They could show you so little — so they put the darkness to work.
The Game Boy was tiny: one small grey screen, no colour, a sprite a few pixels wide. Most people would call that a weakness. Metroid II called it a tool. The caves feel cramped because the screen really is — the fear comes from how little you can see. Gunpei Yokoi, who guided the game, had a name for this: 'lateral thinking with withered technology' — don't wait for better hardware, make what you already hold in your hand say something. Play it again with that in mind, and the smallness stops looking like a limit. It starts looking like a choice.
— inspired by Gunpei Yokoi
About this game
Released in 1991, Metroid II: Return of Samus was the first Metroid game for a handheld console — and it used the Game Boy's limitations as storytelling tools. Set on the Metroid homeworld SR388, Samus hunts down and eliminates the entire Metroid species. The game's oppressive atmosphere, claustrophobic caverns, and seismic counter tracking remaining Metroids created a tension unique to the series. Its final encounter — the Queen Metroid and a newborn — became one of gaming's most quietly moving moments.
Key Features
Seismic counter tracking remaining Metroids to eliminate, new Samus abilities including the Spider Ball and Spring Ball, evolving Metroid forms across the game's progression, and an ending that set up Super Metroid's narrative directly.
The Story Behind
Metroid II occupied an unusual position in the series: darker and more methodical than the original, it laid the narrative groundwork for Super Metroid. Its claustrophobic design — with limited screens, small sprites, and constant atmospheric unease — was partly a product of hardware constraints and partly deliberate design.
Tricks & Tales
The Baby Metroid born at the end of Metroid II becomes central to Super Metroid's plot — its relationship with Samus forms the emotional core of the SNES sequel. Producer Gunpei Yokoi guided the development, which was handled by Nintendo R&D1. The game was removed from the Nintendo eShop in 2017 when the fan-made AM2R remake was released.
Collector's Guide
Available in our shop
Hand-cleaned and tested units shipped worldwide from Toyohashi, Japan. HP direct purchase exclusive: we include a printed shop owner's note card with every order.
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