AM2R/Distribution Center

'The Distribution Center distributes power to each of the other subterranean areas that you have previously visited. A good portion of it is submerged in water, and you'll need to find a way to overcome the difficulty posed by moving through water. The center introduces Samus to transportation chutes which can be used to quickly return to previously explored regions of the planet. This area is entirely new to the game, having not appeared in the original Metroid II.'

Reaching the Center
After leaving the Tower and returning to the entrance, you will find that the lava in the pit has sunk, and you can drop down to the section below. you'll need to roll through several narrow passageways. Even if you triggered the earthquake to reduce the lava, you won't be able to proceed unless you collected Power Bombs from the Geothermal Plant below the Tower. You will eventually reach a set of dense rocks which can only be cleared by the explosion from a Power Bomb.

After you get past the rocks, you'll move into room B, where you will discover that the lava didn't drop very far before it stopped. Hop over the pool of lava and proceed to room C. Dash to the right through the empty room to reach room D. If you drop down the first pit, you will land in some water. Water seriously impedes your movement. Furthermore, if you drop to the bottom and try to proceed right, you will encounter a barrier that you are unable to pass. No weapon in your current arsenal will get you past it. Your only option is to head back to the entrance of this room, and run along the top to the right. You will eventually hit a set of bricks which dissolve and drop you down to the other side beyond the barrier. Note that until you obtain a weapon capable of destroying the barrier, passage back to the left is impossible.

Investigating the upper half of the Center
The Distribution Center is one of the largest sections in the game. As a result, this walkthrough breaks up its exploration between the upper portion and the lower portion. Until you obtain items found in the upper portion, your ability to explore the water logged lower portion is limited.

Goals
When you arrive in room A, you will descend down a long pit, and then travel a bit until you drop into a pool of water. Drop all the way down and continue to the right to room B. Room B is a large cavernous room that extends all along the left exterior of the center. The bottom portion that you enter into is flooded due to a damaged pipe. Run along the bottom until you find a set of platforms that you can use to jump on and climb up to the surface of the water. Just to the right of the surface is the door to room C. You can Space Jump throughout the region above the water, but you won't be able to access the door at the top.
 * Activate the Distribution Center

Enter room C to discover a new enemy which you will encounter throughout the center. Spinning blades patrol regions of a room at right angles. It's a good idea to clear them away before you proceed, as they can do a good amount of damage to Samus. Shoot them and pass through the narrow passages to reach the door to room D.

Room D introduces the second new threat. You'll see a few hovering robots that move mindless through the air. If they are struck in any fashion, they begin to overload. When they finally explode, they release a tremendous number of orbs of energy that radiate outward in a circle. If any of these orbs strike the same kind of enemy, it sends them into overload as well, and chain reactions will occur until all of these enemies have been destroyed. The sheer quantity of these orbs can threaten to do a great deal of harm to Samus unless she escapes the room or finds cover. There are two means of safely destroying these enemies, but you don't have access to either one yet.

To proceed through room D, climb up to the top, then head right and drop down to reach the next door. Be careful not to overload either of the enemies near the top. Head through the door to save your progress and continue on to the right. Room E is a vertical room that consists of both enemies introduce in rooms C and D. You can safely shoot the overloading enemies from below since you can take cover below the platforms. Head to the top and enter the door on the left to room F.

Room F can be a dangerous room. If you are careful, you can pass through the room without triggering any of the overloading enemies. However, if you do trigger one, you'll have to very quickly move through the room, bombing holes in the pipes which prevent you from passing to the left before the energy orbs reach you. Continue on to room G, and jump up the empty room to reach the door to room H.

Room H is a very large open room. In the center of the room is a statue with a perch near the top that is just big enough for the Morph Ball to fit in. Naturally, position Samus in the perch as the Morph Ball, and the Distribution Center will activate. Upon doing so, a large number of drones will fly up through the room, each carrying a power cell to some other part of the planet. While many will end up in the Center itself, others will appear throughout areas that you've previously visited. The orbs have two purposes. They can be used to unlock regions that were previously inaccessible. They can also be fired upon with a beam weapon to release a large quantity of enemy, which can short circuit several mechanical enemies and reduce them to ash.

The door in the upper right corner of room H will open once the Center has been activated. Head through this door to reach room I. Four overloading enemies will occupy the hallway. Unfortunately, you'll need to clear them out of the way in order to create the runway you need to build up Shinespark and blast through the barriers on the right side of the room. Do your best to remove them in such a way as to minimize your exposure to the energy that they release, and then run to the right to break through the barriers. Along the way, you may notice an item is hidden in this area. But if you bomb the wall to the left of the far right door, you will see a new type of tile. This tile indicates that the wall can only be destroyed by the Screw Attack. Remember this section for later. For now, head through the door to room J.
 * Clearing some Metroids

In room J, bomb the pipe and drop down into the small area below. Bomb the wall on the left to find a passage through the wall that brings you to the lower portion. When you exit the platform, you will land by one of the power cells distributed through the Center. If you shoot it with your weapon, it will explode. Shortly after, a drone will deliver another one in the same place. Concussive weapons don't harm the cells, so use bombs to blast through the pipe that the cell rests on. It will fall to the bottom of the room, and be magnetically attracted to a structure on the floor. Once attached, the disabled door to the left will reactivate, and you can open it to access room K.

Several mechanical enemies occupy room K, along with two Power Cells. At this time, it would be wise to shoot the cells with your weapon. The resulting explosion will short circuit all mechanical objects in the room and render them inoperable. Your weapon will be affected by the explosions as well, but the effect is only temporary. Once the threat has been eliminated, use a bomb on the right side of the Power Cell that returns, to knock it over to the left where it should attach to a structure and activate the door to room L.

Trying not to shoot and overload the enemies in room L, your objective is to bomb the pipe that a Power Cell is resting on, and help bring it to the bottom of the room. Bomb through any obstacles in your way until you reach a portion of the floor that dissolves as you stand on it, allowing the Power Cell to sink into the structure below, and activate the doors on either side. Head through the right door to reach room M.

In room M, you'll find a Zeta Metroid just waiting for you. In addition to the Metroid, several Power Cells will line the floor. These cells will be a liability throughout the fight. If you shoot any of them with a beam weapon, they are likely to jam your weapon for a while and leave you vulnerable to attack. But you're not the only one who can trigger the Power Cells; when the Zeta Metroid rakes its claws, it sends a wave of energy ahead that can also cause the cells to explode. You'll have to do your best to keep an offensive going with missiles and Super Missiles until the Zeta Metroid is destroyed. Then proceed to the right to room N.

When you first enter room N, you'll be confined to the lower portion of the room. On the right side is a square object with a circular center. As you approach it, the center opens, revealing a hole just big enough for the Morph Ball. Hop into the square, and you will be instantly shuttled from room N to room O. Hop out, and jump up to the top of room O, where you will find another square. Hop into that square to be instantly transported back to room N, at a slightly higher level. From here, make your way to the top. There are several dangerous enemies, but it's not advisable to shoot in here in order to avoid overloading one of the enemies. Climb as high as you can, and then drop down into the section that leads to the door to room P.

Room P contains five overloading enemies grouped closely together. You have three options. You can try to make your way past them without triggering them, or you can trigger them and deal with any damage you might take. A third choice however, would be to release the power cell from the chamber above, using bombs, knock it over to where the enemies are gathered, and trigger it to render them inert. Then bomb your way over to the right side of the room and on to room Q.

Across the way when you arrive in room Q is a red door. It a good idea to shoot this door open with a missile and step inside to find a save station. After you save your game, return to room Q, and drop down below. You'll find a another shuttle square that leads you to room X. For the purposes of this walkthrough, you will visit that room later, so ignore the square for now, and continue to the bottom. Shoot the door on the left to access room R.

Room R is a unique room, as it contains not one, not two, but five Alpha Metroids. Although Alpha Metroids are a relatively minor threat to Samus at this point in the game, five of them attacking simultaneously will still pose a bit of a challenge. It's difficult to lure them in different directions, so you'll simply have to select a location in the room to stand your ground and put up a fight. Constant firing of missiles up into their green underbelly is the best defense against their constant attack. Destroy all five of them before exiting the room through the only door available and returning to room Q. Climb back up to the top and through the door on the right to save your game again. This time, continue on to the right to reach room S.

Room S is an empty room which you should drop down to the bottom of. The door to the right is inactive, so shoot the door on the left to reach room T. When you enter the room, you will notice a Power Cell sitting on a ledge to the right. Your goal is to use bombs to direct that cell to the very bottom of the room. In order to do that, you will have to avoid some enemies, including an overloading enemy between two pipes near the middle of the room. Getting the cell to fall to the middle of the room is fairly easy. From there, you must bomb it so that it goes to the right, and down through the gap on the right side, where it should bounce back to the left and into the structure, which will unlock the door near the middle of the room.
 * Obtaining the Screw Attack

Pass through the newly activate door to reach room U. You will arrive in the upper section. If you bomb close to the door, you will see the tiles which indicate that the floor can only be broken with the Screw Attack. However, small columns of the floor will simply dissolve if you step or roll over them. This will drop you to a very dangerous section of the room literally filled with overloading enemies. Don't touch any of them, or if you do, run very quickly to the door in the lower right corner to reach room V before a shower of energy threatens to destroy Samus.

In room V, shoot up through the floor to create holes in the ground. Each time you do this, you will likely overload an enemy waiting above. Wait below for the energy to dissipate, and then continue on your way up to the top. Shoot the red door at the top with a missile to open it, and step inside to find a Chozo Statue holding an orb. Inside that orb will be the Screw Attack. Not only does the Screw Attack turn Samus into a weapon when she somersaults through the air, it enables her to break through certain walls and floors. It also enables her to safely destroy the overloading enemies without fear of them releasing energy.

Having obtained the Screw Attack, you can now very easily return to the bottom of room V by using the Screw Attack to crash through the floor to the door below. Back in room U, you can test the Screw Attack's ability to destroy the overloading enemies without triggering them to explode. Then use the Screw Attack to crash through the ceiling to reach the door which leads back to room T. Return to the top of room T to get back to room S, where the door to the right is still deactivated. Climb to the top of room S to get back to the save station and save your game.
 * Discover the transport chutes

Return to room Q on the left, and continue going left back to room P. Make your way safely back to the left to room N. Once back in room N, you will discover that if you begin to spin jump, most of the walls are destroyed by the Screw Attack, including the ceiling which blocks access to the door at the very top. This door leads to room Y, a special room on the map marked in purple.

Rooms marked in purple contain transportation chutes that don't just lead to another section of the map in the same area. They actually transport Samus to other areas. You can use these chutes to instantly transport Samus back to sections she has previously visited. While you are not required to do so, those players who wish to obtain a 100% item collection rate will wish to take full advantage of these chutes. Before you investigate the first chute, however, it's a good idea to run to the left and investigate room Z.

Room Z is a connection between room Y and room B, and you must pass through it from right to left first before you can turn it into a handy shortcut from room B back to room Y. The room contains several enemies and a Power Cell. There are some pipes that you can Screw Attack your way through. In order to unlock the door to room B, you must use bombs to send the Power Cell into the structure waiting on the left side of the room. Do this to reactivate the door and have quick access to room Y whenever you like.

Back in room Y, you should first investigate the chute on the far right side. The remaining chutes sends you to previous areas. The chute immediately to the left sends you to the ../Industrial Complex/. The chute further to the left sends you to the ../Golden Temple/. Up above on a higher level, you will find a chute which sends you off to the left, back to ../The Tower/.

Enter the rightmost chute in room Y. You will be transported to a small isolated section of the map. The following section will refer to the rooms as labeled by the map to the right.
 * Obtaining the Gravity Suit

After arriving in this new section, head through the door on the right to enter room A. Room A contains a strange field in the middle which completely interferes with your weapons system. While you stand in this region, you will be unable to utilize any weapon including bombs, although Screw Attack still works. Leap over the charging enemy on the ground and enter room B on the right.

Room B is a vertical chamber containing the nullification field throughout. The floor in the middle of the room will dissolve as you stand on it, depositing you on the bottom. On the bottom, you must stand on the alcove on the left side in order to shoot the door to room C on the right. The insects in room C can be defeated using the Screw Attack. Pass through the right door to reach room D.

Room D is another vertical room. A nullification field is present throughout. There are two red doors, one on the top, and one on the bottom, but the field prevents you from using missiles to attack straight on. If you investigate the entire room, you'll find a dissolving brick in the lower right corner. Step on it, and fall down to the narrow passage below the floor. Roll to the left and use a bomb to reveal a missile tile. You'll also drop down low enough to stand and aim up. Fire a missile, and you'll remove the tile and open the door.

Head through the door and run left through room E. You'll discover a pipe that blocks your way. Return to the right side outside of the nullification field and detonate a Power Bomb to remove the pipe. Then return to the left and pass through the door to discover a chamber. Step into the middle of the chamber, and you will be momentarily surrounded by some equipment. When it opens back up, you will be revealed wearing the Gravity Suit, a suit which increases your defense even more than the Varia Suit, and eliminates any resistance while running through water.

With the Gravity Suit equipped, you are also no longer vulnerable to the nullification fields. You can return to room E, and bomb your way past the pipe. Jump up to the top of room D and use a missile to open the door. Pass through to enter room F. To get around this room, use your Screw Attack to break through the ceiling, then the left wall, and then the floor below you. You'll find a door which leads to a room where you'll find a new transportation chute. This chute sends you down to the lower portion of the Distribution Center.

Item Gathering

 * Super Missiles A (room I): At some point after you've collected the Screw Attack, you'll have to make your way back to the entrance of room I by returning to the activation room (room H). You can now safely destroy the overloading enemies by using the Screw Attack, and build up a run way to Speed Boost through the barriers on the right. Fall down to the floor below, and then use the Screw Attack on the wall to the left to find a hidden chamber where the Super Missile is waiting.


 * Missile Tank A (isolated room C): In the isolated portion of the map, on the way to obtaining the gravity suit, you must cross room C which contains a nullification field. The middle of the room contains an item, but you can't use your weapons in the middle. To locate the item, use a Power Bomb on either side. This will reveal a hole in the middle of the floor. Drop in to obtain a Missile Tank.

Goals
After you obtain the Gravity Suit and use the second transportation chute to escape from the isolated area, you will arrive in a room with a door on the left. Pass through the door to reach room A. This room is flooded with water, and contains no enemies but is covered in spikes. Without the Gravity Suit, this room would be impossible to cross, but since you have the suit, you can easily Space Jump your way through it as if it were full of air.
 * Eliminate the remaining Metroids

Exit through the door on the right to access room B, the cavernous room surrounding the right side of the center. The bottom portion of the room is submerged in water. Begin Space Jumping your way to the top, and you will eventually rise above the water level. Get to the top in order to find a door which leads to room C. In room C, you'll see a Power Cell, but the structure to attach it to is on the other side of a wall. A regular bomb is enough to remove the wall. Then place a bomb to the right side of the cell to begin guiding it over to the structure on the left. Once in place, the door to room D will unlock.

Jump up to the top of room D, and head through the left door to access a save station. After saving your game, continue to the left to room E. This time, drop down until you find the transportation chute in the middle of the room and enter it to be whisked away to room F. In this room, you will not be able to remove the gelatinous barrier in the middle of the room. However, you can find a hidden path around it by shooting the wall opposite the transportation chute. This will reveal access to a narrow passage that must navigate as you move to the left. On the other side of the barrier is another transportation chute. Use it to drop down to room G below.

Watch out for the aquatic enemies and follow the path of room G as it drops down, heads right, and climbs back up to find the door to room H. You can run all the way through room H and crash through any fish that get in your way. Exit through the door on the right to find a save station. Save your game, and then exit through the right door to room I. Navigate your way to the bottom of the room, and head through the door on the right.

Waiting for you near the upper right corner of room J are two Gamma Metroids. Once again, you are forced to fight against multiple Metroids at once. However, since Gamma Metroids are bigger targets, and there are only two of them, this fight shouldn't be as chaotics as the one against the five Alpha Metroids. Do your best to position yourself below each of them and fire Super Missiles (and regular missiles if you are out of Super Missiles) up at their underbelly. Lure them back to the top of the room if they are too low and you are having trouble getting a clear shot at their stomachs. After defeating the two Gamma Metroids, an earthquake should trigger.

Return to room I and begin running to the left through the opening on the opposite side to room K. You should build up enough speed to Speed Boost your way through the tunnel, which is only possible if you have the Gravity Suit. Break through the debris in the room and reach room L to the left. Drop down a short distance until you see a red door on the left. Shoot it with a missile to open it and step inside. Room M will be a large empty room containing many platforms over a bed of spikes.
 * Obtaining the Ice Beam

Jump over to the left side of room M and open the door. Inside the next room, you'll find a transportation chute that sends you up to room N within the upper portion of the Center. When you step out, you'll encounter another one of those impassable barriers. As before, there is a hidden passage that you can utilize in the wall above the barrier. Roll through it, and the bricks on the right side will dissolve, trapping you on the right side. Use a missile to open the red door and step inside. You'll find a Chozo statue holding an orb, and in that orb will be the Ice Beam.

With your newly acquired weapon, return to room N. Now if you shoot the barrier with the Ice Beam, the barrier will freeze. At this point, it is vulnerable to concussive weapons, so shoot it with a missile to shatter it, allowing you to return to the transportation chute. Once you ride the shoot back down and return to room M, the door will lock behind you. As you approach the middle of the room, you will be attacked by a serpentine creature known as Serris.
 * Escaping the Center

Serris will zip through the water at, sometimes at tremendous speeds. It smashes through any platforms it touches, but the platforms will reassemble. The log indicates that it is sensitive to sudden drops in temperature. Naturally, you're going to need to use the Ice Beam against it. Find a steady platform to stand on, and shoot Serris as rapidly as you can. As you do, you will start to notice segments of its armor plating freezing up. As with the barrier before, you can now shoot the frozen armor plating with missiles. With the armor plating removed, its skin is more directly exposed to the temperature effects of the Ice Beam. Pummel the exposed portions of Serris with the Ice Beam. As it takes more damage, it will speed up until its moving incredibly fast. Continue shooting it until it is completely defeated. Then the doors in room M will unlock.

Return to room L and continue down to the bottom. The passage on the right leads to room O and an item, while the passage on the left leads to room P. Visit room O if you like (see Missile Tank A below) and then build up speed as you enter room P. Use the Speed Boost the blast through the debris on your way to room Q.

The pipe at the top of room Q requires Speed Boost to blast through. It's possible to jump at the last second as you exit room P and break through the pipe in order to investigate room W from the left side if you wish. Otherwise, drop down to the bottom of room Q. The tunnel to the right leads to room R. This path will ultimately dead-end, but you can pick up several items be exploring it. Head left through the door to room U.

Room U is mostly empty, and allows you to build up significant speed, but you will ultimate be stopped by another gelatinous barrier. Freeze it with the Ice Beam and crack it apart with a missile. Then proceed left to room V. This room is an empty vertical corridor filled with platforms. Jump up to the top. To the right is room W which contains an item and a path back to room Q. To the left is room X, the left exterior surrounding the Center.

At this point, you have a choice. You can return to room Y and use the other transportation chutes found there to make return visits to other areas and collect items that you were unable to obtain earlier. Click the following links to go directly to the return visit sections of the walkthrough: Otherwise, you'll need to head to the left side of room X to locate the passage that originally lead you to the Distribution Center. Climb to the top of that and head left. This time when you encounter the gelatinous barrier that blocked your escape from the Center, you will be properly equipped to remove it.
 * The Golden Temple
 * The Industrial Complex
 * The Tower
 * The Hydro Station (accessible via a transportation chute from The Tower).

Item Gathering

 * Power Bombs A (room B): Jump all the way to the very top of room B and you will discover a Power Bomb expansion behind some fallen rubble. You must use a Power Bomb to clear the rubble away in order to collect the bombs.


 * Power Bombs B (room F): After making your way above the gelatinous barrier in the middle of the room, you'll find a transportation chute down to room G. Despite the wall on the left, the map indicates that the room continues. If you use a Power Bomb along this wall, you will open a passage to the left. Jump into the passage and run nonstop to the left. You will buildup enough speed to crash through the final barrier on the left and arrive at the Power Bombs.


 * Missile Tank A (room O): Drop down to the bottom of room L and take the passage on the right to room O. At the bottom of room O is a pipe which blocks the way to a narrow passage that leads to the top. The problem with this pipe is that it dissolves as soon as you hang on to any part of it. It also quickly reassembles. Avoid dealing with the pipe entirely by using the Spider Ball item to follow the wall on the right and follow it up to the middle area. Once you do this, navigating the passage and its spikes is easy. In the next room on the right, you'll see the Missile Tank locked away in a chamber at the bottom of the room. Bomb the floor to gain access to the chamber and the missiles.


 * Missile Tank B (room R): Drop to the bottom of room Q and head through the tunnel on the right to room R. Continue running until you reach a barrier. Screw Attack or bomb your way through the floor in the middle and collect the Missile Tank on the other side.


 * Missile Tank C (room W): Regardless of whether you approach room W from the left (through room V) or from the right (through room Q), the situation will be the same. The center of the room contains a series of columns which can only be broken with the Speed Boost. In the middle of the columns, you will find a Missile Tank. Use the Speed Boost and Space Jump to break through the columns so that you can access and collect the Missile Tank on the floor.


 * Missile Tank D (room X): There's one last Missile Tank for you to collect before you leave the Center. It's lodged high up in the ceiling of the left exterior surrounding the Center. In order to obtain it, you must run along the bottom of the exterior and build up enough speed to store a Shinespark. Then you simply press jump and fly all the way from the bottom of the room to the top. The hard part is knowing precisely where to jump. If you stand on the ledge just to the left of the broken water pipe shown in the image, this is the proper location to jump from. Jump from here, and you will fly up straight through the ceiling and up to the Missile Tank above.


 * Super Missiles A (room S): After collecting Missile Tank B, return through the broken floor and start from the left side of room R to build up speed. When you start shining, squat down to store the Shinespark, and then Screw Attack your way back up through the floor. Stand on the crate at the top, press jump and hold right to blast through the wall and into the higher of the two tunnels that lead right to room S. You will also use this tunnel as a runway as you proceed to room S. Before you reach a bed of spikes on the floor, you should squat down and store the Shinespark again. There is a column of tiles in the ceiling that is vulnerable to Shinespark. If you press jump and fly up in the right location, you will break through the ceiling and into a higher tunnel which contains a Super Missile expansion.


 * Energy Tank A (room T): After collecting Super Missiles A from room S, Space Jump you way through the remainder of room S as it takes you up and over to the right. It will lead to room T which looks like an empty chamber. If you bomb the floor, you will discover Power Bomb tiles. Detonate a Power Bomb to break through the floor. You will discover a tunnel which contains an Energy Tank.