Metroid (Japan) (Rev 3) (Wii and Wii U Virtual Console)

This is the Japanese revision 3 of the original Metroid, released for the Famicom Disk System back in 1986. Nintendo developed and published this action-adventure game, which later saw international release on the NES. What you are looking at here is the exact same ROM that was distributed for the Wii and Wii U Virtual Console services, preserving the original FDS experience with some minor bug fixes or adjustments that came with this third revision. If you have played the NES version, expect the same core game but with the distinct load times and disk-side swapping characteristic of the FDS original.

You control Samus Aran as she explores the cavernous world of Zebes, hunting down the stolen Metroid organisms. The game is non-linear: you start with nothing and gradually acquire power-ups like the Morph Ball, Missiles, and various beam upgrades that open new paths and defeat tougher enemies. There is no hand-holding; you must bomb walls to find secret rooms and memorize the map yourself. The objective is to reach the final boss, defeat it, and escape the planet within a time limit that also affects the ending shown.

For fans of classic exploration-heavy platformers, this is a foundational title that defined the 'Metroidvania' genre. Even today, its sparse soundtrack, atmospheric environments, and sense of isolation hold up remarkably well. This particular revision is a faithful representation of the original Japanese release, so if you are curious about how the game played on the FDS before the NES port changed a few details, this is your best bet. It is not a flashy remake, just the raw 1986 experience with a few polish passes applied.