Game tutorials are extremely peculiar things. They are vital because players must learn how to play in a way other than by reading their dust-covered manuals.

For instance, does the unrelated signpost in the village instruct your character to press and hold “A” to launch a charged sword attack? Is it merely the NPC’s suggestion to arrange the stuff on the inventory screen for easy navigation? Why are these characters/signs talking about a Super Metroid wall jump, and how do they know them?

The game Super Metroid is a prime example of when tutorials are implemented brilliantly.

Via: Reddit u/goopydroopygumdrop

A Challenge to Overcome

You can be bounty hunter Samus Aran in the game as she visits Planet Zebes, the location of the first Metroid, to find a baby Metroid that was taken from the Ceres Space Colony. Consider this: Super Metroid has appeared on The Memory Card three times (yup, you read it right: three times)!

One of a fading breed of games, Super Metroid doesn’t provide any tutorial after you press the start button. Samus is thrust into the action as soon as the game starts. One of the cleverest, most exquisitely understated lessons in video games doesn’t emerge until far later in the game.

The character picks up a ton of fantastic stuff and picks up a ton of new skills as her adventure takes her all across Zebes in various locations. Most frequently, each of these things and methods takes the shape of a collection. Samus receives new power as soon as she picks up this collectible, an improved weapon or a more robust suit.

The lady’s quest in the game leads her to a room with a substantial vertical corridor at one point. There isn’t a conventional way for Samus to climb the tall tower because there aren’t any platforms protruding from the smooth exterior. Despite her enhancements, she will be helpless since the passageway is too lofty.

For the experienced Samus, this seemingly impossible difficulty presents a real challenge, and it also happens to be the location of the following Memory Card: learning the super Metroid wall jump!

Overcoming It

Vainly searching for some hidden switch or lever, or a sign that there might be a lift, any first-time player unfamiliar with this challenge is very likely to just give up.

Don’t!

Note the tiny creatures, known as Etecoons, running past you and bounding along in consecutive hops. This is not just a cutesy environmental design – it’s a clue, to you!

Have Samus emulate the actions of the local Etecoons by first jumping up the wall. Upon hitting it, immediately jump again to the opposite wall!

Challenge Completed

Merely describing it in words may not seem like such a mind-blower, but when you actually try it yourself, you’ll find it most remarkable – and most relieving indeed – as you finally overcome this hurdle!

If one were to accidentally execute this movement, one might not realize it’s an actual technique to use in the game. Probably the fact that it’s difficult to pull off also makes this move difficult to discover.

Fortunately, you now know about this! All you need next to master this intricate move is to practice, practice, practice!