Metroid Strategies

The Metroid games can be rather challenging at times, so I have made a basic guide to some ways that you can solve the various puzzles and challenges that are littered throughout every space station and planet that Samus visits.

Lesson 1: No room is ever empty

When you are exploring in a Metroid game, you are bound to come across rooms that are seemingly just there for decoration. Do not be fooled! Unlike games such as the Legend of Zelda or Skyrim which often have unnecessary rooms where the townspeople live or where the monsters cook their meals, in Metroid, rooms always have a purpose. You just have to figure out what that purpose is.

First, check for hidden blocks. To do that, simply bomb every single surface in the room that you can reach as a morph ball. This is made a lot easier if you have unlocked the Jumpball ability, but you can always just bomb jump. If you're in the late game, you can also just place down a power bomb, which will reveal all hidden blocks on-screen. If you're playing Super Metroid, and have unlocked it, you can just use the x-ray visor. In the Metroid Prime series, this is a bit trickier, as if a surface isn't made of talloric alloy, bombing it won't reveal anything. Instead, what you have to do is use the scan visor to look arounf. Once you've done that, if you have revealed any blocks or destructable surfaces, just see if you can destroy them with the weapons and abilities that you currently have(if you're not sure, check the handbook that came with the game), and if you can, do so, and then go to see what secrets you have just uncovered. If you can't, just make a mental note to come back later.

However, the secret is not always hidden blocks(although that is the most common secret). If there are no hidden blocks, you have to consider what the room itself could be used for. For instance, a well-placed room could give you just enough extra distance to use your speed booster!

Lesson 2: Know where you're supposed to be

The metroid games involve a lot of puzzles, and sometimes, you just can't solve one. In that case, you have to think: "am I supposed to be here?" because if you somehow managed to get somewhere the developers didn't intend you to be able to get to at that point in the game, it will be pointless to try to continue. So, how do you know if you're supposed to be somewhere?

First, think about how you got there. If you got there by walljumping, you're not supposed to be there.(except in Super Metroid, Metroid: Other M, and Metroid Prime 2). If you got there by just ignoring an obstacle(walking through lava and just tanking the damage, for example), you're not supposed to be there. If you got there by exploiting a glitch or bug, you're definitely not supposed to be there. If you are somewhere you shouldn't be, backtrack and find somewhere else to explore.

If you're still not sure, then think about your objective. In the Metroid Prime games, Metroid Zero Mission, Metroid: Other M, and Metroid Fusion, you will sometimes be told what to do or where to go. When this happens, a marker will be placed on the map. If you're really far away from the marker, you're probably not supposed to be wherever you are.

Tips and Tricks

• You can walljump by jumping at a wall, and then just when you hit the wall, you press the opposite arrow key and press the jump button
• Once you have the charge beam, you can charge a shot, and while it's charged, you can jump at an enemy to do a charge attack. It's like a worse version of the screw attack, but it has come in handy many times
• There is a thing you can do with the speed booster called a Shinespark, where you launch yourself through the air. To perform a Shinespark, you speed boost, and then while you're running, crouch. Once you've crouched, you have about 5 seconds to do a Shinespark. If you jump in any direction, you wil fly through the air and only stop once you hit something