Thanks to Hamada for helping with edits. And if you’re craving more Metroid action, check out his “Dream Smasher” on Dread villain Raven Beak.
Let’s talk about Metroid. During the Eighties, side-scrollers were generally straightforward, linear treks through vibrant wonderlands. When the original Metroid hit in 1986, it took a different approach. Famed bounty hunter Samus Aran was tasked with stopping a galactic threat, one stationed throughout a somber, unworldly labyrinth. Even Metroid’s opening minutes help teach its unorthodox approach; if a player keeps moving right upon starting, they’ll inevitably hit a tunnel the tall Samus cannot access. Or can she? Flustered newcomers will then backtrack, eventually discovering a tool, the Morph Ball, to the left of the starting point, which lets them progress. Oh, and if you beat the game quickly enough? Surprise—Samus is a girl!
Following a Game Boy sequel, the series’ third entry, Super Metroid, saw Yoshio Sakamoto and his team perfect its formula. Super is rightfully regarded as a classic, and together with Konami’s Castlevania series, Metroid even codified a new genre: the Metroidvania. Things grew quiet for Samus afterwards, barring her appearances in Super Smash Bros. and its sequel, Melee. Thankfully, those were but a primer for what would be a Metroid renaissance. The GameCube, Game Boy Advance, and their successors saw several Metroids, starting in 2002 with Metroid Prime and Fusion. A brief sampling of the former notwithstanding, Fusion was my first foray into Metroid, providing a memorable experience showing me how diverse side-scrollers can be. It’s also a game I replay with regularity, leading us to another “Beat the Backlog” adventure.
A year prior to Fusion, Wario Land 4 graced Nintendo’s handheld, and the Metroid 1 remake Zero Mission arrived in 2004. All three are excellent and share an engine. (Image: Nintendo)
Unlike Nintendo’s merry mascot, whose adventures rarely employ tight continuity, Metroid games build upon their predecessors’ narratives. Among the many threats Samus faces are the series’ namesake aliens, the parasitic Metroids. She fights them during the first Metroid (and interquel Prime), and is then tasked with exterminating every remaining one during Metroid II: Return of Samus. However, a newborn Metroid hatches during Return’s ending, who quickly becomes affectionate towards Samus. Unable to murder a baby, even an energy-draining jellyfish, the hunter heads to the Galactic Federation and leaves it under their care. Somehow, the villainous Space Pirates learn of this, break aboard their base, and abduct the baby, beginning Super. During its iconic climax, the hatchling—now an adult—recognizes Samus, shielding her from a fatal blow in a poignant display.
That leads to Metroid Fusion. What should have been a simple escort mission ends disastrously, with Samus getting infected by an X Parasite—shapeshifting abominations that infect a host, copy its DNA, and leave the original a lifeless husk. Thankfully, the Galactic Federation saves the unconscious warrior by administering a vaccine, one containing the baby Metroid’s DNA—Metroids are the X’s natural predator—meaning Samus’ surrogate child effectively saved her once again. Ironically, she herself is also now the final surviving Metroid, something reflected by her Power Suit’s mutated appearance (notably, the franchise is indebted to Ridley Scott’s Alien films, with this premise seemingly being taken from Resurrection).
In a break for the traditionally silent protagonist, Samus monologs throughout Fusion. It’s mainly relegated to background noise while riding elevators, though. (Image: Nintendo)
Unfortunately, she’s given little time to contemplate all of this. A strange explosion just damaged the Federation’s Biologic Space Labs (B.S.L.) research station, so they send their fixer off to investigate. Upon arriving, things seem simple enough, with only a few corridors open to Samus. Aside from her new A.I. companion, who we chat with regularly, the ship is eerily quiet. Just before landing, however, something shocking happens: Samus admits “a nameless fear in her heart” has awoken. Granted, Samus has a dangerous job, just survived a near-fatal infection, and her now-weakened “Fusion Suit” lost access to most of her gear. Yet hearing our hardened heroine admit this perfectly sets Fusion‘s tone.
Metroid‘s qualities are preserved here: Samus starts off vulnerable, but grows stronger as she collects power-ups. Finding some of them is mandatory; these enhance her suit with new weapons or other benefits, and are earned by finding an upgrade room or beating a boss. Some power-ups, however, are optional but nevertheless still valuable, increasing Samus’ health or missile count. A detailed map dots rooms containing hidden items, helping explorers grab everything. Neutralizing enemies devolves them back into basic X Parasites, which can be absorbed to regain health or ammo. Secret pathways litter the station, requiring Samus’ abilities to uncover and traverse. She’s also heavier than in prior games and can now grab ledges if she just misses a jump, making Samus a faster, more maneuverable character. And the B.S.L. station, emulating the Metroid and X’s home world, SR388, contains a litany of different environments, with each Sector housing a distinct backdrop and armada of baddies.
At first, nigh harmless zombies and an armadillo antagonize Samus, but things soon escalate… (Image: Nintendo)
However, Fusion is a considerably more guided affair than previous Metroids, emphasizing its narrative. Its first half strictly adheres to a routine: Samus arrives at a part of the ship, visits the navigation room, and her A.I. ally debriefs her on her current objective. This is unavoidable; these rooms lock themselves after Samus enters, only releasing after the two touch base. During these missions, Samus stumbles upon something foreshadowing upcoming boss fights—seeing equipment damaged or Nightmare’s shadow lurking throughout his facility, for instance. Ultimately, you’ll fulfill your objective, usually netting a new goodie for the trouble. Compensating for this lessened sense of isolation, however, is how Fusion uses its linearity.
Exploring and observing Fusion’s spaceship is rewarding, largely thanks to how compelling the X are. They grow and evolve concurrently with Samus, littering cocoons and husks around as they mutate. They’re intelligent, using each environment to their advantage; they freeze themselves to harm Samus (and avoid her once a suit upgrade eliminates this weakness) and use air vents to maneuver through the facility. Plus, even if that A.I. tells you where to go, getting there is rarely simple. The most direct path is usually blocked, something that’s always the X’s handiwork, forcing players to discover alternate routes. For me, this was a perfect entryway into the series—straightforward enough to keep my young mind attentive, while still requiring careful examination and exploration.
Blocking access to data terminals is intentional on the X’s part, too—they don’t want Samus to recover. When possible, they even blow up data terminals. (Image: Nintendo)
And tying them back to Samus’ opening monolog, Fusion’s greatest asset is the SA-X, parasites copying the bounty hunter at her physical peak. This aberration marks a complete role reversal, pitting our genetically altered, weakened heroine against an invulnerable force who’s perennially hunting her. Samus encounters the SA-X during scripted segments. During the first, Samus plops down on a hidden ceiling pathway. Then, a door opens underneath, and her sinister facsimile walks inside, accompanied by booming footsteps. After a search yields nothing, the clone leaves, freeing Samus to jump down and exit. She’s safe for now, but a lingering dread remains—that cold copy can be anywhere. Subsequent encounters ramp this up, gradually increasing the danger of being spotted—and if Samus is detected, the SA-X can effortlessly neutralize her. This builds towards a chase scene where all you can do is slow the SA-X down, not stop it. And, rightfully, the mimic acts as Fusion’s true final challenge.
Also, I would be remiss not to address Fusion‘s big twist: the A.I. Samus listens to is the digitized consciousness of her late mentor, Adam Malkovich. It’s not a shocker—Samus compares the two from the get-go, even naming the computer after Adam—but seeing the loner reunite with him is an uplifting moment, one of the brightest in the whole franchise (sadly, their dynamic in Other M retroactively mars this). And while the Federation conducting morally dubious experiments isn’t a compelling twist itself (especially in retrospect, considering that Other game recycles it wholesale), it does elevate Fusion’s conclusion.
Sadly, the anxious anticipation of wondering where the SA-X will strike next is lost during replays. Nothing’s really done with the reveal that there are ten of them, either. (Image: Nintendo)
Metroid Fusion isn’t perfect. I wouldn’t even argue it’s objectively the best Metroid game. Nevertheless, it’s my first Metroid game and remains my favorite one. For nearly two decades, Fusion was the final game in Metroid’s continuity, ending with Samus destroying the B.S.L. facility and eradicating the X against the Federation’s orders. An enduring partnership between the bounty hunter and her employers was now broken, leaving tantalizing implications for Metroid’s status quo. Thankfully, those answers are now here: Fusion’s long awaited sequel, Metroid Dread, finally graced us last year. My copy is currently unopened, yet to enjoy the loving, warm embrace of my Switch. That will soon change, however, and I cannot wait to see Samus master new moves and overcome new threats.
At the last minute, an SA-X—the one Samus just beat—makes a heroic sacrifice. It’s another Super nod, adds mystique to the “heartless” clone, and is a nice note for Fusion to close on. (Image: Nintendo)
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