Second only to it's SNES brother
This first is the story. I felt this game was a light sequel to Metroid II: The Return of Samus. Basically, Samus is exploring SR-388 along with some others that don't matter and comes across a parasite. She is infected by the parasite and given a cure based from a Metroid she recovered in Metroid II. The substance gives her various powers and weaknesses such as the ability to regain health from X-parasites she kills. She then goes somewhere where many creatures have been infected by the parasite just as she was, one of them, the main antagonist of the game, mimics the appearance of Samus and is called the SAX. It sounds a bit cliche, but I'd rather leave spoilers out of this review since it is an effort to BUY THE GAME.
Next is the graphics. I'm not a big graphics fanatic, it's one of the last things I look for in a game, but I must say, the visuals in this game are fantastic. The overall aura of the game creates a realistic feel, comparable to a blockbuster film. It gives the perfect blend of fungus ridden hallways and futuristic space stations. The backgrounds and enemy art are detailed and colorful, at least to a point as far as the GBA can go.
Lastly is the control and game play/difficulty. ADDICTING. This game has never pissed me off, and many many games piss me off, and good games at that. One problem I've always had with Metroid games is that I get confused about where to go, even with the detailed maps the game provides. It tells you where you need to go and when, and that may sound like it takes away from the difficulty, but I give the makers kudos for focusing more on the game play than making the game a damn labyrinth. The difficulty is just right. The running around part isn't as challenging as it could be, but the boss fights are surprisingly fun and difficult. I've always felt that Metroid games' boss fights are too easy, that's just me, but this game has some hard fights. SAX is a story of it's own since it's always upgraded beyond the point of defeatable, but I remember my battle with Omega Metroid, the final boss. It took me over ten tried to beat this guy, which is a lot for me. It was a challenging and addicting fight, and not to the point where the enemy repeats all it's non-dodgable attacks until you get pissed off, bored, and just give up.
In the end, YOU SHOULD HAVE THIS GAME. If you don't, go on eBay, Gamestop, whatever, just get it. I know my review is a few years late, but every Nintendo fan should have this game. Forget Contra 4, get this damn game.