Metroid II: Return of Samus

Return of Samus
Full Title	Metroid II: Return of Samus
Developer	Nintendo R&D1
Publisher	Nintendo
System	Game Boy
Release Date	US August 26, 1991 JP January 2, 1992 EU May 21, 1992
Genre	Action/Adventure
Gallery	GH Gallery

Metroid II: Return of Samus is the follow-up to the original Metroid. It was released for the Game Boy four years after the first game and was the first handheld title in the series, despite most other series continuing on the Super NES at the time.

Story

Metroid II follows the story of the original Metroid. After the Space Pirates had been defeated on Zebes, the Galactic Federation had decided it was too dangerous to leave the Metroids alive. After repeated failures from different Federation teams, they decided to enlist Samus Aran to finish off the Metroids. Samus's mission took her into the heart of SR388 where it was discovered the Metroids had gained far more advanced evolutions thanks to the gamma radiation on the planet.

Gameplay

Metroid II brought back with it all the elements that made the original Metroid memorable. For non-Japanese gamers, it was the first in the series to allow battery saving, preventing players from having to write down passwords after each play. The game introduced new techniques to the game, such as more control over where Samus can fire. The game also introduced the Spider Ball and Spring Ball, allowing a new dimension of flexibility for the Morph Ball.

Legacy

Because of the lack of a map, Metroid II (along with the original) is often considered the most challenging in the series. The game is a touch easier to navigate through due to areas being more diverse than in the original. However, the game is often the neglected member of the series, partly because of it being on the Game Boy and partly from lacking the villainous Space Pirates that appeared in the rest of the series.

Continuity Notes

• Metroid II was initially a direct sequel to Metroid, although the passage of time between the two titles is unknown. The Metroid Prime series has since been established as taking place between Metroid and Metroid II.
• This game notably features the near-extinction of the Metroid species and sets up the last Metroid hatchling for its appearance in Super Metroid, although later games would establish cloning programs which create more Metroids.

Sequels

In 1994, Super Metroid was released for the Super Nintendo.

Ports and Remakes

• A colorized version of Metroid II called Metroid II: Return of Samus DX was planned in 1999, but was cancelled along with Kirby's Dream Land 2 DX.