Name: Five Years of Metroid Dread, Nearly 40 Years of Nostalgia
Item: Metroid Dread
Rating: 80
Author: gameswithgalt

Metroid Dread

Metroid Dread grabs you with momentum. Samus feels fast, precise, and wonderfully capable even before her full toolkit returns, while ZDR keeps dangling just enough locked doors, suspicious walls, and unexplored routes to make one more detour hard to resist. The E.M.M.I. zones add bursts of real pressure, turning a familiar exploration rhythm into a sharp chase whenever one of those machines gets close.

RETRO REPLAY EDITORIAL REVIEW

Five Years of Metroid Dread, Nearly 40 Years of Nostalgia

By gameswithgalt · October 8, 2026

Metroid Dread Front Five years ago today, Samus Aran returned to remind us why Metroid is still one of Nintendo’s greatest franchises.

Retro Replay Review

Overall80%

80%

80%

Retro Replay Verdict

A welcome return to Metroid's exploration and action, even if the original NES adventure remains a personal favorite.

Reader ratingNo reader ratings yetYour rating is separate from the editorial verdict.

Released on 08 October 2021, Metroid Dread brought the series back to its side-scrolling roots, combining classic exploration with modern visuals, slick combat, and the relentless pursuit of the E.M.M.I. robots.

I was lucky enough to get the special edition with the game, a limited steelbook, artbook, and game cards from a friend shortly after release, and it’s a great addition to the collection.

But for all the improvements in graphics, gameplay, and technology, nothing will ever quite match the thrill of playing the original Metroid on the NES. Exploring Zebes, getting hopelessly lost, discovering new abilities, and slowly figuring out where the hell I was supposed to go next. That was something special. Metroid Dread Back