Metroid franchise strategy guide/Creatures in Metroid, Metroid II, and Super Metroid

This is a list of creatures in the Metroid series games Metroid, Metroid II: Return of Samus, and Super Metroid.

Major characters

Chozo

The Chozo are an anthropomorphic species of avian bipeds, known to be of great intelligence. The Chozo rescued Samus from her destroyed homeworld, and Chozo scientists were the ones who designed Samus Aran's Power Suit.

Samus Aran

The protagonist, equipped with a Chozo-made Power Suit and known as one of the best bounty hunters in the galaxy. She was orphaned at a young age and raised by the Chozo.

Metroid

Metroids are a fictional species of alien predators and the series's name-sake, originating from the planet SR-388. Metroids feed on the "life energy" of their prey in a manner similar to leeches draining a host organism's blood. However, Metroids normally drain enough energy to kill their victims. What the Metroids actually drain is not known. According to the Metroid Fusion instruction manual, the Metroids were engineered by the Chozo to stem the spread of the X Parasites and "Metroid" is the Chozo word for "ultimate warrior".

Space Pirates

This bipedal race specializes in raiding starships and planets in a quest for dominance in the galaxy. Space Pirates wield various types of arm-mounted guns and scythes in combat. Every game (excluding Metroid II: Return of Samus and the original Metroid) has at least one Pirate in it, whether it be the Pirate armies of Super Metroid and Metroid Prime or the lone hunter Weavel in Metroid Prime Hunters.

Kraid

Kraid is an extremely large, reptilian creature. He bears a close resemblance to Japanese kaiju such as Godzilla.

Mother Brain

Mother Brain is a former Chozo piece of biotechnology that would betray its creators and is now affiliated with the Zebesian Space Pirates. It is now unknown, however, if this is the true origin as Nintendo never said if the manga was canon or not as well as new developments in Metroid prime 3 hinting that Mother Brain actually be a Galactic Federation Aurora Unit.

Ridley

Ridley is a Dragon-like creature who serves as a boss in many games, and led the raid on Samus' homeworld, which resulted in the deaths of her parents and the rest of the population.

Metroid and Zero Mission

Dessgeega

Also misspelled Desgeega or Desgeenga, the Dessgeega is a cousin of the side-hoppers, and are found in parts of Norfair in Metroid, Super Metroid, and Metroid: Zero Mission. An X Parasite mimicry of the Dessgeega (which can now shoot thorns from both sides) can be found in the TRO (Tropical) sector of the Biologic Space Labs of Metroid Fusion. A single Dessgeega - seemingly an easter egg - may also be found on the Space Pirate frigate Orpheon in Metroid Prime. When players pass its chamber, it will violently batter its door trying to escape. It can be scanned, but only minor information is shown. Being in an area that is close-quarters, it scares players by making them think it will escape and attack, as it only tries to escape when the players approach. However, when players stumble onto the Frigate's crash site later on, they can reach the room where the Dessgeega was held. The chamber has been infested by "Aqua Reapers", but there is no trace of what happened to the previous occupant. Apparently, it did not survive the crash or escaped beyond the boundaries of the explorable area.

Dragon

The Dragon of Norfair looks more like a seahorse than a typical dragon. Seen in Metroid, Super Metroid, and Metroid: Zero Mission; it appears from a pond of lava and shoots fireballs. It can only be damaged by Super Missiles, fully charged shots, or the Screw Attack. In select scenarios in Metroid: Zero Mission, it can cause death by knocking the player into lava.

Gamet

Gamets are the enemies generated from pipes in Norfair. They resemble armored flies. In the original Metroid, there are 2 color variants--red and purple, the red being stronger.

A Gamet would appear on the first episode of Captain N. It is seen circling the Palace of Power in the beginning and middle of the episode. One is also seen giving chase to an unarmed Kevin in the 12th episode. Gamets would also appear in the Captain N comic book series, more closely resembling their appearance according to the Metroid concept art.

Geega

Geegas are insectoid creatures found in the air pipes of Kraid's Lair. There are two types - a yellow kind and a stronger brown kind.

Geruta

This powerful enemy can fly as a result of its skin generating fire and radiating the energy inside its body. Its feet blow fiery exhaust and it is one of the strongest creatures in Norfair. In the original Metroid, there are 2 color variants--red and purple, the red being stronger.

A Geruta would appear on the first episode of Captain N. It is seen circling the Palace of Power in the beginning of the episode.

Holtz

A Holtz is a spherical armored creature with a pair of bull-like horns. The Holtz appears to have one red eye in the center of its body. A Holtz will fly up on the ceiling. When Samus comes close, it will swoop down and attempt to ram Samus before flying back up.

Mellow

Mellows are fly-like organisms that follow Samus in large swarms.

Nova

Novae are fiery organisms found in Norfair. They behave like Zoomers and look like a fiery version of them as well. X-copies can be found in Metroid Fusion. The X-Novae leave a damaging fire behind them. The Novae-X can also drop fireballs while they're on the ceiling. Novae are commonly confused by some as being Viola. Interestingly, they bear a rather striking resemblance to Lavos from Chrono Trigger.

Viola

Found in the lower levels of Norfair and in some areas of Ridley's domain, Viola are best described as living fireballs. Despite this flaming nature, they can be frozen quite easily. They come in three varieties. The non-flying Violae are the larvae of Multiviola.

Green Viola

Slow moving Violae inhabiting in Ridley's lair. They have a perpetual frown, and their face disappears from time to time. When it appears, the Viola looks like it is letting out a silent moan. They behave exactly like Zoomers.

Red Viola

Red versions of the Green Violae. They travel faster than their weaker green counterparts. They are the equivalent of Geemers in their area.

Multiviola

These orange-red Viola bounce around inside the room they are contained in. They are the only Violae with visible flames around them. Multiviola are rare, but are the only Violae that appear in the region of Norfair outside Ridley's lair. They are the adult versions of Violae.

A Multiviola would appear on the first episode of Captain N midway through the episode when Kevin and Princess Lana journey through the world of Metroid to defeat Mother Brain.

Rio

Rios are flying, insectoid enemies that aggressively follow Samus in a downward, swooping motion. They then hover along the ground, and will only rise to the ceiling again when the player jumps. They also appear in Metroid Fusion as X-Parasite copies in Sector 2 (TRO). The copies, however, don't fly nearly as fast as the originals.

Rinka

Rinka are circular enemies generated in an infinite supply in Tourian. Although all of the Rinka in Metroid and Super Metroid are red, there is also a green version found in Zero Mission, which spawns and flies at nearly twice the speed of the red ones.

Ripper

Small floating beetles which move horizontally back and forth and can only be killed with the Super Missile or Screw Attack. Appears on the cover of the game and box. Rippers are commonly frozen and used as platforms to reach otherwise inaccessible areas. They are found on Zebes and come in many different forms, though they are most commonly brownish, with two main segments - a smallish, pointed head section, taking up approximately one tenth of the body, and the main body, which is protected on the top by a smooth roundish shell in the manner of a turtle. In the original Metroid, the orange ones were indestructible and could only be frozen. The red variant of the normal Ripper can be destroyed, though it would require an extreme amount of regular shots, a missile, or the Screw Attack.

A Ripper would appear on the first episode of Captain N. It is seen circling the Palace of Power in the beginning of the episode.

Rocket Ripper

Red or purple-colored Rippers which travel much faster and have exhaust flames behind them. These generally have more bulk than common Rippers and are boxlike in shape compared to normal Rippers' more ovoid appearance.

Winged Ripper

A unique Ripper with small wings that allow it to travel in a circle instead of back and forth. The Winged Ripper is used as a platform in the boss fight with Imago's cocoon in Metroid: Zero Mission. Of note is that if the player has gotten Super Missiles or the Screw Attack early (see sequence breaking), the Ripper would not die if shot or jumped into, because defeating Imago would be virtually impossible then without the Winged Ripper. If the Winged Ripper is under the larva when it falls from being defeated (easier to do when it's frozen), it will die.

Skree

Skrees are bat-like aerials who hang upside-down from ceilings. They have an extremely high body temperature and are very territorial - if anything wanders into their territory they fly towards the intruder and explode. They have two large claws. in Metroid: Zero Mission, the claws shatter into flying shrapnel.

Skrees would appear on the first episode of Captain N. They are seen circling the Palace of Power in the beginning of the episode and also midway through the same episode when Kevin and Princess Lana journey through the world of Metroid to defeat Mother Brain. One is also seen giving chase to an unarmed Kevin in the 12th episode.

They would also appear in the Captain N comic book series, more closely resembling their appearance according to the Metroid concept art.

Sidehopper

Sidehoppers are insectoids found in Metroid, Metroid: Zero Mission, Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion, Metroid Prime (although not as live enemies in Prime) and mentioned in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. They have two armored legs and jump side-to-side, hence their name. In Prime, the only Sidehopper is a Phazon-infused experiment locked behind a blue barrier beside a creature banging on a door. Players tend to confuse this with a Dessgeega, but upon scanning, it says it is a Sidehopper. In Echoes, the Multiplayer map loosely based on the Orpheon is named "Sidehopper Station", due to the fact that, from overhead, it closely resembles the Sidehopper itself. In Super Metroid, Sidehoppers living in Brinstar come in two forms; 'big' and 'small', and can be dispatched with any weapon. There are also two blue Sidehoppers living in a dusty area of Tourian that can only be killed with Super Missiles, although the second blue Sidehopper ends up being killed by an extremely huge Metroid larvae and is turned to dust (These blue Sidehoppers appear as X Parasite copies in Metroid Fusion.). The Sidehoppers in Metroid: Zero Mission have green bodies and bluish eyes and can only be found in Kraid's Lair and make a strange squeaky noise when they crick their necks.

Squeept

Squeepts are enemies found in Norfair. They jump in and out of lava when Samus is close. They can be frozen and used as platforms over large stretches of lava.

Waver

Weak enemies that fly back and forth in irregular patterns. Concept art shows them as insectoids, but details are difficult to distinguish in game. In the original Metroid, there were 2 color variants--blue and green, blue being the stronger. Stronger X duplicates can be found in Sector 5 (ARC) in Metroid Fusion. Unlike the originals, the X-Parasite clones actually charge towards the player if they are nearby.

Wavers would appear on the first episode of Captain N. They are seen circling the Palace of Power in the beginning of the episode and also midway through the same episode when Kevin and Princess Lana journey through the world of Metroid to defeat Mother Brain. They would also appear in the Captain N comic book series, more closely resembling their appearance according to the Metroid concept art.

Zeb

Mysteriously, Brinstar (and many other areas in Zebes) are covered in green pipes which look similar to the pipes in Super Mario Bros., another Nintendo game. The Zeb flies out of these pipes at the enemy. However, it is very lightly armored and does not do much damage. They continue to attack in infinite number, so standing in front of a pipe and repeatedly killing them for their health or missile powerups is an easy way to recharge in the absence of an energy station or missile station. There is a unique pipe enemy for each region of Zebes. These are very similar to rhinoceros beetles.

Zebbo

Zebbos are bee-like enemies that are generated by the pipes in Ridley's Lair.

Zebetite

Zebetites, sometimes called Zeebetites, are Mother Brain's life support units. A rapid barrage of missiles will cause them to shrink and eventually disappear, clearing the path for Samus Aran to advance. However, if the attack is stopped prematurely, they will grow back. Zebetites are extremely resilient and hard to destroy without Missiles, thus making their secondary purpose defense.

Theoretically, the energy provided by these Zebetites are required to keep Mother Brain alive. However, it does not seem to die spontaneously after the Zebetites are destroyed.

A Zebetite appears to be a tube filled with a red organic substance, connected to metallic pipes.

Zebetites have appeared in every Metroid game featuring the Mother Brain: Metroid, Super Metroid and Metroid: Zero Mission. The Metroid password contains a bit for each Zebetite, indicating whether it has been destroyed.

In Corruption there are generators reminiscent of the Zebetites found in a Pirate base.

Zoomer

Zoomers are small hemispherical mollusks with spikes along their backs. Their intellect is limited to walking in set patterns along the terrain, meaning that Samus Aran must accidentally run or jump into them in order to be harmed. Zoomers are very weak enemies, and often the first enemies Samus encounters in the beginning of the games. Despite their names, Zoomers are quite slow. Appears on the cover of the game and box.

It should be noted that the Zoomer and Geemer scans in Metroid Prime Hunters state that Geemers are known for rooting around in waste and that Zoomers are known for spreading disease (most notably a type of flesh-eating bacteria which wiped out many native species to Zebes), which is comparable to the real life rat.

In Metroid Prime Hunters, shooting them with the power beam gives out 30 units of energy each.

Geemer

Geemers are stronger versions of Zoomers, and are red. In Metroid Prime, Geemers have retractable spikes that protect them against weaker weaponry, and are only damaged by Missiles, Super Missiles, Missile Combos, Power Bombs, and the Plasma Beam. However, Zoomers are damaged by all weapons. The only way to destroy a Geemer in Metroid Prime Hunters is to shoot it with any of the six sub-weapons or a missile.

When scanned in Metroid Prime Hunters, the readout says: "A small but dangerous creature that exposes sharp spikes on its back when threatened. This scavenger is known to forage through human refuse and is an infamous pest on Zebes."

Species

There are several varieties of Zoomers in Super Metroid. There are the ordinary blue/purple ones found in Crateria, a gray type (also found in Crateria) that can only be harmed by heavy weapons like Power Bombs or the Plasma Beam, and other Zoomer-like creatures which follow identical AI routines but look more like Crabs or Insects.

There is also a unique quirk Geemer in Super Metroid. In Crateria, there is a small enclosed room on the right side, close to the Wrecked Ship. It is visible on the map as a small rectangle surrounded by a much larger room. When Samus enters this room, a Reddish Geemer is visible above her. This Geemer follows a different pattern from normal Geemers, as it will match Samus' horizontal movements on top of the tube. This Geemer can be killed by the Wave Beam or Power Bombs, but the item dropped by it (usually energy or missiles, like any other enemy) can never be collected. Further, this particular passage can be approached from above, but when the player reaches it, the Geemer is absent. Since no programmer has specifically said why they put this Geemer here, it is likely that it is an easter egg.

In Metroid Fusion, there is an X clone creature called an Owtch which behaves exactly like a Zoomer. However, it more closely resembles a snail-like creature, though it does have a spiked hemispherical shell.

Artificial intelligence

The AI routine for the two-dimensional games is as follows: A Zoomer or Geemer begins by moving in either the left or right direction. When the Zoomer encounters a vertical wall, it rotates by 90 degrees and walks up the wall it hit. Conversely, if the Zoomer walks off of a ledge, it rotates -90° and walks down the wall. This allows Zoomers to move in simple circles around a complex room or object.

There is a flaw in the Zoomer AI in the original Metroid. If the object the Zoomer is standing on is removed, the Zoomer continually spins in place, as the AI is constantly rotating by -90°. This is fixed in Super Metroid, as the Zoomer unceremoniously falls to the floor. When Samus fires a Super Missile at a wall or ceiling, the resulting shockwave causes all Zoomers in the area to fall off the ledge they were on.

Zoomers and Geemers in the 3D games follow a very similar AI modified for three-dimensional movement.

Zeela

Yellow crab like organisms. They behave exactly like Zoomers. In Zero Mission, there is a red variety of Zeela. They don't move any faster than their yellow cousins, but when destroyed, their eyeballs fall down, which can harm the player. In Metroid Fusion, there is an X version of Zeela, which are able to shoot balls of energy from their arms.

Metroid II: Return of Samus

Arachnus

Arachnus is an animal originating from the planet SR-388. The biped is distinguished by its four toothed maw, segmented eyes, elongated neck, the hard shell on its back, and the large claws on its fore-arms. It is known to curl into an armored ball when threatened, and only periodically emerges from the ball in order to attack with either its claws, or by spitting fire from its mouth.

Arachnus made its first appearance in Metroid II: Return of Samus, inside the second Chozo ruin that is discovered in the game. Here it disguised itself as one of the classic item balls held by the Chozo statues. Defeating it yields access to the Chozo statue that holds the Spring Ball.

Arachnus' 2nd appearance is as the first boss of Metroid Fusion. Its attack pattern includes curling up into a ball. Because of this, it carries the Morph Ball upgrade, which is absorbed by Samus when the core is destroyed. This version of Arachnus is only an X Parasite clone, not the original one from SR388. Its attacks include a flamethrower and sonic energy waves.

Arachnus is also known by the name "Mulcalah", most notably in the Metroid Fusion soundtrack.

Autoad

The Autoad is a jumping toadlike robot built by an ancient civilization. It is programmed to stop intruders.

Autom

An indestructible defense mechanism that flies horizontally. This creature activates a flamethrower when Samus comes near.

Autrack

Autrack is a robot from Metroid II: Return of Samus which travels along a track.

The Autrack can be found in numerous Chozo structures on the planet SR-388, where it acts as a point defense turret. The autrack is typically found hidden behind a wall or small structure, where it is protected when not firing. When it detects an intruder, its track arm extends, and the cannon fires, once it has fired, the arm retracts while the weapon reloads for another shot.

Blob Thrower

This plant creature is found on Planet SR388. It comes out of the ground and spits out little blobs that hover around, and then it retracts back into the ground. Killing the blobs is a good way to refill Samus' health and ammo.

Chute Leech

The Chute Leech is seen in Metroid II: Return of Samus, Super Metroid and as an X Parasite clone in Metroid Fusion, being found on both SR388 and Zebes. It has a flat body, and its attack is to jump up into the air, and then glide down with its parachute like body. The variant on Zebes has rows of teeth visible on its underside. They are more a nuisance than a serious threat. The X Parasite variant can release acid.

Drivel

Gigantic bats that live in dark places. When Samus comes close, the Drivel dives toward her.

Gravitt

This crustaceous creature hides in the floor, only coming out to attack when Samus comes close. When hidden, only the spike on top can be seen and sometimes they are concealed under destroyable blocks so even this is hidden. Appears in Metroid II: Return of Samus.

Gullugg

Gulluggs have long, needle-like noses and fly around in circles. They are found on Planet SR388. They frequently yield missiles when killed. They look remarkably like mosquito heads.

Gunzoo

This mechanical defence mechanism attacks any intruder with 4 guns on its belly. It is impervious to Samus' weapons because of its hard plating.

Hornoad

Hornoads resemble frogs and hop around as such. Their name is a portmanteau of horn and toad. They frequently yield missiles when killed. They are only found in Metroid II, and in Metroid Fusion in the form of X-Parasite copies. In Metroid Fusion, a Hornoad infects Samus with the X-Parasite. Curiously enough, Hornoads are one of the only creature in Metroid Fusion that has a non-infected state: it is generally hard to see due to coloring, but green versions of Hornoads wait in the areas that Hornoads appear as enemies, and transform into the red version once possessed with an X-Parasite. However, they are untouchable until infected, merely acting as background.

Moheek

Moheeks look like fish with tendrils coming out of their heads. They move slowly on the walls of the acid areas on Planet SR388. Although they are not aggressive, they do a relatively high amount of damage if Samus touches them.

Proboscum

The Proboscum is a harmless, invulnerable robotic drone found on SR388. There is much speculation over its original purpose, as it is typically found malfunctioning and clamped onto a vertical wall, where its swiveling arm can be used as a platform.

Septogg

Septoggs are found on Planet SR388. They hover in one place and do no damage to Samus, so she can use them as platforms. However, their tiny wings can't support her weight, so standing on them causes them to descend quickly.

Wallfire

This immobile sentry is mounted on walls in the ruins of SR388, and becomes active only when an unrecognized lifeform enters range. The Wallfire is capable of projecting fireballs towards any threats, which can be frozen with the Ice Beam. They are also capable of regenerating damage if no threats are nearby.

Super Metroid

Bombu

Strange, electrical beings resembling the nucleus of an atom. Whether they are robots or not is different depending on where they are found; those on Tallon IV are implied to be living creatures, while those on Aether are janitorial drones made by the Luminoth. The ones in Ridley's ship in Zero Mission are never explained.

Pulse Bombu/Harmony Class Drone

Yellow and blue in color, these creatures release the yellow sections of their bodies in the forms of regenerating explosives. The Bombu in Metroid Prime can only be destroyed by the Wave Beam, but the Luminoth-made Harmony Drones of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes can be dispatched with conventional weaponry.

In Prime, the Pirates have patrolling certain areas of the Phazon Mines invisible Pulse Bombus. They can only be seen with the X-Ray Visor, but other than that are regular Bombus.

Scatter Bombu/Diligence Class Drone

Purple and pink in color, these creatures form a trio of energy beams around themselves and latch onto the walls of narrow tunnels. They rotate in the tunnel, and a well-timed Boost Ball can allow Samus to pass between the beams. In Prime, the Wave Beam is the only weapon that can destroy them. In Prime 2: Echoes, the Dark Beam destroys the Diligence Drones, and the Light Beam (when fully charged) can destroy the Dark Diligence Drones.

Zero Mission/Super Metroid Bombu

An unnamed green and yellow Bombu can be found flying in the Pirate Mothership after Samus clears the Chozo Ruins test. This Bombu moves like a Pulse Bombu, but releases a beam of electricity to attack like the Scatter Bombu.

Identical in appearance yet lacking the energy projectiles of its 'predecessors', the bombu-like constructs found in Super Metroid's Wrecked Ship have an even more mysterious origin, but are much simpler to deal with. They sometimes emerge from glass-encased storage tubes attached to the floor.

Botwoon

Botwoon is an orange snake-like mini-boss in the Maridia area of Super Metroid. Botwoon is a burrowing creature, and is encountered snaking between various holes in the wall. When threatened, it will stick its head out of a hole, much like an eel, and then spit a form of corrosive acid on its attacker. Botwoon can only be damaged by shooting its head, and although the head is easier to hit while Botwoon is attacking, it can be shot while Botwoon is moving as well, which is necessary to finish Botwoon off when it is heavily damaged. When Botwoon is defeated, the wall behind it caves in and the player can continue.

Boyon

The Boyon is a yellow spit like creature, and looks very similar to the spit balls Draygon makes, they are useful when frozen and act as another platform for the player.

Bull

A round, floating creature, which emits puffs of gas from many exhaust pipes on its surface. It is attracted to Samus and moves toward her, but can only be destroyed with a Super Missile or the Grappling Beam. It lives in the Wrecked Ship and the sand pits of Maridia. They also appear as X-Parasite clones in Metroid Fusion. The clones are blue and purple in color, and have a movement pattern similar to the Multiviola, though unlike their original counterparts, the Bull-X can be destroyed with a beam weapon.

Cacatac

The Cacatac is a plant on planet Zebes, that closely resembles a barrel cactus. It is mobile, which is unusual for a plant, and can shoot spikes. It has appeared in Super Metroid, and bears a resemblance to Seedlings in Metroid Prime.

The cacatac is a plant standing roughly 1.3 meters in height, and is found in Brinstar, Maridia and Norfair. It stands on a number of short spiny legs. The cacatac's body is covered by rows of spikes, which it is able to launch as projectiles. Though normally green, cacatacs can be and are found in a variety of colors, including red and blue.

Covern

Covern (sometimes called Koben) are ghosts that haunt the Wrecked Ship in Super Metroid. They are dark brown and have multiple skull-like heads. After the defeat of Phantoon, they will cease to haunt the ruins, suggesting that they were in fact caused by Phantoon. They try to materialize wherever Samus Aran is standing, but the player can simply move and then shoot them to kill them, or wait for them to disappear.

Crocomire

Crocomire is a large, 8-eyed reptilian, standing at about twice Samus Aran's height. Its red flesh, though nearly indestructible, appears to be in a perpetual state of melting. The creature's long bony arms are connected close to its back, but are long enough to reach well round its immense girth. Despite its short legs and portly build, Crocomire's movements are surprisingly quick, and it is easily capable of charging its prey.

Crocomire's flesh is extremely tough, and he cannot be damaged through conventional means, but shooting missiles, super missiles or regular shots into his mouth causes him to stagger back. He is defeated when he is pushed back onto the weak spot on the floor, causing him to fall into the acid below. Just before he dies, his skeleton will jump out and try to attack Samus. It won't hurt her and will simply collapse into a pile of bones. If left alone long enough, he will push Samus back into a wall of spikes.

Crocomire was also planned to appear in Metroid: Zero Mission, a remake of the original Metroid, but was removed for unknown reasons. The most common theory is that Crocomire's inclusion would make one too many similarities between Zero Mission and Super Metroid. While the character artwork and programming was unfinished, the unused sprites have been discovered inside the finished game's ROM.

Dachora

The Dachora is a fictional alien species resembling a green ostrich or emu. It first appeared in Super Metroid, then in its sequel Metroid Fusion.

In Super Metroid, Samus Aran encounters the dachora after getting the Speed Booster; the dachora teaches her how to use the "Shinespark" technique. An egg in a nest can be seen in the area.

At the end of the game, during the countdown to escape the planet, the player has the option of rescuing it (it is trapped in the room in Crateria where the morph bombs were acquired and the battle with the first Torizo mini-boss occurred). Doing so results in a slightly different ending.

Regardless of whether or not the Dachora and Etecoons are rescued in Super Metroid, the characters show up in the following game, Metroid Fusion, apparently making their rescue in the storyline official canon. The egg from Super Metroid was hatched, as the Dachora now has a baby with it.

In Metroid Fusion, the encounter is a required part of the plot; Samus must rescue them for the story to proceed. At the end of the game, the Dachora, along with the Etecoons, return the favor by helping to pilot Samus' ship into space when the Omega Metroid shows up. After Samus defeats it, they pilot the ship back, in effect saving her ship, as well as her life.

Draygon

Draygon is a boss that inhabits the far east end of Maridia in Super Metroid. Samus Aran must defeat it in order to obtain the Space Jump and to unlock the path to Tourian. It is never confirmed if Draygon was affiliated with the Space Pirates in any way, but the fact that it must be killed in order to have access to the core of the Space Pirate base indicates that it might have been a leader of some sort.

Draygon is a large, green crustacean with markings that resemble human skulls. Draygon is often referred to by fans as a female because of the several harmless Evirs (which resemble Draygon) that surround the area before the fight and drag Draygon's body away when defeated (there is no conclusive evidence of gender). Its attacks include quickly zooming on and off screen, spitting out viscous saliva, and lifting Samus off the ground and lashing her with its tail. Draygon's shell is extremely tough, with its yellow underbelly being its only weak point.

Draygon can be defeated in three ways: shooting charged shots or missiles at its underbelly or (once grabbed) using the Grapple Beam to electrocute Draygon by hooking it onto damaged electrical turrets on the wall. Utilizing the second method causes considerable damage to the player, but makes it easy to defeat Draygon. However, this method is not immediately apparent.

The third method of dispatching it is something of a glitch. If Draygon is reduced to sufficiently low health, it can be defeated with a shinespark. Once Samus is trapped in a web, she may begin running and quickly gain enough momentum to become blue without moving far (thanks to the web's impaired movement). She may then duck, and, if properly timed, shinespark into Draygon's belly. If Draygon is slain in this manner Samus will appear blue indefinitely until the next time she chooses to duck, at which point she may activate one shinespark before returning to normal.

Etecoon

The Etecoons somewhat resemble a mix of monkeys and koalas. They have appeared in the video games Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion.

In Super Metroid, Samus Aran finds a group of three Etecoons deep in the caverns of Brinstar. They show her how to execute the wall jump technique. If Samus rescues the Etecoons and Dachora at the end of the game, the ending becomes slightly different.

In Metroid Fusion, Samus' computerized CO, Adam, detects signs of life in the Biologic Space Labs Habitation Deck. When she goes to investigate, she finds not human survivors, but the same trio of Etecoons and the adult and baby Dachora from Super Metroid.

Evir

The Evirs are crustaceans that appear in Super Metroid. They resemble small versions of Draygon, but are colored orange. However, the Evirs that surround Draygon are colored green. Evirs also appear in the reef area of Metroid Fusion's AQA (Sector 4), after the Nightmare boss is defeated, but like most of the creatures in Metroid Fusion, these are X parasites taking the forms of Evirs.

KiHunter

The KiHunters, also called the Keyhunters, have allied themselves with the chief villains of the galaxy, the Space Pirates.

The KiHunters are insectoids closely resembling wasps or praying mantises. They have four limbs and a set of wings. They are most common in their flying form, where they attack with their claws by swooping down upon their victim from above. All members of the species will lose their wings when damaged. They then revert to a ground-based mode of travel that involves hopping, and at this point they will spit highly corrosive acid at anything that threatens them. The KiHunters are apparently, like the Space Pirates, civilizational animals, as the Super Metroid instruction manual refers to them as pirates from another galactic system who helped rebuild the fortress on Zebes after Samus Aran destroyed it on her first mission there.

KiHunters are found in both Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion, although in the later game, they are only X Parasites mimicking the true species. The cocoons which the Zero creatures in the TRO sector form after you defeat the Giant Choot boss later hatch into Kihunters after the station-wide power outage occurs. This apparent metamorphosis reveals that Zeros, creatures that were originally found in Super Metroid, are the larval stage of a KiHunter's lifecycle.

KiHunters can be found in virtually all environments on Zebes, ranging from the damp caverns of Crateria to the hottest pits of Lower Norfair. KiHunters come in several different colors, generally indicative of their strength. The fact that their color scheme is always very close to that of their environment, even in artificially constructed areas, suggests that they may employ some degree of camouflage. Something worth mentioning is that in Super Metroid, the room were the player first encounters KiHunters (more specifically, the room before fighting Spore Spawn) is filled with objects stuck to the ceilling that ressemble eggs/coccoons. The fact that there are three KiHunters in said room implies that the eggs are theirs.

The name (which means “life” or “blood” hunter), needle like proboscis and the acid spitting capabilities of this race hint at a spider digestive process, where incapacitated prey are liquefied by digestive enzymes before consumption.

Mochtroid

Mochtroids are the unfortunate result of the Space Pirates' failed attempt to clone Metroids. They are distinctly different from their progenitors in that they only possess a single nucleus, instead of three the (original) Metroids naturally possess. As well, they are no larger than half the size of a Metroid, and most Mochtroids possess only 1/10 the strength of a natural Metroid. The Mochtroids can suck energy out of their prey just like Metroids can, but they can't latch onto anyone.

Oum

A green mollusk which can curl up into a ball much like Arachnus to block passages. They are only found in a single area in Maridia.

Rippers

Rippers are flying turtle like creatures, they come in different colours all over Zebes and are used for different purposes. The Peachy/murky coloured ones are used as platforms when frozen and come in handy when you're off to get your first power bomb. The Yellow/murky coloured ones with a blue flame coming out the back are used for grappling across gaps and come in useful when you need to get into the wrecked ship. The Red/Black ones with the red flame coming out the back have no real purpose but are found in Norfair, they might just be obstacles.

Phantoon

A large, dark green floating creature, resembling a cross between a jellyfish and the disembodied head of a cyclops. Its large head suggests an equally large brain, and its psychic abilities. Phantoon is the guardian of the Wrecked Ship in Super Metroid and one of four bosses that must be killed in order to have access to Tourian. It is not clear if Phantoon, along with Draygon, had any connections whatsoever with the Space Pirates, but it is possible that both were Pirate leaders in some existing way because of their importance in unlocking Tourian. Its attacks consist of blue flame which it can summon in various patterns. Phantoon can only be damaged when it is visible, after an attack - most of the time it is transparent or invisible to Samus. If hit by a Super Missile, which does double damage to Phantoon, it will move to the center of the room and attack with many waves of blue flame, blocking the entire room but which can be dodged using Morph Ball mode. When Phantoon is destroyed, power is restored to the Wrecked Ship and Covern stop appearing, leaving a hint that it was responsible for the black-out in the ship. Being a presumably energy-based being, it is possible that Phantoon was feeding on the ship's energy reserves, although no evidence exist to back up this theory.

Shaktool

A mechanical digging robot, consisting of two digging wheels on either side, connected by pods to the center control unit. The Shaktool moves by constantly backflipping. It is only found in one room in Maridia, and is necessary to get the Spring Ball. The player must destroy the opposite wall and the Shaktool will dig through the dirt, exposing a path to the upgrade. Shaktool can be destroyed with a Super Missile.

Skultera

Large, gray fish found in Maridia, Skultera are slow-moving powerhouses. They are invulnerable to regular Beam shots. Upon detecting prey (in this case, Samus), they speed up and attempt to kill the target by ramming. They never gain a whole lot of speed during the effort.

Skultera also appear on the B.S.L. station in Metroid Fusion as an enemy in the AQA sector. They form when two X combine with a small, brown fish very similar in appearance to a Skultera. Otherwise, little has changed since Super Metroid.

In Zero Mission, a small part of Crateria has a resemblance to Maridia. In this section, Skultera can be found in abundance, but they appear nowhere else in the game.

Spore Spawn

A plantlike sub-boss of Brinstar, combining falling spores (hence the name) and a waving motion of its elongated plant-like neck to attack. The falling spores can be shot for energy and missile powerups, and Spore Spawn's direct attacks can be avoided by using Samus' morph ball mode. As Spore Spawn is damaged, it turns from green to a darker color and moves faster. This boss is defeated by shooting into its vulnerable inner core when it opens. When Spore Spawn is defeated, the entire room turns yellow and Spore Spawn, now brown, shrivels, becoming a platform to reach the top of the room and continue to the first Super Missile powerup.

Tatori

A giant tortoise as large as Samus which lives in Maridia. If disturbed, it retracts into its shell and spins back and forth. If Samus jumps on top of it, it will fly up to near the top of the room, allowing her to obtain powerups. It will damage Samus if she is hit by the shell while it is moving side-to-side. There are also some harmless baby turtles crawling around it which greatly ressemble the Buzzy Beetle creatures from the Super Mario games. Although this may have been intentional, not unlike an homage to the Super Mario series.

Torizo

The Torizo was introduced in Super Metroid. Torizos look just like standard Chozo statues, but while Chozo statues are usually beneficial to the player, giving new equipment and items, a Torizo comes to life and attacks the player.

Three Torizos appear as mini-bosses in Super Metroid. The first, which is encountered very early in the game in Crateria, poses as an ordinary Chozo statue holding the Morph Ball Bombs, and comes to life to attack when the bombs are taken. The second Torizo, which is gold and considerably more powerful than the first, is found late in the game, in the depths of Norfair. It holds no item of its own, but defeating it allows the player to reach the Screw Attack. This Torizo dodges Missiles, as well as grabs Super Missiles and throws them back at Samus. As such can only be harmed with the Charge Beam.

A third Torizo is encountered just before the end of the game in Tourian. This one, however, is only a dried-up husk that crumbles when touched. It is soon revealed that the creature was sucked dry by a giant Metroid, giving the impression that the player was saved the trouble of battling this final, presumably most powerful, Torizo.

One of the early bosses in Metroid Fusion is an X Parasite mimicking a Torizo, representing the most recent representation of this enemy. However, it quickly morphs into a Core-X almost immediately after the player shoots it once.

The word "torizo" is Japanese for "bird statue", which can alternately be read as "chozo". As such, it is synonymous with Chozo to describe the statues that give the power ups. However, since only the referenced statues attack Samus, it produced the misconception that the Torizo is a new, evil race of Chozo. A Chozo inscription in Metroid Prime clarifies the issue: "Still [other statues] are guardians of our secret ways, and these can be as terrible as they are beautiful."

Zebesian Space Pirate

Zebesian Space Pirates are the basic enemy soldiers of Super Metroid, and appear as tall, insectile humanoids with large crustacean-like claws instead of hands. They have large, glowing eyes, and segmented limbs with softer and differently-colored tissue on the undersides of their arms and legs. Their claws fire a weakened variant of the plasma beam, and they can cling to/climb on/leap between walls. Gray pirates are the weakest variety, dying to a single powerbeam shot. These are found in the Old Tourian areas of Crateria. Green pirates, located in Crateria and Brinstar, are immune to most uncharged shots, Red pirates inhabit the areas around Crocomire's lair and regions of Upper Norfair. while the pink-armored ones, found in Maridia, require the plasma beam or the screw attack. There are also Gold coloured pirates in Lower Norfair that require a charge shot or screw attack to be killed. Tan-gray pirates, found only near Ridley's lair (the ninja pirates) in Lower Norfair and in the final escape sequence, are the hardest to kill, requiring charged plasma beam or screw attacks to breach their armor. Purple-armored pirates are also found in the B.S.L in Metroid Fusion; these are about as strong as the green ones in Super Metroid. They are most common in Sector 1 (SRX), although a few of them can also be found in Sector 5 (ARC).

There are also variants of the tan-gray pirates. They are the most powerful Space Pirate in Super Metroid, and are found only in a room near Ridley's, where they function as a miniboss of sorts. They have powerful armor and can only be destroyed once they turn gold (which occurs after they do a flying kick). Rather than wielding guns, they rely on spinning jumps, and flying kicks. They also occasionally throw their claws (resembling boomerangs when airborne), which somehow respawn a short time later.

Metroid Fusion features similar guardians near Neo-Ridley's lair, but these pirates are always gold, and rather than using melee attacks, these act like normal pirates who can only be damaged from behind--usually after performing a spin jump.

References

• Metroid US Instruction Manual
• Nintendo Power Magazine Volume 201
• Official Metroid Prime Hunters Website
• Metroid-EU
• Metroid Galaxy