Metroid Prime/Space Pirate Frigate

Following the explanation as to why Samus is touring the space around Tallon IV, Samus descends onto the deck of a desolate and abandoned cruiser.

As with all Metroid games, the initial level is actually an introductory stage, designed to familiarise the player with the controls, the methods, and basics of gameplay in the Metroid world.

Although self-explanatory, frequent messages pop up to explain what needs to be done, you should also take the liberty to mess around and explore.

The enemies you face are reasonably simple to dispatch and should not challenge even a new player. Parasites make up the bulk of the foes, and these can be killed with one or two shots from the power beam. Injured space pirates are also common, but most are already heavily injured so are not very tough and their aim is impaired. There are several which are uninjured and hence much more dangerous but these can be identified by the commando roll they use to get into combat. Auto Defence Turrets are also positioned in some rooms and the best method to kill these is to dash out from round a corner and fire a missile to kill them in one shot (a charged Beam will also work). Sometimes there is a CPU nearby to deactivate the turrets. Keep this in mind for later.

Exterior Docking Hangar
The way is immediately faced with a force field. Turn it off by firing on the four red switches at each of its corners. The next force field has six switches, which are turned off. Turn them on by scanning the terminal directly in front of the field. Fire. Proceed to the Air Lock.

Air Lock
The door cannot be opened until the air lock is repressurized. Scan the terminal and proceed to Deck Alpha Access Hall, then Emergency Evacuation Area.

Emergency Evacuation Area
Scan: Parasite

There is one wounded Pirate to kill. Proceed to Deck Alpha Umbilical Hall.

Deck Alpha Umbilical Hall
Blast through the rubble blocking your way with the charge beam. Using the Morph Ball, Proceed to the Map Facility.

Map Facility
Scan: Map Station

Enter the Map Station. This will give you a map of the entire Frigate. Exit to Deck Alpha Umbilical Hall, then proceed to the Connection Elevator to Deck Beta.

Elevator to Deck Beta
Scan the terminal to activate the elevator. Step into the Hologram. Proceed to Deck Beta Conduit Hall.

Deck Beta Conduit Hall
Avoiding the energy conductor unit, proceed to Biotech Research Area 1, via Morph Ball.

Biotech Research Area 1
Kill two wounded Pirates and proceed to Deck Beta Security Hall.

Deck Beta Security Hall
Scan: Auto Defense Turret

Kill the Auto Defense Turret (1 Missile!) and proceed to Biohazard Containment.

Biohazard Containment
Scan: Space Pirate Log 09.992.3

Kill the Auto Defense Turret, activate the elevator, and ascend. Kill four Pirates, and proceed to the Cargo Freight Lift to Deck Gamma via the Deck Beta Transit Hall.

Cargo Freight Lift to Deck Gamma
Kill the Auto Defense Turret while still behind the door in Deck Beta Transit Hall. Scan the terminal to activate the lift, then enter the hologram to descend. At the bottom of the lift you encounter your first healthy Space Pirate. Congrats!

To proceed to the Reactor Core Entrance, you must first activate the door lock by scanning its terminal, then enter the lock clamp in Morph Ball form. The door opens.

Reactor Core Entrance
Do yourself a favor and Kill the defense turrets before you enter the room and activate them. Proceed left to the save station. Save, return to the Reactor Core Entrance, and unlock the door via Morph Ball. Proceed to the Reactor Core.

Reactor Core
Scan: Parasite Queen.

First order of business: kill the Parasite Queen, a giant mutated parasite.

Boss Battle: The Parasite Queen
I hope you didn't forget to save in the Reactor Core Entrance

Upon beginning the fight, you should scan the queen straight away. This reveals that the parasite queen has a weakness in the mouth and as such your auto aim readjusts to target from the belly to the mouth, and increases the amount of damage you deal. To kill her you must simply shoot her enough, with charged shots being the most effective method of harming her. You should only use missiles when you have a clean shot.

The Parasite Queen attacks by firing a stream of green energy at you, which,-if she scores a direct hit-can do between 10 and 20 units of damage. Her main defense is a blue shield which covers two sides of the boss and stops all attacks. Occasionally, the shield will suddenly spin rapidly and block almost all incoming shots but single power beam blasts can still get through, or you can simply run round avoiding the incoming attacks which you can do by dashing as the shield quickly settles. Maintain your aim, charge your beam, and continually dash to the opening in the shield to fire.

After beating the parasite queen, she falls into the reactor, initiating the auto destruct sequence. You have 8 minutes to get out. Proceed to the Elevator to Deck Beta via Deck Gamma Monitor Hall.

Elevator to Deck Beta
At the top of the elevator, there are turrets. You can turn them off at the terminal before turning the corner. Proceed to Deck Beta

Deck Beta
At Deck Beta, they're killing the other Parasite Queen just as you enter. There's a large explosion. Proceed up some broken stairs, kill three Pirates, and proceed.

This part of the frigate is very linear so there is no difficulty in simply following the path to your ship. Clearing the halls of the vast swarms of parasites is not necessary and simply wastes time, so just run through them (or roll using your Morph Ball if the tunnel is mostly downhill.)

Path: Subventilation Shaft Section A, Subventilation Shaft Section B, Cargo Freight Lift to Dedck Gamma, Main Ventilation Shaft Section A, Main Ventilation Shaft Section B (2 Turrets), Main Ventilation Shaft Section C, Main Ventilation Shaft Section D, Main Ventilation Shaft Section E, Main Ventilation Shaft Section F, Biotech Research Area 2.

Biotech Research Area 2
Here there is a short video involving Meta Ridley, and a path to cross using the Grapple Beam. Proceed to the Connection Elevator to Deck Alpha.

Connection Elevator to Deck Alpha
First, disable the defense turrets by scanning the terminal. Then comes the tragedy of all Metroid games: As you scan the terminal to enter the elevator, there is a mysterious explosion which removes every upgrade to your suit. So sorry. Before the game can be completed, you're going to have to fully upgrade your suit all over again. Fortunately, the mysterious suit is Chozo-made, and Tallon, the planet below, is their home planet. What a coincidence!

Enter the elevator and proceed.

Path: Deck Alpha Mech Shaft, Air Lock, Exterior Docking Hangar.

Exit the Hangar and Samus escapes to her ship to pursue Meta Ridley to the planet below. Home Free!

Available Scans

 * Creatures Scan - Parasite: These first appear in Emergency Evacuation Area (They are a one time only scan)


 * Research Scan - Small Energy: Intentionally lose some health before you kill the first Space Pirate. When it is killed it will leave behind this pick-up.


 * Research Scan - Map Station: Located in Map Facility.


 * Crestures Scan - Auto Defence Turret: First seen in Deck Beta Security Hall


 * Research Scan - Small Missile Ammo: Destroy the first Auto Defence Turret with a missile. It will then leave behind this pick-up.


 * Space Pirate Data - Fall of Zebes (NTSC/PAL): Located in Boihazard Containment


 * Research Scan - Save Station: Located through a small door in the East wall of Reactor Core Entrance.


 * Creatures Scan - Parasite Queen (also explained above): Located in Reactor Core.