Metroid Fusion review!

[Angrist]

IGN:

Closing Comments
On the GameCube, Retro Studios went all out for Samus' first 3D adventure. On the Game Boy Advance, Intelligent Systems went all out for Samus' latest 2D adventure. If you're a Metroid fan, this is a win/win situation for all. Metroid Fusion is a brilliant continuation of the 2D series, pulling most of the successful ideas from the previous adventures while adding new elements unique to this game's design.
Don't be fooled by the in-game clock; even though the adventure may last an average of five hours through, the seconds don't tick away during any of the several cutscenes in the game, nor does it count the time wasted dying and restarting from a save point. In reality, it will take a good 10 to 12 hours of hard playtime to go from beginning to end of Metroid Fusion, and it's an incredibly satisfying experience all the way through. And like the previous games in the series, Metroid Fusion features an incredibly well-structured design that a second play through to beat the previously acquired time.

If there's anything to bitch about in this fantastic game, I'm a little disappointed in the fact that the Game Boy Advance gamers don't really benefit from the link between Metroid Fusion and Metroid Prime; the two treats that the connection offers only affects the GameCube version of the game.

Beyond that, it's hard to point at anything in Metroid Fusion that could be considered "bad." Intelligent Systems put together a fantastic adventure on the Game Boy Advance that not only will please those Samus fanatics that were itching for a continuation of her 2D adventures, it will most likely generate interest in gamers unfamiliar with the series to seek out Samus' previous games. Metroid Collection for GBA? Bring it on, Nintendo.


Presentation
Metroid Fusion is an incredibly satisfying experience on the GBA, because the designers worked an engaging storyline with gameplay that's incredibly fun and challenging. 10.0

Graphics
Most of the effects in this game are done so subtly that you won't even recognize any hardware tricks going on. The animation and character designs are well done. 9.0

Sound
Get some headphones, folks. The audio is some of the best on the GBA, but it sounds even better coming through a headset. 9.0

Gameplay
This continuation of the 2D Metroid design plays beautifully on the GBA. The designers worked a great control scheme on the four button layout, and the difficulty ramps up progressively. 9.0

Lasting Appeal
Like all adventures, this one has to end sometime. It's not as short as many folks will lead you to believe, but it's not super long either. The Cube connection doesn't extend the life at all, though. 7.0

OVERALL SCORE (not an average) 9.5