Metroid (NES) isn't great. It always felt like a cumbersome slog growing up, and I was perfectly happy to never beat it. (I have since powered through due to the rewinding magic of NSO) Luckily, Super Metroid feels like what Metroid wanted to be all along.

The SNES era wasn't just a technical improvement over the previous console generation, those enhancements came with the ability to put more detail into visuals and audio, finally allowing games to craft a detailed vibe, and Super Metroid's mood is its best feature. Sure, the controls are still great, the abilities are intuitive and open new ways to play, the exploration & map are well handled, etc. But ultimately, the game is so revered and memorable because of its presentation. The world that lives on this cartridge is enthralling.

You can see this in the distinct areas of Zebes or in the Boss designs, you can hear it in the music, and the pacing of the game builds a sense of dramatic tension that rarely existed in games at the time. The reason I think Super Metroid still holds up is because all of this comes together to capture your attention and your imagination. This world feels real, and it's a blast to get lost in it.