Whenever I go down the rabbit hole of Metroid fanboy self pity, I inevitably lament the lost genius of Metroid II, a game that should have never worked on the Game Boy and ended up working so well that it deserved a more powerful home. I wasn't the only one who realized that the vision for Metroid II was much larger than the technology that limited it. AM2R is the definitive remake of Metroid II and surprisingly it came from the hearts, minds and skills of fans themselves rather than Nintendo. Legality issues, aside it was one of my favorite games of 2016.

AM2R combines the best gameplay and art of recent 2D Metroid games with the epic mutant Metroid hunt that defines Metroid 2. It looks and sounds as beautiful as an official Nintendo product. New boss fights elevate the experience even further and place it in the conversation of best Metroid game ever. I couldn't be happier and hope it serves as a wake up call to Nintendo for this franchise. Thanks for bringing one of my dreams to reality, DoctorM64 and AM2R.

Games of 2016

Throughout January, the Games of 2016 will lead the way towards The 2016 Grimmys - Horrible Night's Games of the Year Awards.