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Basics
Gamers have been controlling Samus Aran through their digital pads on three previous Nintendo systems, and now, in keeping with these roots, we'll be doing it once again through the digital pad of the Game Boy Advance. But with each new edition also comes the need to evolve and expand on these previous control schemes, and Metroid Fusion does exactly that. It balances the best of both the old-school Metroid gameplay with a few new innovative touches that truly bring Samus to life in a way that feels even better than before. Below, you'll find a list of Samus' weapons and abilities featured in Metroid Fusion. Many will be familiar to fans of the series, but still require practice and mastery. Other features are brand new to the franchise with this pocket version, so study-up to learn Samus' sweet new moves and arsenal. Weapons and Abilities
 Normal Weapons:
Special Weapons:
Normal Abilities:
Special Abilities:
Now that you're familiar with Samus' new weapons and moves, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for these killer upgrades throughout your adventure, and put them to best use at all times if you hope to survive. But that just covers the basics of Samus. For those looking to take their gameplay to the next level, try on the following "Advanced Tips" for size and see if you can't learn a thing or two before you take a crack at the nasty, X-infested space station of Nintendo's Metroid Fusion. Advanced Tips So you've mastered the basics of Metroid Fusion and now require a few additional tips to polish off your parasitical hunting skills? No problem. Check out the list of pro tips, pointers, and doses of Metroid Fusion common sense that perhaps you hadn't already considered in your quest for extermination. These are the rules that all true Samus gamer must live by, lest you die without them. Read on.
There you have it. If you can manage to juggle all of these Metroid Fusion tips as you blast through the game, then you're on your way to the Samus Aran record books. Keep these tips in mind, keep practicing, and good luck! A) Main Deck
Samus' adventure unfolds as your new ship docks with the Biological Space Labs station. Your mission: to investigate the distress call, which reports of an explosion in the Quarantine Bay. If this is your first time at the controls of Samus, hit the Start button now and take a moment to familiarize yourself with the handy map interface. You can scroll the map using the control pad, and press the A button to get a quick synopsis of your current mission objective. Remember to check your map and objective frequently while playing to help keep yourself oriented within the labyrinth of the space station. Your computer has just highlighted the location of your first objective on the map, so move out. The path should be quick and painless, as you won't find any enemies at this early point. Since you have a moment to breathe, you might consider taking this time to practice Samus basic moves, such as wall jumping and hanging from ledges.
Keep moving up, to the left, and then back down toward the Quarantine Bay. Inside, you'll find your first baddie to blast: a Hornoad. Squelch his life signs with no remorse. Once you do, you'll also encounter your first X organism -- grab it to replenish any energy you might have lost in the fight. Hit the Start button and check your objectives for an update: "Hostile creature sighted. Report to Navigation Room." Head back and check in with your computer.
As your computer so tactfully mentioned, Samus is currently only at 10% fighting strength. Regardless, your instructions are now to exterminate a newly detected batch of parasites on the far east of the map. Think you can handle it? Exit the Navigation Room to the right, and then head up, to the right, and into your first Save Station. Save Stations are your lifeblood. It deserves mentioning again that you should always go out of your way to save your progress whenever possible. You'll be glad you did. Step onto the platform and hit the A button to make the save. Exit to the right and keep moving up, to the right, and into the next Navigation Room. (Feel free to blast any Zombie Researchers threatening your path.) Your computer has some new intel you'll be glad to hear.
Much to your delight, Headquarters is ready to send you a weapons upgrade before you must eliminate the alien life signs. Throughout the adventure, Samus will receive such weapon upgrades by downloading them in a specified Data Room. Your computer has now marked the Data Room of choice on your map, and it is located in the upper area of the Main Deck, known as the Operations Deck. Make your way up one story and to the right, and you'll discover the elevator shaft that will lift you to this new area. During the quick elevator ride, Samus will deliver the first of a couple in-game monologues, this time regarding her computer and a former Commanding Officer (CO). Although not critical to your mission, tuck these juicy digressions into the back of your brain for future savoring. Once you've reached the upper level, head out the hatch to the left and into the larger room. From here, Samus will encounter two new types of rooms in addition to the previously discovered Save Stations and Navigation Rooms. Run straight across the large, open area and into the ground-floor hatch on the left, and you'll find the Recharge Station (marked with an "R" on the map). Here, as the name suggests, Samus will quickly fill all health and weapons ammo to maximum capacity. Keep a sharp eye out for these lifesavers throughout your quest.
Here you'll find the Data Room, used for downloading Samus' many weapon and suit upgrades. Step onto the platform to download the missile data. Samus may now fire missiles by holding the R button and firing with the B button. Missiles fire more slowly than your standard beam, but are much more powerful, as well. Pay attention to the number of remaining missiles at the top of the screen, as you'll only start with 10 until you collect additional Missile Tanks in the future. Now, head back into the Navigation Room.
Just what you were hoping for: a power failure. It appears that unseen forces are already working against your efforts to eliminate the X, as you must now search for a new path to the enemy location instead of simply taking the elevator back down. Not a problem. Head right and back into the large room. Jump to the right from the second story hatch, and continue right across the two elevated platforms. Here, you'll find an inconspicuously glowing red wall. Shoot it with a missile to clear a path. But before you press on, remember the recent words of wisdom from your computer: "I'm reading huge bio-signs, so I hope your Missiles work..." With that in mind, you might consider topping off your weapons supply at the Recharge Station before you continue. And while you're there -- save.
Head back to the newly created hole in the wall, and jump right in. Moving to the right, you'll find a large, inanimate, brain-like creature
blocking your path. Take it out with three missiles, and continue to the right. Here, you'll find your first batch of Pit Blocks that will crumble
beneath your feet and drop you to the level below. If you press the Start button and take a look at your map, you'll notice that your current location is within a orange region of the map, indicating that you have found a previously uncharted, secret area. Pay attention to your map throughout the game, and be sure to fully explore all secret areas you find in the future, as they contain many important items and passageways. Near the bottom of this hidden route, you'll find your first instance of a ladder. In Metroid Fusion, Samus can grab onto ladders by jumping at them and holding towards the ladder. Ladders are often found both vertically (as in this case) and horizontally along the roof, so keep pressing toward them in either case to latch on. From the ladder, Samus can aim in five different directions, fire, climb, and jump off with the A button. Climb this ladder to the top and keep holding up on the control pad to pull yourself neatly onto the platform above. Now jump off the edge to the right, and continue moving downward toward the target objective.
After falling a short ways down, you'll land on a platform with a Missile Tank. Grab it to increase your stash of missiles by five. While you're
here, hit the Start button to check out your map; a small, white dot labels your current location, representing the secret item you've just found.
Case in point: jump to the level below and head to the room on your left. Checking your map, you'll notice the white circle labeling this otherwise vacant room. That's right -- time to search for a secret item. Blast the top corner of the stair-stepped blocks on your left to snag another Missile Tank. Try not to waste this newfound stash of missiles between here and your mission objective -- you're going to need them later. Head back along the bottom and to the right, and you'll reemerge in the station's well-lit Main Deck area. Check your map here, and you'll find a Save Station directly above you. Climb up there, and use it. Now, head back down to the bottom floor and deal with the few X-infested zombies lurking about. As you defeat them, pay attention to the colors of the X parasites that float away. Yellow ones will fill your energy, and orange will give you weapons ammo (such as missiles and bombs). Red parasites are the cream of the crop, giving you both energy and ammo -- and lots of it. Make an extra effort to snag the red ones whenever you see them.
These zombies will continually revive themselves, as nearby X parasites fly to their slain corpses, so don't spend too much time trying to eradicate
them. Instead, keep moving to the right, where you must face a large eyeball creature that is guarding the hatch. You can only defeat this blinking
monstrosity when its beady, black pupils are showing. Once the eye is gone, head through the hatch to the right and into the large room where your map indicates the target is located. Here, you'll be faced with a series of ledges, and there is a key concept to master with these if you hope to survive what is to come. Jump up and grab the first of these ledges by holding toward it on the control pad. As you hang from it, press away from the wall on the control pad, and Samus will crouch against the wall in a preparation to jump. Continue holding away from the wall, and press the A button to leap to the next ledge. Continue this pattern until you've reached the third ledge, where you must press up on the control pad to climb on top of the column itself. Remember this technique. Move on to the right, using this hanging jump method to reach another platform that holds your first Energy Tank -- another much needed gift. Grab it to add a bar of energy (i.e. 100 energy points) to your reserves. Be glad for this, as you run to the right and fall to the room below.
The enemy threat is discovered: Arachnus, a native beast of SR388 that has been possessed by the X. Arachnus attacks with fire, a slashing beam of
energy, and an earth-shaking ball attack. Defeating it isn't as tough as it looks, so long as you remember your jump moves from before. Hang from
either edge and wait for Arachnus to move below Samus. Jump to the other side of the room before it can slam into the wall with its ball-rolling
move (which will knock Samus down), and fire a missile directly into its belly when it turns around to face you. Once Arachnus is defeated, you must eliminate the remaining Core-X with three well-placed missiles to earn your prize. If your missile reserves are empty, then hit the Core-X with your blasters to release a few X parasites (look for the orange ones) and fill up. As the Core-X swoops by, fire off a quick missile, and then quickly jump to avoid taking damage. Once its shell is down, jump to grab the Core-X and receive the Morph Ball ability. As in the previous Metroid titles before, you can now hit the down arrow on the control pad twice to roll Samus into ball form. Doing so allows her to slip into cracks and reach even more secret areas and learn other new abilities ball-related abilities. Now that you've dealt with the enemy threat, it's time to check in with the computer via the closest Navigation Room. Put that ball to use, and roll to the left and out of the room. Continue to jump, roll, and climb your way to the left. Eventually, you'll come to what appears to be a narrow passage that's blocked off. Climb the ladder opposite the ledge, aim to the left, and blast the two fake blocks to clear the path. Continue moving to the left, and you'll emerge back in the Main Deck. On the way back to the Navigation Room above you, be sure to stop by the Save Station along the way. If you're low on energy, you can also blast the orange, brain-like creature on the platform just before the Navigation Room to reveal a Recharge Station. Should you decide to recharge, then you might as well follow it up with another good save before pressing upward to the Navigation Room.
"Samus, it's as I feared." Your computer has some bad news. The X have invaded the station's breeding grounds, and this news is only going to make a bad situation worse for Samus. You've got no time to loose -- head to Sector 1 (SRX) and deal with the outbreak as only Samus can: with lethal force. Your destination is the station's Main Elevator, which leads to the hub of elevators that tie the various sectors of the space station together. Deep within these diverse catacombs is where your true adventure awaits.
Exit the Navigation Room to the left, making your way back down to the Save Station below you. As you pass through to the left, go ahead and pop a
quick save. Head down and to the left again to cross the second Navigation Room. No need to stop and chat with your computer here, but feel free to
do so should you need a refresher on the drama. Exiting the Navigation Room to the left, you'll need to head upward to progress -- but wait.
There's another hatch here, just across from the Navigation Room. If you decide to check out this Sub-Zero Containment room, then be warned: you
won't survive for long due to your suit's inability to fight the harsh arctic chill. Once you're back on the move, head up the shaft and look for a small, ball-sized opening immediately on your right. Roll along inside to grab another Missile Tank, and then head back outside to press on toward the elevators. Keep moving up and to the left, rolling and blasting hatches as needed, until you come to the Main Elevator. Stand on the lift and press down on the control pad to descend to the Sector 1 elevator shaft. As Samus heads down, you'll witness a rather disturbing cutscene that should evoke a small amount of confusion and fear -- as well it should. Continue down the elevator anyway, and then run to the left and hop onto the Sector 1 elevator: going down. When it arrives, head into the Navigation Room on the right to see what your computer has to say about the unsettling event above. B) Sector 1 (SRX)
Unfortunately, your computer is as clueless as you are about who or what damaged the space station's Main Elevator, so you'll have to put those worries behind you for the time being and focus on the mission at hand. As you'll recall, this breeding section of the station has recently been overrun by X parasites, so it's your job to exterminate the threat and return conditions to normal. According to your computer, the best way to go about this is to find and clear all five atmospheric stabilizers in the section. Let's rock n' roll. Head to the right, hitting both the Save and Recharge Stations along the way. The next big room you enter will have both a blue and orange door inside. If you press the start button, you'll notice the upper-right corner of your map indicates that L1 through L4 hatches are currently locked, so you won't be able to hit those areas until later. No problem, just keep moving where you can: to the right.
Blast your way through the next room to the right, and at the end, you'll be rewarded with a nice Energy Tank for your efforts. Simply roll up and scoot under the walkway, and she's all yours. Breeze through the next room to the right, and stick to the high road to enter atmospheric station number two. Once inside, you'll need to blast your way through a few Fake Blocks as you wind your way left, right, and up to the top (mind the Pit Blocks). If you're low on health, don't be shy about collecting a few dozen floating X parasites before you decide to finish off the atmospheric stabilizer. Once you're ready, cap it off with three missiles and head back outside the room.
Head down the silver shaft, avoiding the powerful, purple Zebesian Space Pirates along the way, and drop straight to the bottom. Skip through the small room to the right and you've found the third atmospheric stabilizer. This one will require you to climb across a horizontal ladder, and then up a vertical one to position yourself into firing range. Climb up the wall on the right, aim left, and cut loose with three missiles. Only two more stabilizers left.
Now it's time to round up the fifth and last atmospheric stabilizer. Exit the room to the right, and jump your way up the tall shaft of pirate-
filled platforms. For the most part, you can ignore the majority of these purple beasts and simply crisscross your way up as you jump from ladder to
platform to ladder again. But should one of the pesky guys get in your way, send a missile his way and collect his X. In the next room, fall through the series of Pit Blocks to the ground below, and fight your way to the Save Station to your left. It's been a while since your last save, so don't get lazy and skip this one. If you're in need of energy or ammo, the room just outside the Save Station is nearly as good as the local Recharge Station -- it's packed with regenerating critters and flowing with the yellow and orange X parasites. Just pump away with the your beam weapon until you've topped-off your levels, and save it. Now you're ready to head back out to the right, and climb up the ladder to visit the big, ugly eye that's guarding the upper hatch. You know the drill: three missiles to the foul thing when its pupils light up will get you by.
Exit this room via the upper-right hatch, and blast the ceiling in the next room to clear enough Fake Blocks for passage into the fifth and final
atmospheric stabilizer. Again, make your way around the room in a clockwise fashion, until you're standing to the left of the groaning fan blades.
Exit the fifth chamber via the lower-right hatch, pop a blast in the lamp to raise the shutter blocking your path, and climb up and to the right to save your progress. The rest of your exit path is all familiar territory -- just keep pressing all the way up, and then all the way to the left until you hit the Navigation Room. Check your map along the way to make sure you don't get sidetracked. While en route, try out your new beam charge, and notice how much more powerful it truly is. Some of the creatures you dealt with on the way into the sector that were previously shielded to your standard beam will now evaporate with a single blast. Quite nice! Once you've run through the few remaining rooms, be sure to fuel up and save, then step left into the Navigation Room to get some feedback from your computer.
As you might expect, defeating the X isn't going to be as simple as shutting down a few atmospheric processors. While Samus did well to halt its spread in the Sector 1 breeding grounds, your computer has just dropped the word of an X outbreak in Sector 2. You heard the machine -- get up that elevator, take a quick jog to the right, and head back down into a whole new world: the tropical Sector 2. Report to the Navigation Room on your right as soon as you arrive, and prepare for your new mission briefing. C) Sector 2 (TRO)
It's been a while since your last heart-to-heart with the computer, and apparently the trusty machine has been doing its homework while you were off exterminating the X in Sector 1. The latest Navigation Room report is full of important tidbits, such as the identity of the elevator saboteur: the aptly named SA-X, an X clone of Samus herself at full power. The SA-X has helped spread the parasites throughout the station, and Sector 2 is next on the list of places for you to inspect. But be careful -- you're no match for the SA-X at this point in the game, and it won't take much for it to flatten your life-signs with its lethal ice beam. Instead of fighting the SA-X, your computer advises an alternate solution: find the bomb upgrade by first unlocking the Level 1 security hatches. The Security Room isn't labeled on your map, so we'll have to find this one the good old-fashioned way.
As you exit the Data Room, the ground will shake with an explosive force, and you'll hear haunting footsteps echo in the distance. Keep such foreshadowing in mind as you press forward. Run to the right, and, instead of falling down, jump across the gap to the tiny ledge on the far right wall. Roll up and drop a bomb, and there you'll reveal your first of many such secrets: a hidden Missile Tank. As you drop to the level below, you'll notice that your entrance to this room has since been blocked by rubble, most likely due to the earlier explosion. It seems that you'll need to find a new path to the Navigation Room from this point. No problem -- just create your own exit. Run down the hallway to the left and bomb the floor at the left edge of the room. Doing so will knock out a Fake Block and drop Samus to a secret room below. Roll along and wipe out the baddies in this hallway, and then hit the room to your right for a refreshing save point. When you're ready to move on, exit via the hatch to your left.
Head out into the empty shaft, fall to the lower level, and then proceed into the tropical region within the hatch to your right. Bomb any suspicious looking floor parts to destroy the obvious Fake Blocks and progress downward. You'll find your exit at the bottom-right corner of the room, but don't rush off just yet. First you'll want to bomb the floor just below this exit to reveal a hidden tunnel leading to another Missile Tank. Snag it, and now you're ready to exit via the bottom-right hatch.
The first and most important of these hatches is the one directly to your right on the ground floor. Take this hatch as far as it goes to the right,
and in the next room you'll find a much-needed Save Station. Use it. Now that you can breath easier for a bit, head back to the shaft, and climb
upwards. The hatch immediately above and on the right is a dead-end at this point, as is the next one up and on the left, so feel free to skip these
if you're in a hurry. Otherwise, go ahead and explore them both as far as you can, if for no other reason than to know what to expect in the
future. The important hatch to know is the third one up on the right, as shown here in this screenshot. The next room is a simple one with a few slow moving creatures to slay. Breeze past it and continue moving to the right. Here you'll find another Energy Tank waiting for you -- grab it and chalk up another 100 energy points in the process. Next, bomb the floor to drop into the room below, where you must defeat another eyeball hatch guardian. Kill it quickly with your three missiles, and exit the room via the hatch to the right.
Yet, the goal remains the same: get to the Navigation Room. But one quick glance at the map tells you that this task is still easier said than
done. First, climb back out of this large boss room, and make your way back up and to the Save Station on the left. It goes without saying that you
should consider saving. Once you've saved, keep heading as far left as you can go, all the way to the crumbled hatch that once served as an entrance
to this region. Instead, bomb the floor next to this hatch to reveal the new passage of choice. These Fake Blocks will give way to a series of Pit
Blocks, which will then drop you straight into the middle of a heart attack: the SA-X is patrolling the hallway directly below you. Don't make a
peep, and, unless you have a death wish, certainly don't run to the end of the hallway on the right and drop down to challenge the SA-X.
Once back in the central shaft, you'll notice a large number of new carcasses littered throughout, clinging to the walls and platforms as if their
lives were instantly and unexpectedly snubbed by a powerful force. Fortunately, these dead creatures have become quite useful to Samus, as you can
now combine them with your newly learned Hi-Jump to elevate yourself to new heights within the tall tunnel. But before you venture upward, stop for
a moment and visit the second hatch from the bottom on the left -- the one directly across from the recently crumbled entrance.
Once you've earned these two extra Missile Tanks, it's time to finally jump your way out of this mess, using the alien carcasses as leverage. Climb
to the upper level of the tube, and bomb your way through any Fake Blocks that cross your path. You'll also need to take advantage of your new
Jumpball ability to successfully destroy the second of these Fake Blocks. Now run down the hallway to the right, and climb another set of
platforms. In this new vertical segment, you'll see two small, ball-sized gaps. The gap on the right contains a Fake Block that you can bomb to
collect another Missile Tank -- go and get it. When you're ready, proceed back into the primary Sector 2 zone From here, it's a quick run up and to the left to hit the Navigation Room. But on the way, why not stop by the room on the left just below the Recharge Station. You know, the one at the very beginning with the secret that you couldn't jump high enough to get? Well, now you can. Head into the room and jump over the tall, Jell-O monsters to add this elusive Missile Tank to your collection. Afterwards, return to the big room, and head to the upper left hatch to wrap this mission up with a good recharge and save before learning of the latest horrors caused by the SA-X and the parasites.
According to your computer, you've done a very bad thing. It seems to attribute your unlocking of the Level 1 security doors with the spread of the X parasites and SA-X itself into new regions of the space station. Reports are coming in from Sector 4, the aquamarine level, telling of unusual behavior, and perhaps unlocking the Level 1 areas of the station is what has further encouraged this spread of evil. No matter what the cause, it's up to Samus now to check it out. Head up the elevator, to the right, and then take the Sector 4 lift down to get the full briefing on site. D) Sector 4 (AQA)
What is Serris, you ask? Samus will soon find out for herself, as your computer has plotted the next navigational point in the upper levels of Sector 4. Your target: the breeding grounds of the vile creature known as Serris. Your computer reports that the majority of the damage in this region is the result of its destructive tendencies, and you can't afford to let it escape to other sections of the station. Head up there and wipe it out. As you travel, keep in mind the warning of broken power lines that may be exposed within the watery environments of this area. Should you ever hop into the pool and get a shock, then that's your clue to go diving someplace else. Exit the Navigation Room to the left, and grab a quick save and recharge on the way through. Your first entry to this world is a large room with two ground-floor hatches. For now, the path to the right is a dead-end, so skip right to the left exit. Pass through the smaller adjoining room, and into one of the largest rooms in the whole sector. As you enter, bomb the wall directly in front of you to reveal a few Boost Blocks as well as a Fake Block. Don't bother with the hidden path behind the Fake Block right now, as it will only dump you into a pool of electric-charged water. As the doctor says, high-voltage electrical currents and Samus don't mix.
The next room to your left is a vertical shaft that leads up to a Save Station. Upon entering this area, there's a hatch immediately to your left
for a room called the "Pump Control Unit." There's not much you can do there for now, so Samus needs to move up this vertical hallway instead.
Don't bomb the floor here, unless you actually wanted to jump into that electrically charged pool below your feet. Instead, blast the group of Fake
Blocks above and to the right to climb upward. You'll then need to The next room to the right will require a quick bomb to clear the tunnel that leads to the far right hatch. At this point, checking your map will reveal that you're about to enter the lair of the beast. Heading into the next room, you'll find the foul breeding tank of Serris but only a tease of the creature itself in the form of a skeletal corpse. The tension builds as you exit to the right, climb up the ladder, and exterminate the red eye beast guarding another hatch on the right. Now you're ready to fight Serris.
And with that, your computer requests your presence back at the Navigation Room for an update. Exit the late Serris' lair to the right, and speed your way to the far right end of the next room. Here you'll bomb the ground at what looks to be a pair of Fake Blocks, but instead, you'll destroy a set of Fake Blocks on your left. Wipe out the spiked enemies down this corridor, move to the far left side, and get a running start back to the right as you speed boost over these Boost Blocks and descend to the level below. You're now on your way back to the beginning of the sector, with a quick detour first.
There are two Missile Tanks to collect in this next room. First, stand in the gap below and to your left to bomb a path leading left. Roll your way
left, where you'll need to bomb again to clear out a second chain of Fake Blocks. Doing so will allow you to squeeze into a small nook, where you
can bomb again to reveal the first of the Missile Tanks. Next, jump onto the ladder on your right, and fire two missiles directly to the left to
create another small tunnel. Finding your way back to the Navigation Room seems simple at this point, but it's actually going to take some effort on your part. Start by running to the left and dropping back into the familiar room with the hanging platforms. The Navigation Room is just a few rooms to the right of here, but you can't blast your way there just yet. First, you'll need to make your way left again, following the same path you took the last time, until you reach the Pump Control Unit. Once inside, run straight to the left until you speed past a wall of Boost Blocks and find yourself in the control room -- just be careful not to send yourself flying over the edge and into the electrified water below. Stand on the pad to activate the controls and drain the water inside the sector. As a result, many new areas will be opened, and checking your objectives will give you a new mission objective to pursue.
Orders are orders, so it's time to search the new water-free parts of this sector. Judging from your map, there's a good two-thirds of it left to see, so you'd better hustle. Begin by jumping down into the lower section of the Pump Control Unit, grabbing the gratuitous Missile Tank, and exiting to the right. At this point, you should seriously consider taking a slight detour to the Save Station above before continuing with your exploration. Once you're ready, continue back into next large room to the right, and notice that there's no longer a threat of electrified water to contend with. Instead, you'll now need to keep an eye out for exposed power cables as you drop to the lower section of the room. Clear out the enemies in this area, then get a running start from the left and plow through the stack of Boost Blocks in the bottom right corner.
Headquarters has come through once again with another weapons upgrade for Samus: the awesome Super Missile. But, unfortunately, you can't reach any Data Rooms in Sector 3. So, your computer has given you new orders to proceed to a new region of the space station: Sector 3 (PYR). For those familiar with their Greek root words, you can already guess which elemental force will be the signature threat of the area. Head back up to the Main Elevator area, down the left hallway, and take the plunge to Sector 3; your computer will give you further instructions once you get there. E) Sector 3 (PYR)
Before Samus can download the new Super Missile data in Sector 3, she must first active Level 2 hatches via the Security Room ahead. As was the case with the Level 1 Security Room, you won't find it marked upon your map due to security reasons -- naturally. Thus, it's time to go exploring. As you do, bear in mind the final words of your computer, instructing Samus to steer clear of any ultra-hot zones. Your Fusion Suit alone can't withstand such elemental torture, so should you ever notice a rapid decline in energy reserves, then take the hint and leave the room immediately.
Once you exit the Security Room, this sector will come alive with batches of new enemies. A well-charged beam will serve you well here, as you must first clear out the airborne creatures before performing a jumping Speed Boost to break through to the right. Keep fighting your way to the right along the bottom of the next room, and then continue upwards in the room that follows. Attack the first wall monster above and destroy it. On that same platform, run to the right, and a vertical chain of Pit Blocks will give way and allow Samus to slip behind the security shutter.
The next room to the right is another long straightaway with a few enemies, but should be fairly simple. Open the shutter outside and get a long
head start as you speed to the right and carve out Boost Blocks along the floor. Walking along the center of
This next room is a bit deceiving. Bombing the left wall will reveal two different gaps that Samus can squeeze through in her ball form. The
default ground-level path, however, is a trap that will drop you back to an earlier part of the level -- do not take it. Instead, ball jump to the
middle gap and ride it to the left, snagging the Missile Tank along the way. After cruising down the long, heat-distorted hallway, you'll run directly into the Data Room with zero opposition. Savor the moment as Samus downloads the Super Missile technology. Firing the missile hasn't changed, except that you'll now deal a substantially greater payload with each shot. Once you've completed the upgrade, you may notice a slight tremor and monstrous roar. It's probably nothing to worry about -- you might as well head outside and check it out.
Despite the earth-shattering quakes, nothing appears out of place as you head back down the hallway to the left. That is, until you enter the second room and notice the gaping hole in the ground that wasn't there just a few short minutes prior. It also appears that the entrance to this hallway has been blocked with rubble, so you've no choice but to head down through this new crater and check it out. Fortunately, you're in luck -- there happens to be a Save Station just below and to the right, followed by a Recharge Station and, just beyond that, a Missile Tank. Destroy the purple brain-like creature blocking your path with a few of your new Super Missiles, and grab the upgrade before heading back upstairs. According to your fresh mission objectives, your computer wants you to investigate this "unknown event." Seeing as you have no other options, you'd be wise to comply.
Leave the Save Station and head back upstairs toward the Data Room. Once you enter, you'll notice that the ground is violently quaking once again -- a subtle hint that a battle is brewing. Sure enough, an angry Security Robot is storming straight for you, so quickly jump and grab ahold of the ceiling as soon as you see it. It's extremely easy to let this hulking machine get the best of you and deplete your energy, so be on the defensive from the beginning and you'll eventually wear it down. Wait for the robot to walk underneath Samus and tap it's inner legs on the ground, signaling the launch of a fire mortar. When it does, be ready to send a few missiles its way, aiming directly at the top of its brown-colored midsection. But you'll only have a split second to fire, since you need to position Samus directly above the exploding ball of fire to avoid being hit. Again, stay on the defensive, and make your first priority avoiding the fire. Eventually you'll be able to connect enough missiles to send this metal monster to the scrap heap.
Unfortunately, the critically wounded Security Robot made a bold escape just before Samus could finish it off, so perhaps she'll have the chance to do the deed some other time. But for now, it's time to do as the computer says and report back to the Navigation Room for a debriefing. Before you head on your way, you might give serious thought to backtracking to the Save and Recharge Stations below -- you probably don't want to fight the Security Robot again anytime soon.
Climb your way out of this dusty arena via the chunks of ceiling that the robot knocked down during its escape. Travel to the left down the hallway,
and feel free to perform a boost jump (see the Advanced Tips section of this
guide for details on pulling this off) to open up an upper room and snag an extra
Now that you've unleashed the Level 2 security locks, your computer informs you that Samus now has access to the remaining sectors of the space station: Sectors 5 and 6. But her Fusion Suit is still susceptible to extreme temperatures, and because Sector 5 is home to harsh winter conditions, the new plan is to infiltrate the Sector 6 Data Room and download some form of technology upgrade from headquarters that will allow Samus to survive such conditions and eventually explore these other sectors. You know the drill -- get up that elevator and head to the Sector 6 Navigation Room on the double. F) Sector 6 (NOC)
In this lightless region of the B.S.L station, Samus must wander into its depths to recover her classic suit upgrade: the Varia Suit. With it, she'll be able to survive extremely cold and hot conditions (but not lava), so it's a key to unlocking many parts of other sectors within the station. Your computer has marked the upgrade on your map at the targeted Data Room, and has advised you to keep a sharp eye out for any large, blue X that appear, as they'll drain your energy with their icy composition should you absorb them. Remember to stun them with your beam and just run on by. Now, let's move out.
Samus will need to head down this shaft to the bottom to move on, and we recommend bypassing the first two hatches on your right and left along the way. Each is packed with mobs of blue X parasites -- far too many for Samus to handle on her own. Entering these rooms could mean certain death at this point, so you may consider skipping them. The first hatch on the right leads to a Missile Tank (defeat the fake tank, and bomb to the right for the real one), so the risk may be worth the reward for some -- if you can survive. The second hatch on the left is a dead-end until you upgrade to your Power Bomb weapon, so there's no reason whatsoever to explore it. Just move to the bottom of this shaft and head through the hatch to your right.
The next room will have a floor of solid Power Bomb Blocks, and a wall blocking your path to the right with more of these impenetrable blocks. Your
only option is to bomb a small hole in the floor in front of this wall, drop down to the small crawlspace below, and roll back to the left, towards
the door. When you do, the frightful SA-X will once again make a dramatic entrance. Checking your map, you'll find a Save Station off to your left. Getting there through these next two rooms is a breeze, so head straight for it and save your progress. When you're done, head back into the room to your right and bomb the center of the floor to cut a hole leading downward. There are a lot of fake blocks below, but we recommend against shooting them all, as there are quite a few sneaky blue X parasites lurking within, just waiting to freeze Samus cold. Only shoot the key blocks you need to clear your path, and move on through the hatch to the right. Inside are a few more enemies to clean up and collect their nourishing X leftovers, along with a red eye hatch guardian. This time, your Super Missile will take it out with a single shot, thus granting you access to the Data Room to the right.
Before Samus has a chance to download her Varia Suit, an evil Core-X has leeched onto the machine and somehow extracted the information. Naturally, your computer wants you to pursue it, so head into the room to your right, and prepare to do battle with an oversized version of the Core-X. This one is tough to hit as it quickly swoops down toward Samus, so react quickly. Use charged beam shots to damage the Core-X, and eventually it will revert to its smaller form. You know how to finish these guys -- a handful of missiles will release the Varia Suit upgrade for Samus to absorb. She can now withstand harsh cold and heat, in addition to now being able to absorb the blue X like any other X parasite. Grab the upgrade and exit via the hatch to your right.
The next two areas are tall, vertical tunnels that lead Samus back toward the entrance of this Sector. There's a handy Save Station marked on your map just to the lower right of the second tunnel, so use it before you continue. You'll notice that the blue X will still attempt to attack Samus, but her Varia Suit upgrade will convert them into much-needed energy. It won't take long for them to figure out that Samus is now immune to their freezing attacks, so enjoy the gratuitous energy while you can. Climb up the second tunnel on the right, and head back through the left hatch once you've reached the top floor. Here, you'll spot another Missile Tank, but be careful not to fall through the Pit Block lying just before it. As you grab this tank, you'll fall through to the left-hand tunnel below. As you fall, hold to the left to grab onto the small crack in the wall, and pull Samus through to the empty room to the left. Shoot out the center of the ceiling here to reveal another Missile Tank. Snag it, and head back down to the second, right-hand shaft, then climb back up the ladder and exit via the hatch to your right.
Sector 5 is the only part of the B.S.L. station that Samus has yet to enter, and the time has finally come. Equipped with your Varia Suit, your computer informs you that the SA-X will no longer be able to stop you cold with it's Ice Beam. Unfortunately, your new Fusion Suit can no longer be equipped with a similar beam of its own, so headquarters is sending you data to allow for the next-best upgrade: Ice Missiles. Sounds good, yes? Then get up that elevator and head into the Sector 5 Navigation Room for further briefing. G) Sector 5 (ARC)
Samus is about to enter the winter wonderland section of this diverse space station, and what better place to obtain an Ice Missile upgrade than the arctic itself? But she won't be able to simply stroll into the Data Room here and be on her way. Instead, you'll need to find the Security Room in this sector and open the Level 3 security hatches first (the yellow ones) to gain access to the Data Room. As usual, this Security Room isn't marked on your map, so let's go find it.
Keep moving to the left, and you'll pass through a deserted area littered with strange, oozing, orange egg sacks of some sort. Just tiptoe past and keep running left. Pass through one more small room, and you've found the Security Room.
Samus can now open all yellow hatches just like any other, so there are quite a few new areas to explore in this sector. Start with the hatch directly in front of you to your left. Blast your way up this winding shaft, and be careful not to loose progress by falling through the Pit Blocks hidden along the walls. Shoot out the ceiling to open a path back into the primary Sector 5 area, and head into the hatch on your right for a ride on the Save Station. Exit to the right, raise the Shutter with a shot to the lamp, and you're on your way to the Data Room. The path should already be somewhat familiar as you reenter the large room again, except that you now have access to a few more hatches. Make your way to the second hatch from the top on the right, past the shutter, and through the yellow hatch to enter the Data Room and earn the Ice Missile upgrade.
You've done your work in this sector, so now it's time to pack it up and see what news your computer brings. But before you go, you might consider checking out the rest of the sector. There's a few goodies left to round up, such as an Energy Tank in the hidden shaft below. Exit the Data Room to the right, and blast the floor in the following room to fall a long ways down. If you decide to go for this tank, then you'll need to climb your way back up to the top of the ladder, freeze the floating enemy to your left with a missile, and then use the froze bug as a step to reach the hatch on the left. Inside, you'll find a fake Energy Tank -- kill it first, then bomb the left wall to grab the real deal.
H) Sector 3 (PYR)
The SA-X has made a surprising move, as it now attempts to scuttle the entire B.S.L. station by causing a meltdown in the fire-laden Sector 3 Boiler Room. Your computer has just informed Samus that you've only got six minutes to reach the Sector 3 Control Room and avert this catastrophe, so you'd better make haste to the Sector 3 elevator and head down to its Navigation Room, pronto. Otherwise, this will happen:
 And you don't want that to happen.
With that crisis diverted, you're clear to report back to the Navigation Room. You now have enough time to pace yourself and stay in control of your energy level, so don't get sloppy. Remember, you still haven't saved during this mission, so an unfortunate death at this point will force you to redo the entire race against the clock. Tread cautiously. Backtrack your way, to the tall vertical tunnel, and climb all the way to the top and past the hatch you originally entered through. Instead, use the hatch at the very top of the left ladder. Inside, you should recognize this room from a few missions earlier; it's the small ball maze just before you fought the Security Robot. Roll up and bomb the left wall, except this time you want to choose the bottom path so that you fall through the Pit Blocks and back into the main region of Sector 3. From here, you know where to go: left until you get to the large room, and the to the upper-left corner lies the Navigation Room. Just before you get there, take a quick detour in the middle hatch on the left wall; it's a room that was previously too hot to enter, but now with your Varia Suit, you're free to swing to the end and grab the Missile Tank that awaits. I) Main Deck
Ah, finally. Your computer has graciously restored the power to the Main Elevator, allowing Samus to return to the upper levels of the B.S.L station once again. And it's even for an optimistic reason this time. Life signs have been detected on the Habitation Deck, and with the hope of possible survivors, Samus is being sent to check it out. It's been a while since you've last visited this region, so you might be a bit rusty at navigating its corridors. No worries; we've got you covered.
It appears that these friendly and familiar creatures were the source of the detected bio-signs rather than human survivors. Now, it's time to see what your computer has to say about this finding. Head back downstairs via the elevator (save first!) and jump to the bottom of the first vertical shaft to access the Navigation Room on your left.
Your computer is able to confirm that these life signs were indeed emanating from the creatures you freed in the Habitation Deck. As a result, the grim reality is realized: no human survivors exist on the B.S.L. station. Your computer also says that the X are growing stronger and are now beginning to resist your current weapons. If that's the case, then Samus is truly going to have a rough time in her efforts to combat the remaining X in the ship. Fortunately, good ol' headquarters has come through once again with another downloadable upgrade for Samus' arsenal. This time, you're being sent back into the arctic regions of Sector 5 to retrieve it. Good luck. J) Sector 5 (ARC)
After making your way through the Main Deck and back down to the frozen Sector 5, your computer reminds you that Samus has previously visited this Data Room, so shake a leg. All Level 3 (yellow) hatches are now unlocked, so the only thing blocking your path will be the batches of new enemies that have since re-spawned. As you make your way down the first vertical shaft, you'll notice that the room on the bottom-left (previously sealed behind a yellow hatch) now reveals an extra Missile Tank. You can't grab it now, but be sure to remember it and return once Samus is more powerful. Make your way to the right and into the first large room in this sector. Now that Samus has her Ice Missile upgrade, she can freeze these first floating creatures here to explore the upper left hatch in this room, which holds another Missile Tank. Grab it, exit the large room via the lower- right hatch, skip down a level and to the right, raise the shutter, and enter the Data Room for the easy upgrade.
Fairly painless, wasn't it? Of course, you know better than to believe any mission is so easily finished. Since you can't bypass the shutter to your left, your only option is to head down and further into the arctic regions of Sector 5 as you attempt to reach the Navigation Room near the exit. Shoot out the floor in the next room, and drop to the very bottom of this vertical shaft. Head to the left for a Save Station, but as you continue to the left, a crumbled hatch will block your path. Turn around and explore the room just to the right of the Save Station. Here, you'll find a secret Power Bomb block in the middle of the floor; bomb it to move into an all-new area of this sector.
Your trusty computer doesn't offer much kudos for a job well done, and instead tells you that it has some important info waiting for you back at your ship. It's kind of an odd request, sure, but seeing as Samus has little choice in the matter, you'd best follow the orders and make your way back up to the Main Deck and to the docking bays where your ship is parked. But as you ride the elevator up, it unexpectedly halts due to what appears to be a power failure. Samus must now create her own path out of there, so begin by bombing a hole to the right. Make your way through the room to the right, and jump through the small hole in the upper-right wall to fall into the Sub-Zero Containment room. As you do, you'll stare the frozen remains of Ridley dead in the eyes and watch in terror as they light up with life. But, thankfully, the X within leaves this icy shell as it shatters to the floor, thus allowing Samus to exit the room without a fight.
K) Main Deck
You computer always has a good reason for any such power outage, and this is certainly no exception. Apparently the station's Central Reactor Core is down, and Samus must kick-start the auxiliary system somewhere in an unexplored region of the Main Deck directly below Samus' ship. There's little doubt that the X (and/or SA-X) are behind this latest sabotage, so tread cautiously. Begin by exiting the Docking Bay to the left, and continuing to the left until you come to your first vertical shaft. At this point, a Super Bomb will clear a path leading to the hidden region of the Main Deck and serve as your entry point. Roll through the cracks to the left, and fall down this vertical shaft to the open hatch below by bombing any Fake Blocks in the floor that obstruct your decent.
Enter this tall room by falling to the ground below. But don't get comfortable just yet -- you've got a new threat to deal with, and this creature is perhaps the most dangerous foe Samus has yet faced. A giant, spider-like enemy will attack Samus from above, and should you fail to avoid its pinchers, Samus will be slammed into the ground for a devastating loss of energy. It won't take but a few of these attacks to completely drain your meters and force you to restart this section from your ship, so be extremely careful. Avoid its movements by rolling along the floor in ball form, and stay toward the corners of the room where you're safely out of reach.
L) Sector 2 (TRO)
Your trusty computer has determined the source of the power failure to be the vegetation entangling the Central Reactor Core. Thus, your mission is now to seek out its roots and destroy them to fully restore power to the station. Begin by exiting the Navigation Room to the left, pass through the shutter, and continue left into the Central Reactor Core. Once inside, don't forget to grab a quick save via the Save Station in the lower right corner of the room. Now that Samus has the Space Jump ability, she can reach a small crack in the middle of the left wall in this reactor room by first shooting out the decayed roots, and then clinging to the ledge and squeezing through to the left. In the next room, drop a Super Bomb to quickly clear the path, and then continue left.
Samus' Plasma Beam will allow her to penetrate multiple enemies with a single blast, thus your firepower has been significantly upgraded. Exit the boss room via the hatch on the right, and you'll be treated to a demonstration of this power as you blast through groups of Fake Blocks and winged creatures with great ease. Wind your way to the floor below, and exit through the hatch in the lower left. You'll find yourself back in a familiar hallway, so keep moving left and through the next smaller room to hit the Save Station again. From here, the receding vegetation has allowed you to now travel upward, so exit the Save Station to the right and jump to the pair of hatches above. Exit via the hatch on your left, and blast your way down this hallway, where you must eventually roll into ball form and squeeze to the left. Now, Samus is back in the main region of Sector 2, and the path to the exit should be a familiar one. Drop a Power Bomb to make your entry, and then head to the bottom-left corner of this room, where you can shoot out a pair of Fake Blocks above your head to clear you path back to the Recharge and Save Stations above. Step through to the left to hit the Navigation Room for a status report.
Surprised by your ability to regain the Plasma Beam, your computer tells of the latest news: an alarming explosion in the wintry Sector 5 Data Room. Naturally, you are the woman on duty to investigate, so head up the elevator shaft, across the hallway to the left, and ride the Sector 5 elevator down to hear more from your computer at the first Navigation Room in that region. M) Sector 5 (ARC)
Stopping in the first Navigation Room in this sector brings with it a more detailed report of the damage: a creature known simply as "Nightmare" is to blame, and you must put an end to its destructive habits. Your computer is unable to pinpoint its location, so it's time to explore Sector 5 once again. Taking a quick look at your map, and you'll notice a series of three rooms that are still gray and unexplored in this region. This should be your first clue, so move out.
Now that Samus can sprint quickly through water, you'll need to put this ability to good use right away in the next room to the left. Start in the far right of Nightmare's lair, and Speed Boost to the left to break through the Boost Blocks in your path. Once you do, be sure to head back up to the Save Station above you for a quick save, and then make your way back out toward the beginning of the sector. As you wind your way back through the water-filled corridors, stop at the empty room in the bottom right corner of the map. Here, you'll find a stack of Boost Blocks obstructing your path, so get a running start in the far left room and smash through them to the right. Doing so will uncover a shortcut to Sector 4 (AQA) and serve as your exit from Sector 5. Considering your newfound Gravity Suit and water abilities, this route seems appropriate. N) Sector 4 (AQA)
Continuing from the Sector before, our mission objective has not changed: find your way back to the surface of the space station and to a Navigation Room. Samus has escaped Sector 5 but must now trudge through the watery reservoirs of Sector 4 as well. Thankfully, your Gravity Suit will serve you well. Enter the sector at full speed, and boost jump through the Boost Blocks guarding the right side of this first large room. Exit the upper right hatch, and head across the vertical shaft to the next hatch on your right for a Save Station. Now head back out into the tall tunnel, hop down to the next level, and perch against the left wall -- across from the next hatch below and on the right. Roll into ball form and jump to find a hidden passageway back into the previous room, and collect the extra Power Bomb Tank. Now, head back into the vertical shaft, and continue downward.
Finally -- you've reached the Navigation Room, and your computer can give you an update on the recent X activity on the station. You've missed that electronic counsel, haven't you? It's not too thrilled to find you upgrading your weapons and obtaining security clearances without its approval, but there's no time for protocol lessons now, as there's continued enemy activity in other sectors that must be dealt with first. Reports indicate that the Security Robot that you bested earlier has returned in an even more X-infested form to Sector 6 (NOC), and Samus must put it to rest once and for all. Exit the Navigation Room to the right, take the elevator up, and catch the next elevator to the right down into the depths of Sector 6. Report to the first Navigation Room there for a brief update before starting this next mission. O) Sector 6 (NOC)
A word to the wise: your computer reports that the Security Robot that you previously smashed up is now beefed and ready to do some serious damage. And to make matters worse, the SA-X is reportedly prowling this dark region as well. Your assignment is to get down there, bust that machine, and then evacuate the sector before you cross paths with the deadly SA-X. Get moving to the right, saving and recharging along the way, and continue passing through the familiar rooms to the right until the path dead ends into the top of a vertical shaft.
Checking your map objective, it appears that your computer wants you to clear out of Sector 6 "immediately." But now that you've earned the Wave Beam, Samus can open shutters from both sides of the wall -- so you might as well head back downstairs to check out that restricted zone, yes? Naturally. First, stop by the hatch to the right of the water-filled room and shoot through the shutter to grab an extra Missile Tank. Next, exit the water-filled room to the left and head back down to the lower left restricted room, and be sure to save along the way. Once inside, blast through the shutter to pop the lamp and raise it. Run to the left, and roll through the small crack to fall down into the "Restricted Zone" below. The next room to your left will be another Save Station, so you might as well take advantage.
P) Sector 1 (SRX)
The next room to your right is a Navigation Room, so get ready for a lecture from your ever-angry computer. Listen to its verbal berating, and heed its warnings, because it's time for Samus to finally evacuate the entire Station. Ride the elevator in the next room to the right, and you'll get yourself back upstairs into an uncharted region of Sector 1 (SRX). Head to the right and jump to the top of the first tall wall. Perch at this spot and drop a Power Bomb to reveal a hidden Energy Tank behind a set of Missile Blocks on the right wall. The best way to snag it is to charge up your missile shot with the R button and freeze the entire room. Grab the upgrade, appreciate the full health, and wind your way around the rest of the room in a counter-clockwise manner until you exit via the upper-right hatch.
Now that you've dealt with Ridley, your path back to your ship should be a bit less stressful -- especially now that you have the Screw Attack. Use this new ability to plow your way back up and to the right, and save via the Save Station in the upper-left hatch. Next, jump back down to the middle-right hatch, and continue moving right. When your path dead-ends at the top of the rightmost vertical shaft, kill the lone Space Pirate and bomb the right side of the floor to reveal the hidden ladder from before. Work your way down this shaft until you're just below the halfway point. Drop a Power Bomb to reveal two Missile Blocks along the right wall. Cling to the left ladder and fire three missiles (or one charged missile) to clear your new path. Jump across and roll on through the hatch to the right.
Q) Main Deck
Much is revealed in this latest conversation between Samus and her computer, specifically relating to the intentions of the Federation concerning the Biological Space Labs station. Samus is informed that H.Q. has been attempting to withhold weapons upgrade data in the hopes that Samus wouldn't be able to wipe out the X entirely. In fact, a Federation team is currently en route with the mission of capturing the X for further study. Naturally, Samus is vehemently opposed to the idea, and she is finally able to convince her computer to aide her efforts in stopping the Federation. Thus, your final mission before evacuating the station is to force it into a terminal orbit and thus crash it into the planet SR388:
 You'll be heading up into the Operations Room of the upper Main Deck, so let's get moving.
Space Jump your way to the upper left hatch in this large room, and you've made it to the Operations Room. But it looks like the hatch is sealed, and soon enough the ground will begin to quake announcing the presence of something evil: an SA-X! It looks like one of the 10 remaining SA-X clones has cornered you just outside of your objective, and you must now confront it. This climactic confrontation will unfold in three stages:
The blue X you obtained has reinstated Samus' classic Ice Beam weapon (in addition to her classic suit colors!), so it's now possible to damage the creature. Your best strategy against the Omega Metroid is to attack it as the SA-X did: fire charged Ice Beam shots directly into its belly. Charge your beam and run at the creature, and then hold the L button and release the shot directly into the Omega Metroid's chest. Then run back to the left side of the screen as it swipes its claws at you. Charge again while you run back at the creature, and repeat this pattern until it is finally defeated. You'll need to be efficient if you hope to destroy it before the B.S.L. station's self-destruct timer hits the zero mark. Once you've blasted it at least 10 or more times in the chest, the Omega Metroid will be defeated, and Samus' ship will dock to rescue her as the final seconds tick to detonation!
 |
or 
Objective 1: Go to Quarantine
Bay. Access Navigation Room en route.
Make your way up, to the left, and
into the first Navigation Room (marked with an "N" on the map). Stand on the center of the platform here to interface with the terminal. Your
computer will keep you updated on the status of your mission throughout the game using these Navigation Rooms, so be sure to check-in whenever one is
nearby. Besides, it's nice for Samus to have some company for a change.
Objective 2: X parasite presence
confirmed. Find origin of bio-signs.
Objective 3: Missile Data ready.
Download immediately.
Jog one more room to the left to
save your progress, then head back into the larger room to continue onward. Climb up and to the left, and enter the second story hatch. In this
Navigation Room, your computer will drop a bombshell of common sense by informing you that the "Data Room is just ahead." Apparently, in space, even
computers get lonely. Take this helpful hint, and run to the left and into the next room.
Objective 4: Elevators not
operational. Find alternate route to target.
Continue zigzagging downward, and freely blast the walls around you to open any necessary paths.
Likewise, rooms with a small circle
represent secrets that you have not yet found. Again, pay attention to your map at all costs, and don't leave an area until you've turned all
circles into dots by finding the hidden goodies.
Wait for the right time and plug a missile in its socket. It will take three missiles to get rid of him permanently, so stay
focused, jump its energy blasts when the pupil doesn't show, and keep mowing down those zombies.
Don't get greedy -- you will typically only be able
to tag the creature with a single missile before it counterattacks with either a slashing or ball attack. Just fire a single missile and jump back
to safety on the ledge and ready to jump across the room again. Keep this pattern alive until you've depleted your missiles, and then continue with
your blaster if necessary.
Objective 5: X detected in Sector
1 (SRX). Investigate and gather data.
But on the other hand, there's a very familiar face waiting on the inside that Metroid fans
will definitely recognize. It's worth the pain, so check it out and don't stay for long.
Objective 1: Atmospheric
stabilizers corrupted by X. Investigate.
The next straightaway is packed
with creatures to blast, so don't hold back. Knock three missiles into the orange-brained creature and you're on your way to the first of the five
atmospheric stabilizers. Step inside, climb your way around the room in a clockwise manner, and then stand on the hovering rock platform to send
three missiles into the X-smothered mechanical fan. One down, four more to go.
Now it's time to venture down a
floor. Jump down to the next hatch to the left, and cruise down this long and grassy hallway. Watch out for the horn-shielded beasts that will
likely charge you once they catch your drift. Let them charge, jump over them, and collect their X with a few quick blasts to the backside. Once
you're through the hallway, continue one more room to the left and into the lava-filled chamber beyond. Here, you must jump and cling to the ladder
on the ceiling, allowing you to monkey-bar your way out to an isolated platform with a Missile Tank. Grab it, and monkey your way back out --
there's nothing more to see here until later in the game.
The fourth atmospheric machine is
even closer than the previous ones. Just a quick hop across two small rooms to the right, and you're ready to clean up number four. This one will
have you pulling off your favorite hanging leaps as you jump your way to the horizontal ladder strewn across the roof. Don't spend too much time
combating the Hornoads jumping around below, as the healthy supply of X will keep them jumping into the unforeseeable future. Instead, just grab
onto that ladder and shut down number four with three good missile shots. And before you leave, be sure to check the unlocked hatch in the upper
left of this room for another Missile Tank to add to your collection.
Exit the shaft to the left, and blast the lamp on
the ceiling to raise the shutter as you continue to head left. Jump onto the ladder on the ceiling and swing your way to the end of this room,
blasting anything that jumps your way. When you hit the dead end, blast the left wall as you hang, and you'll knock out a few Fake Blocks to create
a nice crawl space. Simply jump down from the ladder and catch onto the ledge, where you can then pull yourself into a ball by pressing up on the
control pad. Squeeze through to the left, and out the hatch.
Entering the room to the left will
definitely bring with it a mood swing. The music has shifted, letting you know right away that something sinister is afoot. Head to the bottom-left
corner of the room, and you'll find a classic Metroid touch: a Chozo statue bearing an upgrade gift for Samus. But soon after shooting the ball,
you'll realize that this Trojan horse has other plans, as a Core-X erupts from within and attempts to take you down. Unlike the last Core-X you
fought, this one has a weak spot where you must concentrate your missile fire: its eye. Stick to the low ground and wait for the Core-X to approach
you from the side. Once its eye swings around, plug the hole with a missile. Then jump to the far side as it passes and repeat until it releases
your new power: the Charge Beam. Defeating and absorbing this Core-X will grant Samus her classic ability to hold down the B button and fully charge
her weapon before unleashing a more powerful blast. From this point forward, you should keep your beam weapon charging at all times, ready for the
first victim you encounter.
Blast away the Fake Blocks between
Samus and the stabilizer, and charge up her beam weapon instead of using valuable missiles. Two solid, fully charged beam shots will clean up the
last of the atmospheric processors. Now you're left with simply evacuating the sector and reporting to the nearest Navigation Room on the way out.
Objective 2: X detected in Sector
2 (TRO). Brief in TRO Navigation Room.
Objective 1: Bomb data ready.
Unlock Data Room hatch and download.
Begin by saving and refilling your
energy and weapons on the way into the sector. The first passageway you'll notice is the one directly below your starting point and heading to the
left, but you'll soon realize that this is an early dead-end, as Samus won't be able to jump past the tall, wormlike creatures within. Don't bother
with this room just yet; instead, continue around the larger room in a counter-clockwise manner -- again, bypassing the second hatch which leads to
the as-of-yet unlocked Data Room -- until you reach the unlocked hatch in the upper right corner of the room. Follow this path to the right, and
then climb all of the way up the lush, orange cavern to the entrance of the unmarked Security Room at the top. Enter this Security Room to the left,
and jump down to the terminal that will grant Samus the Level 1 access necessary to enter the Data Room on the far left side of the sector.
Exit the Security Room via the
bottom-right hatch, and trace your path back the way you came: down and to the left. As you swing around the large room (this time in a clockwise
manner), you'll now be granted access to another small room on the right; however, its secrets are not yet within your grasp. Don't waste time
prodding around here, just keep moving to the bottom-left hatch and toward the Data Room. Run down the quick corridor to the left, and then climb up
and to the left of the following room to find the blue door leading to the Data Room. Blast and enter. Samus' classic bomb move is now yours. Roll
into a ball and hit the B button repeatedly to give it a try for yourself. Bombs are not only great for laying waste to pursuing enemies, but also
serve as a key to investigating your surroundings and hunting for Fake Blocks, secret items, and secret passageways. From this point forward, it
should be your most frequently used weapon, as you continually probe your surroundings for secrets.
Objective 2: Bomb data download
complete. Proceed to Navigation Room.
In this next room, you'll need to
roll up and bomb your way down through this maze to give Samus the bounce and jump she needs, not to mention the firepower necessary for laying waste
to the savage roly-poly creatures crawling within. Whenever you have the headspace, definitely try to squat and blast the buggers with your beam
weapon instead, as it's a far more efficient means of clearing the tunnels. Once you've reached the bottom of the maze, you'll find a single door
leading to the left. That's your cue to move on.
This next room presents a series of
tall pillars that Samus must pull herself over. The first one is easy enough, but the second will require a well-placed bomb to trigger a hidden
platform that will lend you the extra height advantage you need to get past. Just drop the bomb exactly two spaces away from the wall, and watch as
you're lifted into the air. Continue running to the right, and exit into a very tall shaft that's full of new hatches to explore.
Follow this passageway to the right and past this first hallway. The next room
will allow Samus to bomb and blast away the floor to uncover a hidden room, but the result is a dead-end. Likewise, you can also climb up a here and
attempt to bomb the ceiling, only to find that Super Bomb blocks are boxing you in. So, press on to the right, and into yet another Save Station.
Save your game, and keep moving right.
Suddenly, the music shifts again,
and the tension builds for some unknown reason. Jump down into the large room below, and you'll discover why. You've stumbled into the lair of a
large Core-X, which immediately transforms into a giant, purple, squid-like cyclops upon seeing Samus. Thankfully, this boss creature is not nearly
as fearsome as it looks. It begins to attack Samus by jumping high into the air and across the room. Simply dodge these attacks and wait for it to
float down to the ground after the third or fourth jump. At this key time, stand directly under the creature and fire off as many missiles as
possible -- anywhere from one to three -- directly up its tailpipe. Repeat this process for a couple of minutes, and the Core-X will be exposed,
allowing you to break its shell via missiles and collect your new abilities: Hi-Jump and Jumpball. Now Samus can jump the entire vertical distance
of the screen in a single bound, in addition to jumping while in ball form, which is extremely handy for maneuvering and dropping bombs at various
elevations. With the unexpected collection of these abilities, Samus' mission objectives are again updated by her computer.
Objective 3: Hi-Jump ability
absorbed. Proceed to Navigation Room.
This thing knows no mercy, and it is
more than willing to demonstrate that fact for you by ending your game in a matter of seconds. Once you feel confident that it's safe to move about,
drop down, get back into that central shaft to the left, and keep searching for the Navigation Room.
Inside, you'll find two previously unattainable
Missile Tanks -- one underwater, and one across the horizontal ceiling ladder. The key to the underwater Missile Tank is to trigger three different
steel platforms using bombs, all three of which allow Samus to reach the heights necessary to pull herself through gaps and drop the bombs for
creating such gaps.
via the small crack in the upper left of the shaft.
Objective 4: Aberration in Sector
4 (AQA). Proceed to Sector 4.
Objective 1: Engage Serris.
Ignore these blocks for now, and
jump your way to the top of the narrow vertical passageway above. Bomb the group of Fake Blocks there to gain access to the rest of the room. Jump
down and to the left to make your way across the room using the series of suspended blocks. Try your best not to splash into the water below as you
move toward the upper left hatch -- this is your exit. Moving left into the next room will reveal a few new areas to explore. Start with the upper
left exit; jump your way to the upper left and take that hatch to the next water-filled chamber. This path will lead you to a Save Station and an
easily obtained Energy Tank. Just fight your way past the first armored piranha with a few charged blasts, climb up the ladder, and enter the hatch
on your left to save. Head back outside and continue following this path the right and upward to snag the Energy Tank at the dead-end. When you've
got it, backtrack to the first hatch below the Save Station, and return to the larger room.
Now it's time to take the bottom
left hatch -- the one just below where you're standing. Doing so will put Samus at the edge of another electrified pool of water. Look up and blast
the group of four Fake Blocks above your head, pull yourself up there in ball form, and ignite a bomb to start a chain reaction that will clear the
ceiling ladder for Samus to grapple. Swing your way to the left, blasting any winged creatures obstructing your path. When you get to the platform,
drop some bombs to cut a path to the left. But before you continue down that path, take a quick moment to jump up through the hole in the ceiling.
Climb the ladder on your left, and keep pressing up once you're at the top to roll into an unseen crack that leads to a secret room on your left.
Inside, you'll score another Missile Tank. Now, head back down, and keep pressing left.
swing left via the horizontal ladder to avoid falling through the Pit Blocks below. On the left ledge, shoot the
blocks above and jump to the next level up. Continue this pattern once more, working Samus to the right, up, and then swinging left again. Keep
climbing and shooting these Fake Blocks until you finally reach the hatch on the top floor. Step on through to the right and you've earned yourself
a save. But don't leave yet! You may notice a small crack on the right wall inside this Save Station. Bomb it, and you'll clear the path that
leads to Serris' breeding grounds.
Make your way across the platform
in Serris' lair to the far right, and be careful as parts of it collapse around your feet. Find a platform that you feel comfortable on, and get
ready to fight the fastest creature that Samus has ever been faced with. This dragon-like beast will zip around the room at lightning speed, so
respond quickly to its attacks if you hope to stay alive. Serris will dive in and out of the water around you, coming at Samus from all sides and
eventually knocking you into the water. Keep pulling yourself up to the platforms and firing your missiles as it passes, timing your shots to impact
its head whenever possible. Every direct hit will send the creature into an invincible frenzy, so keep jumping high into the air as you wait for it
to resume its standard pattern of attack. It won't take but five or so direct hits to defeat Serris and unleash the Core-X within. Another five
missiles into the Core-X, and Samus will regain the power of the Speed Booster.
Objective 2: Speed Booster power
absorbed. Proceed to Navigation Room.
Jump
and pull yourself into the gap, roll left, and fall down to the next section below. Here, you'll need to run to the right and jump across the gap to
the small ledge on the right. Should you miss and fall through the Pit Blocks below, your only chance of snagging the second Missile Tank will be to
wall jump your way back up the ceiling hole on the right. Once you're on the ledge, blast the upper-right corner of the wall to carve a path to the
second tank. When you're ready to move on, fall through the Pit Blocks below, and grab a quick save via the Save Station to your right.
Objective 3: Sinking water level
opened new areas. Search and proceed.
Moving to the right, you'll pass an
easily spotted Missile Tank. Grab it, and keep moving right. In the next area, you'll hit another wall of Boost Blocks, so back up and get a
running start from the rooms before to smash through. Keep running until you get all the way to the far right of the room, thus clearing out both
sets of Boost Blocks without needing to get a second running start. Once you do, you'll now be able to bomb the Fake Block next to the door and
check out the area below, thanks to the lowered water level. But unfortunately, there's nothing to collect at this point; a Power Bomb Block
obstructs the path, so remember this spot for later. Instead, keep pressing to the right, and your road to the Navigation Room is now clear.
Objective 4: New Missile data
ready in Sector 3 (PYR) Data Room.
Objective 1: Locate Security Room
and activate orange hatches.
Heading into Sector 3, you'll be
tempted by one such hot zone right away. Run to the right (saving and recharging as always) and into the first large room. From here, you can
choose to enter three different hatches, the first of which is too hot for Samus to handle. Instead, you'll want to blast away at the floor and
investigate the lower left hatch. Notice that the hatch is already opened -- a bit of foreshadowing. Inside is a small, empty room, but bombing the
left wall will reveal a stack of Boost Blocks. Head back into the main room and blast away the Fake Blocks cluttering the lower level. Get a
running start from the far right side, and send Samus crashing through the hatch to the left at full speed.
Now you're trapped inside a long
hallway that ends with a orange hatch on the far left side. Directly above the hatch is another cluster of Boost Blocks, so this time you'll need to
get yourself airborne once you've begun to boost. Start from the right, sprint to the left, and jump as Samus hits the top of the second mound on
the floor. If you've timed it right, she'll go spinning through the blocks above. On this platform, roll into a ball, and bomb your way into the
left room, which turns out to be the Level 2 Security Room. With this quick download, Samus can freely open all orange hatches on her way to the Data
Room.
Objective 2: orange hatches now
active. Proceed to Data Room.
this carved section will allow a hidden Pit block to drop you down a
level. (Note: Bomb the left wall here to reveal a hidden Power Bomb block.) Exit via the hatch to the right, and you'll find yourself in a very
tall vertical shaft that's full of even more hideous, orange wall monsters. If you'd like to get your hands on another Missile Tank, then fall to the
bottom of this tunnel and enter the hatch on your right, where you'll need to bomb the top of the floating platform to reveal the stash. Otherwise,
make your way to the very top of the tunnel and continue through the hatch on your left.
Continue to roll around, bombing and jumping your way up, right, and following the path of
the steel tubes. You'll emerge in a hallway that's on a straight path with the Data Room. There's no going left here for now, so press on toward
the Data Room to the right.
Objective 3: Super Missile data
downloaded. Proceed to Navigation Room.
Objective 4: An unknown event
occurred. Investigate.
Objective 5: Repelled Security
Robot. Proceed to Navigation Room.
Missile Tank.
Pass through the hatch to the left, drop down to the bottom floor, and jump
to bomb the single Fake Block obstructing your path. Roll through to the left, and stop underneath the jagged ceiling blocks before you go any
further. Drop a bomb, and you'll activate a lift that will put Samus in close proximity to the ceiling. Bomb away, and you've earned yourself
another Energy Tank that should come in handy down the road. Collect the goods, and continue out the left, jumping and bombing the next set of
blocks that lie in your path as well. You'll now find yourself at the first room of the sector, so head straight for the Navigation room in the
upper left corner to hear the latest intel from your computer.
Objective 6: Download support
data. Proceed to Sector 6 (NOC).
Objective 1: Download Varia Suit
data. Avoid blue X parasites.
Enter Sector 6 to the right after
the standard save and recharge. You'll be instantly greeted by a swarm of buzzing creatures, so blast your way through the room and exit to the
right. You'll notice a secret Missile Tank hiding in the bottom of the room, but you'll need to head into the next room on the right and bomb the
left wall to backtrack to it. Now, keep working your way to the right through the next couple of rooms and blasting past the first blue X you
encounter. Samus will loose 69 energy points if you hit one, so be careful. The good news is that you'll absorb them, so they won't continue to be
a threat beyond the initial attack. Keep moving to the right and into the first vertical hallway of the sector.
This next larger room only has one
exit, so make your way to the lower left hatch via a clockwise pattern through the maze structure of the room. There's quite a few more blue X
parasites in these next few rooms, so do your absolute best to avoid contact with them. Otherwise, your game will be over very quickly. Head
through the lower-left hatch, and you'll need to get a running start from here to speed through the Boost Blocks at the far left end of this
corridor. Hopefully, in doing so, you'll also speed past the few floating blue X in the room as well. Head down this ladder, and make a fast break
for the hatch immediately to your right. Inside, you'll find a short hallway with a makeshift Recharge Station -- that is, a ton of critters that
Samus can blast to collect their yellow X and replenish her energy. If you need more, just quickly exit and reenter the room and repeat until her
levels are full. Don't stop until she's full -- you're going to need it until you can grab that Varia suit. When you're ready, save via the Save
Station to your right, and continue back to the left.
The next room will have yet another
blessing: an Energy Tank. Grab that free candy and thank your lucky stars. The room appears to be a dead end, but a quick bomb where the Energy
Tank once stood will set off a chain reaction of Fake Blocks, clearing a path for Samus to fall downward. Tuck, roll, and bomb your way to the empty
room below, then head through the hatch on your right.
It will slowly march all the way to the wall on the right, roll up, and drop a Power Bomb to
clear the path. A word of warning: Be as far to the left as possible when it does for two reasons. First, to avoid taking damage in the blast, and
second, to avoid being detected by the SA-X. Keep your distance from it until you hear it completely exit the room via the hatch below. Be careful
not to fall through the sneaky column of pit blocks near the ledge and wind up as an easy target for the SA-X. Just let the deadly impersonator exit
the room quietly, and then follow through the same hatch to the left.
Objective 2: An X has acquired
the Varia Suit data. Find and recover it!
Objective 3: Varia Suit
abilities initialized. Proceed to Navigation Room.
From here, the path back to the
Navigation Room is very straightforward and linear. Just keep moving up and blasting anything that moves across your path. When you get back to the
first vertical shaft, feel free to explore the two side-rooms that you skipped the first time through (grabing that Missile Tank to the right), as
the blue X guarding them are now helpless to the power of your Varia Suit. Continue upward until you've finally recharged, saved, and entered the
Navigation Room.
Objective 4: Download Ice
Missile data. Proceed to Sector 5 (ARC).
Objective 1: Locate Security Room
and activate yellow hatches.
Start this sector like every other
with a good recharging and saving under your belt. Head to the right into the first vertical shaft, where two yellow hatches will immediately block
your path. Instead, jump onto the ladder on the left wall, climb to the very top of it, and fire two missiles directly to your right to create a
small entry for Samus to squeeze through. This sneaky passage is the only way to advance. Roll through the small room to the right and into the
larger one ahead. There's nothing special to see here, so just work your way up and then back down and to the right of the giant area. Exit through
the hatch in the lower right corner.
This next room is even bigger than
the one before, with several hatches of all colors scattered throughout. Don't let the various exits confuse you, just pay attention to your map and
figure out which ones are blocked. Of the three hatches that you can open, two are dead-ends at this point, so proceed directly to the bottom-right
hatch to move on. Head to the right, and then down the following room to what appears to be the lowest region of the map. If you press on to the
left, you'll find another dead-end blocked by Boost Blocks with no sufficient space to get a running start. Instead, stay in this bottom-right room
of the map and drop a bomb in the center of the floor to drop even lower into an uncharted area. Down here, your only option is to head left and
into a Save Station. Don't pass it up without a save.
Objective 2: Yellow hatches now
active. Proceed to Data Room.
Objective 3: Ice Missile data
downloaded. Proceed to Navigation Room.
Getting out of this area can be a
little tricky. You'll need to fall back down to the bottom of this shaft and head through the left hatch. There, you'll find that the egg sack
creatures from before will sprout into the taller, worm-like slugs that you're already familiar with once they get a little X in their system. This
comes in handy for Samus, however, as she can freeze them and turn them into a makeshift ladder. Use this one to blast a hole in the ceiling and
climb your way back to the primary zone of Sector 5. From here, the path back to the surface is to the left, where you again must freeze a towering
creature to plug a hole in the platforms, thus completing the runway necessary for boosting through the room to the left. Once you do, you're home
free and back on track to the Navigation Room.
On the way back, be sure to stop
off at and poke around any yellow hatches that you were forced to pass by on the way into the sector. For example, in the very first large room,
take the bottom-left hatch, and you'll be able to snag a hidden Missile Tank in the ceiling via a couple of well-placed bombs. Grab it, and continue
exiting the area. During your retreat, you may notice an eerily suspicious shadow swooping through the background. As you exit this area, the
foreshadowing reveals itself further as the B.S.L. space station alarms sound, the screen fades to red, and the announcement, "Emergency in Sector
3," echoes through the vacant halls. There's little doubt where your computer will send you during your next mission objective, but hurry back to
the Navigation Room to get the full damage report.
Objective 1: Sector 3 (PYR)
overheating. Proceed to Control Room.
Hurry to the right, and grab a
quick recharge if your energy or missiles need it, but you won't be able to save here, unfortunately. Head into the large room to the right, and
bolt straight for the lower-right hatch. Try not to get distracted by the flocks of creatures flittering around, as their colorblindness has most
likely prevented them from realizing the imminent disaster associated with the red-flashing lights. Just pass through the lower-right hatch, and, as
before, destroy the wall monster on the second level to sink through its Pit Blocks and drop behind the shutter. Now, back up and get a good head
start as you sprint into the room on the right. You'll destroy a row of Boost Blocks in the process, and then sink down another level via the Pit
Block hiding in the middle of them. Exit this room to the right, and you're free to fall straight to the bottom of this tall, vertical hallway. At
the bottom and to the left, you'll find a hatch leading to a zone that you previously could not enter. Now, thanks to the Varia Suit, it's time to
quickly explore its depths.
Proceed to the left by swinging
across the horizontal ladder on the ceiling. Watch out for the intermittent puffs of fire rising toward you from below, and blast any winged
creatures that you see before they get the chance to knock you into the lava. Exit through the hatch to the left, and then freeze the lower wall
monster with a missile so that you can jump back up, to the right, and continue through the hatch. Moving to the right, you'll hit another vertical
room that forces you to freeze another pair of wall monsters for the sake of leverage. Use their frozen heads to jump up the room and through the
left hatch. This next, larger room will require a bit more effort, so hopefully, you've got an extra minute to spare. You'll be forced to jump
across small platforms and through narrow gaps that are guarded by these wall monsters. 
The trick is to freeze their heads at the perfect times; sometimes this will be instantly,
when they are closest to the walls, and other times you'll need to wait a half-second and lure them into extending just a tiny bit to help give you a
bit more reach. Use your Ice Missiles generously in this room to freeze everything that crosses your path; don't worry about killing everything, you
just need to get by. In fact, in a couple spots, a frozen fire creature will actually help you avoid a set of hidden Pit Blocks. Be sure to jump
anything in this area that looks suspiciously similar to a Pit Block, otherwise, you'll fall and loose precious time and energy. Once you've finally
made your way around the room in a counterclockwise fashion, take the lower-left hatch and move on to the last set of large rooms.
The first of these rooms is the
Main Boiler. This room shouldn't give you any problems, just jump up to the second level and freeze anything that gets in your way. Be sure to
learn what the platform holes in this section look like, and jump them as you go. Enter the upper-left hatch, and you'll finally have found the Main
Boiler Control Room. This room will lead Samus to the bottom-left, where what looks to be a scientist is operating the control panel. Don't bother
with the friendly approach, as you'll soon find out that this guy isn't on your side. He will suddenly change into a vicious Core-X -- one that
backfires a beam at Samus for each direct missile hit you achieve. Hopefully, you've made it this far with enough energy to finish off the Core-X,
otherwise, you might have to retry this six-minute sprint from the beginning. Take out the Core-X, and you'll earn the weapon it was using against
Samus: the Wide Beam. Now hurry and stand on the control platform to return the cooling unit to normal operation.
Objective 2: Cooling unit
operational. Proceed to Navigation Room.
Objective 1: Bio-signs on
Habitation Deck. Check for Survivors.
For starters, remember back to when
you first met the SA-X. It crashed through the Main Elevator room above and left a giant hole in the left wall. That hole is still there, so check
it out. Inside, you'll find an extra Missile Tank, but you'll need to Boost to the left to crash through the blocks guarding it. Once it's yours,
continue down the hallway to the right. Make your way down to the Navigation Room, but don't worry about stopping for a chat with the computer.
Pass through, and head up the shaft to the right, and you'll find yourself at the elevator shaft leading to the Habitation Deck. Once you ride it to
the top, grab a quick save in the Save Station to your right, then head into hatch on your left to proceed with the investigation.
Inside this outer shaft, you'll
find three hatches leading to different levels of the Habitation Deck. The bottom two are dead-ends, so you'll need to climb your way to the top
hatch by again freezing the wall monsters on the right and using them as platforms to jump from. Once you're up there, you'll find a whole mess of
cute critters playing in a glass cage. Walk to the far left and a shutter will block Samus' access to what appears to be a control panel on the
other side. Reaching this panel will require a bit of creative shortcutting. First, bomb the left set of Fake Blocks on the floor, and drop through
to the second level. Now, if you bomb the far left set of blocks on the second floor, you'll find that they're actually Boost Blocks, so be careful
not to bomb any other blocks on this floor; you'll need the real-estate for a runway. Open the shutter, start from the right side of the room (but
don't leave), speed up to clear these blocks, and fall to the first floor. Here is where you'll find your shortcut.
First, run through the first
shutter to the right to grab a Missile Tank in plain view. Now, head back to the left and jump into a hidden hole in the wall. This will take you
to a vertical shaft full of your favorite wall monsters. You know the drill; freeze them and use them as leverage to jump to the top of the shaft.
At the top, head to the right to find yourself at the proper side of the control room. Activating the controls will free the cute little critters --
otherwise known as Etecoons and Dachoras -- from their cage, and your computer will update your mission objectives to return to the Navigation Room.
Objective 2: Etecoons and
Dachoras freed. Proceed to Navigation Room.
Objective 3: Download Power Bomb
data. Proceed to Sector 5 (ARC).
Objective 1: Security lock
released. Proceed to Data Room.
Objective 2: Power Bomb data
downloaded. Proceed to Navigation Room.
As you fall below and enter the
room to your left, you'll soon notice a menacing visitor trailing behind Samus. It's the SA-X, back to stalk you once again. And this time, it's a
bit tougher to escape unless you know exactly where to make your exit. Run to the left, jump over the tall wall in the middle of the room, and bomb
the wall on your left. Here, you'll find a Power Bomb block on the bottom and a fake block above it. Don't be tempted to drop a Power Bomb, as
doing so will only incur the wrath of the SA-X. Instead, jump up and roll to the left through the crack, bombing along the way to clear the path.
If you act quickly, the SA-X will never know you were there.
In the next room to your left,
clear out the enemies and bomb the left wall to clear out a ladder and snag your first Power Bomb Tank. Once you do, drop a Power Bomb to clear out
the ceiling, and head up the ladder and back into the main region of the Sector. You've tread this path once before, so quickly make your way back
to the left, up the vertical shaft, and to the right for a handy Save Station. As you exit to the right, you'll be blocked by a familiar creature
that Samus has never been able to destroy -- until now. Drop a Power Bomb, and you're now free to move past. Remember this as you return to other
areas (such as the Main Deck), and keep an eye out for similar creatures guarding areas you've never explored.
Exit to the right and into the
large room, but before you leave, drop a Power Bomb to clear out another enemy guarding the hatch just above you and the left. In this next room,
Samus can grab another Power Bomb Tank if you can get her past the set of Pit Blocks lining the upper tunnel. To do so, just freeze the enemy with
an Ice Missile, and use it as a stepping-stone to hop past the traps. You'll have to pull this off twice, and then be sure to jump the third set of
Pit Blocks hiding just before the tank. It may take some practice and a few dozen Ice Missiles, but be persistent and you'll finally get there.
Grab the tank, head back to the right, and exit via the upper-left hatch. Now, you're home free as you backtrack to the Navigation Room.
Objective 3: Return to starship.
As you run to the right, you'll
fall through the Pit Blocks below and into another hidden region of the Main Deck. Blast your way to the right using Ice Missiles, and watch out for
the dripping acid from the creatures above. Once you've cleared out these enemies, don't leave the room; instead, back up and get a running start to
boost through the blocks obstructing your path in the next room. Here, you can shoot out the low ceiling above, where a Power Bomb will reveal a
hidden Missile Tank to snag. Grab it, jump up through the Fake Blocks in the ceiling, and now you're back on the fast path to the docking bays below
and to the right. Enter your ship for a quick save and listen to the latest news from your computer.
Objective 1: Central Reactor Core
down. Engage auxiliary at target.
Enter the room to the right and
you'll find yourself in the infested Central Reactor Core. You'll have three hatches along the far right wall to choose from, but top will provide
Samus with an exit. The lower-right hatch holds a Save Station, so remember to stop by later once you've activated the power. The middle hatch is
blocked by an extra-thick shutter, so jump your way up along the right wall using wall jumps and ladders until you reach the upper-right hatch, and
move on to the right. In this next room, keep moving to the right and collect the extra Energy Tank along the way. Bomb your way down into the room
below in a right-left-right zigzagging pattern, and take out any Space Pirates in your path with three quick Ice Missiles. As you descend, you'll
run across another Missile Tank to grab, so don't pass it by. As you reach the bottom floor, head to the left and up the ladder to bomb and jump
your way to the hatch guardian creature. If you're ever not sure where exactly the Fake Blocks are hiding (or if you're feeling particularly lazy),
then feel free to drop a Super Bomb to blow out several with one shot. Once you destroy the red eye with a well-timed missile, proceed through the
hatch to the left.
When the spider hovers and prepares
to attack with fireballs, quickly fire off at least two Ice Missiles straight up and into the protruding extremity. Stand just off center to avoid
the fire that falls directly below. Repeat this pattern and stay in ball form whenever possible to increase your chances of survival. Eventually,
the spider will shed its legs and begin to bounce across the room and drop debris from above. At this point, stay upright and dodge the debris while
sending Ice Missiles directly above to hit the creature. After many direct hits, you'll eventually expose the Core X within and must defeat it with
the standard barrage missiles. Once you are victorious, Samus will earn the awesome Space Jump ability, allowing her to continually jump and reach
new, previously unexplored regions -- not to mention escape this room.
Using the Space Jump well requires
some practice, so take a moment to get a feel for the timing as you attempt to jump up and through the false ceiling in the upper left corner of this
room. Exit via the hatch on your left, and you've reached the target: the auxiliary power station. Stand on the pad to activate the system, and
then exit through the hatch to your left and into the Navigation Room to hear the latest report from your computer.
Objective 1: Prior outage caused
by plant roots in core. Investigate.
This hidden shortcut shall whisk
you back to Sector 2 (TRO), where an evil surprise awaits. Dropping through the Pit Block here will land Samus directly into the lap of the ever-
prowling SA-X. Once you alarm it, there's nothing you can do but continually run to the left and pray that you survive its pursuit. Jump to dodge
the trailing blasts of its Ice Beam, and stay far enough ahead that it's spinning jump attacks don't connect, otherwise Samus will be terminated very
quickly.
In the first room to your left, drop a Power Bomb immediately upon entering the room to clear out all Fake Blocks to your left. Then hurry to the
left, jumping obstacles and opening shutters as fast as you can. In the final room to the left, you'll find a dead end with a tall wall on the left
side of the room. Jump over the wall and hide behind it to finally ditch the SA-X. Don't fire in this room, otherwise it will be alarmed once
again, and you must then exit and re-enter the room to hide again.
Once the SA-X is gone, exit via the
hatch to the right (hint: re-enter this room on the left repeatedly if Samus is low on energy to fill her reserves). Bombing the floor in this room
will reveal a hidden Super Missile Block. Blast it and continue blasting until you reach the level below. The hatch to the left will put you in a
tall, vertical shaft, but your exit is the obstructed hatch to the left. To get there, jump up and to the left above it, and then shoot out the
decayed vegetation and Fake Blocks at your feet to fall below and exit via the left hatch. Continue to the left, and you'll notice that your path is
fairly confined now, as most hatches are still locked shut due to the power outage. Keep moving to the left, and you'll enter a large room with a
secret middle area above that houses a handy Power Bomb Tank; simply jump up to the left and blast away the walls on the right to earn it. Now
continue jumping up above this middle section and head to the right for a much-needed Save Station.
Exit the Save Station to the right,
and continue through the next room to the right as well. Take out any winged creatures you encounter with your Charge Beam, as making contact with
them even once will be extremely lethal to Samus. This hallway ends with a useless hatch, so shoot out the Fake Blocks on the left of the ceiling
and jump up through the gap to reach the hatch guardian above. Kill it and move through the hatch to the right, where you'll immediately fall to
plant-infested room below. It seems that you've found the source of the X-infested vegetation that has entangled the Central Core Reactor, and it's
time to deal with it.
Position Samus on the right of the
two platforms, where you can directly blast the vile organism on the right with Super Missiles. As you do, tiny spores will float down and attempt
to knock Samus into venomous plants below. Fire off a group of missiles, and then wait for Samus to be hit so that you can pull her back onto the
ledge without falling off. Don't worry about dodging the spores at this point; simply focus on delivering as many missiles as possible while keeping
your footing. Eventually, the giant plant will begin to fire a triple beam at Samus. Jump and squat to avoid these attacks, and keep firing those
missiles. Eventually you will defeat the creature and expose the Core-X within. Once you do, quickly jump past it to the right where you'll have
plenty of open space to fight it without fear of accidentally trapping yourself in a pit of water. This Core-X is tough, as it will fire a beam at
Samus while you attempt to fire missiles into its eye socket. As usual, jump over the Core-X and run to the far side of the room where you can wait
for it's eye to appear, quickly fire a rocket, jump over it's counterattack back to the other side of the room, and repeat. As usual, if you need
energy or missiles, you can repeatedly fire missiles or Charge Beam shots into it's protective shell to release regenerative X parasites. React
quickly to defeat it, and Samus will achieve the Plasma Beam upgrade.
Objective 2: Source of plant
roots treated. Plasma Beam ability absorbed.
Objective 3: Locate source of
trouble in Sector 5 (ARC). Engage.
Objective 1: Organism "Nightmare"
is on a rampage. Find it and engage.
Save and recharge as you enter the
first vertical shaft to the right. Fall to the floor, and move through the yellow hatch to the right. Pass through this smaller room and into the
large room on the right. Keep moving right as you exit via the lower-right hatch. You'll notice that the sector is now rather trashed, and a new
passageway has been unearthed in the debris, allowing Samus to continue to the upper-right and into the first gray room. In this first room, you can
shoot out a few Fake Blocks to reveal a secret passageway leading to Sector 3 (PYR), but you won't be able to fully utilize it yet, so just keep it
in your memory banks for later. Continue moving right, and when your path comes to a dead-end, bomb the floor to drop into the watery cavern below.
You've now entered a water-filled
region of Sector 5, and Samus' mobility will be severely restricted. Sink to the bottom of this first vertical shaft, and head through the hatch to
the right. The path here is fairly linear as you wind your way to the upper left hatch, and then up the small vertical shaft and through the hatch
on the right. In this next room, your path will be blocked by a wall of Boost Blocks, so backtrack to the start of the room and shoot out the row of
Fake Blocks along the left of the ceiling. Jump up and through the broken hatch to the left to uncover a hidden Power Bomb block covering a Power
Bomb Tank along the left wall. Once you grab it, exit back to the right, and stop by the upper right hatch for a handy Save Station before
continuing through the hatch below it.
As you move to the right, your
lower path will be blocked by an inactive hatch, so jump up to the one above and pass through as you defeat the hatch guardian. The next room will
tease you with an Energy Tank, but snagging it will require some deft reflexes. Roll in ball form through the crack, and quickly ball jump and hold
to the right as you land on the Pit Blocks just in front of the tank. If you're quick enough, you'll boost your energy, but should you miss it,
simply reset your system (hold L+R+SELECT+START) and try again from your save point a few rooms prior. Once you grab it, continue falling to the
large room below.
You've made your way to the lair of
the biomechanical creature known as "Nightmare." Nightmare attacks in 2 stages, the first of which is extremely easy to pass. The robotic crawfish
will alter the field of gravity as you attack it, thus your missiles will become practically useless against it during this first stage. Instead,
use your Charge Beam to diagonally attack the red lens beneath its belly. Jump its laser blasts and repeatedly attack this point until Nightmare's
face explodes and reveals its true organic form. This next stage of the fight is much more difficult, so don't give up should you fail during the
first few attempts. Nightmare will approach you slowly from the right, so the best strategy is to perch on the ladder on the left wall and quickly
fire missiles into its head as it approaches. When it gets close, jump over to the right, and continue jumping and rolling under it as it passes
by. When it slows down to fire again, jump onto the ladder and attack again with missiles to the head. If you're lucky, you'll survive it's
sweeping attacks and defeat it after two passes. Once you do, the Core-X will appear, and defeating it with a handful of missiles will grant Samus
the Gravity Suit for increased mobility in water.
Objective 2: Gravity Suit effect
absorbed. Proceed to Navigation Room.
Objective 1: Gravity Suit effect
absorbed. Proceed to Navigation Room.
The hallway immediately to your
right holds a spare Missile Tank at the end, so make your way through to the right and snag it before continuing downward. Fall to the bottom of
this shaft, and you'll be presented with a choice of two hatches. The right path will eventually dead-end with a red hatch, so take the left path
instead. The next room will present a narrow, underwater tunnel in the middle of the room and a sealed red hatch at the far end. Stand on the
tunnel and drop a Power Bomb to reveal the Fake and Missile Blocks above your head. Destroy them, climb up, run to the far right edge, and then
climb into the room above. Head to the far left (shooting out any obvious Fake Blocks blocking your path) and bomb the floor to continue downward,
where you'll find yourself on the other side of the sealed red hatch you encountered before. Bomb the floor here and you'll clear a path further
downward and into a maze of tunnels. When in doubt here, drop a Super Bomb to illuminate all of the hidden blocks in your path and gain a clear
perspective of your surroundings. Drop bombs and ball jump around until you've worked your way to the room below: the Security Room. Stand on the
platform, and Samus can now open all hatches in the game, including the Level 4 red hatches.
Exit the Security Room through the
right hatch, and Space Jump your way back up to the top of the tall vertical shaft. Take the right hatch, and continue right all of the way through
the next few rooms and up to the previous red hatch roadblock. You now have access to open it, so proceed through to the right until you come to the
Save Station dead end. Save your progress, head back into the left room, and wind your way up through this larger area. At the top, you'll run
across a spiked creature that inflates when Samus approaches, so keep your distance and freeze it cold with an Ice Missile from afar to roll past
it. Right before you leave this room through the upper-right hatch, you'll find two Boost Blocks hidden on the floor, so you'll need to head through
the next two rooms to the right to get a running start and come speeding back to the left to clear them out. Fall down to the floor below, and enter
this middle hatch on your right.
Proceed down the long, straight
hallway to the right, and into the tall tunnel on the far right of the map. Here, the same spiked creatures will allow you to freeze them and climb
your way upward. At the top, your path will be blocked by Missile Blocks, so cling to the ladder on the right wall and send a missile upward to make
a hole. Exit this shaft through the left hatch, and drop a single Power Bomb to clear out the next room of all blocks and enemies with a single
shot. Head through the left hatch again, drop down a level, and then pass through the lower right hatch to download the Missile Diffusion weapons
upgrade. Samus' Ice Missiles will now spread in a circular pattern upon impact and freeze an entire screen's worth of enemies.
Exit the Data Room to the left and
put this new weapon to use by charging your missiles (hold the R button) and firing at the nearby wall to freeze the spiked creatures before they
have a chance to expand and block your crawlspace. Roll through to the left, and take the lower-left hatch to grab an extra Missile Tank by bombing
the far left wall within. Snag it, head back to the right, and then exit via the top-left hatch into the main region of Sector 4. Here, you'll have
the chance to recharge, save, and access the Navigation Room -- in that order -- through the upper-right hatch.
Objective 2: Security Robot
B.O.X. detected in Sector 6 (NOC). Engage.
Objective 1: Security Robot
B.O.X. detected in Sector 6 (NOC). Engage.
Proceed down the shaft to the
middle hatch along the left wall. You've previously explored this hallway, but now you can destroy the wall of Power Bombs at the far left end to
uncover a new path. Take this new hatch to the left, drop down to the level below, and continue through the hatch to the right. This next room will
instantly greet you with a column of Fake Blocks beneath your feet. Go ahead and take the plunge to the room below, where a water-filled room will
give you a choice of hatches on both to the right and left. The right hatch is home to a Missile Tank that you can't quite reach yet, so skip it and
head left. Keep moving through the next room down and to the left, and then down the next vertical shaft to the Save Station on the right. Grab a
quick save, and then return to the vertical shaft.
Bomb/shoot out the left side of the
floor and fall to the red hatch below; proceed to the left. You're now in what appears to be a restricted zone of the sector, and an alarm will
sound upon your intrusion. There's nothing Samus can do to proceed at this point, so it's best to retreat and make your way back up along the path
you came. (Note: be sure to walk around and trigger the alarm before you leave.) As you climb back up and to the right, you'll notice a
conspicuous ground-shaking jolt -- and you can probably guess what that means: Security Robot.
As you enter the water-filled room,
the hatch will seal shut behind Samus, forcing you to confront the mechanical beast. No problem -- that's why you came down here in the first
place. Before the robot even has a chance to attack, drop a quick Power Bomb to clear out the row of Fake Blocks lining the ceiling. Samus will now
have a horizontal ladder to swing across the room and avoid the electrified water below. Much like your last encounter with this menace, Samus must
destroy it via precise missile hits to the upper-middle section of its topside. Stay toward the left side of the room to protect yourself from its
jumping attacks, and fire off several missiles diagonally to the sweet spot both before and after it attacks with missiles of its own. Destroy the
oncoming missiles with your blaster, and then get yourself into position for your next attack. You'll know you've damaged the robot if it flashes
white; the target area is extremely small, so keep practicing until you get the feel for the exact distance from which to attack. Be patient and
conserve your energy and missiles, as it's going to take quite a while to finish it off. Once the robot is destroyed, the Core-X will appear as
usual. Your best strategy at this point is to Space Jump back and forth between the extreme left and right edges of the room and to connect with
direct missile hits to the eye. Once you finish it, Samus will receive the Wave Beam upgrade, which allows Samus' blaster to penetrate both walls
and enemies -- a truly lethal upgrade.
Objective 2: B.O.X. Robot
destroyed. Leave Sector 6 immediately.
As you continue to the left, you'll
pass through many restricted laboratories -- the kind with Metroids in captivity along with other vile mutated creatures. Follow this path to the
left, up one level, and then back to the right. Eventually (and not surprisingly), the ground will begin to shake and alarms will ring, so head back
downstairs into lower Restricted Laboratory. Here you'll run smack into the SA-X as it goes into a full Metroid-blasting frenzy. The wake of its
destruction is forcing the lab into a state of lockdown, so it's time to get out of there. Quickly Space Jump your way straight up this room until
you reach the upper-right hatch. The freed Metroid hatchlings will not hurt Samus now that she is their biological sister, but bumping into them
will slow you down. Don't waste time attacking the invulnerable SA-X, just get out of there. Once you exit, the lab will be jettisoned from the
station, and hopefully taking the SA-X along with it!
Objective 1: Restricted Lab
jettisoned.
Proceed to the right down this next
hallway, and keep moving right until you dead-end at the Save Station. Grab a quick save, and head up the vertical shaft. At the top, bomb the
right wall to reveal a hidden ladder, climb up, and exit via the left hatch. This next room has a column of Fake Blocks obstructing your path, but
the left hatch itself is also locked. To unlock it, Samus must destroy a few alien creatures first. Begin by blasting the trapped critters below
the floor, which will release their X into the room. These will combine to form new and extremely powerful, golden Space Pirates, which can only be
destroyed with two charged shots to their backs. Charge your beam, get close to it, and wait for it to jump over Samus so that you can blast it from
behind. Kill at least two of these golden Space Pirates to unlock the left hatch and continue with your escape.
The next vertical shaft to your
left will grant you with a handy Save Station through the upper-left hatch. After you save, head down the shaft and continue via the lower-left
hatch. Pass through this next hallway to the left, and use your charged freeze missiles to pass by the floating creatures blocking your path. The
hatch to your left will dump Samus to the bottom of a tall room, where a familiar and horrifying beast awaits: Ridley. The classic creature will
come alive and attack Samus with both fireballs and a razor-sharp tail. Crouch in the right corner and hold the L and R buttons simultaneously to
fire missiles directly at the winged menace. Don't be conservative -- rapidly fire as many as possible if you hope to eventually defeat it. When
Ridley knocks you around, quickly run back to the safety of the corner and continue firing. When it picks you up, keep firing as fast as possible to
score some extra hits. When you see Ridley's tail start swinging, then jump straight up into the air to dodge its oncoming whip attack. As you
damage it, Ridley will change colors to purple and eventually red. If you nail the creature with enough missiles before loosing all energy, then
you'll finally destroy it and free it's Core-X. Finish off the Core-X with missiles, and you'll finally earn the powerful Screw Attack, allowing
Samus to deliver damaging energy to everything she jumps through.
Objective 2: Screw Attack ability
restored. Proceed to Navigation Room.
Moving right, open the shutter
obstructing your path and head into the next room to the right. Here, you'll find new blocks obstructing your path: Screw Attack Blocks. Jump and
fall through these blocks to descend to the chamber below. Exit via the lower-right hatch, and continue using the Screw Attack to hover just above
the toxic fluids and plow your way to the right. Crash through the columns of Screw Attack Blocks as you jump to the right, and eventually you'll
need to use your blaster to open the shutter as you clear out a single Screw Attack Block in front of it. Pull yourself into this crack and roll on
through as you exit via the right hatch.
In this next tall vertical shaft,
you'll be able to use your Screw Attack and jump straight to the top, slaying multiple Space Pirates along the way. Plow through the Screw Attack
blocks lining the top, and you're now back in the familiar charted regions of Sector 1. You shouldn't have any problems following your map back to
the surface of this early region, so plot your course and head for the upper-left Navigation Room. At this juncture, you can choose to travel either
right or left, but the left path is recommended since it is both quicker and leads to a pair of hidden Missile Tanks.
Move through the next two rooms to
the left until you're at the bottom of the tallest vertical shaft in the Sector. Space Jump all of the way to the top, and then exit via the upper-
left hatch. In this lava-filled room, Samus can grab two extra Missile Tanks that were previously unattainable. The first is in the lower-right
corner of the room; drop a bomb and roll through the crack to the right to grab it. The second is in the upper left corner of the room, so you'll
need to Space Jump over to snag it. When you've grabbed them both, exit via the lower-left hatch. This brief vertical shaft is a shortcut back to
the first room of the sector. But before you head into the Navigation Room, jump over to the upper-right hatch and Screw Attack through the ceiling
in this room to reveal an extra Power Bomb Tank. Grab it, and head across to the upper-left hatch to finally reach the Navigation Room.
Objective 1: Set orbit to impact
SR388. Return to ship and evacuate.
After riding the two elevators back
up into the Main Deck, sprint down the hallway to the right until it dead-ends into a vertical shaft. Here, Samus can take advantage of a shortcut
by jumping and catching a hidden gap in the right wall. Roll through to the right and perform a Screw Attack to crash through the middle wall, and
then perform a Ball Jump to keep moving through the next hidden crack in the right wall. In this next vertical shaft, head directly through the
hatch on your right and through the next room to grab a quick save. Continue moving up and to the right, passing through the Navigation Room along
the way, and finally riding the elevator up into the Operations Room.
Once you finally destroy it, a blue
X will be released, except Samus won't be able to obtain this one as it escapes through the right wall. No matter, turn your attention back to the
Operations Room through the upper-left hatch. Proceed to the left and stand on the platform to activate the terminal. Doing so will send the
station on a crash course for the SR388 planet surface, and Samus will have three minutes to get back to her ship and escape! You should already be
familiar with this route as you head back to the elevator and descend to the Main Deck. Work your way down to your ship, and check your map on the
pause screen if you need help staying on the path. Be sure to fill up at the Recharge Station along the way, but unfortunately the Save Station will
be inactive. Pass it up and head down to the Docking Bay in the lower-right region of the map.
When you arrive, you'll be alarmed
to notice that your ship is no longer docked! In its place, a large shell of what appears to be a Metroid lies ruined on the floor. Suddenly, the
awesome Omega Metroid comes crashing into the bay from the right, and Samus must defend herself. Attacking the Omega Metroid proves futile, and one
swipe from the creature will send your health to critical levels. Just before the Omega Metroid can finish off Samus, the blue X enters the room
from above. The SA-X then emerges and instinctively attacks the mighty beast. But even the SA-X is no match for the Omega Metroid, and the blue X
is released again once it is defeated -- except this time, Samus can grab it. Waste no time in snagging it, and Samus' energy and weapon levels will
be fully recharged. Now it's time to fight the Omega Metroid.
Objective 2: Regained Ice Beam
ability. Omega Metroid attack possible.