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CirclMastr
Jul 4, 2010



Metroid is a series that needs no introduction. It is a classic Nintendo series, right up there with Super Mario and Legend of Zelda in the minds of gamers. I played the original Metroid for NES when it came out, though I never beat it. Forget the lack of map or clear direction on what to do or where to go; the killing factor for me was the password system. Tedious to copy down and reenter, and always sending you back to start with 30 health, the password system was a huge mental block for me to start a play session. Then Metroid 2 came out for Game Boy, with its wonderful battery backup, and only slightly less wonderful energy and missile refill spots. Needless to say, this was a lot friendlier to the player, and that made Metroid 2 the first game in the series I actually beat. Then, Super Metroid came out... and I didn't really care. During the SNES era I was busy falling in love with the Final Fantasy series, and I had Link to the Past - the best Zelda game even now - to scratch any itch for exploring and adventuring.

Over 20 years later, here I am with a new SNES Classic and the opportunity to return to a genre-defining series. Somehow I have avoided learning very much about this game, nor have I seen any playthroughs of it. So let's run down what I do know:
-Something like the basic plot, thanks to the Super Metroid comic that appeared in Nintendo Power magazine.
-There are animals that you can either save or kill, and killing them is faster. Thanks, constant stream of donations during GDQs!

I would like to point out that I am live streaming my recording sessions so that I can ask people for non-spoilery guidance as I play. Obviously the no spoilers policy stands here as well. I would also like to point out that I am on painkillers for a shoulder injury, so if you like watching impaired people playing games, I know it's not drunk gaming but it's something.

Special thanks to Warmal for the image!

Episodes
Episode 1: "Oh yeah I can shoot down"
Episode 2: Wall jumping is a mystery
Episode 3: Saving is kind of important
Episode 4: "Those things from Mega Man"
Episode 5: Power struggle
Episode 6: Is this the end?
Episode 7: Is this the end (of chat)?
Episode 8: "I hate this place."
Episode 9: I love the Space Jump
Episode 10: "Screw Attack is better than guns"
Episode 11: I guess I killed the animals

CirclMastr fucked around with this message at 16:11 on Oct 28, 2017

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anilEhilated
Feb 17, 2014

But I say fuck the rain.

Grimey Drawer
Awesome, here I thought I was the only remaining gamer that never played this (well, past the first boss or so). Looking forward to see the other one.

anilEhilated fucked around with this message at 17:41 on Oct 12, 2017

grimlock_master
Nov 1, 2013

Fuck you, suzie
Cool game, cool stream, cool ideas all around.

Would you consider streaming in 60fps? Streaming/recording in 30fps means that flickering objects (like Samus's shots) can become invisible.

CirclMastr
Jul 4, 2010

grimlock_master posted:

Would you consider streaming in 60fps? Streaming/recording in 30fps means that flickering objects (like Samus's shots) can become invisible.

I'll give it a shot tonight. My internet connection isn't great so we'll see how it comes out. I'll make sure to keep a recording as well in case the stream tanks.

bunnyofdoom
Mar 29, 2008

Jaxxon: Still not the stupidest thing from the expanded universe.



I literally have never played this one. But i am so wanting in to watch this.

Carbon dioxide
Oct 9, 2012

Protip-after-the-fact: when you fought that boss, please go for the glowing weak spot.

Nidoking
Jan 27, 2009

I fought the lava, and the lava won.
Handy things to know - you can shoot directly downward while in the air. I thought that was the case in 2, but maybe not.

Menu items: I believe that Auto-Item Cancel means that when you press Select after using an item, it'll go straight back to the normal beam without having to scroll through all of the items. Moonwalk lets you hold the shoot button and walk slowly in either direction while facing the same way. I hate it, but it's there.

White Coke
May 29, 2015

anilEhilated posted:

Awesome, here I thought I was the only remaining gamer that never played this (well, past the first boss or so). Looking forward to see the other one.

I've never played a Metroid game at all.

AlphaKretin
Dec 25, 2014

A vase to face encounter.

...Vase to meet you?

...

GARVASE DAY!

I'm incredibly down for this. Love Super Metroid, enjoy your LPs.

mateo360
Mar 20, 2012

TOO MANY PEOPLE MERLOCK!
ONLY ONE DIJON!
When I can I will be in the chat to both help and ridicule Circl :v:

C-Euro
Mar 20, 2010

:science:
Soiled Meat
Glad I'm not the only one who struggled with the controls in this game. I played it for the first time six or seven years ago and never got used to the jumping.

CirclMastr
Jul 4, 2010

Episode 2: Wall jumping is a mystery

I hate wall jumping almost as much as I hate technical difficulties. But on the bright side, 60 FPS seems to have worked out, so be sure to set the quality to that if your connection can handle it.

idhrendur
Aug 20, 2016

Well, this convinced me to actually watch a video LP. At least the first video (I'll get to the second).

You actually picked the control layout that I prefer! I have no idea why the defaults are what they are.

FeyerbrandX
Oct 9, 2012

Not... not hold charge? How could you be alive so long and not know your ABCs? Always Be Charging. I mean yeah it might be bothersome to some to hear the charge sound going constantly, but its so good to be prepared.

Carbon dioxide
Oct 9, 2012

FeyerbrandX posted:

Not... not hold charge? How could you be alive so long and not know your ABCs? Always Be Charging. I mean yeah it might be bothersome to some to hear the charge sound going constantly, but its so good to be prepared.

Does this game have the thing where enemies take some damage if you spinjump into them while holding a charge? E: Yup, you figured it out in the video. It's called the pseudo-screw attack.

Also CirclMastr, it's good to realize that, as far as I know, this game never ever expects you to wall jump. It can be used to get some upgrades earlier than normal but you don't need it otherwise.

Carbon dioxide fucked around with this message at 11:21 on Oct 14, 2017

anilEhilated
Feb 17, 2014

But I say fuck the rain.

Grimey Drawer
I do find your drugged voice oddly soothing.

idhrendur
Aug 20, 2016

I think there's one place wall jumps are required, but it's an optional place that's somewhat hidden in the first place.

Also, try charging then switching to morph ball while holding the charge.

Cheez
Apr 29, 2013

Someone doesn't like a shitty gimmick I like?

:siren:
TIME FOR ME TO WHINE ABOUT IT!
:siren:
i think we're beginning to meander away from "blind" and into "guided" with that last bit

CirclMastr
Jul 4, 2010

Episode 3: Saving is kind of important

Someone in the chat accused me of not actually being blind to this game, based on a door I picked to go through being progress. Which meant I missed a save room, which meant... well you'll see.

Section Z
Oct 1, 2008

Wait, this is the Moon.
How did I even get here?

Pillbug
So I'm all set to say to myself "At least my return to this game is slightly better than a blind playthrough!" and then you made me remember I went right past the Spazer somehow and still have yet to find with assorted backtracking despite killing Kraid and getting several other upgrades deep already :downs:

Wandering around a Mertroid with no idea where you're going is a magical thing.

Section Z fucked around with this message at 18:30 on Oct 14, 2017

Elfface
Nov 14, 2010

Da-na-na-na-na-na-na
IRON JONAH
Suggested name change for video 2, based on quote at 22:30, after wall-jumping for a missile upgrade, when the high-jump was on the other side of the door you were ignoring. "I did shenanigans for no reason"

Edit: Also, wall-jumping is technically a 'hidden' technique in this game. I don't think it's even mentioned in the manual. It's not something you're supposed to know about, though that doesn't stop me using it to sequence-break Spazer and a few other spoilery things.

Elfface fucked around with this message at 21:38 on Oct 14, 2017

idhrendur
Aug 20, 2016

Congratulations on finding ice beam!

Carbon dioxide
Oct 9, 2012

This LP is a great study on how incorrect expectations can make life much harder.

- Assuming the wall jump is actually required for anything in this game: makes you scared to explore holes and makes you not look for other escape routes when in a hole.
- Assuming you get the Ice Beam early (instead, every metroid game shuffles the item order around): stumbling over a bunch of puzzles because you assumed they require the Ice Beam even though they were specifically designed without the Ice Beam in mind.

CirclMastr
Jul 4, 2010

Episode 4: "Those things from Mega Man"

I keep calling energy tanks "E-tanks" and I apologize. I will probably continue to do so, though. Also I ended up in a (the?) forced wall jump section and got, like, 5% better at it.

Carbon dioxide posted:

- Assuming you get the Ice Beam early (instead, every metroid game shuffles the item order around): stumbling over a bunch of puzzles because you assumed they require the Ice Beam even though they were specifically designed without the Ice Beam in mind.

In my defense, every Metroid game I've played (read: the first two) had the ice beam early. And the game has been playing to my expectations in other ways.

Carbon dioxide
Oct 9, 2012

At around 20:00 in that latest video you crouched while speedboosting, and commented on how Samus kept glowing.

Congratulations, that was your first shinespark! Now try experimenting while in that state, you can do some cool things with that.

FeyerbrandX
Oct 9, 2012

So there's a handful of things that are beneficial to disable your upgrades for. I think getting that powerbomb in green Brinstar may have been easier without the hi-jump boots.

The second one I could mention now, but will wait until the major use shows up. I'm guessing that won't be for another 2 episodes.

Elfface
Nov 14, 2010

Da-na-na-na-na-na-na
IRON JONAH
I used to disable Ice Beam when I was a kid, unless I needed to stand on stuff. It made enemies die in two hits instead of one!

My personal highlight of video 4 was the charge-bombs and the sudden "woah, what was that?". Made me picture Samus having the same reaction. She's just doing her thing, and suddenly she sprays bombs!? What the hell?

Cheez
Apr 29, 2013

Someone doesn't like a shitty gimmick I like?

:siren:
TIME FOR ME TO WHINE ABOUT IT!
:siren:
I kind of wish people would stop telling him about things that the game actually has natural ways to teach him about. For shinesparking, at least.

Section Z
Oct 1, 2008

Wait, this is the Moon.
How did I even get here?

Pillbug

Cheez posted:

I kind of wish people would stop telling him about things that the game actually has natural ways to teach him about. For shinesparking, at least.
The secret bullshit most people needed Nintendo power to know, once he almost but not quite did it by pure accident? What a crime right.

Section Z fucked around with this message at 06:04 on Oct 16, 2017

Cheez
Apr 29, 2013

Someone doesn't like a shitty gimmick I like?

:siren:
TIME FOR ME TO WHINE ABOUT IT!
:siren:

Section Z posted:

The secret bullshit most people needed Nintendo power to know, once he almost but not quite did it by pure accident? What a crime right.

The game literally has sections that show you how to do them, as one of these videos already evidenced. Are you playing blind too?

Everyone always talks about THE ANIMALS, but nobody seems to loving remember they both teach shinespark and wall jumping. Charge beam special combos are shown by the title screen demos.

NOTHING IS COMPLETELY SECRET.

Cheez fucked around with this message at 07:04 on Oct 16, 2017

CirclMastr
Jul 4, 2010

Episode 5: Power struggle

I need to sort out my power supply to the SNES Classic. Also I'm kind of amazed that I keep finding things mentioned in the thread when I'm not reading the thread until I post each of these updates. But I think Cheez is right and the posts are getting a little too explicit to be appropriate for a blind run thread. If I want some out-and-out guidance I ask for it, I don't need things spelled out just because I'm struggling with a concept.

C-Euro
Mar 20, 2010

:science:
Soiled Meat

Elfface posted:

I used to disable Ice Beam when I was a kid, unless I needed to stand on stuff. It made enemies die in two hits instead of one!

The ability to turn power-ups on and off is a really weird feature in this game but one that makes the game feel more authentic to me in a way that's tough to describe. It makes it feel like you have more control over the suit in that you can turn features on and off, also mixing and matching the different beam upgrades you get and seeing the results was more fun for me than it should have been.

idhrendur
Aug 20, 2016

It was fun to see you speculate about so many unreachable areas before, that had grapple blocks available. That upgrade was clearly going to be a big surprise for you.

idhrendur fucked around with this message at 19:01 on Oct 17, 2017

Section Z
Oct 1, 2008

Wait, this is the Moon.
How did I even get here?

Pillbug

C-Euro posted:

The ability to turn power-ups on and off is a really weird feature in this game but one that makes the game feel more authentic to me in a way that's tough to describe. It makes it feel like you have more control over the suit in that you can turn features on and off, also mixing and matching the different beam upgrades you get and seeing the results was more fun for me than it should have been.

So many games would benefit from the ability to toggle power ups and passive abilities, yeah.

C-Euro
Mar 20, 2010

:science:
Soiled Meat

Section Z posted:

So many games would benefit from the ability to toggle power ups and passive abilities, yeah.

I think you can toggle the movement power-ups in some of the Castlevania games. I know you can in Symphony and Aria of Sorrow at least.

Indie developers- make a Metroidvania but with the systems management feature from FTL for your suit upgrades.

Aithon
Jan 3, 2014

Every puzzle has an answer.
I've played a bunch of Metroids, but didn't beat Super until this year, so it's really interesting to see how the difficulty scales for you! For instance, I got stuck on that Speed Boost ramp for the longest time because I was used to shinesparking diagonally from later games and it works slightly differently here. I also had more trouble than you did with the bosses and Grapple Beam controls, but that might just be my butter fingers. On the other hand, I probably found more missiles and similar by this time, mostly just because I was used to how post-Super Metroids work and expected the map stations to still leave some stuff hidden.

Tl;dr your expectations for this game built on Metroid 1 and 2 are fascinating and probably closer to how Super must've looked to people at launch. LP good.

C-Euro posted:

Indie developers- make a Metroidvania but with the systems management feature from FTL for your suit upgrades.

Heck yeah. I loved the power management between engines, different weapons and shield systems that's in basically all space sims (and which FTL greatly expanded on), a Metroidvania with something similar could be really rad.

CirclMastr
Jul 4, 2010

Episode 6: Is this the end?

I really hope I haven't put myself into an untenable situation here. Although I suppose I can always load my last real save, if the save state is untenable.

C-Euro posted:

Indie developers- make a Metroidvania but with the systems management feature from FTL for your suit upgrades.

Hell, I would play this even if it was only the FTL system management, like you were playing the suit's AI or something.

idhrendur posted:

It was fun to see you speculate about so many unreachable areas before, that had grapple blocks available. That upgrade was clearly going to be a big surprise for you.

I'm now wondering if the grappling beam means there's no space jump or spider ball. (Don't tell me, I'm just saying I'm wondering.)

Great Gray Shrike
Oct 22, 2010
I am enjoying this LP immensely, thanks for doing it. Over the last couple days I played and beat Super Metroid myself for the first time in ... at least a decade... because I was inspired by this LP. Now I am watching new episodes with the added knowledge of exactly where you need to go and what to do, and it's possibly even more hilarious.

Your situation at the end of that video is ... difficult.

idhrendur
Aug 20, 2016

Aithon posted:

I've played a bunch of Metroids, but didn't beat Super until this year, so it's really interesting to see how the difficulty scales for you! For instance, I got stuck on that Speed Boost ramp for the longest time because I was used to shinesparking diagonally from later games and it works slightly differently here. I also had more trouble than you did with the bosses and Grapple Beam controls, but that might just be my butter fingers. On the other hand, I probably found more missiles and similar by this time, mostly just because I was used to how post-Super Metroids work and expected the map stations to still leave some stuff hidden.

Tl;dr your expectations for this game built on Metroid 1 and 2 are fascinating and probably closer to how Super must've looked to people at launch. LP good.

Super Metroid was my first Metroid, so I sadly can't expound on that topic, but check out what they were going for in this advertisement for it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh8yJJIeCvM

CirclMastr posted:

I'm now wondering if the grappling beam means there's no space jump or spider ball. (Don't tell me, I'm just saying I'm wondering.)

Heh, now you don't know what to expect. Excellent!

I suppose I'll have to watch this video to see what you got yourself into.

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Nidoking
Jan 27, 2009

I fought the lava, and the lava won.
And now you see what happens when you use walljumps to get somewhere you're distinctly not supposed to go.

You can always just die and reload from the save point.

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