by Matt Murray

Created on: March 01, 2009

When trying to decide what makes a good video game, there's a mind boggling amount of things to consider. Does gameplay reign supreme, or is it a gripping storyline that matters most? What about the audio and visual side of things; will subpar graphics and mediocre music hinder an otherwise stellar game? And don't forget the engine; floaty jumps and awkward artificial intelligence can be the proverbial nails in the coffin. Of course, combining all of these elements seems like an easy solution (at least on paper), but truly, how many games have ever pulled off such a feat? There are only a few that come to mind, but there's one in particular that still, almost 15 years after its release, stands out - "Super Metroid" for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Everything in the game just manages to somehow come together and form not only 16-it perfection, but what many argue to be the epitome of interactive entertainment.

From the very beginning, after confronting the space pirate leader Ridley and escaping a self-destructing space station, the game lets the player know that they're in for an epic, engrossing adventure that pulls absolutely no punches. And while the game's pure size and scope (throughout your journey you explore an entire planet) are certainly admirable, what's truly impressive about Super Metroid is the fact that it's entirely non-linear. While the player is given an extremely general goal, it's entirely up to them how and when to tackle each obstacle. Powerups such as the wave beam and power bombs can be obtained out of order, and items like the X-Ray visor can be skipped entirely, potentially making each playthrough of the game a new experience.

And yet, this freedom to explore and discover at the player's own pace didn't hinder the storyline at all. While it's true that outside of the opening there's absolutely no text in the game, this above all else is what takes "Super Metroid" from the category of a superb video game and into what can be considered true art. While games such as "Metal Gear Solid" and "Final Fantasy" have deep and emotionally engaging storylines, they achieve their stories through cutscenes, which amount to nothing more than watching a movie. In "Super Metroid", everything is interactive, including the heart wrenching finale in which the titular metroid sacrifices itself so the player can defeat the Mother Brain.

Tying all of these elements together are some of the best visuals the Super Nintendo had to offer, and even more importantly, a truly ahead of its time soundtrack that ranged from unnervingly ambient to boss fight anthems with an unmatchable heart-pounding intensity. Even the sound effects, particularly Ridley's iconic death scream, are above and beyond what almost anyone could ever expect from a 16-bit game.

While many contemporary games strive to be "experiences" more than just games, there's not many that can even hold a candle to what this game was able to achieve a decade and a half ago. Just about as transcendental as video games can get, "Super Metroid" is a masterpiece that demands to be played by everyone who considers themselves a fan of video games.

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