 3DS, fans have boarded the hype train after Nintendo had put the series on hiatus for six years only to “Rick Roll” players with the awful Metroid Prime: Federation Force.

However, this seems to be all in the past as with this new release, which is a  reboot of the 1991 Gameboy series installment Metroid 2: The Return of Samus.

The game provides long time fans with nostalgic trip down memory lane with a game they came to love 26 years ago. However, it also adds new functionality with new features  such as the melee counter and 360 degree fire mode, giving the player more control over the way they get to play.

Some skeptics believe that the game’s controls are wonky and generally uncomfortable as the player has to multitask with the rear buttons as action keys and to fire Samus’ arm cannon while simultaneously using either joystick to move and aim. This style of gameplay can be awkward at first but will gradually become second nature with enough consecutive gaming. Overall, the gameplay is very engaging and forces the player to be attentive to their surroundings as they can scan the area for secrets and hidden lore. This adventure and attention to detail is another key element to the style of the Metroid games and some might go as far to say that this is the backbone of the nostalgic platformer gameplay people loved.

The story is simple as we return to the planet SR388, home of the dreaded Metroid species. The Metroids are a powerful floating jellyfish parasite that drain the life from anything in their path. The Metroids are seen as a threat to all life in the galaxy and have been targeted for extermination by the galactic federation. And this sets Samus Aran on the genocidal but necessary task to exterminate the remaining Metroids on SR388.

There is much more to the plot of the Metroid franchise and is sometimes difficult to understand as the story is not told in chronological order, getting pretty complex. To fully understand the plot there are YouTubers who have put together videos of the entire history.

This game is a great new installment that deserves the hype it has received. I personally recommend it to anyone with the time or generally enjoys Metroid games. I was pleasantly surprised by how well the story was told and the freedom to explore that I was given.

And for those who have never played a Metroid game before, this installment makes a great starting point as they learn to master it’s intricate game play.