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This hack is everything a Super Metroid hack should be. The atmosphere is one of eerie isolation, and the scenery is best described as disturbingly beautiful. The puzzles to get upgrades and expansions are clever, with only a few frustratingly obtuse solutions. Glitch skills needed for this hack are minimal; I got through with just one-wall jumping and a few quick charges, and you definitely don't need to know how to mockball, which is good, because I can't mockball to save my life. It is a very tough hack - I don't know if I'm dumb or it just really takes a long time to get any beam upgrades - but absolutely worth it for the haunting scenery and strange Easter Eggs. I liked the repalette version better than the original, but both are lovely.

Very few Super Metroid hacks are built and designed like Ice Metal 1: Uninstall. In fact, probably none are quite at this level of being open to the player. Right from the start, you are almost allowed to go where ever you want. Obviously, collecting the first few items is required, but the general open feel of the hack is refreshing.

Of course, this does lead the player to some strange circumstances. You can find some bosses really early, do a lot of underwater exploring without the Gravity Suit, and generally be lost. However, the strength of exploration makes up for a lot of what is missing. The game lacks challenge though, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It can be a pick-up-and-play experience without providing a frustrating experience. Just looking around through the world and collecting items while figuring out where to go makes for a fun Metroid game.

Ice Metal has a very strong identity with open-ended exploration. I would consider it a little too easy for my taste though. While it is a thoroughly enjoyable experience, if you spend any time searching and collecting items, the bosses are pretty much pushovers. I am sure that you can come across one or two much earlier than you would expect though, which may make them more difficult than I experienced.

In the end, I did enjoy this hack a lot. There is a lot about it to like. The custom graphics are nice, the focus on exploring is definitely a nice feature, and playing it is fun. Ice Metal is worth the few hours you will spend exploring the game.

This hack is the first one I've seen that truly brings back the feel of the original game, without requiring you to either be a Super Metroid god, or abuse savestates to get through it. It's a complete overhaul, the graphics are outstanding, and best of all, it's FUN to play. Playing this hack for the first time provides an experience equal to or better than playing the original Super Metroid, and that is truly saying something amazing about this game from someone who considers Super Metroid to be their all-time favorite platform game. If you like Metroid games, I guarantee you will love this hack. 'nuff said.

This is one of those rare Super Metroid hacks that focuses more on exploration, rather then insane tricks and room design. You also don't have to be an advanced Super Metroid player to get through the game or have a great time playing it. The elements of challenge and exploration are in perfect balance. The graphics are simply beautiful, and the amount of detail put into the story of Ice Metal is enough to make any die hard fan of the original game happy. If your looking for a Super Metroid hack that has great replay value, provides a decent challenge, while maintaining the fun and experience of the commercially released titles, then this hack is for you. Overall, Ice Metal was worth the wait in every way that counts.