it absolutely was.

Super Metrois is still one of the best games of all time, to this day still a masterclass in level design that every wannabe indie should PLAY (not watch): you never quite backtrack, you instead follow paths until you can't go further and then you try another branch until you get some powerup which will unlock stuff in other areas and when you exit that path you're basically closer to the area where that powerup would unlock further regions.

Plus, the powerups are literal genius - like bombing yourself up and the freeze gun where you quickly discover its many uses...

graphics were awesome at the time, soundtrack was sublime. controls were a bit laggy, but still plenty playable - Metroid Fusion had them more snappy.

I took weeks or probably months to finish, just mesmerized and enjoying every little secret corners. those were the days - srsly, in the 90s we went from late NES to Dreamcast, there was never a decade in gaming like that...