Super Metroid: Dependance

For those that don't know, Super Metroid has a large number of "hacks" which are remakes of the original Super Metroid by fans using an editor to change the game (sometimes drastically). I've played a couple before and always enjoyed them so when I heard there was a new one out I picked it up right away.

Finding the right rom which works with the patch file can be a real pain (yes I own the original cartridge) but it is definitely worth it. Anyway, on to the game. Dependence isn't as drastically changed as some of the hacks I've played (Redesign had new items and other big differences) but it was definitely great. The creator used a lot of tiles that were pretty rare in the original so many of the areas have a very different feel, which I didn't always like but it was good over all.

The difficulty was a notch above the Super Metroid but easier than most of the hacks. None of the sequence breaking skills from the original are required (except maybe wall jumping) but I definitely found one sided wall jumping and being able to turn into a ball mid jump very useful. I'd say that save states are a must for playing it without being overly frustrated.

Speaking of frustration, sometimes figuring out how to proceed is very difficult. I'm used to Metroid/Castlevania gameplay and I got stuck several times. Information on the net is scarce because it is only a hack so I was generally on my own. In the end I managed to get through with some difficulty.

In the end, I think that if you loved the original Super Metroid you will definitely want to play this hack (and several others). If you never played the original but you are interested you will want to try the original first. Playing this game without sufficient mastery of the original would be very frustrating.