Yeah, it's a shame they removed such sequence breaks in Metroid Prime Trilogy, and it's the main reason I can't think nearly as highly of Prime as I do Super. Whereas Super feels like it actively wants you to break it, the Prime games have quite openly made attempts to limit player freedom, and are ultimately very linear experiences. For Prime 1 and 2, at least, it doesn't feel linear the first time you play them because of how expansive the world is, but you're forced to pick power-ups in a specific order - for Prime 3, of course, it is linear and it feels linear too. It's a game I liked a lot when I first played it, but going back to replay it was a big mistake.

Super Metroid is probably my favorite game on SNES, heck of all time.
The Music, Art, Level design was all top notch... Glad I got to grow up with that game.

Couldn't play the NES version as it's just far to archaic for me from a controls/music/art standpoint, Super Metroid aged far better IMHO.
If Nintendo did a remake of Super Metroid I would be the happiest person alive.

As for speed runs... I can complete the game 100% in about 10-12 hours... Which is certainly an improvement of the months I had when I first got it on the Cart decades ago as a kid. - I don't replay the game frequently though, once every couple of years.

I've actually never played a Metroid game other than Metroid Prime Hunters (Which is a Prime game so doesn't count), and the only Castlevania games I've played are Castlevania 64 and Lords of Shadow... I actually really liked Lords of Shadow, although I don't think either of these entries count either lol.

I HAVE played metroidvania games though, one that I REALLY enjoyed being Guacamelee... haven't got around to playing the sequel yet though, but damn it was so fun!

I keep saying I'm going to pick up and play some of the earlier Castlevania games, especially Symphony of the Night since it's so highly regarded, but I just never get around to doing so.

Actually, Prime does count.

But...

Prime Hunters definitely doesn't.

Wasn't sure if all Prime games were the same or not, but Hunters definitely wasn't anyway lol... I still enjoyed it though, not enough to play the other games in the series lol

I haven't played Prime Hunters, but I've been in a Metroid marathon where me and some friends played through every Metroid game in about 3 days, and my god, the Prime Hunters playthrough was an absolute pain. Looked like a seriously awful game, that.

Anyways, the Prime games that count for this thread are 1 and 2. The third one is already not a proper Metroidvania, and the spin-offs most certainly aren't.

Blaster Master is one of the original metroidvanias that deserves more credit. It's an amazing game and every bit equal to the original Metroid. Great controls, unique levels, creative tank power ups, kick ass music, it's one of the best in the genre.

Anyone interested in the genre should give it a play!

I don't know how you could possibly use those adjectives to describe the original Metroid, but to each their own.

I love metroidvanias

Super Metroid (best snes game)
Master Blaster (nes-gbc)
Simphony of the night (psx-xbox 360)
Metroid Prime and Metroid prime 2 (Gamecube)
Castlevania Circle of the Moon (Gba)
Dust an elisyan Tail (xbox 360)
Momodora, Hollow knight and Recore (Xbox One)

Are my favorites games.

Sorry for my bad english.

To the poster above- Heresy I say! The original Metroid is a master piece! Sure in some ways it's dated but the design/exploration and atmosphere/music still hold up.