While the gameplay is framed like a traditional side scroller, screens are not linear. The only thing resembling a map for Metroid is found in the manual but merely shows how connected areas are, not how to get anywhere.
The main caveat here is that unlike The Legend of Zelda, which features a mini-map for dungeons and a physical map in the manual, Metroid expects you to map out Planet Zebes yourself. Metroid may not share The Legend of Zelda’s overhead view, but this game is inherently about exploration and adventuring through a directionless land. It almost feels like Nintendo asked themselves, “what if an entire game were a Zelda dungeon?” and ran wild with the concept.
Dying means restarting with a measly 30 Energy instead of at full health, enemies are dangerous to the point of disincentivizing combat, and the game tasks you with exploring one of the largest NES overworlds ever designed without so much as a map or area names as guidance. The original Metroid is one of the most demanding games in Nintendo’s library.
