How to catch up on Metroid, the classic series shunned by Nintendo

If you’re new to the series, I would not recommend playing the Nintendo original, available free as long as you’re a paying Nintendo Switch online subscriber. While it was a milestone, it hasn’t aged as well as Nintendo’s other titles, like the first Mario or Zelda games. If you insist on starting in chronological order, then you should hunt down the 2004 remake for the Game Boy Advance, “Metroid: Zero Mission.” Without a Game Boy Advance, you can buy the game off the Wii U shop. “Zero Mission” is a reimagining and streamlining of the first game, and has become a staple in speedrunning competitions over the years, thanks to many deliberate new design changes.