I wouldn't call metroid II 'stellar', but it is a much better game than people usually give it credit for. I'd love to see it remade someday, could be better than zero mission
I would also rank fusion above zero mission, same reason for fusion, survival horror elements are great, SA-X made me **** my pants worse than silent hill ever did.. I don't even think zero mission succeeds at "being super metroid" in the slightest, the physics are too tight and rigid in addition to what you said