Topic: Metroid Zero Mission in Winter Catalog

[CreedDBZ]

Don't know if anyone else has picked up the most recent free Nintendo Preview Catalog they put out, but they have a full two pages on MZM.  The screen shots aren't really anything new, but it does shed a little bit more light on what the story will consist of.  It's looking pretty good!!!

[Gibdo Master]

Would you mind typing up exactly what it says about the game? I'm mighty curious.

[Renny]

Where do you get one of these?

[CreedDBZ]

Here is what the catalog says:

"Samus Aran returns to Zebes, where familiar surroundings have bred new dangers ...

Metroid: Zero Mission begins right where the original Metroid game opened, as interstellar bounty hunter Samus Aran infiltrates Mother Brain's massive complex below the surface of planet Zebes.  It becomes immediately obvious, however, that this adventure is very different from the first mission: dark corners teem with unfamiliar enemies, a maze of new paths leads into the unknown, and fresh puzzles lie unsolved.  Samus herself is equipped with all-new technologies to face the dangers that lurk in the caverns of Zebes, and she will need all the powers at her disposal if she hopes to survive.  Metroids, Space Pirates, and Mother Brain herself await in the depths of the planet, but their evil designs are just a part of a darker story that can only now be told ..."

 -Nintendo Winter 2003 Catalog

There it is, word for word.  I guess this makes the Metroid timeline:  Metroid, Metroid: Zero Mission, Prime, Metroid 2, Super Metroid, and then Fusion.  If you want to see the pics, there are 5 of them, along with some cool artwork, I grabbed my free copy at my local Sam Goody

[Bill Aurion]

And this pretty much proves the game isn't a remake...*10 points for Bill*

[Gibdo Master]

No it doesn't.

Quote
Metroid: Zero Mission begins right where the original Metroid game opened

Sounds like a remake there since it says it starts right where the original Metroid opened. Besides it doesn't make sense that she would go to Zebes and fight the Mother Brain twice in a row especially since this would conflict with the established storyline. It's made clear several times in Metroid Prime that it takes place soon after the events of the original Metroid. There's simply no one they can fit a game between Metroid and Metroid Prime especially if it takes place on Zebes unless they are planning on turning this into the Zelda series with its horribly confusing storyline. I'm sticking with remake to the bitter end.  

[Bill Aurion]

Samus Aran returns to Zebes, where familiar surroundings have bred new dangers...

Familiar surroundings, new story...Doesn't sound like a remake to me...

[Gibdo Master]

Quote
Originally posted by: Bill
It becomes immediately obvious, however, that this adventure is very different from the first mission: dark corners teem with unfamiliar enemies, a maze of new paths leads into the unknown, and fresh puzzles lie unsolved.

So? It was made clear from the pics that this game had new things in it. Also it's not like I'm a moron here. I have yet to come across a gaming site that says it's something other than a remake and I haven't come across a hardcore Metroid fan that didn't feel it was a remake either. How about addressing how it's possible for the game to start where the original Metroid OPENED if it's a sequel.?

There' s really no reason to try and convince me it's a sequel though since I'm standing my ground on this one. Until Nintendo explicitly says it's a sequel it's a remake to me.

[CreedDBZ]

I think I have to agree with everyone here.  I can see this being a sequel and i can see it being a remake.  However, id like to present a third possibility in the vein of a remake.  Could this game actually be akin to the Star Wars special editions?  Is it possible Zero Mission is the Metroid Nintendo "always wanted to make" and now that they have the technology they can do it.  Sounds like the story may explain a little bit deeper the events that started all of this.  Yeah it was stated in a screen of text in the original, but now it can be fleshed out so much more on the GBA.  Just have to wait and see.

[Gibdo Master]

That's what people mean when they say it's a remake though.  

[CreedDBZ]

Hopefully we will get some more details from Nintendo in the near future, the game drops in a little over two months.  I'm surprised that this is the most info we have on it.  I would think another Metroid game would be generating a lot of hype, but Nintendo isn't doing anything to help it.  Sure we are talking about it here, but no game site has any info to put together to really have any substance.  Whatever the case, I can't wait for it no matter if its a remake, a sequel, a prequel, call it anything just give me more Metroid!!!

[CaseyRyback]

I hope the boss battle with Mother Brain is like Super Metroid(best boss battle ever)

[Ian Sane]

If this game's a remake we'll probably never hear it refered to as such by Nintendo.  When they release a game on the GBA they rarely say it's an outright remake unless it shares the same title as the original (Super Mario World, A Link to the Past).  It took a while for anyone to confirm that Super Mario Advance was a remake of Super Mario Bros 2.  Any time Nintendo promoted it they said it was based on the gameplay of Super Mario Bros 2 but they never said outright that it was a remake.  They did the same thing with Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland which is merely a remake of Kirby's Adventure.  With Metroid: Zero Mission the term "based on the original Metroid" has been thrown around a lot by Nintendo suggesting that it is indeed a remake but changed enough that Nintendo hopes you don't notice.

Judging by the blurb from the catalog it sounds to me that Zero Mission has the same storyline and setting as Metroid but with modern updates and different level design.  IE: It's a remake but a much more enhanced one than your average port.  It's probably still worth getting since the original Metroid is quite dated and hasn't been as overplayed as the original Mario games.  

[Gibdo Master]

You're right Ian Sane. I kind of forgot that Nintendo likes to act like the GBA ports are brand new games. In fact wasn't there a bit of controversy over Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland because Nintendo refused to admit it was a remake even though it clearly was?

I think the reason why I was expecting Nintendo to be clear about this was because it was made clear that Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes is a remake. Of course the trick there is that Metal Gear Solid isn't a Nintendo series.  

[Berny]

I love how this game is coming out soon and we have NO idea what its about.