The 14 Best ‘Metroid’ Games, Ranked

Six years had passed since Metroid: Other M, which itself was a game that didn’t quite capture the magic of the better entries in the series that came before it. At a pivotal time in the series, Federation Force came out, which is part of why it got mixed reviews. The game was a left turn from the series which is a large part of the reason it got panned. Had the game come out between two popular releases, it likely could have been forgiven, but that wasn’t the case. It’s a four-player first-person co-op shooter that sees you step into the shoes of "Federation Marines."

Released only for the Nintendo Wii in 2010, Other M is another game that isn’t the worst ever released but wasn’t right for the series when it arrived. The hype for this game was fairly high, with the Prime trilogy ending just a few years before this came out. Samus is a beloved character in the games and many felt that the way she was framed here actually worsened the perception of her as a character, not to mention the new aspects like mixing 2D and 3D which some praised as great evolution, but others shunned.

Perhaps you’re confused about a spinoff pinball game ranking higher on this list than actual fleshed-out games regardless of what people thought about that, but at the end of the day, the game does what it promises to do with few flaws. The game uses the same art style as the Metroid games around its time and even adds in some story elements, but you wouldn’t be missing much by skipping out on it. For those who do decide to try it out, there’s not so much meat on the bone here outside of a themed pinball game, but the game setting your expectations here is what makes the difference.

It was a bold move to put a first-person shooter on the Nintendo DS and while it might have been pulled off for the period, the game definitely hasn’t aged well, with its controls feeling convoluted at the best of times. It’s still one of the better multiplayer options on the DS though, even supporting voice chat before its time. The game sees you playing as Samus, investigating the "Alimbic Cluster" between the events of the first two Prime games.

As a follow-up to the first Metroid game that added in things that would eventually become staples in the series, the second Metroid game Return of Samus did a solid job, but there are some notable problems with it, namely with its graphics and audio, which is what you run into fairly often with Game Boy entries. Despite that, Return of Samus did well to advance the series, improving gameplay and adding to the lore of the series.

Often, entries on the Wii for games that have been held in high regard for a long time fall short, but Metroid Prime 3: Corruption actually does a great job of using the Wii’s strange controls in a way that translates, as much as any game could anyway. Corruption also does level design incredibly well, with critics praising it for its graphics at the time. It’s no doubt one of the better Nintendo Wii games of all time, pretty much falling short on this list only because of how good the other entries in the series are. 

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes had some high expectations to meet after the universal acclaim of the first Prime game and it pretty much nailed it in most regards. In terms of offerings on the GameCube, it boasted some of the best graphics around, without sacrificing anything in terms of story depth and game design. One of the main criticisms of the game is actually how difficult it is, with some even calling the game hard to follow at times. Samus eventually adjusts in-game, but the journey to get to that point is frustratingly difficult, and not in a Dark Souls kind of way where you go in expecting it and it’s rewarding. Other than that though, Echoes is tough to criticize.

It shouldn’t surprise anyone to know that the original Metroid game is incredible, given it properly lays the foundation for one of the better game series of all time. Naturally, it does suffer a little, largely from being nearly four decades old, but it holds up surprisingly well too. With all of the mechanics that have been added to the series in the dozens of years since this game has come out, the game can feel a little barebones at times, but perhaps gamers who have never tried the game out would find that refreshing too. Overall, it’s a fantastic entry for its time with a few niggles that are fairly easy to look past, especially for long-time fans of the series.

About twenty-five years after Metroid II: Return of Samus dropped, Nintendo put out a remake for the Nintendo 3DS. It’s not a one-to-one remake, but rather one that keeps the stuff most fans love and changes what most didn’t. For example, the 3D visuals made the game easier to come back to. Also, the caverns which got a little repetitive feel more like puzzles now, which instantly makes the game easier to pick up and play. The remake was inspiring for fans, making them believe in the series once again. MercurySteam, who did this remake, also did Metroid Dread, which proves that this was a success.

Metroid Fusion is an example of Nintendo trying something different with Samus and balancing it well enough that it works. Her powers are taken away early in the game which might seem frustrating, but it makes for a cool experience that will only grow your love for the iconic character. This game also took away some of the freedom that came with earlier entries in the series and while on paper that might seem like a negative, the game being more linear meant that there was less time for gamers to get bogged down with repetitive aspects of the game and it modernized it in a way that helps set a foundation for the future.

Released in 2004, Metroid: Zero Mission sees Samus travel to "Zebes" after she finds out that "Space Pirates" are experimenting with "Metroids." In other words, it’s a remake of the original. Once again, you have to give credit to Nintendo’s R&D1 division for genuinely listening to the few criticisms that existed of the source material and making the necessary changes to make what’s arguably a masterpiece. Zero Mission is a more narrative-driven version of the game that also introduced us to Zero Suit Samus, a classic version of the character that later went on to appear in Super Smash Bros.

Metroid Dread is the game that everyone from casual gamers to hardcore fans of the series had been waiting an excruciatingly long time for. For most, it was worth the wait because the wait produced one of the best games in a legendary gaming series. Dread takes all of the fans' favorite parts of the series since the 1980s and keeps the charm of them while updating them for the 2020s. It’s challenging, but not so much that it’s frustrating. There are secrets on the map, but not so secret that they’re impossible to find. The game hits on every aspect and is a great option for anyone who can appreciate fun, difficult boss fights, and unique exploration.

Metroid Prime is one of the best first-person shooters of all time, winning numerous Game of the Year awards in 2002. The game was not just the first in the series to be an FPS, but the first to incorporate 3D graphics, and while both are massive tasks to undertake, they knocked them both out of the park. The focus on the atmosphere in the levels and the exploration was second to none at the time. The great thing is that you won’t have to dig for an expensive copy if you want to play the game. The best way to play this first-person foray into Samus' interplanetary adventures is through the amazing Metroid Prime Remastered.

As great as some of the Metroid games are, almost unanimously agree that 1994’s Super Metroid is still the best in the series' history. The marriage of level design, combat, exploration, atmosphere, and every other aspect of a game is almost as perfect as it gets here. Super Metroid is a template that countless games have tried to follow in the near-30 years since its release, but one that is rarely replicated. It’s truly a game that every type of gamer should experience at one point or another in their life.