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August 6 marks the 30th anniversary of Metroid's original release in Japan, and in celebration DoctorM64 has released his masterwork, AM2R: Another Metroid II Remake! AM2R reimagines the Game Boy classic with Metroid Fusion and Metroid: Zero Mission-style graphics, a much expanded world (two whole new areas!), along with new bosses and powered-up Metroid mutations. In short, it's the sort of remake fans have been hoping for since Zero Mission was announced a decade ago. I am grateful to DoctorM64 for providing me with a preview copy so I could write a review. While it's not as polished as an official title, it is quite an achievement and certainly has the Metroid spark, so is well worth exploring. AM2R is free to download, and you should go and get it immediately to see for yourself!

UPDATE: We were hit with a DMCA from an attorney on behalf of Nintendo and were forced to take down the file links.

Before you begin, here are the options I was happiest with:

• In Control Options, enable Classic Spider Ball (a must for M2 veterans) and set Missile Select Style to Hold.
• Under Joypad Settings, set your controller to use LB and RB for Super Metroid-style aiming.
• Set RT to Arm Weapon (Zero Mission-style Missile select).
• In Display Options, turn on VSync—otherwise, the screen may look choppy.
• I also set the screen to 4X rather than Stretch.

Be sure to test out the different configurations if something doesn't feel right to you.

For those of you who want to know what the resident Metroid II expert thinks, read my review!

UPDATE 8/7: Our servers have been so slow I can't add even a single php file to the site! But looks like I can still update the news post here for a review!

Back when Nintendo announced they would remake the original Metroid for the GBA, players have been hoping for a similar upgrade to Metroid II. As the black & white (or rather Gatorade green) sheep in the Metroid family, this innovative Game Boy title may not have been as technologically amazing as its sequel, but it remains a central part of the Metroid story and an evolution in gameplay. Fueled by dreams of how a reimagined Metroid II might look, several indie designers picked up the concept and ran with it—and many failed in the process. AM2R: Another Metroid 2 Remake is the only one to actually be completed. This singular achievement is amazingly well-polished and not only contains the original levels, but also adds two new areas. The Metroid attacks and weak spots have been greatly enhanced as well, and there are plenty of secrets in familiar areas. In lieu of an official remake, this makes AM2R the ultimate Metroid II experience. AM2R is also free to download—so you should get it immediately and see for yourself!

AM2R plays pretty much like the GBA titles, with ledge grips and all the staple power-ups. The Spider Ball is activated by default through a separate button, but GB fans will want to switch to Classic Mode. Like Super Metroid, you can also customize your controls for aiming and missile select, and the advanced options really improve fluidity.

The level design is also excellent. All the classic areas there, now enhanced with hidden areas. I found myself remembering a Missile upgrade or some other item being hidden nearby and realizing there was now a new trick to obtaining it. There are also two completely new areas and one sub-area, which add an incredible amount of depth to SR388. The Spider Ball is also essential to gameplay—there are many places where you NEED the Spider Ball to proceed and not even Space Jump will help. Shinespark puzzles return, but thankfully aren't as numerous as in Fusion and Zero Mission. Two new mechanics have been added (one a puzzle involving bombs, the other warp pipes), and while fun, they felt a little gimmicky.

Unfortunately, like in the original, there are many dead zones where there aren't any enemies to fight, and most of the generic enemies from Metroid II don't have any new attacks added. TPO is an exception—blast it apart, and the ends will fly towards you. The Gunzoo never seemed to attack me. The Blob Thrower is missing completely. A better balance would have made navigating the caves more interesting.

AM2R also seemed a little easy—I was playing on Normal and only died in two cases, once against a Zeta Metroid, and a few times against the Queen Metroid, at least until I figured out the secret. Since only Missiles can defeat a Metroid, being able to escape when you run out is necessary, but since save points automatically fill your items, you can easily play it safe. Granted, this was a late pre-release copy, and DoctorM64 was still polishing item drops, but you may want to try setting it to Hard if it feels too easy.

The best new addition by far is the visual and thematic reimagining of the original ruins areas. Instead of simply the same old ruins, there are now a shrine, hydroplant, robot factory, and weapons research center. The deep caves are now creepy Metroid breeding grounds rather than monotonous caves. Log entries fill in the details further. Although I would have liked logs for all the regular enemies ala Castlevania, this is something I hope to see in future 2D Metroids. Although each area now has a different sound, the music is more subdued and has a distinct synthetic, MIDI quality that detracts a little from the experience.

AM2R's graphical upgrades come primarily from Zero Mission and Fusion. All the SR388 enemies from Fusion are here. Samus's animations come from Zero Mission and include several new frames for even more detail (for instance, an idle animation). Tiles and backgrounds are a combination of GBA and original images. There are also several original character designs, although the visuals can feel a little crude at times. Part of this comes from the large numbers of artists on the team, all who seem to draw in different styles, and also from the diverse range of graphics used. Coupled with SFX from Super Metroid, AM2R often feels like a hodgepodge. Granted, it is absolutely gorgeous in places, particularly the original ruins areas, but feels strained with some of the larger enemies and weaker tiles. A more consistent art style would have definitely polished things. You will also want to turn on V-Sync; otherwise, the scrolling will look choppy.

The biggest stars of the show are the Metroid Mutations. Alphas now have a harder carapace and can only be attacked in the abdomen, which makes them much trickier to kill—and a lot more fun to fight. Gammas are significantly tougher, since it is much more difficult to get a clean shot. Zetas and Omegas no longer fly, but have some intense physical attacks. Sadly, most of the mutations are a drab olive, unlike the colorful Omega from Metroid Fusion.

Ultimately, AM2R is a solid Metroid title, and that's what really matters. Although it isn't as polished as Super or the GBA games, it more than holds its own against the original Metroid II, and the themed areas make it feel fresher than your average Castlevania...this is essential to keep in mind considering it was largely made by one person rather than a fully-funded team! However, the true test is whether you feel that Metroid bug. I spent an entire day clearing almost the entire game, finishing in about seven hours, including restarts, with 98% completion rate—and I want to play again! If you haven't tried it yet, download AM2R right away! Get that Metroid bug...before THEY get YOU!

Until next time...
Captain Commando