 Pssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss d sorry Hello first I want to credit Brian Hammby for passing along the idea for this video Thanks, Brian Now YouTube is littered with quote-unquote hidden gems videos a few of them even made by me But how about we narrow down our focus a bit and look for games that play like one of if not the best Super Nintendo game ever made Super Metroid and not just on Super Nintendo Either we can go all over the board with this ranging from Genesis to the Master System to the PC 1988 to modern games as well. And yeah, I know this goes without saying, but this video is not meant to imply that the games I talk about here are on the same level as Super Metroid. I mean games like that just don't grow on trees. Super Metroid is unique, but there are other retro games out there that share some similarities. And I just want to mention right now I'm gonna try and go for less obvious games. Yeah, I know that Castlevania Symphony of the night is the ultimate exploration platformer, but I mean everyone already knows about that game already. You don't need me to tell you about it. So let's take a look at some other stuff out there. Games in particular that are reminiscent of Super Metroid. The most obvious example out there is Capcom's Demon's Crest, also on Super Nintendo. This game has that high-quality polish that developers like Capcom had nailed down back in the 90s, so the visuals, sound, and controls here are absolutely on point. Demon's Crest is similar to Super Metroid in structure. You unlock a new form you can change into which has its own ability that allows you to backtrack to earlier parts in the game and use that ability to reach new areas. There's the ground gargoyle which can charge and break walls. There's the aerial gargoyle that can fly just about anywhere. There's five additional forms total that you can obtain. Plus, you gotta love how this game starts with a giant monster chasing after you right off the bat. That is awesome. Demon's Crest isn't without its flaws. It's definitely a pain to constantly have to switch to a menu screen to change forms. And the level design isn't always a good match for your capabilities, but still if you're looking for a game that has a structure similar to Super Metroid, then check out Demon's Crest. Sticking with Super Nintendo, here's another exploration platformer, Phantom 2040. Now, I'll be up front here and say this game doesn't have the same kind of polish that higher profile games like Super Metroid and Demon's Crest have. It is a bit rough around the edges. I mean, just take a look at that password system. Ugh. But Phantom 2040 has a surprisingly open-ended structure that features gigantic levels. You start out equipped with a grappling hook that allows you to explore anywhere and everywhere, and you can collect tons upon tons of weapons and power-ups. Each level has at least two paths you can follow, and the paths you take will determine the ending you eventually get, and there's up to 20 possible endings. Phantom 2040 is definitely one of the best and most interesting games on the Super Nintendo that's gone way under the radar over the years. Now, let's take a look at a game on the Super Famicom that never left Japan, Magical Poppin'. You explore six huge levels with branching paths, finding magical abilities that allow you to backtrack and unlock new portions of each level. And what's great here is that this game utilizes the L and R buttons to flip between abilities, so no tedious menu screens here. There's six spells you can obtain, and each spell has a secondary attack, which is pretty cool. The main character's regular attacks aren't too shabby either, since she can slide and downthrust using her sword. Personally, I like this game much more than Demon's Crest, and if I had to pick one Super Nintendo game to recommend, if you're looking for a game structured like Super Metroid, it would be Magical Poppin'. Unfortunately, that's pretty much it for this category when it comes to Super Nintendo, but that hasn't stopped the retro gaming community from producing a slew of high-quality ROM hacks that take the original Super Metroid game code and create a brand new experience entirely. I've talked about these a little more extensively in other videos, so I'll just mention the ones that I personally like, as well as the more popular ROM hacks. Super Zero Mission takes elements from both Super Metroid and the Game Boy Advance remake of the original Metroid, Metroid Zero Mission. Don't be mistaken, though, Super Zero Mission is not a remake, it's its own thing entirely, and it's really frickin' good. There's also another Metroid 2 ROM hack, or AM2R, and that game is a remake of Metroid 2 for Game Boy, but done in the style of Metroid Zero Mission. Hyper Metroid is another great one that puts a new spin on the look and atmosphere of the Metroid universe. And if you're looking for more of a challenge, you can try Super Metroid Rotation, which quite literally turns the word of Zepis sideways. Or you can try Super Metroid Redesign, which, well, figuratively turns the Super Metroid world on its head by giving the game a new physics engine. All of these ROM hacks are well worth checking out any way you can. Let's move on to the Sega Genesis. If there's anything I really like about the Genesis library, it's at the best games play to the console's strengths. I mean, just take a look at anything Treasure developed, from Gunstar Heroes to Dynamite Heady, and there's a myriad of shoot-'em-ups that are top-notch playthroughs. But having said that, the Genesis didn't really have much of an exploration platformer, other than the Genesis Port of Phantom 2040. I think the closest any Genesis game gets to a Metroid vibe is Echo the Dolphin. No, there's no platforming here, so to speak, and the game is mostly linear, but there is some exploration, and this game does come somewhat close to matching the mood and atmosphere that Super Metroid had in spades. The underwater world of Echo is really strange and confusing, and the music really adds to the unsettling vibe. You're not totally sure what the heck is going on or what you're supposed to do, but it's still a fun time to just wander around in this world. It has a certain intrigue to it. I'll also add that if you like Echo the Dolphin, you'd also dig the sequel Echo the Tides of Time. Heck, we can even go further back in Sega's history to 1987, with Zillion for the Sega Master System. This is a licensed game based off the anime series of the same name, and you play as JJ, and your mission is to infiltrate and blow up this enemy base, which is laid out like a huge maze. All the classic exploration platformer staples are here, like finding key cards to open up doors or deactivate traps, as well as tracking down clues to decode messages made up of these weird symbols. What's cool here is that the codes are randomized every time you play. You can also level up your weapon, which allows you to break through stronger barriers as you proceed through the game. Seriously, if you dig exploration puzzle platformers, you gotta play Zillion. It's fantastic. Jumping ahead a year, there's also this scheme made for the PC-88 back in 1988. Now at first glance, this game seems pretty simple, since the first level is just run to the right, kill the boss, earn a new weapon, and unlock a new area, but the game really opens up the further you progress, with gigantic, non-linear mazes you have to navigate, with this game featuring up to 500 different screens, which was a ton at the time. As an action game, this is just okay. You know the deal, you shoot stuff till it goes boom, but as an exploration game, the scheme is pretty dang good. But I should point out the real highlight here, the soundtrack, which was composed by Yuzo Koshiro of Streets of Rage fame, so the music here is really good. Finally, I want to mention a few modern exploration platformers, and yeah, I know, there's seriously like a thousand of these games, and I'm not even sure if that's an adequate exaggeration anymore, so I wanted to stick to just three that I personally liked. The first is Axiom Verge, which is available on PS4, Xbox One, and Switch, as well as Windows, Mac, and Linux. Right away, you can see the Metroid influence is obvious, just by the way the game looks, and even the way the door is open, but if you prefer your games to have a little more story, then Axiom Verge is the way to go. You play as a scientist named Trace, who gets knocked out by an accidental explosion, only to wake up inside some weird machine on an alien world, so it's up to you to explore and figure out what the heck is going on. There's up to 60 different items and power-ups you can find, so there's plenty of depth in the gameplay as well. Axiom Verge is definitely one of the best games of its kind of the last few years. I also want to mention Hollow Knight. I did a video on this game about a year ago, and I really think it executes the Super Metroid formula as well as any game ever has. It's a really player-friendly game with controls that are easy for anyone to pick up and execute, and your character has a huge jump range, which really helps, and there's a charm system you use that's kind of like the Esper system in Final Fantasy VI. You can equip charms that customize your character, one allows you to heal faster, one increases your attack range, there's up to 40 charms you can collect, and the game does a great job allowing you to set up your character to fit how you like to play. If you just want to explore and avoid everything, you can do that, or if you'd rather go all Rambo and kill everything that moves, you can do that too. In addition to a great combat system, Hollow Knight also has an intriguing story, and yeah, I admit this game gets off to a bit of a slow start, but the world you explore is carefully crafted with all sorts of interesting bits and pieces you pick up here and there. Hollow Knight is well worth your time, especially if you dig games like Super Metroid. The last modern game I want to mention is Bloodstained Ritual of the Night. As many of you know, the development of this one was led by Koji Igarashi, who used to be the head of the Castlevania series, so I'll give you one guess what this game plays like. It rhymes with Nymphity of the Sight, and hey, if that's what you're looking for, that's exactly what this game gives you, plus there's plenty of story here to dive into, and there's mood and atmosphere and spades thanks to a great soundtrack. All I can add besides what you see here is that this is one of those games that has like 3,000 pages on the game's wiki page, so there is a ton of substance here you can dive into. So once again, if you dig Super Metroid, you're obviously going to love this game too. Alright, that's all for now. I want to thank you for watching, and I hope you have a great rest of your day.