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###/ /### P R I M E
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\/ STRATEGY GUIDE
AUTHOR: 3791
EMAIL: [email protected]
VERSION: 1.15
LATEST UPDATE: 03/17/2007
Made some minor corrections based on tips from Kai, Neil,
Nathaniel, and Sabu750. Also, changed the copyright info: the
guide is now released under a Creative Commons license.
*ATTENTION:* IF ALL YOU NEED ARE A FEW QUICK STRATEGIES FOR A BOSS OR
MINI-BOSS, SEE THE QUICK TIPS SECTION IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE MINI LEGAL/CONTACT
INFO NOTICE!
===============================================================================
Mini Creative Commons Notice
===============================================================================
This guide is released under a Creative Commons license. The Creative Commons
deed can be viewed here: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/
In a nutshell,
YOU CAN: copy, distribute, print, upload to your website, or do whatever else
you want with this guide
SO LONG AS: you credit me as the author, you don't sell the guide or use it to
make money, and you don't change anything in the guide.
You can find a few more details in the Creative Commons Info section at the
end of the guide.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>|
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>|
_____________________________________________________________________________
/ \
0. QUICK TIPS >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [0]
\_____________________________________________________________________________/
STOP! If you are currently fighting a boss or mini-boss, can't figure out how
to beat it, and have just now paused the game, run to your computer, and found
this guide, then this section is for you. This section lists each boss or
mini-boss and provides a few bullet-point strategies for defeating it. If you
need more help, then that's what the rest of the guide is for. If you need to
know where to go after defeating a boss or collecting an item, turn the hint
system on in the Options menu, or look in the walkthrough.
o PARASITE QUEEN
- scan, then lock-on to mouth
- stay in line with gap in force field and fire continuously
o HIVE MECHA
- kill all wasps, then fire at Hive Mecha
o PLATED BEETLE
- stand still while it slides back and forth in front of you
- once its antennae jitter, dash to the side
- fire at its exposed abdomen
o INCINERATOR DRONE
- flames will be at one of 3 heights: high, middle, or low
- jump over low, walk under high, stay in between middle
- fire at red light on top whenever it appears
o FLAAHGRA
- must knock all active dishes out of place to make Flaahgra collapse
- keep Flaahgra stunned as much as possible to prevent it from knocking the
dishes back into place
- once Flaahgra collapses, roll through tunnel and lay Bomb at its base
o SHEEGOTH
- fire at side of its head after it completes an attack
- will flash red if attack hits
- can also lay Bombs underneath Sheegoth
o METROID
- before you get Ice Beam, use Charge Beam or Missiles (Super Missile for
quick kill)
- once you have Ice Beam, fire one shot to freeze, Missile to kill
- if one latches on to you, roll into Morph Ball and lay a Bomb (Power Bomb
to kill)
o THARDUS
- use Thermal Visor, will see one glowing rock
- lock-on and fire at glowing rock, after several hits will overload Thermal
Visor
- rock now visible with Combat Visor, continue firing until rock is destroyed
- use Boost Ball to avoid rolling attack
o CHOZO GHOSTS
- Power Beam only effective weapon
- use radar to find them (or X-Ray Visor)
o ELITE PIRATE
- do not fire if its hand is raised
o CLOAKED SENTRY DRONE
- use Wavebuster (Wave Beam charge combo) if you have it (does not require
lock-on; will automatically target drone)
- cannot be scanned or locked-on
o OMEGA PIRATE
- use Plasma Beam (Super Missiles if you're desperate) to destroy Phazon
armor on legs and shoulders
- once armor gone, switch to X-Ray Visor and charge Power Beam
- do not attack troopers, dodge and ignore them
- once Omega Pirate appears in X-Ray Visor, fire Super Missile
o META RIDLEY
- use Plasma Beam to fire at chest while hovering in air or on platform
- once on ground, switch to Power Beam
- dash as soon as he holds his head up and opens his mouth, then jump over
tail
- when he sticks his head out and holds mouth open for several seconds, fire
charged beam or Missile into his mouth to stun
- chest will now be exposed; immediately charge up and fire Super Missile
- at end of battle, Ridley will charge multiple times in a row and not allow
you to stun him very often
o METROID PRIME
- color indicates which beam it's vulnerable to
- destroy flying spheres before they reach you, use Charge Beam to collect
pickups
- after Prime flashes red and reels around, roll through tracks on ground to
avoid charge
o METROID PRIME
- cannot attack until it creates a Phazon pool
- periodically changes visor it's visible in:
Combat --> X-Ray --> Thermal --> Combat, etc.
- once Phazon pool appears, step in it to activate Phazon Beam, lock-on and
hold down A
- once Metroids start appearing, use Phazon Beam or Power Bomb to kill them
quickly
_____________________________________________________________________________
/ \
TABLE OF CONTENTS >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
\_____________________________________________________________________________/
To quickly jump to a specific section and not have to scroll through the entire
file, copy the tag in brackets that appears to the right of the section you
want to go to (include the brackets). Then, go to Edit|Find in this Page...
and paste the tag into the search box. Click Find Next and you should jump
directly to that section. (That's for Firefox; it's very similar for Internet
Explorer.)
0. QUICK TIPS [0]
I. INTRODUCTION [I]
II. GAME BASICS [II]
A. Controls [II.A]
B. Menus [II.B]
C. Pickups and Expansions [II.C]
D. Stations [II.D]
E. Doors [II.E]
F. Morph Ball Devices [II.F]
G. Map [II.G]
III. INVENTORY [III]
A. Suits [III.A]
B. Visors [III.B]
C. Arm Cannon [III.C]
D. Secondary Items [III.D]
E. Morph Ball [III.E]
IV. WALKTHROUGH [IV]
A. Unidentified Distress Beacon [IV.A]
1. Story [IV.A.1]
2. Pirate Frigate [IV.A.2]
3. Parasite Queen [IV.A.3]
4. Escape [IV.A.4]
B. Chozo Ruins [IV.B]
1. Tallon Overworld West [IV.B.1]
2. Missile Launcher, Morph Ball [IV.B.2]
3. Charge Beam, Morph Ball Bomb [IV.B.3]
4. Expansions [IV.B.4]
5. Flaahgra [IV.B.5]
C. Magmoor and Phendrana [IV.C]
1. Magmoor Caverns North [IV.C.1]
2. Boost Ball [IV.C.2]
3. Space Jump Boots, Artifact Temple [IV.C.3]
4. Wave Beam [IV.C.4]
5. Super Missile, Thermal Visor [IV.C.5]
6. Thardus [IV.C.6]
D. Further Explorations [IV.D]
1. Wavebuster, Expansions [IV.D.1]
2. Ice Beam [IV.D.2]
3. Gravity Suit [IV.D.3]
4. Crashed Frigate [IV.D.4]
E. Phazon Mines [IV.E]
1. Phazon Mines Level 1 [IV.E.1]
2. Power Bomb, Grapple Beam [IV.E.2]
3. X-Ray Visor, Expansions [IV.E.3]
4. Ice Spreader, Plasma Beam, Expansions [IV.E.4]
5. Phazon Mines Level 3 [IV.E.5]
6. Omega Pirate [IV.E.6]
F. Impact Crater [IV.F]
1. Meta Ridley [IV.F.1]
2. Impact Crater [IV.F.2]
3. Metroid Prime [IV.F.3]
4. Metroid Prime [IV.F.4]
V. EXPANSIONS AND ARTIFACTS [V]
A. Energy Tanks [V.A]
B. Missile Expansions [V.B]
C. Power Bomb Expansions [V.C]
D. Chozo Artifacts [V.D]
VI. LOG BOOK [VI]
A. Pirate Data [VI.A]
B. Chozo Lore [VI.B]
C. Creatures [VI.C]
D. Research [VI.D]
VII. CREATURES [VII]
VIII. CHECKLIST [VIII]
IX. NECESSARY ODDS AND ENDS [IX]
_____________________________________________________________________________
/ \
I. INTRODUCTION >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [I]
\_____________________________________________________________________________/
Welcome to this strategy guide for Metroid Prime; the best game currently
available for the GameCube. If you already own Metroid Prime, congratulations
on a wise investment (especially now that it's a Player's Choice, so it only
costs about $30). If you don't own it yet, stop reading this guide, go buy it,
and come back here once you get stuck. OK, just to give you an idea of what
you'll be getting into, here's some general information about the game and this
strategy guide.
Metroid Prime is a first-person adventure game. You play as bounty hunter
extraordinaire Samus Aran as she explores the vast, lush world of Tallon IV.
Samus Aran wears a full-body protective suit known as the Power Suit. Her main
weapon is an Arm Cannon attached to the end of her right arm, which can fire
unlimited amounts of energy beams. This might lead you to believe that Metroid
Prime is a first-person shooter, but it is not. It is an adventure game that
happens to be in first-person and that happens to contain shooting. I know that
sounds like I am just trying to avoid the label of a first-person shooter, but
when you play the game you will see that it is about much more than mowing down
huge swarms of creatures; a large emphasis is also placed on exploration,
puzzles, and story.
Since the game is in first-person, you play the game through Samus's visor;
that is, you see what she sees. As with all Metroid titles, the structure of
the game is to explore the world defeating enemies, finding new items, which
you can use to explore new areas, find more items, and so on. Unlike most
previous Metroid games, Metroid Prime also contains a large amount of story and
background information, which you can gradually learn as you progress. However,
almost all story information is learned in-game and can be skipped if you wish;
there are very few cut-scenes in Metroid Prime. Also, Metroid Prime is very
nonlinear; there are no "levels" or "stages", just several large regions. There
is a recommended path to follow to beat the game in the most logical manner,
but you can go anywhere you want. This guide, obviously, will show you what I
feel to be the best path to follow to beat the game.
Samus Aran only has one life, which is measured by her Energy Meter. If it
reaches zero, then Samus dies and the game is over, sending you back to the
last point at which you saved your game. Samus can, however, collect Energy
Tanks, which will increase her maximum amount of energy. Saves can only be
made at Save Stations, which are scattered across Tallon IV.
As I mentioned earlier, Metroid Prime contains much more story content than
other Metroid games, most of which can be skipped if so desired. However, I
strongly recommend against this. I love games that allow me to become fully
immersed in its world, and Metroid Prime's story makes that easy to do. The
story is very compelling and adds another layer of richness and detail to the
game. With that in mind, in this guide I will pay special attention to the
story and attempt to emphasize that aspect of the game in the guide.
*IMPORTANT NOTES ON TERMINOLOGY*
Before moving on, it's important that I clarify a few things regarding the way
I will refer to locations in this guide. First off, Tallon IV is divided into
several large areas that I will refer to as "regions". Some of the regions are
Tallon Overworld, Chozo Ruins, and Magmoor Caverns. Each region is subdivided
into dozens of smaller areas that will be referred to as "rooms". Note that
they will be called rooms whether or not they are actually indoors. Rooms are
separated by doors, which almost always appear as a hexagonal hatch surrounded
by a colored border; if you go through a door, you're in a different room. This
may sound rather trivial, but it's important to know exactly what I'm talking
about in the walkthrough, though I will try to make things as clear as
possible. Also, throughout this guide, I will refer to item locations using the
initials of the region, followed by the name of the room, as in CR:Main Plaza.
You can see the name of all rooms you have been in by using the map. This is
the key for the region name abbreviations:
PF: Pirate Frigate (beginning of the game only; NOT after it crashes)
TO: Tallon Overworld
CR: Chozo Ruins
MC: Magmoor Caverns
PD: Phendrana Drifts
PM: Phazon Mines
IC: Impact Crater
Also, this guide is based on playing the game with Normal difficulty. In Hard
mode, all the same strategies will still apply, but enemies will deal
approximately twice as much damage and take approximately twice as many hits to
kill.
_____________________________________________________________________________
/ \
II. GAME BASICS >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [II]
\_____________________________________________________________________________/
This section contains all the basic, mechanical, how-the-game-works information
you'll need to play Metroid Prime. It is divided into a number of subsections,
each explaining one aspect of the game. The subsections are: controls, menus,
pickups and expansions, stations, doors, Morph Ball devices, and the map.
/===============================================================================
A. Controls [II.A]
\==============================================================================
These are the controls for actual game play. Some people have complained that
these controls are not the same as in other first-person shooters; my response
is that Metroid Prime is not a first-person shooter, so stop whining. If they
seem unusual at first, don't worry, you'll get used to them in no time.
o CONTROL STICK:
Move. Tilt forward on the stick to walk or roll forward. Tilt left or right
to turn, and tilt backwards to move backwards. The farther you tilt, the
faster you will move.
o CONTROL PAD:
Select a visor. Each visor is assigned a different direction on the Control
Pad, and you can press that direction to select that visor. These are the
directions for each visor:
up: Combat Visor left: Scan Visor
down: Thermal Visor right: X-Ray Visor
o A BUTTON:
In normal form, the A Button fires the currently selected beam weapon, and
holding A activates the Charge Beam. In Morph Ball form, it lays a Bomb.
o B BUTTON:
Jump. If you have the Space Jump Boots, you can perform a double jump by
pressing B again while still in the air. Also, if you push B while holding L
and tilting left or right on the Control Stick, you will perform a quick leap
to the side, which you can use to dodge enemy attacks. In Morph Ball form,
hold B to charge up a boost (once you have the Boost Ball), then let go to
boost.
o C STICK:
Select a beam weapon. Each beam weapon is assigned a different direction on
the C Stick, and tilting the C Stick in that direction will set your Arm
Cannon to that beam weapon. These are the directions for each beam:
up: Power Beam left: Plasma Beam
down: Ice Beam right: Wave Beam
o X BUTTON:
Enter or exit Morph Ball form.
o Y BUTTON:
In normal form, the Y button will fire a missile. When in Morph Ball form,
use the Y button to lay a Power Bomb.
o Z BUTTON:
Pauses the game and displays the map.
o L BUTTON:
If there is an enemy in Samus's field of view, press and hold the L button to
lock on to it. Any shots you fire will automatically be aimed at that enemy,
and moving left or right will allow you to strafe, moving you in a circle
around the enemy. (If you've played any of the recent Zelda games, this is
similar to the Z/L-Target feature.) If there are no enemies in sight, you can
press L and left or right on the Control Stick to move side to side. Also,
once you have the Grapple Beam, holding down the L Button will activate the
Grapple Beam, provided there is a Grapple Point in range. Finally, in Morph
Ball form, holding the L Button locks the camera behind Samus.
o R BUTTON:
Aim and look around. Holding R allows you to manually aim and look around
using the Control Stick. This is handy if you want to get a better view of
your surroundings or you want to fire at something you can't target (such as
a crate). In Morph Ball form, hold R to lock onto a magnetic rail track
(once Samus has the Spider Ball upgrade).
o START/PAUSE BUTTON:
Pauses the game and displays the Pause Menu.
/==============================================================================
B. Menus [II.B]
\==============================================================================
There are two menu sets in Metroid Prime: the Main Menu and the Pause Menu,
which is further divided into three screens. For both menus, the controls are
extremely simple: Control Stick to select, A to confirm, B to cancel.
MAIN MENU----------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the file select menu that appears once you press Start or A from the
title screen. Use this menu to start or erase a game file, and to access
unlocked features.
o GAME FILES:
The top of the menu lists the three available saved game slots. They will be
named Samus A, B, or C for Normal mode or Hard A, B, or C for Hard mode.
Empty slots will display New Game. Next to the file name will be a percentage
which represents the percentage of items (weapons, secondary items, Energy
Tanks, and expansions) found. After the percentage, the region in which the
game was last saved will be displayed, along with the elapsed time (which
does not include pauses, viewing the map, or reading scanned information). To
play a saved game, simply select it and press A. To start a new game, select
an empty slot and press A. If you have unlocked Hard mode, you will be asked
to choose Normal or Hard mode, and then the game will start.
o ERASE:
To erase a file, select Erase from the menu, then select a game file. A
message will appear asking you to confirm. Select Erase and the game will be
permanently deleted.
o CONNECTION BONUSES:
This option will open the Connection Bonuses menu, from which you can access
the two Metroid Prime/Fusion connection bonuses. These are unlocked by
connecting a Game Boy Advance with Metroid Fusion installed to the GameCube
using a special cable (sold separately). If you have beaten Metroid Prime,
you will unlock the original NES Metroid, and if you have beaten Metroid
Fusion, you will unlock the ability to wear the Fusion Suit in Metroid Prime.
This does not change your suit's abilities; your suit behaves just like it's
whatever suit you "really" have. It just looks cool, although since the game
is in first-person, you only get to see it during cut scenes, Save Stations,
and elevator rides.
o IMAGE GALLERIES:
This option will not appear until you have unlocked one of the four available
image galleries. Once you have done so, this option will allow you to view
the images. Image galleries are unlocked by a variety of methods, including
scanning certain percentages of Log Book entries and beating the game in
both Normal and Hard modes.
PAUSE MENU---------------------------------------------------------------------
You can access this menu at any time during play by pressing Start. This menu
consists of three screens: Inventory, Log Book, and Options, which can be
cycled through using the L and R buttons. For all three screens, categories are
listed along the left side, and selecting a category will allow you to select
an individual item from the right side. The contents of that item will then be
displayed in the center.
o INVENTORY:
This screen lists all of Samus's current items and abilities along with
descriptions of them; this information is available in this guide in section
III, Inventory. In the center a picture of Samus is displayed. Press Y to
zoom in on Samus, and you can then use the Control Stick to rotate her, the C
Stick to move her, and L and R to zoom out and in. Press Y again to return
to the menu.
o LOG BOOK:
This screen lists all the Pirate Data, Chozo Lore, Creature, Research, and
Artifact entries you have downloaded. Information about the locations of
these entries can be found in sections VII and VIII.
o OPTIONS:
This screen allows you to modify the video and audio settings for the game.
For each item below, its name is displayed followed by the available options,
with the default value in parentheses. Also, each category has a Restore
Defaults option, not listed here, which resets all items in that category to
their default values.
- Visor:
.Visor Opacity: 0-100 (100)
adjusts the opacity of all HUD elements except the energy meter
.Helmet Opacity: 0-100 (100)
adjusts the opacity of the physical helmet, which is visible on the edges
of the screen
.HUD Lag: On|Off (On)
determines whether HUD movement lags behind visor movement
.Hint System: On|Off (On)
turns the hint system on or off
- Display:
.Screen Brightness: 0-100 (50)
adjusts the brightness of the picture
.Screen Offset X: 0-100 (50)
moves the picture to the left (<50) or right (>50)
.Screen Offset Y: 0-100 (50)
moves the picture up (<50) or down (>50)
.Screen Stretch: 0-100 (50)
stretches the picture in (<50) or out (>50)
- Sound:
.SFX Volume: 0-100 (100)
adjusts the volume of all sound effects
.Music Volume: 0-100 (100)
adjusts the volume of all music
.Sound Mode: Mono|Stereo|Dolby (Stereo)
selects the format the game output sound in
- Controller:
.Reverse Y-Axis: On|Off (Off)
reverses the orientation of the y-axis on the Control Stick while holding
R (so that pressing down on the Control Stick causes you to look down).
.Rumble: On|Off (On)
turns the rumble feature on or off
.Swap Beam Controls: On|Off (Off)
switches the location of the beam and visor controls so that the Control
Pad selects beams and the C Stick selects visors
- Quit Game: Yes|No (No)
quits the game and returns to the title screen (does NOT save)
/==============================================================================
C. Pickups and Expansions [II.C]
\==============================================================================
Pickup items are often left behind by defeated enemies or found in crates, and
usually refill energy or weapon supplies. Expansions, on the other hand,
increase the maximum capacity of those supplies, and are often well-hidden.
o SMALL ENERGY:
This looks like a small, translucent blue or purple sphere with a black ring
around it and a black dot in its center. It will refill 10 energy units.
o LARGE ENERGY:
This pick-up looks like a Small Energy except that it is larger and is red.
It refills 20 energy units.
o ULTRA ENERGY:
This one is also similar to a Small Energy except that it is gold-colored and
refills 100 energy units, or an entire Energy Tank's worth! Don't look to
find these too often; they are usually found either immediately before or
after major battles.
o ENERGY TANK:
This expansion increases Samus's maximum energy by 100 units. There are 14 of
these in the game, which means that Samus can have up to 1499 energy units.
Energy Tanks look like blue cylinders with gray caps on the end. Each Energy
Tank Samus finds will add a small square above her energy meter. Each square
represents an additional 100 units of energy Thus, when the meter
(representing the current tank) runs dry, one of the squares will be dimmed
and the meter will refill. This means that you will die only when the energy
meter reaches zero and there are no squares remaining.
o MISSILE AMMO:
Missile Ammo looks like a flat gray-and-orange triangle; it is actually the
Missile icon. Each Missile Ammo will refill 5 Missiles of Samus's stockpile.
o MISSILE EXPANSION:
Missile Expansions look like, well, Missiles, and will increase Samus's
missile-carrying capacity by 5. Some Missile Expansions are cunningly hidden,
and uncovering all of them is a real feat. There are 49 Missile Expansions in
all, which, combined with the 5 you get from the Missile Launcher, makes for
a maximum of 250 Missiles! Try and find as many as you can, because they are
worth it! (And if you're having trouble finding them, then that's what the
Missile Expansion section of this guide is for!)
o POWER BOMB AMMO:
Power Bomb Ammo looks like a small, smooth yellow sphere. Each one will
refill one Power Bomb.
o POWER BOMB EXPANSION:
Power Bomb Expansions are pretty weird-looking: they're big yellow spheres
with orange spikes sticking out of them. Each one will increase your maximum
number of Power Bombs by one. There are only four of them to be found,
meaning you can carry a maximum of eight Power Bombs.
/==============================================================================
D. Stations [II.D]
\==============================================================================
Stations are special devices that you will find in rooms across Tallon IV.
There are three types of stations, and each will benefit Samus in a different
way. To use a station, simply walk into it.
o SAVE STATION:
By far the most common and important station, Save Stations will save your
game and also refill your energy. It's a good idea to use a Save Station
every time you come across one, even if you don't think you need to. You
never know what's going to be in that next room, and it never hurts to get an
energy refill. Note that Samus's gunship serves as both a Save Station and a
Missile Station.
o MAP STATION:
Map Stations will download a map of the current region, allowing you to see
the general layout of the region and prepare for what's ahead.
o MISSILE STATION:
There are not many of these in the game, but they are usually placed at
strategic locations. Missile Stations will totally refill Samus's Missile and
Power Bomb supply.
/==============================================================================
E. Doors [II.E]
\==============================================================================
Doors, obviously, separate the hundreds of rooms in Metroid Prime. Also, in an
ingenious move by Retro, the next room loads while the door leading to it is
opening. That's why there are never any load screens or pauses in Metroid
Prime. Also, if you're about to enter a large room and the door takes a few
seconds to open, that's why, so just be patient. Anyway, there are several
different types of doors which require different methods for opening.
o BLUE DOORS:
Almost all doors in Metroid Prime are hexagonal and are ringed by a colored
border. The color of the border indicates which beam weapon will open the
door. To open the door, fire a shot of the correct beam weapon at the door.
The colored border will fade and the door will automatically open when you
approach it. Doors with blue borders are the most common, and any beam weapon
(or a Bomb) can be used to open them.
o PURPLE DOORS:
Use the Wave Beam to open purple doors.
O WHITE DOORS:
White doors require the Ice Beam.
o RED DOORS:
Red doors require a blast from the Plasma Beam to open.
o BLAST SHIELD:
Some doors will be covered with thick metal plating with a red light in the
center. To open these doors, you must first blow off the blast shield with a
Missile, then open the door with the appropriate beam weapon.
o LOCKED DOORS:
Occasionally you will find a door that has blue bars covering it. This is a
locked door, and it cannot be opened until you accomplish a specific
objective in the room. These doors will usually appear to lock you into boss
battles or to force you to solve a puzzle.
o UNPOWERED DOORS:
If a door has no power, it will not have a colored border around it and will
not open. To power the door, you must find a certain number of Power Conduits
in the room and shoot them with the Wave Beam. This will power the door,
allowing it to be opened normally.
/==============================================================================
F. Morph Ball Devices [II.F]
\==============================================================================
This subsection, as its name implies, describes devices that are specifically
designed for use with the Morph Ball and its upgrades.
o MORPH BALL SLOT:
Morph Ball Slots are like switches that can be activated by the Morph Ball.
They look like circular, Morph Ball-sized depressions with a blue border. To
use one, simply roll into it and lay a Bomb.
o SPINNER:
Spinner devices usually serve to control larger machinery in a room, and
require the Boost Ball ability. A Spinner looks like a small, boxy structure
with an open area in the front just large enough for the Morph Ball to roll
into. Once you roll in, the camera will usually shift to an angle that allows
you to see what it is you're manipulating. To use the Spinner, repeatedly
charge and release boosts as fast as you can, which will move whatever device
the Spinner controls. Once you have moved the device into the correct
position, it will lock into place and you will be automatically ejected from
the Spinner device. If, for whatever reason, you need to exit the Spinner
before moving the device into place, lay a Bomb.
o HALFPIPE:
Not so much as an actual device, but rather an architectural feature,
halfpipes are smooth, curved, semicircular surfaces that you can use to reach
new areas, provided you have the Boost Ball. Once you find a halfpipe, start
rolling back and forth until you are as high as you can get. Then, while
rolling up one side, charge the Boost Ball. Roll down, then release the boost
just as you start to ascend the opposite side. The boost will send you higher
than you would have gotten otherwise, and this added momentum will allow you
to roll up to the same height on the other side. Keep boosting to climb
higher and higher up the halfpipe until you reach the top.
o SPIDER BALL TRACK:
Across Tallon IV, you will encounter magnetic rail tracks. These tracks are
narrow and gold-colored, and can be seen snaking up walls and ceilings in
many rooms. With the Spider Ball, you can latch onto these tracks and
climb up or down them by holding R. You can detach from a track either by
releasing R, in which case you will fall off, or by laying a Bomb, which will
blast you up off the track. Use this technique to jump from one track to
another.
/==============================================================================
G. Map [II.G]
\==============================================================================
The map is a very handy resource, and ocassionally a necessity to keep from
getting lost in Metroid Prime's sprawling regions. To access the Map, simply
press Z. This pauses the game and displays a 3-D map of the current region,
with your current room centered and flashing. If you have not downloaded a map
of the region from a Map Station, only the rooms you have entered will be
displayed. If you have downloaded a map, then rooms you have not yet explored
will be displayed in blue, while rooms you have been in will be orange. At the
top of the screen the name of the selected room will be displayed; these are
the names used in this guide to identify rooms.
Other information displayed on the map includes your current location,
indicated by a green triangle, pointing in the direction you are facing. Doors
into and out of the selected room are displayed on the map as colored squares,
with the color indicating the type of door. Other locations displayed on the
map include an E for elevators, S for Save Stations, and M for Missile
Stations. If the hint feature is enabled, a ? will appear at the location you
should head for next.
There are also a number of controls for the map, so that you can see exactly
what you want. If you do not need the legend or list of controls and don't want
them in the way, press Y to make them disappear. Use the Control Stick to
rotate the map (which can rotate in three dimensions), use L and R to zoom in
and out, and use the C Stick to select different rooms to view. Finally, press
the A Button to zoom out and view the map for the entire world, where you can
select the map for a different region. Once you're done, press Z or B to return
to the game.
_____________________________________________________________________________
/ \
III. INVENTORY >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [III]
\_____________________________________________________________________________/
This section will describe all the items and upgrades that Samus will find and
use on Tallon IV, and is separated into five categories: Suits, Visors, Arm
Cannon, Secondary Items, and Morph Ball. The walkthrough subsection in which
the item is found will appear in parentheses next to the room location.
/==============================================================================
A. Suits [III.A]
\==============================================================================
Samus's suits are vital equipment on all of her missions. They allow her to
explore underwater and in space, as well as to withstand enemy attacks and
environmental hazards. Also, Samus's suits allow her to withstand any fall, no
matter how far. Each suit that Samus acquires upgrades her old suit, adding new
abilities while retaining those of the previous suits. It should also be noted
that each suit upgrade reduces the amount of damage that enemies cause to
Samus.
o POWER SUIT:
This is the suit that you begin the game with. It is fairly basic and does
not have any special attributes.
LOCATION: Default
o VARIA SUIT:
The Varia Suit adds more armor plating to Samus's exterior, including her
trademark giant shoulders. More importantly, though, the Varia Suit allows
you to withstand high temperatures, such as rooms that contain lava. This
will not prevent you from taking damage when actually standing in lava, but
does allow you to enter rooms containing lava.
LOCATION: CR:Sunchamber (V.B.5)
o GRAVITY SUIT:
Without the Gravity Suit, you have limited mobility underwater: you move
slowly, cannot jump very high, and have low visibility. The Gravity Suit
corrects these deficiencies, allowing you to move underwater just as if you
were on dry land.
LOCATION: PD:Gravity Chamber (V.D.3)
o PHAZON SUIT:
Definitely the coolest-looking suit in the game, the Phazon Suit will turn
Samus's armor black and red: very nifty. The Phazon Suit allows you to
resist taking damage from Phazon. It also has a very useful "side effect"...
LOCATION: PM:Elite Quarters (V.E.6)
/==============================================================================
B. Visors [III.B]
\==============================================================================
Samus's visor is your window on the world. You will play the game through
Samus's visor, and thanks to the geniuses at Retro, it behaves just like a real
visor would. Rain will bead on it, enemy goo will splatter on it, and
electrical interference can even cause it to fill with static (which means, of
course, that you won't be able to see). Samus can find up to four visors, each
of which is sensitive to a different part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
o COMBAT VISOR:
This is the standard visor you will use most of the time. It does not have
any special sensitivities, it just picks up light in the visible spectrum.
However, the Combat Visor displays the most information of all the visors,
which is broken down and described below:
- Energy Meter:
Your energy meter is found at the top center of the display. The number and
line indicate the number of energy units left in the current tank, while
each square along the top represents an additional Energy Tank in reserve
(100 more energy units).
- Missile Meter:
The vertical bar on the right side of the display indicates the number of
Missiles remaining. Whenever you fire a Missile or pick up Missile ammo,
this meter will brighten.
- Environmental Threat Meter:
This is the vertical bar on the left side of the screen, which is marked
with an exclamation point. This indicates how close you are to hazardous
substances (such as lava, poison, or Phazon). As you get closer to the
substance, the meter will rise. When you're right next to it, the meter
will display "Warning" and beep. If you are in the substance and are taking
damage, the meter will display "Damage" until you get out.
- Radar:
The circle in the upper-left corner is a radar map of your vicinity. You
are in the center, the triangle at the top represents your current field of
view, and enemies appear as orange dots. This is useful for chasing down
enemies that try to hide from you or that are hard to follow.
- Map:
A map of the current room is displayed in the upper-right corner.
- Targeting Reticule:
Any enemies that you can lock-on to will have a circle around them, and
locking-on will put a large targeting reticule around them. Also, a small
cross-hair will appear in the center of the visor when you use manual
targeting.
- Visor Select:
Your visors are displayed in the lower-left corner, arranged in a + shape,
so that their placement in the display indicates the direction on the
Control Pad used to select them, with the current visor in the center.
- Beam Select:
The various beams for your Arm Cannon are found in the lower-right corner,
arranged the same way as the visors.
As you can see, your visors provide a lot of information about what is going
on around you. Note that most of this information is also found on the other
visors' displays, but sometimes in slightly different locations.
LOCATION: default
o SCAN VISOR:
In contrast to the Combat Visor, the Scan Visor has the least-cluttered
interface, displaying only the energy meter, the visor select display, and
a large rectangular window in the center. With the Scan Visor, you'll see
orange and red scan icons on enemies, computer terminals, and other objects
of interest. When one of the icons is inside the rectangular scan window on
your visor, you can lock-on to it with L to scan it. Once it is scanned,
the game will pause and displays will appear providing you with information
about what you scanned. Remember to keep holding down L while you are reading
the information. Though it sounds boring, SCANNING IS THE KEY TO GETTING THE
MOST OUT OF METROID PRIME! Scanning enemies will reveal their weaknesses and
suggest attack strategies, scanning devices and controls will operate them,
and scanning computer terminals and displays can provide hints. Also, the
story is told almost exclusively through scanning logs and databases.
Basically, SCAN EVERYTHING! When you first enter a room, look around and see
if there's anything to scan. If you see a new enemy, scan it first, then kill
it. If you see anything unusual, scan it; you'll usually find out what it is.
A note about the scan icons: red icons denote items that will be downloaded
to the Log Book as well as scans that are required to progress (switches,
locks, etc.). Orange icons are used for enemies and less critical
information. Once you have scanned something, its scan icon will be faded
out, but you can lock-on to it again to reread its information if you want
to. Remember, when in doubt, SCAN IT!
LOCATION: default
o THERMAL VISOR:
This is a really nifty item. The Thermal Visor detects wavelengths in the
infrared range, which means it can detect heat signatures. Once you switch to
the Thermal Visor, everything will become purple, orange, and yellow. Objects
with high temperatures will be orange or yellow, while cooler objects will
appear purple or black. The visor itself has a large triangle in the center,
and your display readings are centered around that. Your energy is displayed
at the top, as always, while the environmental threat meter is along the left
side of the triangle, with your Missiles along the right. The targeting
reticule is also triangular while using the Thermal Visor. The Thermal Visor
comes in extremely handy in situations where there is not a lot of light, in
which case you can use the Thermal Visor to find your way.
LOCATION: PD:Research Core (V.C.5)
o X-RAY VISOR:
As you journey deep into Tallon IV, you'll start to find that some things
aren't exactly as they appear. That's where the X-Ray Visor comes in handy.
It detects x-rays, which means it can penetrate through walls and reveal
objects that are invisible in the normal spectrum. You will need these
capabilities in order to spot hidden items, invisible platforms, and false
walls. The X-Ray Visor display is based around a large circle in the center
of the display. Your energy is displayed curving around the top part of the
circle, the environmental threat meter curves around the left side, and your
missiles curve around the right side. The X-Ray Visor does not display color,
however, and it can be difficult at times to make out what you're seeing, so
you generally don't want to be running around with it very much. Use it if
you know there's an item in a room but can't find it, or if you need to get
across a pit but can't see a way. The X-Ray Visor will often reveal the
answer.
LOCATION: TO:Life Grove (V.E.3)
/==============================================================================
C. Arm Cannon [III.C]
\==============================================================================
Samus's Arm Cannon is your primary weapon on Tallon IV. It has unlimited ammo
and can fire four different beam types, which you can select by using the C
Stick.
o POWER BEAM:
At the beginning of the game, this is your only beam. It is the regular,
plain vanilla beam of your arsenal, with no special attributes or effects; it
just fires blasts of energy. It is the weakest beam in Samus's arsenal, but
it also has the fastest rate of fire. You can fire Power Beam shots almost
like a machine gun, so it's great for spraying large numbers of small
enemies.
LOCATION: default
o WAVE BEAM:
The Wave Beam fires blasts of electrical energy and is a little bit more
powerful than the Power Beam. It is different from the other beams in that it
does not fire a ball-shaped blast that travels straight forward. Instead, it
fires three small blasts that travel at a slight angle to each other. Its
weakness is that it has the second-slowest rate of fire. Since the Wave Beam
is electrical, it's the weapon of choice for electrical and mechanical
enemies, and can also stun some other creatures. It can also be used to
restore power to nonfunctioning devices.
LOCATION: PD:Chapel of the Elders (V.C.4)
o ICE BEAM:
Yes, the Ice Beam is back, having not appeared in any Metroid game since the
original Metroid for NES. The Ice Beam fires a blast of ice that will freeze
enemies solid, even in midair. You can then shatter them with a Missile.
Naturally, the Ice Beam will be effective against creatures that prefer a hot
environment, and it can also be useful in cooling down hot objects. The only
disadvantage to the Ice Beam is that it has the slowest rate of fire of all
the beams.
LOCATION: CR:Antechamber (V.D.2)
o PLASMA BEAM:
The Plasma Beam is the strongest, most devastating beam at your disposal. It
fires blasts of super-hot plasma that can make short work of most enemies,
especially those accustomed to cooler temperatures. It's really cool to watch
an enemy evaporate into nothing after a good blast from the Plasma Beam. The
beam also has the second-best rate of fire, but it is balanced by having only
a short range.
LOCATION: MC:Plasma Processing (V.E.4)
o PHAZON BEAM:
Yeah, I know, I told you there were only four beams, but this one is special.
The Phazon Beam is a side effect of the Phazon Suit, and it allows you to
fire a stream of pure Phazon energy. This is by far the most powerful weapon
in the game, but you can only use it when she is standing in pure Phazon.
There is only one place in the game where this is found, so that means that
you only get to use the Phazon Beam once. When you can use the Phazon Beam,
your visor will display "Hyper-mode" and pressing A will automatically fire
the Phazon Beam, overriding whatever Arm Cannon setting was selected with the
C Stick.
LOCATION: PM:Elite Quarters (V.E.6)
/==============================================================================
D. Secondary Items [III.D]
\==============================================================================
Along with suits, visors, and beams, you will also discover a number of other
items that will grant you new and powerful abilities.
o MISSILE LAUNCHER:
Energy beams are all well and good, but sometimes you just need some pure
concussive force. That's what the Missile Launcher is for. The Missile
Launcher allows you to fire (what else?) Missiles out of your Arm Cannon,
which will create a powerful blast on impact. You cannot fire Missiles very
rapidly, however; there is a gap of several seconds for the launcher to
reload. Also, Missiles are the one of only weapons for which you have a
finite supply. Once you find the Missile Launcher, you will have 5 Missiles.
You can increase the number of Missiles you can carry by finding Missile
Expansions, which will increase your maximum capacity by 5, all the way up to
250 Missiles. You can replenish your Missile supply by finding missile
pick-ups, which will be left by enemies and found in crates.
VULNERABLE MATERIALS: Radion, Brinstone
LOCATION: CR:Hive Totem (V.B.2)
o CHARGE BEAM:
The Charge Beam allows you to charge up your Arm Cannon blasts by holding
down A before firing. This will make the blast larger and more powerful, and
it applies to all four beam types. As an added bonus, the Charge Beam also
provides a kind of tractor-beam function. While a beam is charging, pick-up
items within a certain range will be drawn towards you. This means that you
don't have to run around the room collecting them, you can just charge a beam
and let them come to you.
LOCATION: CR:Watery Hall (V.B.3)
o SPACE JUMP BOOTS:
The Space Jump Boots allow you to perform a double jump. To do this, jump
once, then jump again while still in the air. This allows you to jump twice
as high and twice as far as before, which means she can reach higher ledges
and cross bigger gaps. It may seem a little awkward at first, but you'll get
used to it in no time.
LOCATION: TO:Alcove (V.C.3)
o GRAPPLE BEAM:
With the Grapple Beam, you'll be able to swing across large gaps and move
through certain areas very quickly. The Grapple Beam upgrade allows Samus to
fire a beam of energy from her left hand by locking-on to special Grapple
Points. By holding L and using the Control Stick, you can swing back and
forth, gaining momentum. When you are at the other end of the gap, release L
to disconnect the beam and land on the other side. By quickly releasing and
pressing L again, you can actually swing from one Grapple Point to another.
These Grapple Points will appear as yellow circles with a grapple icon
inside. When a point is in range, it will grow larger and turn blue. Once
that happens, pressing and holding L will latch onto the Grapple Point.
LOCATION: PM:Storage Depot B (V.E.2)
o CHARGE COMBOS:
Charge Combos are powerful attacks that infuse Missiles with the energy of a
charged beam blast. These attacks are generally large and devastating, but
they all require multiple Missiles to fire and can deplete your Missile
supply in a hurry. Also, all but the first Charge Combo are optional items
that are not necessary to complete the game. To fire a Charge Combo, first
charge up a beam blast by holding A, then (while still holding A) press Y to
fire the Charge Combo. Note that each beam has a separate Charge Combo, so
there are four different Charge Combo items. All four are listed below.
- SUPER MISSILE (Power Beam):
The Super Missile is just what it sounds like: an uber-powerful Missile. It
basically acts the same as a Missile, except that it's about ten times
stronger. This is the Charge Combo you will use the most, as it's very
handy against bosses or any time you need to get rid of an enemy quickly.
VULNERABLE MATERIAL: Cordite
MISSILE COST: 5
LOCATION: PD:Observatory (V.C.5)
- WAVEBUSTER (Wave Beam):
The Wavebuster creates a stream of electrical energy that will arc from
your Arm Cannon to the nearest enemy, whether they're targeted or not. This
combo is different from the Super Missile in that it is not a one-time
blast, but will keep firing as long as you hold the Y button. Due to its
high Missile cost, the Wavebuster is only useful in a few limited
situations, such as as a last-ditch effort to kill an enemy before you die.
MISSILE COST: 10 + 5/second
LOCATION: CR:Tower of Light (V.D.1)
- ICE SPREADER (Ice Beam):
The Ice Beam's combo, the Ice Beam, fires a huge sheet of ice that covers a
wide area and can freeze multiple enemies at once. This combo is also of
limited usefulness; I can only think of one situation in which it comes in
handy. It does look really cool, though!
MISSILE COST: 10
LOCATION: MC:Shore Tunnel (V.E.4)
- FLAMETHROWER (Plasma Beam):
This one is pretty self-explanatory. The Plasma Beam's combo will unleash a
powerful stream of fire. Unfortunately, it has a very short range and, like
the Wavebuster, continues to use Missiles as long as you hold Y, making it
a fairly worthless upgrade in my opinion.
MISSILE COST: 10 + 5/second
LOCATION: PM:Storage Depot A (V.E.5)
/==============================================================================
E. Morph Ball [III.E]
\==============================================================================
Samus's ability to transform into a tiny ball is one of her strangest, yet
coolest abilities. Once you roll into Morph Ball form the camera will switch to
third-person.
o MORPH BALL:
The Morph Ball is one of the signature features of the Metroid series and is
faithfully carried over onto the GameCube. The Morph Ball upgrade allows you
to roll into a tiny ball. This allows you to roll through small tunnels and
activate a number of Morph Ball-sized devices. The Morph Ball is often
involved in the puzzles of Metroid Prime, and is also a faster way to travel.
LOCATION: CR:Ruined Shrine (V.B.2)
o MORPH BALL BOMB:
With the Morph Ball Bomb upgrade, Samus can, you guessed it, lay Bombs while
in Morph Ball form. These small explosives can be used to destroy some
enemies and certain materials. Another key use of Bombs is to perform a bomb
jump. If you're near a Bomb when it detnonates, it will pop you into the air.
This gives Samus a way to get past small obstacles while in Morph Ball form.
You can only lay three Bombs at a time, however, and it takes a few seconds
for them to replenish. It is also possible to perform a double bomb jump.
This is a tricky maneuver that is not required to beat the game, but that is
required to get 100%. With good timing, you can lay your Bombs in such a way
that you can jump twice as high as normally. Here's how to do it:
1. Lay one Bomb.
2. Lay a second Bomb a moment before the first one detonates.
3. When the first Bomb detonates and sends you into the air, lay a third Bomb
at the apex of your jump.
4. The second Bomb should detonate as soon as you reach the ground, sending
you up into the third Bomb, which will detonate to send you even higher.
To get good at the double bomb jump, you just have to practice it a lot.
Eventually you will get the timing down and will be able to do it easily. And
remember: you don't have to learn this move in order to complete the game, it
just allows you to reach a few upgrades that can't be reached otherwise.
VULNERABLE MATERIALS: Sandstone, Talloric Alloy
LOCATION: CR:Burn Dome (V.B.3)
o POWER BOMB:
The Power Bomb is much more powerful than a regular Bomb and creates a really
cool explosion when it detonates. However, unlike the regular Bomb, you can
only carry a limited number of these: four at first, though you can also find
Power Bomb Expansions that increase your maximum capacity. The Power Bomb is
so strong that it can be an effective weapon against tough enemies. You can
replenish your supply with Power Bomb pick-ups that will be left by enemies
and in crates. Note that the Power Bomb only has increased explosive power;
you cannot perform a bomb jump with a Power Bomb.
VULNERABLE MATERIAL: Bendezium
LOCATION: PM:Central Dynamo (V.E.2)
o BOOST BALL:
The Boost Ball allows you to "charge up" the Morph Ball, which will give you
a temporary speed boost when released. This does not permanently increase the
speed at which the Morph Ball moves; it just allows you to execute a
temporary speed boost. This is useful in situations requiring quick timing,
but its main use is for navigating halfpipes. By charging up the Boost Ball
as you roll up one side of the halfpipe, then releasing it just as you begin
to roll up the opposite side, you can climb up the halfpipe, gradually
allowing her to gain enough momentum to reach the top.
LOCATION: PD:Phendrana Canyon (V.C.2)
o SPIDER BALL:
With the Spider Ball, you can latch onto magnetic rail tracks and ride them
to new locations. When you are next to a magnetic rail track, you can lock
onto it by holding R and move along it with the Control Stick. These tracks
will allow you to reach many otherwise unreachable locations.
LOCATION: PD:Quarantine Cave (V.C.6)
_____________________________________________________________________________
/ \
IV. WALKTHROUGH >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [IV]
\_____________________________________________________________________________/
This is a 100% walkthrough for Normal mode, meaning that if you follow this
guide you will complete the game with a100% file. Also, this should be obvious,
but just to be clear, each walkthrough subsection will contain a box underneath
the title that will list the regions explored as well as, in order, items,
Chozo Artifacts, Energy Tanks, Missile Expansions, and Power Bomb Expansions
found in that subsection. The numbers for the expansions correspond to their
numbers in the expansions section, section VI.
|>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>|
A. UNIDENTIFIED DISTRESS BEACON ---------------------------------------- [IV.A]
|>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>|
/==============================================================================
1. Zebes Has Fallen [IV.A.1]
\==============================================================================
|[Story] |
---------------------------------------
Samus Aran is an expert bounty hunter for the galactic Federation, infiltrating
enemy lairs and stopping those who would seek to destroy the galactic
civilization. The Federation's greatest enemies are the Space Pirates: tough,
relentless, and intelligent beings who are constantly seeking out new
technologies to use against more civilized lifeforms. Previously, Samus
infiltrated their base in the maze-like caverns of planet Zebes. There she
learned that the Space Pirates had discovered a species known as Metroids,
parasitic lifeforms that latch onto other being and steal their life energy.
Samus then defeated the Space Pirate captains Kraid and Ridley, and finally
destroyed the leader of the Pirates, the Mother Brain. The Pirates' base on
Zebes was subsequently destroyed, apparently killing all the Pirates and
Metroids inside.
Now, Samus has received an unidentified distress signal from a derelict space
station orbiting the planet Tallon IV. She immediately heads off to
investigate...
/==============================================================================
2. Research Frigate Orpheon [IV.A.2]
\==============================================================================
|[Pirate Frigate] |
---------------------------------------
After Samus's exceedingly cool appearance and exit from her ship, you will gain
control of her. As you make your way across the docking platform, you will be
blocked by a force field. Shoot the four controls next to the field to
deactivate it. (Isn't it nice how the game tells you how to do everything? This
first region is like a tutorial level designed to get you familiar with all of
Samus's abilities.) The controls for the next force field, though, aren't
activated. Switch to the Scan Visor and scan the panel next to the force field
to activate the controls, then shoot them. Follow the walkway and you can now
enter the ship.
In the next passage you'll find a series of blue circles on the left-hand wall.
Scan them and you'll find out that there are environmental problems in Deck
Alpha, which (as you can discover by scanning the doors) is where you're
headed. The next hallway is an air lock, and it has not yet been pressurized
(hence all the debris floating in the vacuum). Scan the control panel to
repressurize the room, which will allow you to open the door into the Emergency
Evacuation Area.
There's a lot in this room, and the first thing your attention should be drawn
to is the giant creature lying on the floor. Get a little closer to it and
you'll find several dead Space Pirates next to it. Space Pirates! You are on a
Space Pirate vessel! There's a Parasite chewing on one of the dead Pirates;
scan it to download it to your Log Book, the first of many such entries. Next,
scanning the giant creature will reveal that it has been mutated somehow. Also,
scanning the alcoves along the perimeter of the room will reveal that most of
the ship's escape pods have been jettisoned. The impression you're getting is
that the mutated creatures on this ship escaped and started attacking the
Pirates, damaging the ship and causing the crew to evacuate to the planet
surface. Your job is to find out what they were doing up here. At the other end
of the room you'll find a few more Parasites and a Space Pirate that still has
a little life in him. Give him a few blasts from your Power Beam and dodge his
blasts.
Once you've scanned everything (See how much information you learn from
scanning!) exit through the door at the other end of the room, then use the
Charge Beam to clear out the rubble in the following hallway. In the next
passage, you'll see a small, square tunnel in the right-hand wall. Switch into
Morph Ball form so you can roll through the tunnel, which leads to a Map
Station. Step onto the station to download a map of the Pirate Frigate, which
will let you keep track of your location. Once you've got the map, scan the
computer screens in the room and then move on. The next room is a platform down
to Deck Beta, so scan the control panel to activate the platform, then step
into the hologram in the center to descend. Once you reach Deck Beta, exit the
platform and continue on. In the next hallway you'll need to enter Morph Ball
form to roll underneath the rubble, and then to get past the arcing electricity
once it shuts off.
This hallway leads to Biotech Research Area 1. You'll be on a walkway ringing a
large room containing three giant tanks. In one of them is another giant
creature (which, in my opinion, looks a lot like Kraid), while the other two
have been shattered, as if something broke out of them... creepy. Anyway,
you'll also find a couple Space Pirates on the walkway that are alive enough to
move around. Lock onto them and blast away with the Charge Beam, jumping and
strafing to avoid their fire. Once they're gone you can scan the wall displays,
which describe various mutations the Pirates are experimenting with. Enter the
door at the end of the walkway, and as you turn the corner, you'll find
yourself being shot at by a gun hanging from the ceiling! Quickly, lock onto it
with the Scan Visor and then dash back around the corner to complete the scan
and find out it's an Auto Defense Turret, which can be defeated with a Missile.
Wait until it fires, then quickly dash out and fire a Missile at it. Now you
can safely proceed to the next room, Biohazard Containment.
As you begin to explore the room you'll soon encounter another Auto Defense
Turret, so take it out like the last one. Now you can investigate the wealth of
information in this room. When you first enter the room, you'll be facing a
giant tank with a huge creature inside. Scanning it will reveal that it died
after being horribly mutated. If you scan the computer terminal in front of it
you'll download a Pirate Data entry to your Log Book, which describes how the
Space Pirate base on Zebes was destroyed (by you, called "The Hunter") and how
a few ships, which were in orbit at the time, managed to escape (including this
one, evidently). Also significant is the fact that the frigates carried some
Metroids off with them, the creatures you were sent to Zebes to destroy.
Scanning the rest of the computer terminals ringing the tank will reveal that
the Space Pirates were experimenting on this creature with a material called
Phazon, which seems to be highly radioactive. Apparently the Space Pirates are
trying to use this mysterious Phazon to genetically enhance lifeforms, though
it seems they may have done it too good of a job, since the problems on the
frigate seem to be caused by the escape of several of the mutated creatures.
The opposite wall consists of holding tanks, inside of which are several
lifeforms native to Tallon IV. On the other side of the room you'll find an
elevator platform. Scan the nearby panel to activate it, then step onto it to
ascend to the next level, where you'll meet a few more Space Pirates. Lock on
and fire charged blasts at them while jumping and strafing to avoid their fire,
and you'll eventually get rid of them. From up here you can scan the cylinders
above the tanks, which are injecting different varieties of Phazon into the
tank, while the wall contains more holding tanks for Tallon IV creatures.
Enter the door at the end of the walkway to enter another hallway, which will
then lead into the Cargo Freight Lift to Deck Gamma. As soon as you enter the
room, you'll be fired upon by an Auto Defense Turret. Destroy it, then scan the
panel to open the lift, which will ride down a sloping track leading to Deck
Gamma. When the door opens, a Space Pirate will drop down from the ceiling and
start attacking. Take him out and you'll be facing what appears to be a dead
end. Scan the panel, however, and power will flow to a small, spherical
receptacle in the center of the floor. Switch into Morph Ball form and roll
into the receptacle, which will cause the giant door to open. The next room
contains two Auto Defense Turrets, so lock on and fire at one while strafing to
avoid the fire of the other. Once they're both destroyed, go through the blue
door to the left, which leads to a Save Station. Now that the turrets are gone
you'll find another panel and another spherical receptacle. Use the same
procedure as before to open the door to the Reactor Core.
/==============================================================================
3. Unforeseen Evolutions [IV.A.3]
\==============================================================================
|[BOSS: Parasite Queen] |
---------------------------------------
Upon entering the Reactor Core, you'll ride a platform down to the floor. Once
you get down there, though, you'll find that a giant creature has trapped
itself inside the core, and it's not too happy about it! Scan the creature to
find that it is, in fact, one of the Parasite Queens that the Space Pirates
have infused with Phazon. You'll also discover that its mouth is its weak
point, which is where you'll lock-on to. Its only attack is a blast of acid
that it fires from its mouth, which you can avoid by dashing just before it
shoots a blast at you. You can tell it's about to fire when it rears its head
back.
The creature is trapped by a rotating force field that only has one gap in it.
To defeat the Parasite Queen, charge up a Power Beam blast, then rotate around
the room (maintaining a constant lock-on) until you are in line with the gap.
Fire the charged blast at the Queen, then just keep moving with the gap and
continue firing. Periodically, the force field will break apart into a number
of small segments that will spin around rapidly. When this happens, just fire
normal shots as as fast as you can; a few will make it through before the field
stabilizes and you can resume the previous attack pattern.
Just maintain this strategy of avoiding the acid, following the force field
gap, and keeping a steady stream of fire on the Queen and she'll soon have had
enough. Unfortunately, the creature's death will also severely damage the
reactor core, meaning the ship will be destroyed in just seven minutes! It's
time to get out of here!
/==============================================================================
4. Reactor Core Breach [IV.A.4]
\==============================================================================
|[Escape] |
---------------------------------------
The door you came in by is too high up for you to reach, so you won't be able
to go back the way you came. Instead, use the door on the floor level to get
out of the Reactor Core. Following this pathway will soon lead to an elevator
up to Deck Beta. Take it, then scan the control panel you'll see as soon as you
step out of the elevator to deactivate the Auto Defense Turret waiting for you.
Now you'll emerge in Biotech Research Area 1, a room you passed through before.
However, things are a little different now. The creature that was previously in
the giant tank has escaped and caused heavy damage in the room. It'll knock off
a couple of Pirates before another explosion kills it. In one corner of the
room you'll find a pile of rubble that you can use to climb up to the walkway
(use your map if you're having trouble finding it). Up here, quickly dispatch
the Space Pirates (use Missiles if you've got a good supply left), and the
ventilation shaft cover next to the door will explode. Well, it's the only way,
so head into shaft.
You'll now be passing through a series of ventilation shafts as you make your
way out of the ship. Most of these shafts are infested with swarms of
Parasites, but there's no time to stop and kill them. Scan them if you haven't
already, then just run straight through them, firing as you go. They won't do
much damage, and you don't have time to stay in one place. In the circular room
after you cross the freight lift, you'll find an Auto Defense Turret, so be
prepared to take it out with a Missile. Shortly thereafter, in Main
Ventilation Shaft Section E, you'll have to cross a shaft that is occupied by a
large piston. Wait for the piston to shoot out, then follow behind it as it
retracts. As soon as you see the door on the opposite side of the shaft, get
out of the way of the piston and get out of the room.
Finally, you'll make it out of the ventilation shafts and will enter Biotech
Research Area 2. Here, you'll receive a nasty surprise when you see a shiny,
metallic Ridley fly off the ship towards the planet! Before you can try to
figure out how he got here, you've got to get off this ship. To get across the
gap in the room, you'll have to use your Grapple Beam. Hold L to latch on to
the Grapple Point on the ceiling and start swinging across. When you reach the
far side of your swing, rapidly release and then hold down L again to latch on
to the next Point. Once you reach the other side of the gap, release L to drop
down to the ground. If you do fall, you can climb back up, but it will take
longer. Once across, you'll find a computer terminal that will reveal that the
creature you saw is called Meta Ridley, and is fitted out with some pretty
powerful equipment.
In the next hallway are a couple more Auto Defense Turrets; destroy them or
scan the computer terminal to shut them off. Then, just as you reach the
elevator up to Deck Alpha, there will be a huge explosion which will blast you
into the elevator. As you ascend, you'll realize that the explosion did serious
damage to your Power Suit. All your suit's functions except for your Arm Cannon
have been disabled! You'll also notice that your Power Suit has had much of its
armor stripped away, leaving you in a much lighter, thinner suit. You'll have
to recover these functions somehow, since you can't put up much of a fight now.
Once you reach Deck Alpha, you've almost made it. Scan the panel in the Air
Lock again to unlock the door, and head back to the docking platform.
As you run to your ship and the frigate disintegrates, Meta Ridley will fly off
of the ship down to the planet. You'll try to follow him in your gunship, but
will lose him in Tallon IV's thick atmosphere. In the Metroid tradition, you'll
have to land on the surface and search for him. Your landing site will be a
rainy clearing with heavy vegetation. Welcome to Tallon IV, Tallon Overworld,
Landing Site. It's time to start exploring.
|>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>|
B. CHOZO RUINS --------------------------------------------------------- [IV.B]
|>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>|
/==============================================================================
1. Ground-Based Recon Required [IV.B.1]
\==============================================================================
|[Tallon Overworld West] |
---------------------------------------
All right, here you are on Tallon IV, stripped down to just your basic Power
Suit and Arm Cannon. Here you have your first chance to truly appreciate the
amazing environments Retro has created, from the rain beading up on your visor,
to the lush detail of the plant life, to the soft remix of the Brinstar theme
playing in the background. Well, here you are, and there's a lot of questions
you need to answer: What are the Space Pirates doing here? Where does that
Phazon stuff come from? Where are Meta Ridley and the other Pirates? How are
you going to recover your lost abilities? For now, about all you can do to
answer these questions is to explore. Use your Scan Visor and you can learn
about the various forms of plant life in the room. You'll also see several
doors leading out of this room, but only two of them are accessible right now.
You might as well start with the closest one, which is located to the right of
your ship.
In the passage through the door several Beetles will jump out of the ground,
possibly causing you to jump yourself! Scan them, as you should be getting in
the habit of doing whenever you encounter a new enemy, and quickly shoot them
before they charge into you. At the other end of the tunnel is another door,
which leads into Tallon Canyon. Here you will encounter several new enemies,
including Blastcaps, Zoomers, and Geemers. Avoid the Blastcaps, since they will
explode and release poisonous gas if you touch them. If you ever have to
destroy any, make sure to do so from a distance. Zoomers simply walk around
walls and ledges, and can be destroyed easily. Geemers are more powerful
versions of Zoomers which can't be harmed by the Power Beam, so leave them
alone for now. Make sure to scan them all, so they'll be added to your Log
Book. From now on, I'm not going to tell you to scan every time you see a new
enemy, I'll just assume you did it. For now, just go straight across the canyon
towards the stone half-pipe structure. A few Beetles will pop up, so dispatch
them, then head on through the door. Kill or avoid the Zoomers on the walls and
make sure to scan the yellow blobs on the walls (Sap Sacs). There's no need to
kill the sacs, but if you decide to, make sure to do so from a distance; they
pack quite a punch.
The next room is a good old elevator chamber, complete with hints of the
original Metroid elevator music in the background. To use the elevator, scan
the panel in front, which will cause an orange hologram to appear in the center
of the elevator. Step into the hologram, and off you go to the Chozo Ruins!
/==============================================================================
2. Visions of Darkness [IV.B.2]
\==============================================================================
|[Chozo Ruins West] |
|o Missile Launcher |
|o Morph Ball |
|o Energy Tank 04 |
|o Missile Expansion 16 |
---------------------------------------
When you come to a stop after your elevator ride, you'll be in a very different
environment. In fact, it's almost desert-like, with sandy ground and red, rocky
walls. In the room past the elevator chamber, a few more Beetles will pop out
of the ground, so get rid of them, then take a look around. A doorway is set
deep in a stone wall ahead of you, and several ruined columns stand in front of
it. Also, above the door you'll see a shimmering panel with writing on it. Scan
it and you'll discover that it's a piece of Chozo Lore. These entries are
downloaded to your Log Book, so you'll need to find all of them to have a
complete Log Book. Fortunately, they all look the same: shimmering wall panels.
Anyway, this entry describes a fountain at the top of a city, and the Chozo's
visions showing it pouring darkness instead of water. Remember, the Chozo were
the powerful race that gave you your Power Suit. They inhabited many planets,
including Zebes. Now all this raises a few questions: Why were the Chozo here
on Tallon IV? And how did this place, apparently their city, become ruined? As
you explore, be on the lookout for more Chozo Lore that will explain more of
what happened.
The door leads to the Main Plaza, a large room that acts as the center of this
part of the Chozo Ruins. Upon descending the steps, be ready for five Beetles
to pop up and greet you, then try and figure out where you can go. A little
ahead and to the left is a door, but it's blocked by a blast shield that repels
your Power Beam shots; you'll need something more powerful to open it. Climb up
the steps to the far side of the room, and you'll find a door on your left that
you can enter.
This leads into a metallic passage, and in the middle of the passage you'll run
into a group of Scarabs, tiny creatures that move as a group, blocking your way
through the passage. Spray them with Power Beam fire to eliminate them. The
metallic passage leads into a stone-cut tunnel filled with Eyons, large eyes
stuck on the walls that emit lasers in a sweeping path. Shooting them will
cause them to close their eyes for a few seconds, allowing you to move forward.
At the end of this hallway you'll reach the Ruined Nursery. Upon entering,
you'll be greeted by some more Beetles springing up from the floor. Kill them,
then scan the Chozo Lore on the back wall. This entry describes how the Chozo
used Tallon IV as a refuge from technology, a kind of spiritual haven, and how
they have now evolved to the point that they are leaving the physical world.
After reading the entry, scan the tree in the corner; you'll learn that it's
been poisoned. Now jump up onto the ledge, and some large bee-like creatures
will fly at you out of the tree! Scan them (quickly) to discover that they are
War Wasps, and they can be really annoying. They will fly all around you,
suddenly striking from any direction. As soon as you hear them, target one,
fire off a few shots to kill it, then move on to the next one. Make sure to
spin around so that you can find ones that are behind you. You'll know they're
all dead when the buzzing sound stops. Once you've gotten rid of them all,
you'll probably be ready for a recharge. Follow the ledge around towards the
tree, where a short hallway leads to a Save Station. Step into it, and not only
will your game be saved, but your energy will also be refilled! Now that you're
at full health again, you can continue on by going through the other door on
the ledge.
The next connecting passage contains another swarm of Scarabs. When you enter
the next room, the Ruined Gallery, you'll have to deal with some War Wasps,
then you'll discover that the room is flooded with a sickly green liquid, which
is water containing high levels of toxins. This must be what has killed all the
trees in the Ruins, but where is this poison coming from? Use the ledges on the
right wall to cross to the other side. As you walk down the next passage,
you'll feel the room is not level anymore, as if an earthquake has tilted it or
it has partially collapsed. You'll also run into a couple of Plazmites, which
are basically giant fireflies. They won't attack you, but they can fly into you
or get in your way, so you may want to kill them anyway. There's also Tangle
Weed in this room, another creature which is more nuisance than enemy. It
doesn't cause damage, but it does slow you down if you walk through it.
Shooting it will cause it to retract into the ground for a few seconds, but
there's no way to kill it permanently. Shoot the crates in the room if you need
to recover any health.
The tilted passage leads into the Hive Totem, a large, partially flooded room
that is also not level. Avoid the toxic water and climb up on top of the
central platform. A bridge leads from it to a large mechanical structure, with
has something resting inside it. Once you reach the platform, though, more
toxic water will start pouring out of pipes on the walls and the bridge will
retract, trapping you on the central platform. At the same time, the item will
descend into the device, which will then release a swarm of enemies at you!
It's time for your first mini-boss! First, if you're going for a perfect Log
Book, you have to scan the device itself, the Hive Mecha (its Scan Point is
slightly underwater), and the creatures, which are Ram War Wasps (a separate
Log Book entry). You have to scan them now because this is the only time they
appear in the game. At this point you're probably ready to start fighting back
and not just scanning.
The Ram War Wasps will all fly around you in a circle for a while, then stop
and hover, while one wasp at a time jumps out and attacks you. Since the wasps
are surrounding you, dodging them can be tricky. While they're flying around in
a circle, don't lock-on, just use manual targeting to fire straight ahead into
their flight path; you'll probably get a few hits in. Once they start
attacking, target the one in front of you and kill it, then turn and find the
next one. When you hear a wasp emit a chirping sound, indicating it's about to
attack, jump or dodge to get out of the way.You have to keep this up until you
kill all of the wasps. The most important thing, though, is to not fall into
the water. If you do, you'll have to find the steps leading back up, which are
underwater, all while your energy is being depleted. Once you've killed all the
wasps, you'll have a few seconds to fire away into the Hive Mecha. Collect any
health the wasps left, then prepare for the next round. More Ram War Wasps will
be sent at you, which you should handle the same way. After three sets of
wasps, the Hive Mecha will explode, the toxic water will recede, the bridge
will extend once more, and you can finally cross it to earn the Missile
Launcher! This allows you to, um, fire Missiles. It also means that you can
enter doors that have grey blast shields on them. For example, the door right
behind the Hive Mecha. Fire a Missile at the blast shield to destroy it, then
go through the door to enter a small room containing an Energy Tank! You now
have 100 more energy units, effectively doubling your life! There's also a
small tunnel in the wall, but it's much too small for you to go through.
Well, it appears that this is a dead end. You'll have to backtrack to the Main
Plaza, but now that you have the Missile Launcher, you can go through all those
doors you saw with blast shields on them. It also means that you can begin the
wonderful, fun-filled quest for Missile Expansions! One thing to remember,
though, is that you only have 5 Missiles right now, so you need to be stingy
with them. Don't fire Missiles at everything you see, because you'll run out in
no time, and may not be able to find any Missile Ammo. Once you have 200
Missiles, you can shoot them at anything you want, but not now. OK, so now you
can start heading back. When you reach the Ruined Gallery, notice there's a
door with a blast shield on it next to the toxic water, underneath the ledge.
Destroy the blast shield, and in the room behind it you'll find a Map Station.
Step into it to download a map of the Chozo Ruins. From this map you can see
that there's a lot more exploring to do. Also, scanning will reveal a damaged
wall underneath the door leading to the Hive Totem. Fire a Missile at the wall
and it will disintegrate, revealing a Missile Expansion! One down, 48 to go.
When you return to the Ruined Nursery, you'll have to kill the War Wasps again,
but afterwards you can visit the Save Station again. Now go the rest of the way
back to the Main Plaza.
Once you're in the Main Plaza, use a Missile to destroy the blast shield on the
door near the Ruins Entrance door, which leads into another metal tunnel. There
will be more Scarabs in your way, but they shouldn't pose much of a threat. The
tunnel leads to the Ruined Shrine. Jump across the semi-circular wall (you've
seen several of those by now) and you'll see the Morph Ball resting in an
alcove in the far wall, just waiting for you to take it. When you approach it,
though, a wall will appear in front of it, and a swarm of Beetles will erupt
from the ground! There will be about a dozen of them, so the best strategy is
to lock on to one while constantly jumping and moving to keep others from
charging you from behind. Once you've killed about half of them, move towards
one end of the room so you can keep all the Beetles in front of you. Once you
kill them all, the wall will come down and you can easily... you didn't think
you were getting off that easy, did you?
Once the last Beetle is dead, a much larger beetle will emerge. This is a
Plated Beetle, and as you'll no doubt soon discover, the armor on its head will
repel your fire. However, its bright red abdomen is just begging you to shoot
it. To get at its behind, though, you'll have to let the creature charge at
you. Stand still and the beetle will slide to one side, then the other, then
jitter its antennae. That's your cue to dash to the side, because it'll charge
at you immediately afterward. Don't try to move earlier, though, or it won't
charge. Once it charges, its red abdomen will be exposed, so let it have it! If
you're low on energy and need to end the battle quickly, use Missiles, but
otherwise you might as well save them and just use your Power Beam. Once the
beetle turns to face you, just do the same thing over again. If you can get
into a rhythm of dodging and firing, this battle can be pretty easy. After
about five successful dodges, it will die, and now you can claim the Morph Ball
for real. This is Samus's trademark item, which allows her to roll into a small
sphere so she can navigate tight areas. It's a good thing, too, because the
wall you dropped off in this room is too high to jump over, so switch into
Morph Ball form and roll through the small tunnel in the wall. Once you're
through, return to the Main Plaza.
/==============================================================================
3. The Hatchling Arrives [IV.B.3]
\==============================================================================
|[Chozo Ruins South] |
|o Charge Beam |
|o Morph Ball Bomb |
|o Missile Expansions 22,26 |
---------------------------------------
From your map, you can see that there is a large unexplored area of the Chozo
Ruins on the other side of the Main Plaza. To reach it, go to the back of the
plaza (near the door leading to the Ruined Nursery). There you will find a pile
of debris that you can climb up to reach a ledge along the wall. The ledge
leads to a bridge made of tree branches, which crosses over to another ledge on
the opposite side of the room, where you can see a door. You'll have to deal
with some War Wasps on the bridge, so take them out, then go through the door,
which leads into another tunnel.
In the passage you'll find that it has been blocked in two places by fallen
trees and rocks. This would have been a dead end had you come here earlier, but
with your Morph Ball, you can roll through small gaps to get past. You'll then
enter the Ruined Fountain, a room flooded with toxic water and lit only by
Plazmites. The only safe ground is a series of ledges along the walls, so
carefully jump from one to the other until you reach the fountain. Also, don't
shoot the Plazmites, because they provide the only light in the room; even if
you have to let a few run into you, it's much harder to see without them. Once
you reach the fountain (spewing more toxic water), you'll see there's another
Chozo Lore entry on the wall behind it. This one relates how the Chozo are
struggling against the "Great Poison", while you, the "Hatchling", fight the
"corrupted". The last part seems to refer to your infiltration of the Space
Pirate base on Zebes, but what is the "Great Poison" the Chozo are struggling
with? It seems like it's something bigger than the poisonous water, but what?
Also, you'll notice that you've gathered two different pseudonyms so far: the
Hunter to the Space Pirates, the Hatchling to the Chozo.
There are two doors out of this room, but the one closest to the fountain leads
to a room full of lava that is too hot for you to enter. The other door
can be reached by jumping across a couple more ledges over the water, and leads
to another narrow passage. As soon as you enter, you'll hear a high-pitched
noise and see several bright objects speeding towards you. These are
Shriekbats, and they will go kamikaze on you if you let them. Go into a rapid
pattern of locking-on and firing to eliminate them before they crash into you.
You will then enter the Arboretum, a large, tall room containing a single large
tree and filled with toxic water. From the amount of toxins present here, you
can surmise that this room is close to the source of the poison. The only safe
ground is a series of circular platforms on the water, so carefully make your
way across. As you do so, you'll encounter Reaper Vines, which can be subdued,
but not killed, with a shot to the circular eye-like structure near their
blades. Once one pops out, lock-on and fire until you hit it, then quickly move
past its hole. After crossing the water, the platforms will begin to climb up
the tree until reaching a bridge leading to a path along the wall. There are
platforms continuing up the tree, but save that path for later. For now, follow
the path along the wall to a door.
This door leads to a passage just barely big enough for you to walk through
without using the Morph Ball, and which is filled with steam pipes. At the
other end of it, you'll enter the Gathering Hall. Your first stop should be the
Save Station, located through the door to the right. After you save and reenter
the room (watch out for the Shriekbats that will greet you), consult your map.
You can see that there are two doors out of the room: one on ground level,
another high above. The lower door leads to a dead-end, while the higher one
has substantially more past it. Therefore, you should explore the dead-end
first, then head up to the rest of the larger unexplored area. Make sure to
kill the Blastcaps blocking the path to the door (from a distance), then go
through to enter a hallway whose floor has collapsed and flooded. Also, you'll
hear a low-pitched humming sound that will grow louder as you approach the
weakened left-hand wall, next to the water. It sounds like there's an item
behind that wall, so fire a Missile to demolish it and reveal your second
Missile Expansion! You can use this characteristic sound can be to help locate
Missile Expansions, which can be very helpful.
The hallway leads to the Watery Hall, a much larger room with a flooded floor
dotted with small islands and a series of platforms along the walls. Follow the
platforms up and around the U-shaped room (watching out for Reaper Vines) until
you come to a large metal gate blocking access to a large ledge behind. Scan
the gate, and you'll learn that to open it, you need to find and scan four
runic symbols in this room. Turn to the right and you'll find the first one.
Now look down and drop onto the ground at the base of the wall, where you'll
find the second symbol. Make your way back towards the entrance by jumping
between the tiny islands of dry ground. One slightly larger island will have a
group of Blastcaps on it. Shoot them all from a distance, and after the toxic
gas clears you'll discover that they were sitting on top of a third symbol.
Keep heading back, and when you reach the last island before jumping back to
the door, you can see the fourth symbol above a drainage grate set in the back
wall. Now a fifth symbol will illuminate in the center of the gate, so return
to the gate and scan the central symbol. The gate will open and you can jump
down onto the ledge it blocked. You'll see that there are a number of Eyons
on the walls of the ledge, but they are all closed at the moment. At the far
end of the alcove, though, you'll find the Charge Beam and a Chozo Lore.
The Charge Beam allows you to charge up all of your beam weapons to fire a more
powerful burst. Also, the Charge Beam can pull pick-ups towards you: just hold
onto a charged blast, and energy, missile ammo, etc. will be drawn right to
you, which comes in quite handy. As soon as you get the Charge Beam, all the
Eyons will "wake up" and start firing a maze of lasers blocking your way back,
but first take a look at the Chozo Lore on the wall. This entry describes a
meteor striking Tallon IV, a meteor carrying a "Great Poison" that has ravaged
the planet so badly that the Chozo have been forced to return here from their
metaphysical existence to try to stop it. By now you're beginning to get a
picture of what's happened here: Tallon IV was used by the Chozo as a retreat
from technology before they left the physical world. Then the meteor struck,
and the "Great Poison" has damaged the planet, including toxifying the waters
in the Chozo Ruins. Now the Space Pirates are here, too, but what are they
doing? Could this "Great Poison" be the Phazon they were experimenting with on
the frigate? It seems you still have plenty of unanswered questions. Now it's
time to return to the Gathering Hall, but first you've got to get past these
Eyons. If a single Power Beam shot causes them to shut for a few seconds, what
do you think a charged Power Beam blast might do? Try it, and you'll see that
it destroys them completely. Kill all the Eyons, then drop down onto the bottom
ledge and return to the Gathering Hall.
When you get back, head to the Save Station to save your progress. Now you need
to climb up to the top of this room to reach the door at the top. Climb on top
of the pile of rubble in the corner next to the door from the Arboretum, then
jump onto the ledge above it (keep an eye out for Blastcaps and Shriekbats as
you climb). Now jump across the water to the ledge in the corner, then to the
platform against the wall. The next ledge is above you and to the right, then
you can make your way to the small, Morph Ball-sized tunnel leading into the
wall. This tunnel is U-shaped, and it will deposit you on another ledge across
from a door in the midst of a metallic, industrial-looking wall. Quickly take
out the half dozen or so Shriekbats that will fly at you, then jump across
(carefully, it's a big jump) and go through the door.
The door leads to a narrow, enclosed passage containing a few Eyons, and beyond
is the Energy Core, a large room containing several twisting tunnels. The main
part of the room is inaccessible since it's full of toxic water, but there is
a door on a high ledge across the room with blue bars across it. Scanning it
will reveal that it is a locked door, and that even if you could reach it, you
couldn't open it right now. Since the central section of the room is out of the
question right now, that leaves two tunnels to the left and right. The one on
the right is also flooded, so the left-hand tunnel is the only option. Follow
it and you'll eventually meet a Stone Toad, a strange creature that is
invulnerable to your weaponry, but luckily it won't attack you unless you roll
near it in Morph Ball form, in which case it will swallow you, then spit you
back out a few seconds later. Pass it you'll find a Morph Ball tunnel, which
leads to the Burn Dome.
As soon as you enter, the mechanical contraption in the center of the room will
activate, and by activate I mean start spraying two jets of flame around the
room! This is an Incinerator Drone, and it evidently thinks that you need to be
incinerated! Lock on to it and circle around it, staying in between the two
flame jets as they rotate. When a red circle appears on the top of the drone,
fire at it. A few shots will cause the machine to malfunction, spraying a burst
of flame at a War Wasp Hive above, releasing several of the pesky creatures!
These are Barbed War Wasps, and they will shoot their stinger at you rather
than charge into you. Now you have to deal with the wasps while the Incinerator
Drone is spraying fire at you. Lock on to the wasps first and shoot them while
keeping track of the flames with the corner of your eye. Once all the wasps are
gone, focus on the drone until more wasps arrive or the red circle appears.
Also note that the drone will start to fire the flames at an angle, either
higher or lower than normal. If the flame is high, you can walk underneath it;
if it's low, jump over it; if it is in the middle, stay in between it. If you
can juggle shooting wasps and dodging flames long enough to damage the drone
about five times, it will explode, revealing the Morph Ball Bomb.
Once you collect it, you'll be able to lay up to three Bombs at once while in
Morph Ball form. They will allow you to do bomb jumps and to destroy Sandstone
walls; you've probably seen several tunnels blocked by Sandstone in the Ruins.
You can test them out on the Sandstone blocking the tunnel in the Burn Dome,
which leads to a Missile Expansion and crates containing some well-deserved
(and probably much-needed) energy.
By now you have explored most of the Chozo Ruins, regained several of your
abilities, and learned some of the history of this planet. It will soon be time
for you to head to the large central room you can see on the map where, as
you can guess from the Chozo's messages, is the source of the toxin that has
choked all life from the Ruins lies. But before that, you've probably noticed
many passages or areas that were, at the time, inaccessible. With the new items
you've gained, though, many of those areas can now be explored. Head back to
the Energy Core to begin stocking up on items and completing your initial
exploration of the Chozo Ruins.
/==============================================================================
4. Drawing Strength [IV.B.4]
\==============================================================================
|[Chozo Ruins West, South] |
|o Energy Tanks 03,06 |
|o Missile Expansions 13,15,17,18,24 |
---------------------------------------
Back in the Morph Ball tunnel to the Burn Dome, you'll find that you'll need to
do a bomb jump to get back to the Energy Core. Once there, you'll find that
Stone Toad still just sitting there. According to the scan, it's vulnerable
"only from within". Well, why don't you find out just how vulnerable. In Morph
Ball form, roll up to the toad and allow it to swallow you. Now, while inside
the creature, lay a Bomb. When it detonates, the toad will explode! (Hey, that
rhymes! I'm a poet and I don't even know it.) What's more, it will reveal a
room behind it! Inside, you'll find a tall blue power generator with cables
connecting it to a circular depression in the wall. Scan, as always, to learn
that this is a Morph Ball Slot, and that it can be activated by laying a Bomb
in it. To get in, do a bomb jump and you should get locked into the slot. Now
lay a Bomb, and the power generator will turn on, draining all the toxic water
out of the room! A steady tone will also start to sound, which means that
you're on a time limit. Once you drop out of the slot, roll through the hole in
the window, and across the room you can see another power generator. Head over
to it and quickly activate its Morph Ball Slot. This will cause platforms to
rise up from the ground, allowing you to reach a third generator higher up. To
get there, follow the tunnel behind the second generator around to the front of
the room (this is the tunnel that was flooded previously), then jump across the
platforms to reach another tunnel that leads to the third generator. If you can
activate its slot before the time runs out, then a second set of platforms
leading to the far door will rise, the door will unlock, and everything will
stay in place permanently.
When you jump across the platforms to the door, you'll reach a Morph Ball
passage: a room just wide enough for the Morph Ball to roll through. These
rooms are usually maze-like; but this one is rather simple: simply roll along
the bottom. At the other end, you'll enter a cylindrical drum or tank that
seems to be full of coal. However, it also contains an Energy Tank, a reward
that makes all your power generator efforts worthwhile. By the way, by
consulting your map you'll see that you've actually gone off the map you
downloaded earlier, showing that the map was not totally complete. There's
still more to be discovered in the Chozo Ruins, but it will have to wait for
later.
There's still plenty more to be found with your Bombs, so backtrack all the way
to Watery Hall, where you found the Charge Beam. Return to the ledge at the end
of the room, and after clearing out the Eyons, you'll find a Morph Ball tunnel
blocked with Sandstone. Unblock it, and follow the tunnel to the Dynamo. The
doors are blocked with blast shields, so make sure you have some Missiles with
you. Once you reach the Dynamo, which is obviously a power station for the
ruins, you'll find a Missile Expansion behind a grate, which can be broken with
another Missile.
To complete your hunt for upgrades, you need to retread the first rooms you
explored in the ruins: the path to the Hive Totem. Your first stop is the
Ruined Nursery. A maze of passages has been carved into one wall, and they lead
to a Missile Expansion resting near the door you entered by. However, progress
through the passages is impeded by a series of stone blocks. The solution is
that there are actually two ways to get into the passages: one on the ground
level, another from the higher platform. Use the lower entrance first, because
it leads to a dead-end where a solid block sits atop a weakened block. A Bomb
will destroy the weakened block, causing the solid block to fall and freeing
the top path of obstructions. Now follow the top path, using Bombs to jump and
remove blocks as needed until you reach the Missile Expansion. Continuing on to
the Ruined Gallery, you can find another Missile Expansion by bomb jumping into
a U-shaped tunnel on the lower level.
For the next item, you'll need to make your way all the way to the Hive Totem
(don't worry, the Hive Mecha won't be back), and then into the room behind it,
where you found an Energy Tank after getting the Missile Launcher. There is a
tunnel in the room that you can now roll through. It leads to another Morph
Ball passage consisting of multiple levels connected by pistons moving up and
down. Ride the pistons up to each level, taking care not to let their edges
clip you as they descend and not to hit the bottoms of the ledges as you
ascend. At the top of the passage, you'll reach an elevator! Scanning the
control panel will reveal that it goes to Magmoor Caverns, but you don't want
to go there yet, not while you haven't finished exploring the Chozo Ruins.
However, where should you go next? There are three doors out of this room: the
one you came in by, one directly across, and one to the right. The one straight
ahead is a dead-end (for now) and doesn't have anything in it, so take the door
to the right, which from the map you can tell leads back to the Main Plaza.
Also, it's easy to get disoriented in this room, so use the map to figure out
which way you're facing and where the correct door is. Once you find the right
door, you'll be in a passage consisting of more tunnels and pistons for you to
navigate, and you'll eventually reach the Vault.
You can see why the room got its name from the square area in the center of the
room that is blocked off by gates on all sides. Also, by peering through the
bars you can see that the vault contains another Missile Expansion. Before you
tackle the problem of getting the expansion, though, you'll find a Chozo Lore
entry on a side wall. This entry seems to be rather early, since it describes
the Chozo building this city on Tallon IV as a refuge from technology,
information you've already gathered from other entries. On the opposite side of
the room, you'll find three Morph Ball slots on the vault gate, which appear to
be the locks for the gate. The first one is at ground level, the second is a
bit higher, the third is really high, and the first two are blocked by a weak
grating. To activate the first one, all you have to do is bomb the grate to
destroy it, then roll into the slot and lay another Bomb. For the second, do a
bomb jump, lay a second Bomb at the apex of the jump to destroy the grating,
then do another bomb jump to enter the slot. This technique gives you a clue
for reaching the final slot, which is out of reach of a bomb jump. To make it
to the third grate, you'll have to execute a tricky double bomb jump. This move
is not required to complete the game, but is to get 100%. To do it, lay one
Bomb, then just a moment before it explodes, lay a second Bomb. When the first
Bomb propels you upward, lay a third Bomb at the apex of your jump. If you
timed it right, the second Bomb should explode just as you reach the ground,
sending you back up to the third Bomb, which will explode, propelling you up to
the final slot, causing the walls around the Missile Expansion to lower. It
will probably take you many tries to get this down; it's very tricky. The sound
of your thumb hitting the A button should be something like "tap....tap.tap".
It's impossible to convey the actual timing like this, but once you get it
you'll see what I mean. Once you get the expansion, go through the other door,
which leads back to the Main Plaza. Specifically, it leads to a ledge high
above the Main Plaza, where you'll find another Energy Tank waiting for you.
There's one more expansion you can find, and this one is in the Ruined Shrine,
the room where you got the Morph Ball. Return to the area where you fought the
Beetles and you'll find a tunnel blocked with Sandstone, which leads to a final
Missile Expansion. At this point you should have found three Energy Tanks
and eight Missile Expansions, meaning you have a maximum of 399 energy units
and 45 Missiles. You now have but one area to enter: the arena-like room in the
center of the ruins that is the source of the toxic waters.
To start out, return to the Arboretum via the Ruined Fountain, then head
through to the Gathering Hall and save. Now return to the Arboretum, where the
Map shows a pathway leading from the top of the room to the giant chamber. When
you return to the Arboretum from the Gathering Hall, follow the sloping ledge
around the circumference of the room, then step out on the short bridge that
leads to the tree and back down towards the Ruined Fountain. You'll see a runic
symbol mounted on the trunk of the tree in front of the bridge. Scan it, and
you'll know that there must be three more here in this room, which probably
control a gate that blocks your passage out of the room. Now, while still on
the bridge, look down over the side. You'll see that you're over a small island
that you probably noticed when you first entered this room from the Ruined
Fountain. Scanning the island will indicate that it contains a Runic Symbol, so
drop down onto it. The symbol is on the ground, covered by what looks like
Tangle Weed, but with bright red blades. This is Venom Weed, and if you try to
step in it, you'll find that it damages you. However, like Tangle Weed,
shooting at it will cause it to retract, allowing you to scan the symbol. Now
follow a series of circular platforms that lead across the water and rejoin the
main path up the tree.
This time, once you cross the bridge, follow the path to the right, where after
fending off some War Wasps, you'll reach a Morph Ball-sized tunnel hollowed
into the wall. Roll through the tunnel in Morph Ball form, using Bombs to
destroy the blocks in the way. (Be careful, you can fall out of this passage!)
Once on the other side, you'll find the third symbol on the wall and will soon
reach another Morph Ball tunnel, this one filled with more Venom Weed. To avoid
taking damage from it, shoot it to make it retract, then quickly roll through
the passage before it reappears. Now you are nearing the top of the tree, and a
few more jumps will take you to a ledge near the top of the room where the
runic symbol gate is located. The final symbol can be found on the tree across
from the ledge, so scan it to open the gate, revealing a Morph Ball tunnel
blocked by Sandstone. Use a Bomb to blow it up, then roll through to reach the
door, which is blocked by a Blast Shield.
The next two rooms are straight passages full of Venom Weed and Reaper Vines.
You'll also notice that the walls of the room are covered with vines as well;
as if the entire area has been taken over by plants. Just before the final door
are some crates; break them open to reveal some Ultra Energy and, possibly,
Missile Ammo. Once your energy is as full as possible, enter the Sunchamber.
/==============================================================================
5. Source of Darkness [IV.B.5]
\==============================================================================
|[BOSS: Flaahgra] |
|o Varia Suit |
---------------------------------------
You'll enter a large, ruined circular room containing a pool of toxic water in
the center with an island in the midst of it. The island is occupied by a
monstrous plant. As you enter, a gigantic insect-like body will grow from the
bulb on the ground, complete with eyes, teeth, and bladed arms. It will
immediately cause a strip of toxic plants to shoot up from the ground
underneath you, which you will swiftly avoid. Finally, one of four dish-shaped
mirrors around the room will lower, focusing sunlight on the creature, and the
battle will begin.
The first order of business is to scan the being, which will reveal that its
name is Flaahgra, a highly mutated plant that is indeed the source of the toxic
waters in the ruins. Also, you'll learn that it needs constant sunlight in
order to keep up its strength and that it can be stunned with Arm Cannon fire.
The mirror that lowered at the start of the battle seems to serve the purpose
of focusing sunlight on Flaahgra, so disabling it should be part of your attack
plan. Before you start fighting back, make sure to scan one of the four
tentacles which are sticking out around the creature. This is a separate Log
Book entry, and it also lets you know that there are tunnels behind the
tentacles which lead to Flaahgra's central nervous system. With the scanning
done, it's time to fight!
Flaahgra's main attack is to spew a series of purple and yellow energy balls at
you. These can be dodged fairly easily by jumping and strafing. To damage
Flaahgra, you need to stop the mirror from focusing sunlight on it, so you
want to make your way over to it. It's much easier to do this if Flaahgra isn't
attacking you, so start by stunning it with Power Beam fire. Two charged shots
should be enough to stun the creature; once stunned, it will stand straight up
and wave around for 5-10 seconds. Use this time to run around the room and find
the dish that is shining light on Flaahgra. Once you find it, you'll see that
it has a red light on a protrusion from the bottom, and that shooting it will
tilt the dish. Lock on to the red light and fire a Missile or charged beam at
it to knock the dish completely offline, in which case it will "lock" in place.
Once this happens, Flaahgra will not be receiving any sunlight, causing it to
collapse to the ground and the tentacles blocking the tunnels to recede. This
is your chance to roll through one of the tunnels previously blocked by a
tentacle, at the end of which you'll find a Morph Ball slot. Lay a Bomb in the
slot to cause an explosion which will damage Flaahgra. Flaahgra will sink back
into its base, only to reemerge a few seconds later, and this time two dishes
will fall into place.
Now, you have to get both dishes offline before Flaahgra will collapse. Also,
Flaahgra may start using a few other attacks on you. One is to causing a strip
of toxic plants to spring up out of the ground at you. Jump out of the way of
it, and after a few seconds the plants will disappear. Flaahgra's other attack
is to swipe at you with its arm blades. Dash to the side or roll away in the
Morph Ball to escape this attack. The key to getting both dishes off is to work
quickly. If you take too long between the two dishes, Flaahgra will knock them
back into position, forcing you to start over. Also, it will knock the dishes
back immediately if you try to disable the dish while it's not stunned.
Therefore, the strategy is to keep Flaahgra stunned as much as possible. Start
out by stunning Flaahgra, then run to one of the dishes. By the time you get
there, Flaahgra should be reawakening. As soon as it does, stun it again, then
disable the dish and run to the next one. Stun Flaahgra again and disable the
second dish, allowing you to lay another Bomb and deal damage. The whole point
is to not give Flaahgra a chance to knock the dishes back into place.
Once you damage Flaahgra the second time, you guessed it, three dishes will
lower, and you'll have to do the same thing over again. These latter portions
of the battle can be extremely frustrating if Flaahgra keeps knocking the
dishes back on. The key is to never give Flaahgra a chance to. Always keep your
Power Beam charged, and be ready to fire as soon as Flaahgra wakes up. Also,
never try to knock out a dish right before Flaahgra recovers; it'll probably
knock it back before you can get to the next one. Only knock a dish offline
immediately after stunning Flaahgra, then use the time to run to the next dish.
If you can lay a Bomb at Flaahgra's base four times, the last time being with
all four dishes on, then Flaahgra will die. There will be an extra-large
explosion, the creature will shrink down for the final time, and water will
start spewing out of the plant's base, which will gradually turn from sickly
green to clear blue, indicating that the toxins have been removed from the
water. On the opposite side of the room from where you entered, you'll find
another door, with an item resembling the Metroid logo in front of it. This
item is the Varia Suit, which will add more armor plating to your Power Suit,
lower the amount of damage enemies deal, and allow you to enter rooms with high
temperatures. Also important is that you'll finally look like your old self
again, after being in the rather bare Power Suit for a while. Now that you're
much better outfitted, head through the door.
The door leads to a flooded passage, but scans will confirm that the water is
totally toxin-free, so jump into it and wade across to the other side. The path
takes a turn to the right and returns to dry land, so follow it to find a stack
of crates which will contain some much-needed energy. Farther down the hall
you'll run into a very strange object: a blue and yellow floating blob that
drops exploding balls of electricity. This is a Pulse Bombu, an electrical
creature that can't be harmed by any of your current weapons. Don't even try,
because the Charge Beam will actually draw the creature to you. Run past it in
between drops and you'll find yourself standing at the top of a tall vertical
shaft. You are at the top of the Sun Tower, and the only way to go is down, so
yell "Geronimo!" and jump. As soon as you land, you'll be welcomed by a swarm
of a dozen or so War Wasps. Take them out as quickly as you can and use the
Charge Beam to collect any energy they may leave behind.
The only object of note in this room is a Chozo Lore entry located on the wall.
This entry tells how the Chozo have realized that they cannot return to their
metaphysical world until they have defeated the Great Poison that is devouring
Tallon IV. They describe their plans to build a temple to contain it, a temple
that will be contain a Cipher powered by twelve Artifacts. Somehow you suspect
that this temple will become an important part of your adventure. After reading
the entry, go through the door, which leads to the elevator chamber you
encountered earlier on your way to the Vault. You passed it up the first time,
but now, with the Chozo Ruins completed, this looks to be your next move.
You've learned a lot in the ruins, but you haven't found any signs of the Space
Pirates or their mysterious Phazon. Perhaps that will change as you explore
Magmoor Caverns.
|>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>|
C. MAGMOOR AND PHENDRANA ----------------------------------------------- [IV.C]
|>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>|
/==============================================================================
1. Geothermal Power Operations [IV.C.1]
\==============================================================================
|[Magmoor Caverns North] |
|o Energy Tank 08 |
|o Missile Expansion 30 |
---------------------------------------
When the elevator concludes its descent deep into the bowels of Tallon IV,
you'll arrive in another elevator chamber that looks rather similar to the one
you left in. Stepping through the door, you'll find yourself at the top of a
vertical shaft with several platforms moving up and down along the walls. You
can hop from platform to platform, or just jump down; you won't miss anything.
At the bottom of the shaft, though, you'll begin to realize that you're in a
different part of the planet. The passage is red-lit, hot, and there are jets
of steam shooting up from the floor in several places. The hallway is also
filled with Shriekbats. About halfway through the passage, you'll find a door
on the left-hand wall. Open it and you'll find a Save Station, which you should
be very relieved to find; your victory over Flaahgra has now been saved. You'll
also notice that there are two large pipes full of a red liquid or plasma
substance in the room with the Save Station. Is this lava, super-heated gas, or
what? And what's it for? And who built the pipes in the first place? Maybe
you'll learn as you progress through the Magmoor Caverns.
At the end of the Burning Trail (as this hallway is called), you'll reach a
small pool of lava that can be crossed via an island in the center. Now you
realize that had you decided to try this elevator without the heat-resistant
Varia Suit, you wouldn't have gotten very far. The island is occupied by a
Grizby, a small creature that can only by destroyed by a Missile. Through the
door is another lava pool to cross, but this time the ledges also contain jets
that will release a burst of flame at regular intervals. Jump to the first
ledge as soon as its jet shuts off, then to the second as soon as its does.
It's important to state here that the Varia Suit does NOT prevent you from
taking damage from lava, it just allows you to enter areas that CONTAIN lava.
So, you should treat the lava here just like you treated the toxic water in the
ruins. When you reach the far side you'll meet a Burrower, an extremely
annoying creature that burrows around underground before jumping up for a
split-second to spit at you. To kill it, you have to hit it while it's in the
air, which can be difficult. After you manage to kill it or just give up, go
through the door to enter Lava Lake.
This room really is a lava lake, dotted with small rock islands and floating
platforms. As soon as you enter, though, a dragon-like creature will appear out
of the lava and spew flames at you! This is a Magmoor, the namesake of the
region, and you can avoid its flames by backing up or strafing. Two or three
charged shots should be enough to blow its head off, though. The room is also
full of floating land mines known as Puffers. When shot or touched, they
explode, releasing a cloud of poisonous gas. The best strategy is to shoot all
that you can see as soon as you enter a room, then wait for the gas to clear
before progressing. Also, make sure that you shoot from a distance, because the
explosion has some range and is damaging. To cross the room, you'll have to
jump across a series of small rocks sticking out of the lava, and some of the
jumps are difficult. After a few failed attempts, though, you'll soon have a
pretty good grasp of Samus's jumping abilities. You'll also encounter a few
saucer-shaped platforms which will begin to sink as soon as you set foot on
them. Obviously, you want to get off of these as soon as possible. Before you
reach the opposite wall, you'll encounter another Magmoor, and then you'll find
a pile of crates in front of a cracked wall. At the other end of the tunnel it
hides is another, smaller lava pool similar to the first.
Once you cross the second half of Lava Lake, you'll enter the Pit Tunnel, a
smaller room with another lava/plasma-filled pipe in the center, as well as a
fence blocking the other side of the room. To get across, use the Morph Ball to
roll through a gap between the rock and the grating that serves as the floor,
putting you underneath the floor. Here you'll meet several Triclops, small
creatures that can be a real nuisance: they'll grab you in their jaws and carry
you back to the entrance. To get rid of them, drop a Bomb in front of one, then
roll away. The Triclops will pick up the Bomb, and when it detonates, the
creature will explode. Roll underneath the floor and back out of another gap on
the opposite side, and continue on to the next room, the Triclops Pit. This is
a large, high room, and upon entering you can see the exit door across the
room, accessible via a series of platforms. Before you rush right on through,
though, drop down to the bottom of the room. Here you'll find, as the room's
name implies, another space underneath the floor full of Triclops. You can
reach this via a tunnel in a small, steam-filled cave that is beneath the
entrance door. Once you're in with the Triclops, roll to the far-right corner
of the room, eliminating Triclops as you meet them until you find another
tunnel. Follow the tunnel and subsequent passage until you reach the Storage
Cavern, where a Missile Expansion awaits. Now return to the Triclops Pit, climb
back up to the entrance door, and jump across the platforms to the opposite
door. This leads to a short lava-filled passage that you'll have to cross using
three pistons moving up and down in the lava. Once you're across, you can
proceed to the Monitor Station.
Upon entering the Monitor Station, you'll soon discover that there are three
Auto Defense Turrets mounted on the walls of a structure in the center of the
room, and they will fire as soon as you approach. These turrets will take two
Missiles each to destroy, so fire as fast as you can while jumping and strafing
to avoid their fire. Once all three are gone, you can start exploring this
large room. There's a ledge to the left (as you enter the room) which contains
some crates and a door. However, if you go through the door you'll soon run
into a dead end, so stay here for now. From that ledge you can reach the base
of the building the turrets were mounted on, and then you can leap to a path
climbing up the wall of the room. As you ascend, you'll discover a fourth ADT
that will open fire at you, so strafe side to side as you eliminate it. As you
follow the path around the wall, you can tell that the building seems to be
some kind of control structure, and that the top of it is connected to a large
rock formation hanging down from the ceiling. Eventually you'll be able to jump
to a path on the perimeter of the second level of the structure, and you'll see
a room full of computer terminals. Scan them, and all the pipes and pistons
you've seen will begin to make sense: the Pirates are using the heat from the
lava as a power source. Now that you know, you can continue across a bridge
leading from the structure to a second door. You can also see a platform to the
side of the bridge next to the door, but it's too far away to reach.
The door leads to a Morph Ball passage, and if you roll along the bottom
towards the exit, you'll notice several vertical shafts above you. What are
those for? To find out, return to the first one. If you can do a double bomb
jump up the shaft, you'll reach another ledge. However, don't attempt this
unless you have already mastered the double bomb jump, and don't try to learn
it here. The reason is that the spot you have to jump from is on a metal block
that will explode after being hit with two Bombs. After executing a double bomb
jump, the block will be destroyed, so if you miss the jump, you'll fall into
the lava beneath it. If this happens, bomb jump out as fast as you can. Also,
while attempting the jump, make sure to hug the left-hand wall so that you can
roll onto the ledge if you make it. If you manage to make it up, you'll find
another shaft for another double bomb jump. Luckily, missing this one won't
cause you to take damage, you'll just have to start over. If you make the
second jump, you'll reach a third shaft, with an Energy Tank at the top.
Execute a third successful jump to claim the tank. It's very tricky and you may
take a lot of damage in the attempt, but an Energy Tank is always worth the
effort.
At the opposite end of the Morph Ball passage, you'll find an elevator. As was
mentioned earlier, the other door out of the Monitor Station leads to a dead
end, so this elevator appears to be your best option at the moment. Your brief
visit to Magmoor Caverns is over, so step on the elevator and prepare to enter
Phendrana Drifts.
/==============================================================================
2. Crumbling Vigilance [IV.C.2]
\==============================================================================
|[Phendrana Drifts North] |
|o Boost Ball |
---------------------------------------
As soon as the elevator comes to a stop, you'll see snow on the floor of the
chamber and large ice formations around the elevator. The next room is a cave
blocked at intervals by sheets of ice, which can be broken by a Missile. When
you go through the door at the end of the cave, prepare for a remarkable sight.
You'll step out into a snow-filled field surrounded by cliffs. There's a stream
crossing the room, several small, flying creatures flitting around above, and
an ornate building on a plateau off to the right. All this while a steady
stream of snowflakes falls from a clear sky. Welcome to Phendrana Drifts. There
are two new creatures in this room: the aforementioned flying creatures are
called Flickerbats, and you'll also find small crawling animals known as
Crystallites. They have a hard ice shell on their backs which deflects Power
Beam fire, but is vulnerable to Missiles. Upon entering the room, you should
immediately cross it to find a short cave leading to a Save Station. Save your
progress, then scan the displays on the walls of the room: they'll contain
short, informational messages, rather like announcements, and they contain
several mentions of "research labs". Sounds like the Space Pirates, and it
sounds like they're up to no good.
Return to Phendrana Shorelines and look for a small building to your right as
you come from the Save Station, with a large grate at its base. Scans will
indicate that it is brittle and made of Radeon, so blast it with a Missile,
then roll over the snowdrift behind it to find a control panel. Scanning it
will unlock a door directly above you. Return to the center of the Shorelines
and look up, and you should be able to see the door, and that it appears to be
accessible from a series of ledges along the cliff. Once you've made it up to
the door, go through and you'll find a tunnel-like passage very similar to the
ones in the Chozo Ruins. What's different, though, is that this one is occupied
by two Scatter Bombus, blue and purple electrical creatures similar to the
Pulse Bombu you encountered earlier. The Scatter Bombus shoot three tendrils of
electricity outward from their body to the wall, and your visor will fill with
static if you get too close to them. Since you can't kill them, you'll have to
roll in between their energy beams to get past them.
The tunnel leads to Ice Ruins East, an area occupied by several ruined
buildings. When you enter the room, you'll see two blue lumps on the ground. As
you approach them, though, the lumps will move and you'll discover that they
are the backs of two vicious-looking creatures! These are Baby Sheegoths, and
they can be extremely dangerous if you don't know how to defeat them. Their
attacks include charging you, spitting snowballs at you, and giving you a blast
of their icy breath, which will freeze you if it hits you. (If this happens,
tap B as fast as you can to break free.) Their weak spot, though, is the ice
shell on their backs; Missiles are the most effective weapons against them. Try
to keep both of them in view, but lock on to one and circle around it, trying
to get a shot at its back. Your best opportunity to fire is after it charges
you: dash to the side, then spin around and fire a Missile before it turns
around. Two Missiles or charged Power Beam shots will shatter the shell, and
then a few regular shots are all that's needed to finish it off.
Once the creatures are dead, you'll see that the room has a U shape, and the
other door is located on a high ledge at the other end of the U. To reach it,
climb up the remains of a building against the wall. (There's some crates on
top.) From there, you can jump up onto a path leading to the roof of one of the
buildings, and can then jump from roof to roof, circling around the room until
you reach the door. You may notice that the architecture of the buildings seems
very similar to the buildings in the Chozo Ruins; it appears that the Chozo
also inhabited this region of Tallon IV. The door leads to a cave with several
Ice Burrowers. These are basically identical to the normal Burrowers in
Magmoor, but are a separate Log Book entry. The cave leads back to Phendrana
Shorelines, but this time you'll be on a ledge high on the side of the cliff.
Follow the ledge to another door, through which is a larger, open room
containing several Pulse Bombus. Run or roll around the edge of the room to
avoid their electrical explosions and enter Ice Ruins West, another room with
Chozo buildings and with two more Baby Sheegoths. These two are tougher than
the first two because you have to fight them in closer quarters, making it hard
to get away from their attacks. Do the best you can and strafe constantly, and
you can kill them. Once the Sheegoths are gone, there is one building that you
can enter, and inside you'll find a Chozo Lore high up on a wall. This
intriguing entry describes a temple, called the Cradle, built by the Chozo to
"contain this evil forever". It goes on to say that the fate of Tallon IV lies
in the gathering of Artifacts, called the Cipher. What is the purpose of the
temple and the Artifacts? Why do the Chozo think they are so important? Right
now, you don't have any answers. There's not much else to explore in this room;
there are several platforms and ledges that you can see; one has a door on it,
but they are all too high to reach. There is, however, a door covered with a
blast shield on the ground.
After making your way through another tunnel guarded by Scatter Bombus, you'll
enter Phendrana Canyon, a long canyon with a small tower at the far end. You
will enter above the canyon, so drop down to a small alcove containing another
Chozo Lore. The lore will tell how the Chozo are in a state of "dimensional
flux", and many are known as "the Turned": Chozo that have been corrupted by
the Great Poison and that now have no respect for life. From what you've
learned so far, it appears that the Chozo's struggle against the Great Poison
is growing more desperate. Now you can drop down to a lower shelf with a Baby
Sheegoth on it. Once it is dead, climb up onto a ledge along the right-hand
wall. Here you will find a number of floating platforms at random heights
hovering over the canyon, which has a floor of solid ice. Scan the control
panel on the ledge, and all the platforms will align themselves, forming a
horizontal row. Now you can jump from platform to platform across the canyon to
the base of the tower at the other end. You'll have to jump continuously,
though, without stopping on the platforms, because otherwise the platform will
collapse and you'll have to climb back up to the control panel to reset the
platforms.
Once you make it across, inside the tower you'll find the Boost Ball! With the
Boost Ball, you can charge up the Morph Ball for a short burst of speed, and
you'll need to make use of it to get out of the canyon. With the platforms
gone, you can only drop down into the canyon. There is a path along the edge of
the canyon that leads back to the door, but it's too high to jump to. However,
the floor and sides of the canyon are covered in ice, forming a smooth surface
that you can roll up and down on with the Morph Ball. Start rolling, and while
you do so, charge up the Boost Ball. Release the boost just as you begin to
ascend the side the path is on, and if you timed it right, the boost will give
you enough momentum to shoot all the way up the wall and onto the path. If you
didn't get it, charge up another boost and try again. This is the basic
procedure for climbing halfpipes, and you need to get good at it, because
you'll be doing a lot of it.
Once you get out of the canyon, you can climb the path back up to the door and
back to the tunnel with the Scatter Bombus. Navigating through their tendrils
of energy is now easier, since you can use the Boost Ball to zip through. When
you return to the Ice Ruins West, unfortunately, you'll have to fight the
Baby Sheegoths again (or just run past them to the door). When you step back
out into Phendrana Shorelines, though, you'll see Meta Ridley flying overhead!
From all the signs, it seems like there's some kind of Space Pirate presence in
this region, you just haven't found it yet. That brings up the question of
where to go next. The building on the plateau in the Shorelines is rather
intriguing, but you just can't reach it. In fact, it doesn't seem like there's
anywhere else you can go in Phendrana right now. However, with the Boost Ball,
there's now several other areas you can explore, so maybe you should head back
and try to find places to use your new Boost Ball ability.
/==============================================================================
3. Congregation of Artifacts [IV.C.3]
\==============================================================================
|[Magmoor Caverns East, Tallon |
|Overworld West] |
|o Space Jump Boots |
|o Artifact of Truth |
|o Missile Expansions 01,31 |
---------------------------------------
After saving your game, take the elevator back to Magmoor Caverns. Once there,
return to the Monitor Station and take out the ADTs, then go through the door
across the room, the one that you didn't go through the first time. It leads to
a tube-shaped hallway leading through a cavern, and then to Fiery Shores. Once
you jump onto and off of the platform flanked by flame jets, you'll reach
another magma lake. Jump to the ledge with the crates and a Magmoor will sprout
up. Once it's gone, jump to the ledge with the Triclops and roll through the
tunnel, which will take you to the other side of the lake. On the other side,
you'll see a Morph Ball-sized path along the wall blocked by some crates. Shoot
the crates, then follow the path up to a catwalk over the lava leading to a
Missile Expansion. Carefully and SLOWLY roll across the catwalk to reach the
expansion, then drop down onto the ledge beneath and return to the far side of
the lake. Jump across the various ledges in between the bursts of flame to
reach the door, which leads to another magma-filled cave. Kill the Magmoor that
will greet you, then roll along the rails above the lava to reach the far side.
(Don't worry, you can't fall off the rails.) In the next room you'll find an
elevator leading to Tallon Overworld. The door in the room leads to a dead end
(for now), so take the elevator and see where it leads.
When your ascent is complete, head out of the elevator chamber and through the
foggy passage beyond to the base of the Root Cave, a tall vertical shaft. In
the center of the floor you'll find a pile of sand, and about six Beetles will
spring out of it when you approach. After they're gone, make your way up the
room using the various rocks, natural bridges, and platforms you'll find. At
the top you'll reach a door leading to the Root Tunnel, and you'll encounter a
Bloodflower for the first time. If you let it, it will shoot a toxic spore at
you, but if you shoot the spore as it's being released, it will explode and
kill the Bloodflower. After crossing the room, you'll find yourself back in
Tallon Canyon. Hey, isn't there a halfpipe in here? Face the door to the Chozo
Ruins elevator and roll into the Morph Ball. The camera will zoom out, allowing
you to see that there's a path high up on the left-hand wall. To reach it,
you need several consecutive boosts. Charge up the boost while you climb the
right-hand wall and release it just as you start to climb the left-hand wall.
This might take you a while to get, because you have to get several
correctly-timed boosts in a row, but you can eventually reach the path.
Once there, cross the bridge made of tree branches to find a tunnel blocked by
Sandstone. By now you should know what to do with that. After going through a
tunnel and a short connecting passage, you'll be on a high ledge above the
Landing Site. To your left is another platform you can jump to, and it has a
door leading to the Alcove. In the Alcove, drop down into the circular hollow
and claim the Space Jump Boots. Now you can perform a double jump (aka Space
Jump) by pressing B to jump, then B again while still in the air. It's a good
thing, too, because you need it to get out of the Alcove.
Once you're back to the Landing Site, drop down to the ground; it's time to
more fully explore this room. Behind your ship you'll find a short Morph Ball
tunnel filled with Tangle Weed, as well as a Missile Expansion. Now return to
your ship, save, then check your map. You've now explored all but two doors in
this room. The one on the ground leads to a dead end, but it's high time you
investigated the one higher up, across the room from the Alcove door. To reach
it, find a series of rock platforms near the pond in the corner. By climbing
these rocks and following the path behind the waterfall, you'll reach the door.
It leads to a straight, ornate hallway with Tangle Weed on the ground and
strange, blue creatures on the ceiling. These are Seedlings, and you'll want to
kill them quickly, since they shoot needles at you. The door at the end of the
hall leads to another blue walkway, similar to the one in Magmoor. When you
step out onto it, though, you'll realize that this is an important place. The
walkway stretches out over a vast gulf to a large rock island floating in the
air over a huge crater. This is the Impact Crater, where the meteorite carrying
the Great Poison struck. The floating island, then, must be the site of the
Chozo temple built to contain the Poison, which you can now safely assume is
the Phazon the Space Pirates have been experimenting with. In the center of the
walkway, you'll find a hologram which turns out to be a Pirate Data entry. Here
the Pirates discuss the discovery of an aged structure on Tallon IV which
projects a containment field over an energy source at the center of the crater,
powered by several strange Chozo artifacts. Obviously, the Pirates are
attempting, though so far unsuccessfully, to dismantle the field and use the
energy.
The walkway leads to another passage leading through the rock island, with
another door at the far end. (Don't worry if the door takes several seconds to
open; the game is loading the next room, which is rather large, during this
time.) When the door opens, step into the Artifact Temple. There's a large
green window in front of you, and looking down through it you can see an open
circular area dotted with pillars. The hallway extends to the left and right,
and there are Chozo Lore entries at both ends. The one on the right describes
the power and significance of statues to the Chozo, reminding you of your
adventure on Zebes, where you found items sitting in the hands of Chozo
statues. It appears the hall continued to the right past the entry, but it is
blocked by rubble. The entry at the other end of the hall describes how the
Artifacts are holding back the Great Poison, though the Space Pirates are
trying to destroy them. If that were to happen, the entry says, all hope would
be lost, so the Chozo scattered the Artifacts across the planet to keep them
safe. The entry ends, though, by saying that prophecy calls for the union of
the Artifacts when the "unholy Worm" is met by the "great Defender." It looks
like you are the one the Chozo are staking their hope on, so does that make you
the Defender? If so, what is the Worm? Still more questions to find answers
for. This path is not blocked, so follow it down, then step out onto the open
area containing the pillars.
In the center is a large statue with a blue, circular object underneath it.
Step into it and you'll learn that it is the the Artifact of Truth, the first
of twelve Chozo Artifacts. When you collect all twelve Artifacts, a path will
open to the center of the Impact Crater. Also, upon collecting the Artifact,
many of the pillars around the temple will activate, with an orange Chozo face
projecting from them. Now, scan these pillars and you'll find that each one
gives you a clue to the location of one of the Chozo Artifacts. However, not
all the totems will activate, meaning you cannot get clues for the locations of
all the Artifacts right now. You should be able to get the clues for the
Artifacts of Strength, Elder, Wild, Lifegiver, Chozo, World, and Spirit. It
appears that part of your mission now, perhaps your primary mission, is to
recover the remaining eleven Artifacts. You can then enter the Impact Crater
and hopefully destroy the Phazon, thereby eliminating the Space Pirates'
interest in the planet and giving the Chozo peace. The clues will be downloaded
to your Log Book, and arranged in the ideal order of collection. This order is
not mandatory, but it does help because as you collect each Artifact, you can
check the next clue to see what to be on the lookout for. Reading through the
clues, you may see some places you recognize (such as the Sunchamber) and some
you don't. The second Artifact, the Artifact of Strength, is located somewhere
in Magmoor Caverns, so keep an eye out for it the next time you're there. And
as it turns out, that will be very soon, because with your new Space Jump
Boots, the building in Phendrana Shorelines is now accessible, so it's time to
head back to Phendrana Drifts.
/==============================================================================
4. Predators In the Wastes [IV.C.4]
\==============================================================================
|[Magmoor Caverns East, |
|Phendrana Drifts North] |
|o Wave Beam |
|o Artifact of Strength |
|o Energy Tank 10 |
|o Missile Expansion 03 |
---------------------------------------
Return to the Landing Site and save in your Gunship, then go back the way you
came, through Tallon Canyon and down the Root Cave. When you reach the cloudy
Transport Tunnel B, you may see that there's a hollow underneath the path which
is obscured by the dust. Walk down, and underneath the path you'll find a
Missile Expansion. Back in Magmoor Caverns, in the other Transport Tunnel B,
you'll have to roll back along the rails, but a Magmoor will pop up while
you're on them. Roll past as fast as possible and kill the Magmoor; the Large
Energy it'll leave should be enough to recover any energy you lost. As you go
through Fiery Shores again (you'll have to use the Morph Ball catwalk), note
that several large pipes in the room will now periodically pour lava into the
lake; it appears the Space Pirates are relying more and more on Magmoor to meet
their power needs. Be on your guard as soon as you enter the Monitor Station,
because two of the ADTs will be pointed right at you. Jump, strafe, and fire as
fast as you can.
Now as you cross the bridge leading to the Phendrana elevator, notice a small
platform above and to the left of the bridge. Before, it was too high to reach,
but with the Space Jump Boots it's accessible and you can jump from it to a
higher bridge that leads to the top of the station. Here you'll encounter your
first Spinner device, which you should scan for a Research entry. Roll inside
it, then boost as fast as you can to raise the drawbridge to the left. Once
it's all the way up, it will lock into place and the Spinner will close. You
can use the bridge to double jump to a path that winds its way along the cliffs
ringing the room until it reaches a door. Inside, you'll find the Warrior
Shrine. "Warrior Shrine"... didn't the totem say the next Chozo Artifact was in
a shrine in Magmoor? And indeed, in the shrine you'll find a Chozo statue
holding the Artifact of Strength in its hands. Two down, ten to go. Checking in
your Log Book, you'll see that the next Artifact is somewhere in Phendrana, in
a tower. Now it's time to head back to the Drifts.
Once you're back in Phendrana Shorelines, take a look at the large building you
haven't been able to reach. Now that you have the Space Jump Boots, you should
be able to reach it. From the ledge the door from the elevator is on, you can
leap to a small island ahead and slightly to the left in the water. From there,
jump to a small shelf of land jutting out from the cliff wall. Then, double
jump to reach the top of a nearby floating platform, from which you can reach
the plateau the building rests on. Passing through a doorway into the building,
you will soon reach the Chozo Ice Temple, a tall room containing a large Chozo
statue against the wall. Waiting for you in the center of the hall, however, is
a Baby Sheegoth. Once it has been killed, you can make your jump from ledge to
ledge ascending the room. Be careful, though; several of the ledges are
occupied by Ice Parasites or Crystallites that must be removed first.
Eventually, you should reach a hallway at the top of the room.
Along the walls of the hall are four Chozo busts, depicting Chozos of various
occupations. At the end of the hall is statue of a Chozo with water flowing
out of his mouth, into his hands, then into a basin beneath. At least, the
water would be flowing were it not frozen solid. The door on the right is
blocked by a gate with a sculpture of a Chozo head on it. Scan the gate, and
you will read, "To pass my gaze, seek my twin within this room." Return to the
hall and scan the busts on the walls. The bust of the Chozo shaman is weak, and
a Missile blast will demolish it, revealing a Morph Ball Slot behind it, which
will open the gate. Through the door is another Morph Ball passage, and after
navigating it, you will enter the Chapel of the Elders.
The Chapel is a large, square, empty room. Empty, that is, except for the Wave
Beam resting in an alcove at the far end! Cross the room, but just as you are
about to reach the Wave Beam, it will lower into the ground and two walls in
the corners of the room will lower, releasing two Baby Sheegoths! You should
know how to handle these by now, but only use the Charge Beam on them, and
play it extra safe; you want to have plenty of energy and Missiles left for
what comes next. There are four Baby Sheegoths in total: once you kill one,
another will be released, so you will never have to fight more than two at a
time.
Once the last Baby Sheegoth has been killed, a full-grown adult Sheegoth will
break out of the back wall! The adult version, as you'll notice, is much larger
and more powerful than its young. Also, the spikes on its back attract energy,
making your Charge Beam useless; fight the Sheegoth with Missiles only. Since
the Sheegoth is so huge, half of the battle is just staying away from it, which
is easier said than done, since it will charge at you. The Sheegoth uses the
same attacks as the younger versions, but they are more powerful. It is after
launching one of these attacks that the Sheegoth is vulnerable. As soon as it
completes an attack, fire Missiles at the sides of its head. You'll know you've
caused damage if they flash red when they're hit. An alternative strategy is to
lay Bombs underneath the Sheegoth's stomach, but you stand a high chance of
being trampled if you try this. After about 10 Missile hits, the Sheegoth will
be done in, and you can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The Wave Beam will
reappear, and it is yours for the taking. The Wave Beam is unique in that
instead of firing a single blast, it fires three small beams of electricity
that zig-zag as they move forward. As you may suspect, the Wave Beam is useful
against electrically-based enemies, and can also stun many other creatures. It
also is the only beam that can open purple doors, and you will need to use it
to leave the Chapel. Once you have done so, head directly to the Shorelines
Save Station to save your progress and refill your energy.
You probably noticed when you returned to the Shorelines that Baby Sheegoths
now patrol the area. Run past them on your way to the Save Station, but when
you return, one may charge down the tunnel at you, so be prepared. Now that you
have the Wave Beam, it's time you reexplored some areas of Phendrana that you
haven't been able to fully investigate. In particular, by examining your map,
you'll see that there's a purple door in the Ice Ruins West. To get there
quickly, climb up the steps as if you were heading to the Ice Ruins East, but
at the top of the steps, turn and look for a floating platform. Double jump to
it, then perform another double jump to reach the door to the Ruins Entryway.
In the Ruins Entryway, notice that you can know kill the Pulse Bombus with your
Wave Beam; you don't need to avoid them anymore! Be careful, however, because
the Bombus will be drawn to your Arm Cannon while it's charging.
In Ice Ruins West, get rid of the Baby Sheegoths, then enter the crumbling
building to the right of the door. You found a Chozo Lore in this building
previously, but now you can double jump up onto the ledge the Lore is on, and
from there you can jump to another ledge patrolled by Crystallites that leads
to a sort of window or gap in the wall. Directly across from you, hanging down
from the rock wall, is a large chunk of rock with cracks running around its
base. Scan it to add a Research entry to your Log Book and learn that it is a
stalactite. Blast it with a Missile and the stalactite will fall. Drop down on
top of the stalactite, and you can use it to jump to a rock formation to the
left, which is next to the roof of another ruined building. Once you step onto
the roof, switch to the Scan Visor and look for some creatures on the far rock
wall. Scan them and you'll learn that they are Ice Shriekbats, and they will be
added to your Log Book. If you want a complete Log Book, you must scan these
creatures now, because they will not reappear. They act exactly like regular
Shriekbats, however, so once you get close they will attack in the usual way.
From the roof, jump onto the Shriekbats' ledge. There is another roof to the
left with some crates on it, so jump to it if you need Missiles or energy.
While there, you'll hear the tell-tale hum of an expansion. Look down and
you'll see that part of the roof is covered in thick, cracked ice; the
expansion must be beneath it. However, none of your weapons can penetrate the
ice, and scanning will reveal that only "extreme heat" can melt it. This
expansion will have to wait until you have some stronger firepower. Return to
the Shriekbats' ledge, and from there, a long double jump will take you to the
ledge with the purple door.
After walking through a hallway guarded by Scarabs and Pulse Bombus, you'll
reach the Ruined Courtyard, a large room consisting of several ice islands and
solid ledges in a shallow lake, all surrounded by tall cliffs. There is a
pillar in the center of the room, and looking up, you'll see that it supports
a rectangular platform high above. Down on the ground, you'll find two Spinners
on either side of the room. When the first one is activated, grates blocking
two pipes at the top of the cliffs will open. Once the second Spinner is
activated, two more pipes will open and a Morph Ball Slot will turn on. To
reach the slot, jump up a series of ice columns next to the left Spinner, which
will lead to the ledge where the slot is located. When you activate the slot,
water will pour out of the pipes into the lake, raising the water level up to
the level of your ledge, and with it the floating ice platforms. A timer will
also start; the water will drain once it expires. Quickly, hop across the ice
platforms to a ledge at the opposite side of the room. Roll down the tunnel to
reach a chamber containing an Energy Tank! By now the time will have expired
and the water will have drained, so drop through the hole in the floor to
return to ground level. Return to the Morph Ball Slot, pour the water back in,
and this time, instead of jumping to the ledge leading to the Energy Tank, jump
onto a metal ledge on the side of the central platform. From there, you can
reach a series of rock outcroppings which will allow you to reach the top of
the central platform.
Once you reach the top of the platform, you will see that from it you can reach
three ledges with three doors. The first door you go to should be the one with
a blast shield, because you'll find a Save Station behind it. On the opposite
side of the Courtyard from the Save Station is a large ledge with Chozo
decorations over the door. The door, however, does not have a colored light
around it, and will not open. Scan it to learn that the door is unpowered, and
that a nearby Power Conduit will restore power. Scan the decoration above the
door and you'll discover that the Power Conduit is behind the decoration, but
it is made of Cordite, a material none of your weapons can penetrate. You now
only have one option: the purple door across from the long side of the
platform.
/==============================================================================
5. Biotech Research [IV.C.5]
\==============================================================================
|[Phendrana Drifts West] |
|o Super Missile |
|o Thermal Visor |
|o Energy Tank 11 |
|o Missile Expansions 36,37 |
---------------------------------------
The door leads into a mechanical, sinister-feeling hallway eerily reminiscent
of the Pirate Frigate. Your nostalgia will be interrupted, however, when a
Space Pirate charges down the hallway at you! Actually, it's a Shadow Pirate, a
Pirate specially adapted for stealth. It has no long-range weapons, so it will
charge at you and swipe you with the scythe-like blades on its arms. Quickly,
kill it with a few Missiles, then give the ADT in the hall the same treatment.
Look around the room and you'll see that it contains several empty stasis
tanks. Once you've regained your composure, move on to the Research Entrance.
This is a large, rectangular room, and as soon as you enter a hovering drone
will sound the alarm, causing the door to lock behind you, barricades to emerge
out of the floor in front of you, and four Space Pirates to run at you from the
far end of the room!
First off, scan them and you'll see that these are genuine Space Pirates: fast,
strong, smart, and well-armed. Also, these Pirates are perfectly healthy, as
opposed to the weak, injured Pirates you fought on the frigate. The best
strategy to use when fighting them is to keep moving to dodge their fire, then
shoot a charged Wave Beam blast at one. The blast will stun the Pirate, and you
can finish it off with a Missile. If a Pirate is on top of you and you don't
have time to charge your Wave Beam, two Missiles will do the trick. Also, if
you need to conserve Missiles, two charged Wave Beam shots will also work. Once
the Pirates have been eliminated, you can go through the door at the end of the
room to reach a Map Station. This will download a map of the Space Pirate
facility, allowing you to keep track of where you are in this large complex.
Return to the Research Entrance and you'll find a ramp leading up to a catwalk
which runs between massive columns. You'll also encounter an ADT on the
catwalk, but once it's out of the way, you can reach an upper ledge with
another door. This door leads to a hallway containing a few Scatter Bombus,
which you can now destroy with the Wave Beam.
The hallway leads to Research Lab Hydra, and you'll emerge in a small area
surrounded by force fields. Scan the switch to drop the force field, and you
can enter the lab. Unfortunately, it is already occupied by five Space and
Shadow Pirates. Make your way through the room exterminating the Pirates,
ignoring all the computer terminals for now. There's an elevator you can use to
reach the upper levels of the room. You'll know that you've killed all the
enemies when the music stops playing. Once the room is empty, return to the
entrance and methodically scan all the displays and computers in the lab. In
the center of the lower level are several empty stasis tanks, which apparently
have been recently used to house creatures involved in Phazon experiments.
There are also two alcoves, each containing a bank of computers. The terminals
in the left alcove detail some of the Phazon experiments the Pirates have been
conducting. In the right alcove, however, you'll find three Pirate Data
entries: Phazon Analysis, which relates the Space Pirates' discovery of Phazon
on Tallon IV; Mining Status, which describes how the Pirates began mining for
Phazon near the crater; and Security Breaches, which expresses the Pirates'
frustration over how indigenous creatures keep slipping through their security.
Also, if you have downloaded all possible entries so far to your Log Book, you
should receive a message saying that you have completed 50% of the Log Book and
have unlocked an image gallery. See, scanning really does pay off!
Now, use the elevator to reach the upper level, where you'll find two more
Pirate Data entries: Parasite Larva and Glacial Wastes, which tells how the
Pirates have established a research outpost called Glacier One in Phendrana
Drifts (where you are now) and that they chose this location because
it makes the Metroids easy to control. Yes, Metroids. You learned on the
frigate that some Metroids were carried off with the frigates that escaped
Zebes; apparently the Pirates have brought them here.
Now that you've scanned everything in this lab, it's time to find the door out
of here. It's in an alcove on the top level containing a pile of crates, and
it's in the ceiling. Clear the crates out of the way, shoot the door, then
jump up into the Observatory Access, which is guarded by 3 Auto Defense
Turrets. Take them out, using the crates for cover, then enter the Observatory,
a large, cylindrical room. As soon as you enter, you'll be greeted by 5 Space
Pirates: one on the ledge right in front of you, two on platforms to the left
and right, and two more that will drop down from high above. Take them out as
quickly as possible, dodging and strafing constantly to avoid their fire. Once
the last Pirate is killed, a control panel will turn on across the room. Scan
it, and a Morph Ball Slot on the wall will turn on. Power the slot, and a
second slot across the room will turn on, and several pistons next to the wall
will begin turning. Once you power the second slot, the base of the projector
in the center of the room will raise, and four Spinner devices around it will
turn on. As you power each Spinner, the upper node of the projector will lower
from the ceiling. Once all four Spinners have been activated, the projector
will turn on, displaying a 3-D map of the star system in the center of the
room, and you'll also see that there is an item in the top node of the
projector!
Return to the bank of computer terminals and scan the planets in the display,
which will add the Research entries Zebes and Tallon IV to your Log Book. There
are also two Pirate Data entries in the computers: Contact, which describes the
Pirates' discovery of Tallon IV and their attraction to its powerful energy
source (Phazon); and Phazon Program, which details the Pirates' activities on
Tallon IV, including mining operations and the construction of a base in
Phendrana, which you are currently raiding. Once you have downloaded the Pirate
Data and Research, you need to reach the top of the Observatory. To do so, jump
onto the platform to the right of the computers (as you face the center of the
room), where a Morph Ball Slot was. From there, turn around and double jump to
another platform, after which you should have no trouble making your way to the
top. Once you make it, can jump to the top of the projector and claim the Super
Missile! This is the Charge Combo for the Power Beam, which is used by charging
a Power Beam blast, then pressing Y while still holding A. This costs 5
Missiles to fire, but is an extremely powerful weapon. Also, it can be used to
destroy Cordite, which will come in very handy.
There are two doors leading out of the Observatory at the top, but go through
the one guarded by a Missile Lock first, since there is a Save Station through
it. Once your energy has been refilled, go through the other door, which leads
to the West Tower elevator. At the top, you'll reach the Control Tower, a flat
outdoor area. Three Space Pirates are in the room, but the fun doesn't stop
once they're dead. Five Flying Pirates will soar into the room, and they are
annoying enemies. They are very fast and can dodge your Missiles, while their
own missiles are fast and powerful. Also, once you hit them enough to kill
them, they will go kamikaze and will dive straight at you, causing a major
explosion if they hit you. To defeat them, lock onto one and constantly strafe
to avoid its and the others' attacks. Fire a charged Wave Beam blast to stun
the Pirate, then fire two Missiles at it, which will be enough to kill it. Just
make sure to dodge it when it dive-bombs you!
Once you have killed all five Pirates, the doors will unlock, but first blow up
the crates in the room to recover your energy and Missiles. Be aware, though,
that the large crates can't be destroyed, and the dark crates with red centers
are explosive, so don't stand anywhere close to one of them when you shoot
them. Before moving on, look around at this room. The clue for the next
Artifact mentioned a tower in Phendrana Drifts; this room is named Control
Tower, and you can see two towers built beyond the edge of the room. Also, you
can jump into the tops of the cylindrical structures that contain the
elevators. In one of these structures, you'll find a window behind a stack of
crates that would look out on one of the towers, were it not covered with
unmeltable ice. It looks like an Artifact is located in this room, but you
don't have the equipment necessary to recover it yet.
Check the map to figure out which door to go through, since they look exactly
alike and it's very easy to get turned around. (This is important because if
you go through the wrong door, the Flying Pirates will be back when you
return.) The door leads to another elevator leading back down, and after going
down a short hallway, you'll enter Research Lab Aether. In the entrance area is
a storage tank, and inside it is a Metroid! Scan the creature, and then it will
break out of the tank and attack you! Metroids are most vulnerable to cold
temperatures, but you don't have any cold-based attacks, so you'll have to use
less effective methods to destroy the creature now. Keep a close eye on the
Metroid; if you see it shake and screech, it's just about to charge you, so
dash out of the way. If it hits you, it will latch on and start draining your
energy. To get it off, switch into Morph Ball mode and lay a Bomb. It will take
about five charged Wave Beam blasts or Missiles to kill the Metroid, though a
single Super Missile will also do the job. Once the Metroid is dead, a Space
Pirate will burst into the chamber through a window and attack you. Once it is
dead, jump out the window onto a ledge below and take out the 4 other Pirates
in the lab. Be careful, however: there are several more Metroids in tanks at
the bottom of the room; they will escape if you hit the tanks with a Missile,
so aim carefully. Like with Research Lab Hydra, once the music stops playing,
signalling that there are no more Space Pirates in the room, return to the
entrance and start scanning.
In the alcove where the Metroid was, you'll find two Pirate Data entries: one
describes how Ridley was restored to health, enhanced, and renamed Meta Ridley;
the other reveals that Metroids can gain strength and energy from Phazon. It
appears the Space Pirates are attempting to combine two potent weapons, Phazon
and Metroids, to create even more devastating weapons. From the Metroid alcove,
jump out the window onto a ledge with another bank of computers on it. There
you'll find more Pirate Data reporting that the Pirates are now attempting to
infuse Space Pirate DNA with Phazon, a process that could produce extremely
powerful new breeds of Pirates. Does the good news ever end? A walkway leads
down to the lower level, and about halfway down you'll see a Missile Expansion.
To reach it, jump up onto a small ledge next to the walkway, then use the Morph
Ball to carefully roll across the narrow path to it. To avoid falling off, roll
very slowly and in short bursts. On the lower level you'll find several more
storage tanks, several of which contain Metroids. One however, contains an
Energy Tank, so break it open with a Missile to gain 100 more energy units.
There is also another bank of computers on this level, and there you'll find
two more Pirate Data entries, Metroid Morphology and Metroid Forces. The first
expresses the Pirates' confusion over how exactly the Metroids extract life
energy, since no blood or other fluids are lost; the latter describes the
Pirates' plan to use Metroids as weapons, and again mentions that they are
vulnerable to cold. Other information on the walls describes how "Project
Titan" in the Quarantine Cave has become very strong, aggressive, and
dangerous. Boy, I sure hope you don't ever have to meet it... Finally, scanning
the display in front of the giant central tank will reveal that it contains the
remains of a failed "Elite Pirate." Could this be an unsuccessful result of an
attempt to infuse Space Pirates with Phazon?
Now, you've almost made it to the heart of the Space Pirate base. A door in the
lower level of the lab leads to the Research Core Access, which is occupied by
Ice Beetles. Once you reach the Research Core, you'll be attacked by a Space
Pirate and a Flying Pirate. Strafe to avoid their fire, but try not to jump too
much, because you could end up falling down to the bottom of the room, where
you'll have to deal with two ADTs as well. Once the Pirates are dead, notice
that Metroids occupy several tanks along the edge of the room; don't worry,
they won't break out (yet). If you fell to the bottom, you'll see that there's
a visor there, but it's protected by three force fields. To deactivate the
force fields, you must scan computer terminals on the top, next-to-bottom, and
bottom levels. Once all three force fields are gone, you can take the Thermal
Visor!
As soon as you get the visor, the lights will go out in the room and two Shadow
Pirates will enter. It looks like your new equipment is going to get a trial by
fire. Switch to your new Thermal Visor and you'll see walls and objects in
blue, while the lit ramps, computer terminals, and Shadow Pirates will show up
in bright orange. Once the Pirates are dead, it's time to find a way out of
here. There's a door in the bottom of the Research Core, but it's white, and
you can't open it. It looks like you'll just have to go back the way you came.
As you make your way back up the ramps using the Thermal Visor, the Metroids
will escape from their tanks. You may just want to kill them quickly with Super
Missiles, but wait until the Metroids are close before you fire, otherwise your
shot may miss. When you make it back to the door, you'll find that it has no
power and won't open. Scan it and you'll learn that a Power Conduit must be
charged to power the door. With the Thermal Visor, you can see the conduit next
to the door, and firing the Wave Beam at it will power the door.
In Research Core Access, the lights will still be out, and the room will be
guarded by a Sentry Drone. When the drone detects you, it will automatically
lock the doors out of the room and attack you. Furthermore, the drone causes
interference with your visor, meaning your visor will fill with static if you
get close to it. However, a single charged Wave Beam blast will decommission
the drone. In Research Lab Aether, you'll find several Shadow Pirates, along
with an ADT. When you return to the Control Tower, you'll have to deal with
more Flying Pirates, but you can return to your Combat Visor since you're
outside. Once you reenter the Observatory, switch back to the Thermal Visor,
and you'll encounter two more Space Pirates. Don't forget to save before moving
on. In the Observatory Access, you'll run into two more Sentry Drones, and
Research Lab Hydra will be guarded by about six Shadow Pirates, which you'll be
able to see hanging from the walls and ceilings, and a couple Auto Defense
Turrets. Also, be careful because a few of the tanks are now occupied by
Metroids. If you want, you can let the Metroids loose, and they will attack the
Pirates, though you'll have to deal with them afterwards. At the top of the
room is a tank that is sealed with Cordite, so you can use a Super Missile to
break it open and find a Missile Expansion. Your last fight before escaping
will come in the Research Entrance, where you'll walk right into the middle of
5 Shadow Pirates and an ADT. Though there is plenty of light in the room, you
need to use your Thermal Visor because the Shadow Pirates are invisible. Once
the Pirates are dead, you will have finally made it out of the Space Pirate
base. Return to the Ruined Courtyard, where you should immediately head for the
Save Station.
/==============================================================================
6. Project Titan [IV.C.6]
\==============================================================================
|[BOSS: Thardus] |
|o Spider Ball |
---------------------------------------
After you've refilled your energy, examine your map of Phendrana Drifts. The
only area you have yet to explore is a large dome-shaped room which can be
reached from the Ruined Courtyard. It is through the door across from the Save
Station, so jump across the room to the door and take a look. The door is
unpowered, but scanning the Chozo decorations above the door will reveal that
they are made of Cordite, and that there is a Power Conduit behind them. Fire a
Super Missile to destroy the Cordite, then switch to the Thermal Visor and use
the Wave Beam to power the door. After walking through a hallway containing two
Pulse Bombus, you'll come to a wall of ice that contains a Morph Ball-sized
crack. Roll through the passage, and eventually you will come to a bridge
crossing a deep chasm in the ice. However, Pulse Bombus are hovering over the
bridge, dropping bombs at regular intervals. To get by unscathed, charge up the
Boost Ball while waiting at the edge of the bridge, then release it to zoom
past in between bomb drops. At the other end, you'll reach a door that leads
into the domed room. This is the Quarantine Cave, the home of the experiment
that the Space Pirates have named Project Titan.
Drop down onto the snow-covered surface of the circular room, and all you'll
see will be a large pile of rocks lying on the ground. As you approach, though,
the rocks will begin to move and fly through the air! As you watch, the rocks
will join together to form a massive creature with a body, arms, legs, and a
head, all made of stone. Once he is assembled, the creature will let out a
massive roar at you, and the battle with Thardus will begin. From scanning him,
you will learn that Thardus is a sentient creature made of stone held together
by Phazon energy. Thardus has three attacks, which you can predict by the
motion he makes before releasing them. If you see Thardus lower his arms and
then slowly raise them, he is raising up two or three small rocks which will
soon fly at you. Target the rocks and blast them with the Power Beam to destroy
them before they hit you. These rocks will leave behind energy and Missile
ammo, so use them to stay stocked during the battle. Thardus will use his other
attack if you see him raise his arms up, then slam them down onto the
ground. This will cause a strip of ice to radiate from Thardus to your
location, and if it hits you, you will be frozen. When you see that this attack
is coming, quickly jump out of the way to avoid being frozen, but if you do get
frozen, press B rapidly to escape. If you get frozen, Thardus will use his
third, and deadliest, attack. He will roll up into a ball and roll around the
room trying to crush you. As soon as he rolls up, go into your Morph Ball and
use the Boost Ball to move around the room as fast as possible. This is the
only way to avoid being hit by Thardus; you must constantly charge and release
the Boost Ball to stay away from him. Now that you know how to ward off
Thardus's attacks, you're probably ready to know how to defeat him.
You'll discover that you can't lock-on to Thardus using the Combat Visor, and
it doesn't really matter because your weapons won't harm him anyway. However,
switch to the Thermal Visor, and you'll see that one of the rocks in Thardus's
right leg is bright orange. This rock is Thardus's one weak spot, and you can
lock-on to it using the Thermal Visor. Once you have locked-on to the weak
spot, fire away at it using charged blasts or Missiles. However, there are
several things to be aware of. First, if you see Thardus use the rock-throwing
attack, switch back to the Combat Visor immediately. When the rocks explode,
they will wash out the Thermal Visor in bright yellow, leaving you unable to
see anything. For this reason, never shoot the rocks while using the Thermal
Visor. Also, since the Thermal Visor displays colors corresponding to
temperature, Thardus's ice attack is difficult to see on the Thermal Visor.
(The ice shows up as black, and blends in with the dark purple of the floor.)
You'll just have to learn his signal for the attack, and jump away as soon as
you see it.
After Thardus's weak spot takes approximately five Missiles or charged blasts,
it will explode with such intensity that it will overload the Thermal Visor,
and you will have to switch back to the Combat Visor. Unlike the small rock
explosions, this explosion will cause the Thermal Visor to remain overloaded
for quite some time, so you'll have to rely exclusively on the Combat Visor.
That's OK, though, because the explosion destroyed the outer layer of the weak
rock, and it is now visible through the Combat Visor. Now you can lock-on to
the rock with the Combat Visor and continue to attack it. After a few more
hits, the rock will be completely destroyed. At this point, Thardus will roll
up and chase you around (again, use the Boost Ball to avoid being crushed), and
when he stands up again, he will have a new weak spot. Switch back to the
Thermal Visor, which will have cooled off by now, and you'll see that a rock in
Thardus's right arm is now glowing, and you can repeat the whole process over
again. Keep in mind that Thardus will always roll at you after you get frozen
and after you destroy a rock. Also, surviving the roll attack is the biggest
key to winning the battle. That attack, if not avoided, can be a substantial
and consistent drain on your energy that can lead to your death.
After you destroy Thardus's third rock, before he rolls at you he will let out
a loud roar and send lightning bolts up into the sky. When he does roll at you,
the room will fill with a dense white fog, severely limiting your visibility
with the Combat Visor. This means that your Thermal Visor will provide you with
the best visibility, but you can still only use it until you destroy the weak
rock's outer layer. When you have to use the Combat Visor, don't try to get
closer to Thardus! Instead, use the radar to see where he is, then just trust
your lock-on. Even if you can't see Thardus, you can still lock-on and fire at
him. If you can barely see Thardus, then that means you'll have to rely
primarily on his roars to tell when he's about to attack. If you start to get
low on energy or Missiles, don't forget that the small rocks leave pickups
behind, which you can collect with the Charge Beam. Also, if you are close to
dying, use Super Missiles to destroy the weak spots quickly; just be sure your
shot will hit before you waste 5 precious Missiles.
You will have to destroy seven rocks before Thardus will die; after you destroy
the sixth, Thardus will send up more lightning bolts, which will remove the fog
from the room. Well, that was nice of him. However, he'll also throw rocks at
you almost exclusively now, and each barrage will contain 7 or 8 rocks, so
don't stop firing after 3! You may find it easier to just dodge all the rocks
rather than trying to shoot them all. This constant stream of projectiles will
make it difficult for you to find time to attack Thardus, so try to get one
shot off while he is raising the rocks, and don't waste the opportunity if she
uses the ice attack instead. Thardus's final weak spot is his chest, which is
good because it is easier to hit than his arms or legs. If you can stick it out
to the end and destroy the seventh rock, then Thardus will finally bite the
dust. The energy binding his rocks together will dissipate, and Thardus will
collapse into a pile of rocks. Also, the Spider Ball, along with several Ultra
Energies, will appear in the center of the room.
Once you collect the Spider Ball, you'll be able to latch onto the magnetic
rail tracks you've seen across Tallon IV, which gives you access to a wide
variety of new locations. You'll notice that there are several such tracks
climbing the walls of the Quarantine Cave, and make sure to scan one, because
it will now count as a Research entry. Look at your map, and you'll see that
there is another door out of the cave, and it is on a very high ledge that you
can't reach even with a double jump. To get onto the ledge, look for a Spider
Ball track next to the door from the Ruined Courtyard. Use a Bomb to jump up to
the track, then press R at the top of your jump to latch on. Keep holding R as
you use the Control Stick to roll to the top of the track. A short distance
above, you'll see another track that goes along the circumference of the room.
To reach it, lay a Bomb while still holding R. The Bomb will detach you from
the first track and propel you up, where you will latch onto the second track.
Follow the second track until you are above the ledge with the second door on
it, then drop down onto the ledge and go through the door.
The door leads to another Morph Ball passage with more Pulse Bombus to dodge,
and at the other end you'll find an elevator! There is a Spider Ball track
behind the elevator, but it leads up to a white door, which you can't open. So,
scan the control panel and take the elevator down to Magmoor Caverns.
|>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>|
D. FURTHER EXPLORATIONS ------------------------------------------------ [IV.D]
|>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>|
/==============================================================================
1. Spectral Entities [IV.D.1]
\==============================================================================
|[Magmoor Caverns South; Chozo Ruins |
|West, South] |
|o Wavebuster |
|o Artifact of Wild |
|o Energy Tank 09 |
|o Missile Expansions 10,11,14,19,21 |
---------------------------------------
The elevator will land in a chamber containing several tanks filled with
plasma, lava, or some sort of super-hot substance. There are two doors leading
out of the chamber: a purple door and a blue door with a blast shield on it. Go
through the blue door to find a Save Station, and once you have saved, return
to the elevator room and go through the purple door. After making your way
through the hallway filled with flame jets, you'll step out into Magmoor
Workstation, and three Flying Pirates will be there to greet you. As you jump
and strafe to dodge their Missiles, you'll probably fall off the ledge the door
is on. That's fine, just keep an eye on your environmental threat meter (the
bar with the ! on the left side of your visor) to make sure you don't
accidentally walk into any lava.
Once the Pirates have been eliminated, take a look around at this place. There
is a blue door on a ledge to the right of where you entered, but it leads to a
hallway blocked with Bendezium, a material that you cannot currently destroy.
Returning to the Workstation, however, you'll see that there are channels full
of lava covered by metal grates in the ground, as well as three sealed gates in
the walls. There is also a machine standing in the lava; scan it to learn that
finding three Power Conduits will power the machine. So, switch to the Thermal
Visor and you'll see that the Power Conduits are all located next to the three
gates. Once they have all been powered, the machine will start to move,
resulting in the western gate rising and the lava in the channel underneath it
cooling. Now, if you could get into the lava channel, you could see what's
behind the gate. There is a circular depression in the ground, and from it you
can roll into the Morph Ball passages under the floor. Get rid of the Triclops
in the central area, then roll through the channel leading through the west
gate, which leads to a small chamber with a control panel. When you scan the
panel, the eastern gate will open, and the lava in its channel will cool. Also,
a timer will start, so quickly roll back to the central area, then across to
the east gate, where you'll find another control panel. This panel will open
the north gate, so roll through before time runs out, and you'll be rewarded
with an Energy Tank!
Once you're done rolling through gates, exit the Morph Ball passages and go
through the door on top of the rocky plateau across from where you entered.
This leads to the South Core Tunnel, where you'll encounter a giant clam-shaped
creature in the center of a small lava lake blocking your path. This is a
Puddle Spore, and it's mostly harmless. Fire at it when it opens, and it will
flip over. Now you can jump onto it and use it to cross to the other side of
the lava. From there, you'll reach the Geothermal Core, a large room full of
lava and with three tall columns based in the lava. There are circular
platforms on the columns, but they're all too high to reach. Use the Puddle
Spores to cross the room, and after using a stalactite to cross the North Core
Tunnel, you'll reach Twin Fires, which consists of two lava-filled chambers.
Use the stalactites to reach a tunnel connecting the two chambers, where you
should use the Morph Ball to roll underneath the flame jets. Use another
stalactite to cross the second chamber, then roll underneath the horizontal
flame jets once the vertical jets shut off to reach the door unharmed. In the
Twin Fires Tunnel, roll into the circular opening, which leads to a Spider Ball
track. You can use the track to cross the lava-filled passage, and at the
other end you'll reach the elevator to Tallon Overworld. You have now forged a
continuous path from Magmoor Workstation all the way to Lava Lake and the Chozo
Ruins elevator. Since there is nothing more for you to do in Magmoor now, take
the elevator up to Tallon Overworld; it's time for you to return to the Chozo
Ruins.
When you return to Tallon Overworld, you'll notice that the music has changed;
it's more cheerful, less dreary than the original music, and I really like it.
Anyway, climb up the Root Cave to Tallon Canyon, then take the elevator to
Chozo Ruins, though you may want to make a brief detour at the Landing Site to
save and refill your Missiles. Once you're back in the Chozo Ruins, go to the
Main Plaza. Now, instead of regular Beetles springing out of the ground in the
plaza, it will be a Plated Beetle instead. However, this once-formidable enemy
is no problem now. Let it charge at you, jump out of the way, then fire a
charged Wave Beam at it to kill it. Now, there are several areas you need to
revisit, the first being the Ruined Shrine. However, make sure you have an
ample supply of Missiles before you head to the Ruined Shrine, because you will
need a minimum of 36 in an upcoming room, and probably more than that. So, make
sure that you have at least 40 or 45 Missiles before going on. To reach the
Ruined Shrine, go through the door on the left wall of the Main Plaza near
where the Plated Beetle is. When you jump up onto the wall in the room, you'll
see that it's a halfpipe. Once you go into Morph Ball mode on the halfpipe, the
camera should rotate so that it is facing the door. From this perspective, roll
up the right-hand wall first, where you will find a Missile Expansion. Now,
roll up the opposite side, and you'll find a Spider Ball track which leads
across the ceiling to a purple door on a high ledge.
After walking through a metal hallway, you'll emerge in the Tower of Light, a
tall tower with large gaps in the walls that allow the sunlight to stream in.
Water fills the bottom of the tower, and if you drop in, you'll discover that
you move slower, have low visibility, and your jumping distance is severely
limited underwater. You'll see that there's a passage underneath the door, but
the ledge it leads to is much too high for you to reach with your reduced
jumping strength. Return to the surface and jump up the platforms until you
reach a platform in the center of the tower. The next platform is too high for
you to reach, but look around and you'll see that four of the supporting
pillars are cracked. Well, what are you waiting for? Start firing Missiles at
them! It takes three Missiles to destroy each pillar, and there are four of
them. Once all four pillars are destroyed, the portion of the room above will
fall down, and you'll be able to see that there is a Charge Combo at the top of
the tower. Once the tower lowers, you'll be able to reach the platform, and
four more pillars higher up will fracture. Also, Plated Puffers will begin to
stream out of pipes around the central platform. Don't try to kill the Puffers,
because there's an infinite number of them, and you'll just waste all your
Missiles. Instead, go ahead and jump up to the next ledge, and the Puffers will
leave you alone.
Once you reach a second central ledge, you can fire away at a second set of
cracked pillars. This time, however, Oculuses will be crawling on two of the
pillars. These creatures are indestructible and will repel your Missiles, so
make sure that your shots don't hit the Oculus, or they won't count. Once the
second layer of pillars is destroyed, you can reach a third layer. If you can
destroy the third set of pillars before you run out of Missiles, the tower will
lower one more time, and you can jump up a final set of platforms to reach the
Wavebuster, the Charge Combo for the Wave Beam. This combo is only useful in a
few situations, primarily because it continues to drain Missiles for as long as
you keep holding down Y. The one advantage to the Wavebuster, though, is that
it will automatically lock-on to the nearest target; there's no need for you to
manually lock-on.
Now, drop down to the bottom of the Tower and return to the Main Plaza, where
you can find two more Missile Expansions. To find the first, scan the tree
across from the door to Ruined Shrine, and you'll learn that it is weak. Fire a
Super Missile at it to reveal a Missile Expansion inside. To reach the
expansion, you need to climb up to the bridge, then jump down onto a roof
below. From there, you can double jump into the alcove and retrieve the
expansion. For the next one, use the halfpipe underneath the bridge to reach an
expansion in an alcove underneath the bridge. Next, take a look at your Chozo
Artifact clues. The next Artifact after Elder, which is the one in the Control
Tower that you can't currently reach, is the Artifact of Wild, which is located
in the Sunchamber. So, go through the far left door in the Main Plaza and
retrace your steps to the Hive Totem, and from there to the Sun Tower.
After you kill the War Wasps and destroy their hives, try climbing up the
Spider Ball tracks; you'll run into a metal plate adorned with four runic
symbols. Yep, it's one of those puzzles; you've got to find four runic symbols
in this room. Two are behind Cordite wall hangings on either side of the room,
which can be destroyed with Super Missiles. The other two are hidden on the
back of two of the pillars in the room; one on the front-left pillar and one on
the back-right pillar, as you face the Spider Ball track. Once all four symbols
have been scanned, the plate will move out of the way of the track, and you can
climb up the Sun Tower on the Spider Ball track. You'll soon, however,
encounter Oculuses circling blocks containing sections of track on them. Use a
well-timed Bomb to jump onto the blocks in between the Oculuses, then use
another Bomb to reach the next block. Be aware, however, that the second Bomb
will destroy the block, meaning that if you get hit by an Oculus, you will fall
all the way to the bottom. When you make it to the top and enter the Sun Tower
Access, you'll see a white shape fly down the hall and through the wall,
followed by a screeching sound! Warily make your way down the passage, and
reenter the Sunchamber.
Once you enter the Sunchamber, however, the light will dim and three white
clouds will slowly fly out from the remains of Flaahgra. Eventually, three
creatures will coalesce out of the clouds and begin to attack you. These are
Chozo Ghosts, and you will get to know them very well. These are what the Chozo
Lores referred to as "the Turned", Chozo spirits that have been corrupted by
Phazon and now attack anyone who enters the sites they guard. You'll learn that
they are invulnerable to electricity, ice, and fire, so the only weapon you
have that is of any use against them is the Power Beam. Also, the ghosts will
constantly slip in and out of visibility, meaning it is hard to know where they
are going to be at any given time. Basically, the ghosts will appear for a few
seconds, fire a blast of energy at you, then dash off and disappear. Keep a
charged Power Beam ready, keep moving, and use your radar to see where the
ghosts appear. When one appears nearby, lock-on and fire the charged blast at
it, then fire single shots at it until it disappears. Do your best to avoid
their fire, because it is rather damaging and disables your visor and Arm
Cannon for a few seconds, leaving you vulnerable. It will take the equivalent
of 3 to 4 charged blasts before the Chozo Ghosts will "give up the ghost" (yes,
I know it's not funny), slowly disintegrating into blue flame. Once all three
ghosts are dead (again), the Artifact of Wild will appear in the center of
Flaahgra's remains.
After you retrieve the Artifact, there are still a few more expansions to find
before venturing into new regions of the Chozo Ruins. First off, go to the
Arboretum from the Sunchamber, and from there head to the Ruined Fountain. Now
that the waters have been cleansed, you can roll into the fountain in the Morph
Ball. When the water pushes you up to the ceiling, you can grab onto a Spider
Ball track on the ceiling, and follow it to a Missile Expansion behind a grate.
Now, return to the Arboretum and this time, go to the Gathering Hall. Save your
game, then jump up to the top of the room (an easier task now that you have the
Space Jump Boots). When you reach the top, jump on top of one of the red lamps,
and from there you can reach a platform above the door. Use a Bomb to destroy
the grate in front of another Missile Expansion. Now, go through the door and
cross the Energy Core, heading for the Morph Ball passage leading to the
Furnace.
/==============================================================================
2. Dreams of the Chozo [IV.D.2]
\==============================================================================
|[Chozo Ruins East] |
|o Ice Beam |
|o Energy Tank 07 |
|o Missile ExpansionS 06,28 |
---------------------------------------
After crossing the Energy Core and returning to the Furnace, you'll see that
you can now go up the Spider Ball track, which leads to the upper level of the
Morph Ball passage. The gray blocks will disappear a second after you touch
them, so move quickly and lay a Bomb the instant you reach the edge. If you're
fast enough, the Bomb will explode and send you onto safe ground just before
the ledge disappears. If you do fall, however, you'll land in the lower level,
so just return to the entrance and try again. At the end of the tunnel you'll
emerge in the main section of the Furnace, not just the storage tank that the
lower path leads to. As soon as you step onto the ground about half a dozen
Beetles will jump out of the ground, so be prepared. Across the room is a white
door, and to the right you can see a maze of Spider Ball tracks overhead,
underneath a section of floor that is made of Bendezium. However, you can't
open white doors, destroy Bendezium, or reach the Spider Ball tracks, so your
only option is a Morph Ball tunnel underneath a Chozo Lore, the first you've
encountered in a long time. The entry, entitled Cradle, grieves over how all
life on Tallon is dying, and how the Chozo are struggling to complete the
Cradle over the Great Poison before they all die; the Cradle must refer to the
Artifact Temple.
After you go through the Morph Ball tunnel, you'll reach the Crossway, a long
room with a large halfpipe occupying the center of the room. Roll to the far
end of the halfpipe and use it to reach the ledge to the left, which contains
three Chozo Lores! The left entry describes the arrival of the Space Pirates
and their attempts to open the temple. The middle entry tells about you, the
Hatchling, the Newborn, who is wearing Chozo armor. The lore also mentions the
fact that your parents were killed by the Space Pirates. The right entry is
more sinister than the others. It describes the Worm, the source of the Great
Poison. It also mentions prophecies that a great Defender will appear to fight
the Worm, and wonders if the Newborn is the prophesied Defender. The last time
you saw mention of the Worm was in a Chozo Lore in the Artifact Temple, and you
still don't know what this is referring to.
However, it's time to turn your thoughts to other matters, like Missile
Expansions! Use a Super Missile to destroy the Cordite decoration on the wall,
then scan the object behind it, and a Spider Ball track will appear high up on
the wall above the halfpipe. It's going to take some very good boosting to
reach the track, but it is possible. Make sure that you tilt the Control Stick
towards the halfpipe while you are going up the side of the pipe where the wall
doesn't go all the way up, and it will take at least five solid boosts to get
up to the height of the track. Once you get close, start holding down the R
button to see if you are close enough to grab on. Once you do, follow the track
to a Morph Ball Slot, which will cause another track just as high, but on the
opposite wall to appear, meaning you have to do the same thing all over again.
The second track leads to another Morph Ball Slot, and this one will cause a
piston next to the door from the Furnace to lower, and also start a very short
timer. Quickly drop out of the slot and roll onto the piston before time runs
out, and it will take you up to a passage containing a Missile Expansion. Now,
go through the door (which contains a Missile Lock) at the far end of the
Crossway.
In the following hallway are two brief Chozo messages, one of which reads,
"Only the holder of Twelve shall face the Worm." There are twelve Chozo
Artifacts; that must mean that the Worm is in the crater beneath the Artifact
Temple. Since you're trying to collect the Artifacts, it looks like you will
eventually face the Worm, whatever it is. When you go through the door at the
end of the hall, you will emerge on a ledge above the floor of a rectangular
room. At one end of the room is a statue of a seated Chozo, and there's a Chozo
Ghost waiting in the statue's open hands, so drop down onto the floor to fight
the ghost. Use your radar to find the ghost, and pound it with the Power Beam.
You'll notice that the Chozo Ghost actually has two types of attacks: a small,
fast blast, and a stronger one that takes several seconds to charge up. If you
see the ghost raise its arms over its head, then it is charging up the stronger
attack, so either shoot it before it fires or be prepared to dodge the blast.
After you dispel the ghost, the statue's hands will begin to glow blue. Before
you see what that means though, you should take a look around the room, so
return to the ledge the door is on, and you'll see a Morph Ball tunnel leading
through the wall to a Missile Station! Don't forget to scan it for a Research
entry, then return to the main room, the Hall of the Elders. This is obviously
a sacred site, and you'll find a Chozo Lore behind the statue. This entry,
titled Hope, declares that the hope of the Chozo lies with the Newborn, and
that they have left these messages for you to help you find the Artifacts. Now
you need to examine the Chozo statue. Scan it to learn it is a statue of a
Chozo elder, and its hands are in a position to accept an offering. It is
actually rather similar to the Chozo statues on Zebes, except that those
statues gave you offerings instead of accepting them. Well, the statue's hands
are just the right size for the Morph Ball to fit in, so roll into the Morph
Ball on the platform, then Bomb your way into the statue's hands.
When you do, the statue will lean forward and roll you down a trough in the
center of the floor! The trough curves up at the end, shooting you at a Spider
Ball track on the wall. Latch on and follow it to a Morph Ball Slot, which will
uncover three colored slots on a ledge behind the statue. To get to the ledge,
jump up to the edge of the ledge the door is on, then double jump up to a ledge
above it, which leads to the slots. You'll discover that the slots are each
protected by an energy shield that is only vulnerable to a particular type of
energy, and the only one you can destroy now is the purple shield, using the
Wave Beam. When you activate the slot, the trough in front of the statue will
rotate, and will be replaced with a new trough that ends in a glass tube. Well,
what are you waiting for? Drop back down to the statue and let it roll you
again. This time, the tube will shoot you up to a Morph Ball passage high in
the wall, and it leads to a blue door behind a force field. Scan the control
panel to disable the force field, then go through the door.
You'll now reach the Reflecting Pool, a rectangular room with a pool of water
in the center, flanked by two Stone Toads. The room appears to be a dead end at
first glance, but jump into the pool and you'll find a drain cover that can be
destroyed with a Bomb. Once the cover is gone, the water will rapidly drain out
of the pool, revealing a halfpipe! Now you can use the halfpipe to reach a
crumbling walkway higher up. Don't worry about the Stone Toads; if you get
eaten by one, just Bomb it to kill it. Also, like in the Crossway, make sure
that you tilt the Control Stick towards the halfpipe while you are in the air
without a wall next to you (until you get high enough to reach the walkway, of
course). When you make it to the top, you'll find three doors: two blue doors
with blast shields, and one white door. Before you destroy the blast shields,
however, make sure to scan one if you haven't already! These are some of the
last blast shields you will encounter, and if you don't scan one you won't be
able to complete your Log Book. The first door you should open is the one to
the left, with the door from the Hall of the Elders at your back. Inside,
you'll find your long-lost friend the Ice Beam! This beam fires blasts of ice
that can freeze many enemies and, of course, open white doors. This beam is
strong and extremely useful, but it has a very slow rate of fire, so keep that
in mind. After you get the Ice Beam, investigate the white door in the
Reflecting Pool, and you'll see that it leads to an elevator to the Tallon
Overworld. Since there's still one more door in the Reflecting Pool, don't take
the elevator yet. Return to the Reflecting Pool and go through the remaining
door, where you'll find a Save Station and a Morph Ball tunnel.
Save your game, and if you want, go down the Morph Ball tunnel; you'll see that
it leads to another elevator to Tallon Overworld. However, don't take it yet.
Now that you have the Ice Beam, you can return to the Hall of the Elders and
use the white Morph Ball Slot. When you reenter the room, you'll find that it
is now occupied by three Chozo Ghosts. Make sure to keep in constant motion, or
else you'll get pummeled by shots. Also, remember to switch back to the Power
Beam; shots from the Ice Beam will simply pass right through the ghosts. It
will probably take some time, but eventually you will kill all three ghosts and
you can return to the ledge with the Morph Ball Slots. Use the Ice Beam to
eliminate the white shield over the central slot, and when you activate it, the
trough in the center of the floor will rotate again, this time terminating in a
tunnel leading down. Let the statue roll you down the trough, and you'll end up
in a small chamber underneath the floor that contains an Energy Tank! Roll
through the tunnel to return to the main room, and the trough will rotate back
to its initial position. Now, you'll notice that there are two white doors
leading out of the Hall of the Elders, but there's no reason for you to go
through them. They only lead to hallways connecting to the Crossway and the
Furnace, and when you return to the Hall, the Chozo Ghosts will be back. So,
unless you're just dying to fight them again, don't bother with the them.
However, you need to know where to go next. There doesn't appear to be anything
else in Chozo Ruins for you to explore now that you have the Ice Beam, so where
can you go? Browse through your world map, and you may remember that when you
found the elevator chamber after defeating Thardus in Phendrana Drifts, there
was a Spider Ball track that led to a white door across from the elevator.
There was also a white door leading out of the Research Core, where you found
the Thermal Visor. Now that you have a destination, you need to get there,
preferably by the shortest possible route. To start off, you need to return to
the Reflecting Pool. You can do this by jumping onto the edge of the ledge
which contains the Morph Ball Slots. Jump up, and you'll reach the ledge that
was blocked by a force field before, and which contains the door to the
Reflecting Pool. Use the halfpipe to reach the upper level again, go to the
room with the Save Station, and roll through the Morph Ball tunnel. Now take
the elevator, which will take you to a new part of Tallon Overworld. After
exiting the elevator chamber and passing through a room filled with Geemers and
Zoomers, you'll reach the Overgrown Cavern, a passage that is blocked by tree
branches, under which is Venom Weed. Spray the Venom Weed with fire to get rid
of it momentarily, then roll through in the Morph Ball, collecting a Missile
Expansion along the way.
After going through the door, you'll be standing on a ledge above a large room
with a massive structure to your left. Also, two Flying Pirates will fly up and
attack you! What are they doing here? But, first things first: why don't you
try out your new Ice Beam on the Flying Pirates? Since it travels so slowly, it
may take you several tries to hit a Pirate, but once you do, it will freeze in
midair, and a single Missile will shatter it! This is much faster and easier
than using the Wave Beam, and should become your primary method of
surface-to-air attack. Once they're gone, look down onto the ground in front of
the structure; you'll find three injured Space Pirates. Now it all makes sense:
this is where the Pirate Frigate crashed! Drop down in front of the Pirates,
and they may try to fire a few shots at you, but one or two hits from the Ice
Beam are all they'll be able to handle. There is a white door leading into the
frigate, but don't go through it now, because you'll soon find yourself
attempting to maneuver underwater, something you are not good at right now.
Jump into the lake in the middle of the room, and you'll find two more Flying
Pirates at the opposite side, but they'll fly off as soon as you approach
without firing a shot. You'll also see that they were standing next to a crate
that is leaking a bright blue, highly radioactive substance. Scan it and you'll
learn that it is Phazon. Don't touch it; it hurts! Blow away the Missile Lock
from the door and you'll emerge in the Landing Site, and from there you should
head to Tallon Canyon, then to the Root Cave, then to the Magmoor elevator.
When you arrive in Magmoor Caverns, take the door leading to Twin Fires. Note
that you can use the Ice Beam to freeze the flame jets, so you don't have to
worry about dodging their blasts anymore. Return to Magmoor Workstation, and
after eliminating the Flying Pirates, take the passage back to the Phendrana
elevator. However, make sure to save in the room behind the elevator before
ascending.
/==============================================================================
3. Move Through the Waters [IV.D.3]
\==============================================================================
|[Phendrana Drifts South] |
|o Gravity Suit |
---------------------------------------
When you reach Phendrana Drifts, you'll be in the elevator chamber you found
after defeating Thardus. Behind the elevator is a Spider Ball track leading to
a white door, which you can now open. It leads to an outdoor passage, and
you'll discover that Phendrana Drifts now has new music! The only enemies in
the passage are a few Pulse Bombus, and you'll also see an Energy Tank trapped
behind ice, which you currently cannot melt. Pressing onward, you'll reach
Frozen Pike, a tall shaft encircled by cliffs. A series of platforms, ledges,
and bridges will allow you to gradually work your way down the room, but keep
an eye out for Ice Parasites and Flickerbats that can get in your way, and
possibly knock you off. If you do fall, you'll end up in a lake at the bottom,
where you'll encounter a Jelzap, a triangular aquatic creature that is held
together by electric impulses in its center. If you get close to it, it will
open, revealing the electricity in its center, and a charged Wave Beam shot
will kill it. You'll find a door underwater, but it's too high to reach, so
look for steps that you can use to climb out of the water and begin climbing
back up Frozen Pike. As you climb down, you'll encounter two doors along the
way. The one closest to the top connects to the Research Core in the Pirate
lab, but since you have no desire to return there, keep going down. You should
go through the next door, and it leads to another passage where you'll
encounter a few Ice Beetles.
At the end of the passage you'll enter the Frost Cave, and as soon as you enter
you'll hear the distinctive squeal of a Metroid. However, the creature that
will float up towards you is no ordinary Metroid. Its head-like sac will be
longer and red-colored, and it will also have several long tentacles. This is a
Hunter Metroid, which is more developed than a regular Metroid. Instead of
latching onto you, the Hunter Metroid will use its tentacles to drain energy
from you, and it will also ram you. These can do some fairly serious damage to
you, but like all Metroids, it is vulnerable to cold. So, before it gets too
close, hit it with a blast from the Ice Beam, and it will freeze solid. Now a
single Missile will shatter the Metroid into pieces. Taking a look around,
you'll see that the Frost Cave is a, well, it's a cave, with a frozen lake at
the bottom (containing another inaccessible Missile Expansion) and several
doors on ledges high above. Also, you'll see a strange blue creature flying in
a circle above the lake. This is a Glider, and if you had the Grapple Beam, you
could latch onto it and let it carry you. But you don't, so see what else is in
here. If you look at the roof of the cavern, you'll see there are two
stalactites, so fire Missiles to knock them down. Using the stalactites, you
can climb onto the ledges containing the two doors; one leads to a Morph Ball
tunnel, the other to a Save Station. Obviously, save first, then go through the
Morph Ball tunnel, which leads to Phendrana's Edge.
Phendrana's Edge is another shaft room similar to Frozen Pike, except that two
Flying Pirates will be waiting for you. Though you enter about halfway up the
room, you can only go down; there are platforms leading up, but you'll soon
reach a dead end. Head down Phendrana's Edge and you'll reach another door
leading to a Bombu-filled passage. At the end of this tunnel, though, is the
Hunter Cave, which is almost identical to the Frost Cave, with the welcome
exception that there is no Hunter Metroid. Why is the Hunter Metroid not in the
room called the Hunter Cave, you ask? I don't know, but my suspicion is that
this was a mistake by Retro; someone accidently put the Hunter Metroid in the
wrong room. Anyway, it's completely irrelevant, so back to the game. In the
Hunter Cave, you'll find three stalactites; two will drop into the non-frozen
lake, while the third will drop onto a ledge underneath a door. Now you can
drop down and use the stalactites as stepping stones to cross the lake and
reach the ledge where the final stalactites rests. The only problem is that
there are Flickerbats flying just above the lake, and they can knock you off
the stalactites. The best solution to this is to try to knock out a few with
your Power Beam before you jump onto the stalactites, then just go as fast as
you can and hope you don't hit any that are left. Once you reach the other
side, use the last stalactite to reach the ledge with the door.
The door leads to a passage that steadily descends, so that the door at the
other end is underwater, and it leads into the Gravity Chamber. You'll have to
make your way through this room entirely underwater, meaning you will have low
visibility and limited jumping ability. You'll also run into a few Jelzaps and
Aqua Reapers, which are almost identical to the Reaper Vines in Chozo Ruins. It
is easy to get lost in here, but you are basically going in a counterclockwise
direction around the room. Hopefully, you'll eventually find a series of ledges
leading up to the Gravity Suit! Once you have been upgraded, you will be able
to move underwater just as well as you can on land, and your vision will no
longer be cloudy. To get out of here, backtrack a little bit until you reach a
ledge that you can double jump onto. From there, you should be able to jump out
of the water and onto an ice platform. Now you can easily make your way to
another door, and you'll also have to pass up another inaccessible Missile
Expansion.
The door leads to a passage patrolled by a Sentry Drone, but you can actually
kill it before it even sees you, so that shouldn't be a problem. The passage
leads back to the Hunter Cave, but this time you'll be on one of the higher
ledges, and there will be two Space Pirates waiting for you. Whatever you do,
don't fall off the ledge as you fight the Pirates, or else you'll either have
to backtrack the long way, or go back through the Gravity Chamber. It will be
difficult to hit the Pirates with the Ice Beam: since it travels so slowly, the
Pirates will be able to dodge it. The best time to fire is when the Pirates
fire missiles at you. You should be able to hit them then, just don't forget to
dodge the missiles! Once the Pirates are gone, you can follow the ledge to
another door, which leads to an underwater passage containing three Jelzaps,
which in turn leads back to the Frozen Pike via the underwater door you
couldn't reach earlier. Two more Space Pirates will be waiting for you in
Frozen Pike, and they'll attack as soon as you climb out of the water.
Now that you're back in Frozen Pike, where do you go next? Since you now have
the ability to explore underwater easily, you should find more underwater areas
that you couldn't explore before. What about the crashed frigate in Tallon
Overworld? If you tried to go inside it before, you soon found yourself trying
to navigate underwater, and it was just too slow and difficult to be
worthwhile. Now, water is no obstacle, so the crashed frigate should be your
next destination. To get there, though, you'll have to climb all the way back
up Frozen Pike. To make it, you'll have to be very good at jumping and pay
close attention, since it can sometimes be hard to find the next ledge.
Sometimes you may have to look behind you to find the next ledge, and sometimes
you may have to go through a tunnel under a bridge. Once you make it up to the
door leading to the Research Core, you'll have to use the Morph Ball to roll
through a passage behind a frozen waterfall. When you get stuck, lay a Bomb to
reach a higher level, and be careful when you reach the end of the passage;
it'd be a shame if you fell all the way down and had to start all over again.
Eventually, you'll make it back to the top, and you can return to the Magmoor
elevator. Once you're back in Magmoor Caverns, head for the Save Station behind
the elevator for a save and energy refill. Now, travel through Magmoor Caverns
back to the Tallon Overworld elevator, and from there head to the Frigate Crash
Site.
/==============================================================================
4. Descended from Space [IV.D.4]
\==============================================================================
|[Tallon Overworld East] |
|o Energy Tanks 01,02 |
|o Missile Expansions 05,07 |
---------------------------------------
When you enter the room, you'll be ambushed by two Flying Pirates and a group
of Beetles that will spring up out of the ground. Obviously, get rid of the
Pirates first, and stay in the air as much as possible to avoid getting knocked
around by the Beetles. Afterwards, walk across the lake towards the frigate.
However, you'll see a Missile Expansion in an alcove over the middle of the
lake. To reach it, jump from the logs on the bottom of the lake. To get out of
the lake on the other side, look for a series of steps leading up to a recessed
area underwater. In there you'll find a Morph Ball tunnel, which will lead you
to a place where you can jump out of the water. Once you reach the frigate, go
through the white door and you'll find yourself in a tunnel in which natural
rock walls and passages from the frigate seem to be mixed together. At the end
of it, though, you'll definitely be inside the ruins of the frigate, though the
walls will be covered with plants and fungi. The first few passages are just
ventilation shafts, similar to the ones you ran through when escaping the
frigate the first time. Keep your guard up, because in one of the shafts you'll
encounter two functional ADTs. You'll also need to blast a Power Conduit to
open the door. In the next ventilation shaft, you'll encounter Tallon Crabs,
swarming creatures similar to Parasites, except that they're tougher to kill
and, as you'll discover, very messy.
The end of the ventilation shaft will be flooded with water, and it leads into
a large, completely flooded room. This is the Reactor Core, where you fought
the Parasite Queen, now completely ruined from the breach that destroyed the
frigate. Drop down to the bottom of the room and you'll encounter two Aqua
Pirates, which are like Flying Pirates except that their missiles are slower;
dispense with them in the usual way. But, you have to wonder, why are there
still Pirates here at all? Is there anything here they're trying to salvage, or
what? Anyway, a little bit above the level of the ring-shaped walkway is an
unpowered door; use the map if you're having trouble finding it. To open it,
you need to find four Power Conduits, so switch to the Thermal Visor and start
looking. You'll find one next to the door, two along the walkway, and one in
the sand-filled pit in the center. Once you've scanned them all, return to the
door and it will open automatically, allowing you to enter Reactor Access. Now
you are now going through the frigate backwards of the way you originally
came. If you remember, there was a Save Station in the room right before the
Parasite Queen, and this is that room. Sure enough, the Save Station is still
there though a door to the right, and it even still works! The door out of this
room is also unpowered, so shoot the two Power Conduits on either side of it to
progress. (Just to let you know, you're going to encounter a lot of unpowered
doors in the remainder of the frigate, so I won't provide lots of details,
since the Power Conduits are not usually hard to find.)
You'll now be in Cargo Freight Lift to Deck Gamma: this room originally
contained an elevator that went along a sloping track. Unfortunately, the
elevator doesn't work anymore (as if you'd expect it to), so you'll have to
climb up the track yourself. Before you do, though, use a Missile to destroy
the grate on the elevator car and collect what is quite possibly the easiest
Energy Tank in the game. Now jump on top of the car and begin hopping up the
pieces of floating debris. If you can't see where the next platform is, turn
around; you'll probably find it behind you. Also, when you reach the top a
Space Pirate will fall through the ceiling into thewater, but don't worry; he's
dead. When you finally reach the top, though, you'll discover that you have to
find three Power Conduits to power the door. Yes, I could have told you that
first, but that wouldn't be very much fun, would it? Anyway, the Power Conduits
are at the bottom, middle, and top of the track.
The next room is Biohazard Containment, where you can see the remains of a
failed experiment still floating in its tank. There are two ADTs guarding the
upper walkway, and Aqua Drones underwater. Aqua Drones are basically the same
as a regular Sentry Drone, so use the Wave Beam to destroy them. Also, scan one
of the lockers underwater and you'll discover that its Cordite door is weak, so
fire a Super Missile to find another Missile Expansion. Once you've scanned the
Power Conduits and gone down the connecting passage, which you'll notice
gradually tilts, you'll enter Biotech Research Area 1, which has been heavily
damaged. Get rid of the Aqua Pirates, then find the Power Conduits. To reach
the door, look for a pile of rubble you can climb up onto a platform, then turn
around and jump across the gap to reach the door. You'll now reach Connection
Elevator to Deck Beta, but the elevator will collapse as soon as you enter the
shaft, causing you to fall down into the bottom of the shaft. You'll encounter
Aqua Sacs in here, which are just like Sap Sacs except that their explosion
seems to be less potent. In any case, there's no need to mess with or worry
about them, so just roll through the hole you'll find to enter the Hydro Access
Tunnel, an underwater Morph Ball passage.
Here you'll notice that the water greatly increases the height of your bomb
jump, a fact that you can use to your advantage. In the middle of the passage,
you'll drop down a level and you'll see a tunnel going up above you. To go up
the tunnel, position yourself underneath it at the bottom, then lay a Bomb.
Just a split-second before you reach the apex of your jump, lay another Bomb.
If timed correctly, you will fall onto the Bomb just as it explodes, sending
you up higher. Do this again and you'll be able to reach an Energy Tank at the
top.
At the end of the Hydro Access Tunnel, you'll reach a door that leads out of
the ship, back into the Tallon Overworld. You'll be at the bottom of a lake,
and when you jump up the step-like ledges out of the water, you'll discover
that this is a tall shaft-like room with a large tree in the center. You'll
also discover that the room contains several Seedlings, which you will want to
eliminate, since they'll shoot needles at you. This is the Great Tree Hall, and
it goes up for quite a ways, with numerous doors leading to various locations.
However, for now you're just interested in the door that is on the ledge you
climbed onto. It leads to a passage containing several Seedlings, as well as a
bright blue substance that your visor will warn you is intensely radioactive.
This is Phazon, so make sure not to fall in it! As you may have expected, at
the end of the tunnel is an elevator to the Phazon Mines. Take a deep breath,
because you're reaching the last stages of your adventure. However, there's
still plenty of intense fighting to be done, and the Phazon Mines is where it
will happen. You're getting ready to invade the Space Pirates' main center of
operations, so once you're ready, step onto the elevator.
|>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>|
E. PHAZON MINES -------------------------------------------------------- [IV.E]
|>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>|
/==============================================================================
1. The Hunter Is Among Us [IV.E.1]
\==============================================================================
|[Phazon Mines Level 1] |
|o Missile Expansions 41,43 |
---------------------------------------
After reaching the bottom of the elevator shaft and walking through a tunnel
containing Phazon, you'll step out into the Main Quarry of the Phazon Mines.
It's a large, open area that appears very dreary, and is open to an ominous,
purple-tinted sky. You can see that the room contains a large crane, and there
are Space Pirates in the control chamber on top. Climb up the walkway on the
right side of the room that leads towards the crane platform, and the Pirates
will spot you. Three will run out and attack you, and another will attempt to
catch you off-guard by dropping out of a hatch right in front of you. With the
Ice Beam, you can dispatch them quite easily. Follow the walkway across the
length of the platform, where it will lead to ledges on the cliff that you can
use to reach the top of the now-abandoned platform. There you'll find a control
panel, but it has no power. You can find the Power Conduit on the pillar that
serves as the base of the crane, and then you can scan the control panel. This
will cause the crane to rotate, and the crate it's holding will smash into the
cliff, shattering part of the wall and revealing a Missile Expansion! Now, use
the Spider Ball to climb up the crane pillar, then out across it until you can
drop onto the crate and grab the expansion. You'll see that there's a door
on a high ledge near the expansion, but it's inaccessible for now.
Drop down to the ground, and you'll see a force field blocking access to a
door. The force field is also guarded by two Mega Turrets, which are just what
their name implies: souped-up Auto Defense Turrets. The fire from Mega Turrets
is more damaging, and it takes 3 Missiles to eliminate one. Once they've been
destroyed, scan two control panels in the vicinity of the force field to lower
it. Before you go through, find a door that can be reached by a small Spider
Ball track and follow it to reach a Save Station. You are just about to enter a
major Space Pirate facility, and it's going to be a long time before you find
another Save Station, so a save would definitely be in order here. Also, try to
conserve as much energy as possible as you infiltrate the Pirate base; you're
going to have to fight several battles in here, and you need the strength to
make it to the end. Once you're refilled and ready to go, go through the door
behind the force field.
The hallway you'll enter is guarded by two Mega Turrets; use the wall for cover
while you wait for a clear moment when you can fire. At the end of the hallway
is the Mine Security Station, and three cloaked Shadow Pirates will attack when
you enter. Switch to the Thermal Visor and use the Wave Beam to kill them, and
try to stay as far away from them as possible so that they can't slice you with
the blades on their arms. Once they're out of the way, follow the passageway
past the force field until you find a ramp leading to the upper level. Once you
step into the upper passage, three strangely-shaped, purple-colored Space
Pirates will drop out of hatches in the ceiling and begin firing at you. These
are Wave Troopers, Pirates that have been equipped with reverse-engineered Wave
Beam technology. Their fire is potent, but they are themselves vulnerable to
the Wave Beam, so that is what you must use on them. These guys are fast,
strong, and agile, and it will take three charged blasts to kill them, though a
single blast will stun them for a second or two. Use the columns in the room as
much as possible for cover, and use the Charge Beam to suck up energy. Again,
be as conservative as possible; do NOT just stand there and fire away, or
there's no way you'll make it to the next Save Station. Use all the strafing
and evasion techniques you know to try to sustain as little damage as possible
while you fight the Wave Troopers. Once they're all dead, follow the passage to
the end, where you'll find a door in the ceiling. Jump through it into a
passage guarded by two Shadow Pirates, which will attempt to catch you
off-guard by dropping down from alcoves in the ceiling. You'll also find a few
crates that you can use to recover some energy.
At the end of the passage is another door in the ceiling, which leads to Elite
Research, a large room with a tank in the center that contains a giant Space
Pirate! Your initial concern should be with the two regular Space Pirates in
the room, but using the Ice Beam, you can take care of them fairly quickly.
Scan the tank and you'll learn that it contains a creature dubbed "Elite Pirate
Alpha". By scanning one of the nearby computer terminals, you'll find a Pirate
Data entry in which you'll learn that this creature is one of the results of
the Space Pirates' Phazon experimentation: by infusing Space Pirates with
Phazon, they have been able to create super-powerful Pirates called Elite
Pirates. You'll also find a panel that will lower a series of platforms,
allowing you to climb up to a second level. Upon reaching it, you'll discover
two more Wave Troopers on a walkway ringing the room; they will raise a barrier
blocking you from entering the walkway from one side, then run around to attack
you. Well, charge up the Wave Beam as they approach, and let them have it once
they arrive. Try to stay on the central platform, so that you have more room to
maneuver and can use the crates for cover, at least temporarily. Once they've
been killed, follow the circular walkway around to the side where the barrier
is. You'll find a computer terminal there, where you can lower the barrier and
another set of platforms, leading up to a third level. You'll also see a
warning message announcing that you are on Tallon IV and authorizing all Space
Pirates to use deadly force against you. After your raid of the Phendrana
Drifts base, you have lost the element of surprise; the Space Pirates now know
that you are here.
As you climb the platforms to the third level, you'll encounter another Pirate
at a computer terminal; it looks similar to the Wave Troopers, except that it
is yellow. This is a Power Trooper, and as its name implies, it utilizes Power
Beam technology, and that is also its weakness. Like the Wave Troopers, it will
take three charged shots to kill, but it is a little bit tougher because it
won't get stunned after being hit. Also, try not to fall down to the second or
first levels, because it's never to your advantage to be underneath your
target. If you do fall down, climb back up onto the Trooper's level and
continue the fight. After it's dead, return to the third level if necessary and
take a look around. A powerful laser gun is mounted from the ceiling, and is
controlled by a computer terminal in an alcove. By using the Spinner device,
you can rotate the gun, then scan the control panel to fire it, which will
destroy the wall it is pointing at. By examining the map, you'll see that
behind one wall is a door; it's the wall that the walkway leads to. However,
you probably heard the hum of a Missile Expansion as you climbed up; to collect
it, rotate the gun until it is pointing at the second wall from your left, that
is, perpendicular to you and pointing to your left. Behind that wall is the
expansion.
The door leads to the top of a vertical shaft. Roll down the Spider Ball track
while dodging the rotating electric platforms to reach the bottom without
taking damage. At the bottom you'll enter Ore Processing, where you'll have to
fight two Power Troopers, so jump and strafe to avoid as much damage as you can
while eliminating them as quickly as possible. This room has a cylindrical
shape, with a massive pillar in the center. This pillar has three Spider Ball
tracks climbing up it, bordered by yellow, red, and blue lights. However, all
of the tracks lead to dead-ends. On one side of the room, though, is a Morph
Ball Slot next to a hologram of the pillar, with the Spider Ball tracks marked
on it. Lay a Bomb in the slot and the bottom portion of the pillar will rotate
90 degrees clockwise, which will align the bottom and middle portions of the
blue track! Climb up the blue track, and it will lead to a walkway ringing the
room about halfway up.
At the other end of this walkway you'll find another Morph Ball Slot, which
controls the central portion of the pillar. Rotate this section twice, and the
middle section of the red track will be aligned with the top portion. Now if
you could align the bottom portion of the red track, you could follow it all
the way up. To do so, drop down to the bottom and rotate the bottom section of
the pillar three times, using the hologram to keep track of where the various
pieces are. Now you can climb the red track all the way up to a higher walkway,
this one near the top of the room. You'll discover a Wave Trooper on the
opposite side of the walkway, so use the central pillar as cover while you
charge up your shots. Follow the walkway to a white door, and you'll see
another Morph Ball Slot across a gap, except that it is blocked by a pile of
Bendezium. You'll also see a fourth level above you; if only that Bendezium
wasn't there, you could rotate the top portion of the pillar and climb up to
the very top. Anyway, moving on, the door leads to another shaft, but this one
is filled with Scatter Bombus, so you can either use the Spider Ball and try to
go in between their electrical tendrils, or you can shoot them with the Wave
Beam first, then jump or climb down. At the bottom, you'll reach an elevator
chamber, which leads to a lower level of the Phazon Mines. As you descend, you
can see the Impact Crater through the window.
/==============================================================================
2. All-Points Alert [IV.E.2]
\==============================================================================
|[Phazon Mines Levels 2,1] |
|o Power Bomb |
|o Grapple Beam |
|o Energy Tank 13 |
|o Missile Expansion 44 |
---------------------------------------
At the bottom, you'll enter a short rock-hewn passage with a low roof. Also,
notice that there's an explosive crate sitting on a small ledge just above the
low ceiling. Fire at it, and the explosion will not only reveal a Missile
Expansion, it will also kill a Space Pirate that was waiting to ambush you!
Talk about killing two birds with one stone! However, that's all the good luck
you're going to get for a while. Through the door is another large room with
an Elite Pirate tank inside. As soon as you enter, though, the Elite Pirate
will wake up and break out of the tank! He looks intimidating, but he's
actually not that hard to defeat. First of all, when the Elite Pirate holds out
his hand and circles of light appear around it, it is invulnerable, and will
absorb any beam weapons you fire at it. When it does not have its hand out,
though, fire Missiles at it. The Elite Pirate's two attacks are firing powerful
projectiles from its shoulder-mounted cannon, and smashing the ground, causing
a ring of electricity to radiate out along the floor. The cannon is powerful,
but is easy to dodge, and proper timing is all that's needed to avoid the floor
attack. Just keep firing Missiles at the Pirate, and after about 15 hits, his
cannon will explode, killing him. Alternatively, two Super Missiles will also
do the trick. When the Pirate falls, Phazon energy will explode out from him,
shorting out two force fields along the wall. Also, the Space Pirate music will
immediately start to play, meaning you don't get to relax yet. Behind one of
the force fields is a ramp, and when you climb up it you'll meet Ice Troopers,
following the pattern of Wave and Power Troopers. These are actually the
easiest Troopers to defeat, since a single charged blast from the Ice Beam will
freeze them, allowing them to be killed with a Missile. Once you kill all
three, the room will finally be clear.
Now return to the entrance of the room and start going through the many
computer displays, which will yield a total of eight Pirate Data entries and
lots of valuable information. On the lower level you'll find three Pirate Data
entries; one describes a creature called Metroid Prime. This creature was
discovered and captured by the Pirates in the mines; it is a highly evolved
Metroid with seemingly limitless capacity for Phazon absorption. So that's
where the title came from! The other entries on the lower level issue warnings
of your arrival and describe the Pirates' attempts to reverse-engineer your
weapons, resulting in the Power, Wave, and Ice Troopers you've become
acquainted with. It's also rather amusing to read the remark at the end of the
entry, describing their failed attempt to recreate Morph Ball technology, which
notes that several test subjects were "horribly broken and twisted" after an
initial test.
On the upper level, you'll find several small notes on the terminals in front
of the blue screen, including mention that the Metroids in the "quarantine"
areas are becoming more aggressive. On the back side of the blue screen you'll
find a whole row of terminals containing three more Pirate Data entries, along
with the controls for the force field blocking the door. The first two entries
describe the Pirates' discoveries regarding the Chozo and their Artifacts,
which they are attempting to fuse with Phazon in a futile attempt to unlock the
energy contained inside them. The third entry describes how Metroid Prime
continues to grow and develop new enhancements, and that it is becoming harder
to keep contained. The entry also mentions that Metroid Prime was found in the
caves near the Impact Crater. Does all this information about Metroid
Prime sound a little bit familiar? It seems reminiscent of the "Worm" described
in one of the Chozo Lore entries. Could Metroid Prime be the Worm? In that
case, you, as the Defender, will eventually have to face it. But that's a
problem for another day. Turning now to the final bank of computers, located in
an alcove in the back of the room, you'll find two more Pirate Data entries.
The first describes how Metroid Prime broke out of its tank and assimilated
several Space Pirate devices before being recontained, making it even stronger.
The final entry relates how the Pirates have been encountering the Chozo
Ghosts; it's nice to know that the ghosts are equal-opportunity attackers, at
least.
It's taken a while, but going through all this information has been very
useful, because you now have a much better picture of the Space Pirates plans,
mainly involving Elite Pirates, and also learned of this mysterious and
fearsome Metroid Prime. Now, go through the door behind the force field, which
leads to the Ventilation Shaft. As soon as you drop into the cylindrical shaft,
though, toxic gas and Puffers will start pouring out of the vents! Quickly get
out of the shaft by finding a passage on the bottom level and on the opposite
side, which leads to another door. This door leads to Omega Research, yet
another large room filled with Space Pirates. (You're close to the end, though,
I promise.) Specifically, your first attackers will be two Wave Troopers: one
which will run up the ramp to the right, and another which will attack from a
platform floating in the center of the room. Deal with the one closest to you
first, and once both Wave Troopers are dead, look down onto the lower level of
the room; you'll see three Power Troopers. Try to fire at the Power Troopers
from this upper ledge as much as possible; it will be much easier for you to
hit them and harder for them to hit you. If possible, kill all three from
above, then take the walkway down to the lower level. At the bottom, you'll
find a discarded Elite Pirate tank (still containing the Pirate) and a control
panel for the force field. The lower level contains several more Elite Pirate
tanks (don't worry, none of them will wake up) as well as a computer terminal.
Here you'll find another Pirate Data entry that describes a particular Elite
Pirate which can be administered Phazon at levels far beyond normal safety
levels; this uber-powerful Pirate has been dubbed the Omega Pirate, and
apparently has gained new, powerful abilities.
Through the door is a hallway containing another Elite Pirate tank; those
things are just a little bit creepy. At the end of the hallway is the Central
Dynamo, a power supply station. Drop down onto the lower level of the room,
and you'll hear the characteristic buzzes and whines of a Sentry Drone. The
only thing is, you won't actually see a Sentry Drone. All you will see are
laser blasts being fired at you! This is a Sentry Drone that is cloaked; it
does not show up on any of your visors and cannot be scanned. So, how are you
supposed to fight an enemy that you can't even see? Well, think about all the
weapons you have in your arsenal; there is one weapon that can home in on an
enemy without needing to lock-on: the Wavebuster. Fire up the Wavebuster and it
will automatically lock-on to the drone and follow it as long as you keep
holding down the button. After a few seconds of sustained fire, the drone will
explode. At the same time, a small hole will appear in the floor around the
dynamo, and the area underneath the floor will fill with a maze of electric
currents. You can also see an item directly underneath the dynamo.
You're almost done, so switch to Morph Ball form and drop into the electrical
maze. Carefully, roll through the maze, trying to reach the center of the grid.
Don't be in a hurry, though; there's no time limit, and it'd be a shame if you
made it this far only to hit the electricity and get a game over. If you
encounter a yellow bolt, that means is goes on and off, and you can get past it
with careful timing. Also, if you encounter a puddle of water, lay a Bomb: the
explosion will destroy one of the bolts of electricity, allowing you to
continue. Eventually, you'll make it to the center of the maze, where you can
collect the Power Bombs, perhaps the hardest-earned items in the game. You'll
automatically lay one, and the powerful explosion will totally destroy the
dynamo and eject you from the maze. However, don't worry about the lights going
out or anything, this dynamo is not a main power source anymore; the Pirates
get most of their power from Magmoor Caverns now. Once you get the Power Bombs,
the doors will unlock, so head directly for the white door on the bottom level,
through which will be an object that will undoubtedly make you very, very
happy: a Save Station. Whew! You made it!
Now that you've got the Power Bombs, you can destroy Bendezium, a material that
has been rather plentiful lately. That means you should retrace your steps and
see what other useful things you can find with your new explosive abilities.
When you return to the Central Dynamo, you'll discover that four Ice Troopers
have appeared, apparently investigating the sudden destruction of the dynamo.
Since these can be frozen with a single charged Ice Beam shot, these guys
shouldn't present too much difficulty. There are two doors out of the Dynamo,
one at the opposite end, which is blocked by Bendezium, and the door you came
in by, which is high up. The first door leads even deeper into the mines (and
leads to a dead end), so you don't want to go that way yet. To reach the door
you came in by, use a series of blue-lit platforms that hang from the ceiling;
the first one is near the Bendezium-blocked door.
Once you make it to the door, you'll shortly reach Omega Research, and much to
your dismay, the Elite Pirate that was in the tank behind the force field has
escaped, and will punch through the force field into the room! Like the last
one, keep a steady fire of Missiles or charged shots headed towards him, except
for while he has his hand out, and he'll be toast in no time. After you defeat
the Elite Pirate, climb up to the upper level of the room, then look across the
room. On the opposite side of the room is another ledge that you can jump to
using the central floating platform. Once there, you'll see that there's a pile
of Bendezium blocking a door, so lay a Power Bomb and watch as the powerful
explosion annihilates the Bendezium. Through the door is a Map Station, and by
examining it you'll see that the Phazon Mines has three levels: you've explored
most of the first level, about half of the second level, and none of the third.
However, the deeper parts of the mines can wait. By the way, keep in mind that
you can only carry 4 Power Bombs, so don't lay one unless you need to. You can
replenish your supply with Power Bomb Ammo, which looks like a small yellow
sphere, and can increase your capacity with Power Bomb Expansions.
Past Omega Research, you'll reach the Ventilation Shaft, which is still full of
toxic gas. However, there's a Bendezium grate in the floor near the door that
has fresh air flowing out of it. Power Bomb it, and you'll drop into a small
tunnel that leads to a control panel. The panel will turn on the fans, clearing
the gas and Puffers from the shaft. Also, as the last Puffer collides with the
grate, the grate will shatter, revealing an Energy Tank behind it! After
claiming the Energy Tank, use the Boost Ball to reach the high door leading out
of the shaft and into Elite Control. As soon as you enter, two Shadow Pirates
will attack you, so switch to the Thermal Visor and engage them. Keep moving,
and don't let them trap you in a corner. Once they're dead, keep the Thermal
Visor on as you follow the walkway, and you'll discover that there are three
more Shadow Pirates hanging from the ceiling, waiting for you to approach, just
like in Phendrana Drifts. These can be killed fairly easily, actually. While
standing on the upper walkway, charge up the Wave Beam, target one of the
Pirates, and fire. The blast will knock the Pirate down, and it will start to
run up the walkway towards you. Stay locked-on to it, and charge up another
Wave Beam blast. Now just wait for the Pirate to run up the walkway, fire, and
the Pirate is dead. Once you've finished picking off Shadow Pirates, go through
the lower door and you'll reach the elevator up to level 1, then a shaft
leading to Ore Processing. Here you'll have to climb the Spider Ball track
without being hit by the Scatter Bombus. Just like last time, the easiest way
up here is to shoot the Bombus beforehand. This is especially true for coming
up the shaft, because the camera angle makes it difficult to tell your position
relative to the Bombus'.
Once you make it up, you'll be on the third level of Ore Processing, and you'll
see the Bendezium-blocked Morph Ball Slot to your right. You know what to do.
Now, there's only one track you haven't used yet, the yellow one, and it climbs
all the way up to the fourth level of the room. So, rotate the top portion of
the column once, so that the yellow track is pointing away from you and your
view of it is blocked by the column. Now you just have to line up the rest of
the column so that you can use the yellow track. Drop down to the second level
and rotate the central portion three times, then drop to the bottom and rotate
that section once, using the hologram to make sure everything is lining up.
Once all three sections are connected, you can climb the yellow track all the
way up to the top of Ore Processing. When you land, you'll find a door behind
you. Go through it, and you'll find a storage room containing the Grapple Beam!
This is a really fun item, and is also a big time-saver. Return to Ore
Processing, and you'll notice that there are Grapple Points on the ceiling.
Hold L to fire the Grapple Beam at one and latch on, and you'll automatically
swing out over the gap. Use the Control Stick to steer and gain momentum, then
let go of L when you're over the platform across the room. Note that when a
Grapple Point is in range it will turn blue, and that a point must be in your
field of view in order to latch onto it. Using the Grapple Beam can seem
disconcerting at first, but with a little practice you'll soon become an expert
with it.
The door leads to Waste Disposal, and you'll have to use the Morph Ball to
navigate the watery tunnels. You shouldn't have much trouble making your way to
the exit, which leads back to the Main Quarry. Space Pirates will start firing
at you from the crane platform as soon as you go through the door, and one will
even jump onto your ledge! Get rid of them with the Ice Beam, making sure not
to fall off. Once they're dead, scan the panel on the wall to rotate the crane
towards the ledge. You can now use the Grapple Point on the bottom of the crate
the crane is carrying to swing from the ledge to the crane, and vice-versa.
This creates a shortcut between the Main Quarry and Ore Processing, which will
come in handy later on. For now, though, it's time for a stop at the Save
Station, and then to consider your next move. With the Power Bomb and Grapple
Beam, there are now several new areas that you can explore in the rest of
Tallon IV. It's probably best if you revisited those areas now, which will
allow you to stock up before you delve into the depths of the Phazon Mines.
/==============================================================================
3. Flickering Images [IV.E.3]
\==============================================================================
|[Tallon Overworld, Chozo Ruins] |
|o X-Ray Visor |
|o Artifacts of Lifegiver,Chozo |
|o Energy Tank 05 |
|o Missile Expansions 02,08,09,12,20, |
| 23,25,27 |
|o Power Bomb Expansion 01 |
---------------------------------------
After exiting the Main Quarry and taking the elevator back up to the Great Tree
Hall, use the platforms to climb up the room, which you have not yet fully
explored. You'll discover that the room has a "roof" of sorts made of roots and
branches, which effectively divides the room into two levels. At the top of the
first level you'll find a Spinner, which you can use to open a gate blocking
access to the second level. On the second level, you'll meet two Bloodflowers,
which can be quickly eliminated with the Ice Beam and a Missile. On one end of
the second level is a door that leads to a Chozo Ruins elevator, and on the
other end is a Spider Ball track that spirals up a pole to a door. Climb the
pole and go through the door, then use a Power Bomb to remove the debris
blocking access to a Morph Ball passage. In the passage, you'll find a
halfpipe. If you can reach the top, lay a (regular) Bomb to reach a Missile
Expansion inside the central rock. (To reach the top, keep the Control Stick
tilted slightly towards you as you roll; otherwise friction with the wall will
slow you down.)
At the end of the tunnel, you'll enter a circular chamber made of stone, with
the X-Ray Visor waiting for you in the center! With the X-Ray Visor, you can
see through destructable materials, and can see invisible platforms and
creatures! The view through the X-Ray Visor is somewhat confusing, though, so
you generally only want to use it when you need it, not as you move around
normally. You appear to be trapped in the room, but scanning the walls will
reveal that they're made of Bendezium, and with the X-Ray Visor you can
actually see through the walls! So, lay a Power Bomb and the walls will
shatter, revealing that the stone chamber is just part of a larger room
containing two trees, a small lake, and a waterfall. Use the platforms to climb
onto one of the trees, and from there you can jump to a ledge next to the
waterfall. When you do, three Chozo Ghosts will appear from the top of the
stone chamber. Remember, the Power Beam is the only weapon that works on them,
but now that you have the X-Ray Visor, you can use it to follow the ghosts as
they shift in and out of dimensions. Since you no longer have to wonder where
the ghosts are going to appear, you can defeat them much more easily now.
Once they're gone, drop down into the lake. You'll see a circular plate in the
center, and when you bomb it, a pillar will rise up out of the water. At the
base of the pillar is a Spinner, which will rotate a stone walkway until it
connects the pillar and the waterfall. Once it reaches the waterfall, the
walkway will ascend, along with a Chozo Artifact! Double jump from the shore to
reach the Artifact of Chozo, which is one that you didn't have a clue for, you
just discovered it by accident! Now, to leave the Life Grove, use the trees and
ledges to circle around the room until you reach a hole in the top of the
building, which will drop you in front of the exit.
Back in the Great Tree Hall, you'll see on the map that there is one door you
haven't yet gone through, but you can't see how to reach it. Well, try your new
X-Ray Visor, and you'll see an invisible platform above the door to the Ruins
elevator. Jump onto the platform, and from there you can reach the door behind
the tree, which leads to a Missile Expansion. Note that if you look at where
the invisible platform is with the Combat Visor, you can see that the rain is
spattering on it, creating the appearance of flashing dots where the platform
is. This can be useful in Tallon Overworld for reaching invisible platforms if
for some reason you don't want to use the X-Ray Visor. Now that you've
thoroughly investigated Great Tree Hall, it's time to take the elevator to
Chozo Ruins, specifically to the Reflecting Pool, where you got the Ice Beam.
You may want to stop for a quick save, then head back to the Furnace. Get rid
of the Chozo Ghosts that will appear, then use a Power Bomb on the section of
the floor made of Bendezium, which will reveal a halfpipe underneath. Use the
halfpipe to reach a Spider Ball track above, and carefully navigate through the
twisted maze of tracks, making sure to avoid the Plated Parasites. Note that
there will be times when you will need to jump from one track to another (use a
Bomb), and when you will need to drop from a higher track onto a lower track
(let go of R, then press it again as you pass the lower track). If you make it
all the way to the end, you'll reach a Missile Expansion. Now make your way
back to Gathering Hall, and from there head to Watery Hall, where you got the
Charge Beam. Now that the water is clean, dive in and head towards where the
room bends, i.e. the bottom of the "U". You'll find a tunnel that leads to a
ledge you can jump onto, containing a Missile Expansion. Now go through the
Morph Ball tunnel at the end of the room and return to the Dynamo, where you
can climb a Spider Ball track to reach yet another Missile Expansion.
Continuing back through the Ruins, return to Ruined Fountain and go through the
other door in that room, which leads to a room full of lava, which you can now
cross with the Grapple Beam. Here, you will have to latch onto the first
Grapple Point, swing across, let go, immediately latch onto the second Grapple
Point, and swing from it to the other side. Again, this may take some practice,
but you'll get it soon. On the other side, you can use the X-Ray Visor to look
through the Bendezium wall and see the Power Bomb Expansion behind. So, for the
price of one Power Bomb, you will expand your Power Bomb capacity by one.
You'll also find the last Chozo Lore entry, which describes the Chozo losing
their connection with reality due to the Great Poison, and their visions of the
Newborn walking the "path of corruption".
The door leads to a hallway, and just before the door at the other end you'll
hear the telltale hum of a Missile Expansion, which seems to be emanating from
the clump of red leaves to your left. Roll into Morph Ball form, and you'll
find a tunnel behind the leaves that leads to the Missile Expansion. The
hallway leads to the Training Chamber, and two Chozo Ghosts will appear when
you enter. Once they're gone, two Morph Ball Slots at the top of a halfpipe
will turn on. The one on the right (as you face forward) will lower a Spider
Ball track and turn on a piston, as well as start a very short timer. Roll onto
the piston before time expires and you can reach the Spider Ball track, which
leads to an Energy Tank! Activate the other Morph Ball Slot to open a tunnel
leading out of the room and back to the Main Plaza. From here, you can see
another Missile Expansion across the room from you. To reach it, you must jump
out, then latch onto the Grapple Point and swing across. And last but
definitely not least, return to the Tower of Light, where you got the
Wavebuster. You know from the clues that there is a Chozo Artifact here, and
you can find it by dropping into the water. There you'll find a tunnel leading
to a ledge that you can reach with the Gravity Suit, and through the door is
the Artifact of Lifegiver. By this point, you have found almost all of the
Artifacts you have clues for (as well as one you didn't have a clue for), so
it'd be a good idea to return to the Artifact Temple and see if you can get any
more. It's not a long journey, and once you reenter the Temple, all the totems
will light up again, with the totems for the Artifacts you have collected being
especially bright. By scanning the totems, you should be able to download the
clues for all the remaining Artifacts but one. Read through them, and by this
point you should be able to tell in what room most of the Artifacts can be
found, so keep them in mind as you continue your scavenger hunt for upgrades.
Next on the agenda is Magmoor Caverns, which you can easily reach by heading
for the Root Cave. Before you drop down to the bottom, though, take a look up.
You'll see a Grapple Point, which you can use to reach a ledge on the opposite
side of the room. From here, look to your left and you'll see more raindrops
appearing to splatter in midair. Whip out the X-Ray Visor and you'll see that
there is indeed an invisible platform, and by following the platforms you can
reach a ledge with a Missile Expansion hidden behind a clump of leaves. You'll
also see a door across the room from you, but it has a red border, which you
can't open. After getting the expansion, drop down to the bottom and take the
elevator to Magmoor Caverns.
/==============================================================================
4. Dressed for War [IV.E.4]
\==============================================================================
|[Magmoor Caverns, Phendrana Drifts, |
|Chozo Ruins] |
|o Plasma Beam |
|o Ice Spreader |
|o Artifacts of Elder,Nature,Sun, |
| World,Spirit |
|o Energy Tank 12 |
|o Missile Expansions 29,32,33,34,35, |
| 38,39,40 |
|o Power Bomb Expansions 02,03,04 |
---------------------------------------
When you reach Magmoor Caverns, take the door leading to Twin Fires. When you
reach Twin Fires, notice that you can use the Grapple Beam to cross the room
very quickly. You'll find Grapple Points like this throughout Magmoor, which
will significantly reduce your travel time. When you reach Geothermal Core,
head over to the door leading to Magmoor Workstation, then jump up onto the
ledge next to the door. From there you can use a Grapple Point to reach one of
the circular platforms. There you'll find a Spinner, which will raise the
platform, although you will stay below. After raising the platform, jump to the
next platform and raise it. You can then jump to the third platform and raise
it, then use the Spider Ball track you'll reveal to reach the raised platform,
where you'll find a Morph Ball Slot.
The slot will have a rather dramatic effect: the entire roof will raise,
revealing a network of Spider Ball tracks surrounding the top of the walls!
Your goal is to follow the tracks all the way around the room until you reach a
door. Most of the path is not hard to figure out; just make sure to avoid the
Plated Parasites, or else you'll get knocked off. Another important technique
you'll need to learn here is dropping from one track to a lower one by letting
go of R, then pressing it down again as you reach the lower track. One tricky
spot includes a ramp that you have to roll down, then latch on to a track at
the end: hold down R as you roll to make sure you grab the track when you reach
the bottom. Also, you may need to get rid of some of the Plated Parasites in
the square sections; you can do so with a Bomb.
It may take you a few tries, but eventually you'll reach the door at the end of
the path, which leads to Plasma Processing. This room contains several tanks
full of plasma, and waiting for you in the center of the room is the Plasma
Beam! This beam will become your new best friend: it's extremely powerful (able
to kill most enemies with a single charged shot), has the second-best rate of
fire (only the Power Beam is faster), and it's just darned cool to watch
enemies get vaporized by it. Now that you have all four beam weapons, drop back
down to the bottom of Geothermal Core and continue on to Magmoor Workstation,
where you can see just how powerful your new weapon really is: one charged shot
will toast a Flying Pirate, and they won't even be able to dive-bomb you. Now
take the elevator to Phendrana Drifts, where your heat-based weapon should be
particularly potent.
In Phendrana, go through the door at the top of the Spider Ball track to reach
Transport Access. Remember that Energy Tank stuck behind the sheets of ice?
Well, that ice is no obstacle anymore: one shot from the Plasma Beam and the
Energy Tank is yours for the taking. Continuing on to the Frost Cave, you'll
see a Missile Expansion underneath the frozen surface of the lake. However, the
Plasma Beam is not the solution for reaching this expansion. Instead, use the
Glider as a Grapple Point to reach a small ledge on the opposite side of the
room. Stand on the top part of the ledge and look way up; you'll see a
Stalactite on the ceiling. Knock it down with a Missile, and it will create a
hole in the ice when it falls, which you can use to reach the expansion.
Moving on to Phendrana's Edge, head up this time, jumping and using the Grapple
Beam when necessary until you reach the very top of the room. Use the Glider
there to reach a Morph Ball tunnel, which leads to a storage room containing a
Power Bomb Expansion. Return to Phendrana's Edge, and recall that there's an
Artifact somewhere nearby: "A tall cave stands at Phendrana's Edge. Seek the
unseen entrance at its top to find the Artifact of Spirit." The unseen entrance
is on a ledge just one or two jumps from the very top ledge. Use the X-Ray
Visor and you'll see a door behind the wall, which you can destroy with a Power
Bomb. Use the Plasma Beam to open the red door, and in the storage room beyond
you'll find the Artifact. The Space Pirate memos on the walls of the room also
contain mentions of the crashed frigate, which is named Orpheon. Now, drop to
the bottom of Phendrana's Edge and head to the Gravity Chamber. Jump up to the
surface and use the Plasma Beam to shatter part of the ice formation hanging
from the ceiling. Use the Grapple Point you'll expose to reach a Missile
Expansion.
Now that you've gone through the southern part of Phendrana, it's time to start
making your way through the rest of the region. To start out, you need to make
a brief excursion into the Space Pirate labs to retrieve the Artifact of Elder,
which is hidden in the Control Tower. To get there, return to Frozen Pike and
take the door into the Research Core. The lights are still out, and there are
now several ADTs in the room. Also, the Metroids will break out of their tanks
again, but the Ice Beam will take care of them easily. As you make your way
through the base, use the Thermal Visor to see, and use the Plasma Beam to make
short work of the Space Pirates you'll encounter. When you return to Control
Tower and get rid of the Flying Pirates, jump into the circular building over
the door to Research Lab Aether. Behind a pile of crates is a window blocked
with ice, which can be melted with the Plasma Beam. Through the window you can
see a tower in the distance, whose base is made of unstable Radeon. A Missile
will cause the tower to fall through the wall of the room, and you can roll
through a hole in the floor into a recessed tunnel containing the Artifact of
Elder. To get out of the passage, look for a ledge you can bomb jump onto near
the Artifact. From there, you can roll through the inside of the tower, which
leads back to the main part of the room. That's all you need in the Pirate
labs, so the quickest way to get out is just to backtrack to Frozen Pike, then
head to Quarantine Cave.
The Quarantine Cave is now occupied by a Sheegoth, but there's no need to worry
about it while you're high up on the ledge. From the elevator door ledge, you
can grapple to another ledge containing a Morph Ball tunnel, which leads to a
Missile Expansion. In the storage room are several Space Pirate memos which,
rather ironically now, discuss their future plans for Thardus. Now it's time to
return to the northern part of Phendrana, so drop down onto the floor of the
Quarantine Cave, then head for the Spider Ball track, which you can ride to the
door to Ruined Courtyard. If you want to engage the Sheegoth, you'll find that
it's much easier than the first one you fought, now that you have the Plasma
Beam; just about five charged Plasma shots will be all that the creature can
handle. When you return to Ruined Courtyard, you'll see that it's now occupied
by Flying Pirates, but they're no longer much of a problem. Return to Ice Ruins
West, and you'll discover that it too contains another adult Sheegoth, and once
you've taken care of it, jump onto the roofs of the buildings and head for a
small building in the corner with a covering of ice on top. Melt the ice and
drop down to find another Power Bomb Expansion.
In Phendrana Shorelines, you'll find a Missile Expansion in the back of a rock
near the Save Station, covered in ice. Make a quick stop in Ice Ruins East, and
you can find two more Missile Expansions: one at the end of a Spider Ball track
accessible from a ledge on a building in the corner, and another at the end of
a tunnel blocked by ice, near the door to Plaza Walkway. Return to Phendrana
Shorelines, and your final stop is to collect the Artifact of Sun in the Chozo
Ice Temple. Before you enter the temple, however, use a Super Missile to
destroy the Cordite decoration on the wall, then scan the object behind to open
up a passage in the base of the tower. Use the Spider Ball to climb up the
tower and claim the Missile Expansion at the top. Now enter the Chozo Ice
Temple and climb up to the Chozo statue in front of the door to the Chapel of
the Elders. Use the Plasma Beam to melt the ice in the statue's hands, and they
will begin to glow just like the statue in the Hall of the Elders. Roll into
Morph Ball form and jump into the statue's hands, and a tunnel in the base of
the basin will open, which leads to the Artifact.
Well, you have now found every item in Phendrana Drifts, and it's time to say
goodbye to this beautiful region. And what could be a more fitting way to leave
than the same way you originally came? From Phendrana Shorelines, take the
elevator to Magmoor Caverns, which leads to the Monitor Station. You probably
don't remember, but in the Warrior Shrine where you found the Artifact of
Warrior, there's a section of floor made of Bendezium, so jump to the top level
of the station and extend the drawbridge to reach the Warrior Shrine. Power
Bomb the floor in front of the statue, and you'll reveal a tunnel that leads to
a chamber above Fiery Shores containing the final Power Bomb Expansion. Drop
through another tunnel in the chamber to return to Fiery Shores, then head back
towards the Monitor Station. In the Shore Tunnel, though, notice that part of
the walkway is weakened, and it's made of Bendezium. Use a Power Bomb to
shatter the walls of the walkway, then drop down to find the Ice Beam Charge
Combo, the Ice Spreader. This combo will fire a sheet of ice that can freeze
multiple enemies at once, but is only of limited applicability.
Now head out of the Monitor Station towards Lava Lake and the Chozo Ruins
elevator, but stop for a moment in Triclops Pit. Stand on the ledge containing
the Lava Lake door and look out with the X-Ray Visor: you'll see an invisible
platform to your right. Follow the series of platforms, and from the last one
you'll see a Missile Expansion inside a stone column, which can be extracted
with a Super Missile. Now return to Lava Lake, where you know a Chozo Artifact
can be found. In the section closest to the Chozo Ruins elevator, use the X-Ray
Visor to see the Artifact of Nature inside the large central pillar, and use a
Super Missile to destroy the central part of the pillar and expose the
Artifact.
You're now done with Magmoor Caverns, and there's only one more item to collect
before you return to the Phazon Mines. Take the elevator up to Chozo Ruins and
head for the Hall of the Elders. After getting rid of the Chozo Ghosts, use the
Plasma Beam to turn off the red shield on the last Morph Ball Slot, and when
you activate it the statue will slide forward, revealing a door in the floor.
Just as the clue predicted, through the door is a small chamber containing the
Artifact of World. You have now made a circuit of every region and have
collected almost all items except for those in the Phazon Mines. Now that you
are loaded with beams, Power Bombs, and Missiles, it's time to return to the
Phazon Mines and penetrate its deepest caverns. To return there, head to the
Reflecting Pool and take the elevator to the Great Tree Hall, where you can
easily reach the elevator to the Phazon Mines.
/==============================================================================
5. Metroid Aggression [IV.E.5]
\==============================================================================
|[Phazon Mines Levels 1,2,3] |
|o Flamethrower |
|o Artifact of Warrior |
|o Missile Expansions 42,46,47,48,49 |
---------------------------------------
When you return to the Main Quarry, you may be tempted to use the Grapple Point
to swing straight over to Ore Processing and head straight for Central Dynamo.
However, there are a few items still left to find in level 1, so take the lower
door to Security Access A, just as you did before. After you get rid of the
Shadow Pirates, scan the wall near the door you entered by and you'll discover
that it's made of Bendezium; behind it is a tunnel leading to a Missile
Expansion. There's still more to find, so continue on to the Mine Security
Station. Make your way past the Wave and Ice Troopers to the upper level of the
room, and look for a Bendezium grate blocking a control panel. Power Bomb the
grate, then scan the control panel to disable the force field in front of a
door on the lower level. Return to the door, and inside you'll find the Plasma
Beam Charge Combo, the Flamethrower. This combo is similar to the Wavebuster in
that it continues to fire and drain Missiles as long as you hold down Y. It is
also a fairly useless upgrade, but if you want 100%, you've got to get it, so
there you go.
Moving on to Elite Research, recall that the only remaining Chozo Artifact clue
you have describes a warrior trapped inside a room of research. Well, there's
an Elite Pirate trapped inside the cracked Bendezium tank, so lay a Power Bomb
to release the creature. This is actually a Phazon Elite, and it looks like a
mutated Elite Pirate that has absorbed much more Phazon than the others you've
encountered. It's actually easier than an Elite Pirate because it does not have
a cannon; it's only attack is the ground shock. Use the same strategies on it
as for Elite Pirates, and once it's dead, the Artifact of Warrior will appear
in the center of the tank. Now you only have one more Artifact to find, and
you'll be able to open the path to the Impact Crater and destroy the source of
the Phazon. Unfortunately, you don't have a clue for that final Artifact, so
you'll just have to keep a close eye out for spots where it could be. After
defeating the Phazon Elite, continue up to the top of Elite Research, which is
now guarded by Mega Turrets, and continue on to descend to level 2.
Everything in level 2 will be the same as before, except that when you reach
Dynamo Access, the Elite Pirate in the tank will break out! Now you'll have to
fight the Elite Pirate in very cramped quarters. There's not much more to say
here that hasn't been said for your other Elite Pirate battles: pound away at
it with Missiles or the Plasma Beam, and just try to keep moving and stay as
far away as possible. Once the Pirate collapses, the door will unlock and you
can continue to the Central Dynamo. After taking out the Ice Troopers in the
room, make a quick stop at the Save Station, then use a Power Bomb to destroy
the pile of rubble at the end of the room and enter a hallway guarded by 4 Mega
Turrets. Yes, 4. Luckily, you can hide around the corner and jump out to fire
whenever you have an open moment, or you can fire a Super Missile and take
several of the turrets out at once. Just like your first trip into the Phazon
Mines, you need to conserve as much energy as possible, so don't just stand in
front of the turrets and fire away. Another way is to switch to Morph Ball form
and quickly roll towards the opening of a Morph Ball tunnel against the right
wall about halfway to the turrets. Once you make it to the tunnel, you can
follow it under the floor until it emerges on the other side of the turrets.
There you'll find a control panel that you can use to deactivate them. However
you do it, once you get past the turrets you can continue on to Metroid
Quarantine A.
You'll emerge in an area with several computer terminals, but on the other side
of the room you can see several Space Pirates in front of a large force field
with several Metroids on the other side. Perhaps there's a way you can let the
Metroids do your dirty work for you: switch to the Scan Visor and you'll see
that one of the terminals has a red Scan Point. Scan it, and the force field
will lower, allowing the Metroids to enter the room. They will soon attack and
kill the Pirates, but it won't be long before they'll discover you, too. Get
rid of them with the Ice Beam, then take a look at what was behind the force
field. The force field separated the Space Pirate room from a large cavern
filled with Metroids feeding on Phazon. These caverns are where the Space
Pirates are storing and growing their Metroid army. And as there doesn't seem
to be any other way out of the room, it looks like you're going to have to go
straight through these caverns.
When you enter the cavern, you'll immediately encounter one more Metroid flying
around over a pit full of Phazon. After you kill it, you'll have to figure out
a way to get across the pit. There are several giant, Phazon-mutated mushrooms
growing next to the pit, but even from on top of them you can't reach the other
side. There doesn't appear to be any way to cross, but things aren't always as
they appear. Switch to the X-Ray Visor, and you'll see two invisible platforms
over the pit. On the other side are a couple more Metroids, as well as a series
of platforms against the wall. From the top platform, you can hear a Missile
Expansion, and you can also use another invisible platform to reach a ledge
across the room. Jump to the ledge, then Power Bomb the wall to reveal a tunnel
that leads to a small bridge. Use the Spider Ball to cross the bridge, then use
another invisible platform to reach a Missile Expansion. To reach the door out
of this room, return to the ledge where you Power Bombed the wall, then follow
the Spider Ball tracks. In the following tunnel, you may be surprised to
encounter a few Burrowers, small annoying creatures that you haven't seen since
you were in Magmoor Caverns. At the end of the tunnel is an elevator that
descends to level 3, the very bottom of the Phazon Mines.
Upon exiting the elevator chamber, you'll emerge in Fungal Hall Access, a small
shaft full of Phazon and Phazon-mutated mushrooms, not to mention a lone Space
Pirate. Drop to the bottom of the shaft, and you'll hear the telltale hum of a
Missile Expansion. This expansion is actually located underneath a mushroom,
and the only way to reach it is to roll through the Phazon. If you can spare
the energy, go ahead and collect the expansion; if not, you'll be able to
return for it later. When you enter Fungal Hall A, you'll see that it is
another Phazon and mushroom-filled cavern, but it is also home to a number of
Hunter Metroids. The exit door is rather high up on the wall, so to reach it
you must jump from mushroom to mushroom, killing Hunter Metroids as you
encounter them. When you reach the end of the room, you need to jump to the
last mushroom on the side wall, then use the Glider to reach a mushroom
directly across. From there you can jump to the door, which leads to the Phazon
Mining Tunnel. As you roll around the sides of the shaft, you'll hear the hum
of an item nearby, and at the bottom of the shaft you'll discover another path
filled with bombable blocks. However, this path leads through Phazon, and
there's no way to get to the item without sustaining massive damage. You simply
won't be able to reach this item unless you have some way of surviving Phazon,
and will have to pass it up for now.
The next cavern is Fungal Hall B, and is similar to the first one except that
it is totally dark and contains regular Metroids. You'll have to use the
Thermal Visor to see where you're going, and again you need to stay on top of
the mushrooms. Keep your Ice Beam at the ready, and prepare to fire when you
hear a Metroid's characteristic screech. Though you need to stay on top of the
mushrooms to reach the exit, you should also explore the ground (and probably
will have to anyway). Specifically, head towards the far end of the ground
level, underneath the exit door, and you'll see a Missile Expansion underground
beneath a circle of small mushrooms. A regular Bomb is all you need to unearth
it. Back on top of the mushrooms, there are two doors in this room. One leads
to a Missile Station, so stop by it if you need to, and the other leads on
through level 3. To reach that door, use the Glider to swing to a small
mushroom next to the Missile Station door. From there, you can jump to a
mushroom in front of the door's ledge.
In the following Phazon-filled passage, you'll hear the sound of Bombus, but
won't see anything. There are invisible Pulse Bombus in this room, and although
you can't see them except with the X-Ray Visor, they're no stronger than the
visible versions. At the other side of the passage is Metroid Quarantine B.
From the map you can see that you're entering this quarantine cave through the
"back door": at the other end is a force field leading into a Space Pirate
room. This cavern is actually much different from the first one, though: there
is a metal grate for a floor, and it contains several artificial columns and
platforms. It also does not seem to contain any Metroids, but instead holds two
Plasma Troopers, the complement to the Power, Wave, and Ice Troopers. These are
actually the second-easiest of the Troopers to defeat (behind the Ice Trooper),
because it only takes two charged shots to kill them. Once you get rid of the
first two, you'll discover two more across a large Phazon pit. After you kill
them, use the Spider Ball track that spirals up a column to reach a platform,
then grapple across the pit. You'll now be in front of the force field, and you
can see another Plasma Trooper looking right at you behind the force field.
Scan a computer terminal nearby to lower the force field and enter the Space
Pirate section of the room.
Of course, the Plasma Trooper will immediately attack you, along with two Wave
Troopers. Now that they're dead, you can see if there's anything interesting in
this section of the room. Well, for starters, there's a Cordite tank near the
force field, and shattering it with a Super Missile will reveal a Missile
Expansion. Also, you'll notice that almost all of the computer terminals
contain memos regarding the Omega Pirate, which you know is a super-duper Elite
Pirate that has become far stronger than all the others. You'll also find the
final Pirate Data entry, Special Forces, in which the Pirates boast how their
Elite Pirates will make them an unstoppable force. There are two doors out of
Metroid Quarantine B, one on the lower level and one on the upper level. The
lower door leads to a Save Station, and the upper door leads to a hallway that
is much brighter than anywhere else in this level of the mines, thanks to large
windows along one wall. Also, watch out for a Plasma Trooper that will suddenly
drop out of an alcove in the ceiling. Once he's disposed of, shoot the ice
above the bars at the end of the hall with the Plasma Beam to move them and
expose a door. Now, why would that door need to be barricaded so strongly?
Either they don't want you getting in, or they don't want something else
getting out...
/==============================================================================
6. Elite Pirate Upsilon [IV.E.6]
\==============================================================================
|[BOSS: Omega Pirate] |
|o Phazon Suit |
|o Artifact of Newborn |
|o Energy Tank 14 |
|o Missile Expansions 04,45 |
---------------------------------------
Elite Quarters is a large room with a few scattered patches of Phazon on the
floor, but is dominated by a huge tank containing a massive Elite Pirate at the
far end. This must be the Omega Pirate, the pinnacle of the Space Pirate's
Phazon program. In case you thought there was a chance you could slip by it
unnoticed, sorry. When you approach the tank, the Omega Pirate will wake up,
smash the tank, and step out into the room, towering above you.
The Omega Pirate is big, powerful, and tough, making this the toughest boss
battle yet. The Omega Pirate's attacks are very similar to those of the "small"
Elite Pirates: mainly cannon blasts and the ground-pound attack. However, as
you might expect, these attacks are much more potent. The Omega Pirate also
retains the ability to siphon Beam energy while its hand is extended. One final
attack the Omega Pirate will use is to simply punch you if you get close to it.
In fact, one of the main challenges of fighting the Omega Pirate is simply
staying away from it. It doesn't move quickly, but it's so huge that it's hard
to keep from being trampled by it. The key here is just to keep moving, and
especially to avoid getting backed into the wall. If you do get cornered and
the Omega Pirate is right in front of you, you can use the Morph Ball to roll
between its legs and escape. However, it's best not to get in that situation at
all.
To fight back against the Omega Pirate, notice that it has Phazon armor
covering each of its legs and shoulders. These are your targets. Use Missiles
or the Plasma Beam on the Phazon armor plates, but remember not to fire while
it's holding out its hand. Two or three direct hits will destroy the armor, but
the Omega Pirate will not take any damage. Also, if you can get close enough to
it in Morph Ball form, a Power Bomb will destroy all the armor. Continue to
destroy all four pieces of armor, and then things will get really interesting.
The Omega Pirate will summon a few Troopers of various colors into the room,
then immediately disappear. Ignore the Troopers, and instead switch to the
X-Ray Visor and charge up the Power Beam. The Omega Pirate has cloaked itself
and will momentarily appear in your X-Ray Visor over one of the patches of
Phazon on the floor, where it will regenerate its armor. Jump and dodge to
avoid the Troopers, but don't even attempt to engage them, because there's not
enough time. After a few seconds, the Omega Pirate will appear (in your X-Ray
Visor) over one of the Phazon patches. As soon as you see it, make a beeline
towards it and fire a Super Missile at it. (This is why you kept the Power Beam
charged up). This will take away almost a third of the Omega Pirate's energy.
You won't have time to fire again before the Pirate reappears in the visible
spectrum with new Phazon armor, and you'll have to repeat the process all over
again.
Again, don't worry about the Troopers, focus on the Omega Pirate. You'll
probably need to do more jumping around then usual, but you won't for long. The
Omega Pirate's ground-shock attack will damage the Troopers, and after he does
it two or three times they'll be dead. Don't forget to use the Charge Beam to
draw in any energy or ammo they leave behind. Now it's simply a matter of
staying alive long enough to kill the Omega Pirate. You will undoubtedly take
damage from the Troopers, but don't try to fight them: you wouldn't want to
miss an opportunity to damage the Omega Pirate because you were distracted by
an Ice Trooper. This battle is largely one of endurance, and making mistakes
like not avoiding the ground-shock attack or getting punched several times will
cost you severely. Another avoidable mistake is stepping in the Phazon patches.
As you jump and circle around the Omega Pirate, it can be hard to keep track of
where in the room you are, and you may inadvertently walk through some of the
Phazon patches on the floor. To avoid this, keep an eye on your environmental
threat meter (the ! meter) on the left side of your Combat Visor. When you see
it start to go up, make sure to jump or change course to avoid the nearby
Phazon. Finally, if you start to get desparate, you can destroy a piece of
Phazon armor in one hit with a Super Missile, but if you do this, make sure
you'll have plenty of Missiles left to use on the Omega Pirate after his armor
is gone.
If you can survive long enough to hit the Omega Pirate with four Super
Missiles, it will finally die. In fact, it will collapse on top of you, and
you will be buried underneath a pile of Phazon goo! This Phazon will become
fused into your Gravity Suit, and when you emerge from the remains of the Omega
Pirate, you will be wearing the Phazon Suit! Since it has been corrupted by
Phazon, Phazon is no longer harmful to you! Also, the Phazon corruption has
added a new function to your Arm Cannon: the Phazon Beam. However, this
function can only be activated when you are in the presence of pure Phazon,
which you have not yet encountered.
Once you have collected the Ultra Energies and Missile Ammo (remember, you can
just walk into the Phazon), it's time to get out of here. There is an elevator
in the room leading to an upper level, but first you probably want to save.
Return to Metroid Quarantine B, and when you do so, you'll discover that it now
contains Metroids, some of which will break out of tanks when you arrive. First
though, just head straight for the Save Station. Once your energy has been
refilled and your progress saved, you can plan your next move. You have caused
significant damage to the Space Pirate's forces, and you have also collected
all but one of the Chozo Artifacts, meaning that the time is soon approaching
for you to return to the Artifact Temple and open the path to the Impact
Crater. All you need to do is find that one remaining Artifact, but you don't
have a clue for it's location.
However, you've thoroughly explored Tallon Overworld, Chozo Ruins, Magmoor
Caverns, and Phendrana Drifts, so it must be in the Phazon Mines. However, on
this visit to the mines you had every upgrade, so there's no way you wouldn't
have been able to reach an item. Every upgrade except the Phazon Suit, that is.
Remember in the Phazon Mining Tunnel how you saw another path at the bottom of
the shaft, but you couldn't go down it because it was filled with Phazon? Well,
Phazon is no longer an obstacle, so make your way back across Metroid
Quarantine B and Fungal Hall B until you reach the Phazon Mining Tunnel. You'll
see the Phazon-filled path just across from where you'll enter, and with the
Phazon Suit you will not take any damage as you make your way along. At the end
of the tunnel, you'll be rewarded with the final Chozo Artifact, the Artifact
of Newborn. Now you have collected all the Chozo Artifacts, and it is time for
you to return to the Artifact Temple. In other words, it's time to get out of
here!
NOTE: Some players (including Kai, who pointed it out to me) have reported
encountering Fission Metroids in the caves on level 3 after getting the Phazon
Suit. These look like regular Metroids except that they are colored, with the
color corresponding to one of your beams. I haven't seen them here, so maybe
whether you see them depends on the version of the game you have, or maybe I've
just never gone back in these rooms after getting the Phazon Suit. If you find
Fission Metroids in these rooms, I'd recommend staying out of them unless you
absolutely positively have to go through. If you do, check the Creatures
section below the walkthrough to see how to defeat them, or just try to get
through the room as fast as you can and avoid them.
To do so, backtrack to Elite Quarters (you'll probably want to save again), and
this time use the elevator set into the side wall, which will take you to an
upper level where you can see the massive Phazon crystals hanging above where
the Omega Pirate's tank used to be. The door on the upper level leads to a
passage filled with Phazon, which would have been inaccessible before, and the
final Energy Tank is waiting for you there, a well-deserved reward. The tunnel
leads into the bottom of the Phazon Processing Center, a massive room that
connects the second and third levels of the mines. It's also guarded by several
Troopers on ledges and platforms throughout the room, not to mention a Mega
Turret near where you enter. Using the various platforms in the room, you can
reach a larger ledge on the wall opposite the windows. From here, use the X-Ray
Visor and you'll see several invisible platforms to your right. First, use the
platforms to reach a ledge in the corner of the room, and use a Power Bomb to
get the Missile Expansion you can see behind the wall. Then, use the other
invisible platforms to reach a larger platform above the first, which contains
a pile of crates and two Troopers.
You can kill these Troopers easily, since one solid shot will cause them to
fall off the ledge and into the Phazon, where they'll die instantly. There's a
door on this ledge that leads to Elite Control on level 2, but you want to
continue up. To do so, climb up the left-hand Spider Ball track (with your back
to the door), which leads to a walkway. The only problem is that a Power
Trooper will shoot at you while you're on the track, and if it hits you, you'll
fall off. There's not much more to this than luck, but if you can make it
around the corner, you're probably safe. Once you make it, you can kill the
Power Trooper and hop across the square platforms to the opposite side of the
room, where you can climb a series of ledges in the corner up to the very top
of the Phazon Processing Center, which is guarded by a single Mega Turret. Now
just use the floating platform to reach the door, grapple across the
Phazon-filled hallway, and you'll reach an elevator to Magmoor Caverns.
Upon exiting the elevator room, you'll have to destroy some Bendezium blocking
your way, and then you'll emerge in Magmoor Workstation. Eliminate the Flying
Pirates, then make your way through Magmoor until you reach the elevator to
Tallon Overworld. This is the elevator at the bottom of the Root Cave, but as
you climb up the Root Cave, keep going up past the door to Tallon Canyon, up to
the very top. You already came up here once and found a Missile Expansion, as
well as a red door that you couldn't open at the time. Now you can open it,
and when you do so you'll reach the Arbor Chamber, where you'll find the final
Missile Expansion. Congratulations! If you have followed this walkthrough, you
now have a 100% complete file, 1499 energy units, 250 Missiles, and 8 Power
Bombs! You are maxed out on all items, and you're going to be glad you've got
them in the battles ahead. Now that your game-long quest for expansions is at
an end, return to the Landing Site and save. Now, it's time to conclude your
adventure on Tallon IV.
|>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>|
F. IMPACT CRATER ------------------------------------------------------- [IV.F]
|>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>|
/==============================================================================
1. Painful Metamorphosis [IV.F.1]
\==============================================================================
|[BOSS: Meta Ridley] |
---------------------------------------
It is now time for you to return to the Artifact Temple, bearing all twelve of
the hidden Chozo Artifacts. With them, you can open the Chozo seal and enter
the Impact Crater, where you must destroy the source of the Phazon. When you
return to the temple, all twelve totems will illuminate, and will fire a blue
beam of light into the central totem. The central totem will then shoot a
large, white beam into the sky. In a moment, the seal will be broken and you
can enter the...
Oh no! All of a sudden, Meta Ridley will fly in from nowhere and destroy the
central totem! For much of your adventure, you haven't seen or heard any sign
of Meta Ridley, but now he has appeared at the last second and could ruin
everything! You have no choice now but to defeat him in battle, so get ready
for one heck of a fight. Meta Ridley is heavily armed with a variety of
lasers, missiles, and bombs; he is also covered in armor everywhere except his
chest, which is where you should target your fire. Your best chance to attack
Ridley is when he is hovering in place, during which time he will usually
either fire a series of missiles or fire a laser beam out of his mouth. Both of
these attacks can be dodged fairly easily, and can be prevented if you hit
Ridley with a charged shot as he's preparing them. The best weapon to use
against him is the Plasma Beam, since it is the most powerful beam weapon and
has a good rate of fire.
When he's not using one of these attacks, Meta Ridley will often fly away into
the distance, then circle back and fly overhead, dropping bombs and possibly
firing a laser as he does so. After making two passes, he will dive underneath
the Artifact Temple, only to pop up somewhere else a few seconds later. It's
practically impossible to hit Ridley while he's flying around, so don't even
try, just jump around to avoid the bombs. Meta Ridley's final attack is to land
on the floor of the temple, which will generate shock waves on the ground. If
you see Meta Ridley preparing to do this, make sure you're in the air when he
hits. As the battle progresses, Ridley's attacks will destroy the twelve
totems, which will leave behind energy and ammo, so make sure to draw it in
with the Charge Beam. To be honest, it's not all that difficult to avoid most
of Meta Ridley's attacks, so if you just stick to a simple strategy of dodging
his attacks and waiting for an opportunity to fire, you can gradually whittle
down his energy.
When you've damaged Meta Ridley enough so that he has somewhere between
one-third and one-fourth of his energy remaining, his wings will burn off and
he'll land on the floor of the temple. This is where things get really crazy.
Meta Ridley's main attack now will be to charge you, which he does incredibly
fast, and it is incredibly painful. To avoid his charge, you've got to have
good reflexes and be very good at dashing sideways. Ridley signals that he's
about to charge by holding his head up and opening his mouth for a second; as
soon as you see that, dodge. If you were fast enough, Ridley's charge will miss
you, but don't relax. When Ridley turns around, his tail will sweep across
almost the entire floor, and it can hurt you as well. So once you've dodged
Ridley himself, don't forget to jump over his tail as well. It may take you
several lives to get the timing down, but if you can't avoid Ridley's charge,
there's no way you'll survive long enough to defeat him.
Not only is Ridley charging you at blinding speeds, but his chest is also
protected by his arms, meaning you can't damage him! In order to kill Meta
Ridley, you're going to have to find a way to get him to expose his chest. That
way involves Meta Ridley's only other attack after he loses his wings. Every
now and then, instead of charging, Ridley will stick his head out and hold his
mouth open for a couple seconds. This signals that he is about to fire a blast
of flame from his mouth, which he will sweep across the room. Your opportunity
is while he has his mouth open, before he fires the flames. Fire a charged
Power Beam shot or Missile at Ridley's open mouth, and he'll swallow it,
leaving him stunned for a few seconds with his chest exposed. This is your
chance; you have just a few seconds to damage Ridley. The most effective method
is with a Super Missile. You'll have just enough time to charge one up if you
start charging as soon as Ridley is stunned.
This is the only way to damage Meta Ridley once he is on the ground: you must
fire into his open mouth to stun him, then take advantage of the few seconds
his chest is exposed. The key here is to not miss an opportunity. Ridley
doesn't use the flame attack all that often, so make sure you're ready when he
does use it. Once Ridley is on the ground, it's best to switch to the Power
Beam and keep it charged up while you dodge his charges. That way you can fire
as soon as he opens his mouth in preparation for the flame attack, and
immediately charge up again for a Super Missile. Of critical importance here is
being able to tell which attack Ridley is about to use. This can be difficult
because Ridley also opens his mouth before charging; however, when he charges
his head is higher up and his mouth doesn't stay open as long. It is possible,
however, to stun Ridley right before he charges, but the time his mouth is open
is so much shorter that it's not advised, especially since if you miss you'll
be pummeled by the charge.
After you've hit Meta Ridley with a couple Super Missiles and he's down to
about one-eighth energy remaining, he'll go absolutely insane. Ridley will
charge three or four times in rapid succession, leaving barely enough time for
you to face him before dodging again. It's very easy to make it to this point
without major problems, then die in a matter of minutes from Ridley's repeated
charges. These charges can be devastating, because if you miss one, you'll
likely be hit again and again as he continues to charge at you. Surviving this
final portion of the battle requires lightning reflexes and knowing exactly
what to do. Basically, as soon as you dodge Ridley's first charge, you must
immediately turn around and lock-on to him, then dodge again. If you do get
hit, the best strategy is to lock-on and jump backwards as fast as you can,
while being prepared to dodge when necessary. If you're getting rammed
repeatedly and can't seem to get away from Ridley, you can use the Morph Ball
to escape. Be aware, however, that you will probably be hit by Ridley's tail as
you roll away, and that you will have to dodge a charge the instant you exit
Morph Ball form.
Not only do Ridley's charges become more ferocious, but his flame attacks will
become much less frequent, meaning you'll have to keep up your non-stop dodging
routine for a while. However, by the time you make it here, two or three big
hits are all you need to finish Meta Ridley off, so it becomes increasingly
important not to waste an opportunity. If Meta Ridley only has a little bit of
energy left, but you are also about to die and you have plenty of Missiles
left, you can try a last-ditch effort with the Wavebuster. Fire the Wavebuster
before Ridley charges, and when he opens his mouth for a moment before
charging, the Wavebuster will stun him, then start to damage him while his
chest is exposed. However, the Wavebuster will not drain Meta Ridley's life
all that fast, though it will drain your Missile supply in a hurry, so this
should only be used as a last resort.
If you're smart enough and fast enough, you can stay alive long enough to deal
Meta Ridley his final blow. When that happens, the statues on top of the
Artifact Temple will turn red, and will fire lasers from their eyes at Meta
Ridley, causing him to fall off the floor of the temple and into the abyss.
With Meta Ridley gone, Chozo Ghosts will appear, and with their power, they
will create a bright blue circle of energy in the center of the Artifact
Temple, which will transport you to the Impact Crater. It seems that with their
final reserves of strength, the few remaining Chozo have resolved to help you,
the Defender, rid their world of Phazon once and for all.
/==============================================================================
2. The Great Poison [IV.F.2]
\==============================================================================
|[Impact Crater] |
---------------------------------------
When you appear in the Impact Crater, you should immediately head for the Save
Station. Now take a look around you. You are in the bottom of the Impact
Crater, where the Phazon-laden meteorite struck Tallon IV, and the environment
is wholly alien. The walls are made of strange, reddish rock with weird white
protrusions, and the floor makes an organic squishy sound as you walk. A red
door leads to Crater Tunnel A, where you'll encounter a pit full of a new, red
substance. It appears to resemble Phazon in its texture and sounds, but a scan
will reveal that this unknown substance is incredibly radioactive, and not even
your Phazon Suit can protect you from it. Across the pit of "red Phazon" is a
swarm of Lumigek, small swarming lizard or gecko-like creatures, similar to
Parasites or Scarabs. Fire at them from across the pit, and when they're gone,
jump across.
At the end of the tunnel, you'll enter the Phazon Core, a large room with a
pool of the strange red Phazon covering most of the floor and a giant column in
the center of the room. After a few seconds, you'll see a Metroid fly out of
the red Phazon and head towards you, giving out the characteristic Metroid
screech. As it approaches, though, you'll see that this Metroid is different:
it's body is a different color. This is a Fission Metroid, the result of a
mutation from the intense strength of the concentrated Phazon. The Fission
Metroid is only vulnerable to one of your beam weapons, indicated by its color:
yellow for Power, purple for Wave, white for Ice, and red for Plasma. After
being hit by two charged shots, though, you'll see why it's called the Fission
Metroid. It will suddenly divide into two separate Fission Metroids, each a
different color! It will take two more charged shots of their respective beams
to destroy the "child" Fission Metroids, and while you're fighting one, the
other will be attacking. Once you destroy both child Metroids, you can try to
find a way up this cavern.
Jump to the central ledge, and from there you can reach another ledge on the
far side of the room. As you travel across the room, you will undoubtedly see
and hear more Fission Metroids, but don't try to fight them. They are spawned
infinitely by the red Phazon, meaning it's impossible to make them stop
appearing. Since trying to fight them all is futile, the best strategy is just
to run. On the far ledge, you can jump up a series of white protrusions that
look disturblingly like teeth, and from there you can reach a series of
floating platforms. Here you have to be very careful, because you will now have
several Fission Metroids chasing you, and if one hits you, it could knock you
into the red Phazon. If one does latch onto you or you think one is about to,
roll into Morph Ball form and lay a Power Bomb. This will instantly kill the
attached Metroid, as well as any other Metroids in the vicinity. This will give
you a few seconds of travel time without having to worry about Metroids on your
tail.
At the end of the series of floating platform, you'll reach a ledge about
halfway up the central column. On this ledge is a bridge to a red door, and
inside is a Missile Station. After you've used it and caught your breath,
return to the Phazon Core and continue your ascent, using more floating
platforms. Again, once you've got several Fission Metroids on your tail, stop
and roll into Morph Ball form, then lay a Power Bomb when the Metroids are all
around you. This will kill them all, and you should be able to reach the upper
door before more Metroids will be able to reach you. The door leads to another
red Phazon-filled tunnel, and you must use a series of convoluted Spider Ball
tracks to reach the other side. If you fall, just jump to the far side as fast
as you can. When you reach the other end, you'll be facing the final door.
Open it with the Plasma Beam, and step into the Phazon Infusion Chamber.
/==============================================================================
3. Unsuspected Strength [IV.F.3]
\==============================================================================
|[BOSS: Metroid Prime] |
---------------------------------------
When you enter, you'll see a huge black creature with marks resembling a face
hanging from the ceiling. As you step forward, the creature will drop to the
ground, and a face and legs will begin to unfold. Eventually a black monster
with a heavily armored body, spider-like legs, and sinister-looking eyes will
have appeared, and it will promptly run out of the cavern away from you! This
is Metroid Prime, whom the Chozo prophesied, the Space Pirates discovered, and
you, the Defender, must destroy. So, without hesitation, run after the monster.
Metroid Prime will be waiting for you in the next cavern, and now it's ready to
fight. Its body is covered in thick armor everywhere except its face, which is
its only weak spot. Moreover, Prime generates defense shields that, similar to
the Fission Metroids, are only vulnerable to one of your beam weapons. When you
first encounter Metroid Prime, the stripes on its body will be purple,
indicating that the Wave Beam is the only weapon that can damage it. So, your
attack strategy is very simple: set your Arm Cannon to the setting indicated by
Prime's color, charge up, and fire away. What makes this hard, of course, is
that Prime is attacking you at the same time.
And attack it does. Metroid Prime has absorbed a huge variety of weapons from
the Space Pirates, all of which it will unleash on you. Some of its most common
are a barrage of missiles or of gas bombs. You can tell when the missiles are
coming by listening for a high-pitched shriek, and when you hear it, get far
away. The missiles can cover a wide area and will do substantial damage, so you
don't want to get hit by them very much. The gas bombs are very similar to the
missiles, but they leave a cloud of toxic gas behind, meaning that you'll have
to stay away from that area for a few seconds until the gas dissipates. Another
one of Metroid Prime's common attacks is to rear back and fire a beam of energy
corresponding to its current color out of an opening in its lower body. (Don't
even ask me what that opening is.) This attack is also potent, and you should
dash out of the way to avoid being hit. After you dodge the initial blast,
make sure not to walk back into it as you move around. The effects of the
energy beam vary slightly depending on Metroid Prime's color: purple is one of
the worst, because the beam will interfere with your visor and cause you to
lose the ability to fire for a few seconds, leaving you a sitting duck for
further attack. Also, Prime's head is leaning back while firing the energy
beam, making it more difficult to hit with most beams. The exception to this is
the Wave Beam, which is actually one of the best beams against Metroid Prime,
because its homing ability allows it to hit Prime more often than the other
beams.
After you've dealt enough damage to Prime, it will flash red and charge
forward, destroying the rocks that you were previously able to use for cover.
Its stripes will also change to yellow, indicating that you should now switch
to the Power Beam. All Prime's attacks will be basically the same, except that
instead of being electrically-based, they will be based on the pure energy of
the Power Beam. Also, you'll need to be more picky about your shots with the
Power Beam, since it does not have the Wave Beam's homing ability, meaning more
of your shots will miss. Watch out when this happens, because your shots will
bounce off of Prime's armor, and you can be hit by your own fire. Once you take
off about one-eighth of Metroid Prime's energy, it will again flee from the
cavern, and you must again chase after it.
When you catch up with Metroid Prime again, it will have turned white, so
switch to the Ice Beam. This is actually the easiest color to attack Prime
with, and the reason is because of the Ice Spreader. Charge up the combo
attack, and when you let it go it will freeze Prime solid. Now just fire a
single shot and it will shatter the ice, but it also deal Prime a large amount
of damage, enough that it will flash red, meaning it's going to switch colors.
Before it does so, though, Prime will charge across the room! To avoid being
trampled, roll into Morph Ball form and boost through the troughs in the center
of the floor. Prime will switch colors, and by now you should have the idea.
As the battle progresses, Prime will introduce several new attacks, the most
notable being two balls of energy that will slowly float towards you. As soon
as these are released, target and destroy them with a charged blast. If these
balls reach you, they will deal a lot of damage, so make sure to destroy them
before that happens. Of course, while you're focusing on the energy balls,
Prime will still be attacking, so you'll have to rely mainly on sound to know
what's going on. The balls are also the only source of energy and ammo during
the battle, so use the Charge Beam to draw in the pickups. There are a few
other attacks that Prime will use less often: one is a green tractor beam,
which is used most often while Prime is yellow. When you get caught in the
beam, just fire away as fast as you can until you're released. Another attack,
most often encountered when Prime is white, is to smash the ground with its
front legs, causing a strip of ice to spring up from the ground. This attack,
as well as the ice energy beam, will encase you in a block of ice, and you'll
have to rapidly press B to escape. As with all previous boss battles, this is
essentially an endurance test: can you stay alive longer than Prime? The key to
success is being able to quickly identify and react to Prime's attacks. It may
take you several attempts, but you must be able to appropriately respond to
each of Prime's attacks. And of course, throughout all this, keep firing
charged shots at Prime's face whenever its face is exposed.
It seems like this battle lasts forever, but you just have to keep at it.
Remember that whenever Prime flashes red, it will charge, then change color.
Every so often, Prime will run from the room into a new cavern, and you'll have
to follow it. By the time you reach the fourth and final cavern, Prime will be
getting desperate. Similar to Meta Ridley, its attacks will get faster and its
behavior will become more random. It will switch colors suddenly and without
warning, charge unexpectedly, and send volleys of missiles at you in rapid
succession. It will also sometimes change color, then immediately change again.
You'll have to stay alert and maintain fast reflexes in order to keep up with
Metroid Prime's frantic behavior. However, your strategy remains the same, and
once you hit it for the last time, it will fall out of the cavern into a deep
pit. Well, there's nothing for it: you've got to make sure it's dead, so jump
down after it.
/==============================================================================
4. Unholy Worm [IV.F.4]
\==============================================================================
|[BOSS: Metroid Prime] |
---------------------------------------
You'll land in a circular room, and you can see Metroid Prime's broken body
oozing Phazon at one end of the room. However, something will then fly out of
the body and hover in front of you! It's a large blue form with a Metroid-like
body, face, and six thick tentacles. This is the true Metroid Prime; the
spider-like form you just destroyed was nothing more than an outer shell. This
form, however, is Metroid Prime's core essence. Unfortunately, it is
invulnerable to all your weapons. The only thing that can damage it is pure
Phazon energy, and you don't have any of that. So for now, all you can do is
avoid Metroid Prime's sole attack, which is a powerful ground shock wave. It's
easy to avoid, but you'll pay a heavy cost if you don't. Also, use the Charge
Beam to draw in energy that will appear as Prime's attacks destroy several
rocks in the room. These pick-ups will restore some of your energy, giving you
a fighting chance in this final confrontation.
After a while of dodging shock waves, Metroid Prime will finally do something
different: it will create a pool of Phazon. That may not sound impressive, but
it's extremely significant. Remember that one of the side effects of the Phazon
Suit is that you have the ability to fire a powerful Phazon Beam, but only when
in the presence of pure Phazon. Well, the Phazon created by Prime is pure, so
make a beeline for the pool and stand in it. When you do, your visor will
display "Hyper-mode" and pressing A will fire the Phazon Beam. However, as soon
as Prime creates the Phazon pool, it will disappear! Well, not really. It
disappears from the visible spectrum, but is very visible in the X-Ray Visor.
So, stand in the Phazon pool, lock-on to Metroid Prime, and hold down A to fire
a stream of pure Phazon at Prime. This is the only way to damage Prime, and a
full-length blast can do between 1/8 and 1/4 damage, averaging around 1/6.
Eventually, you will use up all the Phazon in the pool, and Prime will resume
its shock wave attack. Eventually, though, Prime will disappear from your X-Ray
Visor! Well, if you can't see him with the Combat or X-Ray Visors, that leaves
only the Thermal Visor, and sure enough, Prime shows up perfectly clear on the
Thermal Visor. You will soon settle into a pattern of jumping over the shock
wave attack while waiting for Prime to create a Phazon pool. Periodically,
Prime will disappear, meaning you must switch visors. Prime always goes from
Combat, to X-Ray, to Thermal, then back to Combat, so you can quickly learn
where to look for it.
Once you have reduced Prime to about two-thirds energy, it will create a few
Metroids along with a Phazon pool. Since you have much more important things to
do than deal with Metroids, you want to get rid of them quickly. There are two
ways to do this. If you have Power Bombs, then roll into Morph Ball form as you
head towards the Phazon pool and lay a Power Bomb as you pass the Metroids,
which will kill them. If you're out of Power Bombs, then just run straight into
the Phazon pool and fire a quick blast of the Phazon Beam to destroy the
Metroids. You can then fire at Metroid Prime, but you won't have quite as much
Phazon to fire at Prime as you would otherwise. The main problem you'll face
with using the Phazon Beam is staying in the Phazon pool. If there are Metroids
around, Prime is right above you, or you get hit by a shock wave, you can get
knocked out of the Phazon pool. If you can't fire the Phazon Beam and can't
figure out why, don't panic. Just break the lock-on, find the pool, then get in
it, making sure to avoid any creatures or shock waves that you may encounter.
As you continue to damage Prime, it will gradually begin spawning Hunter
Metroids and Fission Metroids with the Phazon pools, but they can all be killed
the same way. If you pay attention to what Prime is doing, react quickly when
the Phazon pools appear, and stay in the Phazon pool, this final battle can go
fairly smoothly. It will take about six full rounds of Phazon before Metroid
Prime will finally be finished.
Once you fire that final blast of Phazon at Metroid Prime, it will morph into a
giant blob of blue matter with small tendrils sticking out of it. The blob will
grow as Metroid Prime goes through its death throes, and one of the tendrils
will grab onto you! As the blob continues to grow, it will suck the Phazon out
of your Power Suit, finally leaving you with your Gravity Suit. Metroid Prime
will then explode, and the explosion will be so powerful that it will cause the
entire crater to collapse. You'll evacuate the Impact Crater and return to the
Artifact Temple, which is also being destroyed by the explosion. As the temple
collapses and goes up in flames, you'll signal your gunship, which will fly to
the temple, and you will jump onboard. After watching the Artifact Temple
disintegrate, you will enter your ship and leave Tallon IV, your mission
fulfilled.
What began as a simple response to a distress signal turned into an epic quest
involving the Chozo, the Space Pirates, and a mysterious substance called
Phazon. By ransacking the Space Pirate bases on Tallon IV, destroying their top
projects, and finally killing their leader, you have dealt the Pirates another
heavy blow, one from which they will be slow to recover. By collecting the
Chozo Artifacts and destroying Metroid Prime, you have eliminated the Phazon
from Tallon IV, fulfilling the prophecies of the Chozo and bringing peace both
to them and to their beloved refuge, Tallon IV. And now your mission is
accomplished, the prophesies fulfilled, and you can say farewell to Tallon IV.
You are the Hatchling, the Newborn, the Hunter, and the Defender, and now you
can sit back and enjoy the credits! Congratulations!
_____________________________________________________________________________
/ \
V. EXPANSIONS AND ARTIFACTS >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [V]
\_____________________________________________________________________________/
This section gives the location of every expansion and Chozo Artifact in the
game, as well as a description of how to collect it. All expansions are
numbered and are arranged by the region in which they are found. These numbers
do not represent the order in which the expansions should be collected; they
merely serve to provide an easy reference system. Basically, the expansions are
arranged first by region (Tallon Overworld, Chozo Ruins, Magmoor Caverns,
Phendrana Drifts, Phazon Mines), then by their location moving across the
region starting from the edge closest to where you first enter that region. For
the Chozo Artifacts, which are listed in the order they appear in the Log Book,
the name of the Artifact and its clue are listed prior to its location and the
instructions for obtaining it.
/==============================================================================
A. Energy Tanks [V.A]
\==============================================================================
01 TO:CARGO FREIGHT LIFT TO DECK GAMMA
When you come to the ruined cargo elevator, use a Missile to blast away the
circular grate on the elevator car and find an Energy Tank inside.
02 TO:HYDRO ACCESS TUNNEL
This Energy Tank is in one of the Morph Ball mazes, and requires precisely-
timed bombing to reach; furthermore, this one is underwater, so the timing
is different than on land. The Energy Tank is at the top of a tall vertical
shaft. To reach it, start out at the bottom of the shaft and drop a Bomb.
Let the Bomb explode and carry you upward. Just a split-second before you
reach the highest point of your jump, drop another Bomb. If you timed it
just right, the Bomb will explode just as you fall onto it, and it will
propel you higher. Drop another Bomb just before the apex of this jump, and
it will send you high enough to reach the Energy Tank.
03 CR:VAULT ACCESS
Past the Hive Totem is a small room with a tunnel that can be accessed once
Samus has the Morph Ball. Make your way through the rooms full of moving
pistons until you reach an elevator room. There, take a right. Past the
Vault is a passage that ends in a ledge high above the Main Plaza, where the
Energy Tank rests.
04 CR:TRANSPORT ACCESS NORTH
This Tank is waiting for you in the small room you can access after
defeating the Hive Mecha and earning the Missile Launcher.
05 CR:TRAINING CHAMBER
Go through the door in the Ruined Fountain that is on the same ledge as the
fountain itself (not the one that leads to the Arboretum). Use the Grapple
Beam to cross Magma Pool and enter the Training Chamber. Here, you must
first defeat two Chozo Ghosts. Then, use the Boost Ball to climb the
halfpipe and activate the right-hand Morph Ball slot (with your back to the
door you came in by). This will release a Spider Ball track and lower a
piston, as well as start a timer. If you can reach the piston in time, you
can follow the Spider Ball track to the Energy Tank.
06 CR:FURNACE
Cross the Energy Core and take the lower path in the Morph Ball area
following it to reach a small, enclosed area in the Furnace, where an Energy
Tank waits.
07 CR:HALL OF THE ELDERS
Once you have the Ice Beam, return to the Hall of the Elders and use it to
shoot the white Morph Ball slot. Activate it to rotate the trough again,
which leads to a small chamber under the floor containing an Energy Tank.
08 MC:TRANSPORT TUNNEL A
This Tank is found the Morph Ball maze that leads to the Phendrana Drifts
elevator, off of the Monitor Station. Reaching this Tank will require
mastery of the double bomb jump. Beneath the first metal block is a vertical
passage leading up to a higher ledge. You must double bomb jump up onto this
higher ledge, but if you fail, your two Bombs will have shattered the metal
block, causing you to fall into the lava. Once you make it onto the higher
ledge, you'll have to do it two more times to reach the Energy Tank at the
top.
09 MC:MAGMOOR WORKSTATION
There are three Power Conduits located next to the sealed gates set in the
walls of the room. Once all three Power Conduits have been energized, a
machine in the lava will turn on, which will open the west gate and cool the
lava in the tunnel underneath it. There's a circular depression in the floor
of the room that will allow you to enter the Morph Ball tunnels underneath.
Roll through the west gate and you'll reach a chamber with a control panel.
Scan the panel to open the east gate and start a timer. Quickly, roll to the
east chamber and scan a second panel, which will open the final north gate.
Roll through the north gate before time runs out and you'll find an Energy
Tank.
10 PD:RUINED COURTYARD
This Tank is found in the area that leads to the Space Pirates' Research
Lab and to Thardus. Once you have activated the Morph Ball Slot that causes
the water level to rise, use the floating ice platforms to cross to the
opposite side of the room. There you will reach a ledge with a Morph Ball
tunnel leading to an Energy Tank.
11 PD:RESEARCH LAB AETHER
In the lab where you first discover the Metroids, one of the tanks contains
an Energy Tank. You can access it by breaking the tank with a Missile. Just
be careful not to hit any of the tanks containing Metroids, or you'll let
them out.
12 PD:TRANSPORT ACCESS
This is the room that connects the elevator to Magmoor Workstation with
Frozen Pike. The Energy Tank is inside a passage blocked by thick ice, which
can only be shattered with the Plasma Beam.
13 PM:VENTILATION SHAFT
Once you have the Power Bombs, return to the Ventilation Shaft and search
for a weak portion of Bendezium on the floor of the shaft. Power Bomb it,
then follow the tunnel to a control panel, where you can turn on the fans,
clearing out the toxic fumes. The Puffers being sucked into the fan will
destroy the grate, exposing an Energy Tank.
14 PM:PROCESSING CENTER ACCESS
After you defeat the Omega Pirate, use the elevator to climb up to the top
of the room. There, you will find a door leading to a passage that contains
a well-deserved Energy Tank.
/==============================================================================
B. Missile Expansions [V.B]
\==============================================================================
01 TO:LANDING SITE
There's a small tunnel behind your ship filled with Tangle Weed. Use the
Morph Ball to roll through the tunnel and find the expansion.
02 TO:ROOT CAVE
Use the Grapple Beam to swing from the Tallon Canyon door to another ledge,
then use the X-Ray Visor to see a series of invisible platforms. The
platforms lead to a visible ledge with the expansion hidden behind a curtain
of leaves.
03 TO:TRANSPORT TUNNEL B
The passage leading to the Magmoor Cavern elevator is filled with a dense
fog. Using the Thermal or X-Ray Visor, you'll be able to see an expansion
hidden underneath the bridge.
04 TO:ARBOR CHAMBER
Use the Grapple Beam and X-Ray Visor to climb to the very top of the Root
Cave, then use the Plasma Beam to open the red door leading to the Arbor
Chamber, where the expansion awaits.
05 TO:FRIGATE CRASH SITE
The expansion is located in an alcove in the wall over the lake. To reach
it, stand on the brances in the middle of the lake, and with the Gravity
Suit, you'll be able to double jump onto the alcove.
06 TO:OVERGROWN CAVERN
This expansion is in a passage connecting the elevator from Chozo Ruins with
the Frigate Crash Site. The room consists of a low, Morph Ball-sized passage
under some tree branches that is filled with Venom Weed. In the midst of the
Venom Weed is a Missile Expansion just waiting to be picked up.
07 TO:BIOHAZARD CONTAINMENT
Scan the underwater lockers and you'll discover that the Cordite door of one
has been weakened. Blast it with a Super Missile, and you'll find the
expansion inside.
08 TO:LIFE GROVE TUNNEL
Boost up the halfpipe in the Morph Ball passage leading to the Life Grove.
To make it to the top, keep the Control Stick tilted slightly towards you in
order to eliminate friction with the back wall. At the top, bomb the weak
spot in the middle, and you'll fall through the rock, grabbing a Missile
Expansion along the way.
09 TO:GREAT TREE CHAMBER
On the second level of the Great Tree Hall, use the X-Ray Visor to spot an
invisible platform. Jump onto it, and from there you can reach a ledge
behind the tree. The expansion is through the door on the ledge.
10 CR:MAIN PLAZA
This expansion is located in a small alcove under the natural bridge, which
can be reached by using the Boost Ball to climb the halfpipe underneath the
bridge.
11 CR:MAIN PLAZA
Fire a Super Missile at the tree across from the door to Ruined Shrine, near
the elevator to Tallon Overworld. This will reveal an alcove containing the
expansion. To reach it, climb onto the natural bridge, then drop down onto
a roof below. From there, you can double jump into the alcove.
12 CR:MAIN PLAZA
From the ledge that the Morph Ball passage from the Training Chamber
deposits you on, you can see an expansion across the room. To reach it, jump
out, then latch onto the Grapple Point and swing across.
13 CR:RUINED SHRINE
With the Morph Ball Bombs, return to the room where you obtained the Morph
Ball. In the corner you'll find a part of the wall made of Sandstone, which
you can blast away with a Bomb to reveal an alcove containing the expansion.
14 CR:RUINED SHRINE
The wall splitting the room contains a halfpipe. With the camera facing the
door from the Main Plaza, use the Boost Ball to climb up the right side of
the halfpipe to reach a small chamber containing the expansion.
15 CR:RUINED NURSERY
There is a maze of passages set into one wall of the nursery. First, enter
the maze from ground level and bomb the weakened block. Now enter the maze
from the upper ledge and you will be able to follow it all the way to the
end, where a Missile Expanion awaits.
16 CR:RUINED GALLERY
This expansion can be found by firing a Missile at the weak portion of the
wall underneath the door leading to the Hive Totem.
17 CR:RUINED GALLERY
Drop to the lower level, then roll through the U-shaped tunnel in the wall
to find the expansion.
18 CR:VAULT
The Vault is a square room connecting the Magmoor Caverns elevator with the
Main Plaza. The Missile Expansion is inside a cage in the center of the
room. To reach the expansion, you must activate three Morph Ball Slots set
in one wall of the cage. The first two slots can be reached easily, but to
reach the final slot, you'll have to perform a double bomb jump. For
instructions on performing this jump, see either section V.B.4 or III.E.
19 CR:RUINED FOUNTAIN
Once you have the Spider Ball, use the Morph Ball to roll into the fountain.
When the water pushes you up to the ceiling, grab onto the Spider Ball
tracks and follow them to a Missile Expansion hiding behind a grate.
20 CR:TRAINING CHAMBER ACCESS
This hallway connects Magma Pool with the Training Chamber. Just in front of
the Training Chamber door is a clump of red leaves. Roll into Morph Ball
form and you can reach a tunnel hidden behind the leaves, which leads to an
expansion.
21 CR:GATHERING HALL
With the Space Jump Boots, climb to the top of the Gathering Hall, then jump
on top of one of the red lamps there. From there, double jump onto a higher
platform, where the grate blocking access to the expansion can be destroyed
with a Bomb.
22 CR:WATERY HALL ACCESS
This expansion is in the hallway leading to Watery Hall, where the Charge
Beam is. At the bottom of the collapsed walkway, fire a Missile at the
weakened wall to reveal an alcove containing the expansion.
23 CR:WATERY HALL
Once you have the Gravity Suit, return to Watery Hall and you'll find an
underwater tunnel near where the room bends. Follow it and jump onto a ledge
containing a Missile Expansion.
24 CR:DYNAMO
Once you have the Morph Ball Bombs, return to Watery Hall, where you found
the Charge Beam, and bomb the rock blocking a Morph Ball tunnel near the
Eyons. The tunnel leads to the Dynamo, where you can use a Missile to
destroy a grate with an expanion behind it.
25 CR:DYNAMO
This expansion can be easily found by climbing a Spider Ball track up to the
top of the Dynamo.
26 CR:BURN DOME
After defeating the Incinerator Drone and earning the Morph Ball Bombs, try
one out on the Sandstone blocking a tunnel in the wall of the Burn Dome.
The tunnel leads to a small chamber containing the expansion and some
crates.
27 CR:FURNACE
Use a Power Bomb to destroy the floor on the right side of the room (as you
face the door to Hall of the Elders). This will reveal a halfpipe, which you
can use to reach a Spider Ball track. Carefully navigate the maze of tracks,
avoiding the Plated Parasites, until you reach the expansion.
28 CR:CROSSWAY
You're going to have to be really good at using the Boost Ball to get this
expansion. First, use a Super Missile to destroy a Cordite decoration on the
wall, then scan the device behind it to reveal a Spider Ball track high up
one wall. To reach it, you'll have to do some serious boosting. It will take
at least five good boosts to get up to the height of the track, and possibly
more. Also, on the side opposite the track, the wall doesn't go all the way
up. Make sure that you tilt the Control Stick towards the halfpipe once you
don't have a wall next to you, because otherwise you won't land on the track
when you come down. When you get close to the track, start pressing R every
time you go up to make sure you won't miss a chance. Once you make it onto
the track, follow it to a Morph Ball Slot, which will reveal another track
just as high on the opposite wall, and you'll have to do the same thing all
over again. At the top of the second track is a second slot, and this one
will cause a piston against the back wall to lower, but only for a few
seconds. Make it onto the piston before time expires and it will take you up
to a tunnel containing a well-deserved Missile Expansion.
29 MC:TRICLOPS PIT
Stand on the ledge that contains the Lava Lake door and look at the room
through the X-Ray Visor; you'll see an invisible platform. When you reach
the last platform, you'll see a Missile Expansion inside a rock pillar; use
a Super Missile to extract it.
30 MC:STORAGE CAVERN
In the Triclops Pit, look for a small cave below the door, from which you
can roll into the Triclops-infested area underneath the floor. Make your way
to the right side of the room (with your back to the door from Lava Lake),
and you should find a passage that leads to a door. The door leads to a
small cave containing a Missile Expansion.
31 MC:FIERY SHORES
On the ledge containing the door leading to the Tallon Overworld elevator,
you can use the Morph Ball to roll onto a narrow catwalk over the lava.
Carefully and slowly roll across the catwalk to reach the expanion at the
end.
32 PD:PHENDRANA SHORELINES
Use a Super Missile to destroy a Cordite decoration on the wall of the Ice
Temple, then scan the object behind it to open a tunnel in the base of the
temple's tower. Roll into the tunnel and up the Spider Ball track to find
the expansion.
33 PD:PHENDRANA SHORELINES
This expansion is hidden in plain sight in a rock near the Save Station. Use
the Plasma Beam to melt the ice in front of the expansion.
34 PD:ICE RUINS EAST
There's a Spider Ball track climbing up the wall of a building in the
corner that begins on a ledge partway up the side. The track leads to a
tunnel containing the expansion.
35 PD:ICE RUINS EAST
Use the Plasma Beam to melt a wall of ice near the door to Plaza Walkway,
and behind it you'll find a tunnel leading to the expansion.
36 PD:RESEARCH LAB HYDRA
This expansion is inside a stasis tank encased in Cordite, and can be found
next to the computer station at the top of the room. Use a Super Missile to
break open the tank and reveal the expansion.
37 PD:RESEARCH LAB AETHER
As you follow the walkway connecting the two levels of the room, you will
probably see this expansion in a nook in the wall. To reach it, jump onto a
small ledge next to the walkway, then use the Morph Ball to roll across the
narrow path.
38 PD:QUARANTINE MONITOR
In the Quarantine Cave, grapple from the ledge with the Magmoor Caverns
elevator door to another ledge. Roll through the Morph Ball tunnel to reach
a small chamber with the expansion.
39 PD:GRAVITY CHAMBER
Jump up onto the surface and use the Plasma Beam to shatter part of the ice
formation that's hanging from the ceiling, revealing a Grapple Point. Use it
to swing to an expansion.
40 PD:FROST CAVE
This expansion is underneath the frozen, unmeltable lake. To reach it, stand
on the ledge containing the door to Frozen Pike and use the Glider to reach
a small ledge across the room. From there, stand on the highest part of the
ledge and look way up until you see a stalactite. Dislodge it with a
Missile and it will fall into the lake, creating a large hole in the ice
which you can use to reach the expansion.
41 PM:MAIN QUARRY
Climb up the walkway and ledges to reach the top of the platform containing
the crane and its controls. Blast a Power Conduit on the pillar of the
crane, then scan the control panel to rotate the crane. The object on the
end of the crane will smash into the wall, revealing a Missile Expansion.
Now use the Spider Ball to roll up and along the crane, then drop down to
claim the expansion.
42 PM:SECURITY ACCESS A
Power Bomb the wall near the door from Main Quarry to reveal a tunnel
containing a Missile Expansion.
43 PM:ELITE RESEARCH
At the top of Elite Research is an industrial laser beam that you can use to
destroy the walls surrounding the room. Use the Spinner device to rotate the
gun so that it is pointing at the second wall from your left; that is, it
should be perpendicular to you and pointing to your left. Scan the computer
terminal to fire the gun, and behind the wall you will find the expansion.
44 PM:ELITE CONTROL ACCESS
This is the passage you go through after taking the green elevator down to
level 2, and it leads to Elite Control. Upon entering the passage, look at
the ceiling and you'll spot an explosive crate resting on a small ledge.
Shoot the crate, and the ensuing explosion will not only reveal a Missile
Expansion in a small niche, it will also kill a Space Pirate that was
waiting to ambush you! Jump from the door to reach the expansion.
45 PM:PHAZON PROCESSING CENTER
From the ledge containing the door to Elite Control, use the X-Ray Visor
and you'll see several invisible platforms. Use one to reach a ledge in the
corner of the room, then Power Bomb the wall to reveal the expansion.
46 PM:METROID QUARANTINE A
From the ledge containing the Spider Ball tracks leading to the door, Power
Bomb the wall to reveal a tunnel that leads to a Spider Ball bridge. From
the ledge at the other end of the bridge, use the X-Ray Visor to see an
invisible platform that leads to the expansion.
47 PM:FUNGAL ACCESS
This expansion is hidden underneath a mushroom at the bottom of the shaft,
and you must roll through the Phazon on the floor to reach this expansion.
If you have the Phazon Suit, this will not cause any damage, but you can get
the expansion even before you have the suit if you move fast and have plenty
of energy.
48 PM:FUNGAL HALL B
On ground level, head for the area beneath the door to Metroid Quarantine B
and look for a circle of small mushrooms. Bomb the center of the circle to
expose an expansion.
49 PM:METROID QUARANTINE B
Behind the force field (in the Space Pirate section) is a Cordite tank
containing a Missile Expansion, which can be revealed with a Super Missile.
/==============================================================================
C. Power Bomb Expansions [V.C]
\==============================================================================
01 CR:MAGMA POOL
The Magma Pool is located off of the Ruined Fountain. Use the Grapple Beam
to cross the lava in the center of the room, then plant a Power Bomb in
front of the cracked wall to shatter it and reveal the expansion.
02 MC:FIERY SHORES
In Warrior Shrine, the same room off of the Monitor Station where you found
a Chozo Artifact, drop a Power Bomb on the Bendezium section of floor in
front of the statue. The floor will crumble, revealing a hole that will drop
you into a small chamber in the ceiling of Fiery Shores containing a Power
Bomb Expansion.
03 PD:ICE RUINS WEST
On one of the roofs is a covering of ice. Use the Plasma Beam to melt it and
drop down into a small alcove containing the expansion.
04 PD:SECURITY CAVE
Use all your jumping and grappling skills to climb to the very top of
Phendrana's Edge, then use the Glider there to grapple to the other side of
the room. There, a Morph Ball-sized tunnel will take you to the Security
Cave, where a Power Bomb Expansion waits.
/==============================================================================
D. Chozo Artifacts [V.D]
\==============================================================================
01 ARTIFACT OF TRUTH
TO:ARTIFACT TEMPLE
This Artifact is waiting in the center of the Artifact Temple.
02 ARTIFACT OF STRENGTH
"The heat of Magmoor was a test for many warriors. A Shrine in their honor
holds the Artifact of Strength."
MC:WARRIOR SHRINE
Once you have the Space Jump Boots, go to the Monitor Station and stand on
the bridge in front of the door to the Phendrana Drifts elevator. Jump to a
platform to the left of the bridge, and from there onto an upper walkway.
This will lead to the upper level of the control station, where you can use
a Spinner device to extend a bridge to a walkway along the wall. Follow this
walkway to the Warrior Shrine, where the Artifact rests in the hands of a
Chozo statue.
03 ARTIFACT OF ELDER
"Invaders have claimed Phendrana as their own. A tower sits atop their
fortress. Collapse it to reveal the chamber where the Artifact of Elder is
held."
PD:CONTROL TOWER
Jump into the circular enclosure above the door leading to Research Lab
Aether, where you'll find a pile of crates in front of a frozen window. Use
the Plasma Beam to melt the window, then fire a Missile at the base of the
tower in the distance. The tower will fall, crashing through the wall of the
Control Tower. Roll through the hole in the floor into a tunnel containing
the Artifact. To get out of the tunnel, near the Artifact you can do a bomb
jump to reach a tunnel in the fallen tower, which will lead you back to the
main part of the room.
04 ARTIFACT OF WILD
"A Sunchamber high atop our ruined home became the nest of a great beast and
a source of corruption. Many Chozo spirits have been drawn to the tainted
place. Release their bond to the world to claim the Artifact of Wild."
CR:SUNCHAMBER
When you return to the Sunchamber after defeating Flaahgra, it will be
occupied by several Chozo Ghosts. Once you defeat them, the Artifact of Wild
will appear.
05 ARTIFACT OF LIFEGIVER
"There is a tower within the Ruins where light always shines. Move through
the waters there to find the Artifact of Lifegiver."
CR:TOWER CHAMBER
Once you have the Gravity Suit, go to the Tower of Light, past the Ruined
Shrine where you won the Morph Ball. Jump down into the water, and you will
find a passage that leads to a door. With the Gravity Suit, you can jump up
to the door and retrieve the Artifact.
06 ARTIFACT OF WARRIOR
"A room of Research lies within the mines. A corrupted invader is trapped
there. Defeat the creature to claim the Artifact of Warrior."
PM:ELITE RESEARCH
Return to Elite Research on level 1 of the Phazon Mines and use a Power Bomb
to free the Phazon Elite in the tank. It is very similar to an Elite Pirate,
and once it has been destroyed, you can claim the Artifact.
07 ARTIFACT OF CHOZO
"In one of Tallon's far corners, a Grove of life lies. Reveal the pillar
beneath the waves to find the Artifact of Chozo."
TO:LIFE GROVE
After gaining the X-Ray Visor, use a Power Bomb to destroy the walls
surrounding the chamber, revealing a larger room behind. Lay a Bomb on the
plate in the center of the lake to cause a pillar to rise up out of the
lake. Use the Spinner in the base of the column to rotate a stone walkway
around the bottom of the lake. When it is aligned with the waterfall, it
will ascend, along with a box containing the Artifact of Chozo.
08 ARTIFACT OF NATURE
"A molten Lake lies within the tunnels of Magmoor. Shatter the column at the
lake's center to reveal the Artifact of Nature."
MC:LAVA LAKE
In the section of Lava Lake farthest from the Monitor Station, closest to
the Chozo Ruins elevator, a section of the central pillar can be blown away
with a Super Missile. Inside is the Artifact of Nature.
09 ARTIFACT OF SUN
"Near Phendrana's shores, a Temple stands. Thaw the frozen waters flowing
from the Elder to find the Artifact of Sun."
PD:CHOZO ICE TEMPLE
Use the Plasma Beam to melt the ice frozen on the Chozo statue next to the
door to the Chapel of the Elders. The statue's hands will start glowing just
like the statue in the Hall of the Elders, so roll into Morph Ball form and
get in them. When you do, a section of the base of the basin will blow away,
revealing a tunnel leading to the Artifact of Sun.
10 ARTIFACT OF WORLD
"Within the ruins of our home, we honor our fallen Elders in a great Hall. A
chamber beneath the statue holds the Artifact of World."
CR:ELDER CHAMBER
Return to the Hall of the Elders and use the Plasma Beam to disable the red
shield blocking a Morph Ball Slot. When you activate the slot, the Chozo
statue will move, granting access to a chamber containing the Artifact of
World.
11 ARTIFACT OF SPIRIT
"A tall cave stands at Phendrana's Edge. Seek the unseen entrance at its top
to find the Artifact of Spirit."
PD:STORAGE CAVE
Once you are fully equipped, climb up Phendrana's Edge to a rock ledge
almost at the very top. Using the X-Ray Visor, you'll be able to see a door
behind the rock wall. Destroy the rock with a Power Bomb, then use the
Plasma Beam to open the door and claim the Artifact of Spirit.
12 ARTIFACT OF NEWBORN
"Invaders mine the depths in their greed. Forge a path through a Tunnel of
the Great Poison to claim the Artifact of Newborn."
PM:PHAZON MINING TUNNEL
Once you have the Phazon Suit, return to the Phazon Mining Tunnel in level
3, between Fungal Halls A and B. At the bottom of the shaft is a path
leading through Phazon. Follow this path to the end, where you'll find the
final Chozo Artifact, the Artifact of Newborn.
_____________________________________________________________________________
/ \
VI. LOG BOOK >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [VI]
\_____________________________________________________________________________/
This section lists the location of every Chozo Lore, Pirate Data, Creatures,
and Research Log Book entry. They are listed in the same order as in the Log
Book. Entries that can only be scanned once or a limited number of times are
marked with an !.
/==============================================================================
A. Pirate Data [VI.A]
\==============================================================================
o Metroid Prime PM:Elite Control
o Mining Status PD:Research Lab Hydra
o Artifact Site TO:Temple Security Station
o Special Forces PM:Metroid Quarantine B
o Metroid Forces PD:Research Lab Aether
o Chozo Studies PM:Elite Control
! Fall of Zebes PF:Biohazard Containment
o Prime Mutations PM:Elite Control
o Security Breaches PD:Research Lab Hydra
o Phazon Analysis PD:Research Lab Hydra
o Omega Pirate PD:Omega Research
o Contact PD:Observatory
o Chozo Ghosts PM:Elite Control
o Prime Breach PM:Elite Control
o Parasite Larva PD:Research Lab Hydra
o Meta Ridley PD:Research Lab Aether
o Phazon Program PD:Observatory
o Metroid Morphology PD:Research Lab Aether
o Chozo Artifacts PM:Elite Control
o Phazon Infusion PD:Research Lab Aether
o Metroid Studies PD:Research Lab Aether
o The Hunter PM:Elite Control
o Elite Pirates PM:Elite Research
o Glacial Wastes PD:Research Lab Hydra
o Hunter Weapons PM:Elite Control
/==============================================================================
B. Chozo Lore [VI.B]
\==============================================================================
o Infestation CR:Crossway
o Binding TO:Artifact Temple
o Cradle CR:Furnace
o Beginnings CR:Vault
o Cipher PD:Ice Ruins West
o Worm CR:Crossway
o Fountain CR:Ruins Entrance
o Exodus CR:Ruined Nursery
o Hatchling's Shell CR:Crossway
o Hatchling CR:Ruined Fountain
o Meteor Strike CR:Watery Hall
o Contain CR:Sun Tower
o The Turned PD:Phendrana Canyon
o Hope CR:Hall of the Elders
o Statuary TO:Artifact Temple
o Newborn CR:Magma Pool
/==============================================================================
C. Creatures [VI.C]
\==============================================================================
o Mega Turret Phazon Mines
o Grizby Magmoor Caverns
o Zoomer Tallon Overworld
o Plated Parasite Spider Ball tracks
o Pulse Bombu Phendrana Drifts, Phazon Mines
! Ice Shriekbat PD:Ice Ruins West
! Parasite Queen PF:Reactor Core
o Scarab Chozo Ruins
o Aqua Reaper underwater areas
o Triclops Magmoor Caverns
o Puffer Magmoor Caverns
o Glider Phazon Mines, Phendrana Drifts
o Auto Defense Turret Space Pirate facilities
o Jelzap underwater areas
o Beetle Tallon Overworld, Chozo Ruins
o Tangle Weed Tallon Overworld, Chozo Ruins
o Flying Pirate Space Pirate facilities
! Hive Mecha CR:Hive Totem
o War Wasp Chozo Ruins
o Bloodflower Tallon Overworld
o Ice Beetle Phendrana Drifts
o Reaper Vine Chozo Ruins
! Aqua Drone crashed frigate
o Ice Trooper Phazon Mines
o Sap Sac Tallon Overworld
o Flickerbat Phendrana Drifts
o Wave Trooper Phazon Mines
o Sentry Drone Space Pirate facilities
o Burrower Magmoor Caverns
o Plazmite Chozo Ruins
! Barbed War Wasp CR:Burn Dome
! Flaahgra CR:Sunchamber
o Scatter Bombu Phendrana Drifts, Phazon Mines
o Space Pirate Space Pirate facilities
! Parasite Pirate Frigate
o Tallon Crab crashed frigate
o Blastcap Tallon Overworld, Chozo Ruins
o Aqua Sac crashed frigate
o Lumigek IC:Crater Tunnel A
! Incinerator Drone CR:Burn Dome
o Eyon Chozo Ruins
o Fission Metroid Impact Crater
o Oculus Spider Ball tracks
! Meta Ridley TO:Artifact Temple
o Plasma Trooper Phazon Mines
! Aqua Pirate crashed frigate
o Baby Sheegoth Phendrana Drifts
o Seedling Tallon Overworld
o Plated Beetle Chozo Ruins
o Sheegoth Phendrana Drifts
o Stone Toad Chozo Ruins
o Metroid Space Pirate facilities
o Venom Weed Tallon Overworld, Chozo Ruins
! Phazon Elite PM:Elite Research
! Metroid Prime IC:Metroid Prime Lair
o Ice Burrower Phendrana Drifts
! Flaahgra Tentacle CR:Sunchamber
o Elite Pirate Phazon Mines
! Omega Pirate PM:Elite Quarters
o Puddle Spore Magmoor Caverns
o Chozo Ghost Chozo Ruins
! Thardus PD:Quarantine Cave
o Shriekbat Chozo Ruins, Magmoor Caverns, Phendrana Drifts
o Hunter Metroid Phazon Mines
o Magmoor Magmoor Caverns
o War Wasp Hive Chozo Ruins
! Metroid Prime IC:Phazon Infusion Chamber
o Shadow Pirate Space Pirate facilities
! Ram War Wasp CR:Hive Totem
o Ice Parasite Phendrana Drifts
o Geemer Tallon Overworld
o Crystallite Phendrana Drifts
o Plated Puffer Chozo Ruins, Phazon Mines
o Power Trooper Phazon Mines
/==============================================================================
D. Research [VI.D]
\==============================================================================
All of the Research items (except for three) can be scanned at multiple
locations throughout Tallon IV, so no location is listed for them. However,
some Research items will become scarce or disappear entirely as you progress in
the game, so scan anytime you encounter something new. For the items marked
with a *, you must have the upgrade associated with that item before scanning
it will count as a Research entry.
o Save Station
! Missile Door Lock
! Map Station
o Spinner
o Missile Ammo
o Large Energy
o Small Energy
! Stalactite
o Missile Station
* Spider Ball Track
o Power Bomb Ammo
* Grapple Point
o Zebes PD:Observatory
o Ultra Energy
o Morph Ball Slot
o Tallon IV PD:Observatory
o Locked Door
o Gunship TO:Landing Site
_____________________________________________________________________________
/ \
VII. CREATURES >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [VII]
\_____________________________________________________________________________/
This section gives descriptions and strategies for every creature that has a
Log Book entry, listed in alphabetical order. If you need a list of Creatures
entries in the order they appear in the Log Book, see subsection VI.C above.
A------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o AQUA DRONE
This is very similar to a Sentry Drone, except that it operates underwater.
It can be found in the crashed frigate.
o AQUA PIRATE
Aqua Pirates have been equipped with jetpacks specially designed for
underwater use. They are very similar to Flying Pirates, except that their
missiles travel slower. They can be found in the crashed frigate.
o AQUA REAPER
These are long tentacles that will stick out from holes in the floor or walls
of underwater areas. They are related to Reaper Vines, and they will retract
if they are shot. However, like Reaper Vines, the only way to permanently
destroy them is with the Plasma Beam.
o AQUA SAC
These are very similar to the Sap Sac, except that they are found in the
crashed frigate and are blue instead of orange.
o AUTO DEFENSE TURRET
These are mechanical guns used by the Space Pirates which are mounted on the
ceilings of structures and hallways. As long as they do not detect a threat,
they will display a green light. Once they are shot at or sense you, the
light will turn red and it will begin firing missiles at you. Use walls for
cover if possible; if not, constantly strafe to avoid its fire, then respond
in kind between shots. It will take two Missiles or charged beam blasts to
destroy them, or you can often find a control panel that will disable the
turrets.
B------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o BABY SHEEGOTH
These tough creatures can be found in the Phendrana Drifts. They have a very
fast charge attack, and will also fire snowballs at you. If you get hit by
their frosty breath, you will be encased in ice, and will have to press B
rapidly to escape. Their weak spot is the ice shells on their backs, so
constantly circle and strafe around them until you get a shot at their backs
(right after they charge is the best time). About two Missiles or charged
blasts will destroy the shell, and a few more shots to their exposed backs
will do them in.
o BARBED WAR WASP
These wasps appear in the battle with the Incinerator Drone; they are like
regular War Wasps except that they can shoot their stinger at you.
o BEETLE
Found throughout Tallon Overworld and Chozo Ruins, these oversized bugs will
spring up out of the ground just when you least expect it, then try to charge
into you. These are easy creatures to dispose of, just a few shots will do
the job.
o BLASTCAP
Blastcaps are mushrooms found mainly in the Chozo Ruins. If you touch one, it
will explode and release a cloud of toxic gas, so make sure to shoot them
(from a distance) and wait for the gas to clear before proceeding past them.
o BLOODFLOWER
These large flowers in Tallon Overworld will generate a toxic spore and shoot
it at you if you let it, but if you shoot the spore before the plant fires
it, it will explode and destroy the Bloodflower.
o BURROWER
These are small creatures found mainly in Magmoor Caverns. They constantly
burrow just under the ground, creating a trail of dirt that you can see. When
you approach, they will randomly jump up out of the ground and spit at you
(yes, spit). The best way to get rid of them is to lock-on to one and
constantly fire at it, so that you hit it as soon as it jumps out of the
ground.
C------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o CHOZO GHOST
These are the ghosts of Chozo that have been corrupted by Phazon. They will
appear later in the game at various sites in the Chozo Ruins. They will
constantly shift in and out of visibility: they'll appear, fire an energy
blast that will interfere with your visor and Arm Cannon for a few seconds,
then disappear again as they dash off. The Power Beam is the only weapon that
will work on them. The best strategy is to keep moving to avoid their fire,
use your radar to see where they appear, and fire a charged blast as soon as
you lock-on. Also, the ghosts have small and large blasts; they will raise
their hands over their head for a few seconds before firing the large blast,
and a charged shot will stop them from firing it. It will take multiple
charged blasts to destroy a ghost, so just keep at it.
o CRYSTALLITE
These are small creatures in Phendrana Drifts that crawl around walls and
floors. To kill them, fire a Missile at the ice shell on its back.
E------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o ELITE PIRATE
These behemoths are Space Pirates that have been infused with Phazon and
equipped with powerful technology, including shoulder-mounted cannons,
electric shock wave generators, and the ability to absorb Beam energy. To
defeat the Elite Pirate, fire a constant stream of Missiles at it while
dodging its attacks, which is fairly easy to do. However, it is invulnerable
while it is holding out its hand, both to Beam weapons and Missiles. After
about 15 hits, its shoulder-mounted cannon will explode, killing it. You can
also use two Super Missiles to take it out.
o EYON
These creatures can be found attached to walls in the Chozo Ruins. They look
like eyes, and they will fire a laser beam that will sweep across either
horizontally or vertically. A single shot will cause it to shut for a few
seconds, and a charged shot will kill it.
F------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o FISSION METROID
These are the most annoying and difficult creatures in the game. They look
like regular Metroids, except that they are colored yellow, purple, white, or
red. Their color indicates the only beam weapon that they are vulnerable to.
After being hit a few times, it will then split into two more Fission
Metroids, who will each take several more hits to destroy. Note that they
can also be destroyed with a single Power Bomb.
o FLAAHGRA
This monstrous plant is the boss of the Chozo Ruins, and can be found in the
Sunchamber. It is a plant that has been radically mutated by Phazon, and is
the source of the toxic waters in Chozo Ruins. It needs constant sunlight to
remain active, which is provided by four reflective dishes in the Sunchamber,
which focus sunlight on Flaahgra. For detailed strategies on fighting
Flaahgra, see walkthrough subsection V.B.5.
o FLAAHGRA TENTACLE
Flaahgra has four tentacles which block entrance to the Morph Ball tunnels
leading to Flaahgra's base. These tentacles will retract only while Flaahgra
is stunned, during which time you can roll down the tunnels and Bomb
Flaahgra's base. Why these count as a separate Log Book entry, I have no
idea.
o FLICKERBAT
These relatively harmless flying creatures live in Phendrana Drifts. They
simply fly around in circular patterns, usually high overhead, so they're
nothing to worry about. If they are in your way, a few shots will take them
out, but they can be difficult to see, since they can render themselves
somewhat invisible.
o FLYING PIRATE
These guys will start showing up all over the place later in the game, so
you'd better get good at killing them. They are Space Pirates who have been
equipped with jetpacks, allowing them to rain down missiles on you. Also,
once they've been hit enough to be killed, they will usually make a kamikaze
dive at you. Keep moving while engaging them, as their attacks pack quite a
punch. If you have the Ice Beam, one shot will freeze the Pirate in midair,
and a single Missile will shatter it. If not, then use a charged Wave Beam
shot to stun the Pirate for a second, then fire a couple Missiles at it.
G------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o GEEMER
Mildly annoying creatures found in Tallon Overworld, these are small
creatures with a red shell surrounded by spikes. They just wander around the
walls and floors of rooms, but if you touch one, it will stick out its
spikes. A Missile will take care of it.
o GLIDER
These are not enemies, but actually helpful creatures. Found in parts of
Phendrana Drifts and Phazon Mines, these creatures have a bright blue
underside and will fly in a circular path. You can latch onto them with the
Grapple Beam, thus allowing them to carry you to new areas.
o GRIZBY
These creatures are almost exactly the same as Geemers, except that they are
found in Magmoor Caverns and have a smooth brown shell instead of a spiky red
one. Again, use a Missile to get rid of it.
H------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o HIVE MECHA
The first mini-boss of Chozo Ruins, this is a large mechanical device that
will send out swarms of Ram War Wasps at you. To defeat it, kill all the Ram
War Wasps and you will be able to fire at the Hive Mecha for a few seconds.
After eliminating three swarms of wasps, the Hive Mecha will explode. Also,
the Scan Point for the mecha is slightly underwater, if you're going for a
perfect Log Book.
o HUNTER METROID
These are adolescent Metroids, which have matured more than regular Metroids.
These Metroids have elongated, red-colored sacs, and also have long
tentacles. Hunter Metroids will still charge at you, but instead of latching
onto you, they will simply ram you. They will use their tentacles to drain
your energy from a distance. Like regular Metroids, an Ice Beam and a Missile
will do them in.
I------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o ICE BEETLE
These beetles appear in a few rooms in Phendrana Drifts and are exactly like
regular Beetles.
o ICE BURROWER
These creatures, which can be found in Phendrana Drifts, are basically
identical, and just as annoying, as the regular Burrowers found in Magmoor
Caverns.
o ICE PARASITE
Basically, these are hardier versions of the Parasites found on the Pirate
Frigate that live in Phendrana Drifts. A few shots will take them out.
o ICE SHRIEKBAT
These act just like regular Shriekbats, but only appear for a limited time in
Ice Ruins West.
o ICE TROOPER
These mutated Space Pirates can be identified by the white stripes on their
armor, and are equipped with reverse-engineered Ice Beam technology. These
are actually the easiest of the Beam weapon Pirates to defeat, since a single
charged blast from the Ice Beam will freeze them, after which a Missile will
kill them.
o INCINERATOR DRONE
This mechanical mini-boss can be found in the Burn Dome of the Chozo Ruins.
It will shoot out two jets of flame, which you must avoid. If the flame is
low, jump over it; if it's high, walk under it; and if it's in the middle,
just stay in between it. Whenever a red light appears on top of the drone,
fire away at it. The drone will also spray a hive on the roof, releasing
Barbed War Wasps into the room. Shoot the wasps while dodging the flames,
then focus on the drone. After damaging the drone about five times, it will
explode.
J------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o JELZAP
These underwater creatures consist of two shells that together form a
triangular shape, connected by an electric current in its center. Move close
to it to get it to open, then fire a charged Wave Beam into its center to
destroy it. Alternatively, hit it with the Ice Beam to freeze it, then
shatter it with a Missile.
L------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o LUMIGEK
These swarming lizard-like creatures appear only in one room of the Impact
Crater, and are similar to Parasites, Scarabs, or Tallon Crabs.
M------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o MAGMOOR
The namesake of Magmoor Caverns, these are dragon-like creatures that live in
lava and breathe fire. Strafe to avoid their fire, then pound away on their
heads with the strongest beam you have (ice works best).
o MEGA TURRET
Found throughout the Phazon Mines, these upgraded turrets boast stronger
firepower and increased shielding, meaning that it takes 3 Missiles to
destroy one.
o META RIDLEY
The head of the Space Pirate security forces, Meta Ridley is the reborn,
enhanced version of the Ridley that you defeated on Zebes. He has been
outfitted with armor and numerous weapon systems, and will attack you once
you return all twelve Chozo Artifacts to the Artifact Temple. For detailed
strategies on fighting Meta Ridley, see walkthrough subsection V.F.1.
o METROID
Parasitic creatures discovered by the Space Pirates on planet SR-388,
Metroids latch onto living creatures and drain the life energy out of them.
When a Metroid sees you, it will give out a screeching sound, shake, then
charge at you. Jump out of the way and the Metroid will miss. If one does
latch onto you, the only way to get it off is to go into Morph Ball form and
lay a Bomb. The easiest way to defeat Metroids is with the Ice Beam; one shot
will freeze the Metroid, and you can use a Missile to kill it. Before you
find the Ice Beam, however, use Missiles or charged Wave Beam shots to
destroy the things. Super Missiles and Power Bombs will also cause instant
death for Metroids.
o METROID PRIME
Metroid Prime is a highly evolved Metroid that has enhanced itself with
armor and a variety of weapons. It is the source of the Phazon, and lives
deep within the Impact Crater. For detailed strategies on fighting Metroid
Prime's first form, see walkthrough subsection V.F.3.
o METROID PRIME
Once you destroy Metroid Prime's outer shell, you will expose its inner form.
This form is of a highly evolved Metroid that has grown to a large size, as
well as acquired a face and tentacles. Metroid Prime's inner form also has
the power to generate pools of pure Phazon and to spawn all forms of Metroids
at will. For detailed strategies on fighting Metroid Prime's second form, see
walkthrough subsection V.F.4.
O------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o OCULUS
These creatures resemble eyes and will often be found on Spider Ball tracks
or in other areas involving the Morph Ball. They are indestructible, so just
avoid them, don't try to kill them.
o OMEGA PIRATE
The Omega Pirate is the Space Pirate's Phazon-infusion program's greatest
success. It began as an Elite Pirate, but for some reason was able to absorb
far more Phazon than any of the others, and quickly became the biggest,
toughest, and strongest Pirate of all. You'll encounter the Omega Pirate in
PM:Elite Quarters, and for help on defeating it, see walkthrough subsection
V.E.6.
P------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o PARASITE
These small creatures are found on the Pirate Frigate; they travel in swarms
and are usually found in tunnels and hallways. Spray them with Power Beam
fire to kill them if you have time.
o PARASITE QUEEN
The boss of the Pirate Frigate, this is a Parasite that has been mutated by
Phazon thanks to Space Pirate experimentation. You will fight the Queen in
the Reactor Core, where it has gotten itself trapped. For strategies on
fighting the Parasite Queen, see walkthrough subsection V.A.3.
o PHAZON ELITE
This is an Elite Pirate that has been energized with Phazon, and can be
released from its tank in PM:Elite Research with a Power Bomb. It is very
similar in its attacks to an Elite Pirate, except that it does not have a
shoulder-mounted cannon.
o PLASMA TROOPER
These mutated Space Pirates can be identified by the red stripes on their
armor, and are equipped with reverse-engineered Plasma Beam technology. These
are the second-easiest of the Beam weapon Pirates to defeat, since it only
takes two Plasma Beam shots to kill one.
o PLATED BEETLE
This larger version of the Beetle, found in the Chozo Ruins, also has armor
on its head that will repel all fire directed at it. The Plated Beetle also
has a faster charge, which it will signal by shifting back and forth, then
shaking its antennae. To kill it, stand still, let it charge at you, jump out
of the way, then fire at its exposed backside. The Beetle will take about
five charged Power Beam blasts, but once you have more powerful beams, a
single charged blast will do the job.
o PLATED PARASITE
These slightly tougher Parasites can be found on Morph Ball tracks in Chozo
Ruins and Magmoor Caverns. Morph Ball Bombs can kill them.
o PLATED PUFFER
These are just like regular Puffers, except that they can only be destroyed
with Missiles.
o PLAZMITE
This is a harmless creature found in the Chozo Ruins, and is like a giant
firefly. It doesn't attack, but can sometimes get in your way, so you may
need to fire a few shots to eliminate it. Be aware, however, that sometimes
Plazmites are the only sources of light in a room, so think twice before
extinguishing them.
o POWER TROOPER
These mutated Space Pirates can be identified by the yellow stripes on their
armor, and are equipped with reverse-engineered Power Beam technology. These
are the most difficult Beam weapon Pirates to defeat, since they have the
fastest rate of fire and cannot be stunned. It will take three charged Power
Beam blasts to defeat them.
o PUDDLE SPORE
Found in Magmoor Caverns South, these are large clam-like creatures that live
in the lava. When you approach, they will pop out of the lava and open. After
a couple seconds, they will slam shut again, sending a series of lava
globules flying out. If you shoot them while they are open, however, they
will flip over, and you can use them as a platform. Puddle Spores, by the
way, cannot be killed, but you wouldn't really want to kill them anyway.
o PUFFER
These things are nothing more than gas-filled spherical shells that float
around rooms in Magmoor Caverns. It's a good idea to get rid of them to make
sure you don't collide with one, but do so from a distance, because once shot
the toxic gas will be released and will linger for a few seconds.
o PULSE BOMBU
These are electrically-based creatures that look like blue and yellow balls.
They will float in the air, moving around only slightly, and drop bursts of
electricity at regular intervals. They can only be destroyed with the Wave
Beam, but be careful, because if you charge up the beam, the Bombu will be
attracted toward you.
R------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o RAM WAR WASP
These wasps are encountered only during the battle with the Hive Mecha. They
differ from regular War Wasps in that they will all spin around you very
fast, then take turns ramming into you. They are no harder to kill than
regular War Wasps, and once you have killed an entire set, you will have a
chance to damage the Hive Mecha.
o REAPER VINE
Found in Chozo Ruins, these are vines with an eye and a blade on the end that
will stick out of small holes in walls. When you approach, the vine will
start swinging back and forth wildly, atttempting to swipe you with its
blade. A shot to its eye will cause it to retract into the wall for a little
while, but the only way to kill it for good is with the Plasma Beam.
S------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o SAP SAC
These are orange sacs found in Tallon Overworld. They are just plants and
don't even move, much less attack, but a few shots will cause them to explode
violently, which you can use to your advantage.
o SCARAB
Similar to Parasites, these small black creatures travel in swarms and occupy
tunnels and hallways in Chozo Ruins. They will run up and block your way, so
spray them with Power Beam fire to destroy them. Each Scarab will make a
small explosion when shot, so a single shot can wipe out several Scarabs.
o SCATTER BOMBU
These Bombus are pink and purple and will move up and down hallways shooting
out three constant beams of electricity, which will slowly rotate around.
Also, these Bombus radiate electrical signals that will interfere with your
visor, causing it to fill with static if you get close to one. The only thing
that can destroy them is the Wave Beam; if you don't have it, you'll have to
roll into Morph Ball form and roll in between their beams.
o SEEDLING
These are bright blue wall-clinging creatures that are found in a few spots
in the Tallon Overworld. They are annoying because they will fire needles in
a circle around them, but they're nothing a few shots from the Power Beam
can't take care of.
o SENTRY DRONE
These are mechanical sentries used by the Space Pirates to guard their
facilities. As soon as a sentry detects you, it will lock all doors out of
the room and open fire on you. Also, it will interfere with your visor if you
get close to it. Since it is electrically-based, however, a single charged
Wave Beam blast will short-circuit it.
o SHADOW PIRATE
These are Space Pirates who specialize in stealth, and will often lurk in
dark passages or hang upside-down from ceilings waiting for you to come near.
They have no long-distance weapons, so they will run right up to you and
slash at you with blades on their arms. Also, some have the ability to cloak
themselves, meaning they will only be visible using the Thermal Visor. Use
Wave Beam and Missiles to kill these attackers.
o SHEEGOTH
The Sheegoth is the strongest predator in Phendrana Drifts, a monstrous blue
beast with large spikes on its back that will absorb all fire from Beam
weapons. The fullgrown Sheegoth's attacks are the same as the babies'
(charge, icy breath, snowballs), just much more powerful. Also, Missiles are
the only effective weapon against it, and only when fired at the sides of the
Sheegoth's head after it attacks. You can also damage it by planting Bombs
underneath its stomach, but it's difficult to avoid being trampled using that
strategy. It will take approximately 10 Missiles to bring down this beast,
though once you have the Plasma Beam, the fight can go much faster.
o SHRIEKBAT
These are small bats that will hang from ceilings all over Tallon IV. When
you approach, they will give out a high-pitched screech and divebomb you.
To avoid this, shoot them before they reach you.
o SPACE PIRATE
An evil race bent on dominating the galaxy, Space Pirates are fast, strong,
and agile. They are smart as well, and will attack you with laser guns. Once
you have the Ice Beam, you can eliminate Pirates easily by freezing them,
then finishing them off with a Missile. Until you have the Ice Beam, though,
the best way to defeat a Pirate is to hit it with a charged Wave Beam shot,
which will stun if for a couple seconds, then finish it off with a Missile or
another charged shot.
o STONE TOAD
These strange-looking creatures are found in Chozo Ruins. They will do
nothing but sit there, looking like statues, unless you get too close in the
Morph Ball. Then, they will swallow you up, and if you do nothing, spit you
back out after a few seconds. However, if you lay a Bomb while inside the
toad, it will explode from the inside out, which is the only way to kill
creatures.
T------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o TALLON CRAB
Found in the crashed frigate, these are swarming creatures similar to
Parasites, except that they take more hits to kill and are very messy; they
will splatter you with goo when they die.
o TANGLE WEED
This is nothing more than a short grass that grows throughout Tallon
Overworld and Chozo Ruins. It will not cause damage, but will merely slow you
down a little if you try to walk through it. Directing fire at it will cause
it to lower into the ground for a few seconds, but it is impossible to kill.
o THARDUS
Thardus is the boss of Phendrana Drifts, and is a sentient creature made of
Phazon ore held together by Phazon energy. Thardus was the result of a Space
Pirate experiment, who named it Project Titan, and was being held in the
Quarantine Cave. For strategies on defeating Thardus, see walkthrough
subsection V.C.6.
o TRICLOPS
These are small creatures found in Magmoor Caverns that roam around in Morph
Ball-sized areas. If they grab you in their jaws, they will carry you back to
the entrance to the area before releasing you. To get rid of them, lay a Bomb
in front of one. It will pick the Bomb up, and when the Bomb explodes, so
will the Triclops.
V------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o VENOM WEED
This is similar to Tangle Weed, except that it is tipped with bright orange
and does cause damage if you walk through it. Like Tangle Weed, it cannot be
killed, only removed for a few seconds by shooting at it.
W------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o WAR WASP
These are giant, um, wasps that inhabit the Chozo Ruins. You can always tell
when they're around by their tell-tale humming. They will hover around you,
then, without warning, charge you. A few shots from the Power Beam will kill
them, but they can be a real pain.
o WAR WASP HIVE
These are where War Wasps come from, and a Missile will destroy them, which
means no more War Wasps will come out of that hive (at least until you leave
the room).
o WAVE TROOPER
These mutated Space Pirates can be identified by the purple stripes on their
armor, and are equipped with reverse-engineered Wave Beam technology. These
are the second-hardest Beam weapon Pirates to defeat, since they take three
charged blasts of the Wave Beam to die, but will be stunned for a second or
two after each hit.
Z------------------------------------------------------------------------------
o ZOOMER
This is a small, light purple creature that walks around walls and floors in
Tallon Overworld. If it's in your way, a few shots from the Power Beam will
get rid of it.
_____________________________________________________________________________
/ \
VIII. CHECKLIST >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [VIII]
\_____________________________________________________________________________/
This section consists of a list of the locations of all collectible items
(Energy Tanks, Missile Expansions, Power Bomb Expansions, Charge Combso, and
Chozo Artifacts), arranged by region, along with all one-time Log Book entries.
This is designed to be printed, so that you can have it nearby while playing.
To print just this section and not the entire guide, highlight this section,
then select File|Print... In the Print dialog box, select "Selection" in the
Print Range area. (That's for Firefox; it's very similar for Internet
Explorer. If you don't know what Firefox is, go to www.getfirefox.com.)
The items are listed in the approximate order in which they can be collected.
For most items, the room the item is found in is first, followed by any items
necessary to collect the item that you will not have the first time you visit
the room. For the one-time scans, the name of the entry is listed first,
followed by the room or region where it is located.
/==============================================================================
One/Limited Time Scans
\==============================================================================
[ ] Fall of Zebes PF:Biohazard Research
[ ] Parasite Pirate Frigate
[ ] Parasite Queen PF:Reactor Core
[ ] Missile Door Lock
[ ] Map Station
[ ] Hive Mecha CR:Hive Totem
[ ] Ram War Wasp CR:Hive Totem
[ ] Locked Door
[ ] Incinerator Drone CR:Burn Dome
[ ] Barbed War Wasp CR:Burn Dome
[ ] Flaahgra CR:Sunchamber
[ ] Flaahgra Tentacle CR:Sunchamber
[ ] Stalactite
[ ] Ice Shriekbat PD:Ice Ruins West
[ ] Thardus PD:Quarantine Cave
[ ] Aqua Drone crashed frigate
[ ] Aqua Pirate crashed frigate
[ ] Phazon Elite PM: Elite Research
[ ] Omega Pirate PM: Elite Quarters
[ ] Meta Ridley TO:Artifact Temple
[ ] Metroid Prime IC:Phazon Infusion Chamber*
[ ] Metroid Prime IC:Metroid Prime Lair*
*These aren't technically one-time scans, since the last time your game is
saved is before you reach the final boss, but you must scan both of them to
complete your Log Book and unlock the 100% Log Book bonus.
/==============================================================================
Tallon Overworld
\==============================================================================
ENERGY TANKS
[ ] Cargo Freight Lift to Deck Gamma
[ ] Hydro Access Tunnel
MISSILE EXPANSIONS
[ ] Transport Tunnel B
[ ] Landing Site Morph Ball
[ ] Overgrown Cavern
[ ] Frigate Crash Site Gravity Suit
[ ] Biohazard Containment
[ ] Life Grove Tunnel
[ ] Great Tree Chamber
[ ] Root Cave Grapple Beam, X-Ray Visor
[ ] Arbor Chamber
CHOZO ARTIFACTS
[ ] Artifact Temple (Truth)
[ ] Life Grove (Chozo)
/==============================================================================
Chozo Ruins
\==============================================================================
ENERGY TANKS
[ ] Transport Access North
[ ] Vault Access
[ ] Furnace
[ ] Hall of the Elders Ice Beam
[ ] Training Chamber
MISSILE EXPANSIONS
[ ] Ruined Gallery Missile Launcher
[ ] Watery Hall Access
[ ] Burn Dome
[ ] Dynamo
[ ] Ruined Nursery Morph Ball Bomb
[ ] Ruined Gallery Morph Ball Bomb
[ ] Vault
[ ] Ruined Shrine Morph Ball Bomb
[ ] Main Plaza Boost Ball
[ ] Main Plaza Super Missile
[ ] Ruined Shrine Boost Ball
[ ] Ruined Fountain Spider Ball
[ ] Gathering Hall Space Jump Boots
[ ] Crossway
[ ] Watery Hall Gravity Suit
[ ] Dynamo Spider Ball
[ ] Training Chamber Access
[ ] Main Plaza Grapple Beam
[ ] Furnace Power Bomb
POWER BOMB EXPANSIONS
[ ] Magma Pool
CHARGE COMBOS
[ ] Tower of Light (Wavebuster)
CHOZO ARTIFACTS
[ ] Sunchamber (Wild) Spider Ball
[ ] Tower Chamber (Lifegiver)
[ ] Elder Chamber (World)
/==============================================================================
Magmoor Caverns
\==============================================================================
ENERGY TANKS
[ ] Transport Tunnel A
[ ] Magmoor Workstation
MISSILE EXPANSIONS
[ ] Storage Cavern
[ ] Fiery Shores
[ ] Triclops Pit Super Missile, X-Ray Visor
POWER BOMB EXPANSIONS
[ ] Fiery Shores Power Bomb
CHARGE COMBOS
[ ] Shore Tunnel (Ice Spreader) Power Bomb
CHOZO ARTIFACTS
[ ] Warrior Shrine (Strength)
[ ] Lava Lake (Nature) Super Missile
/==============================================================================
Phendrana Drifts
\==============================================================================
ENERGY TANKS
[ ] Ruined Courtyard
[ ] Research Lab Aether
[ ] Transport Access Plasma Beam
MISSILE EXPANSIONS
[ ] Research Lab Aether
[ ] Research Lab Hydra Super Missile
[ ] Frost Cave Grapple Beam
[ ] Gravity Chamber Grapple Beam, Plasma Beam
[ ] Quarantine Monitor
[ ] Phendrana Shorelines Super Missile, Spider Ball
[ ] Phendrana Shorelines Plasma Beam
[ ] Ice Ruins East Spider Ball
[ ] Ice Ruins East Plasma Beam
POWER BOMB EXPANSIONS
[ ] Security Cave
[ ] Ice Ruins West Plasma Beam
CHARGE COMBOS
[ ] Observatory (Super Missile)
CHOZO ARTIFACTS
[ ] Storage Cave (Spirit)
[ ] Control Tower (Elder) Plasma Beam
[ ] Chozo Ice Temple (Sun) Plasma Beam
/==============================================================================
Phazon Mines
\==============================================================================
ENERGY TANKS
[ ] Ventilation Shaft Power Bomb
[ ] Processing Center Access
MISSILE EXPANSIONS
[ ] Main Quarry
[ ] Elite Research
[ ] Elite Control Access
[ ] Security Access A Power Bomb
[ ] Metroid Quarantine A
[ ] Fungal Access
[ ] Fungal Hall B
[ ] Metroid Quarantine B
[ ] Phazon Processing Center
CHARGE COMBOS
[ ] Storage Depot A (Flamethrower)
CHOZO ARTIFACTS
[ ] Elite Research (Warrior) Power Bomb
[ ] Phazon Mining Tunnel (Newborn) Phazon Suit
_____________________________________________________________________________
/ \
IX. NECESSARY ODDS AND ENDS >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [IX]
\_____________________________________________________________________________/
I know nobody reads this stuff, but I have to put it in here. If you're
considering downloading, printing, selling, or posting this guide, though, I
*strongly* advise you to read the copyright notice below.
/==============================================================================
A. Creative Commons Info [IX.A]
\==============================================================================
(CC) Some rights reserved.
This guide is by Steven Reeves.
It is released under a Creative Commons license: the Creative Commons deed can
be viewed here: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/
Here's what you can and can't do with my guide (this is taken from the deed
linked to above):
You are free:
* to Share � to copy, distribute, display, and perform the work.
Under the following conditions:
* Attribution. You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the
author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse
you or your use of the work).
* Noncommercial. You may not use this work for commercial purposes.
* No Derivative Works. You may not alter, transform, or build upon this
work.
* For any reuse or distribution, you must make clear to others the license
terms of this work. The best way to do this is with a link to this web
page (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/).
* Any of the above conditions can be waived if you get permission from the
copyright holder.
* Nothing in this license impairs or restricts the author's moral rights.
So basically, feel free to copy, download, print, email, or do whatever you
want with this guide, so long as you don't sell it (I didn't get paid anything
to write this, so I don't see why you should just for making copies of it),
change it, or take my name off of it.
If you have any questions about anything here, email me at [email protected].
/==============================================================================
B. Credits [IX.B]
\==============================================================================
o Retro Studios, for defying the critics and creating a masterpiece of a game
that is completely worthy of the Metroid name.
o All rights, including the copyrights of game, scenario, music and program,
reserved by Nintendo.
o "Metroid Prime: The Official Nintendo Player's Guide", which was used solely
for reference purposes. This guide is my own original work and all strategies
are my own, but the player's guide helped me get through the game myself in a
few spots, and was used during the writing of this guide as a reference
source.
o Koran Rag's Chozo Lore and Pirate Data FAQs, which were very convenient
reference sources.
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/gamecube/file/metroid_prime_chozo_lore.txt
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/gamecube/file/metroid_prime_pirate_data.txt
o Rize's Log Book List, which was convenient for looking up a few small things.
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/gamecube/file/metroid_prime_log.txt
o Rize's 100% Guide for Metroid Prime 2, which inspired me to create the
Checklist section for this guide.
http://db.gamefaqs.com/console/gamecube/file/metroid_prime_2_100.txt
o Wild Bill, for pointing out mistakes in my table of contents and in the
Research scans section (see version 1.11 description for details).
o Jeff, for pointing out the obvious suggestion of shooting the Scatter Bombus
in the shaft connecting Ore Processing and the elevator to level 2 in the
Phazon Mines. His suggestions were added to the walkthrough in sections
IV.E.1 and IV.E.2.
o Lewis, for letting me know that a Power Bomb can destroy the armor on the
Omega Pirate. His tip was added into the Omega Pirate section.
o David, for telling me that two Super Missiles will kill an Elite Pirate. His
tip was added into the first Elite Pirate fight in section IV.E.2 and to the
Elite Pirate entry in the Creatures section.
o Baidol, for pointing out the Morph Ball tunnel that can be used to bypass the
Mega Turrets in section IV.E.5.
o Joey, for letting me know that a Super Missile can be used to destroy
multiple turrets at once; this is added in section IV.E.5. along with
Baidol's tip.
o Chi, for reminding me that the Plasma Beam can kill Reaper Vines and Aqua
Reapers.
o Kai, for pointing out a number of small but important errors.
o Neil, for mentioning an additional strategy for fighting Thardus: avoid the
small rocks he throws rather than shooting them.
o Nathaniel, for noticing an error in the Chozo Ruins section of the checklist.
o Sabu750, for pointing out an error in my description of Baby Sheegoths in the
walkthrough.
/==============================================================================
C. Contact Info [IX.C]
\==============================================================================
Questions? Comments? Complaints? Call toll-free at [email protected]!
Qualified representatives are standing by to take your call 24 hours a day, 365
days a year!
I am happy to answer all intelligent, legible questions and would be glad to
receive comments, suggestions, and constructive criticism. I will not reply to
questions or comments that are irrelevant, illegible, or rude. Also, check the
guide first before asking gameplay questions. I'm pretty sure I've covered
everything gameplay-related somewhere in this guide, so check before you email.
If, after checking, you find that I have overlooked something or have not made
something clear enough, please email me with your problem and I will be happy
to help you and update the appropriate section of the guide.
Also, I do not like spam. I have yet to meet one person who does. Do not send
any to me.
/==============================================================================
D. Version History [IX.D]
\==============================================================================
I don't know why anyone else would be interested in this, so I stuck it at the
very bottom where nobody will see it. If you've taken the time to read all the
way down to here, way to go. You get a gold star.
1.00 03/19/2005
Version 1.00 is complete and ready for submission. Yippee!
1.10 04/20/2005
Whew! This update incorporates a number of revisions, additions, and other
changes designed to make the guide more readable and useful. Here are the
major changes:
o revised walkthrough to improve readability
o combined Controls and On Tallon IV sections into Game Basics
o created Checklist section
o added Quick Tips section
o moved Creatures log book listing into Log Book section
1.11 06/08/2005
Thanks to Wild Bill for catching a couple of mistakes: I had the Locked
Door incorrectly labelled as a limited-time scan, and the order of the
Pirate Data and Chozo Lore scans were different in the contents and in the
actual guide. Both these mistakes have been corrected.
1.12 06/25/2005
Thanks to Jeff for pointing out the obvious to me. There's a shaft
connecting Ore Processing to the elevator down to level 2 that is filled
with Scatter Bombus. I had been saying to go down the Spider Ball track
and avoid the Bombus, but Jeff pointed out that it is much easier to just
shoot the Bombus beforehand. I have added his suggestion in the
appropriate places in subsections IV.E.1 and IV.E.2.
1.13 01/04/2006
Added a couple tips from Lewis and David about strategies for fighting
Elite Pirates and the Omega Pirate. Also fixed a typo in the Game Basics
section.
1.14 05/20/2006
Added a strategy from Baidol for getting past the four Mega Turrets in
section IV.E.5. Also in the same section, I added Joey's tip for using a
Super Missile to take out multiple turrets at once. Also updated the
Creatures section to include Chi's tip that Aqua and Reaper Vines can be
killed with the Plasma Beam.
1.15 03/17/2007
Made some minor corrections based on tips from Kai, Neil, Nathaniel, and
Sabu750. Also, changed the copyright info: the guide is now released under
a Creative Commons license.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Congratulations, you've reached the end of the guide. I thought I'd put
something educational down here for you people who made it all the way to the
very end: it's the proof of the Product Rule. Enjoy!
f(x) = g(x)h(x)
f'(x) = lim (f(x+n) - f(x))/n
n->0
= lim (g(x+n)h(x+n) - g(x)h(x))/n
n->0
= lim (g(x+n)h(x+n) - g(x+n)h(x) + g(x+n)h(x) - g(x)h(x))/n
n->0
= lim [g(x+n)*(h(x+n)-h(x)) + h(x)*(g(x+n)-g(x))]/n
n->0
= lim [g(x+n)*(h(x+n)-h(x))/n + h(x)*(g(x+n)-g(x))/n]
n->0
= lim g(x+n) * lim (h(x+n)-h(x))/n + lim h(x) * lim (g(x+n)-g(x))/n
n->0 n->0 n->0 n->0
= g(x)h'(x) + h(x)g'(x)
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