Super Metroid is really, really, really good

After opening up my Wii and getting some time in on Super Mario Galaxy and Trauma Center: New Blood, I decided to get my classic gaming gears in motion and download some old favorites.

There are a lot of games available for the Wii's download service, the Virtual Console, but not a ton that really light my fire. Except, of course, for Super Metroid.

Now Metroid was great and the Gameboy sequel was very good and also very underrated, but Super Metroid is the shining gem of the classic 2D Metroid games.

Super Metroid moves very fast , which earlier games didn't and quite often, you ached to save the game so you could try and forget about wall jumping your way out of a deep corridor. The puzzles and hidden areas are so much fun to figure out that you constantly seek out places where a bomb might just get you into a whole new area. In fact, the first major boss fight is only accessable at an elevator point by bombing a wall.

One of the standout features of the overall series for me is the fact that there is no buddy or computer telling you what's up. In fact, you don't meet anyone ever that doesn't want to kill you. You have to solve each puzzle your self and hunt for the power-ups and energy tanks without any hints or sinide remarks from know-it-all sidekicks who just really deserve a kick in the head.

The soundtrack is also amazing and actually works to compliment the game world, much like current 360 hit Bioshock. It's creepy and exciting and it keeps you focused while being very minimal and non-intrusive.

I had beat this game a number of times years before, but the end battle still got me excited. It may be the best classic end boss battle of all time (at least in the pre-64-bit era). Instead of using cut scenes and FMV's, it uses in-game mechanics to move the story along in Mother Brains's chambers which only serve to heighten the excitement.

It is a short game by today's standards, but that works to its advantage, seeing as how it's only 8 bucks and it is a downloaded game so you don't feel neglectful of the other more expensive titles sitting by your Wii, waiting for their turn.

If you haven't played it, get it. It's a hella fun 7-hour blast and a must for any 16-bit fan.