Super Metroid

Super Metroid was a new high point for the series, which had always been about exploration and discovery. The science-fiction game centered on space traveler Samus Aran provided a rich setting teeming with surprises around every corner and an unpleasant sensation of growing solitude.

With the goal to complete it in under three hours for a unique ending, it helped inspire speedrunning. It also contributed to the development of a complex type of wordless narrative that explored Samus' bond with a baby Metroid she discovered at the conclusion of Metroid 2 on Game Boy. This game, maybe more than any other, pioneered the Metroidvania format, which can still be found in titles like Hollow Knight and Axiom Verge today.

Release date: 1994

Platforms: Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Wii, Wii U

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