Video Games are awesome

[Sparky Prime]

A lot of games involve large maps in which new items allows you access to new areas, and require backtracking to access things you couldn't do before. But that, in-and-of-itself, doesn't mean they are similar games, especially when we're talking about the methods of collecting items here. There's a reason why games like Metroid and Castlevania have gotten their own sub-genre termed as "Metroidvania", which the Legend of Zelda series is not considered to be an example of. As I'd said, the items in Link to the Past is fairly straightforward to obtain. You bomb a wall to find a secret room. Kill a sub-/boss or all the enemies in a room and a chest will appear. Or solve a puzzle within a certain area. And so on. It's all pretty simple with out really allowing for any deviation, making it easy to break down for a guide. The same cannot be said for all of the items in Super Metroid. Not to mention, given the non-linear nature of most Metroidvania games, some items can be obtained by more than one method. Such as a missile expansion in an early area of the game you can get by bomb-jumping to it, or if you want an easier method, wait until later in the game after you have either the shinespark or screw attack to get it. And that's the thing. Item collection in Super Metroid can be a very situational, depending on the players skills with Samus' various abilities they have at any given point in the game. Even how to describe how to collect some of the items can be a bit difficult. Like, there's one in-particular I remember you have to perform a pretty specific shinespark, that it isn't easy to pull off in the first place because there isn't really a point of reference to line up the jump. How do you explain how to line up a jump when there isn't a good reference point to refer to? I've seen guys that know the game inside and out, played it millions of times, still need a few attempts to get it right. You just kinda need to know generally where the item is, and get lucky to line up the shinespark just right.

Again, it's really not a fair comparison to make just because they both have large maps that open up with certain items you collect. The two games have very different mechanics.

[Shockwave]

I think Dom's frustration is with finding a guide that explains all of that. It sounds like both games are on the "lock and key" system that requires getting an item/weapon to advance to the next area. A decent strategy guide should explain item locations and various different ways of getting said item, regardless of the specific mechanics involved.

[Sparky Prime]

I think Dom's frustration is with finding a guide that explains all of that. It sounds like both games are on the "lock and key" system that requires getting an item/weapon to advance to the next area. A decent strategy guide should explain item locations and various different ways of getting said item, regardless of the specific mechanics involved.

Which, honestly, I'm not understanding Dom's problems in finding an adequate guide in the first place. Any one of the guides on GameFAQ's as well as elsewhere I've looked explains where all the items are, and at least describes one method of how to get them. And the items actually needed for progression you're pretty much going to naturally come across as you play through the game.

[Dominic]

They could list the areas of the game, and list the items under each area. That format would work better than just about everything that I have seen thus far.

[Sparky Prime]

They could list the areas of the game, and list the items under each area. That format would work better than just about everything that I have seen thus far.

So you're just looking for a list of items in each area? Here you go. I don't think the walkthrough guides are going to be written that way because they're formatted to guide the player through the game as efficiently as possible for the "best" ending, being based on the time to complete, rather than items collected.

[Dominic]

Holy shit. Thank you.

Where are the wall jump and that ostrich run? (And, why are they never listed or shown on maps?!?!?!?)

[Sparky Prime]

Holy shit. Thank you.

No problem.

Where are the wall jump and that ostrich run? (And, why are they never listed or shown on maps?!?!?!?)

The wall jump isn't an upgrade, it's something Samus can do from the start of the game. The game will just show you that's something Samus can do when you encounter the Etecoons (which the developers named the room they're in Hell). Also, the wall jump can be a little tricky to do. The Dachoras (ostrich) run that shows you the shinespark and the Etecoons are both in Brinstar, although, like you, I can't find any maps that actually points out where they are exactly at the moment.

[Dominic]

This is the kind of thing that I am complaining about. Nobody can bother to explain/show where something is. Fans of other games manage to do this.

[Sparky Prime]

This is the kind of thing that I am complaining about. Nobody can bother to explain/show where something is. Fans of other games manage to do this.

Just because they aren't marked on the maps (that I've seen in a 5 minute search), that doesn't mean nobody bothers to explain where they are. The purpose of the maps are to show you were items, map rooms, save rooms, recharge rooms and bosses are. The animals on the other hand are only there to help illustrate some abilities Samus has that you can figure out on your own, they don't really do anything for you. And I think they wont spawn in those rooms again after your first visit. But if you read through the actual walkthroughs though (assuming it's not a speed run guide since you can completely skip those rooms), they do point out the animals. Every guide I've read does at any rate.

[Dominic]

I think that you need to talk to the ostrich thing to get one of the speed upgrades. (I can sort of wall-jump now. But, I want that damned speed upgrade.)


And, damn, if the guides are not badly written.