Super Metroid Stardust is one of those SNES games that just feels right—like slipping into a favorite pair of boots. You start off as Samus, landing on this eerie alien planet where the music alone makes you tense up. The first time I played, I remember creeping through those dimly lit corridors, not sure if the next room held a power-up or something that wanted to eat my face.

It nails that classic Metroid vibe: you’re alone, underpowered at first, and every new ability (hello, morph ball) opens up paths you swore were just dead ends. The pixel art still holds up, too—weird alien flora, crumbling ruins, and those creepy little critters skittering away when you blast the walls. And that soundtrack? Absolute chills when the bass kicks in during a boss fight.

If you’ve played other Metroid games, you’ll recognize the rhythm—explore, get lost, find upgrades, backtrack like a pro. But there’s something about the way this one layers its atmosphere that sticks with you. I still think about that first time I stumbled into the abandoned lab section, half-expecting something to jump out. Classic SNES magic.