Super Metroid (スーパーメトロイド, Sūpā Metoroido?) is an action-adventure sci-fi video game and the third game in the Metroid series; the introduction alternatively refers to the game as Metroid 3. It was designed by Nintendo Research & Development 1, programmed by Intelligent Systems, and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. The game was released in Japan on March 19, 1994, in North America on April 18, 1994, and in Europe and Australia on July 28, 1994. It was released for the Wii Virtual Console in 2007. It was released for a limited time from May 15, 2013 as part of the Wii U Virtual Console Trial Campaign promotion.
Super Metroid was directed and written by Yoshio Sakamoto, and produced by Makoto Kano with Gunpei Yokoi serving as general manager. The game's story follows bounty hunter Samus Aran as she attempts to retrieve a stolen Metroid from the Space Pirates.
Due to its detailed and colorful graphics, cinematic elements and progressive, distinctive gameplay the game received universal acclaim, being considered today as one of the greatest video games of all time and earning an aggregated score of 96 percent from Game Rankings, making it the website's ninth highest-rated game. Electronic Gaming Monthly named it the Game of the Month for May 1994, gave it an Editor's Choice Award, awarded it as the Best Action Game of 1994, and named it the Best Game of All Time in 2003. In 2007, IGN ranked Super Metroid seventh in its list of Top 100 Games of All Time. Despite a highly positive critical reaction, the game sold poorly in Japan, but fared better in North America and Europe. Nevertheless, due to the game's critical success, Nintendo placed it on their Player's Choice marketing label.
