Zebes Returns

Zebes Returns
Release date: Jul 27, 2005	Author: Crocomire	Download: Version 1.0 [UH] (766 downloads) Download: Version 1.0 [H] (585 downloads)
Genre: Unknown [?] Game:	Difficulty: Unknown [?]	Average runtime: 1:29 Average collection: 83%
Read Me: [None]	Forum Thread: [None]	Rating:

Description

Super Metroid Zebes Returns
Version 3 (Final)
Hack of Super Metroid
Made By Adam Rowan-Kelly (Crocomire on samusforum.co.uk)

Things Changed:
-Story
-Changed position of items to allow a different way through the game (e.g. get power bombs first instead of missiles to allow you to go left near the morph ball location)
-Some map changes to allow access to areas without certain items (e.g. blocks in red corridor of brinstar, so you can get back up without ice beam)
-Suit Colours
-Strength of bosses (to incorporate the order of bosses)

Known Bugs:
-Suit will change if in a heat room in norfair and when charging up from a save point.
-Power bombs left of morphing ball and missile up in first space pirate room back in crateria are unobtainable until later in the game as event has not been triggered as the event triggers when you pick up missiles and not power bombs which is the first item in this game.

Screenshots

Ratings and Reviews

By GoldenTorizo on Oct 15, 2015 (

)

No completion stats.

Meh, nothing really worth talking about with this hack. It was still kinda fun recording.

By Aran;Jaeger on Dec 08, 2016 (

)

100% in 1:59

Animals saved.

Quick Summary of the meaning of my SM hack ratings:
5 orbs: SM hacks within the 80% to 100% (90% ± 10%) range of perceived perfection; SM hacks for outstanding wholesome playing experiences and at most minor inconveniences.
4 orbs: SM hacks within the 60% to 80% (70% ± 10%) range of perceived perfection; Well done SM hacks with noticeable design problems.
3 orbs: SM hacks within the 40% to 60% (50% ± 10%) range of perceived perfection; Normal decent average SM hacks.
2 orbs: SM hacks within the 20% to 40% (30% ± 10%) range of perceived perfection; Overall messy, confusing, or punishing SM hacks with some upsides.
1 orb : SM hacks within the 00% to 20% (10% ± 10%) range of perceived perfection; Ruthlessly unplayable, broken, or barely from the original game changed SM hacks.

Judgement parameters summary:
° Creative ideas and features, polished design, how enjoyable and fun the hack can be, lack of hard to find or cryptic required game elements, the difficulty, and if the hack can be finished without major guides or tools.
° Note that the length of a SM hack will not necessarily contribute to my rating of the SM hack, since instead the averaged out experience over the whole hack will be taken into account to get a relative comparison between SM hacks.
° Besides this, lack of impactful changes from the original SM game also went into the evaluation of SM hacks (otherwise one may consider them among the 3 stars hacks) as follows: Ultimately, for my ratings I consider a situation in which an SM enthusiast that already has, knows about and is familiar with the original game and its prominent mechanics could only choose 1 new SM hack to play and thus would really want to make sure he/she will get a fresh and fantastic experience or journey out of his/her 1 choice.

The goal of all these SM hack ratings is so that rather new players have an overview of the whole spectrum of SM hacks and how to sort them in, in relation to each other, where SM hacks that are rated lower might still be enjoyable for more experienced players.

Finally, sometimes for SM hacks it can be relevant that they may be significantly more enjoyable from a player standpoint at which the player is well practiced and familiarized with Super Metroid's game mechanics in general, and that in particular some of the best SM hacks may not be the outright best first SM hack choices to play otherwise because of this, and for beginner SM hack players this typically steers the best first SM hack choices towards some of the SM hacks that I rated with 4 orbs instead of 5.

Rating for some hacks may be off by 1 Star, but arguably not more, and ratings are not attempted to be provided within the precision of ''half orbs''.

By crimsonsunbird on Aug 06, 2017 (

)

57% in 0:56

Vanilla ;)

By alexman25 on Aug 23, 2019 (

)

No completion stats.

I like the name.

By Megabrainz 357 on Apr 21, 2023 (

)

99% in 1:55

Zebes Returns was interesting. It was the same map, but major items were in different spots. I got to play an interesting boss order thanks to these changes: Phantoon, Kraid, Ridley, Draygon. You to go through the lava without Gravity to get to Ridley’s Lair, that was intense. There were blocks that were used. New Samus graphics were interesting. It was fun seeing these changes, and it made for an enjoyable time. Also, I got 99% because I forgot to go back and grab the E-Tank in Pink Brinstar in the room with the sidehoppers and the wave gate. I couldn’t figure it out either, but I was playing another hack, and I went to get that E-Tank, and that’s when I realized. Overall, one I would recommend if you’re looking for a new experience that’s stays within Super Metroid.

By ClaireDiviner on Feb 24, 2024 (

)

76% in 1:09

While I enjoyed the changes made to the major item location, and changes to the routing, it's still ultimately a vanilla+ hack. Granted, more effort and thought was put into this than some other half-hacks, but it's still a half-hack all the same. I do appreciate the bosses' health being adjusted accordingly, with the order in which they're meant to be fought, like Ridley being the second boss, for example (his lowered health does make him stupidly easy, however).

The changes to Samus's color pallet is nice as well, though I can see some not liking it. Also, while the opening intro's narrative was changed, nothing in this game exactly references it, making it pretty pointless, if not somewhat amusing. While some newcomers may find a somewhat decent challenge here, veterans of Super Metroid can generally blaze through this just fine.

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