Choose your first Metroid game by viewpoint and access. Start with Metroid Dread for modern 2D action on Switch, Metroid Prime Remastered for first-person 3D exploration and scanning, or Metroid: Zero Mission through Nintendo Switch Online if you want a redesigned introduction to the original. After a modern starting point, Super Metroid is the best way to experience the classic exploration-and-upgrade formula.
Choose by the kind of Metroid you want to play
Metroid is not one uniform genre experience. Its mainline games divide into two distinct perspectives: side-scrolling 2D exploration and first-person 3D exploration. Both use the same basic rhythm—explore a connected world, find an ability, use it to reach a previously inaccessible area, and return with a stronger arsenal—but the moment-to-moment play feels very different.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
| Game | Perspective | How you can play it now | Best first choice for | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metroid Dread | 2D side-scrolling | Nintendo Switch; Nintendo’s catalog links a free demo | Players who want modern visuals, responsive movement and a current release | Its exploration, backtracking and enemy-pattern learning are central to the experience |
| Metroid Prime Remastered | First-person 3D | Nintendo Switch, digital or Game Card | Players who prefer 3D navigation, atmosphere, scanning and environmental storytelling | It is an exploration adventure rather than a conventional run-and-gun shooter |
| Metroid: Zero Mission | 2D side-scrolling | Nintendo Switch Online Nintendo Classics | Players who want the original mission in a redesigned, more approachable form | Access depends on the relevant Nintendo Switch Online catalog in your country |
| Super Metroid | 2D side-scrolling | Nintendo Switch Online Nintendo Classics | Players ready for the classic labyrinth-and-upgrade formula | Its presentation and interface are from the Super Nintendo era |
| Metroid: Samus Returns | 2D side-scrolling | Nintendo 3DS hardware and an existing compatible copy | Players who specifically want this reimagining of Metroid II | Nintendo 3DS eShop purchases ended on 27 March 2023 |
There is no mandatory first game. The practical routes below are recommendations based on perspective, controls and availability, not an official order published by Nintendo.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallWhat makes a Metroid game a Metroid game?
Most Metroid games are built around a single interconnected map rather than a sequence of unrelated levels. You begin with limited equipment, notice doors or obstacles you cannot yet pass, and gradually acquire tools that change where you can go. Missiles, bombs, beams, the Morph Ball, a Grapple Beam and movement upgrades are not merely combat rewards; they are keys that reshape the map.
#1 Best Overall
- Become intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran and explore an alien planet in this critically-acclaimed first-person adventure
- Use and upgrade abilities like the Morph Ball, Missiles, and an array of beams to survive the harsh environments and lethal creatures of the planet Tallon IV
- Gain abilities and revisit areas to uncover the different routes and secrets hiding in a beautiful-yet-threatening interconnected world
- Scan your surroundings to gather information about the planet’s history and the creatures that call it home or to reveal enemies’ weak points
- Choose from multiple control options and experience revamped graphics, sound, and unlockable art in this remastered classic
Backtracking is therefore part of the design. Returning to an earlier room after gaining a new ability can reveal a shortcut, an expansion or an entirely new route. Maps help you remember those possibilities, but the games expect you to pay attention to unusual walls, distinctive landmarks and doors whose color or function you do not yet understand.
Combat supports exploration rather than replacing it. Enemies teach movement and timing, while bosses test whether you understand the abilities you have collected. If you want a game that constantly points you toward the next objective, Metroid can feel indirect. If you enjoy making your own route through a world and solving spatial problems, that indirectness is the appeal.
Metroid Dread: the best modern 2D starting point
What you get
Metroid Dread is a 2D adventure on a remote alien planet threatened by a mechanical menace. Nintendo presents it as a sprawling exploration game filled with danger and secrets. It is the clearest starting point for someone who wants a current Switch release, modern presentation and precise side-scrolling movement.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe catalog page for Dread links a free demo, so you can test the movement, aiming and pacing before buying. That is especially useful if you are unsure whether a map-based exploration game suits you.
Why it works for newcomers
- It is readily available on current Nintendo hardware.
- Its visual and interface language is modern enough that you do not need to adjust to an older presentation first.
- Movement, aiming and defensive actions make the basic controls readable once you spend time with them.
- The demo provides a low-commitment way to judge the game for yourself.
What to expect
Dread expects you to explore, revisit rooms and learn enemy behavior. That is an observation about its exploration-focused structure, not a published difficulty rating. When a route seems blocked, the intended answer is usually to search nearby rooms, look for a new ability or reconsider a door you passed earlier rather than repeatedly forcing the same encounter.
Choose Dread first if your priority is a modern 2D Metroid. Choose another game if you specifically want first-person exploration, a direct remake of the original mission or the unfiltered feel of a 16-bit classic.
Metroid Prime Remastered: the best first-person 3D starting point
How it differs from the 2D games
Metroid Prime Remastered presents Samus’s first 3D adventure from a first-person viewpoint. You navigate interconnected environments, scan creatures and objects, solve environmental puzzles, collect upgrades and use tools such as the Morph Ball and Grapple Beam to open new paths.
Recommended Free Tools
Scanning is a defining part of the experience. The visor lets you inspect machinery, wildlife and environmental clues, adding context to the world and sometimes revealing what to do next. Exploration is slower and more observational than in a side-scrolling game, with atmosphere and environmental storytelling carrying as much weight as combat.
Controls and release details
Nintendo’s product information records a digital release on 8 February 2023 and a Nintendo Switch Game Card release on 3 March 2023. The remaster offers dual-stick, motion, classic and hybrid control schemes, so you can choose a modern layout or a style closer to the original.
Rank #2
- Become intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran and explore an alien planet in this critically-acclaimed first-person adventure.
- Use and upgrade abilities like the Morph Ball, Missiles, and an array of beams to survive the harsh environments and lethal creatures of the planet Tallon IV.
- Gain abilities and revisit areas to uncover the different routes and secrets hiding in a beautiful-yet-threatening interconnected world.
- Scan your surroundings to gather information about the planet’s history and the creatures that call it home or to reveal enemies’ weak points.
- Choose from multiple control options and experience revamped graphics, sound, and unlockable art in this remastered classic.
Nintendo describes the release as having revamped graphics and sound, unlockable art and updated control schemes. Those changes make it a practical entry point even if you have never played the original Prime.
Who should start here?
- Choose Prime Remastered if you naturally think in 3D spaces and enjoy looking around for clues.
- Choose it if atmosphere, environmental storytelling and scanning sound more appealing than rapid side-scrolling.
- Choose it if flexible control options matter, particularly dual-stick or motion aiming.
Prime Remastered is still a Metroid game, not a conventional linear shooter. You will spend substantial time learning the layout of areas, checking the map and revisiting locations after obtaining new equipment.
Metroid: Zero Mission: the redesigned introduction to the original
Zero Mission retells the original Metroid with completely redesigned environments, enhanced features and new enemies and bosses. It preserves the premise and broad structure of Samus’s first mission while making the route easier to understand than the earliest version.
Nintendo lists Zero Mission in its Game Boy Advance Nintendo Classics catalog. Availability is tied to the Nintendo Switch Online service and the catalog offered in your region, so check your account’s current list before planning around it.
This is the strongest choice for a newcomer who wants to understand where the series began without starting with the original release’s roughest edges. It also makes a good second game after Dread: you can recognize the series’ core ideas while seeing how a redesigned map and older presentation change the experience.
Super Metroid: the classic benchmark
Super Metroid returns Samus to Zebes after the last Metroid is stolen. Nintendo describes massive labyrinths, the Grapple Beam, beams, bombs, missiles and enormous bosses. Those systems define the classic Metroid formula: acquire a tool, test it against the environment, and use it to turn an apparently closed map into a network of possibilities.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →It is available through the Super Nintendo Nintendo Classics catalog. The game remains influential because its map, pacing and upgrade logic are unusually coherent, but its presentation reflects its original hardware. Expect less modern guidance and a greater need to notice visual clues for yourself.
Super Metroid is an excellent first game for players who value historical context or want the purest version of the traditional 2D structure. It is not automatically the easiest first game simply because it is older. If you prefer contemporary movement and interfaces, play Dread first and return to Super Metroid once you understand what the series is asking you to do.
Metroid: Samus Returns: a 3DS legacy option
Metroid: Samus Returns is a complete reimagining of the 1992 Game Boy game Metroid II. Nintendo lists it for Nintendo 3DS with a release date of 15 September 2017. Its updated 2D exploration includes free aim, melee counters, teleport stations, a map and Aeion abilities.
Rank #3
- STEP BACK INTO THE SUIT Become the bounty hunter Samus Aran once again in Metroid Prime Remastered. The critically-acclaimed, first-person adventure has been revamped for Nintendo Switch
- THE CLASSIC ADVENTURE, REBORN Calm and capable, Samus takes on this solo mission but she is far from alone. Step into her boots as you navigate the winding paths and interconnected environments of an
- With revamped graphics, sound, unlockable art, and updated control schemes, Samus’ 3D debut has reached even greater heights. Use new dual-stick controls, intuitive motion aiming, revert to classic
- EXPLORE THE ALIEN ENVIRONMENTS AND EERIE ISOLATION OF TALLON IV Journey through diverse biomes as you uncover the Space Pirates’ sinister experiments and gather information about the toxic substance
- Region-free compatibility: Region-free/unlocked game works on compatible systems; international version may differ in age rating, labeling or instructions
Those mechanics make it distinct from the older 2D games. Free aim lets you target more precisely, while the melee counter rewards close-range timing. Teleport stations and the map reduce the friction of moving through the world.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
It is a sensible choice if you already own compatible 3DS hardware and specifically want this interpretation of Metroid II. It is not the easiest current-access recommendation: Nintendo states that purchases in the Nintendo 3DS eShop ended on 27 March 2023. Do not plan on buying it as a new eShop download; verify what access you already have before choosing this route.
Which games are available on Nintendo Switch?
Nintendo’s current catalog lists Metroid, Metroid: Zero Mission, Super Metroid, Metroid II and Metroid Fusion through Nintendo Classics, alongside Metroid Dread and Metroid Prime Remastered on Switch. The exact service tier, language support, release timing and retail availability can vary by country, and Nintendo’s cited catalog pages are region-specific to the UK and Europe.
| If you want… | Start with… | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A current purchase with a free trial option | Metroid Dread | The catalog links a free demo and the game is built as a modern 2D adventure |
| A current first-person game | Metroid Prime Remastered | It is available on Switch with four control approaches |
| The original mission in redesigned form | Zero Mission | It retells Metroid with redesigned environments and added features |
| The classic 16-bit formula | Super Metroid | It is the canonical labyrinth, upgrade and boss experience |
| Metroid II with modernized 2D mechanics | Samus Returns | It adds free aim, counters, teleport stations, a map and Aeion abilities, but requires legacy 3DS access |
Before subscribing or purchasing, open the Nintendo eShop or Nintendo Switch Online application for your country. A title listed in a UK or European catalog page may not have identical availability, language support or release timing in another region.
Beginner routes that work
Modern 2D route
- Play Metroid Dread to learn the modern movement and map-based exploration.
- Play Zero Mission to see the original mission in redesigned form.
- Play Super Metroid to experience the classic version of the formula.
- Play Metroid Fusion through Nintendo Classics to continue the 2D story before Dread’s later setting.
This route puts accessibility first, then adds historical context without asking you to begin with the oldest interface.
First-person 3D route
- Start with Metroid Prime Remastered.
- Continue with other Prime games if they are available on your hardware and in your region.
- Move to the 2D games when you want a different perspective rather than trying to force the two control styles into one sequence.
Prime Remastered stands on its own as an introduction to first-person Metroid. You do not need to complete the 2D games before beginning it.
Chronological 2D route where access allows
- Zero Mission
- Metroid II or Samus Returns
- Super Metroid
- Metroid Fusion
- Metroid Dread
Use Zero Mission rather than the original Metroid if you want a redesigned introduction. Use Samus Returns instead of the original Metroid II only if you already have a practical 3DS option; it is not a current eShop purchase.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to decide when two games both sound right
| Your priority | Better match | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Modern 2D movement and presentation | Metroid Dread | It is the current 2D Switch adventure and has a linked demo |
| First-person navigation and atmosphere | Metroid Prime Remastered | Its world is explored through scanning, environmental clues and 3D movement |
| Understanding the series’ beginning | Zero Mission | It is a redesigned retelling of the original mission |
| Seeing the classic design at its most influential | Super Metroid | Its large labyrinths, upgrades and bosses establish the traditional template |
| Free aim and melee-counter mechanics | Samus Returns | Those are central additions to its reimagining, but the game requires legacy 3DS access |
Common first-game mistakes
Expecting a mission-by-mission campaign
Metroid usually communicates through geography rather than a constant list of objectives. When the game seems to stop giving instructions, inspect the map, revisit rooms near your latest upgrade and test doors or surfaces that previously looked impossible.
Treating every locked door as a problem to solve immediately
Many barriers are deliberately future-facing. Mark the location mentally or with the map, then continue searching the area you can access. Returning later is part of the intended loop, not evidence that you missed a mandatory key.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Rank #4
- 10009824
Choosing by chronology alone
Chronology can explain the story, but it does not determine the best controls or presentation for a first-time player. A modern 2D player may enjoy Dread before Zero Mission; a 3D player may be happier beginning with Prime Remastered. Choose the interface you are most likely to enjoy, then explore older entries afterward.
Assuming the 3DS version is still a normal digital purchase
Nintendo’s 27 March 2023 eShop shutdown means Samus Returns should be treated as a legacy-hardware option. Check whether you already own the game and compatible hardware before making it your planned starting point.
Do you need to play the older Metroid games?
No. The recommended routes are optional ways to appreciate the series’ evolution. Start with Dread or Prime Remastered without completing earlier games, then return to Zero Mission or Super Metroid if you want to see how the same exploration ideas developed over time.
The main reason to play older entries is not to unlock basic comprehension; it is to experience their different maps, pacing, mechanics and historical importance. Zero Mission is the most approachable bridge to the original, while Super Metroid is the key stop for the classic 2D design.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Final recommendation
For most newcomers with a Switch, begin with Metroid Dread if you want 2D action, or Metroid Prime Remastered if you want first-person 3D exploration. Choose Zero Mission through Nintendo Switch Online for a redesigned version of the original mission, and play Super Metroid when you want the classic labyrinth-and-upgrade experience. Treat Samus Returns as a worthwhile 3DS-specific option rather than the default modern starting point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an official required order for Metroid games?
No required beginner order is published in the cited Nintendo catalog and product pages. The Dread-first, Prime-first and chronological routes are practical choices based on perspective, controls and access.
Can I start with Metroid Prime Remastered even if I have never played a 2D Metroid?
Yes. Prime Remastered is a first-person 3D adventure with its own exploration, scanning and upgrade structure; prior 2D experience is not a prerequisite.
Does Metroid Dread have a demo?
Nintendo’s catalog page links a free demo for Metroid Dread. Availability and download details can vary by region.
Can I buy Metroid: Samus Returns from the Nintendo 3DS eShop?
No. Nintendo states that Nintendo 3DS eShop purchases ended on 27 March 2023, so Samus Returns is a legacy-hardware option for people who already have compatible access.
Which first game is best for someone who dislikes backtracking?
None of the main recommendations removes backtracking entirely; returning to earlier areas after gaining abilities is a core Metroid convention. Prime Remastered and the 2D games differ in viewpoint, but both expect you to use the map and revisit places.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
