The Metroid series is full of different equipment for the heroic bounty hunter Samus Aran to use. From Power Bombs to new suits, Samus is never hurting for choice when it comes to tools to fight enemies and explore the environment. The upcoming Metroid Dread has not shown many items thus far, but fans can rest assured that plenty are coming down the line.
Thanks to the apparent commonality of Samus’ power armor in Chozo culture, there are plenty of alternate beams and beam upgrades all across the galaxy, which is quite useful when the previous ones end up destroyed. Samus is a walking armory at the height of her power in each Metroid game, and many different beams have passed in and out of Samus’ hands.
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The Power Beam is Samus’ standard arm cannon, and represents the most basic offensive function in the Chozo-built power armor. It’s extremely versatile, and can be modified with a massive number of upgrades that are commonly found in many games. The most prominent of these is the Charge Beam, another Metroid staple that allows Samus to charge her shots. The Long Beam makes shots travel farther, and the Wide Beam splits Samus’ shots in three. The Spazer splits shots into three thin lasers, which either copy or power up the Wide Beam depending on the game. Finally, the Wave Beam allows Samus to shoot through walls, and Metroid: Other M's Diffusion Beam allows Samus to fire exploding charged shots.
The Ice Beam is a Metroid staple, due to extreme cold being the weakness of the titular Metroid. It was replaced by Ice Missiles in a few entries for various reasons, but there’s always some equivalent to it. It also allows for enemies to be frozen into temporary platforms, which can be useful for speeding through the shorter games.
With an Ice Beam in play, it makes sense that a fire beam would also appear. The Plasma Beam serves that purpose, and also has a couple other effects. In the 2D games and Other M, it can pierce through enemies. In Metroid Prime 1 and 3, it is a high-powered short range cannon that can set enemies on fire and weld metal circuitry.
The next beam is a special one, as apart from Metroid 2’s treatment of the Ice Beam as vital for exterminating Metroids, the Hyper Beam is the first truly plot-critical beam. It is initially used by Mother Brain on Samus during Super Metroid’s final boss fight, and is then transferred to Samus in the baby Metroid’s final moments. This was one of the most emotionally charged moments in the series, and remains one of the reasons Super Metroid is an all-time classic.
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The Phazon Beam is a special beam that Samus makes use of to fight Metroid Prime at the end of the game of the same name. Its use is only possible due to Samus’ Phazon Suit, which the Prime steals from her after the fight to become Dark Samus. The second Hyper Beam is a symptom of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption’s Hypermode, and is fueled by the Phazon in Samus’ body being channeled through her PED Suit. These are deadly upgrades, but useful in a pinch.
Hailing from Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, these are some of the most unique weapons in the series. For one, they are among the few weapons in Samus’ arsenal that use ammunition. For another, they can deal extra damage to enemies of the opposing Light or Dark element. Dark Beams also petrify enemies like they were Ice Beams, and Light Beams can set enemies on fire like the Plasma Beam. The Annihilator Beam combines the extra damage and ammo requirements of both beams, and also homes in on enemies, meaning that few foes can handle its wrath.
While Samus gains the six weapons used by the various rival bounty hunters in Metroid Prime: Hunters, they aren’t really her beams, per se. What is hers, at least for a little while, is the Omega Cannon. This weapon appears during the final phase of the final boss fight with Gorea, and shoots an explosive shot that is the only way to damage the boss. It also shows up at the top of the Oubliette multiplayer stage, and while this version is slower and only has one shot, it’s even more monstrously powerful. The player using it just needs to make sure they don’t end up in the blast radius.
The Nova Beam is an oddity in the series, as it only appears in Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. It is the final beam obtained in the game, and is very powerful. It’s meant for use alongside the X-Ray Visor to shoot at weak points in Phazite on enemies and the environment. If Samus can hit her enemies’ weak points, she can instantly kill some of the strongest enemies in the game, so it’s important to keep one’s aim steady.
Metroid Dread brings the Omega Cannon back as a temporary upgrade provided by the mysterious Central Units for use against the E.M.M.I. This comes in the sustained Omega Stream and charged Omega Blaster varieties, one for blasting off an E.M.M.I.’s faceplate and the other for finishing it off. She has to stand still while charging the Blaster, so players had better make sure their shot lands.
Metroid Dread releases October 8 on Nintendo Switch.
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