Samus's first 16-bit outing is by far the BEST 2D Metroid game and one of the best side-scrollers ever created!
STORY: The game takes place right after Metroid II, in which Samus apparently destroys all of the remaining metroids on their home world (of course you knew that, right?). All but one, which is taken in to be researched. So, Ridley, who apparently NEVER dies, takes off and steals the metroid and takes it to Zebes. Samus follows, and has to fight off the regenerated bosses, Kraid and Ridley, along with some new ugly faces to get to Tourian to fight off Mother Brain a 2nd time. Of course, its never about the destination; its about getting there. Anyway, whats cool about this game is that if you've ever played the original Metroid or its remake, Zero Mission, you'll find some areas that were passed by previously, like Mother Brain's former lair, or the place that you start off in the beginning of both games in Brinstar. However, something that always puzzles me between Metroid II and Metroid III is why Samus doesn't start off with the Varia suit that she collected in Metroid II instead of the Power suit. Does she take off her equipment between missions, or something? Anyway, the story is pretty much told to you at the beginning of the game, and at the end of the game. 8/10
GAMEPLAY: Finally! Lets talk about playing the game, shall we? You get to control Samus through some awesome landscapes and areas throughout the game, like a water area, a fire area, and a jungle/cave area. But, compared to the handheld Metroids and original Metroid, the control scheme can be a challenge at first, though you can luckily change the control settings whenever you reboot the game. (If youre playing with a Classic Controller, I recommend using Y to shoot, B to jump, X to run, and A to cancel item selection. If you've ever played Super Smash Bros., and are playing with a Gamecube controller, I recommend using Y to jump, A to shoot, X to run, and B to cancel item selection.) Also, the game NEVER tells you where to navigate, though you do get a map to help you. (This is the first Metroid game to give the player a map) This is the reason why this the only Metroid game so far that I had to resort to a walkthrough, though the game is easy enough that if you don't mind wandering around aimlessly a few times, you'll difinetly reach the end of the game without a walkthrough. Anyway, the gameplay is still superb and fun, and to get the full power of the game, I recommend to NOT use a walkthrough unless you get REALLY stuck. Which I doubt. 9/10
GRAPHICS: While the graphics of Super Metroid may not be quite as sharp as say, Zero Mission, it still clearly shows the differing landscapes of Zebes in a beautiful way. Still, I think the graphics are better than those seen in other famous 16-bit games like A Link To The Past or Super Mario World. 8/10
MUSIC: Oh, my. The music in this game is amazing! From the uplifting, heroic music of upper Crateria to the determined music of Lower Norfair to the eerie and mysterious music of Tourian, all of the tracks are simply genius. Oh, and for those Metroid Prime lovers out there, does Lower Norfair's music sound familiar? You just have to see for yourself how great the music is in this great game. 11/10
All in all, this game is a Masterpiece. If you happen to have an extra 800-or-so points and you're in a mood for an excellent side-scroller, this is for you.