Tiny Diggers – An iPad Construction Truck Game for Kids Age 2-5

What is it?

After releasing Metroid Fusion on GBA, Nintendo prepared Metroid: Zero Mission for release on the platform. The idea was that they would take the established story of the original NES game Metroid and build upon it, making a new game out of the old concept. Weapons and other items were incorporated into the game that weren’t in the original game, and an entire segment of the game takes place after the destruction of Mother Brain… which was the final boss battle in the original game.

You might gather from my tone that I’m not entirely thrilled about the whole thing. When Zero Mission first came out, I was very excited about it. I had been trying to work my way through the original Metroid but didn’t have the stomach for the nearly 20 year old graphics, especially after having played some beautiful modern episodes like Metroid Prime. I played through MZM and enjoyed it quite a bit, then set it aside to play again later.

How does it play?

While control in Metroid Fusion was nearly perfect, Zero Mission‘s is spot-on. The additional time working on the system really made a difference. While the wall jump in Fusion defied me at every turn, I found myself doing it by accident in Zero Mission. It’s a shame, actually, because there is never a point in the game when you have a reason to use it. The other controls in the game are refined as well, and the speed booster and space jump seem easier to use. You will need to become an expert with the speed booster to collect 100% of the items in the game.

Samus feels lighter and more agile in this game than she did in Fusion, and the game moves very quickly as a result. Later in the game you’ll be blowing through rooms so quickly that if you take a wrong turn, you’ll end up in the wrong place in a hurry, so check your map often.

How does it look and sound?

The presentation is a step up from Fusion, but the mood lacks in comparison. The setting is very different between the two games, so it’s hard to make a comparison. Fusion is in a space station, and Zero Mission has you running through caves and tunnels for the most part. The music is a big part of what makes the difference. The developers kept true to the music from the original game, which in a lot of cases turned out inappropriately upbeat for climbing around caverns killing spiny creatures that are clinging to the ceiling.

Overall, it’s a nice looking, decent sounding game, but the whole package is just not as sharp as Metroid Fusion.

How is the replay value?

Reasonably strong. There are lots of power-ups and items to gather, and lots of rooms that you never need to pass through if you don’t want to. The first time I played through the game I did it in well under eight hours. Using a guide, I completed it in less than four, getting 100% of items. There are apparently a number of different possible endings (that is to say, pictures of Samus Aran in states of undress, a series mainstay from the beginning that it may be time to retire) that you can get with varying percentages and completion times, and it could be fun to try to make the really quick runs through what’s already a remarkably short game.

That said, I can’t imagine anyone reaching every item in the game unaided. Many of the power-ups are so well hidden, and will take so many attempts to reach, that nearly all players will give up on this long before getting all of them. The last energy tank, for example, requires such flawless timing in execution of the speed booster, screw attack, and shine sparking that it’s prohibitive to all but the most determined.

Is it worth it?

This game is going to be of greatest value to those who missed the original Metroid and don’t want to look at its ugly, ugly graphics. Zero Mission is a far more complicated game, with many of the features that didn’t arrive until Super Metroid incorporated, such as stacking beams, the speed booster, and even an in-game map. While the game is not particularly bad, it comes across as an attempt to expand the audience for the franchise with a more accessible take on the first episode. It tries very hard to connect the original story to the later ones in the series, particularly the Metroid Prime games, which may not have been the best approach, as it seems to weaken the source material. My favorite example of what’s wrong is the battle against Kraid, which was completely changed, making Kraid the Jabba the Hutt-like behemoth he is in Super Metroid rather than the man-sized reptile he was in the original.

Zero Mission includes the original Metroid, modified to include a save feature on the password screen, which is a great bonus. Because of this, it’s a good idea for those who would like to play the original Metroid, as the NES Classic Series version was pretty pricey and didn’t include the Zero Mission game. Additionally, the low-res graphics look a lot better on the small screen than on a TV. I now plan to take on the original, as represented on the Zero Mission cartridge. You’ll certainly hear back from me on that one as well.

I give Metroid: Zero Mission four point five out of five.