Zero Mission Top | Metroid

Zero Mission offers varying levels of challenge. Here is how they stack from the top (hardest) to bottom (easiest):

Pro Tip for Top Players: The "Zeroth Mission" (beating the game with 15% items or less) is the ultimate flex. To achieve this, you may only pick up 10 Missiles, the Long Beam, Morph Ball, Bombs, Power Grip, Varia Suit, Ice Beam, Wave Beam, Plasma Beam, Gravity Suit, and Space Jump. Nothing else.

| Rank | Game | Common Position | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 1 | Super Metroid | #1 | | 2 | Metroid Dread | #2 | | 3 | Metroid: Zero Mission | #3 | | 4 | Metroid Prime | #4 | | 5 | Metroid Fusion | #5 |

Zero Mission consistently beats Fusion due to its open-ended exploration vs. Fusion's linear, story-driven structure.

Metroid: Zero Mission (2004, Game Boy Advance) is a distilled, modernized reimagining of the original 1986 Metroid that preserves the atmospheric core of the classic while adding tighter design, richer storytelling, and quality-of-life improvements that lift it into the franchise’s upper tier. Below is a concise, structured publication-style piece you can use as an article, blog post, or feature. metroid zero mission top

When Samus finally reclaims her fully powered suit—the legendary Gravity Suit among flashing lights and roaring bass—the shift back to side-scrolling feels like a reward. The camera drops back to shoulder-level. The tank returns. You burst through walls that once terrified you.

But you never forget those top-down minutes. They are the quiet before the thunder. They are Zero Mission’s argument that perspective is power. By forcing you to look at the world from above—cold, exposed, calculating—the game teaches you humility. Then it gives you back your arm cannon.

And that is why Metroid: Zero Mission remains the definitive remake. It didn’t just polish the original. It looked at the series from a new angle.

Metroid: Zero Mission is a reimagining of the original 1986 NES classic for the Game Boy Advance, often ranked among the top three games in the entire series by fans and critics. It is praised for its "butter-smooth" controls and modernizing the exploration of planet Zebes.  Top Speedrun Times  Zero Mission offers varying levels of challenge

Metroid: Zero Mission is a staple in the speedrunning community due to its tight movement and sequence-breaking potential. As of late 2025, the leading times for major categories are:  Category  Top Player Time (Real Time) In-Game Time (IGT) Any% Normal 36m 33s 100% Normal 1h 07m 58s Low% (Hard) benchjuice 53m 55s Data sourced from Speedrun.com.  Best Ending Requirements 

The game features eight different endings, which are determined by your completion time, item percentage, and difficulty level. 

Zero Mission may be my favorite Metroid game. Definitely top 3.

Certainly! Here’s a breakdown of what makes Metroid: Zero Mission top-tier content for analysis, discussion, or appreciation: Pro Tip for Top Players: The "Zeroth Mission"

Many players wait for the Hi-Jump Boots. Top players know that Samus can wall jump immediately upon landing on Zebes. By pressing the opposite direction of a wall and hitting jump right as Samus touches the wall (in a spin jump), you can scale vertical shafts long before you find the official upgrade.

Pro Tip: In the opening Brinstar area, you can use infinite wall jumps to reach the top of the "End of the First Cave" area and grab a Super Missile tank before even fighting the first major boss.

Finding 100% of items (230 total: 205 Missiles, 25 Super Missiles, and Power Bombs) requires a keen eye. Here are the top 5 most easily missed expansions in Zero Mission: