AM2R is quite an achievement. Taking a Game Boy game and fleshing it out, modernizing it, while still staying true to the original in the most important ways, it surely isn't easy.
I'm not going to pretend I played Metroid 2, but from what I've been able to tell, the game is very simple and repetitive, though impressive for its time. It is a full on Metroidvania on the Game Boy afterall.
AM2R is my only experience with Metroid 2 but I can tell how much care and effort was put into it. The game clearly takes inspiration from Zero Mission, which was a fantastic choice. It controls similarly, and the map system is more or less the same. It also gives plenty of options to the player to make the experience more comfortable. If you're playing a newer version of the game there's even extras like a randomizer and Fusion mode, and that's awesome to see.
The biggest issue with the original from what I've been able to tell, is the metroids themselves. Hunting them all down is a chore and a half. AM2R doesn't fix this entirely but it does improve upon it. There are new boss encounters here, many based on enemies from Super and Fusion. Metroids themselves don't change much as you fight them but the environment they're in does. In some situations it can be a challenge to hit their weak spots, and it makes the hunt less repetitive.
And of course, the ending is kept perfectly intact and remains my favorite ending of any Metroid game I've played so far. No spoilers of course, but I'll say Samus Returns's take is laughable in comparison.
I will never not be annoyed that Nintendo took down this gem of a game. Of course it's still easy to find online, but with all the games in the series I've played so far, this is my second favorite, and it's not even official. The devs should be very proud of themselves.
I'm not going to pretend I played Metroid 2, but from what I've been able to tell, the game is very simple and repetitive, though impressive for its time. It is a full on Metroidvania on the Game Boy afterall.
AM2R is my only experience with Metroid 2 but I can tell how much care and effort was put into it. The game clearly takes inspiration from Zero Mission, which was a fantastic choice. It controls similarly, and the map system is more or less the same. It also gives plenty of options to the player to make the experience more comfortable. If you're playing a newer version of the game there's even extras like a randomizer and Fusion mode, and that's awesome to see.
The biggest issue with the original from what I've been able to tell, is the metroids themselves. Hunting them all down is a chore and a half. AM2R doesn't fix this entirely but it does improve upon it. There are new boss encounters here, many based on enemies from Super and Fusion. Metroids themselves don't change much as you fight them but the environment they're in does. In some situations it can be a challenge to hit their weak spots, and it makes the hunt less repetitive.
And of course, the ending is kept perfectly intact and remains my favorite ending of any Metroid game I've played so far. No spoilers of course, but I'll say Samus Returns's take is laughable in comparison.
I will never not be annoyed that Nintendo took down this gem of a game. Of course it's still easy to find online, but with all the games in the series I've played so far, this is my second favorite, and it's not even official. The devs should be very proud of themselves.