Not only is Rogue Dawn indisputably the greatest hack of Metroid 1, even as of writing in 2021; it contends with the very best ROMhacks of any game, period. Rogue Dawn expands so far upon the base game that it is a ROMhack only by the very technicality that yes, you do have to patch it over the original game. Yet there is so little in common with its ancestor that Rogue Dawn is an entirely new experience, feeling more like a love letter to Metroid than a game built upon it.

No hack of Super Metroid has ever surpassed my love for the original (though some are close!). Not only does Rogue Dawn improve upon Metroid 1 in every way, it completely blows the experience of it out of the water. Usually these decisions are tough, but in this case there is no hack more worthy of the honor of Best Overall than Rogue Dawn.
- Miranda Gemini

People who don't like NEStroid actually like Rogue Dawn. I don't think you can get a better endorsement than that.
- MetroidMst

With more than one web articles on it, Rogue Dawn has solidify its place both story wise and a great metroid game to play
- benox50