Metroid Fusion didn't focus much on exploration either, and yes I've played it, along with Echoes (didn't finish Echoes, but I got very close until all that backtracking came up).

Echoes doesn't come close to the NES Metroid and Zelda games difficulty, to be honest. Especially Zelda 2, in terms of combat.

I disagree, Other M was definitely more challenging than ANY of the Prime games combat wise. Enemies were fast and could give you tons of damage if careless and i actually died a few times on normal and lots more on Hard. Prime difficult? Don't make me laugh, those space pirates' AI were just as bad as in those of Twilight Princess i only died once in Prime 1 and that was because i fell and couldn't get out the lava.

Are you talking about the first games or the entire franchise of each?

If you are talking about the first games then Zelda is slightly better than Metroid for gameplay reasons. But if you mean franchises than even Zelda OoT can't compete with the perfection that is Metroid Prime.

You're right, OoT is beyond perfection :P

Hey, don't get me wrong. I love Zelda OoT and the Zelda franchise in general. I'm replaying OoT right now and I play Zelda games more than MEtroid games. All I'm saying is Metroid Prime does what it does even better. That doesn't take away from Zelda in any way.

I didn't get hit more than once or twice on my second playthrough of M:OM.

Metroid Other M, harder than the prime games? What a joke. I could dodge absolutely everything in that game with ease. Take out the dodge move, and then maybe you'd have a case. But that isn't the case. I didn't die on Metroid: Other M, ever.

Zelda.

Though I must say, Metroid Fusion was a brilliant game. Recently finished it on 3DS, now I need to get an original GBA copy of the game to add it to my collection . Gameplay mechanics to perfection, challenging but not frustrating (well, Nightmare boss), good story and moody atmosphere. Played Super Metroid and the original a long time ago, don't remember much anymore. Going to get Super Metroid for 30 cents soon of course. For some stupid reason I missed out on the Prime games...

That said, Zelda is pretty much perfect. Every game is unique. The least game is still good. The best game is, like perfectly put a couple posts back, beyond perfection. Gameplay is always perfect, including the games that are experimental with control schemes. It's beautiful music only adds to the vast lore attached to the franchise. All topped off with perfect intuitive level designs in every game. Even after several playthroughs, most dungeons still make me think.

Lastly, people consider Mario, Zelda and Metroid as the 'big three' or Nintendo's top tier franchises, because they were one of the first and still surviving today. Even when other franchises outsell Zelda and Metroid today, these two will still get themost media attention. They're famous franchises. It was visioned as such too; Mario was about skill, reaching the end of a level through mastery of the game. Zelda about exploration and creativity through finding and discovering things for yourself. Metroid was about action and survival, overcome vast waves of enemies in a confined space.

taking the scientific approach i'd have to say zelda. i LOVE them both, but zelda has a greater number of quality games. from nes to now the scores probably 6 to 5 in favor of zelda. the original metroid is the only one i didn't really care for, and the 2nd zelda is the only one i didn't care for. would've been tied probably if metroid didn't take a "64" vacation. also, i enjoyed all the zelda's just a little bit more than all of the metroids. i always loved ridley vs samus.

Yup, Zelda series just has the consistency going for it, yet to play an average Zelda game. Though if we go by individual title, Metroid wins with Super Metroid. Thats as close to a perfect game as it gets for me.

I like Metroid Prime 1 more than any Zelda game ever. However overall I prefer the Zelda series over Metroid.