The best Metroid games, ranked

Metroid games have been one of the most prestigious franchises in Nintendo's history and are loved even today. In the early days, these titles were 2D due to hardware restrictions, but they've slowly transitioned to the 3D sphere over the years. These games are also responsible for the birth of the Metroidvania genre, which is quite popular in the indie scene.

These games are known for their atmospheric aesthetics and intricate level designs, and we've ranked them from worst to best.

Note: This article is subjective, reflects the writer's opinions, and is ranked.

---

10 Metroid games ranked from worst to best

10) Metroid II: Return of Samus (1991)

Return of Samus helped set up key elements for future games (Image via Nintendo || World of Longplays)

Released for the Game Boy, this entry in the franchise was limited by the handheld's capabilities, which affected the title's sound and gameplay. This game featured dark environments, which didn't go well with the lack of colors at the time. However, this title is still important for its lore for the series and its introduction of gameplay elements like the Spring and Spider ball.

---

9) Metroid Prime: Hunters (2006)

Prime Hunters feature a weak single-player experience (Image via Nintendo || LongplayArchive)

This game's heavy emphasis on the multiplayer aspect made it unique in the series. Released for the DS, many players were disappointed due to the lack of focus on the single-player element, which was the core aspect of the franchise. While the graphics were impressive for the time, the touch controls felt effective but weren't comfortable for longer gaming sessions.

---

8) Metroid Dread (2021)

High-quality visuals make the characters stand out (Image via Nintendo || Boss Fight Database)

Released for the Nintendo Switch, Metroid Dread successfully created tense environments and smooth controls for fluid movements. However, it also came with a difficulty spike that wasn't for everyone and could only connect with a smaller player base. Its replay value wasn't the best either as there wasn't much content to come back to except for the main story.

---

7) Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (2007)

The game featured refined gameplay mechanics (Image via Nintendo || Experiment T)

The Wii's motion controls were the most enjoyable part of the game, but it wasn't for everyone as longer sessions could get tiring after a while. This entry featured a powerful conclusion to the Prime trilogy but the linear approach didn't have much appeal. The game also had impressive graphics and animations, and a strong focus on refining the gameplay and exploration compared to the previous games.

---

6) Metroid: Zero Mission (2004)

The responsive controls made navigating and combat fun (Image via Nintendo || SuperPlayer EX)

Zero Mission was released for the Gameboy Advance and proved to be a respectful remake of the original game with modern graphics and a control scheme. The entry also added new content and a new ending sequence to provide more depth to the story. However, with all these wonderful additions, the game still felt short and was even considered one of the easiest in the franchise.

---

5) Metroid: Samus Returns (2017)

This remake includes areas that were not in the original game (Image via Nintendo || LongplayArchive)

Samus Returns was released for the 3DS as the remake of Metroid 2. This game featured modern graphics and a control scheme to make it accessible to the new generation of players. This remake not only recreated iconic locations of the original but also added new ones to expand the content. However, it can be quite challenging to finish, as this is one of the more difficult titles in the series.

---

4) Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (2004)

Prime 2 added a multiplayer mode as additional content in the game (Image via Nintendo || LongplayArchive)

Prime 2 was released on the Gamecube and featured darker environments with a strong focus on survival horror elements. This entry was a bit more challenging compared to its predecessors, which might not be for everyone who is a fan of the franchise. The game also included a multiplayer mode, adding to the overall experience.

---

3) Metroid Fusion (2002)

Samus has various abilities that she can use (Image via Nintendo || SuperPlayer EX)

Fusion was released on the Gameboy Advance and was praised for its story about the X parasite and Samus's doppelgänger. The game is set in an abandoned research station where SA-X is the biggest threat, which is fun to face with the smooth control scheme on the handheld. However, the linear approach affects its replayability and slows the player down on each playthrough.

---

2) Metroid Prime (2002)

The scan visor allows players to uncover a rich backstory (Image via Nintendo || LongplayArchive)

The first Prime was released on the GameCube and reeled the players in with a first-person perspective and detailed graphics for the time. The exploration was now in 3D, giving players more room to explore, complemented by the amazing sound design. However, many players felt that the backtracking was rather tedious and the GameCube's awkward controls didn't make the process any easier.

---

1) Super Metroid (1994)

Kraid is still a challenging boss fight all these years later (Image via Nintendo || NintendoComplete)

SuperMetroid was released on the SNES and is still regarded as the best game in the series owing to its eerie atmosphere and challenging boss fights like Mother Brain. Samus feels smooth to move around and the game's soundtrack helps in keeping the horror alive throughout the playthrough. However, the game's age and limited save points can be quite frustrating for the newer generation of players.