History VideoGame / MetroidIIReturnOfSamus

* SequenceBreaking: Not to the extent of the original game due to this games more linear nature, but there are some spots in the game where you can pull this off due to some useful tricks:

* SpinAttack: The Space Jump causes Samus's spin jump to spin extremely fast. With the Screw Attack, everything is ''even better'' with spinning.

!All spoilers for ''VideoGame/{{Metroid}}'' and the ''{{VideoGame/Metroid Prime|Trilogy}}'' trilogy will be left unmarked. Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned!

!All spoilers for ''VideoGame/{{Metroid}}'' will be left unmarked. Administrivia/YouHaveBeenWarned!

** The various beam items respawn after you collect them, so unless you somehow screw with this aspect, you can never get an UnwinnableByInsanity by overwriting your Ice Beam permanently, as you will always be able to collect an Ice Beam at the end.

!All spoilers for ''VideoGame/{{Metroid}}'' will be left unmarked.

''Metroid II: Return of Samus'' is an action-adventure video game, the second game in the ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series, and the only one developed for the UsefulNotes/GameBoy. The seventh installment in the overall series story (the later ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy'' games serving as {{Interquel}}s between ''VideoGame/{{Metroid 1}}'' and this game), the game was developed and published by Creator/{{Nintendo}} in UsefulNotes/NorthAmerica in November 1991, in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} in January 1992, and in UsefulNotes/{{Europe}} in May 1992. In 2017 it would receive a TwoAndAHalfD [[VideoGameRemake remake]] for the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS, titled ''VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns''.

The story of ''Metroid II'' follows the protagonist and playable character Samus Aran, who is sent on a mission to exterminate the Metroid creatures from their home planet [=SR388=] before the antagonistic Space Pirates obtain and use them yet again. On the planet, Samus encounters Metroids in different stages of their evolution cycle, ranging in forms from small jellyfish-like creatures to large, hovering, reptilian beasts.

In ''Metroid II'', the developers added round metal shoulders on Samus's Varia Suit to differentiate it from her Power Suit, since both looked similar on the Game Boy's limited greyscale display. The updated suit has since been a staple of the series, appearing in all subsequent games. The game also introduces elements that would become franchise staples, such as the Space Jump, the gunship used by Samus, and [[SavePoint Save Stations]] (which replace the password system from the first game).

* ShowsDamage: Audibly, at least. As you chip away [[spoiler: at the Queen Metroid's health, her digitized grunts gradually go into more agonized shrieking.]]
* SongsInTheKeyOfPanic: Near the end of the game, [[spoiler: when Samus discovers a new batch of Metroids have just hatched (shooting the counter up from 1 to 9) , the already tense song playing raises an octave for the whole final level.]]

* WalkDontSwim: This game introduces a non-hazardous liquid to the ''Metroid'' series; water. You can tell it's not hazardous because you'll find a hornoad jumping towards you in it. All it does is slightly slow down Samus's running speed and even more slightly hinder her jump. Not all the non-hazardous liquid may be water though, as some of it doesn't slow Samus down at all, basically being there for aesthetic reasons.

** Once again there are plenty of crotch monsters (Tsumuri, Moheek, Needler, Glow Flies), although this time around you don't have to wait for them to craw to within your gun's range or use Morph Ball bombs, as Samus ''can'' crouch now. Except Gravitts, which can duck down even lower than Samus, although she can just jump over them and shoot down, or use the Wave Beam.

* KungFuProofMook: Halzyn, Moto and Ramulken shells are impervious to anything Samus can shoot at them, except for the wave beam.

* MechaMooks: {{W|eakTurretGun}}allfires, [[HoppingMachine autoads]], [[InvincibleMinorMinion Automs]], Autracks, TPO, Shirk, Gunzoo. Shirk in particular act like smaller, slower, weaker, stupider versions of Alpha Metroids. Subverted with Yumees, who are said to be purely biological despite flying [[IncendiaryExponent with flames erupting form their feet.]]

* NeverTrustATrailer: [[https://youtu.be/__FmeAQpSoY The American commercial]] says that "One life-sucking Metroid survived the first ''VideoGame/{{Metroid|1}}'' adventure, and it's multiplying rapidly." In actuality, the Metroids are all the offspring of the Queen Metroid , who was presumably born on the planet [=SR388=], and there was no indication of her ''existence'' in the first game.

** The Plasma Beam is literally one bullet at a time, however, that one shot counts for as much as all three spazer shots, if you can hit anything with it, ''and'' it also goes through walls.

** Drivels have explosive spit

** Tsumuris are zoomers in function, only you see their profile rather than their mugshot. Official art makes them more snail like.

* FireBreathingWeapon: Automs have flame throwers of the [[VideogameFlameThrowersSuck sucky video game variety]]. They can't do much damage to Samus, especially not with the Varia suit, but are still best avoided.
* FourLeggedInsect: Most arthropod looking creatures have one less set of legs than the Earth variety, [[JustifiedTrope but do not forget SR388 is not Earth]].

** Skreeks spit arrows, which are described as "bullets" by the manual

* BlackOutBasement: In Phase 7, you gain access to one that has a missile expansion, although given that it's in the roof, it's really more of a Blackout Attic. The manual claimed Samus' Power Suit was equipped with an infrared ray scope that would allow Samus to see in the dark, but no such ability existed until ''Videogame/MetroidPrime''.

* CycleOfHurting: Samus hangs in air for a bit whether by falling, jumping or getting knocked into it, suffers noticeable {{knock back}} but has a very short MercyInvincibility window. The small screen means you usually can't see much ahead, below or above her, Samus's weapons can't hit enemies off screen, and some areas are very cramped, meaning otherwise weak enemies can easily juggle her to death if you're not careful. Once you find an energy tank and the varia suit you can probably avoid outright death, provided you take care to keep that tank close to full.

** You have to be on the ground to initiate morph ball and space jump. If you switch back to biped mode in air you'll stay that way until Samus's feet touch the ground.

** In this game, the Queen Metroid can extend her neck, and she spits out undefined projectiles that can be rendered harmless with the Screw Attack. In ''[[VideoGame/MetroidOtherM Other M]]'' and ''Samus Returns'', the Queen Metroid's neck is a fixed length, and she breathes fire that is dangerous even while using the Screw Attack. She is also vulnerable to standard Morph Bombs in this game, but that is because the Power Bomb was not yet introduced in the series.

* HeWasRightThereAllAlong: Arachnus looks like a power up Samus usually gets from Chozo statues but attacks Samus if you try to acquire it. It does jump around a lot and beating it does yield the spring ball for Samus, meaning it was meant to "defend" the power up or was just a hostile explorer who found it first.

* InsectoidAliens: Pincher flies, glow flies, gulluggs are also vaguely mosquito looking, although they don't suck blood(or don't attempt to such blood from an armored being). Yumbo sprites look like flying chainsaws but official art makes them look like mosquitoes with feathers. Motos have beetle like sprites but official art makes them look more like mask wearing reptiles. Mumbo sprites look like blobs but official art makes them look like insectoid versions of Samus's helmet. Skorps look like scorpions with two buzz saws where they head should be, in official art anyway.
* InvincibleMinorMinion: Automs cannot be destroyed, only avoided. Steptoggs, flitts and proboscum are invincible too, but they can't hurt Samus.

* KungFuProofMook: Halzyn, moto and ramulken shells are impervious to anything Samus can shoot at them, except for the wave beam.

* PlantAliens: Blob throwers look like flowers on top of tree trunks anyway, although it can move almost like rubber to throw its blobs. Moheeks are said to be but ''do not'' look the part. Skorp sprites make them look like flowery cacti but official art makes them look more like arthropods. Official art makes septoggs look like dirt monsters with grass growing on them.

* SpikeBallsOfDoom: Subverted with needlers, which look the part but are non aggressive.

* ArmlessBiped: Hornoads, skreeks and motos show this isn't just a thing on Zebes.

* AwesomeButImpractical: The Plasma Beam is the most powerful gun you get, but it fires a straight shot that can't penetrate certain enemies' armor, unlike the Wave Beam. The plasma beam and the spazer are close together, so getting rid of it isn't too hard if you think it's too impractical.

* BlobMonster: The indestructible flitt, the pathetically weak meboid, and the blobs thrown by the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin blob thrower]].

* ConvectionSchmonvection: One of only two games to play it straight, the other being the original Metroid--''if'' that damaging liquid in the main tunnels is lava. [[AllThereInTheManual The manual never calls that liquid "lava", only a "hazardous liquid"]], so for all we know it could be HollywoodAcid instead. This is actually supported by the [[Videogame/MetroidSamusReturns 3DS remake,]] which has a deadly purple liquid in its place.

* MechaMooks: {{W|eakTurretGun}}allfires, [[HoppingMachine autoads]], [[InvincibleMinorMinion automs]], autracks, TPO, shirk, gunzoo. Shirk in particular act like smaller, slower, weaker, stupider versions of alpha metroids. Subverted with yumees, who are said to be purely biological despite flying [[IncendiaryExponent with flames erupting form their feet.]]

* MookChivalry: {{Subverted|Trope}}, the manual says gawrons will only defend their colony from Samus one at a time, but that doesn't stop multiple gawrons from different colonies from ganging up on her. Ditto yumees.

** The wave beam is also limited to three shots on screen, no matter the speed you press the button. But given that it goes through walls, this is understandable.

** The plasma beam is literally one bullet at a time, however, that one shot counts for as much as all three spazer shots, if you can hit anything with it, ''and'' it also goes through walls.

** The only way to damage the Queen Metroid 's hide is with missiles, and she takes a really long time to kill, [[DamageSpongeBoss not only because it takes a lot of shots]] but because she doesn't give Samus many openings to shoot. However, if you can hit her while her neck is extending enough times she might leave her mouth open long enough for Samus to morph ball in and do some internal damage. Even then the damage from bombs will be negligible unless Samus has enough energy to make it to the queen's stomach.

** If you spider ball or space jump high enough in area without a ceiling, Samus will take damage and fall back towards the ground. One can only speculate why the sky turns hostile.
* RapidAging: Eight hatched metroids progress from infant to larval stage in the time it takes Samus to move from one room to another but the final infant stays an infant in the time it takes for Samus to leave the planet and fly to a research station.

** Zeta and Omega metroids launch projectiles from their mouths, the latter's goes farther and creates damaging shock waves on the surfaces. The Queen Metroid has something in between HomingProjectile, SpreadShot and PinballProjectile that will block Samus's missiles.

* TrailersAlwaysSpoil: [[https://youtu.be/__FmeAQpSoY The American commercial]] shows the final boss fight with the Metroid Queen.

* WalkDontSwim: This game introduces a non-hazardous liquid to the ''Metroid'' series; water. You can tell it's not hazardous because you'll find a hornoad jumping towards you in it. All it does is slightly slow down Samus's running speed and even more slightly hinder her jump. Not all the non hazardous liquid may be water though, as some of it doesn't slow Samus down at all, basically being there for aesthetic reasons.

** Once again there are plenty of crotch monsters (Tsumuri, Moheek, Needler, Glow Flies), although this time around you don't have to wait for them to craw to within your gun's range or use Morph Ball bombs, as Samus ''can'' crouch now. Except Gravitts, which can duck down even lower than Samus, although she can just jump over them and shoot down, or use the Wave Bbeam.

''Metroid II: Return of Samus'' is an action-adventure video game, the second game in the ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series, and the only one developed for the UsefulNotes/GameBoy. The seventh installment in the overall series story (the later ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy'' games serving as {{Interquel}}s between ''VideoGame/{{Metroid 1}}'' and this game), the game was developed and published by Creator/{{Nintendo}} in North America in November 1991, in Japan in January 1992, and in Europe in May 1992. In 2017 it would receive a TwoAndAHalfD [[VideoGameRemake remake]] for the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS, titled ''VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns''.

* AfterBossRecovery: The Metroid Queen is the only boss to give Samus energy and missile refills, and is of course the only boss where she almost certainly would not need them, not that a first time player would know this for sure.

** {{Enforced}}, since the game's monochrome nature prevented the designers from using PaletteSwap to differentiate some aspects of the suit. This resulted in changes to Samus's suit that carried forward into later titles. First, the barrel of Samus's ArmCannon visibly opened when switching to missiles. Second, the Varia Suit looked significantly different from the baseline Power Suit (including [[ShouldersOfDoom larger shoulders]]). In the original ''Metroid'', both the missiles and Varia Suit were represented by color changes. [[{{Retcon}} All flashbacks to the first game depict the redesigned armor]], though ''Zero Mission'''s Varia Suit lacked the shoulders (at least until Samus gets it back after losing it in Chozodia).

** Arachnus is much smaller than it was in ''Metroid Fusion'', although that could just be a different arachnus, given that one can be hurt by beams and missiles, can't jump, [[GlassCannon and]] has more powerful projectile attacks.
* ArtificialStupidity: Turns out there's a massive blind spot for Zeta Metroid attacks, as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzOvZA3-Yi8&t=33s this video demonstrates]]. If Samus rolls into morph ball form and sits underneath the Zeta, its attacks won't hit Samus. This allows Samus to attack the Zeta with impunity.

* BigBad: The Metroid Queen.

* LoneWolfBoss: Arachnus, an optional mini-boss that gives you the Spring Ball power up. It's the only non-Metroid boss fight in the entire game.

* NeverTrustATrailer: [[https://youtu.be/__FmeAQpSoY The American commercial]] says that "One life-sucking Metroid survived the first ''VideoGame/{{Metroid|1}}'' adventure, and it's multiplying rapidly." In actuality, the Metroids are all the offspring of the Metroid Queen, who was presumably born on the planet [=SR388=], and there was no indication of her ''existence'' in the first game.

** The only way to damage the Metroid Queen's hide is with missiles, and she takes a really long time to kill, [[DamageSpongeBoss not only because it takes a lot of shots]] but because she doesn't give Samus many openings to shoot. However, if you can hit her while her neck is extending enough times she might leave her mouth open long enough for Samus to morph ball in and do some internal damage. Even then the damage from bombs will be negligible unless Samus has enough energy to make it to the queen's stomach.

* WalkDontSwim: This game introduces a non hazardous liquid to the ''Metroid'' series; water. You can tell it's not hazardous because you'll find a hornoad jumping towards you in it. All it does is slightly slow down Samus's running speed and even more slightly hinder her jump. Not all the non hazardous liquid may be water though, as some of it doesn't slow Samus down at all, basically being there for aesthetic reasons.

** Once again there are plenty of crotch monsters (tsumuri, moheek, needler, glow flies), although this time around you don't have to wait for them to craw to within your gun's range or use morph ball bombs, as Samus ''can'' crouch now. Except gravitts, which can duck down even lower than Samus, although she can just jump over them and shoot down, or use the wave beam.

''Metroid II: Return of Samus'' is an action-adventure video game, the second game in the ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series, and the only one developed for the Creator/{{Nintendo}} UsefulNotes/GameBoy. The seventh installment in the overall series story (the later ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy'' games serving as {{Interquel}}s between ''VideoGame/{{Metroid 1}}'' and this game), the game was developed and published by Nintendo in North America in November 1991, in Japan in January 1992, and in Europe in May 1992. In 2017 it would receive a TwoAndAHalfD [[VideoGameRemake remake]] for the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS, titled ''VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns''.

''Metroid II: Return of Samus'' is an action-adventure video game, the second game in the ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series, and the only one developed for the Nintendo UsefulNotes/GameBoy. The seventh installment in the overall series story (the later ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy'' games serving as {{Interquel}}s between ''VideoGame/{{Metroid 1}}'' and this game), the game was developed and published by Nintendo in North America in November 1991, in Japan in January 1992, and in Europe in May 1992. In 2017 it would receive a TwoAndAHalfD [[VideoGameRemake remake]] for the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS, titled ''VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns''.

* GameplayAndStorySegregation: Despite SR388 being the Metroids' homeworld, there are only around 50 Metroids on the entire planet for Samus to kill. This is because wiping out an ''entire species'' with ''thousands'' of Metroids would have been way too overwhelming for gameplay.

* IBelieveICanFly: At least half of the creatures encountered in this game can fly, including all but ''maybe'' one type of metroid, even those with legs. Samus herself gets a flight mode of sorts in the space jump.

* BlobMonster: The indestructible flitt, the pathetically weak meboid, and the blobs thrown by the blob thrower.

''Metroid II: Return of Samus'' is an action-adventure video game, the second game in the ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series, and the only one developed for the Nintendo UsefulNotes/GameBoy. The seventh installment in the overall series story (the later ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy'' games serving as {{Interquel}}s between ''VideoGame/{{Metroid 1}}'' and this game), the game was developed and published by Nintendo in North America in November 1991, in Japan in January 1992, and in Europe in May 1992. In 2017 it would receive a TwoAndAHalfD [[VideoGameRemake remake]] for the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS, titled ''VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns''. It also got a well-received and quite popular FanRemake in the form of ''VideoGame/AnotherMetroid2Remake'', which recreated in the game in the style of ''VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission'', for PC in 2016.

** The most common variety may as well be more hazardous liquid, because it serves the same fall in and keep getting damaged until jumping out purpose as an obstacle. It does allow for more variation in terrain and doesn't get "drained" by the regular quakes.

** Unlike in all other games, where its function is purely defensive, this game's Varia Suit also doubles Samus's running speed.

* SequelDifficultyDrop: The game is considerably easier than the original, thanks to Samus's greater maneuverability, save points, more linear structure, and less-opaque solutions to navigation and puzzle solving.

''Metroid II: Return of Samus'' is an action-adventure video game, the second game in the ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series, and the only one developed for the Nintendo UsefulNotes/GameBoy. The seventh installment in the overall series story (the later ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy'' games serving as {{Interquel}}s between ''VideoGame/{{Metroid 1}}'' and this game), the game was developed and published by Nintendo in North America in November 1991, in Japan in January 1992, and in Europe in May 1992. In 2017 it would receive a TwoAndAHalfD [[VideoGameRemake remake]] for the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS, titled ''VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns''. It also got a well-received and quite popular FanRemake in the form of ''VideoGame/AnotherMetroid2Remake'', which recreated in the game in the style of ''VideoGame/MetroidZeroMission'', for PC.

''Metroid II: Return of Samus'' is an action-adventure video game, the second game in the ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' series, and the only one developed for the Nintendo UsefulNotes/GameBoy. The seventh installment in the overall series story (the later ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy'' games serving as {{Interquel}}s between ''VideoGame/{{Metroid 1}}'' and this game), the game was developed and published by Nintendo in North America in November 1991, in Japan in January 1992, and in Europe in May 1992. In 2017 it would receive a TwoAndAHalfD [[VideoGameRemake remake]] for the UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS, titled ''VideoGame/MetroidSamusReturns''.

* EverythingsBetterWithSpinning: The Space Jump causes Samus's spin jump to spin extremely fast. With the Screw Attack, everything is ''even better'' with spinning.

** The Metroids already cribbed a page from [[Film/{{Alien}} Facehuggers]](although in this game they hug Samus's belly) and this game makes the similarities even more blatant by having the Metroid phases of evolution crib a page from the Xenomorphs. They even have a Queen Metroid that lays eggs!

* FirebreathingWeapon: Automs have flame throwers of the [[VideogameFlameThrowersSuck sucky video game variety]]. They can't do much damage to Samus, especially not with the Varia suit, but are still best avoided.

* GottaKillEmAll: An ever-present counter shows how many Metroids are left to kill. This becomes more disconcerting as the Metroids start to mutate, resulting in a mini-boss encounter with each one. At one point, the counter [[OhCrap jumps from one to nine]] (The fourty-seventh and final Metroid is, of course, the dreaded Queen). [[spoiler:Ironically, the game concludes with Samus adopting a Metroid hatchling; rather than snuff out the hated race once and for all ("[[Recap/DoctorWhoS12E4GenesisOfTheDaleks Have I the right?"]]), Samus takes it under her wing and begins a peaceful climb back to the surface.]]

* KungFuProofMook Halzyn, moto and ramulken shells are impervious to anything Samus can shoot at them, except for the wave beam.