THE METROID STORY
In the year 2000 of the history of the cosmos, representatives from the many
different planets in the galaxy established a congress called the Galactic
Federation, and an age of prosperity began. A successful exchange of
cultures and civilization resulted and thousands of interstellar spaceships
ferried back and forth between planets. But space pirates also appeared to
attack the spaceships. The Federal Bureau created the Galactic Federation
Police, but the pirates' attacks were powerful and it was not easy to catch
them in the vastness of space. The Federation Bureau and the Federation
Police called together warriors known for their great courage and sent them
to do battle with the pirates. These great warriors were called "space
hunters." They received large rewards when they captured pirates, and made
their living as space bounty hunters.
It is now the year 20X5 of the history of the cosmos, and something terrible
has happened. Space pirates have attacked a deep-space research spaceship
and seized a capsule containing an unknown life-form that had just been
discovered on planet SR388. This life-form is in a state of suspended
animation, but can be reactivated and will multiply when exposed to beta
rays for 24 hours. It is suspected that the entire civilzation of planet
SR388 was destroyed by some unknown person or thing, and there is a strong
possibility that the life-form just discovered was the cause of the planet's
destruction. To carelessly let it multiply would be extremely dangerous.
The Federation researchers had named it "Metroid" and were bringing it back
to Earth when it was stolen by space pirates!
If Metroid is multiplied by the space pirates and then used as a weapon, the
entire galactic civilization will be destroyed. After a desperate search,
the Federation Police have at last found the pirates' headquarters, the
fortress planet Zebes, and launched a general attack. But the pirates'
resistance is strong, and the Police have been unable to take the planet.
Meanwhile, in a room hidden deep within the center of the fortress, the
preparations for multiplying the Metroid are progressing steadily.
As a last resort, the Federation Police have decided on this strategy: to
send a space hunter to penetrate the center of the fortress and destroy the
Mother Brain. The space hunter chosen for this mission is Samus Aran. He
is the greatest of all the space bounty hunters and has successfully
completed numerous missions that everybody thought were absolutely
impossible. He is a cyborg: his entire body has been surgically
strengthened with robotics, giving him superpowers. Even the space pirates
fear his space suit, which can absorb any enemies power. But his true form
is shrouded in mystery.
The planet Zebes is a natural fortress. Its sides are covered with a
special kind of stone, and its interior is a complicated maze. On top of
that, the pirates have planted devices and booby traps in the maze, and the
pirates' eery followers lie in wait around every corner. Samus has now
successed in penetrating Zebes. But time is running out. Will he be able
to destroy the Metroid and save the galaxy?
HOW TO START PLAYING METROID
1. Title
2. Start or Continue
*Use the Select button to choose either Start or Continue. You can enter
either mode with the Start button.
*If you choose Start, the game begins.
*If you choose Continue, the password screen appears.
3. Password Screen
*Use the control pad to move the cursor and select letters and numbers.
*Press button A to register the letter or number.
*You can backspace the register position by pressing the B button.
*When you finish the password, push the Start button and the game will begin.
*If you make a mistake in selecting the password, when you press the Start
button, the warning "ERROR! TRY AGAIN!" will appear below the password.
4. When the game is over
*"GAME OVER" will appear.
*The password will appear. At this point, if you press the Start button,
you may continue your last game.
*If you use the password when you start a new game, you may continue your
old game using that password.
Important Points To Remember To Advance The Game
*Destroy the giant mechanical organism - the Mother Brain!
*Samus' mission is to destroy the Mother Brain in the planet's central base.
On the way, he continues to search endlessly, and to kill the Mini-Bosses
that he meets.
How To Use The Controller
*The controller has several parts. The control pad allows you to move
Samus. Button A makes him jump. You may select weapons with the SELECT
button. You may attack enemies with button B.
1. Press control pad up:
Aims beam weapon up.
2. Press control pad left or right:
Moves Samus right or left.
3. Press control pad down:
Curl up.
4. Select button:
Selects beam missile.
5. Start Button:
Pause and unpause.
6. B Button:
Shoots beam or sets bombs.
7. A Button:
Jump.
Reading The Screen Displays
*During the game, data on Samus will appear on the screen display, as shown
in the picture to the right. In the beginning, only the amount of energy
will be displayed. But later on, when Samus captures an energy tank or a
missle, those numbers will be displayed. Pay attention to this data!
[picture "to the right"]
EN..93
M 010
EN..93 = Energy
M = The missle icon
010 = Number of missiles
When Samus captures an energy ball...
*When an enemy is destroyed, an energy ball is sometimes given off. If this
ball is captured, Samus' energy is increased, but his energy cannot increase
beyond 99 without extra energy tanks.
Hunt Out The Power Items And Boost Samus' Power!
*At the start of the game, Samus carries only a short beam. You have to
boost Samus' power by finding the rooms that contain the Power items and
capture them. Boosting Samus' power gives him new ways to attack - such as
wave beams, screw attacks, and bomb-setting. There are 10 Power items in
total. Collect as many as you can to fortify Samus.
The 3 Zones Of The Fortress Zebes!
*The three zones inside the fortress are called Brinstar (rocky zone),
Norfair (fire zone), and Tourian (central base). You have to clear the
first two zones before you may reach Tourian.
Search Out And Destroy The Mini-Bosses!
*The Mini-Bosses have their hideouts in Brinstar and Norfair. Zap them to
clear the area and move on. When they are both down, you can make a bridge
that will take you to Tourian.
Pitting Samus Against The Mother Brain
*First, clear the giant maze.
*The interior of the planet Zebes is a winding complicated maze. Samus must
attack the walls with beams and bombs while searching for the secret
passageway through which he can advance. Use the map on the next page to
work out where Samus is. Or better still, make a map of your own to guide you.
[Map of game area's which I am unable to reproduce - sorry]
This map shows you what the inside of the fortress planet looks like. The
Mini-Bosses have their hideouts in Brinstar and Norfair. Find and zap two
Mini-Bosses to build the bridge from the corridor that leads into Tourian
and get to the Central base containing Mother Brain. Three kinds of gates
will block your way. The Blue ones open from one blast from your beam; it
takes 5 missile blasts to open the red ones and 10 missle blasts to open the
other ones.
All Paths Start At Brinstar.
*None of the fierce enemies appear at the start of the game. Use this time
wisely to get rid of all the minor enemies and boost Samus' power. Warning!
Beware of the water! Fall in and Samus' energy is weakened.
Face The Treacherous Fire-Sea of Norfair!
*If Samus falls into the fire-sea his enery seeps away. You haven't got
much foot-room. The trick is to watch where you land.
Watch Out! Two Mini-Bosses Are Lying In Wait.
*In Brinstar and Norfair, Samus has to search out the Mini-Bosses in their
hideouts and zap them. Look for the corridors that lead to their hideouts.
Renew your energy and zoom ahead.
At Last! You're Close to Tourian!
*Once you've gotten rid of the Mini-Bosses, you have to hit the Mini-Boss
statues at the entrance to Tourian in order to build the bridge. Now you're
ready to enter Tourian. The only way you can kill the Metroid is to freeze
it with your ice beam and attack it with missiles. Will Samus discover at
last the true nature of the Giant Mechanical Organism, the Mother Brain?
The Key To Winning:
*Hunt Out The Power Items
*Samus' power of attack is weak at the beginning of the game and he is armed
with only a Short Beam. It is essential to hunt out the Power Items to
strengthen him.
To Make The Power Items Appear...
*Rooms containing Power Items are hidden somewhere in the fortress Zebes.
Find the rooms and hit the crystal ball held by the statue, to make a Power
Item appear.
Long Beam:
It strengthens the attacking range of your beam. It can also boost the
range of the Ice Beam and the Wave Beam. Useful for attacking enemies from
a distance.
Ice Beam:
This allows you to freeze an enemy temporarily. If you already have a long
beam, then the Ice Beam becomes a long Ice Beam. This can't be used at the
same time as the Wave Beam. When you freeze an enemy, you may climb over it.
Wave Beam:
The beams are wave-shaped and are stronger than normal Beams. If you
already have a Long Beam, the Long Beam becomes a Long Wave Beam.
Screw Attack:
This super strong Power Item spins in flight to attack the enemy. Samus'
armor flashes during a Screw Attack.
High Jump:
With these boots, Samus can jump one-and-a-half times higher that he
normally can. Jumping high walls to get to new zones are no problem to him
with these. Be sure to get ahold of them.
Varia:
This raises Samus' powers of resistance and cuts in half the amount of
energy he uses up when attacked by a enemy. It is most useful when in
combat with the deadliest enemies.
Maru Mari:
Samus grows small and round like a ball when he gets this Power Item.
Useful when traveling along narrow passageways, it will help him until his
energy runs out.
Bomb:
Samus may use this Bomb while he is still small and round (Maru Mari). Use
the B button to attack an anemy with the Bomb. Use the blast to break down
barriers. You will need Bombs when escaping from the Metroid.
Energy Tank:
Energy is stored in these tanks. Normally, the amount of storable energy
cannot go above 99, but with each tank it increments by 100. You can
collect as many as 6. Keep your eye out for them and save as much energy as
you can.
Missile Rocket:
This stores the missiles. If you capture one, you get 5 more missiles.
Collect missiles from defeated enemies. You can store a maximum of 255.
Press the Select button to select the missiles and press the B button to fire.
Hordes Of Enemy Characters On The Fortress Planet Zebes
*Enemy characters have different personalities, but they all try to obstruct
Samus' progress. You have to memorize the places each character is likely
to appear and the best way to overcome them.
First, the enemy characters in Brinstar
*There are 7 types of enemy characters in Brinstar. Zap them as they
appear, then move on!
Mellow:
This creature can pass through walls. They like to chase after you in groups.
Zeb:
These occasionally fly out of air holes. Remember! It takes one blast of
the normal Beam to destroy the yellow ones and two blasts to destroy the red
ones.
Zoomer:
These fierce little creatures spray sticky fluid from their feet so they can
move along the floor or up an down walls. There are two kinds: Red Zoomers
and less powerful Yellow Zoomers.
Skree:
They stick to the ceiling and lie in wait for Samus. When he approaches,
they spin downwards to attack him.
Ripper:
These strange creatures do not have brains. They simply fly around
sluggishly in straight lines.
Waver:
These powerful enemies flutter around in irregular patterns. Shoot at them
or they'll attack.
Rio:
These are also pretty strong. They zoom down to attack Samus from the upper
walls. The red ones are stronger than the yellow ones.
Enemies In Mini-Boss Hideout 1
*Mini-Boss Hideout 1 is hidden somewhere in Brinstar and there are 7 kinds
of enemies inside it.
Memu:
They can pass through rocks and walls. Be careful as they fall on Samus in
groups. They are the weakest enemy in the hideout, so it's up to you to
destroy them.
Geega:
They come out through air holes and fly sideways. There are two types and
the brown ones have twice the strength.
Skree:
They use their wings like drills to descend from the ceiling and attack
Samus. Be careful of rock splinters when they are digging into the ground.
Zeela:
These boneless animals creep along horizontal and vertical surfaces. They
normally live underground. The blue ones are the strongest.
Ripper:
These slow creatures don't attack but fly aimlessly in straight lines. It
is wiser to run away from them that to try fighting them.
Side Hopper:
These powerful enemies attack Samus while hopping. Be careful, the Side
Hopper's strength is second only to the Mini-Boss. Destroy him with one
missile blast.
Kraid:
This is the head of the Mini-Boss hideout. He hurls horns from his stomach
and back. Be very careful of his fierce attacks. If Samus gets hit by him,
his energy will be weakened a lot.
Next, The Norfair Enemies!
*There are 9 kinds of enemy characters in Norfair. Make sure you know their
deadly specialties.
Melia:
These move in groups and can pass through walls and rocks. They are the
weakest and a single blast of the normal Beam will lay them flat.
Squeept:
They emerge from the lava and sink back into it. It takes more than one
blast of the normal Beam to destroy them.
Polyp:
These are poisonous lumps of lava that are blown out of the air holes. They
are weak enemies and have no life force.
Nova:
Their entire bodies are covered in spiky, fireproof wool and they crawl
around the floor. A missile blast will kill them. If using the normal
Beam, it takes two blasts to kill the blue ones and four blasts to kill the
yellow ones.
Gamet:
Their bodies are covered by a super-hard shell. They fly out of the air
holes and attack Samus. The red ones have twice the strength as the others.
Ripper II:
These Rippers are more advanced that the Rippers that appear in the rocky
zone (Brinstar). They can spit fire and fly at a high speed. They look the
same as the other Rippers but they fly a lot faster.
Dragon:
These ancient Dragons live in the lava and stick their heads out to blow
fire at Samus. Beware! If Samus is hit by their fire blasts, his energy
weakens.
Multiviola:
These simple-structure organisms are reflected off the walls and bounce
around. They are pretty powerful and are difficult to attack with the
normal Beam as the walls reflect them and they are always moving. Use a
Power Item to boost power first. One missile blast will then destroy them.
Geruta:
The skin of these powerful opponents can generate fire and radiate the
energy inside their bodies. Be especially careful of the strong red ones.
These creatures are the most powerful to appear in this area.
Enemies In Mini-Boss Hideout 2
*Mini-Boss Hideout 2 is hidden somewhere in Brinstar and there are 6 kinds
of enemies inside it.
Zebbo:
These fly out of the air holes. A single blast will lay the blue ones flat,
but it takes two blasts to destroy the yellow ones. These are the weakest
opponents in the hideout.
Holtz:
These creatures fly down from the ceiling, attack Samus and then fly back
up. Armor-plated like the Geruta, they are alos armed with two horns. It
takes several blasts of the normal Beam or a single missile blast to destroy
them.
Viola:
These are Multiviola larvae and they crawl along the ground. It takes two
blasts of the normal Beam to destroy the blue ones and four blasts or one
missle to destroy the yellow ones.
Multiviola:
These alos appear in the fire region (Norfair). You have to be extra
careful of them as they move much faster. These are the products of the
life force that Mother Brain breathes into the molten rock. They have the
same attacking power as the Holtz and the Dessgeega from the same habitat.
Dessgeega:
They jump toward Samus to attack him and are the second strongest creature
in the hideout after the Mini-Boss. It takes several blasts of the normal
beam of one missile blast to destroy them.
Ridley:
It's the head of Mini-Boss Hideout 2. It jumps up into the air and breathes
fire. It's the original life form of the planet Zebes and is controlled by
the Mother Brain. Destroy it and you win 75 missle blasts!!
The Enemies in Tourian
*Conquer the unknown organism, the Metroid and destroy the almighty Mother
Brain.
Rinka: These fireball creatures suddenly appear in the last scene. Lots of
them appear but they are not very strong.
Metroid:
This protoplasm in suspended animation was discovered on the planet SR388.
It clings onto Samus' body and sucks his energy. It can't be destroyed
directly with the normal Beam. Freeze it with the Ice Beam, and then fire 5
missile blasts at it.
Zeebetite:
This energy source is vital for keeping Mother Brain alive. It is no more
than a life-supporting system and therefore won't attack, but it must be
destroyed and only missiles will do the job. One missile blast is not
enough. Other weapons are harmless against it. You have to keep throwing
missiles or it will simply come to life again.
Mother Brain:
Mother Brain lies in the central base of the fortress planet Zebes, the home
of the space pirates. Its aim is to cultivate the Metroid to multiply and
conquer space. Zeebetite is its energy source. You have to discover Mother
Brain's weak point before you can launch a missile attack. When hit, it
makes a shrieking noise.
If You Destroy The Mother Brain...
*If you manage to destroy the last enemy, Mother Brain, wait for a message
to flash across the screen a second later. Something big is in store for
you! We can't disclose it here, but we can tell you that the game is not
over yet!
Note: The total time you take to complete your mission determines the final
outcome.
