MetroidMst's Hack Reviews - Metroid Construction

Metroid: Falling by TN [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Mar 31, 2015 (

)

87% in 4:16

Falling is one of the more interesting hacks out there. With a very strange path to explore initially and wacky item order, it really stands out compared to a lot of other hacks made in the same mold. (i.e. hacks that are somewhat vanilla, but completely new layout.) Some very fun times are had exploring the world, until you find a boss.

The major downside is that all four major bosses have been given so much extra health and damage that they become more of a chore. They certainly feel like bosses now, but they seem so out of place in this hack.

In spite of that, I still had a really fun time with this hack, and would highly recommend it. Definitely worth a playthrough just for an idea on to do a wacky item progression and pull it off if nothing else.

Super Metroid Evacuation by personitis [

Spoof], rated by MetroidMst on Mar 31, 2015 (

)

No completion stats.

This was a thing. A fun little thing where stuff happens and you shouldn't question anything. Take two minutes to discover Samus's secret evacuation plan.

SMConflict by SMILEuser96 [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Mar 31, 2015 (

)

100% in 0:53

Now is your chance to make actual money as renowned bounty hunter Samus Aran. But make sure to hand the money over to the Space Pirates for some reason. The mad genius of Smiley should not be questioned, it should only be experienced.

The bosses are radical beings, there is a secret 100% ending, there is music that will drive you crazy, and you can even get Samus drunk.

MockingBird Station by Xaggoth [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Mar 31, 2015 (

)

50% in 1:41

Mockingbird station is an interesting concept thrown inside a blender of spikes and pain. The hack is very unforgiving, but at the same time, relatively enjoyable. Having to find doorcaps and open them to advance in other parts of the station is a really interesting idea, and it is pulled off relatively well.

Traversing the area is a big hassle in a lot of cases and can be a major cause of concern. There are also a lot of spikes, plenty of ways to die, and cleverly hidden secrets which can kill the player as well.

This is not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but you could do far worse than Mockingbird Station if you're looking for a relatively short and challenging hack.

Super Metroid: Z-Factor by Metaquarius [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Mar 31, 2015 (

)

100% in 13:00

Z-Factor is a masterpiece. It strikes a near perfect balance of challenge and exploration in a massive new world. This is everything that a hack should want to be.

There is a large amount of exploration, a lot of secrets hidden throughout, and what is easily the greatest Tourian ever made. There are some potential cons for the average player. The hack is not easy and will challenge the player. The size and amount of twisted exploration and path finding required might turn some off too. There are a large number of spikes, and a few troll spots thrown in for good measure as well. But in spite of those, the hack shines as a sterling example of an amazing hack done with mostly vanilla resources.

And of course, the first blind playthrough of Zaridia is a memory to cherish forever. Highly recommend you check the hack out. The latest version makes some things easier, but I also suggest the 1.0 patch for the full affect of the original creation.

Final Stand by Moderndayzero [

Challenge], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 01, 2015 (

)

20% in 0:26

Final Stand is a pretty brutal, but thankfully small hack. The size is an asset in this, as it is over really quick, since everything is trying, and usually succeeding at killing you. Other than that, it is really dark in some places, and there is a known issue where collecting one item will make another disappear and render the game unbeatable.

Still, for a short little hack, it looks really good, has some minor exploration, and offers a nice challenge. Would recommend it, but it isn't for everyone.

Oxide by Cyclamen32 [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 01, 2015 (

)

166% in 1:25

Oxide is one of the weirder and wackier hacks out there. It is pretty short, easy, and full of unknown amounts of genius. Barf Kraid and a single Missile Tank provide highlights to a pretty fun playthrough. It is definitely worth checking out.

Metroid Incursion by Grimlock [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 01, 2015 (

)

% in 1:35

As far as NEStroid hacks go, this is one of the best out there. It takes NEStroid, and does some very interesting things with it via some trickery, creating an interesting world to explore. The one issue, or non-issue, is that it is pretty linear overall. Every area has a set path for the most part. Other than that complaint though, there isn't much to downgrade this hack over.

Searching for Items by Terimakasih [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 01, 2015 (

)

% in 0:53

SFI is basically THE hack to play to get into Super Metroid hacks. It is easy and forgiving, requires some exploration, shows the player a few things they will see in a lot of other hacks, and is just fun in general. Not to mention "the Plasma room" is still one of the greatest works of art ever. Highly recommend throwing yourself into this for an hour or two.

SMNonCompetition by SMILEuser96 [

Challenge], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 01, 2015 (

)

101% in 0:42

SMNonCompetition is a worthy hack to play around with for a bit. Some of the puzzles are annoying and obnoxious, but Smiley works some magic and actually made a good quality little hack despite that. Lots of hidden secrets, a bonus ending for finding everything, and a working save station!

SMCompetition by SMILEuser96 [

Challenge], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 01, 2015 (

)

6% in 0:34

Good grief save yourself from this and play SMNonCompetition instead. This is a good class on "why your hack should have save stations" because you could really use a save station in this thing.

Super Metroid: Exercise by Mr. Hiryu [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 01, 2015 (

)

58% in 3:58

Exercise is a decently solid hack that is a little more challenging than the original game. There really isn't anything that catches your attention. It is just a solid hack with nothing really spectacular. It's worth a playthrough, but don't expect much.

Melancholia IV by FullOfFail [

Quick Play], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 01, 2015 (

)

71% in 0:31

This hack is fun and easy, but too short. (Thanks to the contest it was made for, allowing only 20 rooms total.) There are a lot of items to collect in the small area, some nifty little secrets, and it looks pretty good. Definitely can be a fun little playthrough for a little bit.

Airy by Cyclamen32 [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 01, 2015 (

)

82% in 3:59

Airy is a fun exploration hack with physics that make it feel like you can jump right off the planet. It is extremely easy, as absolutely nothing is a real challenge. Major items are just strewn about randomly it appears. There are some really dark areas of the hack, and the final segment was a load of yuck. If you're longing for something with some length, you could do worse.

SMContest by SMILEuser96 [

Quick Play], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 02, 2015 (

)

11% in 0:25

SMContest is a small little hack with a single puzzle based on some custom code. There is just a tiny bit more to it than that, but really it feels more like a tech demo for the "custom" item made for it. If you're interested in seeing how the Remote Bombs work, this is a handy little hack. But otherwise nothing really spectacular.

Digital Cube by Cloud12 [

Challenge], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 02, 2015 (

)

42% in 0:30

Digital Cube is a curious case. For one, there are traps that will kill you, and no save stations at all. However due to the nature of it, that doesn't become too much of an annoyance. That being said, unless you like trying to figure out a puzzle that involves a lot of restarting from the beginning, this is not something you will want to play. Otherwise, it is a pretty solid and unique hack.

Super Metroid: Darkholme Hospital by Cloud12 [

Quick Play], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 02, 2015 (

)

100% in 0:00

Darkholme is a pretty bland hack in terms of visuals and enemies. Nearly no variety at all in that department. But, I give it an easy pass for that since it is absolutely located within one small area that the player is exploring. So it fits in a logical sense. But the hack is a really good, exploration filled, and somewhat challenging hack. The biggest issue is that the ship is the only save, and while you're never too far away, it would be nice to have a save right at the start of every level of the world, especially toward the end.

Would definitely recommend it for at least one playthrough, and the extra "keypatches" provide an interesting layer of playability no other hack has.

Super Metroid: Hyperion by silverpaw84 [

Quick Play], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 02, 2015 (

)

15% in 1:31

This is a relatively short hack without much to speak of. Some graphical edits exist, but the reason I rate it below average is the physics changes. If there is one surefire way to ruin Super Metroid, it is to change the physics, and to date, there isn't a single hack that has changed the base physics and it be a plus.

Eris by Digital_Mantra [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 02, 2015 (

)

100% in 3:15

Eris is DMan's very of sydneysauce. It is full of secrets sure to keep players looking for the last few items for a while. It offers a great world to explore, full of interesting visuals and weird structures. And DMan knows how to make a hack hard the right way. And yes, there is difficulty. But if you aren't stupid and try to tank enemies, and you will not have much of an issue with that. In fact, the greater difficulty will probably come just from exploration.

This is one of the hacks you should play. If you're an aspiring hacker, this is a great hack to look at and study to see how you can make something relatively small, but still offers a great experience. Also, Dachora hamburgers.

Super Metroid: Magaluf by Jordan5 [

Quick Play], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 06, 2015 (

)

25% in 0:15

The quest to get the suncream and proceed with vacation. That is about the most depth Samus has received in a hack's story ever. Besides that, with a clever little twist, it makes some sense where you take heat damage in direct sunlight. (Better get them creams!)

Otherwise, the hack is a very linear and straightforward experience, with the usual stuff you would expect. Some hidden items, a boss or two, and a suncream-filled ending. The Justin Bailey patch was a worthy addition due to the subject matter as well.

MDbtroid by Infinitys_End [

Improvement], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 06, 2015 (

)

No completion stats.

This is NEStroid with some nice graphical edits, and a couple of changes to the bosses. Ridley and Kraid being slightly different are the highlight of course, but the other edits all work well and stand on their own. If you want to play NEStroid a little different, this is a good hack to do it with.

Phazon Hack by A_red_monk_called_Key [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 06, 2015 (

)

63% in 5:46

The first and most obvious things you notice about this hack are that just about every sort of graphical object has been touched in some way, which is impressive in itself no matter how it was done. You are offered a massive world to explore, and to help guide you there are some boards scattered about in specific areas. The thing I enjoyed most about the boards are that they showed the area and general location of the next item, but nothing else. It gives you a general sense of direction, but without holding your hand.

There are reasons to knock this hack though. Once again, a hack completely disregards Beams being useful. Enemies go from taking a crap ton of shots to destroy, to slightly less than a crap ton of shots to destroy. Ice Beam is once again made completely useless by actually weakening the beam combo overall. Beams don't feel like rewards, which is a shame because they should feel like some of the biggest in whatever hack they're in. The one saving factor here is that you don't have to pause to change your beams around to damage enemies. (Not that it would matter.)

In any case, this is still a hack worth playing. There is a lot of area to explore through, and plenty of new things to keep your interest throughout.

Legacy by Banana Oyaji [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 06, 2015 (

)

93% in 2:01

Legacy is probably THE hack to get into playing Super Metroid hacks in general. There is not another hack out there which is so close to the original game in difficulty and length. It has aged pretty well for being one of the old hacks, because it kept to similar concepts of the original game. There is a silly map error, and some things might be a little obtuse to find, but otherwise it is a definite play.

Vacation by Jathys [

Spoof], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 06, 2015 (

)

No completion stats.

Take a break!

Reverse by Sin [

Unknown], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 06, 2015 (

)

60% in 1:39

Reverse is a slightly crazy outing. It is both a half hack, and a completely different layout. It blocks off large areas from the player without feeling too restrictive. It has some insane shinesparking which you won't forget. And it has a maze. This is the one half hack that manages to actually be somewhat fresh and fun.

Super Metroid: Low Impact by Daltone [

Unknown], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 07, 2015 (

)

23% in 0:36

This is the Metroid equivalent of the-floor-is-lava, just without it being as fun. The best thing about this hack is that it looks pretty. But when you have to rely on looking good, you know the rest of the hack has playability issues.

Final Fantasy Chaos Realm by ronaldo79 [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 18, 2015 (

)

No completion stats.

For a NEStroid hack, this was actually pretty silly and fun, if slightly more difficult than the original game. You would probably get more out of it if you were familiar with Final Fantasy though. Also the character sprite has some nasty little GFX errors going on too, but nothing game breaking.

Was an enjoyable experience to an extent, but probably not one I would go back to.

'Roidz by DemickXII [

Improvement], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 18, 2015 (

)

No completion stats.

This is probably the best looking NEStroid hack currently. A lot of effort went into changing up the GFX for this hack, and for those who want to play NEStroid with a slightly different look, this is definitely a hack for you.

Hyper Metroid by RealRed [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 19, 2015 (

)

85% in 5:19

First off, I like this hack, and I highly recommend you play it. It does have some faults which could really impact how people feel about it though. Hyper is very exploration based, where enemies try to dictate to you if you should be there or not. It is also very open ended, without a real set pattern. There are options for when to get your items pretty much when you feel like it.

Being very open ended leads to multiple issues with any hack that goes for that. First is the lack of direction. Exploration is fun, but what happens when you have no idea where to go, and you feel like you've crawled over everything twice already? Second is that a player has no real idea where they should be and shouldn't be. There are supposed to be "hard" enemies if you go to a place earlier than perhaps you should, but they really don't thwart the player from advancing. (It's an exploration hack, remember?) There is nothing stopping the player from going to a place they can't advance other than themselves. Hyper masks this well with two things. The inter-connectivity of the areas, and the fact you have to go the end-game area early on. The fact you know where the ultimate goal is, and the fact you can get around faster greatly helps to reduce the frustration of blindly running the long way around aimlessly looking for anything to advance.

While I enjoy exploration and running around blindly a lot, this could pose a serious and legitimate issue for some. The "powerful enemies" that are supposed to deter people really don't do their job well at all, as they seem like slightly more powerful versions of the weaker enemies.

This hack looks great, and manages to be the first one to make the Wrecked Ship look like something other than #trash. Tourian looks nice with what appears to be seeping brain growing over things, but it is otherwise your usual Tourian fare, Metroids and advance. I don't get what people see is so special here, other than how it looks, it is the same as pretty much 99% of every other Tourian out there. Plus a pointless "survival" room, where all it does it make you wait needlessly. The other areas have all been touched up nicely, especially Maridia, and provide a great look to the hack. Credit to RR for his artistic ability.

In the end, I do highly recommend the hack, but in a lot of places, it is a lot like other hacks, except it has Project Base underneath it all. It offers a really fun experience, and as long as you don't get too lost and frustrated with exploring, you'll enjoy it the whole way through.

Super Metroid: Ridleys Revenge by Prime Hunter [

Unknown], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 20, 2015 (

)

100% in 0:06

This is sort of a tech demo for Ridley in a larger room. As such, there really isn't much here, but if you want to see Ridley do his thing in a larger room, take a look.

Super Metroid: Challenge by ThatNewGuy [

Vanilla+], rated by MetroidMst on May 09, 2015 (

)

29% in 3:18

This is a strange half hack, and not because any weird stuff. Basically the same layout, items are missing and/or give you fewer amounts per pickup, and suddenly in the last 20% of the hack it becomes a spike-fest. It might be something to play for a bit if you're bored, but there isn't really anything special here, especially since it is the same layout.

My playlist for the hack: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtl4l889h2Mi4KrWGeSDBa5Pvwq9vDAV6

Super Metroid: Equilibrium by Shadow96 [

Quick Play], rated by MetroidMst on May 09, 2015 (

)

No completion stats.

This is more like a tech-demo. Has some very interesting things, including a new visor, but is really small and is pretty buggy. You've got a couple of custom items, both of which are pretty rad, but the underwater gravity boost is a little awkward to use. The Dark Visor is something that has serious potential, but because the hack is buggy, it may or may not work for you. This isn't a hack worth playing for the hack itself, but it is worth playing to see some new items. (Hopefully they get a public release.)

My video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzusx7oFbqs

Super Metroid: YPR by YP [

Unknown], rated by MetroidMst on May 09, 2015 (

)

78% in 4:43

Okay, so this hack has some pretty interesting things, but it feels like one of the worst experiences I had while playing a hack. Why? I don't think I can explain it very well. The hack has some neat ideas, and the best Gold Torizo fight ever, but the sad fact is that these are covered by a bunch of terrible and bland stuff that they don't stand a chance at redeeming the hack.

I would seriously suggest skipping this hack. I can't recommend this to anyone.

My playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtl4l889h2Mi1nB_5s-PQ2rz09WggBPDW

Super Metroid: Redesign by Drewseph [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on May 17, 2015 (

)

76% in 6:41

First off, I will say this is a hack everyone should at least play once. Most of us got our start in hacking because of this hack, and it should be thanked for that. However. . .

This hack has one major issue that affects the entire game, the physics. Yes, the game was designed around these physics, and they work for that purpose. But that doesn't not prevent them from being a massive weight, pun intended, on the players shoulders for the entire experience. I will maintain that Redesign with normal physics would easily be one of the best hacks out there still. "But that would break the hack by letting players actually move and go places." And the point is? Fun trumps dumb physics every time.

That mini rant aside, there is a lot to like about the hack otherwise. It has a nice difficulty level, a massive world to explore, and some Chozo Statues to find. I know some hate the Statue hunt in the game, but I love things like that personally. Makes the player actually explore the world. Of course, there are the terrible 25 Missile doors in the hack too, so that in itself is a big detriment to exploration.

This hack is frustrating because it could have been so much better by just refusing to touch the physics. Everything else is easily acceptable, except the 25 Missile doors. It is like you make the most delicious cake of all time, offer people a piece of it, and smear lice-filled horse poop all over top of it.

Super Metroid: Fear by MetroidMst [

Incomplete], rated by MetroidMst on Jun 19, 2015 (

)

No completion stats.

Absolute trash where the rooms you play through aren't even in the final version of the game, and some of the pics above don't even make an appearance in the demo patch at all.

Super Metroid: Containment by reaper901 [

Unknown], rated by MetroidMst on Jun 19, 2015 (

)

No completion stats.

So as far as I can tell, this is actually a demo. It has no real ending, not even locking the player in a room with a "WELL DONE" thrown in. What is there is very weird. It's got some decent palettes in some places, but it just isn't that great. Might be interesting to look at, but otherwise doesn't hold much value.

SM Redesign: Axeil Edition by Drewseph [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Jun 19, 2015 (

)

73% in 8:45

Note, my playthrough was on either v1.1 or v1.2.

So Redesign for beginners? (AKA Axeil, who for those not in the know had extreme trouble with Redesign which finally got Drew to tweak Redesign so beginner players could beat it.) Honestly, the main sticking point with me from Redesign still exists, the physics. They're improved, somewhat, but still annoying and awful. That is just my opinion, and you may have a completely different one and that's fine, but I can't stand them. And since they permeate the entire game, my opinion is again pretty low regarding the hack. That isn't to say they're all awful, as some tweaks are really good. Being able to get out of water, the boost from Grappling, not instantly falling at top speed, those are all great advances.

The thing with this hack that frustrates me the most though, is Drew's opinion that speedrunning is bad and any semblance of breaking his hack is bad and players should be actively punished for trying. Arm-pumping for instance now actively slows the player down, and yes it may be a bug, but why is it a bug? Because Drew didn't want people to be able to short-charge a Shinespark. Oh, and going out of bounds now just kills the player. Nice try, X-Ray climbing hacks, Drew hates you too! This does nothing but make me never want to play the hack again. I already hate the physics, and the endless tedium of doing anything in the hack, and now any chance of making the hack somewhat interesting and fun after the first playthrough is gone.

I will admit that there is a lot of improvement over the original Redesign, and a lot of the new features are really good and quite honestly a shame they aren't in other hacks too. That being said, I still suggest people play the original Redesign, and skip Axeil Edition. Why? Because it lies and insults the player. The purpose was to make Redesign accessible for beginner players, and it succeeds all the way up to Tourian. Once there, Drew suddenly decides that beginners no longer need to apply, and his hideous Metroids are just awful. The original Redesign isn't great, but I can still respect it.

See, the one thing that stands out in Axeil Edition is just endless tedium. The hack is nothing but farm ammo, 25-Missile doors, farm ammo, enemies that require Missiles if you want to live, farm ammo, farm ammo again because that's what you need to do, farm even more ammo, oh hey more 25-Missile doors, enemies, farm ammo, farm ammo, farm ammo, repeat farm ammo, and through in a bunch of tedious exploration. Not even fun exploration, just tedious exploration. The whole hack is literally nothing but tedium, and that isn't fun. The whole farm ammo thing falls under what Drew calls "ammo management" and is supposed to be part of the experience I guess. You know when the only time farm ammo is even slight fun? When it is part of a speedrun or after an actual thrilling segment that leaves the player depleted. But you know, those speedrunners can't touch this hack, so bye bye that option. Everything in the hack is just slow. Morph Ball is slow, your rate of firing Super Missiles is excessively slow, suitless underwater is even worse, you can't even jump off of crumble blocks anymore. It's like being stuck in 1,000 mile wide swamp, and you have to cross it while mud is up to your shoulders the entire way.

Drew is still working on the hack though. He "improved" the Metroids already from the version I played, though I hear they're still awful, and he has been doing some other random tweaks. Again, a lot of really good things in here, and some pretty cool things will be coming in a later version, but I won't be returning to it. The new stuff is not nearly enough to overcome the tedium and the hate for anyone trying to play the hack fast. This would easily be a 1-orb rating if it didn't have a boatload of actual good things to raise it up slightly.

Super Metroid: MINI by Mr. Hiryu [

Unknown], rated by MetroidMst on Oct 25, 2015 (

)

86% in 2:01

This is not a hack that looks like fun. It is full of tiling errors, silly music, and weirdisms all over the place. It looks like it should be a disaster from the beginning. Instead, it actually turned out to be a fun and interesting experience.

MINI is a somewhat linear hack that opens up a lot once you get a little bit in. There are various possibilities of advancing and finding different items next. There really isn't that much difficulty either, making this a pretty good hack to try out early.

Now, this does have some issues. The tiling? Generally atrocious. Hidden items? Yes, but one you absolutely need is probably hidden a little too well for the average player. I don't particularly have an issue with it, but some people will undoubtedly miss it and spend an hour or so looking around for it at some point.

There definitely are some issues, but overall this hack is really fun to play and definitely worth a look.

Super Metroid: Escape II by Hiroishi [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Oct 25, 2015 (

)

64% in 4:38

Escape II is an enjoyable hack filled with some pretty interesting stuff, and a lot of blue. (Literally everything is blue.) It's got a nice hub, and plenty of secrets. Not to mention every major item can be grabbed from multiple spots it seems. Plenty of secrets make this to be something you'll get plenty of time exploring.

There are some different features in this hack, including a Super Missile Beam and Shinespark control. The shinespark control in particular sets up for some interesting puzzles and does allow for some very interesting movement through rooms. The hack does have some problems though. For one, it uses one color. Another thing is a particular X-Ray room is extremely obnoxious, even if finding it uses an underused feature of the Googly Eye enemies. And sometimes, the hack just doesn't flow too well. Might be from entering the warp zone on accident and having to take a long way back, but there were some dull points.

I would definitely recommend this hack. Planet Blue SpoSpo is worth visiting and you'll likely enjoy it. It feels a lot like a single-color extended edition of a vanilla hack with additional features.

Super Metroid: So Much Hell by The Monster of Surrealton [

Spoof], rated by MetroidMst on Mar 06, 2016 (

)

85% in 2:19

The only appropriate question is why was this never made earlier. A true masterpiece in every sense, as all your sense will be overloaded by RED MONSTER SLUDGE POWERS and generally leaving you like you were just impaled by a dump truck sized spike overlord.

Reimagined by SavageWizzrobe [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Jul 28, 2016 (

)

51% in 4:22

I would say this is a slightly above average hack. It offers a large world with plenty of secrets and hidden items. However, there are a few aggravating instances of being completely lost without any direction. The seeming lack of short paths means running wild over a long distance to find out you really aren't where you need to be at, and that adds some tedium the hack could really do without.

The hack does stay very vanilla with it's tile work. Some of the hidden pathways are worthy of facepalms, and advancing onward after finding one of the required hidden paths usually doesn't offer enough satisfaction to warrant how hidden the path was.

I would also say there are a few unfair spots. To get the most enjoyment out of the hack, you'll probably want to be a pretty good player in the first place, otherwise I would suggest tackling some easier hacks first, then coming back to this one. I do give this a recommendation for those seeking a pretty good hack with a lot of exploration.

Super Metroid: Life by Nevyn 1.0 / DCR 1.2 [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Aug 03, 2016 (

)

90% in 3:02

This is a pretty decent hack. It has a very interesting item progression, and is generally interesting to explore. However, the hack suffers from what I would call "early hacking days syndrome." It is full of bad tiling, red Crateria, and even has some permastucks. I do recommend the hack for a playthrough, as it is very interesting, and the good parts are pretty good. Just don't go expecting for a mind-blowing experience.

Vismunds Sidehopper Special by Vismund Cygnus [

Unknown], rated by MetroidMst on Aug 03, 2016 (

)

No completion stats.

Well, special is a good word for it.

AN.T.I [ANother Terrible Idea] by TriAsUnit [

Quick Play], rated by MetroidMst on Sep 22, 2016 (

)

100% in 0:00

This was a nice little linear hack that doesn't stray anywhere from what it wants to be. There is some small exploration, but in the end there is basically only one item you will either have or not have. Kind of abrupt, but still interesting, ending.

It's good for a playthrough. Maybe someday you'll revisit for a short little romp.

Super Metroid: Hermit Kingdom by Kojakt [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Feb 19, 2017 (

)

85% in 0:00

This is a halfhack that throws some unexpected twists at the player, and probably the most creative use of Crocomire in any hack. Also some nice little bits here and there. In the end though, it's not much more than a fairly well done halfhack. The one really interesting thing happens in the early portion of the game, and the back half is quite probably going to be bogged down by searching for one item.

It's a fairly solid hack and decent entry into the Super Metroid hack world though, and for a first hack it definitely shows some nice promise.

Super Metroid: Zeon by TheBigM [

Unknown], rated by MetroidMst on May 04, 2017 (

)

No completion stats.

This can't even be completed and it looks bad. It made Dessy die inside and quit doing randomizers too.

Super Metroid: Unambitious by dewhi100 [

Quick Play], rated by MetroidMst on May 23, 2017 (

)

97% in 0:00

This was a surprisingly enjoyable little experience. It's small, and can be extremely short depending on what you do, but the premise is actually really rad. Overall has a pretty high level of polish as well, especially for a hack the might seem like a "throw away" release. It's worth checking out.

Super Metroid: Depth by Tedicles [

Quick Play], rated by MetroidMst on Aug 04, 2017 (

)

12% in 0:37

A great little first hack. Very small, very focused, and dark. Enough little pathways to keep it interesting for the brief period you'll be playing it. It's definitely short, and does manage to use suitless underwater too much, but it's a great little play for the most part otherwise. For those making their first hack, doing a small project like this would be a great way to start.

Super Metroid: Recovery by MetroidNerd#9001 [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Oct 14, 2018 (

)

86% in 2:50

The biggest complaint I have with this hack is that it's a halfhack. Knowing the map beforehand is just not as fun as going in completely blind. That being said though, this is really strong for a halfhack.

It doesn't fall to the usual tropes you would find within this particular subset of hacks, and that is the best thing about it. It's not a hack that just wants the player to have to go the back way into everything, it allows the player freedom to go pretty much wherever they want to, and some bosses have been balanced for that.

The hack is by far the best in the small segments that have been added. Definitely wish it was more like that throughout, but this is still a solid little hack with relatively easy difficulty. Would be a nice entry type of hack to start out playing.

Super Metroid: space Junk (Not Contest Ver.) by Crystal Knight [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Oct 14, 2018 (

)

89% in 0:53

This is a nice little way to spend a pleasant hour cleaning up the universe of garbage. The biggest flaw with it is there isn't really much of a direction for the player. You can get places and find things, but there is basically one spot to get certain things, and it isn't always easy to find out.

Otherwise this is a fun, and definitely recommended, hack that is full of bubbles and junk.

Super Metroid Nature by Jefe962 [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Jan 15, 2019 (

)

84% in 0:00

The hack itself I recommend. It's a very solid vanilla hack. But unfortunately, that also really holds it back. It is far too vanilla for my tastes. It doesn't take risks, doesn't try anything new really. It has one item and one sequence that is exceptional, and the rest is almost like playing a halfhack.

Now, this was the author's intention, to make a very vanilla hack, and in that he definitely succeeded. If you want to play something that feels new though, this is not going to do it. I find that incredibly disappointing personally.

However, that being said, I still recommend this. It's well made and fun, just won't fill the "new hack" void in your heart. I look forward to Jiffy putting this kind of effort into doing some more risky things and trying to branch out away from the vanilla footprint.

Over the Moon by TestZero [

Quick Play], rated by MetroidMst on Feb 02, 2019 (

)

No completion stats.

So this hack does not get enough credit or attention for being a really, really well made NEStroid hack. With some very nice markers throughout the main world of the game making it very easy to navigate and remember where you have been, a lot of people's complaints about NEStroid get fried right at the start.

Now, the author did try to making farming quicker for Energy, which is nice. But Missile drops weren't increased, and the the Missile tanks themselves only give 3 Missiles, which is a really big issue later on. That is the only real complaint I have about the hack overall though. (It's a pretty big one though)

I definitely do recommend playing this. It's well made and fun, and doesn't get you hopelessly lost. The final area and Missile grind is a big downside, but even then you get to experience the rest of the hack before that becomes a real issue.

Super Metroid: Ascent by Benox50 [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on May 28, 2019 (

)

83% in 4:34

This is the currently my favorite hack. It's large, full of colors and wacky stuff, and the gameplay is just about perfect. For those like me, who like exploration based hacks and exploration based challenge, this will make you very happy.

There are a couple of minor drawbacks, though one is personal preference and another is due to the story telling in the gameplay. The story element I found somewhat annoying is enemies can be a bit of a damage sponge sometimes, though I also rarely used Missiles to be fair. The second is there are a lot of reserve tanks.

There are also a couple of unique gimmicks the hack does well. They are best left to be discovered by the player, but it changes the way you approach the hack and makes it, like Benox states, multiple hacks in one. It's done really well and makes for some nice organic breaks between exploration segments. It also helps the player not get super lost, despite being a massive hack.

Overall though, this is a definite recommend. It sets the bar for visuals, and credit to Benox for sticking with the tried and true formulas, instead going way out in some instances and making a work of art.

New Wet Dream by TROM [

Unknown], rated by MetroidMst on Nov 30, 2019 (

)

105% in 0:00

So this is a halfhack of Life, a hack I enjoy a fair bit. Being a halfhack has it's drawbacks as always, but since it is of another hack, I was hoping it wouldn't fall into literally all the halfhack tropes that we all know and love to hate.

This hack falls into the trap that changing the intended path the player is used to automatically makes things interesting. It places items in spots you wouldn't think they'd be at in a natural playthrough, and just causes more confusion and backtracking, and an overall more frustrating experience. This isn't a bug fix, it's another halfhack.

Now, if you play this before Life, this will probably feel like a pretty solid hack overall. It does do some very interesting tiling very well, and it's based off of a fairly good hack. You may experience some extra long periods of trying to find where to go because it's a little more obtuse, but it isn't the worst.

Super Metroid: Hydellius by TROM [

Unknown], rated by MetroidMst on Jan 19, 2020 (

)

55% in 9:27

Hydellius is an interesting hack. TROM once again does some weird visuals that give his hack a style not found elsewhere. The hack starts out with some fresh new map design and some interesting gameplay, and then it happens. You get to an area and things start to get more familiar until it becomes pretty apparent it turned into a partial halfhack.

Now, that in itself isn't bad, it's the level design and locking mechanics that cause the most irritation. Nothing wrong with some tight level design or locking the player in an area. The hack's biggest problem is how it's done. There are a lot of tight and hard to navigate areas, making traversing rooms slow and painful, and then you get locked out and need to do loops, or are just lost and looping all over the place trying to find your progression.

There are good things in this hack, and the locking gate system is something I really am a fan of, but the implementation of it in Hydellius is not great. I like a locking system for the final area. It gives the player a reason to comb the planet after getting fully powered to unlock the final area and proceed to victory. However, the gate system was integrated into the actual progression of the hack, and it's pretty obnoxious at certain points. It does add an element that you may really enjoy though.

Overall, I didn't enjoy the hack as much as I feel I could have. It has too many large looping backtracks for it's own good, and some of the gates are so confusing. It's an adequate hack, but there is no real flow to the hack.

Lost World by TROM [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Jan 19, 2020 (

)

103% in 12:55

I am glad TROM kept going after his first two hacks both kind of fell into some serious traps and tropes. There is still one major TROMism in that Supers are everywhere and all blocked by Super blocks. Besides that though, a lot was learned and implemented really well into this hack.

Lost World is a giant hack, with a lot to explore, and a nice little warp area to help you traverse the large map more quickly. This hack does include another locking gate system, which is both majorly improved over Hydellius, and is a reason for some frustration.

The good: It's just to unlock the final area, no more progression is blocked by these gates.
The bad: You can catch a glimpse of the locks, but the view you get makes it look like there are less than half of the total gates you need to unlock. That was my biggest point of frustration with the hack.

Besides that though, I really do recommend this hack. It's large, expansive, and flows much better for the player overall. I did break Super Missiles early, so that probably helped a little as I was able to do a lot of progression right then and there, but I still think this hack would've played well if I didn't do that. I highly recommend this hack for people who like taking their time and exploring.

Super Metroid Clocktoberfest by Aran;Jaeger, moehr [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Mar 05, 2020 (

)

86% in 1:34

Visual diarrhea mixed with German engineering and Castlevania. The custom music and items are nice, but the hack is filled with obtuse puzzles and tiling. Make sure you have a health plan before playing.

Would recommend to blind people.

Super Metroid: Y-Faster 2 Fast by Metaquarius [

Speedrun/Race], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 12, 2020 (

)

61% in 0:02

I will start this off by saying I definitely recommend this hack. The timer may seem long, being over double the original Y-Faster, but it will likely push you a little your first time through. All the usual silly Y-Faster mischief is back, and a lot more has been added on and expanded upon.

One of the things that made me enjoy this so much also happens to be a solid reason others may not get nearly as much enjoyment out of it. The hack is based largely on the premise you are familiar with the five other hacks it samples, along with the original Y-Faster. Being someone who has played a lot of hacks, I have played all the hacks in question, which means I had a good understanding of what Meta was going for in the areas. Some who may not have played the original works may have a much different experience wondering why things are designed the way they are.

So players who have played a large sample of hacks before this will likely have a much better reaction to it. It's still a very nice hack that is full of a lot of secrets that can give the player plenty of replayability.

Metroid - Rogue Dawn by Grimlock, Optomon, snarfblam [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Apr 29, 2020 (

)

No completion stats.

Recommend.

Temple of the Winds by Moehr and Albert V. [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Sep 29, 2020 (

)

94% in 2:05

This is a very interesting hack that tones the Moehr confusion down slightly. The hack looks quite nice, and has a few new bosses thrown in. The simplest of which is one of the best things I have come across.

This is worth a play, though do keep in mind it is a hack that can give you some trouble seeing what is foreground and what is background.

Super Metroid: Pit of 100 Trials by MetroidNerd#9001 [

Challenge], rated by MetroidMst on Sep 29, 2020 (

)

86% in 1:26

This is a very linear hack, so exploration is really limited to finding hidden items, and that is a bit of a mixed bag. Not to say it's bad, but for the most part it's straightforward. The gimmick is of course, passing 100 trials, and the custom code to make the progression happen is a nice touch. The biggest issue I have is the lack of exploration. Doesn't feel like a normal Metroid game. It isn't designed to be of course, and for what it is designed for, it's a solid little hack.

Would recommend for a relatively quick playthrough that won't get you lost anywhere.

V I T A L I T Y by Digital_Mantra [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Oct 18, 2020 (

)

80% in 4:47

Most of the praise you've been reading to this point is well deserved. You've got your usual DMan tiling, which is weird and imaginative and the depth added to a 2D world is pretty great. However, hacks can't live off of A E S T H E T I C S alone. There is supposed to be a game after all.

For the most part, this hack delivers an excellent experience. The world is fun to explore and easy to traverse, with shortcuts opening up later to help speed things up. The secrets are great to find, since the majority are extremely well hidden in the scenery, but for someone looking they'll spot the secret. This is not Other M pixel hunting.

And for 96ish% of the hack, you have a pretty amazing world to explore, albeit a little too easy for my liking, but much more friendly for newer players. You get what looks like a DMan hack that unfortunately places story above gameplay for a brief moment at the end. Now, this likely won't make you as sour as it made me, but its something I definitely disagree with and the reason for the 4 orb rating instead of 5 orbs.

The best feature(s) of the hack though, are the creative means used to remove certain things from using layer 3. For non-hackers out there, I will try to explain this in English. Basically, DMan is one of the few people who really uses FX1 effects to their potential. The issue is, these are all on layer 3, and things like Power Bombs and message boxes from collecting items or saving will remove the layer, since they also use that layer. So DMan went through some great lengths to prevent that and still give the player the information. Definitely one of the best things I took away from the hack, and will probably do myself since the layer being deleted is often ugly.

Would definitely recommend the hack. The ending bit may work for you or it may not, but overall it's definitely fun and should be added to your list of hacks to play.

Metroid Prime Double Trouble by Fantaselion [ MP1

Vanilla+], rated by MetroidMst on Nov 04, 2021 (

)

85% in 5:14

A silly premise for a halfhack. It's fine, mostly does what it intended to do, and is just a little ridiculous. Fun with friends, might be less fun without.

Super Metroid: Hotlands by MetroidNerd#9001 [

Exploration], rated by MetroidMst on Mar 19, 2022 (

)

87% in 1:01

Hotlands isn't sure if it wants to be a hack or a fangame of either Megalovania or Book of Mario, but it does provide some very solid . . .

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M2 Fight Akuma by MarioFan2468 [

Spoof], rated by MetroidMst on May 22, 2024 (

)

No completion stats.

I fought Akuma. I won.
Potentially interesting to throw this into a legitimate hack at some point.

Urinary Samus by MarioFan2468 [

Spoof], rated by MetroidMst on May 22, 2024 (

)

No completion stats.

Bladder evacuated successfully.

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