Metroid Prime™ - Phazon Mines

Return to the Omega Research lab where you will find another Ice Beam door blocked by bendezium. The only catch is that when you arrive, another Elite Pirate will break free from captivity. He should not pose a major threat, though. Jump up to the top floor and blast away the rubble in front of the door to Map Station Mines. Download the data and proceed to the Ventilation Shaft. Change over to your scanner and locate the bendezium vent on the floor. Blast through it with a Power Bomb and roll into Morph Ball form and drop into it. On the other side scan the reticle to activate the fans and rid the place of that awful gas. In the process, those Puffer creatures will break the fan grating on the other side revealing an Energy Tank. Finally those nasty things prove useful. Use the half-pipe to get out of there and head for Elite Control Access to take the transport back to the first level of the mines. The go back to Ore Processing and begin setting up the yellow track. The rotation control unit is blocked by a pile of bendezium on the second floor. Once completely lined up, you should be able to follow the yellow track to the very top and access Storage Depot B. Inside is the much-anticipated Grapple Beam.

After acquiring it, use the grapple point on the ceiling of Ore Processing to access Waste Disposal directly across the gap. Just leap out and tap the L-trigger as you become close enough to it. Take the Waste Disposal, a water-filled ball puzzle, out to the Main Quarry. You should considering saving your progress. Right now you want to take the Transport to Tallon Overworld South, which is just outside of the Quarry. When you arrive in Tallon Overworld, set a path for the Great Tree Hall. Begin platforming up around the edge until you reach the Morph Ball spinner. You should have already used it, and the ledge just above it will be free to pass through. Do so and position yourself in the upper part of the Great Tree Hall. Continue jumping on the edge of the hall until you find the corkscrew-shaped Spider Ball track. Use it to arrive at the highest door in the entire area — an Ice Beam door that leads to the Life Grove Tunnel. Flip on your scanner in this small room and you should locate a rock face that has been rendered weak due to the wet conditions. Power Bomb it to press forward into the Life Grove. There you will find the X-Ray Visor, which allows you to see through walls and spot otherwise invisible objects. As you are trapped inside this secret area, you will need to turn on the X-Ray Visor and have a look around the place. You should see that there is much scenery revealed beyond the walls of this holding — much of which does not show up on your map.

If you scan the walls, you will find they've been weakened from the water saturation. Set a Power Bomb and knock them open. A whole new lush playground is revealed. Begin exploring it by following the platforms on the edge, which lead into a Morph Ball maze carved into the wall-side. Eventually you should land over by the waterfall and Chozo Ghosts will appear. With your newfound X-Ray technology you will be able to lock on to them at all times; no more disappearing. After defeating them, it will reveal a Morph Ball tunnel underneath a Chozo face on top of the gazebo. Jump around the edge to return there and head back for the Great Tree Hall. Fall back down to the base where the roots are collecting and look around. You may find it peculiar that raindrops seem to be stopping on an invisible object. Use your X-Ray Visor to locate what is a hidden platform. This will lead you to the door behind the tree. Within it, the Great Tree Chamber, lies a Missile Expansion pack.

Grab it and jump back down to the unopened door, which leads into Transport Tunnel D and eventually the Transport to Chozo Ruins South. As soon as you arrive in the Chozo Ruins, go right around the corner to the Transport to Tallon Overworld East (Morph Ball tunnel behind save station). In Tallon, roll through Transport Tunnel C and into the Overgrown Cavern. The "overgrowth" is Venom Weed. Fire off a few rounds at it and roll through the Morph Ball sized opening to receive a Missile Expansion. you will next arrive in the Frigate Crash Site, where you will spot two grapple points to help you easily navigate across the water; but that's not all they're for. The one closest to the center of the water reserve can be used to grab the Missile Expansion that is embedded into the cliff-side (best viewed from underwater). Just try to line yourself up as best you can and swing right into the rock face, hopefully to land in the small cave.

Afterwards, set a course for Tallon Canyon and then take the Transport to Chozo Ruins West. Next, go to the Ruined Fountain and you should see an unopened door that leads into the Meditation Fountain. Follow this through to the Magma Pool and use your Grapple Beam to cross it. On the other side, there is a wall (seemingly bendezium) covered with vines. Use your X-Ray Visor and you will see there is something behind it. Set a Power Bomb next to it and you will reveal a Power Bomb Expansion as well as what should be the last of the Chozo Lore.

Exit through the Wave Beam door and go through to the Training Chamber. Chozo Ghost will appear. Dispose of them and two Morph Ball slots will be revealed under the Chozo busts. Use the half-pipe to bomb into them, sending power to a nearby Morph Ball elevator, which leads to a Spider Ball track that will carry you into a room with an Energy Tank. Exit the room through the Morph Ball tunnel under the third of the Chozo busts. You will arrive on a ledge in the Main Plaza. Directly across from you is a Missile Expansion. Use the grappling point just ahead of you to swing over there. Believe it or not, there is yet another power-up waiting for you in the same vicinity. Scan the tree trunk to reveal a weakened knot. Shatter it with a Super Missile and jump from the ledge across from it to pick up another Missile Expansion. Then turn right around and carve a path towards the Ruined Shrine.

The first thing you should spot is a sandstone weakness on the floor. This can be blasted away to reveal a Morph Ball tunnel, which leads to a Missile Expansion. Look around some more and you should notice that there is a smooth half-pipe structure. Both sides have something you want. Boost Ball your way up to the side that leads back to the small room that houses a Missile Expansion. After you acquire that, boost over to the other side and enter the Tower of Light. This huge room is filled with vertically stacked platforms, and for good reason. At the top lies a hefty weapon upgrade. Begin platforming your way up. You should arrive at a perfectly centered platform. From here you can scan the area and find that the pillars that support this huge structure are weakened brinstone. Use three missiles on each of the four pillars to send the first level crashing down. This will allow you to jump up to a higher level. However, you have to be quick because the seismic activity will send the Plated Puffer creature reeling out of the nearby pipes; coming into contact with it can knock you off the platforms. Repeat this process of bringing down the levels a few more times and you will eventually be able to reach the very top where the Wavebuster is found. This is an unnecessary, but cool upgrade that is activated by charging the Wave Beam and tapping the Y-button simultaneously. The result is a stream of energy that will eat away at your missile supply, but deal major damage.

No doubt boiling with excitement, you will want to drop straight down into the water below to cool off. And, while you are there, check your Artifact data. You should see that Lifegiver, the fifth Artifact of twelve may be located very close. Indeed, simply access the Wave Beam door hidden on the other side of the pool of water and you will find it in the Tower Chamber. With all that out of the way, go back to Tallon Canyon via the Transport to Tallon Overworld North. Your next checkpoint is the Root Cave. As soon as you enter you should find a grapple point staring directly at you. Use it to swing to the other side and begin jumping upward. You will hit a dead end shortly after crossing a small bridge, but turn on your X-Ray Visor to uncover otherwise invisible platforms. As you arrive on the last platform, you will see a red door ahead of you. No, you cannot go through those yet. However, turn just to the left — with your X-Ray Visor activated — and you will see a Missile Expansion hiding behind a wall of foliage. After nabbing the power-up, fall all the way down to the bottom and make a move for the Transport to Magmoor Caverns East. When you arrive in Magmoor, use Transport Tunnel B to make your way over to the Shore Tunnel. The hull is made of bendezium, which has been stressed over time by the intense heat. Set off a Power Bomb in the center of the tunnel to shatter the surrounding glass. This will let you jump beneath the bridgeway to acquire the Ice Spreader. Like the Wavebuster, the Ice Spreader is an optional, yet very powerful upgrade. It can freeze multiple enemies at once.

Subsequently, turn around and head back from where you originally entered. You want to end up in the Geothermal Core. By the way, there's a little secret about traversing the Magmoor Caverns we should tell you about. All those pesky flamethrowers attached to the ceiling can be frozen with the Ice Beam. So, if you get tired of timing your jumps or waiting on them, just freeze the fire-breathing nozzles to remove the hassle. When you arrive in Geothermal Core, position yourself on the side closest to South Core Tunnel. There is a platform you can jump on, and from there you can use your Grapple Beam to swing from a nearby point. Land on top of the first rotation unit and locate the Morph Ball spinner. You will notice that the platform splits in two, raising one above you. Jump over to the next closest rotation unit and repeat this process. Then return to the first one you raised to gain new height. From there you can access the third highest platform to again raise it with the Morph Ball spinner. This time you will need to use the Spider Ball track to access the raised platform. Once on top you will be able to jump to the fourth and final rotation unit. In contrast to the others, however, this unit has a Morph Ball slot, which can be bombed to send power to all the units. As a result, the roof of the entire Geothermal Core will rise, revealing a huge mural of Spider Ball tracks. Begin by bombing up on to the Spider Ball track that branches off of that final platform. Once on the walls the path is pretty linear, but you will need to drop to a track below you or bomb to one above you quite often. You should also watch out for Plated Parasites, which can knock you off the tracks. If you are successful, you will wind all the way around the huge room and arrive at a very well elevated Ice Beam door.

Then just walk right into Plasma Processing and upgrade your suit with the latest weaponry: the Plasma Beam. This fiery hot stream of magma is not only powerful against enemies, but it can be used to melt through thin sheets of ice. As always, you want to save frequently so head through Magmoor Workstation and access the save station behind the Transport to Phendrana Drifts South. Afterwards, circle around back into the Magmoor Workstation and access the elevated, unopened door. This leads into the Workstation Tunnel where you can clear some bendezium rubble with a Power Bomb and continue on to Phazon Mines West via the transport.

After departing Magmoor and arriving in Phazon, you will arrive in a whole new part of the mines. Head forward into the Transport Access and use your Grapple Beam to cross the pools of Phazon beneath you. It leads into the Phazon Processing Center, and you will want to jump down to the center where you will find an Ice Beam door that leads back to level two of the mines via a Morph Ball tunnel. On the way you will have to fight all the various Space Pirate types, and you will have your first encounter with the Plasma Trooper. When you roll your way back to the second level of the mines, you will need to pass through Elite Control, Omega Research, and the Central Dynamo again. you are headed for the previous dead end of Metroid Quarantine A. Watch out for the Dynamo Access, however. One of the Elite Pirates will bust out of stasis. When you finally do arrive back inMetroid Quarantine A, be wary as the Metroids have been feeding on synthetic energy supplements and are eager for the real thing. You want to position yourself on top of the 400% size increased mushrooms outside where the Metroids are migrating from. To get over the huge pool of Phazon, you will need to locate the floating platforms with your X-Ray Visor. Use them to leap over to the other side, and when you arrive have a quick look around with your Thermal Visor. you will be able to clearly see a set of Spider Ball tracks and a door. To get to them use the nearby mushrooms again to gain access to higher platforms. From those, it is time for the X-Ray Visor again. Jump across to the next platform and you should see a pair of diagonally parallel Spider Ball tracks. do not use them yet, though, turn around and flip on your X-Ray Visor to examine the nearby rock face. It can be blasted through with a Power Bomb. Behind it is yet another wall — blast it, too, with a Power Bomb. You can then follow a Spider Ball track across the small canyon to arrive on another ledge. Use your X-Ray Visor to locate a vertically rising and descending platform. Jump on it an dit will take you to a Missile Expansion.

Go back to the parallel Spider Ball tracks after that and follow through to Elevator B and descend downward into level three of the mines. Proceed into Fungal Hall A — watch out for Hunter Metroids — and use the fungus as platforms. You will eventually spot a Glider. Use your Grapple Beam to attach to its underside swing across the large gap. Go through the next door and into Phazon Mining Tunnel. A large boulder will block you path, but simply Power Bomb it to shatter it. Roll into the Morph Ball tunnel and follow its main path. you will have to boost across a set of disappearing metal platforms, but shortly after you will arrive at a Plasma Beam door, which leads into Fungal Hall B. It is dark, so you may want to turn on your Thermal Visor. Use the mushroom growths to stay above the Phazon-littered ground. You will see another Glider. Use it to access the higher path first, which leads to a Missile Station. Next you want to go through the next door which leads to Quarantine Access B.

However, before you do jump down just below that door and use your Thermal Visor to reveal a Missile Expansion hidden beneath the ground; a ring of mushrooms grow around it. Use a Power Bomb to blast away the rock cover above it. Then proceed through the door into Quarantine Access B. There are a few invisible Bombus lurking around, so use your X-Ray Visor if you hope to locate them. Once in Metroid Quarantine B, use the visible Spider Ball track to access the higher platforms. From there, Grapple Beam your way over to the other side and deactivate the force field by scanning the nearby terminal. Directly through that large opening you should see another computer terminal with new Pirate Data. After downloading it, turn directly around and you should locate a cordite shaft, weakened by stress fractures. Use a Super Missile to blast through it and nab yourself another Missile Expansion. Once you have done that, access the Plasma Beam door on the same floor and save at the Save Station Mines C. you will need all the help you can get, as a boss battle is about to emerge. Head up to the top floor and into Elite Quarters Access. You will find a gate blocking your way and the controls are frozen in frigidite. Just use the Plasma Beam to melt the shell and continue into Elite Quarters where the boss awaits you.

Boss: Omega Pirate

Turn on your Scan Visor as you enter and download the data from his stasis chamber as you approach him. It will tell you a lot about his tactics; Omega Pirate will disappear often to repaint himself with Phazon, thus healing his wounds. This is his weakness, and you are going to exploit it to beat him. Begin by locking on to Omega Pirate. Your reticle will attach to several points on his body; it does not matter which you choose. While locked on manuever away from and around him with double jumps. He will continuously collect energy and eventually when enough is stored up he will slam his fists into the ground sending out a huge wave of Phazon energy. You will need to double jump (you should be charging your Power Beam while you do this) over it and before you even hit the ground fire a Super Missile at whatever point it is you are locked on to. The Phazon shell protecting that area will shatter. Repeat this process until ever point on his body — knees, shoulders, etc. — is shattered.

At this point, Omega Pirate will call out his lackeys a medley of Wave, Ice, and Plasma Troopers. Fire off a few shots at them to keep them at bay, but they're really only there to distract you. Turn on your X-Ray Visor and listen for Omega Pirate. You will eventually be able to spot him (X-Ray only) repainting himself in one of the pools of Phazon. Lock on to him and fire a Super Missile directly at the center of his chest. This will cause major damage, and you should be able to repeat this process at least once more. He will reappear eventually, however, and you will have to crack each Phazon body joint again. If his lackeys are still causing you trouble, try to use the Omega Pirate as a weapon; when he slams his fists down the Phazon wave he sends out often kills them. Sometimes, though, fiends such as the Plasma Troopers require you to kill them. Just be sure to absorb all the energy they leave behind. Then resume firing Super Missiles at Omega. Like before he will retreat to his Phazon Pool, call out more lackies, and you will want to focus on locating him to deliver those crucial Super Missile hits while he is recovering. Sooner, hopefully than later, he will die. In the process, his body will crash down upon you disintegrating into a bubbling soup of Phazon. Samus's Power Suit has survived, but the overwhelming potency of the mutagen will change her suit in the process. But, it is for the better. You will now wear the ultra-cool black, silver, and red Phazon Suit.

Exit back through Elite Quarters Access and save your progress. Remember that Morph Ball tunnel in the Phazon Mining Tunnel. There was a path mode completely of Phazon, and with your new suit you will not have to worry about the harmful effects of Phazon anymore. Go back there and bomb your way deeper down this path. You may not have the clue for it yet, but there happens to be the Artifact of Newborn there, the last of twelve. Then set a course back to Elite Quarters and access the second level via the platform. Follow the walkways and enter the Processing Center Access, where you will find an Energy Tank. Scan the gate terminal to open it and press forward.

⤴ ↳